‘I am grateful for my weekly delivery of beautiful organic fruit and veggies, that often looks too beautiful to eat!’ – Laura, Parkdale
‘I’m grateful for all of the greenery I’m my area. Parks are good for the soul!’ – Josh, Melbourne
These are just a couple of examples of some of the messages that have been shared to our platform that have been inspired by nature and the world around us. Although it’s been a year of tough news, no matter how hard we’ve tried, unfortunately 2020 cannot be ‘cancelled’ and we probably can’t just hibernate until 2021 begins (although, we could try?). So, we thought that since so many of our Share Gratitude members were thankful for MotherNature, we’d share a few of the positive impacts communities around the world have been having on the environment in this past year.
This is the Earth’s story of gratitude for the efforts that have been made around the globe to halt or reverse the effects of climate change.
On 19th September, Metronome -a 62-foot-wide 15-digit electronic clock that faces Union Square in Manhattan- launched it’s new purpose as a Climate Clock, counting down the years, hours, minutes and seconds until the Earth’s climate change damage becomes irreversible. A report by The New York Times claims that the clock is ‘based on calculations by the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change in Berlin.’
This piece of art is pivotal in raising awareness for climate changes and no longer allowing it to be ignored. Luckily, some incredible people around the world are making changes for a more positive-climate future. According to this article by Positive News,‘China, the world’ s biggest source of CO2, will aim to be carbon neutral by 2060’. Although 2060 sounds like a distant future, having a set date by which they plan to achieve this goal suggests that President Xi Jinping is ready to hold himself accountable for the part China had played in contributing towards climate change.
The same article also announced that ‘Metaldehyde, a pesticide used to control slugs on farms and in gardens, will be banned for outdoor use in the UK from March 2022.’ The UK have become more aware of ‘the risks that metaldehyde poses to birds and mammals’ and are taking steps to reduce any harm inflicted on their wildlife.
Another happy story for you animal-lovers, dolphins have made a return to Washington DC, USA. An article by Six-Two explains that ‘in the 70s, Washington DC’s Potomac river was once one of the most polluted in America… but years of clean ups and environmental initiatives seem to have paid off, and now they’re back.’
Imagine if we all did our part to avoid contributing to climate change. Using are-usable coffee cup, switching to paper straws and commuting by bike or foot are all easy, simple things you can do to make your mark on the Earth in a positive way.
What are you grateful for? Say thank you the best way we know how, by sharing your story on sharegratitude.com