EARTH DAY 2020

I entered the Sierra Club Southern Nevada writing contest on What Earth Day Means To Me. I thought I’d share it on Zenobia's website. Zenobia taught me how to fight for justice. And it's time we fight for the EARTH. The other day my husband and I were discussing how we want all this isolation to go away but we don't want to just stay the same. Our new motto is: Don't want to return to normal, return to better.

What EARTH DAY means to me.

I didn’t always celebrate or even know about Earth Day. I started making important changes in the last five years. I wish I would have started long ago.

What got me started on my path to take care of the Earth?

I found my inspiration when visiting Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. They have this great resource center that shares helpful information on how plastic is harming our oceans and the animals that live in them. It was eye opening! On that day my family made a pledge to stop using as much plastic. We decided to start using our own bags everytime we go to the grocery store. We try not to use plastic straws. This can be challenging since every restaurant and fast food place you go to gives out straws. Lots and lots of straws. When we decline the straws we almost always get a funny look. Most people have no idea how important it is to STOP using plastic straws. All it would take is for them to see a turtle in the wild with a straw stuck up its nose. (see for yourself. It's very sad. https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/how-did-sea-turtle-get-a-straw-up-its-nose.aspx)

We too can make simple changes that will have an enormous impact. Start simple like I did.

Next time you go to the store, bring reusable bags.

Donate your unwanted clothes. Recycle and Reuse.

Take a walk and pick up plastic bags and other items in your neighborhood to make sure they are recycled properly. Make it a family game and see who can collect the most garbage. You can make your neighborhood cleaner and help the planet all at the same time.

Want to affect the environment in a big way?

PLANT A TREE!

We planted three blue cypresses in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Plant trees, bushes, and flowers. Trees help us breathe clean air by absorbing odors and pollutant gases. Flowers help purify the environment and as an added bonus improve your mood.

Want to be more self sufficient? How about planting an organic garden with items that you enjoy eating. Commit to eating more fruits and vegetables and not only are you helping the environment but you’ll feel healthy and happy.

What does Earth Day mean to me? It’s motivated me to make changes for the good.

Since writing my Earth Day article the world has gone on lock down due to COVID-19. Things are changing and it’s a scary time for us all.

Take this time to step back and focus on what’s important.

In my neighborhood, I’ve seen more people the last couple of days taking advantage of the walking trails. People are getting outside and doing yard work and improving their landscape. I see more and more people walking their dogs. We’re all breathing in the fresh air that has noticeably improved. I’ve seen a significant difference in the smog above Vegas. It’s a testament in these dark times that it isn’t too late to SAVE THE EARTH.

I hope the EARTH DAY article helps you make simple changes. Just pick one thing you can focus on and the rest will follow.

My husband said it best when he said, “There is a lot of bad happening in the world that we can’t control, but we can impact how much good we put into the world.”

I hope we all make changes that will better the Earth in our daily routine. Maybe companies will allow employees to continue to work from home if they want to. Maybe we will drive less and stay home more. Not because we have to but because we've made our home into a peaceful retreat. Maybe more people will choose to walk or bike to wherever they need to be. What if we all planted one tree? The impact would be huge!

I'm sharing a few highlights below from an article I read. I recommend you click on the link and read the entire article for yourself.

“What the trauma has shown us, though, cannot be unseen. A carless Los Angeles has clear blue skies as pollution has simply stopped. In a quiet New York, you can hear the birds chirp in the middle of Madison Avenue. Coyotes have been spotted on the Golden Gate Bridge. These are the postcard images of what the world might be like if we could find a way to have a less deadly daily effect on the planet..."Julio Vincent Gambuto https://forge.medium.com/prepare-for-the-ultimate-gaslighting-6a8ce3f0a0e0

Los Angeles pollution is getting better since the lockdown

(This shows Los Angeles becoming pollution-free.)

"From one citizen to another, I beg of you: take a deep breath, ignore the deafening noise, and think deeply about what you want to put back into your life. This is our chance to define a new version of normal, a rare and truly sacred (yes, sacred) opportunity to get rid of the bullshit and to only bring back what works for us, what makes our lives richer, what makes our kids happier, what makes us truly proud.” -Julio Vincent Gambuto https://forge.medium.com/prepare-for-the-ultimate-gaslighting-6a8ce3f0a0e0

On EARTH DAY take action. Join in on the online events. Let's make a difference in the world. And remember....