I’ve gone on an unexpected journey this morning. I frequently scurry around rabbit holes. They are sources of creative inspiration and discovery. Much of my Sing Books with Emily work is the result of falling down rabbit holes, resulting in the creation of new repertoire, the discovery of illustrated songs, and even what lead me to write some songs myself.
The journey today has to do with the planting of trees.
There’s so much that I want to do, I’m a “Jack of All Trades,” with many interests and enthusiasms and curiosities. And I have a natural inclination to collect. Not things so much (though I do have some collections of things, like sparkly necklaces, I can’t help myself), but more ideas, resources, and information. For example, Sing Books with Emily blog and Project PUT blogs are really nothing more than souped up collections of ideas, resources, and information.
Along with this is a quote that means a lot to me in life:
“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” It is attributed to The Talmud
Feeling daunted is a way of life for me, no doubt. But sometimes I remember that “something is better than nothing” and I feel better about things. For example, with Project PUT, I like to say, “Every little PUT counts.” This means, if you pick up just one piece of trash, you’ve done a good thing. Just think, if everyone picked up one piece of trash a day, there’d be a lot less litter. Also, maybe those who litter would see people picking up trash and think, “Maybe I should save this bottle for the recycle bin” instead of throwing it out the window. Better yet, maybe more people would decide to bring along a reusable water jar from home instead of buying bottles. I remember reading in Uta Hagen’s great acting book RESPECT FOR ACTING, she makes a comment something like that she has to believe that if she wants to do good things, that sentiment must exist in others, too.
So, this all applies to the planting of trees. There are few things that have more impact on the global (and local) ecosystems than trees. We need trees. They are beautiful. They hold and filter carbon. They clean water. They clean the air. They are habitats for vast numbers of earth’s creatures. They prevent erosion. They are ecosystems unto themselves.
I love to take walks and I spend much of each one worshiping the trees. I know individual ones. When I see one of our neighborhood trees is cut down (as must be done, if it is old and would soon fall), I feel an authentic mourning for it.
This morning, there was an article posted about New Zealand planning to plan 1 billion trees to help stem the negative effects of climate change:
New Zealand Wants to Plant 1 Billion Trees to Fight Climate Change
https://www.globalcitizen.org/…/new-zealand-wants-to-plant…/
Interested, I shared it to my Facebook page.
My friend Miles Nelson commented with information about an organization that makes its business to plant trees:
TREES FOR THE FUTURE
Home
This reminded me that I’ve been very inspired by stories of tree planting. There are the two different men in India who have basically created rain forests near their communities and vastly improved life for the local people. There’s also that China has reassigned thousands of their military personnel to plant trees. The complicated (but still hopeful) efforts in Africa’s Sahel region to stop desertification by planting The Green Wall. And how cool is it that some people are rigging up drones to plant trees?
ALL this is to say, because I care about trees, because I care about the Earth, because I’m compelled to collect and organize things and information, because I’ve already got a blog to support environmental issues, and have created a Pitnerest Board for even easier collecting, I’m sharing with my friends this new page on the Project PUT blog:
Project PUT: Plant Upstanding Trees
A page is to collect a list of organizations that plant trees or support those who do. Here you will also find research collected on how trees and forests support life on earth.
https://projectput.wordpress.com/plant-trees/
And the Pinterest Board (which will probably have more information in it, just the info won’t be as organized as I’d make it on my blog):
Project PUT: Plant Upstanding Trees
This board collects organizations that plant trees or support those who do. Here you will also find research collected on how trees and forests support life on earth.
Please share with me everything you know about tree planting orgs. Share with me your tree planting experiences or your feelings about trees. And if you’ll allow me, I’ll post them on Project PUT.
One little thing at a time form lots of people can make a big, big difference. You don’t even have to drive yourself crazy. Just do the best you can. Set a good example. Get caught doing good things. I believe we can do Good and make lasting, positive change, just by trying our best and not giving up.
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Related Posts
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PLANT TREES, a new page on Project Put: Plant Upstanding Trees
https://projectput.wordpress.com/2019/04/30/plant-trees-a-new-page-on-project-put-plant-upstanding-trees/
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Project PUT: Plant Upstanding Trees Blog Page
https://projectput.wordpress.com/plant-trees/
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Project PUT: Plant Upstanding Trees
https://www.pinterest.com/singbooksemily/project-put-plant-upstanding-trees/
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Project PUT: Eco Friendly Products Pinterest Board
https://www.pinterest.com/singbooksemily/project-put-eco-friendly-products/
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Demand products and packaging made plastic free, or from 100% post consumer waste, and with carbon free methods
https://projectput.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/demand-products-and-packaging-made-plastic-free-or-from-100-post-consumer-waste-and-with-carbon-free-methods/
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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ProjectPUT/
@ProjectPUT
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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Pinterest:
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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash Blog:
https://projectput.wordpress.com/
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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash Online:
ProjectPUT.org
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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Twitter
