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420 Smells like Earth Day

420 Smells like Earth Day

Are you doing your part?

Happy 4/20 y’all! Well, by the time you read this it’ll probably be 4/21 or after. Do y’all celebrate 4/20? Probably not so much in the states that use the term y’all. However, it’s huge here in California. It has been since a group of high school students in Northern California in the 1970’s dubbed “4:20pm” gathering time to smoke and joke. Cannabis that is. Picked up by The Grateful Dead and their Deadheads, in 1990, at a concert in Oakland, were seen distributing flyers inviting people to smoke “420” at 4:20p.m. on 4/20. Driving around LA today, it was 81 degrees, but driving with the windows down came with risk of a “contact”. It was everywhere. Ah!

Climate change being political or religious is BS

Undoubtedly, the smell that permeated the entire city today will continue to linger this Earth Day, Saturday, April 22. For 50 years, Earth Day has been celebrated by billions of people around the globe. This years theme, Invest in Our Planet, is intended to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our planet and its natural resources. California saw an inordinate amount of rainfall this year, with Southern California receiving over 27 inches, or 200% above normal. While LA usually shuts down entirely on the couple of rainy days a year we’re used to getting, this year we had no choice. We had to get out and live life like they do in every other part of the planet. Yuck.

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Creation v Evolution

As has been noted, the centuries long debate between science and faith conflicts like a bad marriage. Lack of communication, compromise and understanding. Nothing changes through the ages. A lack of love while succumbing to the fear. Both factions should be working together. The BBC, in 2006, produced one of the most comprehensive docuseries in the modern era, Planet Earth (Amazon Prime). The 4-minute clip above illustrates the immense beauty of this planet we are all so fortunate to inhabit. The privilege that comes with a responsibility of knowing that living here is not a right. A recent survey found that 94% of Americans support recycling and 74% say it should be a top priority. However, only about 35% of the population actually recycles. Sad.

We pave over paradise

In 1973, when the legendary songwriter, Joni Mitchell, went to Hawaii and eagerly looked out the window of her hotel room expecting to see paradise, instead seeing that they put up a parking lot, she wrote Big Yellow Taxi

They paved paradise and put up a parking lotWith a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swinging hot spotDon’t it always seem to goThat you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone?

Her prolific words ring true today more than ever. Deforestation, increasing natural disasters, extreme weather and rising global temperatures. In addition, the coral reefs are dying and corporate factories continue to pollute the air and our living spaces trying to keep up with the demand of mass consumption. Despite that, there are very simple things that we as individuals can do to take action. Although it may seem small, things like picking up litter on the sidewalk that may have otherwise ended around the neck of an animal, or in the ocean, makes an impact.

Save Water: Shower Together

Firstly, it’s important to try and reduce our carbon footprint. For instance, carpooling, taking public transportation, walking or riding a bike are a few ways. Equally, reusing and recycling your wardrobe can be effective. Providing an alternative to making sure new resources aren’t used to make more clothes that will eventually end up be repurposed. Additionally, food production accounts for 1/4 to 1/3 of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Scientists report that if the entire world became vegetarian and ate no red meat (major weakness for me) by 2050, food related emissions would decrease by 60%. If we all went vegan, 70%. Not to mention the massive health benefits.

Leaving it as you found it

In my blog, 10 Ways to Enhance Your Life, I wrote about embracing nature. Getting outside and breathing the air can be not only therapeutic, but celebrating Earth Day as well. Hug a tree. Move your body. As a result, the very best action you can do for the planet on Earth Day is to just love being on it. In effect it’s about the appreciation and nourishment the Earth has to give that should ensure that we give back in preservation. Explicitly, it’s our responsibility to, like all guests should, to leave the planet in better shape than we found it. Thanks for reading.

What will you do on Earth Day?

 

 

 

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  1. Michael E Thors says:

    “Save water; shower together!” Love it! I proposed that to my wife and she quickly (and urgently) suggested an alternative; shower less! ๐Ÿ™‚ Just kidding.

    Not to be a Debbie Downer but another disturbing stat is that only about 15% of the items that go into recycle get recycled or repurposed. I think (and hope) that number has risen since I obtained that data but a disturbing percentage never the less. ๐Ÿ™

    Beautiful video and another great read (and great pic)!

    Thanks Chris!

  2. David Druid says:

    Helen & I were pondering the Earth Day origin and its subsequent journey. Celebrated with a great hike in the hills behind my house at sunset.

    To address your lead topic: The collective will power needed to dent the problem seems overly prohibitive. Until people feel personally affected by climate change, I fear our collective muscle memory will cause (most, a lot) of us to revert to old bad habits. As someone who’s been trying hard to convert some of my behavior I agree that every movement we make is a step forward. Thanks for addressing this.

  3. Gayle+Wilhite says:

    I pretty much agree with your blogs. I loved the earth trailer and Joni Mitchells saying. I believe I am in the 35% but my daughter, Becki, is the queen of recycling!

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