“The earth laughs in flowers.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Today I am grateful for being on a planet that sustains our life. We’ve been given a beautiful place to live, our Earth, and with it comes a great responsibility to keep her healthy and thriving. This means making sure the ground we walk on, the air we breathe and the water we drink are fervently protected.
Earth Day is not just a day, it’s a daily choice to honor that which gives us life. There are many ways we can do this. I’ve listed a few changes we’ve made in our household.
An Abundance of Trees
Steve planted over 150 trees on our property. Trees filter the air we breathe and provide oxygen into our atmosphere. They also provide homes for countless species of wildlife. So why not plant as many as we can?
We have an array of evergreens – cedars, pines and hemlocks, giving us privacy and a year round connection to my childhood.
I grew up on a failed Christmas tree farm in Mohawk, NY. I say “failed” because when the saplings were old enough to harvest and sell, my father did not have the heart to destroy his beautiful forrest, which still thrives today, 50 years later.
Solar Power
In 2020, we decided to go solar. It’s a renewable energy source, taken directly from the sunlight. We get substantial energy production at least eight months out of the year.
I do, however, wish we went the extra mile and bought the batteries that would allow us to go completely off the grid. I still have not decided if the cost was worth it.
However, I do feel good about the environmental benefits of having solar power. It is pure, clean power that reduces our carbon footprint. It feels good knowing I’m giving the middle finger (🖕🏼) to the big oil industries!
Small Changes That Make a Big Differene
- Go paperless
- Recycle
- Use refillable glass water bottles
- Repurpose or donate items instead of throwing them in the the trash
- Replace plastic and paper shopping bags with washable cloth bags
- Refrain from using harmful chemicals and weed killers. They pollute our water and poison all wildlife, including the bees which are vital to maintaining life on our planet.
There are so many ways we can make a difference. Now is not the time to be complacent. We can all do our part to protect our Earth.
Happy Earth Day on April 22, 2022! Thank you for reading. – Barb, the River Blogger (Btrb)
Feel free to reblog anything I post. I welcome all comments and discussion.
The River Blogger 
Reblogged this on Our Lives Today and commented:
Beautiful post. I am reblogging this.
Thank so much! And thank you for reposting! 🌎💕
Welcome 😀
I appreciate your suggestions on how to protect our Mother Earth 💐💐💐
Great post dear, thanks for doing your part to protect mother earth ❤️
Thank you! 😉🌎💕
You are most welcome dear ❤️
A couple of green friendly choices: 1. Laundry detergent that is not in plastic containers. You can use powders or purchase a dehydrated product that comes in strips. There are soaps, kitchen, and household cleaners that come this way also. I use two companies for this: Blueland and TruEarth. You dissole pellet of the earth friendly cleaners in reusable glass bottles. 2. Alternative paper products are available. Toilet and facial tissue, and rolled “Paper” towels made from fast growing bamboo protect our sacred trees from harvesting. The company I use is “Who Gives a Crap.”
oops typo dissolve
Great information, indeed! I was just telling Steve that you have been at this long before it was on my radar!
Taking care of our planet is essential for ALL the life on earth. We humans have a great capacity for destruction but also are a caring species. Will be the ultimate saviors or destroyers is yet to be seen?
A very timely and meaningful piece! Happy Earth Day 🌎
Thank you, KK! Happy Earth Day!
Thank you Barb for this very needed reminder on how to show our planet some love.
Nice Mother Earth!
My photography is dedicated to bringing awareness to conservation and the preservation of Mother Earth.
Very good points. I do try to follow most of them. Solar power is on our agenda too.
One of my favorite quotes.
This was a new quote for me, and it spoke to me! 🌎
Happy Earth Day! 🌍😊
Thank you, and happy Earth Day to you! 🌎
😊🌍🙏
😉🌎❤️