Every year Earth Day falls on April 22nd and it is one of the greatest days of the year! It’s not only a day to remind us of the obligation we have to take care of this world we all share, but it’s also a great opportunity to celebrate the progress we’ve made so far!
No matter what gender you are, what race you are, your political beliefs, demographics, religious beliefs, sexuality, or even hobbies, the Earth is something that we all have in common and it transcends all of these barriers that many people often face. No matter how much money you make, or how many friends you have, we all go to sleep at the end of the day on the same planet that we call home- Earth.
Many people will say “well my contribution won’t make a difference” or “walking by this piece of trash and not picking it up isn’t going to change the Earth.” But what if everyone thought this way? What if every time someone walked by a piece of trash they left it on the ground? We would live in filth, suffocated by the remains of people’s trash. Now imagine what it would be like if every single person that walked by a piece of trash picked it up and contributed to a clean planet? It would look a whole lot better that’s for sure. We all need to start seeing the power of small things and get to work before it’s too late. No one is too small to make a difference, and no difference is too small to make a change. Doing small things will show off our selflessness and will inspire others to do the same.
If you look around at the outside world you’ll see plants, grass, trees, miles of ocean, sky, and animals of all kinds! If you contribute to keeping their home clean, you will see that they may be sending their thank you back through subtle everyday messages. Vivid sunsets and sunrises, bright starry nights, bloomed flowers, beach days, and rainbows. Let these signs of thanks motivate you to carry out your powerful small deeds and ultimately unite others around you so that we all feel as though we are a part of something greater than ourselves. Let this drive you to envision a word where everyone does at least one small thing everyday to improve our communities, until our small deeds turn into something noticeably big.
One of the greatest women to ever contribute to our natural world, Jane Goodall, once said “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.” If you want to live in dirt keep walking, but if you want to live in a clean green world pick up the trash, plant a tree, and recycle. Be the change you wish to see in the world.