April 22nd marks the 35th anniversary of Earth Day. Earth Day offers a great opportunity for us, the human caretakers of this beautiful planet, to appreciate and celebrate our connection with the Earth

"The fate of the living planet is the most important issue facing mankind". - Gaylord Nelson (founder of Earth Day)

April 22nd marks the 35th anniversary of Earth Day. Earth Day offers a great opportunity for us, the human caretakers of this beautiful planet, to appreciate and celebrate our connection with the Earth. There are many meaningful ways you can commemorate Earth Day and make it your own special event. The environmental website EcoMall.com
(http://www.ecomall.com) offers the following ideas:

* Spend quality time in a natural environment: Visit a park or garden, ride your bike, meditate outside, take a nature walk, or go on a spontaneous adventure through the woods. Make an effort to consciously connect with and experience the beauty of the Earth: watch the sunrise or sunset, lean down to smell a flower, hug a tree, lie down on the soft grass and watch the clouds as they pass in the sky. Enjoy and contemplate the living nature around you: observe the birds and all the wildlife that also call the Earth home. Feel your interconnection and realize the Earth is a living thing.

* Enjoy the benefits of plant life: Buy a plant or start a garden.
Plants help clean the air, are visual expressions of nature's beauty, and uplift the soul and spirit.

* Do earth and nature-inspired art: Dance barefoot outside, write a poem or song about the earth, paint or draw a landscape or flower. Use earth materials for a small sculpture or have your kids create an art project out of a tactile collection of nature's offerings such as moss, berries, feathers, twigs, rocks, and leaves.

* Take action: Earth Day is a wake-up call to enlighten and energize environmentally-aware citizens to get involved. Now is the time to even take a small step - bring your own mug to work for coffee or your own bags to the supermarket, take pleasure in recycling your plastic water bottles and bundling up the newspapers for the recycling bin. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. You can become a part of the larger efforts to heal and protect our environment by becoming a member of a local, national or global environmental organization of your choice, getting involved in your own community, or participating in a neighborhood clean-up.

* Think green, shop green to help protect the Earth: Vote for the environment with your consumer dollars and make wiser and healthier choices for you and your family by buying natural, environmentally-friendly products: buy an organic version of one of your favorite food items, try a natural cleaner, support recycled paper products, buy a compact fluorescent light bulb. Consider buying a hybrid for your next car purchase. To find links to earth-friendly companies offering everything from organic and hemp clothing, recycled products, natural body care, toys and crafts, energy efficient products, organic food and more, visit the EcoMall web site (http://www.ecomall.com).

* Be concerned and give thanks: Take the time to recognize our powerful influence on the health of Mother Earth and understand that it is a critical time where our efforts can contribute to increasing the health of the oceans, the healing of the ozone layer, the strengthening of all the intricate ecosystems, decreasing pollution of our air, water and food, creating safer zones for all species, and sustaining and protecting the Earth's natural resources. Always remember that humanity's health is interconnected with that of the Earth. Find your own way to contribute to the healing of the Earth. Even sitting for three minutes and feeling the gratitude of being alive on such a beautiful planet, and sending your heart full of gratitude back to Mother Earth, will surely begin the process of strengthening and nourishing her.

Let Earth Day inspire you and help you realize you CAN do your part to show your appreciation and love for the Earth, by acting locally and thinking globally - every day.

"Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the people of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it." - Chief Seattle

EcoMall.com (http://www.ecomall.com) is one of leading environmental portals of earth-friendly companies and resources. 2005 marks the EcoMall.com's 11th year on the Internet.