The Earth does not belong to us: we belong to the Earth” – Marlee Matli

April 22 is World Earth Day, which originated in 1970 to indicate the start of the environmental movement as we know it. On this day every year, people all over the world raise awareness about topics regarding the earth and environment, particularly sustainable sources of energy and climate change. This year, they’ve taken it on a rather massive scale, asking the governments of world nations to take action.

How does this affect us?

Now, this might all appear a little ‘distant’ for us, sitting at home with our families. We’re not in authoritative positions in the government to make any change that can have an impact. We’re just regular people, living their normal lives; how does all this affect us? And yet, it does. As parents, we care a lot about our children’s future – their health, education, financial security etc. But what about their home, their planet? Shouldn’t we be worried about it too?

What can we do about it?

Humans were made to be in sync with nature, eating and living naturally. However, we’ve come a long way from that and our lives today hardly have anything natural in it!! So this Earth Day, let’s make an effort to live a life that’s closer to Earth, the way it was meant to be. While we can’t go back to living in caves and shooting arrows, we can take small steps to foster our attachment to our planet!

How to celebrate Earth Day?

We can celebrate Earth Day by following the below mentioned steps that let us live a life close to earth

Food

Considering food is what nourishes us and drives us, this is something that requires the most care, but is today unrecognizably corrupted.

• Get rid of all kinds of packaged and processed food.
• Grow your own vegetables and herbs yourself
• Encourage free range and organic food suppliers in your area
• Eat only as much as you actually need and avoid wastage

Body

If you add up all the ingredients on all your personal care products at home, you’ll be shocked at how many chemicals are being applied on your body on a daily basis!

• Minimize the number of products you buy; if you eat healthy, sleep well and exercise, you won’t need them
• When buying, ensure you’re buying them from fair trade brands that don’t test on animals or extract ingredients from endangered plants
• You can make many skin care products right at home with basic ingredients from your kitchen.

Home

A walk through all your rooms will reveal how far away from the earth you’ve come!

• For starters, sleep early and wake with the sun; use natural light as far as possible
• Keep plants at home, they purify the air and help regulate temperature; they also keep you in touch with nature
• Use essential oils instead of air fresheners; they’re not toxic and let out an earthy, pleasant fragrance
• Sun dry your clothes; it’s free and anti bacterial
• Natural materials like jute, coir and cane give a warm, natural feel
• Ditch the toxic cleaning liquids and use vinegar to clean

Play

These days, any form of entertainment includes a good deal of electricity and inactivity, which isn’t good for your health or for the earth!

• Walk barefoot where you can; grass in the park, sand on the beach
• Ditch all the games on your devices; play outdoors
• Choose vacations to places of natural significance rather than amusement parks which use a lot of water
• Get kids toys made of recycled materials and avoid all the battery operated ones
• Encourage nature-related activities and nature theme parties among kids

Spirit

At the end of the day, to truly live a life close to the earth, your spirit needs to be one with nature.

• Practice yoga, preferably outdoors, or at least in your balcony if its not too hot
• Always walk with firm steps, grounding your feet, and raising your head
• Practice gratitude with your children; use a gratitude journal to help
• Respect all living creatures
• Meditate everyday, at least for five minutes
• Keep no malice towards anyone; practice positivity even in difficult times

It isn’t really difficult to live a life close to earth, though initially you might feel a resistance to break away from habits that have been cultivated over decades. But don’t give up; remember, your kids will follow your example and they’ll thank you for it too!

Article By Fabida Abdulla