Does your life bless the Earth?

What does the start of 2015 bring to the growing number of people of faith who feel increasing dis-ease about the health of our planet?  What does it mean for Earth Keepers?

We are urged by green organisations and the authorities to recycle, to save water and energy, to buy less and to buy local, etc. so that we save our money and help to save the planet. These messages focus on material outcomes, speaking to our minds and not to our hearts.  What if we started 2015 with a commitment to look listen to what our hearts tell us?  What if we treated our dis-ease about the state of nature by getting into nature more often and reawakening our relationship with the Earth?  Our bond with nature is a sacred umbilical cord. Hundreds of years of striving to tame nature and of treating the earth as an inventory of resources rather than an interdependent community of life, of which we are a part, are fraying the cord.  Still we do celebrate sunsets, wish on shooting stars and are delighted by encounters with wildlife.

What if we started 2015 by committing to lead a life that is a blessing for the earth?  We could then look at `green actions’ from a heart perspective.  When our intellect says: `but you will have to change your habits, or going solar costs money, or maybe later when the neighbours start’ then our heart will counter. YES! I choose compassion for creation. I choose the happiness that comes from living more simply so that others may live. I choose to be blessed by being one with the web of life. YES!

We invite you to take a personal pledge to make your life a blessing for the Earth in 2015_._  We would also like to give you early warning of some of the environmental action days for the Earth in 2015. They are opportunities to check-in on your Earth blessings and to connect with like-minded people to celebrate our interdependence with life on a vibrant, healthy planet.

02 February, Monday, World Wetlands Day

14 February, Saturday, Earth Keeper Day

23 March, Monday, Earth Hour

22 April, Wednesday, Earth Day

22 May, Friday, Biodiversity Day

5 June, Friday, World Environment Day

18 July, Saturday, Madiba Day

1 September, Tuesday, Arbour Day & Spring Day

4 October, Sunday, World Animal Day.

12  October, Monday, start of Marine Week

21 November, Saturday, World Fisheries Day

By Kim Kruyshaar for SAFCEI, December 2014