It is Earth Day and oh do we have a lot to think about this year! On a very serious note the world’s top scientist around the world have warned temperatures on Earth will shoot past a key danger point unless greenhouse emissions fall faster than countries have committed. A report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirms that unless countries drastically accelerate efforts over the next few years to slash emissions from coal, oil and natural gas, the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celcius or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, will likely be out of reach by the end of this decade! Take that in and be an active citizen, but do not panic and throw your hands up in despair. Read on for inspiration, wisdom and tools to manage your stress. All book titles are linked to Amazon for purchase. When you purchase through my links it helps with the cost of running this passion driven blog! ~Truly Herself, Laura Connolly aka ‘Lauroly’
WISE BITES & BOOKS FOR EARTH DAY 2022
We now have a condition called ‘Climate Anxiety’ and you can learn more on how to calibrate your anxiety in my Q&A with Bonnie Schneider author of Taking the Heat. Her book was just released this year and it will be a tremendous resource to you as we LIVE through this terrible crisis.
THE NATURE FIX
“While we as citizens of democratic countries can exercise our voting power so we can respond to the climate crisis with urgent intervention, as individuals we can also embrace and celebrate the beautiful planet we call home. One of the best inspirational science based books on this subject is ‘The Nature Fix’ by Florence Williams. Learn more about the book and glean inspiration from the author with my Q&A. Her travel takes us to Japan, Korea, Singapore, Finland, Sweden, Scotland, and we learn a lot about their cultures and wellness philosophies tied to nature. There is so much we can incorporate in our own lives, and you will be amazed how simple it can be!
THE EIGHT MASTER LESSONS OF NATURE
This is one of my personal favorites, and if you are looking for inspiration and wisdom I highly recommend this book. The Eight Master Lessons of Nature By Gary Ferguson is a beautiful overview of nature and science that will remind you of your very real interdependent connection to life on earth. After reading this book, you will find that nurturing nature in all its forms is the same as nurturing yourself. The best wise bite I can offer you from the book is the short snippet of the eight lessons. Read the Q&A I did with Gary for his inspiring and thoughtful reflections on nature’s wisdom.
LESSON ONE: Mystery: Wisdom begins when we embrace all that we don’t know
LESSON TWO: Life on Earth thrives thanks to a vast garden of connections
LESSON THREE: The more kinds of life in the forest, the stronger that life becomes
LESSON FOUR: Healing the planet, and ourselves, means recovering the feminine
LESSON FIVE: Our animal cousins make us happier and smarter
LESSON SIX: We live on a planet with energy beyond measure, yet life doesn’t waste a drop
LESSON SEVEN: After disaster and disruption: NATURE TEACHES US THE FINE ART OF RISING AGAIN
LESSON EIGHT: Old Growth: The planet’s elders can help us be better at life
BECOMING WILD
You might wonder, what could we possibly learn from animal culture? It turns out quite a bit!
Becoming Wild-How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty and Achieve Peace reminds us that all living species whether they be macaw parrots, sperm whales, or chimpanzees, value cooperation and need empathetic members to achieve harmony and peace. The author Carl Safina and founder of The Safina Center invites us to change our relationship with the natural world, not to just save them but also to save ourselves. Check out my Q&A with Carl, and learn more about the beautiful and complex animals we share this world with.
LESSONS FROM PLANTS
The Author Beronda Montgomery invites you into the world of plants, and through deeper understanding and insight she guides you to a fresh way of seeing the world through a plant’s awareness. After reading Lessons From Plants you might start asking yourself “What Would a Plant Do?” Maybe it’s time we start taking some notes on how to thrive from the plants growing in our backyard! Read my Q&A with Beronda and marvel at the intelligence of plants with a new found awareness!
THIS PHENOMENAL LIFE
This is one of the few books I did not do a Q&A with but featured. It’s one of my favorite illustrated books celebrating our beautiful planet. It’s a great gift for children and adults alike because it’s filled with scientific and awe-inspiring facts we don’t think about enough. We need to be reminded, just how interconnected we are to all livings things on earth right down to the bacteria that lives on our hands and in our guts!

Illustrated page from ‘This Phenomenal Life’ Book