This past week we marked the annual celebration of Earth Day. From a yogic perspective, every day is Earth Day with the practices of yoga evolving from a connection to as well as a reflection of the natural environment. We salute the sun and bow down to the earth, stand like a tree or mountain and recline in a restorative posture named “flowing mountain brook”. If you think about the air we breathe, it’s the same air that our ancestors breathed and in that single way, it signifies how all of us, all living beings breathing oxygen on this planet, are connected.
With the availability of electricity and artificial lighting, we began to fall out of sync with the ebb and flow of natural light that in the past indicated when to go to sleep and when to awaken. As the earth has become more populated with the development of concrete and skyscrapers, we have lost our connection through bare feet into the earth. And as we live in noisy and busy environments, we often miss the sounds of the natural world. Earth Day is a vivid reminder to honor Mother Earth (Gaia). That we, as humans, walk upon this larger planet with its own living energy. That Mother Earth is here to support us in every way.
Earth Day is another opportunity to reflect upon how we individually impact the planet. What type of footprint are we leaving? Are we able to elevate our own level of consciousness to lessen that impact? It’s appropriate to use the camping/hiking phrase of “take only pictures and leave only footprints”.
Here are a few reminders as to how we can continue to show compassion to Gaia and in doing so, we show compassion towards others as well as ourselves. I asked my yoga students for additional ideas to grow this list.
Tips:
1. Carry your own water bottle to avoid using plastic, one-use bottles.
2. Have your own multi-use lunch set for heading off to work, to avoid using one-time, throw away containers.
3. Remember to bring your own shopping bags to the store.
4. Check the tire pressure in your vehicle to enhance miles per gallon.
5. Use multi-use dryer balls in your dryer rather than a fabric softener in the wash or throw away dryer sheets. I use earth-friendly dryer sheets that go, with the lint into my compost. Or line dry your laundry.
6. Create your own compost for your garden. (and add your earth friendly dryer sheets into it!). When you throw organic waste into the trash can that has a plastic bag, that material begins to throw off methane gas, a contributor to climate change. If you compost, organic material breaks down with oxygen and methane gas isn’t an issue.
6a. If you don’t compost, throw away your organic materials in a paper bag to avoid methane emissions.
7. Buy phosphate-free detergents.
8. Turn off your tap when brushing your teeth.
9. Turn off your computer at the end of each day and unplug any appliances/devices from the outlet.
10. Turn the water off when brushing your teeth
11. Buy paper/envelopes made from recycled materials. Making paper uses a huge amount of water.
12. After washing your hands, shake them off (12 times!!) then use just ONE folder paper towel to dry.
13. Walk or take your bicycle instead of the car.
14. Use chemical free make up and beauty products.
15. If you’re an omnivore, opt for Meatless Monday’s. Meat and dairy production are huge consumers of water and producers of methane.
I’d love to continue growing this list, so please send to me any tips that you do in order to be part of the buzz around reduce, reuse, recycle and sustain!
Since I originally posted this list four years ago, we have installed solar energy and have two a Toyota Prius’ . It all adds up as I want my footprint on the planet to be as little as possible.
Thank you Gaia!
