Eco-Gratitude: Towards a New Paradigm of Giving Back to the Earth

From our first breath, we’ve all relied on Mother Earth to provide what we need: the air that sustains us, the bountiful harvest that feeds us, and the experiences that make life worth living. Because of her infinite gifts to us, we owe her our respect and protection.

Unfortunately, however, this is not the case. 80% of the earth’s forests are gone, and the oceans are now home to 14 billion pounds of garbage. Species are becoming extinct as ecosystems are disrupted by careless human actions. The list of environmental atrocities goes on and on.

On the brighter side, it’s still possible for us to make a difference. As individuals, we have much more power than we may realize. For example, the choices we make as consumers can impact the environment for better or worse. Therefore, we should carefully decide how and where we spend our money.

A great first step is to support companies that are dedicated to giving back to the earth or have developed innovative alternatives to environmentally harmful practices. Similarly, choosing to buy organic whenever possible is better for our health and the health of the planet.

It’s essential that we realign our perspective so we can live in harmony with the natural world. Thinking about how our everyday choices relate to the wellbeing of the environment allows us to contribute to a greater shift in consciousness in which the earth is an urgent priority.

We have a symbiotic relationship with the ecosystem, so we need to adjust our mindset to include the idea that earth-care is self-care.

This means that we embrace responsibility for our collective home and choose sustainability as a lifestyle. Doing so is a way to not only protect our health and our children’s future, but also to express our gratitude and love to Mother Earth, who has taken care of us since the birth of humanity.