Manifestation.
Respect Mother Earth + Ourselves
It always seems impossible until its done - Nelson Mandela.
How can we as a community manifest a global revolution? A climate crisis is on our tail, and something needs to be done. With the commencement of global climate strike week and the urgency around #climateaction and I have been asking myself what can I do to make a difference?
Often this internal dialogue jumps between the struggle of overthinking and feeling like I’m not doing enough, stressing about what to do or how much I can do, to then not doing anything at all. So I’m committing to do something, big or small. “Great things are done by a series of small things put together” - Vincent Van Gogh
Go Greta! #gretathunberg
What a beautiful reminder of how one small action can have, and does have an immense impact. An aspirational young woman who, through her quiet defiance made humanity turn its head and face the climate crisis. Gretta’s powerful and honest “How dare you!” speech at the UN’s climate action summit challenged our world leaders on their values and to take accountability for their actions. What started as a quiet protest is now a global movement. Leading the global youth movement "Fridays for Future" Greta's one small action has given us hope. There is a divine beauty in the the united power of humanity, we are a force of nature and together we can achieve almost anything. But we need the majority of humanity's interests to align with the planets. This means adjusting some authoritative peoples', corporations and governments opinions. This isn't an easy quest as what sometimes seems simple is rather complex and requires people to rethink, reestablish and reemerge. We have a climate crisis on our handsHowever this is an extremely necessary adjustment
So if you have been asking yourself
What can I do about climate change? How can I help fight climate change?
Heres a list of 10 ways to fight climate change.
Pick one, do them all, up to you!
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Vote with your dollar.
Unfortunately money is still the biggest power in this world. Leverage your influence and only support / buy from companies that are ethical and transparent. There are many businesses out there trying to make a difference and being conscious about their impact on the planet. Maybe that means spending a little more on something that lasts a life time, or maybe it means buying a perishable good that was made with sustainably sourced ingredients. Your Dollar Counts! Which brings me to the next point:
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Buy Less Choose Well
- in the words of Vivian Westwood
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Vote Green.
Vote for parties that bring forward green policies, parties that have credible and tangible climate action plans. Politics that puts our environment and its inhabitants first.
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Be mindful of energy usage in the home
The obvious one, but non the less. This may be as simple as turning off the lights, washing clothes less frequently, hanging to dry, unplugging items that are not in use. Every little bit of energy counts. Solar, wind and hydro energy is becoming easier to access, so investigate your region. Community solar energy share programs are popping up, and definitely something worth looking into. If you are in BC Canada, check Solshare out.
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Invest Green.
Many of the biggest contributors to climate change are large corporations listed on stock exchanges around the world. Instead of investing in companies that don’t have green initiative, take the time to research and invest in companies that do good; renewable energy businesses, recycling companies, or companies that are transparent about their impact and their green solutions. Alternatively donate to NGO’s doing good.
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Do your research
The power is in the hands of the people - with the internet and information at our fingertips we no longer have to turn a blind eye to what goes on behind closed doors. Investigate & educate yourself. Knowledge is power.
“Knowledge is Power, Power provides Information; Information leads to Education, Education breeds Wisdom; Wisdom is Liberation. People are not liberated because of lack of knowledge.”― Israelmore Ayivor
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Make your commute green.
Bike. Walk. Bus. Train. Tesla.
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Talk Green.
Start a conversation, be open to peoples opinions and ideas. Learn from each other, ask questions, share ideas. The spread of information is fastest and most powerful by world of mouth.
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Eat Green.
Reassess your foodprint. Research from Oxford University shows food production is responsible for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions - meat, dairy and eggs having the greatest impact. A plant based diet and buying locally grown are great ways to lessen your foodprint. If you love meat and cheese, start with a Meatless Monday, or a week with no meat. Every little thing counts.
Check your foodprint here
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Support climate action movements
Take to the streets this climate strike week and join a march. Support reforestation and conservation movements. Volunteer your time, help spread the message. For those of you in Canada visit Climate Strike Canada.
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Do a plastic free month
Try be zero waste. Do it for a month, challenge yourself and hold yourself accountable. Plastic Free July is a good place to start. Or start NOW.
And I'll leave you with this thought from The Hemp Temples, Temple Times
"All of creation is held within the seed. It is how everything begins, in the seed of a thought, in the seed of creative potential. Yet it is the soil, the stars, the sun and the rain; it is the conditions of our nature that determine how that seed will grow. Like the seed, we absorb the nutrients from the landscapes around us. We become reflections of our surrounds. Mirrors moving against each other, illuminating the totality of our human nature."
- Isabella Gillespie
