I love the term “forest bathing” as it capture's the promise that walking in a forest is not only cleansing, but elevating to oneself spiritually. The oxygen produced by trees is intoxicating when combined with rich smells and sunlight bouncing off of limbs. 

 

And, science has now proven that trees not only benefit humans in this way, but they actually “talk” to one another (mother trees talk to their daughter trees even more!) through the transfer of nutrients, carbon, and hormones via mycelium connected to their roots. They communicate when there is a fire or bug invasion and I'm sure a few electric pulses of "love" get transferred as well. Clearly, as all indigenous culture's have know for eons the world over, there is a lot more good going on in our world's forests than just a good source of “board feet”. 

 

In fact, forests and forest products play a central role in the carbon cycle and with proper sustainable or Indigenous management, can be one of the most effective nature-based solutions to the climate crisis.  Forests and forest products capture almost 15 percent of our global carbon emissions each year. 

 

Forests are a powerful spiritual source, material resource, and a huge mitigator of climate change. We can’t take them for granted. But how? In addition to forest bathing, shop mindfully for forest certified products so that with every purchase you too are talking to the trees, solving for climate change, and building a sustainable future. 

 

Sustainability work is deep training for seeing the world as it is: a system of interlocking pieces that celebrate life and repurpose death, and always mutually beneficial in the pursuit of diversity, growth, and life. For this reason, I've curated this week's mash up of sustainable innovations that support natural systems, giving humans the opportunity to act more like an intact forest than individual trees. 

 

As always, enjoy what's happening and what's possible.

 

Cheers,

XO —Claire  | Founder & CEO, Live Creative Studio