We are the Guardians of the Natural World. Don't Forget.

We are all a part of wilderness. If you're a dirt biker, you know that the rugged landscape in the wild brings you that extra pleasure in the ride. Leaping in forests or deserts can leave a person exhilarated. If you are a pet owner, you know something about animal language, needs and behaviors. If you are a world traveler, what makes a place exotic is not the same old cityscape, but the strange flora and fauna outside of town. Certainly, as a global society, we have many overlapping interests with each other-- the connecting force is nature itself. We are drawn to the simple elements if only we could pull away from our distractions.

For me, I am an artist, gardener, conservationist, plant medicine woman and writer. My attention to planetary matters is my constant muse. Caring for plants and animals is not easy and requires some dedication, for which I have gladly assigned myself: it's my thing. Certainly, I can see this might not be for everyone, but we've reached a point as human species where we have no choice. Bear, coyote and other mammals are showing up in urban and suburban environments in this century. Humans need to shift their behavior to be able to respect all living things. I'm not telling you what to do, I'm pretending that someone one gave me an administrative job in Earth Guardianship. There are some recommendations I would like make.

This is a very short list of doable tasks that could to bring a bit of change, bring us safety, support and joy with a growing number of wildlife changes in our world.

There are many ways that an individual or family can help just a little bit to create an impactful collaboration. Group effort and group health. The object is to restore the homelands of wildlife so that we are not mutually harming each other, instead we are coexisting in a healthy way. Even shifting, adding or subtracting a habit can have an enormous impact. The details matter. See if you are partaking in this short list of helpful remedies:

Big Micro Level Tasks

Food choices! Eat organic, drink clean water: (clean or toxic) soil and water meet each other everywhere, hurting or helping our waterways, aquatic life, land animals, people and plants. The literature on pesticide toxicity and chemical treatments for water are now decades old.

Diet: Can being a vegetarian or vegan help? Yes. Food, especially meat production, everywhere is particularly unhygienic with a massive carbon footprint. Please visit the Center for Disease Control to learn the origins of viruses. Slaughterhouses are known to be sources of disease. Study the foods of Buddhist countries and legume recipes from our Middle Eastern, Asian and East Indian cousins to see delicious high protein meals without meat.

Repel, don't kill. If insects and rodents are encroaching in your home you need to review your maintenance habits. Rats only enter a house if there is a barrier breach. In the winter, they might desperately look for shelter in a small opening. They have a high skill level of squeezing through very small holes. Same with cockroaches and silverfish. Also an unkept home is vulnerable to intrusion. Clean up!

Birds of Prey will eat rodents if we create conditions where humans are not providing shelter for rats and mice in human homes.

Composting. We have an ever growing soil health issue. Our soil is no longer rich in nutrients and is posing a problem for agriculture and all beings. If you own property you can learn about composting and enjoy a great garden. If you are renter, some cities now take food waste, its simply a mater of habitually discarding food waste in the "green bin." Apply yourself. Everyone in general, should only eat what they can in one sitting, and finish off leftovers to keep rotting food out of the fridge and trash can.

Small Macro Level Tasks

Whether it's a few potted plants or a large estate, growing native plants brings in the right ecological stuff. Stuff includes: microorganisms, food, nectar, pollen and wildlife. Now that I live in Oregon, USA, I found several plant nurseries that provide multi level support to the environment. If you live in the West, you will probably find that the bare root plants of Native Foods Nursery will adapt to your surroundings. Their plants are edible or can be left for wildlife. If you live in North America, you can visit the North American Native Plant Society to get helpful information for your area.

This is a hard task. Find quality food or products not wrapped in plastic. This is so difficult at times but it is possible. I have even found vegan lipstick in cardboard tubing. Go on the hunt for good orgainic, sustainable products that shun the plastic industry.

Feed the birds. We don't need to feed the birds because they are starving, but because we can have a personal relationship with nature. This seems like a small task, but it does require some dedicated effort. The least troublesome way to feed the birds is to broadcast wildflower seeds in the autumn and spring to create high population of wildflowers and insects. Bird seed feeders are most helpful in the Winter to early Spring when there are is a change in weather and food supply. Follow the Audubon International guide to feeding birds. I do. I have several feeders out in January, but will put them away in the summer. Birds propogate many things in the ecosystem. So do insects. We need all the winged ones in better health.

Slow way down. If we are driving excessively, working excessively, eating excessively, drinking excessively, stressing excessively, we are breaking ourselves down as an organism. A lion would never do this. A pet dog would never do this. Rest, grooming, playing, working is a balancing act that is inherent in all other animals in the animal kingdom, but not so with humans. Racing towards the next morning, we miss so much of what the rest of nature teaches us: delayed gratification, adaptation, family rthyms, patience, awareness, cooperation, perhaps even joy.

Be safe, be well, I wish you the best. Thanks for taking a moment.