Monday, April 22nd is Earth Day! My Earth Day aspirations.

It may still be a month ahead, but I am already giving a lot of thought to Earth Day. I have been thinking about what I can do this year to contribute and honor the natural world around me. So often I find myself feeling thankful for the abundance of life I get to see and experience. Every morning as I walk to work, I am blessed to notice the abundance of nature. Even in a city, surrounded by human-made buildings, concrete, and cars I see nature spring up and inspire joy. 

Spring brings blooms, trees grow, birds chirp, and the sun shines (or, it rains, and I get to feel cool water all around). With all these blessings of nature, I feel like I need to do my part to add to the environment something positive. Earth Day and the month that encompasses it seems like a perfect time to reflect and take action to show my gratitude for the world around me.

This Earth Day, I will pick up trash and litter outside wherever I see it. My plan so far is to carry separate bags with me wherever I go for recycling, compost, and trash so that I can improve the environment of our community. No matter where I find myself in April, I would like to go out of my way to nurture the ground, the water, and the air I breathe. 

I truly believe that if we come together and work to improve the condition of our world, we can undo the damage being done to our waters, our soil, our atmosphere, our wealth of life in the world, and our global people. Humanity and industry have done so much harm, it's true, but instead of simply being ashamed of these actions, we must work to ignite change.

Additionally, April is a great time to lift up the wonderful people who work to heal our environment and who bring attention to climate change every day. I want to send each a thank you, to recognize their unseen and often unthanked efforts. From the teenager I know who sifts through microplastics on the coast and creates art projects out of the trash to the former professor leading research and initiatives to spark change, I truly want to recognize their initiatives and thank them.

And to my World Pulse sisters who do so many amazing things to heal the earth, reutilize the things others see as waste, and educate others - how incredible you are! Please feel my admiration and gratitude and I will work hard to make sure you are seen, heard, and appreciated for what you do.

I would love for any of you to join me this Earth Day in the process of change and healing of our planet. Please feel free to share your ideas or plans for environmental rejuvenation, climate change action, or protection of nature. I would love to collaborate and work with all of you so we can give back to the natural environment that provides so much for us all.

What would you like to do or see happen this Earth Day?