Amidst my tech-heavy preparations for this month’s edition, I received one of my intuitive nudges to step outside and lie beneath a tree in my yard. As I noticed the wind-rustling of leaves and the chirping birds, deep breaths of relief emerged naturally. Earlier in the day, a friend had shared an article about the brain-changing effects of sitting or walking at the beach—one of my favorite pastimes to shake off the lingering effects of excessive exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that accumulate throughout the day. 

I find that lying on the ground and walking barefoot provide immeasurable benefits. This earthing or grounding practice is scientifically proven to enhance both mental and physical well-being. I feel particularly grounded when I place my feet in the Gulf up to my ankles, connecting with both the earth and water elements!

As spring transitions into summer and we brace ourselves for another hurricane season, lingering fears persist about the catastrophic storms we witnessed last year that rapidly intensified and shattered records across the board. The wake-up call of climate change as the key culprit behind these astonishing natural disasters is undeniable, but is it too late to take action? 

With every new wildfire, hurricane and flash flood, people are increasingly recognizing the dire and immediate consequences of the planet’s warming, not only for the Earth, but also for our personal health and well-being. Will we seize the opportunity to slow down and heed nature’s messages about its needs?

It’s time to transform our fear and agitation into solutions, and in this special edition of People, Planet & Purpose, you will find a wealth of resources to support you, including gardening with native plants (page 14), new advancements in clean and renewable energy (page 28), the benefits of a circular economy (page 24) and strategies for managing eco-anxiety (page 34).

April 22 marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, the worldwide annual event that fosters environmental awareness and champions conservation initiatives designed to curb the ravages of climate change. To support a local event or project and learn more, visit page 12.

This month, I invite you to visit our splendid shorelines and tell Mother Earth how much you love her this Earth Day and every day. She sustains and nurtures us, and it’s time for us to reciprocate. We need each other.