Day-After-Earth-Day, Featuring: Plastic Pollution in the ocean

Happy Day-After-Earth-Day, all. It feels kind of like the day after coming home from a vacation, party, or seeing a friend you don't get to spend time with as often as you like. For treehuggers and nature-lovers it's close enough because we want every day to be Earth Day, so here's a day-after post to extend the inspiration and good feelings.

Within the last few years I've lived vicariously through divers who post photos and videos of their adventures having peaceful, voluntary interactions with wildlife. Divers on Instagram like @kimkertz and @its.krystalclear are inspirational not only as athletes and explorers, but artists and advocates for ocean conservation, and conscientious interactions with wildlife.

One of the biggest problems facing Earth's oceans is plastic pollution, so reducing consumption of plastic is always a great resolution to renew, and definitely one I intend on revisiting more this year.

Recently a newsflash hit explaining that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is actually even more hug than originally estimated... it's now estimated to be three times the size of France. Plastic all around the oceans will keep floating, keep releasing toxins, and keep ending up inside the bodies of animals.

Doing things like remembering to bring reusable shopping bags in-store and remembering to bring a reusable water bottle, and coordinating everything to pack a litterless lunch make a difference. Personally, I know I have a hard time remembering things; I was notorious at an old workplace for forgetting my reusable water bottle at our booth.

The most practical things that have helped me include investing in a glass water with a bright orange cover; it's hard to forget, and easy to clean without gross smells last-minute if I forgot to the night before. (Sorry if that's TMI, it's true.) And for reusable shopping bags it's pretty easy; keep it in another bag. The thin, foldable ones that wrap up inside themselves nicely have been great to keep in a purse, and their very presence in my canvas bag helps serve as a reminder to bring other ones.

Here are a few links to more information if you're interested in reading more and seeing their visualizers (I highly recommend the video in link #2 in particular).
Sailing Seas of Plastic interactive map: http://app.dumpark.com/seas-of-plastic-2/
TWN how to really make a difference Earth Day feature: https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/what-earth-day-means-when-humans-possess-planet-shaping-powers/99911/
5 Gyres information on plastic continents and how to help: https://www.5gyres.org/ 

For this Earth Day, I resolve to remember what to do to reduce plastic consumption, and remember why I'm doing it (with the help of the divers and ocean photographers of instagram). What has inspired you this past Earth Day?

Hope you all enjoy basking in the Earth Day afterglow and carry it forward, lighting the way to better living.

(Repost) Types of Treehuggers

(A belated*) Happy Earth Day!

In honour of Earth Day, here is an updated repost originally from to Nature-nimbus.blogspot.ca for May 24, 2016, but with the found original doodles to go with it. Each illustration is consciously exaggerated just for kicks so please don't takes offense to what is written here... hope you have fun reading them :) 

The reality is all of these roles have helped raise awareness on environmental needs -that is how they are so recognizable- and a person can combine the traits of any number of them, but the coolest part of sharing this with friends was seeing everyone feel out where their niche is and perhaps even feeling re-inspired to participate in green activities that they enjoy.

Hope you enjoy reading this, and have a lovely Earth Day every day.
~~~

All these characters were drawn on cue cards I cannot find yet, but that can be another post for another time. (2018 Update: Found them, here they are!)

It was a lot cooler when I was sitting at the kitchen table explaining it in a extemporaneous babble to relatives and my dog a little differently each time, but it and went something like this and I hope you find it amusing :)

The Hippie/Flower Child

The classic treehugger stereotypee right out of the 60s who really got environmental movement started. Clad in tye-dye and hemp, and sitting cross-legged in front of trees preaching their message of love, peace, and unity, they are also known for making some lovely tunes to get people in a mood and mindset of unity.

The Rebellious Radical

Sometimes seen as a close younger cousin of the hippie, The Rebellious Radical is loud and grabs attention, and sometimes that might be the exact push people need. Louder the better; think activists chaining themselves to trees maybe with some funky coloured hair. These people make bold statements pointing to the goal of drawing attention and spreading awareness of big issues that really matter.

The Wild Child/Conservationist

It's that kid that's always climbing trees and running around exploring outside with messy hair. They really are in their element/natural habitat outside, probably making mud pies and isn't afraid of getting dirty or touching creepy crawlies. These are the ones who probably know the common, maybe the scientific, and given personal names of backyard wildlife. These friends of the forest, conservation officers, camp counselors, and more have a contagious sense of wonder they are often eager to share with others.

The Humanitarian

The Humanitarian  recognize that people are part of the ecosystem just like other animals, and sincerely care about the wellbeing of fellow humans. Whether they be doctors, aid workers, or concerned citizens, they see how people around the world are affected by environmental issues and are ready to see how can to help. From pollution putting people's health at risk to climate change displacing entire communities, they recognize sustainability as a must, and clean air and water as basic human rights which they will fight for and seek to see as many people as possible having access to.

Engineer/Technician

These are the ones that really make all these advancements work. A lot of what they do is behind-the-scenes, but they use the power of their minds to make it possible to drive new sustainable technologies forward such as in renewable energy. The research they do also gives treehuggers the world over something to actually work with to show the world that what the heart says is the right thing to do also makes logical sense.

Politician/Consultant

"Work The System" is the name of the game here. These guys in the big leagues kind of have to be disguised in big business suits sometimes and they work undercover. Sometimes they develop "green" products, creative marketing to inspire people to take to them, or policies to help change the world. Among politicians and corporates, the suit-wearing or clip-board-yielding ones advocate for the environment in the big leagues using the system to further their agenda, to help the environment on a big scale.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share your thoughts on which treehugger stereotypes you and your friends relate to in the comments, as well as any ideas for green activities people of different types might like participating in!

Originally posted by Melody Tadeo to Nature-nimbus.blogspot.ca for May 24, 2016
Edited April 9, 2018... also finally uploaded the photos!
*Reposted day after Earth Day 2018 because I forgot to pre-schedule on NN in addition to lunar-winds... sorry!

Breathing Earth: A sobering map visualizer

http://www.breathingearth.net/

This one really drives home the reality of overpopulation and the carbon footprint humanity is leaving.