Doodle Art Competition

Earth Day

THERE’S A LOT MORE to Earth Day than a Doodle Art Competition. But it does provide us the opportunity to pause and consider for a moment where we fit within the ecological framework and how we might express and communicate to others our concerns or our appreciation for the gifts Mother Earth provides.There are many ways for creative expression to be showcased and the Earth Day Doodle Art Competition is one them.

On a more regular basis there are many opportunities on offer … and one of them is nature journaling. Here are some links to get us started … but first it’s important to note that while we are talking art in the of this project, doodling can be more broadly expressed by being more inclusive, for example … this selection on How to Start a Nature Journal, from The Sierra Club …  https://www.sierraclub.org/pennsylvania/blog/2020/05/how-start-nature-journal

  • Leaf or tree rubbings
  • Measurements/charts – look for patterns
  • Poetry
  • Quotes
  • Lists of birds, plants, animals, leaves, flowers that have been observed
  • Seeds or berries from plants you have observed – very small samples preferably from those fallen from a bush or tree.
  • Drawings of animal tracks, birds, plants, flowers, berries, nuts

Sources of information seem endless – here’s three:
How to Start a Nature Journal and What to Put In it – online with book reference list … https://dailyskillbuilding.com/nature-journal-ideas/ 
How to Start a Nature Journal – an online resource … https://www.lilyandthistle.com/how-to-start-a-nature-journal-today/ 
Keeping A Nature Journal, Clare Walker-Leslie (see cover picture) is a highly recommended book that has been in print for over 20 years.

THE MOMENTUM TO CARE FOR MOTHER EARTH has been building for over 50 years, but it’s still not sufficient to claw back the damage inflicted on Mother Earth by all the industrial activity fueled from fossil energy sources like coal, gas and oil and an insatiable growth economy that so many people seem to be hooked on.

EARTH DAY events take on themes nominated by various groups. They can centre on climate action, investing in future projects … see the link for more: https://www.un.org/en/observances/earth-day

It’s going to take a concerted effort, and a lot more committed people to turn this around from being one that chews up Mother Earth she was a free lunch, to one where there is respect for her gifts so freely given, but more often than not taken for granted and squandered on conspicuous consumption that for the most part in the linear economy ends up in landfill.

The transition to a Circular Economy is urgently needed if the wrongs are to be righted anytime soon, at least soon enough to correct so much of the imbalance currently exhibited in the human economic accounting tables.

Check out the range of activities on the Earth Day website and see where we might be able to contribute in a positive way to reducing our take-away lifestyle replacing it with a regenerative way of thinking and day to day living … https://www.earthday.org/    Things to think about:

  • Sustainable Fashion
  • Climate and Environmental Literacy
  • Conservation and Restoration
  • Food and Environment
  • Ending Plastic Pollution
  • Earth Day Schools

FOR AN AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT and local connection, the Hunter Region Field Naturalists & Nature Journaling Club, offers excellent programs for all ages and levels of experience. See the links for contact details …

JOIN the group for free nature journaling sessions online and in the field at various locations around the Hunter region.

PEOPLE of all ages and abilities who love nature, and enjoy drawing and painting, creating a nature journal of our adventures are welcome. The aim is to create a social atmosphere of fun and creativity, bringing nature, art, and our community together.

You do not need any art experience to enjoy nature journaling! https://www.henriettamooney.com/nature-connection-nature-journaling#/nature-journaling-club/

And a Facebook entry for the Hunter Region Field Naturalists & Nature Journaling Club. https://www.facebook.com/naturejournalingclub.hunterregion/

DID YOU KNOW? Earth Day background facts

  • Exceeding all expectations, 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day observance in 1970. Celebrations effectively stopped traffic in New York City when 20,000 people packed Union Square to see Hollywood actor Paul Newman and hear a speech by New York City Mayor John Lindsay, who arrived on an electric bus.
  • John McConnell was the creator of the first Earth Day Flag. His design was inspired when he saw the first picture of the Earth, later dubbed “The Blue Marble”, printed in Life magazine.
  • Throughout the 1970’s, Earth Day observances eventually led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.
  • Today, Earth Day is the largest secular holiday in the world, with more than 500 million people taking part in 174 countries.
  • Google has celebrated Earth day with animated doodles on its home page since 2001.

For an expansive history of Earth Day, there’s no better place than to log into the community owned and moderated knowledge library, Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day

 Quotes for Earth Day

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” — Native American Proverb
“What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on? — Henry David Thoreau  
“Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them.” — Bill Vaughan

Compiled: 2 March 2023