Earth Day is Sunday-Comments, ideas, efforts to celebrate and protect ourenviornment

[Thaddus]

In the spirit of Earth Day coming this Sunday, I thought it would be good to give oppurtunity to voice our comments, ideas, and challenges to celebrate our planet and its address its ecology.

I am an avid gardener but would find the bees too much of a nuisance (actually its more of a fear) and would have bee traps and sprays throught the gardens. Ive thrown them away! They really aren't out to sting me anyways. I also am going to hang more bird feeders and bird nests in the yard.

[BenL]

Most thinking people agree by now that human activities are causing drastic changes to our planet. What we don't seem to be able to agree on is how to change the ways we inhabit this terrestrial globe to cause less harm.

You can't step too far into this realm but you bump right into politics. Geopolitics when you try to preach to the developing world that we've learned our lesson, therefore they can no longer dream of the development we have taken for granted. Economic politics when you tell companies that they have to change the ways they do things and consumers that they have to consume less to attain what Pablo called "a smaller footprint."

Capitalism, the economic engine of our society, runs on consumerism. We are convinced through marketing and advertising that we NEED more goods and services. Then we set out to POSSESS more goods and services. Companies will only do the things that improve their bottom lines. They will not opt of out the consumerism cycle. The only ones who can change the consumer mindset are the consumers themselves ... US!!

Living simply is not a Madison Avenue ideal. It's a hard choice for anyone to make. I see encouragement for the simple life in the Christian gospels. It's not a universal vision among Christians, but I think it's there, embedded in the gospel message nevertheless. Central to the simple life is caring for the Earth as part of the gift of creation. What kinds of stewards are we?

Cleaning the environment starts within us. The first task is to clear away the clutter of consumerism and pare down our lives to simpler standards. Consumer goods are the "bread and circuses" of our times, meant to keep us compliant. Whoa ... that sounds a lot like a conspiracy theory. ;) I'll stop preaching and say simply that I am striving to simplify this Earth Day as a way of postively impacting the world around me.

[Emproph]

:earth: Hey Mother Earth :earth:


You're one versatile material.

Everything I own is made of you. Dirt. Me and all of my possessions. Fashioned from Earth, you, dirt.

"Honey, we’re having dirt for dinner, on dirt plates." "Glass of dirt anyone?"

I just loved typing that on my dirt keyboard and watching the words come up on my dirt monitor, all 1 / 6.5 billion humanth of you (me) ...talking about you.

As though you didn’t feel me feeling me typing that...Oh Mother Earth, you slay me. :rofl:

[Vanessa White]

Seriously, emproph, you just bring it down to the basics, which I am trying to impress upon my daughter as well, leaving just a footprint, touching the earth gently, nurturing what is here in the dirt, in ourselves, in our possessions. Action wise, we will plant flowers, walk in the park, maybe even have a "spring is finally here" picnic, and I want to watch "An Inconvenient Truth" again, I have it on my DVR. Prayer service that night here on campus as well for Earth day. And, I do want to switch my light bulbs, I have been talking about it and need to just do it. I have tried to be much more aware of my own consumerism since I have been living on my own, and am amazed at what I have learned to do without. I can survive on a lot less than I had convinced myself over the years. Awareness is key, and I am so glad that my nine year old has it as well. Peaceful Earth Day all, make sure you hug a tree or two. Vanessa :love: :love: