click below to learn more about the past, present, and future of marine protection in the galápagos.

the western world in this context refers to the portion of the world usurped by colonizers, like much of europe and north america, which has generally placed economic vitality above all. it’s astounding that it took until 1970, only 50 years ago, for many people in the americas to start acknowledging the importance of the environment. what was happening before then? those not in the western world, and those whose cultures persisted prior to the time when colonization and globalization usurped their lands (often people of color), generally acted as though every day was “earth day.”

these cultures understand the concept of only taking what is needed from the earth and playing an active role in contributing to their ecosystem’s health. these cultures see the world as common personhood inseparable from the individual, rather than a distinct entity from which resources are to be extracted.

for example, in their daily routine the kashia band of pomo indians, a native american group of california, have traditionally used native species for foods, sustainably use their local natural resources to create tools like baskets, manage the land through controlled fires, and “only take what is needed.”

another ancient culture that still exists today, which also emphasizes living in-sync with the environment, is that of many hindu people. hinduism has at least 90 holidays each year celebrating various aspects of life and nature including changing seasons, certain animal deities, and harvest times demonstrating that some cultures have literally performed a celebration of the earth at least two days a week on average. many hindus today have very modern lifestyles, heavily influenced by the western world, yet still maintain environmentally friendly aspects of their culture like practicing vegetarianism, using herbal remedies, and using zero-waste clay and leaf containers.

in the amazon, studies have shown that 11.8% of amazonian terra firme forests are sustainably-managed anthropogenic forests resulting from the in-tune management practices of indigenous people over more than five millennia. these people gained vast knowledge over time on how to cultivate and sustainably manage forests to suit their needs while maintaining essential biodiversity. within the first century of european colonization, the amerindian population was slashed by 90% and over time the forests and wilderness felt the effects of their new “caretakers” who promoted unsustainable economic development. as such, between 1970 and 2014, we saw a 60% decline in the size of vertebrate populations worldwide, despite the establishment of earth day.

while earth day was certainly not intended to be a green-washing campaign, it has unsurprisingly turned into one. one day a year, the western world gives tribute to the earth but people fail to take enduring action for the earth’s benefit. the result: false hope that sufficient change is occurring, which leads to continued environmental degradation and catastrophes that affects all of us as people.

we now see the detrimental effects of colonization as the starting point for its even more problematic grandchild: unsustainable economic development. one may argue, “the western world isn’t the one cutting down trees in the amazon and mining in africa,” or “look at how polluted india is.” however, in return we must ask, “what caused this destruction or pollution?” the actual root cause of the destruction and pollution is unsustainable economic development caused by consumer demand in the western world, and with our exponentially increasing appetite for disposable goods that are produced in or use raw materials from those countries.

while the effects of unsustainable economic growth are environmentally detrimental, can we learn lessons through our globalized world from native cultures who are more knowledgeable given their millennia of experience in thriving in-sync with the environment? wouldn’t it make most sense to follow their way of life and their relationships with the earth? while the outlook for environmentalism seems dreary, following the teachings of these other cultures is the solution. these are the people who should be consulted in the conservation movement given their millennia of environmental leadership.

take a moment to think about the top three environmentalists in the media. perhaps people like jane goodall, al gore, rachel carson, david attenborough, or greta thunberg come to mind.

notice, likely none of the people you thought of are non-western or even people of color. upon pondering the idea further, it may even be difficult to come up with the name of a single famous environmental activist who is not from the western world, despite the amount of land historically conserved by non-western people internationally. while these individuals may not be as well-known as jane goodall, they should be.

the western world must put an enduring spotlight on the people of cultures who have had resounding success in environmental conservation since the birth of humanity, often people of color, and learn from them. otherwise, we risk earth day and environmentalism fizzling out as a green-washing fad, without any concrete action taken and — even worse — the destruction of our home planet.

think of the creature you most despise: something you think has no purpose or that simply freaks you out. you might ask, what’s the point of that organism? if anything this creature is unwanted or pesky. we might not think twice before we step on it or try to get rid of it. true, these species might be unsightly or frightening, however they are just as important to your livelihood as the food on your plate or the roof over your head and here’s why:

“kashia culture and identity is strongly rooted in the natural world. managing our natural resources and lands in a way that increases their resiliency and productivity ensures our traditional practices and cultural values are passed to future generations.”

—abby gomes, kashia band of pomo indians tribe member

before colonization, the kashia band of pomo indians lived along california’s vast sonoma county coast. by 1915 the kashia only owned .007% of their original territory on a reservation called stewarts point rancheria, or as the tribe calls it “su nu nu shinal” (meaning “huckleberry heights”). this drastic decrease in territory caused equally drastic changes for the kashia’s livelihood, diet, and culture forcing many tribe members to live off-reservation. today, with the help of numerous organizations, the kashia’s reservation and territories span around 1,230 acres, including the kashia coastal reserve. with this increase in territory, kashia land management and cultural practices also resurged.

i had the opportunity to learn about the reintroduction of such practices from kashia tribe members abby gomes, hannah banuelos, and otis parrish. kashia traditional practices teach invaluable lessons on living in harmony with the environment for ourselves and our local ecosystems.

sustainable land and resource management

the dense pine forests we see today did not exist prior to european settlement. in fact, many of the trees and shrubs that now litter the coast are invasive species which have taken over without indigenous land management. the kashia previously managed such species through burning the brush, maintaining the iconic california “golden hills” landscape. “periodic cultural burnings maintained these coastal grasslands and openings from encroachment by bishop pine forest and coastal scrub,” kashia member gomes said. the cultural burnings also encouraged seed germination of native plant species as well as the presence of large populations of deer and elk through maintaining their natural grazing areas. “the land and natural resources were managed in a way that ensured their continuance and productivity into the future.”

this cultural burning is being reintroduced to the area by the kashia to manage invasive species, reduce forest fires, encourage native species growth, and restore natural habitat.

beyond periodic burning, the kashia are also taking a traditional-turned-modern approach to maintaining their ecosystems through formally surveying and monitoring their reserve with their planned kashia coastal reserve tribal citizen science monitoring program.

according to gomes, the program “includes kashia values and is modeled after the greater farallones association’s beach watch program.” the kashia program plans to engage tribe members in monitoring human use activities and resources important to the tribe including marine mammals and bird species.

one large problem the tribe faces is the lack of marine resources upon which they depend. private land ownership of the tribe’s former territory, restrictions made by government, and overharvesting by those outside the tribe cause this scarcity.

maintaining the ability to gather these coastal resources ensures the continuance of cultural traditions and practices,” gomes said. “returning back to the coast, (the) kashia (tribe) now has an opportunity to reconnect its tribe membership with the ocean and revitalize its cultural traditions, practices, and land management values.”

despite hindrances that have developed post-colonization, the tribe manages its coastal reserve through these practices as a gateway for educating the public about kashia history and practices.

seasonal and native diet

kashia people were migratory in the sonoma region. in the summer they gathered food from the ocean focusing mainly on seaweed but also mussels, “abalone, fish, sea anemone and kelp” according to tribe member banuelos. during the spring, the tribe fished the river for salmon and trout. during the colder seasons, the tribe harvested indian potatoes, clovers, and acorns. however, according to fellow tribe member parrish, european settlement introduced non-native foods including “flour, coffee, pigs…sheep…melons, cabbage, carrots, and apples.”

as a result of adding non-native foods to their diets, and given the reduction in harvesting territory, tribe members have since suffered from assorted illnesses including diabetes.

but, banuelos says, “a lot of elders really rely on their traditional foods…it makes them feel better. they believe in it. it makes their body and their health a bit stronger.” that is to say, tribe members believe in maintaining their health and ecosystems through consuming native food.

there are specific traditions the tribe follows before, during, and after harvesting, processing, and preparing native food.

according to banuelos, “there’s preparation…they do a little ceremony…they pray with clapper sticks…sing songs for thanking the ocean for providing food for us. we only take what we need for our family.” this spiritual connection with indigenous food affirms how the kashia are grateful for their sustenance and take only what is needed — an important concept given the amount of food waste occurring throughout the united states.

continuing kashia practices

to perpetuate kashia sustainable practices through their culture, the tribe also emphasizes financial security for tribal members, and the importance of preserving kashia language.

it is difficult to keep tribe members engaged if they cannot afford to live on or near the reservation, especially with california’s rising housing prices. banuelos emphasizes “more homes on the land for our tribe would be good. (we) try to make sure our people are taken care of first… otherwise, i think our tribe is doing pretty good.”

according to parrish, the loss of language is the largest problem given it is a vehicle for passing on traditional practices. he highlights that when one learns their culture’s stories, “the story becomes a part of them.”

for banuelos and parrish, the key to ensuring financial security and preserving their culture is to focus on kashia youth. parrish said, “to our young people, get an education and come back to our people and do something constructive for everybody. that’s the message my generation has given to the next generation coming up.”

by improving financial security, teaching the kashia language, and focusing on the next generation, kashia could flourish and continue to be an example of a society living in harmony with the environment through sustainable land, resource, and food management practices.

brigitte has been trying to implement changes with her local neighborhood association in order to keep algae levels in check to no avail. no one was listening.

hopefully this video sheds some light on the issue of algae blooms and on one natural solution: brigitte’s small but mighty friends, water fleas (daphnia). 

sources:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/10/algae-bloom-lake-erie-toxins-spd/

https://www.cdc.gov/habs/illness-symptoms-freshwater.html

https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/harmful-algal-blooms

https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/control-and-treatment

https://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/plants/factsheets/copperfactsheet.pdf

“lady daphnia’s world.” for love of lakes, by darby nelson, michigan state university press, 2012, pp. 72–80. 

1. “i don’t see why composting matters”

while composting may not sound impactful, individual action in composting can prove to be highly beneficial for the environment and the economy. below, we’ve gone ahead and explained exactly what impact food waste has:

2. “i don’t know what can and can’t be composted”

many people do not compost because they aren’t sure what can and can’t be composted, so below we’ve set the record straight with an easy visual you can print out and keep on your fridge as a reminder as well as a detailed list based off the information provided small footprint family. a mix of quick and slow composting items generally creates healthy compost.

3. “i don’t know how” or “it’s too inconvenient”

it’s easy to write off something and not act when you aren’t informed. you’ve heard the saying “ignorance is bliss” but now that you know the importance of composting and how easy it is determine what can and can’t be composted, learning how to compost for your lifestyle is a must! we’ve provided a simple guide outlining the different ways to compost suiting your needs:

4. “i’m not sure of the relevant rules/laws”

another impediment to composting could be worrying about the relevant rules or laws, however most states encourage composting and have set up programs to encourage composting in easy ways. the law is an important area to understand and get right, especially if you’re interested in outdoor composting. composting council provides a list of some of the relevant laws for most states and jurisdictions. generally, the main area of concern is for backyard composting where you just need to be sure you are composting in a manner that is not hazardous to human health or unsafe and that you acquire permits if necessary:

there are so many reasons why composting is important, including decreasing food waste, creating jobs, and reducing pollution. determining what can and can’t be composted is simple, following the guidelines above. figuring out what method of composting fits your needs and learning how to perform that method is also fairly easy. composting can be convenient and being informed of the relevant laws is important. now you have the information you need to be empowered and go out and compost!