This week, we honor Indigenous Peoples Day and Native American Heritage Month by exploring how Indigenous communities have long led the way in sustainable living. From “good fire” forest management and Zuni waffle gardens to seed stewardship and salmon restoration, Indigenous peoples have cultivated climate resilience for generations — practices that today’s world urgently needs to learn from. We discuss how these traditional ecological practices protect biodiversity, combat climate change, and embody true land stewardship. Plus, we share resources to help you discover the Indigenous lands you live on and ways to support Native-led climate action.

• Recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day and Native American Heritage Month as opportunities for learning and gratitude.
• Understanding how Indigenous cmmunities are original environmental stewards.
• Examples of Indigenous sustainability practices — from dryland farming and irrigation to cultural burns and clam gardens.
• Exploring resources like native-land.ca to learn whose land you’re on.
• How traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) offers climate solutions modern science is just beginning to validate.
• Ways to support Indigenous sovereignty and environmental leadership.

Next Green Thing: Watch Tending Nature, a PBS documentary highlighting Indigenous land stewardship and how traditional practices — from food harvesting to craftwork — keep heritage alive while healing the Earth. 🌾✨

Chapter Markers:

• [14:28] Native American Heritage Month
• [42:50] Next Green Thing

Resources:

• native-land.ca
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/04/22/native-american-practices-combat-climate-change/
• https://earth.org/indigenous-wisdom-leading-the-path-to-sustainable-practices-in-canada/
• https://earth.org/people-climate-change/
• https://www.pbs.org/articles/an-earth-month-playlist-centering-indigenous-voices

Rate & Review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yPcV81RJQV74HQ8NbymTs?si=hHP7zDEPT6CoozRt_CsMQA