by Jean Ponzi
Green Renew for the new year
(and then some)
It’s a cosmic bit amazing that you are even reading this.
According to the Mayans we should all be smoke.
Did you know those ancient savants predicted
An Earth-Era End in 12-12? No joke!
But Earth has a way of doing all her stuff in Cycles,
In a goes-around, comes-around style we can trust
And therefore (phew!) we get another round of options
To keep this precious planet-home of ours from going Bust.
So as we launch another annual go-round
(Of Mayan ilk or normal sort)
This Planetary paper asked my sage Green advice:
“Green Jean,” they said, “we need some action items.
Some timely Green How-Tos. Please report!”
Well, I can tell you where the Green-Renew’s most needed.
I’ll make it simple and concise.
From the zillion lists of Go-Green Tips,
On the ocean-tide of Green You-Shoulds,
One key to Green heart-and-habit flips
Is to take some good walks in some real green woods.
Or take a good ole’ low-tech Meramec float trip,
On a weekday or in winter when the river’s not a party zoo.
Breathe with your j-strokes . . . gaze around . . .
And tune to nature’s voices from your quiet canoe.
Or simply go out into your own backyard –
Or your front yard, or on the side –
Wherever there’s some dirt.
Dig some holes, plant some plants,
Water ‘em and watch ‘em grow!
Let your kids go out and mess around and garden too.
It’s good for their health and they won’t get hurt!
There IS much needed in the realm of Green Renewal
From a species (ours) with a history of divide
From the natural world – from all our natural relations –
To reduce our impacts, to see truly Green-eyed.
Yet the heart of my charge for living Greener in the New Year
Is to learn (again) to LOVE this lovely Earth we ALL live on –
So lighten up!
GO PLAY OUTSIDE!
Jean Ponzi on the radio expounds on Green stuff twice a week now: Mondays, 7-8 p.m. on “Earthworms” on FM-88 KDHX and Sundays, 1-2 p.m. in “Growing Green St. Louis” on the Big 550-AM KTRS.