Green generation

A belated EARTH DAY post.

Yes, I know.

Earth Day was on April 22nd.

Better late than never, I say. :)

My most intimate moments with Mother Earth began when I was a little girl. I became fascinated with fireflies and stars at a young age. When night settles in, my siblings and I would go out to the vacant lot at the end of our street to watch the bushy place come alive with tiny littly dots of light turning on and off. They were like miniature stars floating on Earth while the really big ones sparkled up in the sky.

Now, fireflies seem to have become a figment of my imagination. Something terribly wrong has been happening in the past 15 years (and beyond). I hear Mother Earth's cries for help louder than ever. I am not about to turn a deaf ear.

My concrete, directional actions in extending a helping hand to save Mother Earth began in college when I joined an environmental advocacy group, EARTH-UST. It became my first university family during my freshman year and the people I met there remain close to my heart. I haven't been active with all the projects of the group or the organizations they tie up with since I was occupied with my chosen field of career but I try my best to apply and practice the things I have learned from EARTH. My experience there became the foundation of my principles regarding environmentalism. Awareness and action definitely became two striking words in my dictionary.

Before this year's Earth Day celebration, I have joined #earthtweet on Twitter in their campaign to raise awareness on many environmental issues and eco-friendly practices. Even with Earth Day over two months ago, I am currently following several other organizations and campaigns with a similar cause.

Moreover, I took the Power Down for the Planet pledge with Climate Savers Computing 'to use power management on your PC and select an energy-efficient PC for your next purchase will help minimize wasted electricity and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.' I also joined the 350 Challenge by Brighter Planet, where they offset 350 pounds of carbon in your name.

This month, I have started to be more supportive of eco-markets as well where I buy organic products such as soap and shampoo. My dad and I went to one in Market! Market! just a few hours ago.

While these are the things I contribute in order to do my part in saving our finite planet for the generations to come, I am still blown away by the fact that lots of other people are also doing the same and much more. Which now brings me to what I think this is the most important thing that I can share with you today.

I have recently come across The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard and watching the 20-minute video really moved me to let as many people as I can reach out to know and understand the message contained in it. I strongly encourage you to watch the trailer below, go to the website, and watch "The Story of Stuff".

Besides the three Rs to a greener planet: reduce, reuse and recycle - I challenge you to live out two Rs that are extremely crucial in today's consumerism-minded society: RETHINK and REFUSE.

Let's fight the green battle!

P.S.

In an art therapy seminar that I attended last month, I discovered that green is the color of balance. How do I prove it? On a bond paper, place two strips of black paper one above the other (like and equal sign) with some white space in between the two. View the papers through a prism. Observe the colors around each strip of black paper. Then, while still looking through the prism, slowly bring the two black strips of paper together, eliminating the white space in between. Look closely. What do you see?