Post by Angie Chandler, Founder of The Joi Center, a wellness researcher, writer/ poet, humanitarian and social entrepreneur.
HI Everyone,
It has been a very long time since I have written a blog post, but, that’s about to change. Over the last few months I have spent time reflecting and rethinking about the direction of the Joi project and where it is going, and it is clear, Joi Center is here to be part of a much greater mission.
Joi is here to be part of an amazing “LOVE revolution”, a movement I believe is getting ready to take place as more and more people are waking up to the things that need to change. People are seeking ways to not only live healthier and happier, but, also choosing to support ways to help preserve, protect and heal our most precious resources. At Joi you will find a growing community of like-minded people who share in the belief that it is time to take back our health , our wellbeing and begin to be more mindful of our power to choose what is good for us and to inspire a planet that can thrive.
Joi is about human sustainability and how we all can become not only better human beings, but also better stewards of our planet. We must support and protect the environment in which we live and depend on for life.
Our political landscape is heating up more and more with the exposure of companies and organizations who clearly disregard standards that protect our human rights to clean food, land, air and water.
Deforestation of our forests and jungles are causing the breakdown of the natural eco-systems which are extremely necessary for the sustainability of OUR planet.
“We need the planet more than she needs us”
I do believe that the wrong doing by companies who do not respect our human needs is finally coming to a head, however, this movement of mankind to pay attention to the environment is not new at all.
In fact, Earth Day started in 1972, when millions of Americans hit the streets to bring awareness to many of the same issues that we are fighting today, issues around litter, clean air, water conservation, animal poaching and deforestation.
"This land is our land", lyrics from an old song we once sang. These natural resources were given to us by God to serve us, and be our ecological lifelines.
In 1975 I was in 7th grade, and remember writing a research paper on water conservation, and now here we are 48 years later having to fight for the same issues, but now, it is a much bigger problem, one that we can no longer afford to ignore.
It is mind blowing how mankind is treating our land, plants, animals and each other. There are still too many people and corporations who ignorantly continue to pollute and destroy our most precious God-given resources.
When it hits home...
I lived in a beautiful residential community of Charleston SC, and started to see a massive attack on the land and natural resources right inside our own neighborhoods. Month after month, more and more land was being wiped out to build more and more houses, condos, office buildings, shopping centers, etc. .
As a result of this negligence, the wildlife was put into a state of shock as the deer, birds, and other creatures became homeless overnight, and now many neighborhoods are left with many lost deer roaming anxiously in the yards and gardens because they have no place to go.
As a business woman and progressive intellectual, I am certainly not against growth and development, but, for God’s sakes, can we at least be more mindful of the places we choose to develop and by how much?
When is enough enough?
There are many ways to build communities that offer the things we need without over destroying so much of the natural resources in the meantime. It is very obvious that it is all for the love of money, short term gains without consideration of the long term effects.
" There is always more than one way to accomplish something, the easy way or the right way"
Below is a link to a poem that I wrote about this topic and decided to share it as my little "gift' to honor EARTH DAY …
Peace, Love & JOI!
Angie
