“We’re all connected to each other biologically, to the Earth chemically, to the rest of the Universe atomically.” -Carl Sagan
Admittedly, there’s a lot going on in the world right now, so celebrating Earth Day might not be at the top of your To Do list. Globally, we see climate change, a pandemic, and economic disparity abound. Many countries are in conflict or posturing for conflict. Do you think a, “Hey, everybody. Allison says calm down…” will work? Me neither… That’s not to mention the home front and the whole host of issues we have here, nor does that touch issues you may be struggling with in your family, or individually.
I promise, I’m not trying to bum us all out, or make you feel like things are hopeless. When we look at all the problems in the world, it can feel like nothing we do as individuals matters, but that’s not true! You are stronger and more powerful than you know. You just don’t see it because you live with you. We focus on all of our failings and forget about all of the rad shiz we’re capable of.
I read that it takes five positive comments to make up for the impact of a single negative critique. Harsh! And hardly the truth about you. So… maybe stop listening to that inner voice telling you that you don’t matter, or you can’t make a difference. Your inner voice is being a real turd.
Let me go on a small tangent. One of my favorite comedies is Death to Smoochy. It exposes a dark, seedy, FICTICIOUS underworld in children’s television with an all star cast, and is freaking hilarious (critics did not agree). You should watch it. In it, Sheldon Mopes says, “You can’t change the world, but you can make a dent.” I find that oddly motivating. I still think individuals can spur great change, even if we don’t singlehandedly end <insert global problem here>. You can make a dent! With that in mind, here is a breakdown of some kick A stuff you can do to celebrate Earth Day 2021!
Outdoor Activities
- GO OUTSIDE! If it’s nice out, or at least bearable, get thine butt in nature! Go! Marvel at all of Earth’s wonders and trade the screen for sunscreen! Fossil hunt! Bird Watch! Just go outside!! Seriously, going outdoors relieves anxiety.
- Plant PLANTS! Native plants preferred. Start your garden! Plunge your hands into some dirt!
- PICK UP GARBAGE! You don’t have to adopt a highway, although you could. You can simply go on a walk around your neighborhood with a bag and pick up garbage too.
Indoor Activities
- Watch a nature documentary! Might I suggest David Attenborough‘s A Life on Our Planet. It’s on Netflix. It’s pretty scathing, but we humans need to wake up.
- Attend an online Earth Day event! Here’s a much better Earth Day Activity list than I’ll be able to throw together on short notice. There are classes on food waste, ocean clean up, round tables on climate change, they’ve got it allllllll.
- LEARN! Learn to compost. Learn about sustainability. Learn to build a birdhouse. Learn about an endangered species. LEARN. And then learn how you can help!
Donate
Money talks, and if you can spare some, pick a charity or non-profit and donate. It can be tough to pick a focus. Are you interested in helping marginalized groups deal with environmental issues? Do you want to fight deforestation? Do you want to contribute to clean water or save endangered species? Maybe you just want to save bats or bees! Perhaps you care more about local environmental issues like the Blue River Watershed Association. GOOGLE IT! Here’s a list of 7 environmental charities you could donate to. Find a cause that speaks to you.
In Closing
I realize this had zero to do with tarot, divination, or magic but it’s a topic near and dear to my heart… seeing as I live on Earth. We don’t have to limit these activities just to Earth Day either! Think of our planet like the tabletop survival game The Captain is Dead. We either all work together to solve problems and save our ship, or we all die in the vacuum of space. It’s up to us. You can make a dent.