I became very aware of the need to recycle when I visited my uncle and aunt in California many years ago. When garbage day came around, they would boast that the only thing that made it into the landfill were some dirty tissues. All kitchen scraps went to compost, all newspaper items were picked up for special collection and recycled, all cans and bottles went in the appropriate recycling bin. I was in awe and totally impressed as they tossed out only a handful of dirty tissues. It led me to think about what I used on a daily basis and how I could become more eco-friendly.
I recently cleared out some old paint cans from the garage. I was so proud of myself for driving them to the local recycling center. When I got there they separated out the cans, latex paints went in one area and oil-based paints in another. As I drove the oil-based paints to a special area, I wondered how they would recycle those. I asked the guy who helped me unload my car..."How do you recycle this toxic paint?" His reply was..."We dump them in the Earth on the hill over there." And he pointed to the spot. I was horrified. I had no idea.
"What are we doing?" I wondered.
Our quality of life depends upon what the Earth provides. Every moment we are utilizing resources from the Earth. It is my responsibility to take care of those resources. It is your responsibility. It is the responsibility of each of us, keeping the resources pristine for everyone. Most of us can do better. I can do better. We must do better. We must tread lightly upon this planet. Our future depends upon it.
There's an old Native American tradition that says, when you take something from the Earth, you are supposed to put something back. Like everyone else, I have been taking from the Earth, not only the resources I need to survive, but extras, simply for my pleasure. My "do-good" moment of recycling paint cans made me realize, I must do more. I hadn't done enough to give back.
Let me ask you, "When was the last time you gave back to the planet? What if the entire world came together in appreciation and gave back in the form of some type of planting?"
On Earth Day, April 22nd, be a part of the biggest grassroots event in history by planting a tree/seed as a "give back" to Earth. This event is being hosted by The Master Shift, Forest Nation, The White Feather Foundation, the Earth Day Network, and thousands of other contributing organizations, businesses, and schools from around the globe. The goal is to plant one billion trees/seeds.
It's really very simple. The idea is for you to plant whatever you feel your area needs, keeping in mind that organic/heirloom seeds or plants will benefit local habitats. You should nurture your planting(s) until it grows, just like you would take care of a young child. If you are unable to plant on Earth Day, please plant on or around that date. If it is too cold in your area, please keep your seedlings/plants indoors until conditions are ideal for planting. Container gardening is great too! What's important is the intention behind the act. The giving of love and appreciation for Mother Earth. Together we are planting seeds of love in the earth.
By making the effort to replenish the Earth, we are afforded the opportunity to reconnect, remembering who we are inside and cultivating our inner garden. By connecting, cooperating, and sharing love for the planet, we can provide healing to our earth and to ourselves.
In honor of humanity's metamorphosis and in celebration of the tree plantings, The Master Shift is also providing a free on-line Global Meditation. The meditation will be "LIVE" on our Facebook page at 9:30 PM EDT on April 22nd. Feel free to tune in. If you are not able to participate at that time, the meditation will be available on The Master Shift's YouTube channel, mastershiftvideos, right after the event. For more information about the meditation please visit: http://www.themastershift.com.
Thousands of people have shared their reasons for planting. Join in! Please "Pledge to Plant" at http://www.forestnation.com.
Our promotional video entitled, "The Ghost of Earth Day Present," has gone viral! Please watch and share in your social media outlets to help raise awareness for the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlQil46k5jA&sns=fb . This video depicts our journey from separation to oneness.
This is your opportunity to participate in an event that you directly impact. Plant a tree with hundreds of thousands of others around the globe. We are aiming for 1 billion strong and with your help we can make that happen. It's the perfect way to say "Thank you" and "Happy B-earthday" to our beautiful Mother Earth!
Your actions make a world of difference. https://www.facebook.com/events/327883710751172/