Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Earth.

Pikaia
I was Pikaia...I'm born from the ocean. I still swim and feel at home. Who got me out here? I'm just a remote accident, a survivor of extinction waves, those waves where many didn't. It just happened to be me. I could very well right now have to be hiding behind rocks to escape from dinosaur's teeth, or having to keep watching my back on the savannas. But just by luck, things took another way. Whose luck?. We conquered our greatness, but we compromised a whole planet on the way. It sounds a little like those promos, pay one and take five, but the opposite and in a biggest scale of numbers. In order to make this planet perfectly comfy, easy, and luxurious for us, and just for some of us, we sacrifice a brilliant creation of who knows who, and this part doesn't matter. What we can't deny, is that we all see a world made of Biodiversity, colors, incredible species hiding in the smallest places, intelligences expressed in the most astonish ways and far from being simply linked to brain size. Cognitively complex means of life that science tries to understand even today, and probably never will, including us. We watch a planet standing on its feet year after year of less care, fighting with the tools that this amazing ecological system has. And we live, day after day, without realizing we are in a war. We wake up, we look at the sky, and we say ''Look this beautiful morning'' and breathe a deep and fresh air being grateful for a new day. Just one second after, naively or not, we turn our backs and walk away starting the automatic environmentally harmful actions of our days, being on the wrong side of a war against ourselves.
By Melisa Zabala5 years ago in Earth
We all make a difference.
It is sometimes hard for me to believe that with billions of people in the world I can some how make a difference , but we do. With every single one of us implementing minor changes in our lives regardless of how little it is , it can significantly have an impact on our planet. I have always grown up with a strong connection to the earth. I first grew up in Nigeria before moving to New York. I spent a lot of time out doors and in the natural world talking to plants and trees. As a kid with a very vivid imagination , I was extremely fascinated by animals and would observe them a lot growing up. I remember getting annoyed with my friends for littering when I taught they could have easily thrown their trash out in the garbage or recycle , or for attempting a vegan/vegetarian diet in high school with little to no knowledge about the life style . This pull and connection that I have with the earth has led me to be more couscous about by carbon footprint on the planet has an adult now.
By Kehinde Oguntoyinbo5 years ago in Earth
Why Are We Here?
At some point in our lives we start questioning our role and purpose in life... hopefully with a child’s curiosity, taking us through our choices and adventures with a sense of wonder, excitement, and joy. Yet, there are times when we lose our way, situations flip upside down, our joy bubbles popped, and we begin forgetting our why.
By Dolphingirl5 years ago in Earth
Seashells To Plastic
As summer quickly approaches, we will all flock to the beaches to watch waves, dip our toes in the seafoam, and hid our fries from the seagulls. This year, the beach may look a bit different, but why? Has something about the sea change? In terms of plastic, 8.3 million tons are discarded in the sea yearly. Here's the big shocker - it's catching up to us.
By Angelica Pasquali5 years ago in Earth
Tangling with the Hydra
We humans have created monsters. Not so much in the forms of humanoid blood-suckers or the vengeful dead, but of exhaustive speeds, plumes of unchecked toxins, and mountains of wasted items that simply don’t break down. When we put tons of carbon into the atmosphere, and remove many plants that would absorb the carbon, we contribute to the trapped heat which melts our sea ice and threatens to release methane gas trapped within, kept at bay only because it is frozen. Our black asphalt roads absorb more heat and we remove and seal up countless gallons of water in products on store shelves in surplus, denying the rest of the environment. We overfish, overhunt, and destroy anything that gets in our way whether it lives, breathes, or simply exists. There’s not a plant, animal, or rock we won’t remove.
By Megan Baker (Left Vocal in 2023)5 years ago in Earth
My One Voice Matters for Mother Earth
I grew up along the pristine shorelines of Vancouver Island. My parents had built our home in the late 70s and we had spectacular views of the ocean. I fell in love as orcas or blue whales would swim in the waters off our coast, and we would sit there watching either with just our eyes or through binoculars. As I watched them from a young age, I had a love for the ocean and developed a deep-rooted respect for it that prevails to this day. We were also surrounded by some amazing lakes, and our summer day trips to the lake would see me swimming the entire time (except for the mandatory lunch and snack breaks). I loved to swim and the feeling of propelling myself through the water imagining I was an orca.
By Sara Christine5 years ago in Earth
I Heart the Big Blue
Vacation by the coast? Yes. Love to surf or wakeboard? Someday soon, I hope. Ever gone whale watching? On my bucket list. Swim with the dolphins? Also, on my bucket list. Fancy snorkeling or scuba? I am a huge fan.
By Samia Afra5 years ago in Earth
We Have Work To Do
Alright, folks. It’s time we had a talk. What the f*(%! are we going to do about our trash problem? It’s not just about throwing shit in a bin and calling it recycling anymore. In many cases, these piles of “recycling” are shipped across the world – using fossil fuels to be taken care of there – or it ends up in a landfill with the garbage from the bin next to it. And while it’s not our fault that this is the current system in place and we’ve been given a life (at least in capitalism) that is completely reliant on non-biodegradable materials such as plastic or Styrofoam. But it is up to us to stop feeding it. That’s why the recycling plan has always been the three Rs:
By Lolly Paige Lennox5 years ago in Earth
Why Are We Here?
At some point in our lives we start questioning our role and purpose in life... hopefully with a child’s curiosity, taking us through our choices and adventures with a sense of wonder, excitement, and joy. Yet, there are times when we lose our way, situations flip upside down, our joy bubbles popped, and we begin forgetting our why.
By Dolphingirl5 years ago in Earth
Heal Humanity, Heal the Planet
When I first signed up for Vocal, there was a very specific topic that I wanted to write about, and I believe that this challenge is a good prompt for me to start. I grew up just like most typical North Americans. I bought into this fast culture - fast food, fast fashion, fast cars; I was raised to believe that the reason for my existence was to obtain all these things. Ten years ago, however, I started to pay more attention to what was happening to the environment, and from then, I gained a deep respect and passion for environmental activism. I changed my diet from convenient processed food to mainly local organic produce, I changed my relationship with the environment and developed a sense of stewardship over the land, and I changed my religious views towards more of a spiritual perspective. I believe that when you truly develop your spirituality, you gain a connection between the Planet and its inhabitants, and when you genuinely feel that connection, life itself becomes way more delicious.
By Amala5 years ago in Earth
The Ability to Reuse
The current state of the world is troubling. The climate is changing and it is causing serious harm to the environment around us. We as humans are a big cause of those problems and we have the ability to help create a cleaner Earth. We need to be aware of what we are using and what we can do to stop trashing our Earth. One of the most polluted areas is our oceans. All of these one-use products we throw away can end up in our ocean. This can cause damage to the ocean life within, along with contributing to the decline of our Earth. You all have seen the islands of trash floating in our oceans. That can never be erased, but it can be further prevented. To start, switch out single use items for reusable sustainable products.
By Sarah O5 years ago in Earth
From a leak to a tweak
Do you know how much water is wasted from a leaking tap? I didn't until I had one. I rent a house in Cairns, Queensland with my son and as tenants, we can be charged full or excess water consumption. With this in mind, I was keen to get a leaking tap in the kitchen sink fixed however plumbers were busy, so I had to wait a few days for one to have time and do this.
By Georgie5 years ago in Earth