Earth Day

Today is Earth Day! The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970, and it still remains a big event in the environmental movement. Interest and participation in Earth Day has increased and spread around the world, with millions of people taking part. 

I do many things everyday in my life to help the earth: I live in a small house; I walk and bike, and work at home; I buy used stuff and buy locally; I use the library instead of buying books; I compost, recycle, and grow my own food, I lead an Earthcare support group at my Quaker Meeting, and I work with other climate activists to help change the way we use carbon in our community.

Agenda today:

1. Study regenerative farming

2. Take action

3. Artwork

1. Study regenerative farming: 

Every year for Earth Week I choose a new focus for learning. Last  year I chose the National Wildlife Federation website, "Garden for Wildlife", dedicated to "educating and empowering people to turn their own small pieces of Earth into thriving habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife".

This year I decided to dig deeper into sustainable food and regenerative farming. An article called "The Beginners Guide to Regenerative Agriculture" explains that farmers are moving away from the idea of using sustaining practices into creating systems that are regenerative, that actually improve the soil. 

"Regenerative farms combine practices such as minimizing tillage from tractors and heavy machinery, planting cover crops, rotating through diverse plant families, and integrating livestock into the ecosystem. It’s not just reducing impact and sustaining, it’s about renewing, reinvigorating, and regenerating the land." 

2. Take action:

I've been working on sustainable food education for the last two months, with my Earthcare group, and yesterday we had a "sustainable hospitality" event. I made locally sourced veggies and dip, with my Farmer's Market produce, and we were available to chat about it.

3. Artwork:

I'm starting an Earth Week project with my grandson - an outdoor painting of sunflowers. I predict it will be messy and spontaneous.