Today is Thanksgiving in the United States and people across the nation are celebrating by coming together to give thanks. Traditionally Thanksgiving is the holiday long weekend when people get together to celebrate the bounty of the fall harvest. The Thanksgiving tradition takes us back to the early days when European settlers were first making North America home. They were welcomed by Native peoples who showed them how to live in harmony with the Earth.
With our environment in crisis we need to cultivate the spirit of thankfulness that helps us to rekindle a harmonious relationship to nature. Gratitude of this kind may be difficult but it is essential if we are to find the motivation and the courage to advance ecological action.
As I have written in an article titled “Environmental Gratitude and Ecological Action:”
“We need a new way of communicating the urgency of environmental action because it is becoming increasingly apparent that standard fact based approaches are not getting through. Environmental gratitude is an approach that can help to inspire ecological action”
“The shortsighted pursuit of profit has led humans to ravage worldwide resources. Environmental gratitude may enable us to counteract this nihilistic tendency and expedite ecological action.”
This holiday season take a moment to remember and give thanks to the ineffable splendor of the world around us. Acknowledge the beauty and life giving properties of the natural world that we all depend on for our very survival. Remember that we have a responsibility to protect, preserve and restore nature’s bounty for future generations.
It is also important to appreciate those who work to preserve nature. Ultimately those of us who are advocates of sustainability are advocates for the natural world. Our work is about more than creating low carbon commerce, our intent is to preserve our water, air, forests, animals, and fish.
While there are many corporate interests that continue their wanton rape of the Earth there are some who are bravely leading global efforts to find harmony and balance with the natural world. See this list of the most sustainable companies in the world, they also warrant our thanks and praise.
Gratitude is an attitude that can be more than just something we do one weekend a year; it can be a way of life that transforms the way we relate to the natural world.
We deeply appreciate your readership and we look forward to working together for a more sustainable world.
Wishing you all a happy holiday full of environmental gratitude,
Richard Matthews
The Green Market Oracle
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