Are you part of the cause or part of the solution?

I was going to talk about my half-moo'd plans but hubby and I saw something over the weekend that moved me so greatly I decided to blog about it instead.

We went to an open air exhibition that showcased pictures from 'Earth from Above' by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The focus of the exhibition was to promote sustainable living and highlight how beautiful our earth is. There were 120 different photographs of the earth, its people and various animals.

There were all these facts that accompanied the pictures that made me feel such disappointment towards the human race. I couldn't help but wonder...if God made us, and if we were 'intelligently designed', why were we intelligently designed to destroy the planet? How is it that a loving God would allow for us to destroy His loving creations? How could that possibly be called intelligent design?

It was very heart wrenching to find out how destructive we human beings are. There were points where I was so moved by the pictures that I could feel tears prickling my eyes. It's amazing how we can be so cruel and selfish. We pillage and plunder and take whatever Mother Earth provides and leave her bleeding and raw with big gaping wounds. We take and take and when she's barren and wasted, leave her to fend for herself, abandoned and desolate.

But the one thing that made me feel an even greater sense of despair was if we continue down this path, what will the earth be like for future generations? Will there even be an earth? Will it become a wasteland that sci-fi movies seem to depict? Will our children's children end up living underground, never able to feel the sun warming up their skin? Will they never be able to experience the smell of freshly cut grass, feel the sand beneath their toes, see a magnificent sunset, hear the sounds of a rushing waterfall, or taste vine-ripened fruit? Will everything have to be artificially manufactured or genetically modified?

And so, I asked myself. Am I going to be part of the solution? And even before I finished the question, I knew beyond a doubt that yes, count me in! Because I am so inexorably linked to this planet that any injury this earth sustains will only hurt me too. And that I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I could do something...but didn't.

So what can you do? Well for starters, pause for 2 seconds and ask yourself:

• Do I really need to spend another 2 minutes under the shower?
• Do I really need to leave the TV, radio, computer, Xbox and all the lights in the house switched on?
• Do I really need to order more food that I know I won't be able to finish just because I'm feeling greedy?
• Shouldn't I change to energy efficient light bulbs and appliances?
• Shouldn't I try to recycle as much as I can?
• Shouldn't I find out how I can reduce my carbon footprint?
  

You too can be part of the solution. All you need to do is decide that you love this earth enough to be part of the solution. And tell everyone that you can to get them on board as well.

If you want to find out more, simply Google 'Sustainable Living' and you'll find heaps of tips and hints on how you can make a difference. You may also want to check out the 'Earth From Above' exhibition that we went to or have a look at Yann's non-profit endeavour - 'Good Planet'.

I know you'll choose to do the right thing. I trust you will.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to log off and turn off my computer before I use up anymore energy. Nite!