On love and failing nature

Image: Su Leslie, 2016

Love, love is a verb
Love is a doing word

Massive Attack – – Teardrop

For all the thousands upon thousands of words written about love; the stark, simple words by Massive Attack (1) I think speak loudest to me.

“One love” should mean not only love for all humanity, but for all creatures, and indeed for the Earth itself. And it’s not enough to say we love nature; we must also — each of us, in our own small way — act upon that love.

Bees pollinate around one third of food crops eaten by humans, yet we persist in using agricultural practices that are harmful to these and other creatures. Where’s the love here? Image: Su Leslie, 2016

 

Industrialized farming practices; particularly meat and dairy production, can be immensely damaging to the environment (2) Image: Su Leslie, 2015

Nature sustains not only our physical, but also emotional and spiritual well-being. Those of us who have the ability to retreat to the bush, or to the beach, know how much these experiences restore and sustain us. Over-population, deforestation, urbanisation — these human activities all impact on our ability to connect with nature.

To walk, alone, on a beach at sunset. Image: Su Leslie, 2015

There are lots of small ways each of us can show “one love” for our planet; from cutting down on car trips, to composting food waste, eating less meat, rejecting excessive plastic and packaging — even just not buying bottled water.

There are also thousands of books, articles, websites with advise on sustainable living. Here (Worldwatch Institute) is just one link that I found useful.

Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you. — Frank Lloyd Wright

This post was written for the Daily Post Photo Challenge. This week the theme is One Love.

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(1) Song credit: Robert “3D” Del Naja, Grant “Daddy G” Marshall, Andrew “Mushroom” Vowles, Elizabeth Fraser

(2) Giving up beef will reduce carbon footprint more than cars, The Guardian, 21 July 2014