Below James Kelderhouse and Sandi McArthur answers the question
“How would you encourage us to love and respect Mother Earth?”
Changed By Life
by James Kelderhouse
Trees, creeks, gardens, lakes, and bluffs, all touched by the sky are the special places I frequented often when I was a child, with a sense of wonder and appreciation of the secret and sacred life they contained, when I existed with, and was wrapped in the winds of our shared collective mind. I was curious about the many lives and families within these places and was in awe of them before I was old enough to know or question my own being, before I was able to understand, that the whole living community was susceptible to the touch of my hands and large mind. I observed, touched, and was a part of these sacred places and other living things as a child and learned that they could be hurt by me reaching and touching the sky. They were as close to me as the air we all breathe, as close as my Grandparents who taught me to respect every being and its place. After high school, the sacredness of these places and the simple life my Grandparents showed me, slowly slipped away without me noticing, my senses began to fade, I was shamed and forced to ride the modern economy of over consumption, consumerism, and maximum use of fossil energy called progress that dirties the air and sky in order to drive and survive in modern times. I long to return to this sacred place.
Although it is important to recycle plastics, travel less, buy organic food, and use alternative energy, it is not enough to restore the clean air necessary for ecological, environmental, and human health. Only a closer relationship to earth and a respect for all of earths living beings will begin to restore physical, mental, and spiritual health to our shared world. So encourage children in this relationship first. Second participate and share in helping them develop it. Third, redevelop your own and show them your respect for nature. Fourth, start a project together that considers, gives back, and restores natures right to coexist .Fifth, reclaim a simple life touched by the sky and in so doing your strained relationship with the earth will begin to heal and your children will observe your change and be inspired to be the next generation of change.
Our modern transportation system and long distance electric grid uses too much energy produced by burning fossil fuels, much of it lost or wasted in the transportation of food or electric power over long distances. The surplus emissions produced by trucks carrying food long distances or coal plants supplying electricity from far away can be reduced by producing your own or buying locally produced food from small farms. Only a closer relationship to earth and a respect for all of earths living beings will begin to restore physical, mental, and spiritual health to our shared world. Our modern system dependent upon maximum energy production from fossil fuels pollutes and extracts a heavy toll on the air, soil, water and all life through the drilling, mining, burning and exhaust of fossil fuels, including nuclear fuel, nuclear disaster and radiation exposure. Fuel spills, toxic chemicals and products produced from the byproducts of oil production including chemical fertilizers and pesticides also contaminate earths’ air and water. Children do not have to be told this, but shown natures’ way.
James Kelderhouse
How to love and respect Mother Earth by Sandi McArthur:
Think before you buy and make every decision a conscious decision.
Ask, where did this food or other product come from? How far did it travel? How was it grown, raised or produced? Does it contain harmful chemicals, GMO’s etc.? And, by whom under what conditions was it raised or grown?
When we take the time to really think through our purchases and decide we don’t want to support agriculture or production methods that harm the earth or its peoples or animals, we are making a huge statement about our commitment to honoring Mother Earth and showing our respect by how we spend our dollars and what we choose to support. Along with Conscious Decisions the concepts of Reducing, Reusing, Recycling and Refusing resonate with me and help me with my goal of living more simply and enjoying more intensely my time on this beautiful planet. – Sandi McArthur