Long Live Earth Day!

Gaylord Nelson’s vision and purpose behind Earth Day is one anybody who has a stake in the future of our planet could stand behind.

On April the 22nd 46 years ago, an estimated 20 million Americans rallied for the cause of planetary health and really WON. The Earth Day movement has created positive change and evolution many times over, having been the force that caused the creation of such things as the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts, the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and has been a constant force working to raise awareness on topics like recycling, climate change, and clean energy to name only a few. Nelson founded a movement unlike any other: it is celebrated by more than a billion people every year worldwide. WOW.

Earth Day’s foundation was built when the sludge and ruin of industrialism threatened a world already in profound chaos, but it may be able to help set a tone for what Earth Day may be in the future. One day, I hope all of us Knights and the rest of the world together can take time to appreciate our beautiful blue planet as part of the celebration. We have made great strides, and we shall all continue till the hurt is mended.

A glimpse of our last weekend camping and playing it cool out by the AT

 

Love from Wild Knights to you and to our beloved Earth, on which we all stand together.

Find What Makes You Happy

Hello Wild Knights!!!!  Apologies for the delay, it’s been a busy couple weeks. Most of my time was spent prepping for my Yellowstone job next week, along with the best birthday weekend I could have ever asked for (thanks to Blaze :D).  Luckily my writing partner has kept the blog updated while I was busy, and now I can finally contribute some of my own!

(i.love.dogs.tv)

Today, I wanted to focus on something that tends to be on the back burner in our lives while we go to our jobs and day to to day lives: Happiness. You probably think, “Bah humbug, that’s silly and I always make sure my happiness is a top priority!”.

     If that is true: ROCK ON!

    If you find yourself trying to recall a happy moment from a week or month ago, then hold tight.

       Sometimes the thing holding us back from a life of happiness is simply the way we approach the world. Think for a moment about something that gives you a sense of euphoria. An activity or event that make you so happy that you hoped it would never end. Can you easily remember the feeling? The warmth running through your body, and the fire that kept you energized?

  I’ve heard different takes on this from many people. When I ask what makes them happy, I get all sorts of different answers. Some will say it’s when they play the instrument they love and perform for others. Some will say it is when they are with the people they love. Some will say it’s when they succeed at something they have worked for, and accomplished something special to them. Happiness could be something simple; a subtle warmth when we take care of ourselves, and love ourselves like we deserve. When we are positive and happy, it attracts other who are the same. Sometimes the only thing keeping us from being happy, is the way we think. When you drive, do you catch yourself thinking negatively? Wanting people to get out of your way, or wanting to smash that idiot driving the truck who cut you off? What about when you are with friends? Do you talk about your terrible days at work or do you put it behind you and focus on other things?

      Recently I felt that the most when I was camping with my best friend at Watauga Lake in Tennessee.  From the first moment we left the parking lot of Walmart after buying some supplies, I was ecstatic. Weeks of a terrible job, extreme stress thanks to my family, and loneliness had really worn me down much more than I thought possible. It’s difficult to see what you were holding in until you finally get rid of it.

      The lake itself was beautiful beyond description. Warm air and powerful winds wrapping around me like a cloak. A campsite away from all the others, simple and everything we needed. We hiked a total of four hours on part of the Appalachian Trail, partially for the fun and partially to get a teaser of what to come, considering Blaze will be doing the Appalachian Trail himself in about a month, while I’m at Yellowstone.  That night, after building a fire worthy of Dante’s Inferno, we talked for hours about our plans, our goals for Wild Knights, how we will get involved and get others involved in saving the world. I was so happy to be outside and living in a way I loved. I was happy to be sharing it with my best friend and partner in crime. I think the thing that made me the happiest was actually the thought that crossed my mind while watching the logs burn:

We had come so far and done so much. There was so much still to do…. I wanted to create a movement of amazing and passionate people expanding across the world, dedicated to protecting the planet and bring us into a new age of green technology, beautiful music, optimistic peoples,  and a world united. So much to do….and I was looking forward to every single moment.

      Negative thoughts can be as much a reflex as saying “Thank you.” to someone. The trick is to catch ourselves, and try to think about things in new ways. Rather than let bad things sink their talons into your thoughts, try to embrace positive things with open arms. No matter how dark the world becomes, the sun will rise right on schedule the next day, ready to start again.

I’m including a couple videos that I really enjoyed, I hope you like them as well 😀

Just some food for thought!!! With love for every single one of you, I hope you have a fantastic day!

~Emrys

For My Best Friend

Emrys and I are going to be off the grid all weekend, which means I’ll miss my opportunity to say this…. so HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Emrys!

What more could you ask for in a best friend, seriously?! 

Whenever we first became friends over 6 years ago, I didn’t just find a warm hearted, loving friend with a voracious appetite for chocolate, steak, and all things with a good plot line, but I found a friend who stuck with me through everything. He’s been there for me when I was stupid or belligerent, always especially when I did not deserve his undying loyalty and respect. That type of friend is the rarest sort, and, trust me, if you have anyone that even comes close to showing that compassion and love for you, do not take them for granted.

So, I propose a toast. Raise your champagne flutes, glasses, coffee mugs, tea cups, beer cans (whatever the case may be) to my friend, the best damn (con)artist, pirate, writer, adventurer, philosopher and intellect I know. Here’s to an eternity of dealing with each others’ insanity and genius.

I love you buddy. 🙂

-Blaze

Answer Your Call to Heroism

Do you hear it? Do you hear it calling your name? Do you hear your journey beating the rhythm for your footfalls? Do you answer that call? Who are you?

Heroes evolve into extraordinary sources of power and light by being true and pushing past their limits.
Heroes embody sincerity and determination.

Heroes question everything they know, fall, get back up, and find their truth.
Heroes embody strength.

Heroes come in every shape and size and sometimes become a brand new being in the process of their journey.
Heroes embody change and evolution.

Heroes are all around us and have come from the most unexpected places and overcome the impossible.
Heroes embody the indomitable spirit.

Heroes are not just warriors, they are scholars, artists, scientists, wanderers, teachers, writers, and many other things.
Heroes are beings of diversity and wonder.
What is your quest? What is calling your name? WHO ARE YOU?

-Blaze
___________________________

“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

-Joseph Campbell

I’m Gonna Try Urban Gardening!

So, like most artists from a small town, I’m about to move on to a place with more action. Unlike most artists, I don’t want to live in a city, which sounds counter intuitive, but I’ll explain.

I took a trip with my college choir to NYC and we all had a blast. We also were not used to the polluted air, so half of us were hacking moments before performing in the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. Nothing divine about that . I loved the city outside of that, it was what I was craving: diversity, enough stimulation for a zealous extrovert, a thriving art scene, etc etc. But, with all honesty, I’d never live there unless it was changed. So now I’m looking for cities with a more outdoorsy feel, but I still want to go all the way with my move.

I’m looking to change my lifestyle completely, escape sleeping in past the point of no energy,  STOP eating anything that comes in plastic (I admit my short comings, I haven’t gotten rid of it yet), developing a consistently healthier mindset, doing work that fits my vision and moral standards… I could go on, but I won’t because I instead want to mention what everyone has at their disposal: Imagination. With that priceless tool, we can overcome any obstacle. Let’s take one of my current moving obstacles: I want to eat healthy for myself and the planet. Locally sourced, organic, beautiful food is a great way to get the mind headed in the right direction, but let’s take that a step further. What about growing our own?

“Urban gardening” is a great way of bringing fresh a lot faster and a lot fresher. Who wouldn’t want fresh cilantro for their guacamole? It’s perfect! That and the emissions from our lousy auto beasts will be eaten up by our food while giving you more nutrients at a fraction of the cost it would take to drive that beast on a 45 minute round trip to a grocery store for sub par greenery.

I’m going to leave some inspiration here from TedX speaker and guerrilla gardener Ron Finley, who selflessly created a street side garden in his neighborhood and kept on until he created The Ron Finley Project

Tell me about your gardens! And if you have a great place in mind for an artist who wants to connect with more people in a green environment, let me know, and I’ll totally give you a hug if we meet.

 

-Blaze

A Quest to Save the World: Oceans

Hello Wild Knights!!!!   Apologies for the delay, Blaze and I have busy out the wazoo this past week. We have been putting together some project ideas to spread the word and recruit more Wild Knights to change the world. Hopefully I’ll have one of the projects posted within a few weeks 😀   For this post I wanted to highlight a major environmentalism problem that planet Earth faces, and what we are doing to combat it. Nearly all environmental issues are caused by humankind, and it is our duty to protect the world that gave us so much. Since these environmental issues are so expansive, I’m going to focus on one at a time.

  Oceans

(By Official Navy Page from United States of America MCSN Eric A. Pastor/U.S. Navy – Sailors clean a beach in Diego Garcia., Public Domain, picture source)

 

The first battleground I want to address is an ugly one: The Pacific Trash Vortex.          

 The Problem:  

      A massive section of the Pacific Ocean, this is characterized by huge amounts of plastics, chemical sludge, and debris that has been trapped by the currents in the area. This disaster is not easy to see because much of the plastic has been broken into tiny pieces and are suspended below the surface of the water. To give you an idea of how serious this is according to a study posted in February 2015 in the journal Science, an estimate of 4.8 MILLION tons of plastic enters the ocean by land each year. And that is the conservative estimate. Plastic from more than 31 miles inland is not included because it’s so difficult to gauge.

Worse, is the effects of this plastic on marine wildlife.  Small pellets of plastic look like fish eggs and are eaten by many animals. Plastic bags suffocate animals when ingested. Decomposed bodies of marine animals have shown stomachs filled with assortments of plastics and trash.  We as humans tend to forget that plastic sticks around a long time, and can have a massive impact on the Earth.

The Solutions:

 1. The first and most basic solution is prevention. Humans need to slow and eventually stop the usage of disposable plastics. Use reusable straws, coffee containers, grocery bags, cutlery, and other easily replaceable items. Ask yourself how much trash you accumulate over a week and then think about how much you make in a year. Then think of how many humans just like you there are.  By reducing our waste, we greatly reduce the impact we have on the world around us.

2. Invest in a water filter:  20 million water bottles are thrown away each year. If you are like me and greatly dislike the idea of tap water, a good water filter is an amazing device that pays for itself. This is a small change for ourselves, but when added up it makes a great difference.

3. RECYCLE!  An obvious and often stated solution to our waste problem. Only 14% of all plastic garbage is recycled. A major problem where I live is a lack of recycling facilities. If this is the case for you, get in contact with people of the local government, or go even higher to stress the need for recycling services. The directory at Earth911 will help you find a recycling service in your area.

4. The Ocean Cleanup. 19-year old Boyan Slat has developed an amazing ocean cleanup device that could remove 7 millions tons of plastic from the ocean. From the site:

Boyan Slat (1994) is a Dutch entrepreneur and inventor who creates technologies to tackle global issues of sustainability. He is the founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, where he is responsible for overall strategy and cleanup technology development.

Instead of going after the plastic, Boyan devised a system though which, driven by the ocean currents, the plastic would concentrate itself, reducing the theoretical cleanup time from millennia to mere years. In February 2013 he dropped out of his Aerospace Engineering study to start The Ocean Cleanup.

In June 2014, having lead an international team of 100 scientists and engineers for a year, the concept turned out to be ‘likely a technically feasible and financially viable’ method to clean up half the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 10 years’ time. A subsequent crowd funding campaign then raised close to $2.2m, enabling the organization to start the pilot phase. The first prototype system is projected to be deployed in 2016.

Boyan Slat has been recognized as one of the 20 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs Worldwide (Intel EYE50), and was crowned 2014 Champion of the Earth, the United Nations’ highest environmental accolade. In 2015, HM King Harald of Norway awarded Boyan the maritime industry’s Young Entrepreneur Award, and Foreign Policy magazine included Boyan in their 2015 list of Global Thinkers.

The Ocean Cleanup has been recognized as one of the Designs of the Year by the London Design Museum, is recipient of the 2015 INDEX Design Award, won Fast Company’s 2015 Innovation by Design award, and has been chosen by TIME magazine as one of the 25 best inventions of 2015.

This shows how a teenager’s idea can completely change the world when the world stands behind him. Any of us, Wild Knights, teachers, students, etc. All have the potential to be the catalyst for change.  Here is a TEDx talk with the creator of the Ocean Cleanup project.

 

While the issue of pollution in our oceans is a serious one, we have started the first steps to fixing the problem. No one can do it alone though, and we will need everyone to try and make a difference. Even if you only reduce the amount of plastics you use, it will contribute to the global effort to reduce waste. Wild Knights is committed to help save our oceans and the animals who dwell there.

Every journey begins with the first step.

Til next time Wild Knights!!!!

~Emrys