Amma’s Teachings & International Earth Day

“Mother earth is serving us; the sun, the moon and the stars all serve us. What can we do in return for their selfless service?” — Amma

Om Amriteshwaryai Namaha

Each year on the 22nd April, many people all over the globe celebrate Earth Day to demonstrate support for environmental protection. As such, April feels like a great month to reflect on the generosity of Mother Nature and the impact we have on the Earth through the way we choose to live our lives. Afterall, it’s the actions of today that create the future for generations to come. Wouldn’t it be a beautiful legacy to leave the world better than we found it, instead of being the cause of pollution, global warming, and destruction of natural harmony? What we use, reuse, take, forsake, share and grow today is what shapes the future.

It’s often small things that can make a big difference and Amma provides us with ideas about practical ways to use the Earth’s remaining resources and how each one of us can make a difference through The InDeed Campaign for Nature. “It [the campaign] is about taking responsibility for the world in which we live, and acting as if we will have to answer to future generations for the state of the world we leave to them. Ultimately, it’s about what each of us can do, right now, in our own backyard, to help restore the lost harmony between humanity and nature.

By taking even just one of these six simple, concrete actions as individuals, we can collectively create a healthier, happier world:

1. Conserve water.
2. Reduce your carbon footprint.
3. Plant trees.
4. Grow your own veggies.
5. Carpool.
6. Preserve biodiversity.”

(Source: https://www.embracingtheworld.org/environment/)

Conserve Water 💧
Water is not a renewable resource. Despite its multiple forms (gaseous, liquid, solid) and processes (evaporation, condensation etc), the quantity of water on Earth stays constant. There is no new water on the planet, in fact the remaining water available to us today is the same water that was available to the dinosaurs, so we owe it to future generations to conserve water.

The truth is, saving water is easy, and opportunities are all around us. For example, every 2 mins you save on your shower can conserve more than 10 gallons of water. Harvesting rainwater is also an easy way to save gallons of water — especially if you are a keen gardener.

Reduce your carbon footprint 👣
The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to support everything you consume in your daily life is called your carbon footprint. If you want to reduce your contribution towards global warming, you need to reduce your carbon footprint and to do that conserving energy is fundamental! This is not only because it is the consumption of energy that contributes a fair share of our carbon footprint, but because our society depends for most of its energy on limited fossil resources, which get less and less environmentally friendly every day.

The good news is, everyone can find ways to reduce their carbon footprint and be a part of the solution. For example, put on a warmer jumper, unplug all unnecessary electronic devices, turn down your thermostat, and/or consume less stuff.

Plant a tree 🌳
Planting a tree is not only good for nature and for reversing global warming, it’s good for us too. It enriches our lives and helps us to feel deeply connected to the natural world, while providing homes for animals, insects and other creatures. Trees are also essential to help limit or avoid desertification in a warming climate and regulate soil temperature by evaporating water. They reduce the vulnerability of an ecosystem by preventing soil erosion and protecting against natural disasters. So plant trees for future generations!

Grow your own veggies 🥕
You don’t need a big garden to grow your own organic vegetables — anyone with a windowsill can have an organic garden. When you start your own windowsill garden you take a step towards greater self-reliance, and you get a front-row seat to witness the marvels of life. Growing your own organic vegetables is one of the most satisfying things you can do. If you want to know more you can watch our latest recording about sowing seeds and planting out.

Carpool 🚗
Current Covid restrictions aside, when you carpool with just one other person, you can both cut your carbon emissions in half! You also get to save time, save money on fuel and parking, help conserve the world’s dwindling fossil fuels and have a nice chat too!

Preserve biodiversity 🐝
Without Nature, we would simply not exist, and yet most of us have forgotten this very profound fact. Nature works year round to pollinate plants and to ensure the continuity of water cycles and other systems. Preserving biodiversity is critical to our own survival. When you decide to spend a few minutes or a few hours building a home for bugs or birds, you will get to experience what it can mean for human beings to serve as stewards of nature and discover the magnificence of life on earth.

(Source: adapted from the InDeed guidebook)

Originally, the InDeed Campaign for Nature was intended as a one-year project but years later, people continue to share these ideas because they have seen positive change not only in their own lives, but in restoring the beauty of the world around them.

We will be writing in more detail about each of the 6 InDeed actions over the coming months, so please stay tuned! In the meantime, why not celebrate Earth Day in a way that will create a beautiful future for all beings everywhere. Please share what you are doing to help inspire others to be more Earth aware.

Here are just a few ideas for how you may wish to celebrate the 22nd April.

Happy Earth Day Everyone! One Earth, one home, one love 🌎.

May you be well, happy, healthy and full of green ideas.

Domi & GreenFriends UK

p.s. Here is a lovely video clip about InDeed Campaign for Nature.