Yet, in the deep corners of my thoughts, I sensed a tugging. So I’d put it out of my mind and think, “just today, it’s okay to use the plastic bags, it’s okay to let the shower run for a while before getting in.” Perhaps many of us are subjected to feelings of stress or apathy toward the environment due to the stark contrasts in our society. I felt stressed trying to fight the wave of apathy I felt around me on some days. The more I learned, the more contrasts I saw between earth-friendly and earth-unfriendly ways-even in myself-and I began to feel a separation. Meanwhile, I’d go out into the world and encounter wasteful and unaware people and businesses everywhere. I found beauty and compassion in the enlightened souls who chose to awaken to Mother Earth, gaia or pachamama, despite their (and my) eco-anxiety. I dug deep some days, finding articles from years ago that sent messages or pleas-similar to what we still see today-for healthier eating, conscious consumerism, and climate changes. Awakening to the suffering and psychological pollution of social, environmental, and health systems of the world is overwhelming.ĭay by day, I would scour elephant journal for green articles, enveloping myself in the issues of our world. It has been eye-opening and downright depressing at some points. Over the last few months I’ve been exploring all issues in the realm of green living through my apprenticeship with elephant journal. Recently, this realization almost broke me apart. We eat meat and fly to foreign lands while we rest at swimming holes and celebrate the seasons. We watch the costly Olympics for entertainment while right beside it the environmental issues of our time stare us in the face. The turmoil in Brazil doesn’t nullify the messages of the ceremony, but rather asks us to see the contrast and make the connection. They planted 10,500 tree seeds-a total of 207 native species, one for each country in the Games.Īlthough the games in Rio have fallen under intense criticism, in my opinion, the focus on climate was necessary for Rio and our planet. The native landscape of Brazil began to disappear.Īfter a short film on climate change and its impact around the world, each Olympic athlete proceeded to plant “Seeds of Hope” as they entered the arena. I saw the complex history of intertwining cultures crisscross the dense Brazilian forest floor, leaving tracks, roads and agriculture in their wake. While watching the extravagant opening ceremony of this year’s Olympics in Rio, something made me spring straight up from the couch.
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