Friday, April 22, 2011

Earth Day 2011



Today is Earth Day, a time for reflecting upon our footprints on this planet and what steps each of us can take to preserve the beauty of the natural world around us.  I've been invited by Laurrie of My Weeds Are Very Sorry to participate in a meme begun by The Sage Butterfly discussing three books that have made me more environmentally aware.

As readers of my occasional book reviews know, I am a fiction buff, specifically mysteries, and rarely read non-fiction, so it was very difficult for me to come up with any books that have influenced my awareness of the environment.  After wracking my brain, I could come up with only two . . . and one of those I didn't even read:

The Limits of Growth by Meadows, Meadows, Randers, and Behrens---Published in 1972, this controversial study proclaimed that by the 21st century society would have depleted most of its natural resources, and world population would be too large for the earth to sustain it.  This was a required reading in one of my college classes and certainly provoked a lively discussion.  Although many critics thought the study was faulty, it did make an impression on this naive college student many years ago, particularly in opening my eyes to the greater impact that industrialized nations like the U.S. have had on the environment.

The Silent Spring by Rachel Carson---In all honesty, I have never read this book.  But growing up in the 60's, it was hard not to be aware of this book and its message about the dire consequences of pesticide use.  This book made such an impact that many credit it with starting the whole environmental movement.

I really wish I could come up with a third and more recent book to add to this list, but honestly I have learned more about the environment from others than I have from reading books.  Since I began reading blogs, I have become more aware of the world around me than I ever was before.  From the importance of pollinators to building rain gardens to ingenious ways to recycle, blogging friends have influenced my actions more than any environmental activist.




But probably the biggest influence on me throughout my life has been my mother.  As I wrote in my Earth Day post last year, "my mother was 'green' before it was cool." Nothing was ever wasted in my house when I was growing up: my mother recycled everything she could from plastic containers to water to clothing.  Coincidentally, Earth Day also happens to be her birthday.


Happy Birthday, Mom! And thank you for all the values that you instilled in me.





Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. ~Chief Seattle, 1855


Wishing you all, too, a Happy Easter!

27 comments:

  1. Happy Earth day to our great Mother Earth and Happy Birthday to your own beautiful mother!

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  2. Rose, my Mother was also green. It is funny they didn't call it that. They just didn't want to waste anything. One thing that came to mind just this week is how she would use envelopes from junk mail to make grocery lists etc. No purchasing fancy notepads for her lists when she had free paper sent to her. It was well used before going into the dump. Happy Earth day and I hope you and yours have a great Easter.

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  3. I first heard of Silent Spring and Rachel Carson in horticulture school and I think this is one of the most important books of all time for the environment. I actually posted on it way back when. Plus, I was and am still most impressed by the fortitude of Rachel Carson.

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  4. What a lovely tribute to your mother. In my case it was my father who introduced me to compost when he finally had a suburban yard to nurture, mostly grass except for the lavandula and funkia. I think he just liked the words. One book I can recommend is Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy - about the important part we all play in maintaining our local food web and the balance of nature.

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  5. What a lovely tribute to your mother--your decision to adopt a way of living she modeled. I enjoyed reading your post and how you have learned so much from your mother, some books, and other gardeners. Thank you for participating in The Earth Day Reading Project and Happy Earth Day!

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  6. Sometimes, I think if we all just did what we should do (like your mother), we'd be way better off.

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  7. I find fantasy books often raise environmental awareness (e.g. Tolkien's books, which point out the environmental destruction wreaked by war and urge people to care for the trees). My daughter just asked me when people started recycling, and I thought about the people living through the Depression, and how they began recycling as a way to save or earn money, and how some of them never lost the habit. I bet your mom is one.

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  8. I think Michael Pollan's books, beginning with The Botany of Desire, made me much more aware of the impact of humans on the environment.

    My daughter was born on November 15th, which is National Recycling Day. She thinks it's a pretty cool birthday.

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  9. As we Indians say, it's because of such caring people that Mother Earth is still bearing us patiently. Nice post, Rose.

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  10. What a lovely post!
    I think it was a great tribute to your mum. She looked a very friendly person.
    We don't have *Earth Day* over here but its a good idea.
    I have all the family here at the moment so no time for reading and not much for blogging!
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May

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  11. Rachel Carson was way ahead of her time. I am so thankful for people like her who paved the way for all of us to become more aware of our "environment"
    Sweet photo of your mother!

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  12. Wonderful Earth Day post Rose! How cool that your mom's birthday is Earth Day! I can so relate to her being your biggest influence. What a blessing our moms are.

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  13. Great post for Earth Day Rose! Yes we all must do our part to preserve the beauty of nature and our world. Awareness does begin at home..what are we teaching our young. Your mother did a good job in teaching you to respect Mother Earth. Happy Earth Day to you and your mother!!

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  14. I have not read those books, and I must agree with you wholeheartedly - I have learned more from my blogging buddies about our environment than anywhere else. And what a nice way to learn!

    My mother also was a big influence on me as far as gardening, the earth, and recycling.

    Lisa's comment about re-using envelopes for grocery lists triggered a memory for me. My mom did the same thing. And I had totally forgotten this until now. I guess most our mothers were very conscious of not wasting anything. I hate to waste food and wrap up even the smallest left-overs.

    Happy Earth Day and Happy Birthday to your dear mother.

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  15. Our mother's words/life forever lives. So the tale lives on ... you are an awesome mother/grandmother. Happy Earth Day and Easter blessings, dear friend.

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  16. Hi Rose,
    I didn't get an earth day post done. I enjoyed reading yours. I don't get many books read these days. I do read nonfiction more than fiction, though. I used to love reading all kinds of books. James Michener (sp?) was one of my favorite authors. Maybe one day, I'll get back into fiction.

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  17. How neat that your mom's birthday is on Earth Day! People teach us the most, don't they. It's great that you have such a great example in your mom. Happy Earth Day!

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  18. Happy Earth Day and I hope you have a wonderful Easter Rose.

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  19. Happy Earth Day and Happy Easter. Sounds like your mother was a great influence!

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  20. Happy late Earth Day and Birthday to your mom and Happy Easter. It is so true that past generations were greener in many ways. Silent Spring is worth reading even now. A more recent book would be Lovelock's The Ages of Gaia that looks at planet Earth as one living organism, both vulnerable and resilient.

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  21. Interesting post. I didn't do anything special for Earth Day because almost every day for me is Earth day.

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  22. Thanks to all of you for the good wishes for my mom--she's 81 years young! Also thanks for all the reading recommendations--I'll make note of them for some winter reading. As for my mother's values, yes, I think most of her habits arose out of growing up during the Depression. But she still continues to recycle as much as possible. I think when these values are instilled in you at a young age, it simply becomes a way of life.

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  23. Dear Rose,
    Happy Earth Day and Happy Easter. You have written a lovely tribute to your Mother...happy birthday to her.
    I did not grow up with mindful gardening parents. I was the radical in the family hugging trees and wearing flowers in my hair. They really did not know what to do with their wild girl.....
    Not only did I read Rachel Carson I would quote her....still do sometimes....
    Thankfully I have met many organic, mindful, gardeners on line. Being connected is wonderful.
    Hope wedding plans are going well.
    Namaste,
    Sherry

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  24. What a lovely tribute to your Mom. :) My mother had a similar experience growing up, her parents recycled and repurposed everything before it was cool to do so. Happy Earth Day Rose.

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  25. Dear Rose, Your Mother has taught you well and this tribute to her is delightful. I hoape your spring is progressing and tht your holiday was filled with love and celebration. xxoogail!

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  26. I love the quotes by Chief Seattle. He was a true environmentalist. I hope the rain slows a bit soon.

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  27. Rose, your mother has raised a wonderful daughter. I suspect she was a wonderful mother. Enjoyed the photo.

    donna

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