Only the One Earth…
World Environment Day
June 5th, 2022
I have been getting outside (mostly in my yard— I’m a wannabe permaculture gardener) a bit more since the weather has begun getting better. That is, if you overlook almost 40 degree drops in temperature from one day to the next, and my first Haboob since returning to Texas in 2020. I’m pretty sure we experienced (at least) one when we lived here previously. I just wasn’t aware that they had such an odd name. It almost seems sometimes, that with the advent of the internet, mankind got around to giving exotic and often egregious names to any weather condition or anomaly previously overlooked or unprecedented. At the very least, we are all more Aware of these names.
Until a couple of decades ago, I did not know that Hurricanes went up past Category 3. I had never heard of a bomb cyclone, thunder-snow or a polar vortex, glaciers of hail, triple digit temperatures in Siberia or tundra fires. And this is only the tip of this meteorological Iceberg.
There are, of course, still lots of debates going on about Climate Change (whether or not it is occurring???), whether it is a natural cycle or man-made, and what should or could be done about it. While the debate continues, deforestation (the world’s forests were reduced as much in the past 100 years as in the 9000 years preceding.) and desertification (currently over one third of the planet is threatened with desertification, and almost 30 million acres is added to this every year now) are becoming major global concerns. Desertification is caused by irresponsible land management practices (many of the new arid areas are former cropland), poulation pressure, poverty, CO2 levels, and other environmental factors.
Action
The Sooner the Better
When faced with the growing problems in this World (and I’m not just talking about the Climate or Environment here) it is easy to become overwhelmed and decide that there is little that we, as individuals, can do. On the contrary, I believe that it is up to us each and every one to bring change.
Quit waiting for governments and institutions, for corporations that don’t care, or for someone else to shoulder this problem. It belongs to us all. You don’y have to change your entire Life in a Day. Oftentimes, it is the small changes that make the biggest overall impact. And starting with something you can approach realistically, like a backyard ( or perhaps a front yard) vegetable or herb garden, Participating in a community garden effort, or working on eliminating single use plastics, can easily lead to more dramatic efforts, or even activism.
We can all do something. Whether it is finding ways to reuse household goods that have outlived their initial purpose, donating rather than discarding, eliminating wasteful practices at home and in the workplace, it all contributes to a better chance of healing some of this Planet’s woes.
A Couple of World Environment Day Resources
Before I go today (I started this post early, but I am running late) I would like to provide a couple of good resources to continue reading, and figuring out what each of us as individuals can do to Help. The World Environment Day website is an excellent starting point.
An organization that has sparked not only my interest and imagination, but also inspired me to begin looking at the World and my Life from a different perspective is Regeneration International . Regeneration, meaning, the act of improving a place or system, especially by making it more active or successful, or, the act of something growing or being grown again, is a powerful concept. On this planet, we have went past the point where just preaching sustainability, or maintaining the status quo is enough. A new system has to arise, not just in agriculture and land management, but in our lives as a whole. We need to envision a new system, to regenerate the way we approach Life and this Planet we inhabit.
I am constantly finding more resources out there for those interested in Earth Healing. Another site that has me motivated to learn and do more is Global Earth Repair Foundation . Take a look if you get the chance. I know I am on my soapbox again, but this is an issue I am passionate about. I will leave you today with the titles of a couple of books I think are particularly inspiring:
by Masanobu Fukuoka
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