She is the only world we will ever have.
She sustains us, protects us, and gives us all we need to live.
She is Earth.
Taken for granted and assumed to be invincible, Earth has been pillaged and ravaged by many who care not what their actions can cause against her as well as their fellow human beings.
On the other hand, there are many who do care how our carbon footprint leaves a lasting effect on humans, animals, and plants.
From the Polar Arctic North, where polar bears seek to survive the effects of sea and climate change, to the bees which pollinate our crops, many of which would cease to exist if bees were to become extinct, to the children who need to grow up in a world where they can breathe and thrive into adulthood, to the farmer who tends and harvests her crops—-the Earth is ours and all within it, but, only if we are good stewards of that with which we have been blessed.
We need the Earth. She does not need us.
Earth Day poster (1970) by Walt Kelly.
Tomorrow, April 22, 2013, is Earth Day, also known as International Mother Earth Day.
Take time out to remember all that we receive from Earth.
Enjoy the beauty of a flower, the aroma and joy of a citrus tree, the grass we walk on, the water we drink, the trees we adore, the mountains, lakes, rivers, oceans and sky, the natural wonder of America’s national parks, many of which will be open free to all who visit them. Honor Mother Earth by picking up litter and trash along the roadside and in neighborhoods; use recyclable containers and recycled products; plant a tree, or an herb garden; conserve water; petition your state or government agencies to step up the fight against global warming and climate change.
EARTH.
Our Big Blue Marble.
SALUTARE.
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INTERNATIONAL MOTHER EARTH DAY
“International Mother Earth Day is a chance to reaffirm our collective responsibility to promote harmony with nature at a time when our planet is under threat from climate change, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources and other man-made problems. When we threaten the planet, we undermine our only home – and our future survival. On this International Day, let us renew our pledges to honour and respect Mother Earth.”
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Message for the International Mother Earth Day 2013
Earth Day 2013: The Face of Climate Change
From a man in the Maldives worried about relocating his family as sea levels rise, to a polar bear in the melting artic, climate change has many faces. To celebrate International Mother Earth Day, images of people, animals, and places directly affected or threatened by climate change – as well as images of people stepping up to do something about it, have been collected all around the world. (See the gallery)
Mother Earth is a common expression for the planet Earth in a number of countries and regions, which reflects the interdependence that exists among human beings, other living species and the planet. For instance, Bolivians call Mother Earth Pachamama and Nicaraguans refer to her as Tonantzin.
The proclamation of 22 April as International Mother Earth Day is an acknowledgement that the Earth and its ecosystems provide its inhabitants with life and sustenance. It also recognizes a collective responsibility, as called for in the 1992 Rio Declaration, to promote harmony with nature and the Earth to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations of humanity.
Recognizing that Mother Earth reflects the interdependence that exists among human beings, other living species and the planet we all inhabit, the General Assembly declared 22 April as International Mother Earth Day (A/RES/63/278) to highlight the need to help improve the lives of children and adults who suffer from the disorder so they can lead full and meaningful lives.