Eco-Friday blog post
This past week, a 16 year old Swedish girl has become a household name. And it’s not, as it so often is, because she can sing, or dance, or act, or look pretty in clothes. Greta Thunberg has been instrumental in leading climate strikes, political debates, and general discussions about what needs to be done to safeguard our future. But it doesn’t really matter what you think of her, her beliefs, or her actions...the thing that matters is the topic she is drawing attention to. She has already shown more strength than most, standing up for what she understands the current situation to be. She is someone for our kids to look up to, to respect, to be inspired by. Hell, she is someone for US to look up to, respect, and be inspired by.
And really, when it comes down to it, whatever side of the climate change fence you sit on, it is very difficult to argue with the simplicity of the idea that nature is the answer for our future. ‘There is a magic machine that sucks carbon out of the air, costs very little, and builds itself. It’s called a tree.’ - George Monbiot, environmental activist. Not a lesson being given to kindergarten children, but to the world at large. How far down the wrong path have we gone that this is something that we are either not conscious of, or choose to ignore? Regardless of whether or not you believe that our planet is doomed, it is an undeniable fact that we need trees to breathe. They are essential to existence.
One of the key take homes from #naturenow is that nature can heal itself, if given the chance. This notion too is backed by indisputable facts. You will have all seen photos of abandoned buildings and mines being reclaimed by nature. When we move out, it moves in. But we do not need to move out to allow nature in. Planting can happen on even the smallest scales. Introducing a pot plant into your home should be more than just a home decor styling, ‘oh-god-I-must-water-that’ thing to take care of. Spending time in nature is good for your mood, your health, and even your pocket, because it can be done for free. The more we contribute, the more we get back.
Nature needs us, and we need nature. It’s a symbiotic relationship. Here at our retreat, we are glad to be able to offer people the opportunity to enjoy the proven benefits of being surrounded by trees and wildlife. But there is always more that can be done. We are waiting for the rains to begin planting our first batch of 200+ native trees and shrubs. It was a really humbling experience going through and choosing which ones we could plant to best help our local ecosystem and wildlife. Knowing that many of these trees will long outlive us is humbling, and it feels like a privilege to be able to start them off. This is part of our commitment to nature, to protect, restore and fund. It’s our little contribution to the #naturenow movement. Because Greta is right - what you do, counts.
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