Skip to content
This article first appeared in our Earth Day 2023 issue of My Green Pod Magazine, published on 22 April 2023. Click here to subscribe to our digital edition and get each issue delivered straight to your inbox
As we approach Earth Day, we must acknowledge the fact that one of the biggest crises facing our natural world is the undeniable threat of climate change.
Rising global temperatures are causing a range of existential problems, including dangerous heatwaves, rapidly melting glaciers, rising sea levels, crippling floods, increasingly frequent and severe storms, horrific droughts endangering water supplies, painstaking hunger, wildfires, displaced communities and the extinction of vital ecosystems and species.
In the wake of such devastating disasters, all of which have hurt the planet so immensely, we must all now make every effort to heal Mother Earth, relieve the most vulnerable among us from suffering and bring more love, peace and harmony to mankind.
Earth Day symbolises an opportune time to reflect on the many challenges facing our beloved environment and find purpose in serving something bigger than ourselves.
At its essence, Earth Day is a unifying force for individuals and communities to come together to protect Mother Earth and help to create a more sustainable future for all humanity and all living beings.
For more than 50 years, my life’s work has focused on helping individuals in crisis find their inner power to heal themselves and lead happier and healthier lives.
I’ve been fortunate enough to share global stages with the likes of Deepak Chopra, and have earned recognition from some of the world’s most visible leaders, Grammy winners and CEOs, including David Meltzer, Roberta Flack and the late Maya Angelou.
A bonus to my professional work has been establishing a nonprofit called the Love Peace Harmony Foundation, which strives to empower individuals and transform communities through impactful environmental restoration and humanitarian programmes across the globe.
We recently formed a strategic partnership with two leading environmental advocates, One Tree Planted and Eden Reforestation, in a broader effort to replant besieged forests and revitalise critical ecosystems in some of the world’s most severely deforested areas.
Planting trees and revitalising forests is crucial in the fight against climate change.
Trees are natural carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converting it into oxygen through photosynthesis.
Deforestation has contributed significantly to the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, because when trees are cut down they are no longer able to perform their natural cleansing function.
Trees also play a vital role in mitigating the effects of climate change by reducing soil erosion, improving air quality and providing habitats for wildlife.
By planting more than 1.3 million trees to date, we’re doing our part to combat climate change and preserve the health of our planet.
Our reforestation work is fostering a deeper sense of love and responsibility towards the environment, and helping to inspire others to take action across the globe.
The Love Peace Harmony Foundation is also focusing on improving the health and wellbeing of at-risk communities in the conflict-plagued Democratic Republic of Congo, the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
More than 33 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo lack access to a safe water supply, which has a drastic impact on their health and livelihood.
The crisis is particularly acute for women and girls, many of whom survive by hand-digging wells and collecting water from sources miles and miles away from home – occupying hours of the day and diminishing their capacity to earn an income or go to school.
The Love Peace Harmony Foundation is building 10 new water wells in rural villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and expanding access to safe water for nearly 60,000 people.
Rural communities in the Congo have been devastated by the clean water crisis, and we are humbly doing what we can to help to them heal themselves.
The newly created infrastructure is being engineered with the help of heavy machinery that drills 330 feet down into the ground and installs cutting-edge pipes and pumps.
The new wells will help to protect these vulnerable populations from devastating water-borne diseases and malnutrition, while creating new pathways for education and economic mobility.
We are proudly spearheading these efforts to address the clean water crisis alongside the inspiring Queen Diambi Kabatusuila, who leads more than 1.5 million Bakwa Luntu people in the Central Kasaï region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Queen Diambi was also recently featured in Netflix’s African Queens: Njinga.
According to Queen Diambi, one of the most challenging problems that her people continuously face is the lack of access to clean drinking water.
To date, the only solution has been for women and girls to travel far away from their villages to find and collect water for their families – one cup at a time.
When Queen Diambi received the news that 10 additional villages – home to nearly 60,000 residents – were going to have their own working well, she said she jumped for joy. She added that she knew good health and opportunities for her people were on the way.
Now, as we reflect on Earth Day in a more holistic sense, it is essential to continue inspiring the world through the actions of individuals and organisations dedicated to preserving the health of our planet.
The Love Peace Harmony Foundation is a prime example of such an organisation, spearheading efforts to combat climate change through reforestation work and improving the health and wellbeing of at-risk communities.
By coming together and spreading love, peace and harmony across the globe, we can make a significant impact and ensure a more sustainable future for all of humanity.
Dr and Master Zhi Gang Sha is a medical doctor trained by Xi’an Jiaotong University in China, Tao Grandmaster and 11 times New York Times bestselling author. He established the Love Peace Harmony Foundation in 2008 to serve all humanity and to make others
happier and healthier.
Consider supporting these critical efforts to protect the environment and lift up at-risk communities by donating to Love Peace Harmony Foundation here.
Madeleine Mosse, CEO of Plan for Peace, on the programme designed to resource UK changemakers.
New book by peace and environmental activist Satish Kumar sets out how – and why – we should all live more simply.
Dr Scilla Elworthy explains how we can transform the current crises using the power of the heart.
Sadhguru, founder of non-profit spiritual organisation Isha Foundation, explains the science and technology for inner wellbeing.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Weekly ethical news, offers, comps and a free digital mag (quarterly) – what’s not to love?
