‘Caring for Country’ - A Place We Call Home
Image sourced from Getty Images: Sebastianbourges
‘Caring for Country” is a term often used to describe sustainable land management practices and initiatives led by First Nation Australians. These practices view the land and its inhabitants holistically and play a key role in cultural continuation and the improvement of socio-economic and health outcomes for Australia's Indigenous Community.
The use of the term ‘Country’ for Aboriginal and Torres-Strait Islander Peoples is not just in regards to a place but is an all encompassing term that includes all living things, the culture and the communities connected to the land. It is a term that acknowledges First Nations peoples deep personal, spiritual and cultural connection to the land and the significance land has as the lifeblood of Indigenous culture. For Australian First Nations Peoples a loss of country is akin to the loss of family. If you take away land you also take away the identity of Indigenous Australians.
Whether we are just passing through or we call a place home, it is important to care for the land we stand on. By caring for the land you are assisting in preserving the environment and also preserving a culture and community that has survived for thousands of generations. It is a culture whose existence is etched in the land we walk upon.
We encourage you to take the time to learn more about the culture and Indigenous led caring for country practices in your community. However caring for country is not just limited to established conservation and land management projects but is a community driven movement that can translate into the daily lives of all individuals, regardless of cultural background. We have listed here a few small ways you can care for country and lead a more sustainable and eco friendly life.
- Minimise waste by opting for long lasting and re-usable products.
- Go plastic free by avoiding plastic packaged goods where possible.
- Recycle everything you can.
- Go Eco with eco friendly cleaning products.
- Buy local produce or grow your own.
- Create a compost bin to recycle food waste.
- Plant native trees or a low maintenance native garden.
- Educate yourself and others on the local flora and fauna.
- Avoid introducing foreign species of animals and plants to your home and when you travel by cleaning down your shoes, bags and equipment.
- Drive less and opt for public transport or ride-sharing options where possible.
- Do not move or de-face natural habitats and leave wildlife undisturbed.
- Build a bird box to encourage and support native species.
- Build a bug hotel to support insects that help with pollination.
- Support habitats of endangered species.
- Remove waste and litter when you see it, especially in bushlands.
For many of us as we go about our daily activities we often gravitate towards convenience. A lot of these convenient throwaway products end up as waste in our oceans and streets which is detrimental to the health of our ecosystem. You can reduce the impact of these items by switching to a re-usable version. At Yarn we have a range of reusable shopping bag, eco coffee cups as well as our 'Caring for Country Collection' of polos which are made from recycled materials.
Acknowledgement
We at Yarn, acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and sea. We pay our respect to all Elders, past, present and emerging.