3 Steps to Uphold Our Responsibility to Mother Earth

Love is our most unifying and empowering common spiritual denominator. The more we ignore
its potential to bring greater balance and deeper meaning to human existence, the more likely
we are to continue to define history as one long inglorious record of man’s inhumanity.
– Aberjhani

Inhumanity comes in all shapes and sizes. More than ever we must take responsibility for our
actions, habits and routines. Is it loving? Is it compassionate? Will it positively impact the
planet? It is imperative to look at how every single thing we do impacts the World around us.

Our planet as a whole is fragile and the quality of our experience greatly depends upon how
carefully we tend to the Earth. With recent events such as the Dakota Access Line, the Great
Barrier Reef pronounced dead and the death of the last North African White Rhino, Mother
Earth is telling us of her delicacy. That her resources are precious and finite and just as she
cares for us, we are asked to reciprocate her love.

As individuals, we hold great responsibility to not only Mother Earth but to one another. To treat
each and every thing with love; understanding that we are deeply connected to our oceans, to
our mountains, every creature and to each other.

So what does it mean that love must be our common spiritual denominator in order to give rise
to great harmony and balance within human existence?

It means that every action of ours comes from a space of love. It means that we are aware of
the direct and indirect impact that each decision we make has on our planet and our neighbors.
It means that we hold ourselves responsible and accountable for coming from a place of love
instead of fear and apathy. It means that we uphold our end of the bargain by loving Mother Earth and everything in it just as we would hope to receive it.

(Photo credit:   Seth Doyle)

Below are applicable tools to practice love daily – You may know them quite well.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. I know. These seem like a given, however, choosing love with
integrity is a lifestyle choice.

1. Reduce – In a world of consumerism, our rate of consumption (and mindless
consumption at that) is impressive. What areas of your life can you reduce? Where can
you choose to live more simply and essentially? A wonderful read on living essentially is
. As an experiment, glance through your cupboards and
note how many cans of each item you have and then how many are expired. This
exercise can be a little eye opening. Then ask yourself what is truly essential for living. Make a list of necessary items before shopping and limit yourself to only those items.
See something at the store not on your list? Pause and ask yourself if this is truly a
necessity or is it a desire? Pausing and reflection brings so much clarity to our impulsive
tendencies.
2. Reuse – This one is probably my favorite. The challenge of figuring out a way to reuse an
object or material is beyond thrilling. So, I challenge you – how can you reuse something
before tossing it into our landfills?
—‹ Turn a candle jar into a plant holder.
—‹ Use old wood to make a shelf or table.
—‹ Donate old clothes or materials.
—‹ Reuse plastic anything – or event better – avoid plastics as much as you can. Try
glass or linen alternatives.
—‹ When in doubt, pintrest it!
3. Recycle – Last, but not least, if neither of the above applies, place all recyclables into
recycling bins.
—‹ Cardboard boxes and cartons
—‹ Steel cans, aluminum cans and foil
—‹ Paper and newspaper
—‹ Glass bottles and jars
—‹ Hard plastic bottles and containers

It’s a win-win when you choose to adopt these tools into our daily lifestyle. It may not always be
the most convenient, especially at first, but you are the first line of defense in protecting our
delicate planet – and, above all, our future.