Bonus factoid:
As much as I try hard to understand why so many humans feel the need to churn up and destroy our planet, I always come back to the same thought: We are abusing mother earth, our home, and the home of our future generations.
We are not only abusing our planet, we are causing extreme and unimaginable suffering to billions of living creatures that exist upon it.
We are collectively creating a world that is unhealthy and just cannot be sustained.
The ironic thing is that our planet is stunning and offers abundance.
We can grow fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, berries—and with a little imagination and knowledge, we can make the most exquisite and delicious meals that are not only nutritious and are cruelty-free, but that can also heal our bodies (and minds) at the same time.
We are given water that not only hydrates us, but can also be added to numerous foods, so we can drink different flavors every day of our lives.
We have mountains, streams, rivers, waterfalls, oceans, and forests to explore, and they are all free; therefore, we can adventure, ground, and balance our bodies and minds without having to spend any money at all.
Yet, so many people spend vast amounts of money in man-made entertainment parks that cannot possibly match the thrill of the outdoors. They travel to enclosures to see wild animals caged behind bars and dolphins doing tricks in tanks way too small for their swimming requirements.
A hike along most national parks and wildlife routes will allow you to witness many of these spectacular creatures in their natural habitats—and it is so much more enjoyable watching them wild and free, rather than banging their heads against walls due to frustration and boredom.
There are so many places in the world where dolphins can be watched from coastlines or from boats, and where they aren’t forced to perform tricks; they will do them purely out of the love of being alive and having the space and to twist and turn with their offspring safely at their sides.
We are pumping ridiculous amounts of chemicals into the atmosphere to make plastic throwaway goods that most of us don’t actually use, and that just become cluttered in drawers, cupboards, garages, or landfills. And yet, our consumerism gets the better of us, so we buy the latest advertised gadgets or toys that we probably don’t really want or need.
People hunt animals that are already struggling to survive and take care of their families in harsh environments—and yet, it is perfectly legal in many places to shoot them for personal pleasure, without any regard for the babies or life-long partners that may be left behind.
Can you just imagine for one minute living out in the wild and waiting and waiting…but the one person you rely on for food, protection, and nurturing never returns?
You are alone and wide open to predators from all angles—or you may possibly endure drawn out starvation and thirst due to being too young to have learned vital survival skills. Do hunters not consider this? Does the excitement of killing completely overcome their empathy and compassion?
Countless animals and creatures have become extinct (or are at threat of extinction), just because humans want to put their tusks and horns on display, wear their skin as shoes or coats, turn them inside out to get ingredients for “ancient medicines.”
We are poisoning our rivers and oceans with oil spills, toxic chemicals, and plastic—and simultaneously, we are threatening the homes of countless species that live under water and all those who rely on drinking that water.
Every year, as our population grows, we are putting even more pressure on planet Earth, by consciously and subconsciously demanding that it produces higher amounts of unnatural foods and consumables.
A desire for higher profit appears to outweigh the desire to protect and care for our land and those living upon it.
There seems to be a widespread lack of understanding or care that this stunning planet that is home to billions upon billions of living creatures—from humans to plants—is interwoven.
Every living creature and all of Earth’s ecosystems are interconnected, so whenever we poison or destroy one aspect of our world, numerous other aspects will undoubtedly suffer.
Instead of seeing our planet as our current home, as well as home to the billions that have yet to experience it, it is viewed by many as a Monopoly board game, in which people are gambling and taking risks that have vital consequences, just so they can accumulate as much wealth, power, and control as possible.
Meanwhile, our planet is suffering, people who live on it are suffering, our wildlife is suffering, the animals that are trapped in the food and dairy industry are suffering, mother nature is suffering, and we are all experiencing the damage we are doing in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the foods we eat, and the way so many compassionate people feel disconnected and as though they have been born to the wrong planet.
This is not the wrong planet for anyone—tragically, it is just being treated wrongly.
On a mass level, we all need to wake up and see that there are alternative options, and we need to start taking productive action.
We only have this one planet, and it’s truly about time we all started taking proper care of it.
Otherwise, as dramatic as it sounds, it won’t be too long in the future before time will run out and future generations won’t be given the opportunity to remedy our ways.
We can turn things around and create a compassionate, caring, cruelty-free, healthy world in which everyone is provided for and no living being suffers.
As the saying goes, “We are all in this together.” And, if we start to live consciously and mindfully, we can make this home safe and sustainable for all.
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Relephant:
It’s Now or Never for this Precious Earth.
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Author: Alex Myles
Image: Instagram @ecofolks
Editor: Yoli Ramazzina
Copy editor: Lieselle Davidson
Social editor: Sara Kärpänen
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