Life Lessons from the Ballona Creek Renaissance

I felt a twinge of guilt, like a little girl whose mother caught her with her hand in the cookie jar: I had not one, but two plastic water bottles in my hand.

On Earth Day.

At a Ballona Creek Earth Day Celebration, where I was trying to do my share of care for Mother Earth.

After a week of writing Earth Day stories, I learned how incredibly unsustainable my life is (yes, I use plastic, take long showers, get my hair done professionally biweekly, forget my canvas grocery bags when I go to Trader Joe’s and don’t always buy organic). Yes, I am an Earth sinner, but I was determined to redeem myself this morning; however, I neglected to take advantage of my reusable aluminum bottle that sat conveniently in my car.

Like a teenager who stole something (ahem, I don’t know what that experience is like), I discreetly slipped the plastic bottles underneath my arm as Patrick, our friendly and knowledgeable Earth Day leader from the Friends of the Ballona Wetlands, guided us through the marsh, pointing out native sage, chrysanthemums, herbs and leaving us at the spot where we would be doing work for the day.

My small group of friends and I chatted as we sifted out dead ice plants from the native soil, cracking jokes and snapping photos. Saturday was perfect: The birds were chirping, the flowers in full bloom from the recent rains, and we sat in the dirt, oblivious to the concrete jungle because we were surrounded by utter, created beauty. Although I was still tired from , I had a lovely time, covering myself in dirt on an early Saturday morning.

We take so much from the Earth on a daily basis: oxygen, water, food and give little in return but substances that create catastrophe in the space we call home. In light of random sardine deaths, tsunamis and unseasonably cold Los Angeles weather, I can’t help but pause and evaluate my own use of natural resources.

So just maybe this coming year, I will think twice before using that plastic bag for my Ezekiel bread sandwich. I will keep my canvas bags in my car. I will try to . And don’t be surprised if you see me carrying around a green aluminum Patch water bottle. Although few of us can save the world and turn around the damage done, each of us can do a little bit.

And that is all that matters.