Service
is a wonderful activity. And helping the environment is one of the highest
forms of service. It is the equivalent
of respecting the Divine Mother in a different way.
Thursday, April 22, 2010, is Earth Day.
Our earth has been created and given to us as a gift. It provides us life, just as our mothers provided us with our lives. It’s easy to understand why so many traditions refer to our planet as Mother Earth or our Mother.
There are so many ways to do service for the environment.
Ever since I was a teenager, I have understood the importance of not polluting and trying to make things better then they are now. Let’s face it…Mother Earth is not in the same condition as she was thousands of years ago.
Earth Day is every day to a lot of us. There are many ways to honor Mother Earth, including:
Not polluting: Properly disposing of trash. Let’s not forget that others can use some of the things we are no longer using.
Recycling: Most of the pollution we have is from us not properly recycling. For instance, our neighbor to the north (Canada) recycles approximately 80% of its trash. In the U.S., we recycle about 20%. If you take into consideration that Canada has about 32 million people and the U.S. has a population of about 300 million, it’s clear that we are causing a big problem.
There are so many other ways to help our environment, such as:
- Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling.
- Being more conscious of how much air conditioning and heat you’re using.
- Making the switch to more energy-efficient light bulbs. Yes, this works! Use the new CFL bulbs wherever you can.
- Drive less and drive smart. An example of driving smart is making sure your tires are properly inflated. This one action saves gas and causes less carbon dioxide emission.
- Buying energy-efficient appliances and vehicles, especially new cars.
- And there’s so much more we can do…shutting off the lights, using less hot water, planting trees, etc.
But what is equally, if not more, important is to not let these activities become too vital to you. In other words, do what you can. But if/when your efforts to be environmentally responsible become more significant then your daily spiritual activities and well-being, it’s a sign that you have become overshadowed by your efforts.
Even good intentions go south sometimes. Not everyone is going to be in the same place as we are, or where we’d like him or her to be. Educating others and letting go is important. For more ways to find out how not to be over shadowed by life events, contact me at [email protected].
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