If awareness is actually the first step, then this issue of Natural Awakenings“Awareness is the first step in breaking the cycle.”
–Panache Desai
Long Island is for you. We went out of our way to create an issue that is so packed with pertinent information on how you can help preserve our precious planet that ignorance will no longer be an excuse.
There are steps, small ones, we can take to help reduce our carbon footprint, such as these listed below. Once you know will you make a change?
Consumerism. We are constantly driven to purchase something newer, bigger and shinier. However, when making these “upgrades,” we neglect to consider the heavy burden we are placing on the Earth. Our “old stuff” ends up in landfills emitting gas and taking sometimes hundreds of years to decompose. So, now you know will you buy less stuff?
Plastic. It has no value. Created from petroleum, it is dangerous to the environment and to our health. You only need to walk along a beach to see that plastic pollutes our oceans and even kills our sea life. We need to decrease our use of plastic immediately. How? Small changes, perhaps. My friend Kate recently posted on Facebook that she is going plastic-free. She’s refusing plastic bags at grocery stores, even if it means having to stack her purchases precariously in her arms. The negative effects of plastic are not only felt by our friends in the sea but in our own bodies, as report after report links plastic to hormone disruption in both males and females. This hormone disruption leads to chronic disease, including cancer. So, now you know will you use less plastic?
Emissions. The emissions and the carbon footprint that occurs bringing fruits and vegetables to New York from countries like Guatemala is a big one. No, we cannot grow grapefruits or mangos here, but we can do our part to reduce our print. With what little land we may have, we can grow our own organic tomatoes, zucchinis and squash over the next six months. No backyard? No problem. Personally, I have a front lawn veggie garden that has brought me food, joy and tons of friends. Strangers stop to talk about the garden; neighbors enjoy the fruits of my labor; and when I share, I am often rewarded with homemade eggplant dinners! No front yard? Do what my friend Chrissy does and use someone else’s space to grow veggies. Not only is this a sustainability issue, it is a health issue. “Organic fruits and vegetables offer many advantages over conventionally grown foods,” says Dr. Bonnie Coyle in this month’s healing ways article (see page 42). Coyle cites the higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants found in organic vegetables. So, now you know will you grow?
Now you know. You know that there are little things you can do to impact the planet positively, like ditching water bottles and plastic bags; growing your own organic produce; and even consuming less. You know that these actions will create a healthier Earth, and in turn, a healthier you. So, now you know will you make a change?
Happy Earth Day!
Malama Pono!
Kelly Martinsen, Publisher
