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August 2024: trees

Each month, we break down our topic into four weekly modules. Catch up on previous editions here.​

This week's module: REFLECT

• ✅ READ | Actually fun facts about trees and how magical they are​
• ✅ WATCH | How trees talk to each other​
• ✅ ACT | Actions you can take to create tree-related justice​
• 🎯 REFLECT | Share your commitment to being a tree hugger (TODAY)

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes for the action plan

Here's what we'll learn today Reader

If you're reading this, I have either successfully ridden ~200 miles from Seattle to Vancouver, or I have died dead. If it's the latter, please feed my body back to the Earth and read the poem I've included in today's REFLECT module (: (:

Today's photo is from Joseph S, one of our members in Falls Church, Virginia, USA, cutting ivy off 300 year old oak trees to save them. He reflected on last week's Changeletter saying:

Let's hop to it and ✨reflect✨ on the magic and wisdom of trees.

Your bite-sized action plan Reader

✅ REFLECT on your commitment to saving our trees​

If you missed the last 3 modules on this topic, catch up here.​

Last week, you were encouraged to use Ecosia as your search engine, hang out with forests, and advocate for urban tree canopies. Did ya do it? Tell me if so; that way I can brag about you to all my friends <3

To close out this month's Changeletter on trees, you can choose from three reflections (or do all of them).

Reflection #1: look outside your window / go outside. Are there trees around you? Do you know their names?

I am one of the lucky people who has almost infinite natural light in my apartment. I can see at LEAST 10 trees when I look outside. But even though I've passed them every day for 3+ years, I don't know their names! One is a magnolia, but the rest... no idea.

We protect the ones we know and love and care for, so we have to start with getting to know the trees around us.

​

Reflection #2: take three minutes to journal about nuance. What do you consider "good" and "bad" when it comes to protecting trees? Do you think you are correct?

In our last module I had my perspective on logging changed, thanks to this article on a regenerative forest where logging actually contributes to more trees. Healing the climate crisis isn't just about "reducing carbon;" it's about holding complex and seemingly contradictory thoughts in our brain. Trees are the perfect anchor for this exploration.

What thoughts does this article bring up for you?

Reflection #3: ponder "Our Land" by Langston Hughes

As of last month, we have a new ritual for our REFLECT module: poem-pondering. This one is "Our Land" and I feel that it's everything that Soapbox is striving to heal. What do you think? If you have any other poem recs, send them along; we'll close out every month with a poem from now on.

​Here is the poem.​

We should have a land of sun,
Of gorgeous sun,
And a land of fragrant water
Where the twilight is a soft bandanna handkerchief
Of rose and gold,
And not this land
Where life is cold.
​
We should have a land of trees,
Of tall thick trees,
Bowed down with chattering parrots
Brilliant as the day,
And not this land where birds are gray.
​
Ah, we should have a land of joy,
Of love and joy and wine and song,
And not this land where joy is wrong

Yes to joy and song and tall thick trees. It's up to us to heal ourselves and heal the Earth. Thank you for doing your part!

Love,

Nivi