Is Earth Day Christmas for Greenies?
I’m of the mindset that Earth Day should be everyday. Not just one day a year that everyone celebrates, that honestly, is starting to feel more like Christmas with all the “buy this eco-friendly product and save the world” ads. Its great that companies are coming out with products that have the earth in mind, but when did Earth Day become Green Shopping Day? Is it really about buying this product or that? No, it’s about raising awareness for planet Earth. Plain and simple.
It seems every other post I’ve seen is about buying this {new and improved} product or an introduction of something you HAVE to have. Since when does Earth Day mean “let’s bombard American’s with our product so they’re more apt to buy it” day? Good marketing scheme? Possibly. A little annoying? Slightly.
Okay, enough of the ranting… it’s been something that’s been really bothering me (if it isn’t obvious) and I had to get it off my chest.
The World and Mother Earth
Close your eyes. Visualize the Earth. Now what would it look like if it were a person? Got it? Good… hold on to that thought.
I do what I can to live a green, sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle. I haven’t always been this way but I think it’s always been there and a part of me since in a way, it was how I was raised. I respect mother nature, the planet, the animals and everything else in between.
Now, bear with me on this on…
When I visualize Mother Earth, it (or should I say, “she”) reminds me of a Tarot Card photo shoot I did a while ago. I was “The World” (or Universe) which depicts a Yoni that symbolizes the great Mother. The card itself is about completion and competency. It’s a card of wholeness, satisfaction and independence and a card of travel, not travelling to learn but travelling to dispense knowledge.
Me, as "The World" or "The Universe"
I’m not into the Tarot, I don’t really know anything about it nor have I had my cards read. But I feel a sense of connection to the Earth, the things I do, and the choices I make and how it relates to the planet. There’s a million posts on Earth Day, all depicting, well, the Earth. The Earth is a place or a person we need to take care of. Our choices, the small things we do, they all make a difference. When we do our part, the Earth flourishes: blue oceans free of plastic and debris; green trees and gardens full of bounty bringing vital nutrients to the soil; and fresh air free from toxic pollutants.
I look at the Tarot of The World and if I had to visualize the Earth as a person, that’s what I’d see. It may sound crazy, but it’s my personal interpretation and I may also be remembering what I felt like during the shoot – wearing a crown of greens atop my raised, proud head with body covered in beautiful blue, fluid fabrics.
So, what happens if we all stop doing our part? What if Earth Day didn’t exist and we didn’t have a sense of eco-awareness (at all)? No eco-ambassadors marching to the steps of the green parade? We’d surely be in a worse mess than we’re in now. Yes, our oceans do have plastic in them (and oil for that matter) and our air is polluted. Our planet would be far more in peril than we would ever imagine.
Me as "The World" Reversed
While no literal translation to the Tarot of The World reversed, I visually imagine an Earth full of plague, disease, depression and dark days. Again, it’s a visual of what Mother Earth would look like… so sad and full of dispair. The once green and beautiful crown of greens has turned to a crown of thorns.
It’s in these images that I visualize the impacts of this “holiday” and what it’s REALLY supposed to mean. It doesn’t mean you buy a new eco-friendly product, it means you get out and do something you otherwise wouldn’t. Forget New Year’s resolutions, how about Earth Day goals? Maybe there’s something you’ve been wanting to do but just haven’t… now is your chance!
When you think of Earth Day and Mother Earth, do you visualize something peculiar or different besides just a spinning globe (or is it just me)?
{model: me, photographer: nina pak}
