SolarBear – One Girl One Planet

Picture This: Earth Day, Any Day

Happy Earth Daaaay!

Hi! SolarBear here.

Today’s post is going to be different then most posts. Because this is not a normal day. It’s…(drumroll, please)…EARTH DAY!

*Cue worldwide activist parties!*

Since it’s Earth Day (my website’s first birthday! Sniff…they grow up so fast… remember that very first post on Earth Day last year?), and since we have so many wonderful people working on posts now, including Tigress and Callisto (here’s a link to Callisto’s Earthrise post about the beautiful photo below), this is going to be a little longer than usual. But we worked really hard on it, so you’ll really want to read this one!

Happy, happy Earth Day, my eco-friends!

Sincerely,

SolarBear.

Callisto wrote a wonderful post about this famous photo, known as Earthrise (link above).

Picture This…

Picture a world where everything…and everyone…is safe.

Picture a world where freedom––and a vote that counts––is considered a fundamental human right.

Picture a world where everyone––children and adults of all races, cultures, faiths, and gender identities––are treated respectfully, fairly, and equitably, with free access to education, to honest information, and to health support. (Including a vaccine, if they need one.)

Picture a world where beautiful trees grow thick, lush, unharmed by humans.

Picture a world where the rivers, seas, and oceans are crystal clear, except for the plankton and important algae that feed the creatures living in it.

Picture a world where you can go outside and breathe fresh, clean air without worry––even those living in cities.

Picture a world where islands, and the populations and cultures living on them, are not threatened by climate-driven sea rise.

Picture a world where rainforests stretch on and on...to the very edge of the horizon…unharmed by humans.

Picture a world where your favorite––and the Earth’s most iconic––creatures are in no danger, but are safe in their natural habitats, which supply their needs.

Picture a world where our human footprints do not harm the rest of it.

We CAN have this world––picture it!––in which any day is an Earth Day.

If only we try.

The Power of Words

Have you ever wanted to do something about the climate crisis but have been too scared? Or maybe it’s just that you don’t exactly know how?

Well, I can help with that…a little, at least.

First, are you too scared or anxious to say what you think?

This is nothing to be ashamed of. Even while I’m writing this, I’m wondering if it’s a good idea to write it: Am I making mistakes? What if someone thinks this is weird or stupid? What if no one sees this at all?

But I have to ignore these nagging feelings because…the Earth is worth it.

Imagine if every voice––smart or stupid, cool or weird––spoke out for what they believed in: stopping human-driven climate change. That would be so many voices that the world leaders and people who are preventing us from moving forward would have to listen.

Every drop in the bucket counts

But my voice is too small, you might think. What’s one less voice in a million?

As an answer to this question, one voice is everything.

Perhaps there are nine hundred thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine voices? Then that one extra voice would be the difference between several thousand and a million. And one more? From a million to more than a million. Whether it seems like it or not, it’s a measurable difference: it COUNTS.

Or, perhaps, and much more importantly, what if everyone thinks what you think–that their voice doesn’t count, either? That would make the difference between one million…and nothing. No one would ever give the climate crisis a second thought, since no one ever asked them to think about it twice.

Okay, so maybe you understand this now. But perhaps you’re still too scared. What do you do?

You push those feelings aside, and speak anyhow. You can still be cautious, but just realize there is a very fine line between caution and fear. No matter what everything seems to tell you, it’s more important to get your voice out there, to take the risk to help and hope, than to overanalyze what you say, attempting to make sure it’s what your friends, your relatives, your teachers, or even some YouTube celebrities want to hear. All that matters is that you speak up and you tell the truth. Someone, somewhere, will listen.

Perhaps your voice will be the turning point for someone; that one extra nudge that puts them on the right track. Or perhaps your voice can be more than a turning point: perhaps it will be someone’s inspiration. For me, I never know when a sentence, a stanza, or a single word, will make impact. Most of the time it’s the inspiring ones out there who make a difference, but, sometimes…it’s the little, quiet, less-heard voices who make that difference.

Now for the next step…how to start

Just don’t know how to start…? I get this feeling, too. For a long time I was thinking a lot but not saying anything. I just wasn’t quite sure how. Those little uncertainties bothered me–and stopped me from even trying.

But then I began to look, to learn, to listen, and I created a website–and now my voice is being heard! By you, if by no one else.

Now I know that I should have done something, whether I knew how to or not––our world is simply worth it.

My advice is just DO.

Do something meaningful, even if it feels awkward. As long as you’re doing something, saying something, it counts! You don’t even have to really “know how.”

But if you do want to know how, just ask! There’s no shame in being a beginner, in asking what to do or how to start. Chances are, you know or have heard of someone who can help you. The world is full of kind, clever people who are just waiting for the question, “Can you help me?” “How can I help?” “What can I DO?”

I asked my parents when it came to this. They were happy to help, and even helped me set up this website — and since I asked for this website as a gift, they even helped pay for it! Now my dad takes care of all the complicated tech stuff and my mom edits every post! And my sister started making On Thin Ice— which has really brought the site to life visually. And our good friend Tigress is now adding her voice to the mix, speaking out for endangered animals who have no voices of their own. Thanks, guys! I’m so grateful.

So, in summary:

Start where you are. DO what you can.

Don’t worry what other people might think.

If you want to know how to start, how to make a change, or what it all means, ASK.

Use your voice. Because every voice counts, no matter how small.

Be Inspired

This Earth Day, I’ve gathered a collection of quotes here that I hope will leave you inspired and enlightened as you do your little bit to help the Earth.

We should consider nature our home, not a place to visit.
Roxana Jones

What we see mainly depends on what we look for.
John Lubbock

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but rising every time we fall.
Confucius

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
Albert Einstein

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.
Proverb

The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.
Helen Keller

Nothing is ever impossible. The word itself says, “I’m possible!”
Audrey Hepburn

Teaser for my new graphic story, “Leopard’s Tree”~!

Thinking About Thanks: A Special Post

Thanksgiving, that uniquely North American holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada, is a time to be with our families, enjoy a special meal, and think about all we’re thankful for.

But this year, with its innumerable difficulties, social challenges and obstacles, and of course devastating pandemic, it may be harder than usual to gather with our families and maybe even to think of what we’re thankful for…the two most important parts of Thanksgiving.

This year has been so hard on so many people––including kids, although adults might not recognize this. The pandemic has made school this year more challenging and often less fun; many kids (like my sister and I) really miss seeing our friends in person. Some kids haven even dropped out! 🙁 But it’s especially been a hard year for many kids whose parents have lost their jobs––or worse, for those who’ve lost family members to COVID-19.

Climate change doesn’t help, either. Because even though we’re emitting less greenhouse gases this year due to more people working and learning from home, the climate is still under threat. But I don’t want to think about such depressing things when I’m trying to stay optimistic! I tell myself. Although I know I need to think about it––that is, think of ways to prevent or slow it. And even when that’s hard, it also takes a little optimism, and feeling grateful for what we have.

So, this Thursday, when you’re gathering around your table (or around your phone or tablet) to connect with your family––even if you don’t usually celebrate Thanksgiving in your country––take a moment to think of all the things you are thankful for.

If you have felt happy…be thankful for that, and for all the things that have gone right, that have given and continue to give you those precious moments of happiness.

If you have access to technology…be thankful for the technological advances, like those that allow you and your family to at least see each other’s faces, not to mention those which can slow climate change.

If you have a way to keep clean…be thankful for the sanitary supplies, like the good old-fashioned soap and water now available to almost everyone, that are keeping everybody so much safer and healthier.

If you have clean water…be thankful for that water. Some kids have to walk a long, long way to get it, and when they get there, the water often isn’t clean or safe to drink.

If you get to learn…be thankful that you’re learning, satisfying that deep hunger for knowledge, and giving you that chance to educate yourself of which too many kids are deprived. (Um, not feeling particularly grateful for school right now? Just consider what some kids have to go through just to get there!)

If you are fairly safe…be thankful for how safe you are, even if you still feel scared sometimes. No matter what your worries, chances are that you are safer (and more loved) than you know.

If you are loved…be thankful for that love. It is an irreplaceable gift given just to you.

And that’s not all…

Be thankful for how wonderful this world still is, considering how much worse it could be.

Be thankful for the people who are speaking out about the growing threat of climate change, and even willing to do something about it.

Be thankful that, miraculously, the world is changing not only for the worse, but also in many wonderful ways, however small, that slow down climate change and will eventually make our world better.

Yet sometimes…do you feel it’s not enough just to be thankful? Do you feel like you don’t have the resources to make a big enough impact? Have you ever wanted to help create more things to be thankful for––like a healthy planet? Do you want to speak out, but think, I’m just one kid…I’ll leave it to the experts and those already speaking out––?

Well, if you’re thinking this, you should not let it stop you! Do it anyway! If everyone who is speaking out now let this worry get in their way (and I’m sure they might have thought this same thing, too, at some point), there would be no Malala Yousafzai, no Amy and Ella Meeks, no Alexandria Villaseñor, no Isra Hirsi, no Katie Eder, no Vic Barrett, nor even Greta Thunberg to inspire us. Unthinkable!

And as for me, I certainly wouldn’t be writing this…I might not even know anything about climate change at all!

So, speak out––and don’t let anyone stop you! No one can take away your voice…or, for that matter, your optimism, or your thankfulness for the planet we live upon! You alone can decide not to let anyone silence you or convince you to just give in or give up.

For one happy day at least, just be thankful for this amazingly beautiful, wonderfully life-supporting, unfathomably special, irreplaceable Earth––the Earth that we have the marvelous good fortune to live and grow upon.

–––––––––––––––––

Thank you for reading!

SolarBear

Halloween’s all over? What now???

When the Candy’s All Gone

After Halloween

Halloween, a.k.a., All Hallows Eve, is one of my favorite holidays because it’s just so much fun to dress up––and, of course, get candy!

But what happens after the busy holiday is over? What happens to the old Halloween costumes with which you’ve officially finished? What happens to the zillions of candy wrappers? What happens to all those little cheap plastic things that are fun for a short time, but then you’re done with? What happens to the old jack-o-lanterns? In other words — what happens to the trash?

The answer? I’m sorry to say, they’re probably in the garbage can or in a big black garbage bag ready for eternal relocation to the overflowing local landfill. This outcome for the Halloween trash is frustratingly hard to avoid––that is, unless you plan ahead and use the five Rs!

For our Halloween reformation, let’s start with the costumes, one of the most important parts of the spooky festivities (hopefully you didn’t buy a costume before you read this article!). There are 4 things you can do:

Thrift it! Wash, wipe, and smooth out your rumpled costume, then go to the thrift store to drop it off so it can become someone else’s favorite costume next year! Who knows — maybe you’ll even find your new-to you costume for next year! (BTW, getting clothes at a thrift store does not mean you’re “poor” or make you “look” poor! Just wash them and wear them––people won’t even notice. It does mean that you’re resourceful and a smart saver, though! Plus, the money from thrift stores usually is given to charity, so you’ll be helping other people out!
Pass it down! Got some younger siblings, cousins, or friends? They might like your old costume for their next year Halloween. Wash it or wipe it clean, and bag it up for them.

Now…on to the candy, everyone’s favorite part of Halloween! (Yes, even you grownups who eat the leftover candy.) Of course, there’s nothing wrong with trick-or-treating, but there’s definitely something wrong with all the wrappers from the trick-or-treating.

Now there’s good news…and there’s bad news: The bad news is you can’t recycle or compost most of the candy wrappers, except for those made of paper like the paper sleeve around some candy bars (like Hershey’s). The good news is that you can reuse the clean wrappers and make them into art!

Here are some fun examples of art made with recycled items:

Monedero haciendo juego envoltura de caramelo estilo 8 x 5 | Purse crafts, Magazine crafts, Paper crafts — **This is cute! Although it might be hard to find such pretty wrappers, you get the idea. Photo credit:** https://www.pinterest.com

SAMSUNG CSC | Inhabitots — **Bows! Photo credit: Inhabitat.com**

11 Clever Candy Wrapper Crafts You Can Do After Binging on Halloween Chocolate « Halloween Ideas :: WonderHowTo — **Talk about fashionable! Photo credit:** https://halloween-ideas.wonderhowto.com

DIY Crafts: 7 Easy DIY Miniature Candy Notebooks - Cool & Unique Craft Tutorial - Everything 4 Christmas — **Adorably tiny! Photo credit:** http://www.everything4christmas.org

Recycled Costumes by The Sustainable Sirens | Gift Ideas | Creative Spotting | Recycled costumes, Green costumes, Victorian costume — **And even though it’s not made out of wrappers per se, I thought I’d post this anyway ’cause it’s just so cool and creative! Photo credit:** https://www.pinterest.com

(Pretty crazy, right?)

Now on to the last things: Halloween decor! Okay, as for the reusable Halloween stuff? Just box it up and save it for next year…or if you’re done with it, offer it to a thrift store, too. But as for pumpkins…

You can compost your jack-o-lantern into fertile soil! Yep, just let it rot away on a compost heap or hidden corner of the yard or garden (just remember to take out the candle first)!
You can eat your pumpkin as long as it hasn’t gone bad! If it isn’t smooshy and still smells fresh, just cut it up…Place the pieces of cut pumpkin on a tray and roast about 350F until the pumpkin’s insides are soft enough to stick a fork into them. Make a pie, pumpkin soup, or anything that suits you! (The thought of pie is making me awfully hungry, though…)
While you’re at it…toast any remaining seeds––they’re delicious!

I love Halloween, don’t you? But it’s just one of the many holidays of fall and winter. Watch out for more posts about eco-friendly ways to spend your holidays––hey, that rhymed! But for now, just get ready for one crazy Halloween clean-up while I continue trying to figure out what the heck I’ll make with my cooked pumpkin this year…Who says you have to wait for Thanksgiving to eat pumpkin pie?