Kelly Hont, JCCPGH Green Team Member
During my late thirties and now—yikes! —early forties, my idea of a “good time” has changed drastically.
I love hiking, kayaking, and being in the woods or on a lake. Fishing and floating have become hobbies. I love a day at the beach, snorkeling through crystal-clear water, or challenging myself to take a longer, harder trail that might involve waterfalls or even a little climbing. It’s even better when I can share those experiences with my dogs or my fiancé.
So, why am I writing about all of this? What does it all have in common?
Nature. Mother Earth. Mother Nature.
If you look up the meaning of “Mother Nature,” Wikipedia describes it as a personification of nature that focuses on its life-giving and nurturing qualities, often embodying nature in the form of a mother or mother goddess. The concept dates back to Greek mythology.
As a mom, family member, friend, and employee, I know what it feels like to constantly give pieces of myself to other people—sometimes relentlessly—until I feel like there is nothing left for me.
It might be the food off my plate. My time. My energy. My emotional support. My patience.
And sometimes, after giving so much, I’m left feeling completely drained. When that happens, my options can feel pretty limited: work harder, curl up in a ball and sleep, get angry and yell, or finally admit that I need help.
And then I think about Mother Nature.
She is asking for help, too.
She is crying out for help and, in many ways, fighting back through extreme weather events: wildfires, flash floods, hurricanes and cyclones, bitterly cold winters, and bone-dry summers.
I’m not preaching anything new. I’m not handing out some great epiphany. We’ve been hearing about these issues for years.
But I think a lot of us have the same thought:
What am I even going to do?
I’m just one person. How much difference can I really make? Surely this is something that big corporations and governments need to figure out.
But I don’t think that’s entirely true.
I love Mother Nature. I love her beauty, her quiet, her adventure, and everything she gives us. I want to keep enjoying my floats, my hikes, my days at the beach, and my time in the woods.
Every day, I try to think about how much I take from the Earth—and what small steps I can take to give something back.
I’m not perfect. I’m not trying to be.
But I have made some small, sustainable changes at home. I purchased a water machine instead of constantly buying bottled water. I bring reusable utensils with me for lunch. I try to buy as much as I can in bulk to reduce packaging. I bring my own grocery bags to the store.
And my newest favorite obsession? Thrifting.
Not only do I love finding something unique at a fraction of the cost, but I love knowing that I’m giving something a second life instead of contributing to the cycle of constantly buying new things. The secondhand economy has grown into a massive industry, with billions of dollars in annual economic impact.
None of these things are going to save the planet on their own but maybe that’s not the point. Maybe the point is that just like motherhood, friendship, family, and life in general, change doesn’t always happen through one huge, dramatic act.
Sometimes it happens through the little things we do every day.
We take care of the people we love because they matter to us. We make sacrifices because we want them to be healthy, happy, and safe. Maybe it’s time we start treating Mother Nature the same way. She has given us so much. Maybe it’s time we give a little back and YOU CAN START AT THE JCC! By signing our member pledge, you agree to make small changes to your daily routines at our facilities- bringing a reusable water bottle, taking shorter showers to conserve water; etc.
Take the pledge HERE
You can also join the Green Team! If you want to lend your time or expertise, complete the form to get dates and times for meetings to discuss ways to get a greener JCC!