This year, for Earth Day, we asked some CC team members to reflect on and share what the day means to them.
What does Earth Day mean to you?
"Every day is sacred to mother earth, by waking up and showing gratitude for all life, for all creation. You are acknowledging that you are part of creation and not separate from it." -Unnamed, Ajijak dodem, Anishinaabe
“While I try to celebrate the earth every day, I appreciate the reminder – especially during the spring when the earth is waking up and plants and animals are coming back to life.” - Jennifer Nantais
“Like many celebrations, every day is Earth Day. What I appreciate about this day though is it brings people together in a common celebration, action and reflection.” -Andre Vashist
“To me, Earth Day is a communal celebration of nature and our connections to the Earth. Earth Day has created opportunities for people to connect globally on environmental topics and also gather locally in their communities to give back to nature in fun, creative ways. It’s a time to be mindful of our connections to and impacts on the land and what we can do to better nurture our relationships with the Earth every day.” -Siobhan Mullally
“Earth Day gives me a sense of hope about the future. It is inspiring to see people across the world unite for the planet. It is important that our love and appreciation for the earth goes beyond one day a year and that we use Earth Day to inspire meaningful action for environmental protection.” -Amy Hall
What do you do on Earth Day? How do you celebrate the land?
“On Earth Day I usually choose to celebrate externally and internally. I take the opportunity to represent one of the many organizations that I have worked for or with to share messaging around ecological restoration, biodiversity, sustainability, and the beauty of our connection to the earth and each other.” - Jennifer Nantais
“I quite enjoy attending EarthFest in London, have enjoyed clean up days in the past, and even global virtual events. It kinda feels like the Earth's birthday when humans are extra nice in the spirit of gratitude.” -Andre Vashist
“I like to spend Earth Day outside, exploring and celebrating the land in ways that mean something to me. It’s a nice time to reflect and practice photography, art, poetry, or just sitting and being with plants and wildlife.” -Siobhan Mullally
“Earth Day is a great opportunity to connect with the land and with your community. I love to spend time outside immersed in nature and to learn about the amazing work that so many environmental organizations and environmentally minded folks are doing for our planet.” -Amy Hall
What are your favourite Earth Day activities and traditions?
“If I’m not working or volunteering on Earth Day, I attend local celebrations to learn about earth-friendly products, support local vendors and learn new ways to be a good citizen. I also like to read something that makes me feel connected with the earth and spend time outdoors enjoying the company of non-human friends.” -Jennifer Nantais
“When I was a kid, I used to rally up the friends on my street and collect litter around our neighbourhood, so that became a bit of a tradition for me. Today, I still enjoy partaking in clean-up events on Earth Day and always make time to go outside for a hike.” -Siobhan Mullally
Reflections to Action
So, what does Earth Day mean to you and how do you celebrate the land? We encourage you to turn your reflections into action on Earth Day and beyond.
You can celebrate Earth Day this year by:
- Learning from and supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) leaders in environment spaces.
- Attend the Shifting the Paradigm forum, which amplifies Indigenous and diverse voices to inspire action and support Indigenous peoples and allies
- Going outside and connecting with the land you live on.
- Joining a local Earth Day event in your community and learning about the work that local environmental groups are doing for the Earth.
- Healing the land at home with native plants.
- Buy a Healing Garden Kit and track your impact in the ITZ Tracker