We are living in a unique moment, not just in human history, but in planetary history. First the bad news.  Our ecological footprint exceeded the Earth’s carrying capacity in the late 1970s and we are now effectively using the resources of 1.5 planets. At current rates of fossil fuel use, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change conservatively estimates we on track to warm the planet by 2.7-8.1°F, which would be a nightmare scenario for most life on Earth.

Making matters worse, governments and corporations are still sluggish to account for our environmental impacts within our political and economic systems, despite growing warnings.  Business and politics as usual are no longer options if we want to maintain a livable planet.

The good news is ordinary citizens are connecting the dots and becoming increasingly willing to respond to the impacts of climate change and other environmental crises.   Earth Deeds envisions a world of engaged change agents co-creating sustainable communities and believes we can not only survive, but thrive in the coming years. This is our Hero’s Journey.  This is our moon-shot. This is our opportunity to consciously evolve as a species and discover not only how to live interdependently with all life, but also what it means to be truly human.

To make a real difference, however, we must go beyond individual behaviors and find ways to increase our collective awareness and actions. Along with growing awareness and concern, we need effective, collaborative tools to understand and respond to our collective impacts and create more resilient communities and ecosystems.  These tools are currently sorely lacking.

Earth Deeds is moving beyond carbon offsetting by engaging groups as well as individuals to acknowledge their environmental impacts and support meaningful projects that build local community resilience and Carbon Consciousness.  Rather than “neutralizing” our environmental “sins”, Earth Deeds is saying, “Let’s be grateful for the Earth’s gifts – notably fossil fuels – and let’s ‘pay it forward’ in ways that have meaning to us and create a better world for ourselves and our children.”

Earth Deeds vision is to become a key leverage point in our planet’s “Great Turning” toward a more ecological age.  By measuring and accounting for our climate impacts, we can support and develop beneficial relationships with local sustainability projects and create healthy communities for our ourselves, our children, and all beings.