We all know that Earth Day isn’t just about turning off lights and recycling, right? Just in case we don’t here’s a bunch of resources. 

Let’s start with this one-pager from Mihskakwan James Harper for the Yellowhead Institute which briefly outlines the connections between climate change, epidemics, reconciliation, and economic resilience. 

Actually, while on the subject, maybe we should just highlight the whole report. The goal is education, right? 

Just kidding, there’s also a great brief that begins to explore the shortcomings of an extraction economy; “Through government royalty payment reductions, flow-through shares, pipeline buyouts, and clean-up initiatives, the industry continues to thrive despite conditions where it would ultimately fail in a free and open market.” 

But we also can’t forget that “As provinces and territories work to develop policies to promote clean energy, they will also need to come to terms with the fact that climate change and renewable energy are fundamentally Indigenous rights issues.” 

AND “It is Indigenous communities, locally, nationally and internationally, that continue to push for an actualization of instilling deeper spiritual connections the Mother Earth to help us relearn what systems of colonization, capitalism, and extractivism have severed.” Remember the Green New Deal? 

Whoa, that’s a lot of reading. Well done. Here’s a great quote about the beauty of revolution for Mother Earth by the one and only Christi Belcourt, “Every good revolution has good revolutionary art. What we really need for this earth is a revolution.” 

There, education over. Let’s move onto action. Pull up your socks friends, there’s a lot.

First, throw a bunch of money at Indigenous Climate Action. We’ll wait. 

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Just skipped right on eh? Snarky. (Unless you did donate, in which case you are a very good person who cares about the planet. Noice.) Seriously though, they’re doing great work. 

The power of Indigenous youth, am I right?! “We can’t just be addressing climate from a science perspective. We have to be addressing it from a human rights perspective, and an Indigenous rights perspective.” 

In a festival mood? Make sure you hit up the virtual earth day festival.

Also, look at this amazing panel! Webinar by Coast Protectors.

Finally, get your copy with a digital book launch with Common Notions and The Red Nation. 

The best part is, even now, we are just scratching the surface of what we can do to protect our Earth. Earth Day isn’t just about turning off lights and recycling, it’s about creating real change today and dismantling the colonial and systemic barriers designed to exploit and destroy our Home.

What are you doing to #DefendOurMother not just on #EarthDay2021, but every day?