Taking Natural Steps for Our Planet
On April 22, the world comes together to celebrate the planet we call home. It’s the day to celebrate Earth- the source of all our food and the natural resources that keep us warm, housed, and going places; habitat for the birds and animals that give us joy; host to the flowers, trees, lakes, and mountains that bring us beauty.
But this year we may greet the day with conflicted emotions, worrying about all the discouraging news around our environment. We may even wish the day away, feeling hopeless about what to do. But don’t give up--the scientists aren’t defeated yet, and they have joined together from around the world to create a plan called the Natural Step where we all have a role. Your individual actions will make a difference, and if we do it together it will be powerful.
The Natural Step plan outlines four simple steps we can take to keep the earth healthy now and for future generations:
- Limit what we take from the earth
- Limit our use of toxic substances
- Respect and protect the earth’s ecosystems
- Meet fundamental human needs for all
The 4 "Natural Steps"
Limit what we take from the earth
We can work to minimize our mining of metals/minerals and burning of fossil fuels. Instead, we can choose renewable energy and nontoxic, reusable materials to avoid the spread of hazardous mined metals and pollutants. Think solar energy and eco friendly modes of transportation like hybrid/electric cars, biking, public transportation, and carpools.
Limit our use of toxic substances
Avoiding the toxic substances we make means finding substitutes for hazardous pesticides, plastics, and chemicals. We can avoid disposable food containers, buy organic food and clothing, and purchase or make natural cleaning products. And of course, recycle.
Respect and protect the Earth
Respecting the earth includes protecting biodiversity, ecosystems, and other natural resources. It means conserving our soils, water, and air. We can limit paper, use certified sustainably-harvested forest products, eat lower on the food chain, and conserve water.
Meet fundamental human needs
According to economist Manfred Max-Neef, there are 10 fundamental human needs: subsistence, protection/security, affection, understanding, participation, leisure, creativity, identity/meaning, freedom, and transcendence. We can meet these for all humans if we work to remove barriers.
We can all make a difference--and we don’t have to give up the things that make us really happy. Our small steps together will make sure the earth is sustained for generations and generations to come.
