People’s Climate March Brings Good Steps

There was a huge march in New York City in late September to raise awareness of the problem of climate change.

It sparked all kinds of reactions. Many don't even believe climate change is real.

Others think that within our lifetime, climate change will directly affect, probably negatively, many people on this Earth. Unusual weather occurrences, as we have seen, can fill cities with water. Sometimes, that happens slowly. Other times, it washes over in a wave. In Colorado, it's apt to fall from the sky, then rush down the mountain.

There is fear that we may face shifts in the weather as a result of climate change. There is fear of more intensity in the weather events. There are almost as many activist groups out there as there are fears, so it's not like nobody is doing anything.

There are walks. There are festivals. There are organizations. But watch this video, and notice what happens at :35 seconds in. The interviewer asks the woman, what do we do? And she pauses, as if not sure what to say, because really, where do you start when forces are aligning to warm the entire planet? It's not a small or simple problem.

At 1:18, the man admits, he doesn't have the answer. Wise.

There is not one answer. Well, I can think of one good one word answer to any environmental problem--gratitude.

With my books and kids book apps, we promote good sustainable practices. To create these things, I've really had to consider what our message and mission should be.

Seeing the video above, having been a part of the 'Green' movement for a long time, I see a lot of behavior inspired by fear or anger, and I'm not into that. Yes, it can be discouraging to see some of the large scale damage that can be done in the name of being friendly to business. However, hope is what creates any notable change, so I didn't want to come from a place of fear or anger.

I don't want to protect the Earth because I am afraid something bad will happen. I should protect it because it is amazing. When I come from a place of gratitude, not fear, in regards to the way I interact with my environment, it seems to be easier to make better decisions.

If global warming is going to be as bad as some predict, and I can honestly say I don't know how good or terrible the future looks, I like to think it will be awesome, but if it is going to be that bad, we won't need to change the system. We won't need to change the society. We'll need to change ourselves.

I believe that we can and will create a happy, healthy Earth. I think we can live in harmony on this planet for centuries to come. And I think it will start inside the heart of each of us.