Being Kind to Our Earth

Happy Earth Day!

Yes, I know, according to the international calendar I am technically 2 days late. But that's my point. As I scrolled through my instagram, facebook, and twitter feeds my page was flooded with pictures of this beautiful planet that we all call home. The thing that bothered me is that all the pictures people were posting were of oceans and rolling hillsides. I did not see one picture of the enormous amounts of trash littering the streets or the pollution clouding our skies. Unfortunately, that is how our Earth really looks. We as a society are killing Earth little by little. We may not realize our ecological impact by using one plastic water bottle a day or through the unnecessary use of plane travel. However, these things add up.

I am not saying we all need to live off the land and completely eliminate plastic use. Instead, I want to encourage you, and even myself, to be more mindful of your daily usage and overall effects on our planet. If we celebrate Earth Day each year on April 22nd, then we should be actively taking care of it, every day. The posts that I saw the other day were inspiring, however, a social media post does not make Earth a better, more sustainable, or cleaner planet.

"Earth needs our help, not our social media recognition."

There are so many simple and effective ways that you and I can protect our planet. The 5 R's are a perfect way to be cognizant of our behaviors and how they may help the Earth.

Refuse - Try opting for an email receipt rather than a printed version when available. Refuse the use of plastic water bottles and utensils if you have reusable options instead, or really, don't even need them.

Reduce - Be realistic about things you truly need and things you don't. If you can't live without certain things, try to at least reduce your consumption in an effort to lesson your impact on the environment.

Reuse - Grocery bags, straws & glass jars. If you can wash something and use it again, why wouldn't you? Not only is this option saving the Earth, it can also be a great way to save money.

Repair - Get crafty! If you find something you don't need or use anymore, that's a great first step in minimizing. Instead of throwing that object out, try to repair or repurpose it in a way that can still bring value to it.

Resist - Lastly, we as humans can do all these things; plant a garden, reduce single use-plastic, and eat more of a plant based diet. But, it is the large corporations that create the most fossil fuel emmisions, more than all of us together. So, we need to reach out to our local representatives, environmental activists, and partners in protesting the harmful effects of these companies. Making a big change is needed in order to save our planet.

Being kind to the Earth fits perfectly with bloom's philosophy; art, health, & life. Earth is art in its purest form. It is the environment for us to make our little bodies the healthiest they can be. Earth is all that life encapsulates wrapped up in a tiny pale blue dot.

So, breathe in the fresh air, listen to the birds or to the water as it crashes against some large rocks, and always,

spread kindness, jenn