One of the habits I’ve been practicing is taking time to reflect on what I’m consuming. Often this means physical items. What I am buying, where I shop, what my family is eating. But it also means the content I consume.
As a small business owner, parent of young children — and person living on this planet — I try to prioritize reading and listening to content that helps me keep things in perspective, focus on meaning and consider my connection with nature.
I still watch silly TV shows and definitely still catch myself scrolling but, as much as I can, I want to orient my modes of operation, in my life and our business, toward how to consume more thoughtfully and more sustainability.
Resource sharing is part of that!
So, in honor of this Earth Day, I thought it would be fun to share some favorite resources that I use to stay informed, get inspired and learn the latest best practices for more sustainable living.
Books
Did you know climate journalist Bill Wier pens a letter to his child every Earth Day? It’s a practice he started after welcoming a son at 45 and I’ve made it a practice to read them every year. They are all available as a book “Life as We Know It (Can Be)” from Bookshop — or check your local library!
Poems
Wendall Berry is one of my favorite poets (and he’s also a novelist, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic — and farmer!) You can listen to him read “The Peace of Wild Things” here. If you love it like I love it, you can find it and others in of his Selected Poems on Bookshop or hit up your library.
Podcasts
There are also two specific episodes from podcasts that I listened over the past year or so that I still reference and think about. The first is an episode with Craig Foster of the film “My Octopus Teacher” interviewed on the Tim Ferriss show about How to Find the Wild in a Tame World. The other is an interview with Janine Benyus on On Being with Krista Tippett on Biomimicry, an Operating Manual for Earthlings.
Big changes can start small, and every step makes a difference. As you consider what you can do this Earth Day, start with your outdoor spaces! Adding native wildflowers is one way to begin rewilding your yard and protecting biodiversity.
