In the first episode of the Wild Roots podcast, we discussed what is really driving climate change. It’s not what many might think. Oil and gas are not to blame. It is big agriculture that supplies our food. Massive deforestation for agricultural purposes is the driving force in destabilizing the climate.  We’ve known about this far too long to be standing by, doing nothing about it. Time and time again, studies are revealing that the way we lead our lives is not only disconnecting us from another and from reality and distracting us. We’ve allowed ourselves to become desensitized to it all. 

We are facing world-wide ecological grief. Just as the pressures placed on wild ecosystems is becoming too much for wildlife to sustain themselves, the exact same pressures are being placed on us [humans]. Pressures of climate change, pollution, resource depletion and habitat loss is also becoming too much to bare for our own good. We are in the midst of it all and are truly destroying our own lives, and our children’s lives.

And nobody wants to talk about this. Truly, nobody wants to. This is most frustrating and fuels anger in those who do want to talk about it. And I am here to tell you that anger has its place in compassionate action. When a mother sees her child walking aimlessly into a busy street, the mother takes action, runs to her child, forcefully yanks them back then immediately scolds them. Was her action acceptable? Of course, it was. It was actually a very compassionate response. We know that oftentimes people express anger when actually they’re not truly angry, but when they are sad, depressed, scared or feel threatened. The anger that the mother had seemed to express was based out of love for that child and the wish for that child’s well-being. You can call this “wrathful compassion”. That is the same type of compassion that we need to have for the Earth. 

It is absolutely unacceptable that so many of us feel so repressed to be able to speak out in anger in the defense of our home. Somehow expressing anger to what is happening to the planet is not socially accepted. We need to talk about these things and we need to talk about them now. We need to talk about them every day. We need to talk about them so much and bring them into the foreground so that all of the meaningless minutiae people tend to get caught up in falls into the shadows. We need to talk about it as if our lives depend on it because they do. Most of what people focus on in their day to day lives and throughout their day may not matter very much in the end. We need to make it matter. Talk about it now. Talk about it with your families. 

These discussions need to start at home, even before kids are sent off to school. This needs to be a daily discussion around the dinner table. If families still even eat around the dinner table anymore. These ideals need to be internalized in order to be impactful and effective. So many kids now feel they aren’t being heard around these issues. I was one of them. I grew up feeling ignored every time I wanted to have these types of discussions. I was either ignored or my concerns were belittled. Now, in the midst of this ecological crisis, there is evidence that children and teens are feeling suicidal depression over those same concerns. I read recently, a fantastic article about of how humans have reached the global carrying capacity which was followed by a very sad and disturbing comment. And I never read comments, but I think that this was meant to read this one to share it with you. The comment was from a 15 year old, who expressed how she had learned to hate past generations for their selfish actions and had concerns that these irresponsible behaviors would continue as she had loss her faith in humanity. She wrote about her severe depression and coming to grips with the thought of death because she felt nothing mattered. This is unacceptable! Talk with your families. It’s a discussion ALL families need to have.  

Her feelings were not at all demisable. I have felt the very same, that very real grief. For me at least, it is through daily meditation, connecting to nature every day, and having an amazing partner, that helps me continue on this journey. We need each other. When we live in a world where our children don’t even feel safe in we know we have to change. We might as be living in a war-zone. We are essentially at war with ourselves. Forgive yourself. 

As Dr. Sailesh Rao encourages forgive yourself so that we can move onward and take compassionate action. If you believe in purpose, then clearly you can see that this way of life needs a change. If you don’t believe in purpose, then really internalize who your are actually sharing this world with, those you wish to be happy and well, your friends, family and loved-ones. 

Keep nature, the planet, wildlife, the water and the air in the foreground of everything that we do. It starts at home. This discussion needs to take place with our youngest of children, it needs clear how important it is to stay connected to the Earth and nature every day. We are not existing on a different plane than the wildlife that are suffering because of declining ecosystems. We share the same ecosystem. That means the pressures being place on their ecosystems are the same ones that are being placed on ours. 

We are of the Earth, and this is where we belong and we also require a viable, biodiverse, clean environment to thrive just as the wildlife do. This is a message that needs to be internalized. That is why one of my biggest messages is to connect to nature every-day, how ever way possible. We live in a world full of meaningless distraction. Please find your compassion for the Earth again, and act on it every single day. The point of my most recently created podcast is to encourage people reconnect with their origins which is that we are inseparable from nature and act on that fact. But it is also an honest podcast about what is happening to the world and to us. 

Let’s do something today! If you compost, that is great. If you are trying your best to eliminate the use of plastics, that’s wonderful! If you are eating a plant-based diet or trying to grow your own food, beautiful! Keep going! And keep adding to your repertoire of efforts. That is what it takes, it takes a lifestyle. Let that be our life-long mission. All of those act are in and of themselves acts that foster compassion for all because they benefit all of us.

The latest Climate Change Communications report conducted by Yale, found a sudden spike in concerns about global warming nationwide. FINALLY. This reveals that people are awakening. We are compassionate beings and we do care but we need to act in coordination with each other and start implementing the changes now and align our actions with our words. We are ready to tend the earth and give back. 

As Dr. Sailesh Rao mentioned, we are no longer the caterpillar and need to realize that it is time to move on from that role. The stage of the caterpillar was one of great consumption, and that massive consumption had a purpose and leads to where we are today. We are no longer the caterpillar that takes and takes and takes, we are now the butterfly that gives back by nurturing and pollinating the earth. That is who we are. 

We are ready to fight the big fight. Let’s encourage each other because we are in this together. And remember, I am right along side you on this journey. 

If you are interested in learning more about the role of the butterfly in healing the Earth and reversing global warming, check out this book by Sailesh Rao: CARBON DHARMA.