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Every Saturday I volunteer at a nonprofit nursery that raises native plants for outplanting in conservation areas. I like to think those seeds and plants will help regenerate the 'aina for my children and my children's children. That's a legacy I am proud of.

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We did. Santa Monica CA is one of those such living spaces. FYI, I believe Substack has an editing function not only for typos but, I use it for "Updates" as well at least on other Substack Communities like LFAA where there are many English post Grads. Yikes! ( I just edited to add "Yikes" ... post Grads. :)

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Thank you Jay; I remember the 1970 Earth Day as a Senior at a Calif University. Made me reflect on our future as human beings as well as the Vietnam War.

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Thank you! I was a senior in HS in 1970 and believed in taking care of mother earth back then and now. I'm on the board of a Beach cleanup organization that holds beach cleanups once a month. I've also been a conserver, as living in CA, I conserve water, electricity and drive as little as possible. Easy for me to do as I live in a very walkable, bike rideable town. Little steps lead to big steps and for my nearly 70 years of life, I've lived this way.

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Should have proof read. As a former educator misspelled words bug me. Hope you got the gist.

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LOL Me too--a former educator. I read a poem once that said mistakes intentionally do not show up until you've hit "send."

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I found the edit button, but only when I was signed in on my computer. Phone wouldn't help me! Anyway, fixed it!

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Like others, I recall Earth Day 1970 as a college freshman. My professor showed gorgeous photos of old growth forest and, as he clicked off the slide projector, he quipped, "Yeah........that's what they're cutting down so you can have a bag for your shampoo that you buy." I happened to go to the drugstore after that for shampoo. I went to the register and nervously said, "I don't want a bag." It was reacted to as though REALLY weird---I have little doubt it was something that cashier had never heard before. I walked out, prominently displaying my receipt with the shampoo lest I be accused of shoplifting, and...............nothing bad happened. A habit was born. Years later, when I organized Earth Week at my school, I would share an estimate of how many bags I had NOT taken across the years. And I was told once local merchants were asking why people were suddenly not taking bags----what's going on?? When I get discouraged, I come back to this..............

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There are probably far more that we could all do to help Mother Earth. I use my electronics until they fail - I'm not one to go out and get the fancy new phone/computer just because it's available. I use a reusable water bottle every single day. The only single use plastic water bottles I use are for earthquake preparedness. That said, we also have a 55 gallon water barrel outside. We recycle our used batteries at a facility - I bet most people just throw them in the trash. I have found these great plastic reusable bags that I use in the place of single use Ziplock bags (available at Target). I either use those bags or a container for lunch items. I have been known to take my own container for leftover food - although most of the restaurants that I frequent have ditched the Styrofoam (I HATE that stuff). If a restaurant uses something that can be recycled, I'm sure the thank them for that. Again, little things lead to big things. I love reading what everyone does. Together we can make improvements.

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