We "get" to live on this planet called Earth which makes every day an Earth day.
This Earth is a vast expanse of water, prairies, mountains and dry deserts with the back drop of the ever-changing sky (sunrises, sunsets, rainbows, the moon, stars and northern lights). Our beautiful Earth!
I am in awe of what happens on this Earth and grateful to get to live here.
What else make this Earth so special?
- The air is just the right composition to keep us alive.
- The sun is not too close or too far; it is at the right distance so we are not burning up or freezing to death.
- There is water to hydrate our body cells.
- Food grows abundantly on the land and in the waters to nourish us.
This is truly happening 24/7!
But all is not well on our Earth as we know. Let us look at what three of my green friends say. As you might notice they all relate to water.
1. My first friend is Paul Jimerson, a rampant tweeter @pauljimerson. Here is an excerpt from his Earth Day article "All Is Not Well With The Ocean."
"I began to study the local flora and fauna, the climate, the tides, local history, and spent many hours roaming the beaches and tide pools of Pacific Grove. The more I studied the more I learned that all was not well with the Ocean. "
Plastics in the Ocean
After reading Paul's article I saw how I try to control the amount of plastic in my life which is impossible to totally do. I am typing on a plastic keyboard; my computer and phone are made of plastic. Still I do not consume the chemicals in plastic and for some very good reasons.
2. The result of our over-consuming and not taking care is having a detrimental effect on the lives of people on this Earth. My second friend, Chinmaya further educated me in this area about the Health Crisis at the Third Pole. Below is a bit of his article.
Chinmaya Dunster talks to the farmers of the Himalayas:
"The rains no longer come on time, and then arrive in great destructive storms. We used to water our crops with snowmelt, now we watch the glaciers retreating before our eyes. Rivers that used to run all year long now flood in spring, washing away our fields, and then dry out by summer, so that we have to go further and further to fetch water."
Why does it matter what happens to us in the remote Himalayas?
It matters because the Himalaya provide water for one fifth of the world's population and its changes provide an early warning system for the rest of the globe. Watch this beautiful video with all the details.
After watching that video I had questions.
Are we doing all we can? What are we doing to nourish and preserve what this earth gives us every second of every day?
3. My third friend Carla Janzen shares her water-saving strategies from her article "Saving Water for the Environment."
- Do you have a drain spout that could use a water barrel this summer?
- Check for dripping faucets. You could be wasting up to 20,000 litres of water per year!
- If your toilet is more than 10 years old consider upgrading to a new water-saving model.
- Turn the water off while you brush your teeth.
- Don't flush the toilet every time you use it. You have heard the saying 'if it's yellow....'
It's so easy to turn on the tap, but imagine if one morning you woke up, turned on the tap and nothing happened. How would your day be different?"
There you have some problems and a few solutions from three passionate people. I am passionate about conserving water; some of my strategies may seem penny pinching but it is not to save pennies. It is to honour water, the precious resource given to us by this Earth.
Let us celebrate Earth Day by taking care of our beautiful Earth every day for us now and for generations to come.
My Earth Day Gift to You...to get you going.
Follow this link to receive a free e-book: 125 Ways to Go Green and Save Money At The Same Time. Enjoy!
