Meet Leap Day

Did you know that without Leap Day our entire concept of holiday seasons would be thrown off? In the Northern Hemisphere, we would celebrate July 4th in the winter and Halloween in spring. Our calendar math and the orbit of the Earth around the sun aren't in sync. Shauna Edson of the National Air Space Museum explains in The Washington Post:

"The way we humans measure time does not exactly line up with the orbit around the sun. We like things in neat numbers. Nature doesn't really work that way."

Without leap day, our 365 day calendars "would be off by 24 days each century." Over time that means how our calendar connects to the seasons would be completely haywire. For more, check out this Leap Day article by reporter Anumita Kaur of The Washington Post.

As we celebrate this bonus day, keep in mind that sometimes nature doesn't match our need for tidiness and that our concept of time is not an exact science. I'm carrying this perspective with me as I get ready to speak at the World Happiness Summit in London to take a deep dive into the research on happiness, purpose, well-being, and sustainability. Here's what's new:

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: UPCOMING ECO-ANXIETY SUMMIT FOR MARCH 7TH

More of my colleagues in the wellness and health space are seeing clients with eco-anxiety and burn out. Check out this FREE online summit on March 7, 2024 with Dr. Stephanie Marango, Dr. Leslie Carr, Victoria Gilchrist, Amy Ziff, and Sara Ivanhoe and many other experts to learn more about eco-anxiety, what it is, and how to manage it. REGISTER HERE.

60 DAYS TO A GREENER LIFE PUB DAY IS APRIL 9TH!

I'm so excited about my upcoming book, 60 Days to a Greener Life: Ease Eco-anxiety Through Joyful Daily Action, published by Harper Collins on April 9, 2024. What an honor that the voice of human sustainability and well-being expert Jen Fisher of Deloitte agreed to blurb the book. Follow Jen and watch her TED talk on the future of work to find out more about "human sustainability."

60 Days to a Greener Life is short 144 page day reader that makes sustainable living simple and provides easy-to-apply and easy-to-understand ways to manage eco-anxiety and take action. I write about why individual climate action matters and about supporting renewable energy, promoting regenerative agriculture, connecting to nature, greening your diet, avoiding toxic chemicals and more. It's a like a daily devotional aimed at inviting more people into the climate movement. For veteran activists and sustainability leaders, I hope it's a resource to restore your spirit.

LEAP YEAR MUSINGS

?What I'm reading:

• ?How to Read the Wilderness: An Illustrated Guide to North American Flora & Fauna?- it's been a while since I've taken a field ecology class so I'm appreciating this read. I can feel my cortisol levels dropping as I flip through the beautiful illustrations.
• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent - re-reading this eye-opening, beautifully written book about racism in American as a caste system and recommitting to "do the work.'" ?

What I'm watching:

• ?How Film Changes How We See The World (Ava Duvernay & Pat Mitchell)- I have not seen the film Origin because it's not in Bozeman or streaming yet, but it is on my list. However, I was able to see this conversation live at TED Women and can't stop thinking about it. Here is the trailer. Sit with this quote for a minute: "You don't escape trauma by ignoring it, you escape by confronting it."
• Love on the Spectrum - a sweet Netflix show that is helping me appreciate the neurodivergent people in my life.

Favorite Recipes:

• ?Roasted yams and chickpeas with yogurt by the smitten kitchen. Delicious!
• Oven-roasted Zucchini with collard-peanut pesto by Chef Bryant Terry, a tasty vegan option for winter. ?

My latest #onegreenthings:

• ?Toothpaste tablets- yep, you read that right. I'm trying them out to avoid plastic and gotta say, they are pretty cool!
• ?Sustainable Travel- I'm heading to London soon for the World Happiness Summit. Check out some of my favorites tips in this reel on what's in my travel bag.
• Ongoing recruiting 18 to 26 year-olds for the Climate Leadership Academy for my nonprofit OneGreenThing, a new online program about how our democratic institutions work and how environmental policy happens. Send young people our way!

Thanks for reading this far! As always, my work is about relationships, connecting, and reciprocity. Please reach out if there's anything I can do to help YOU on your journey to create a greener, healthier, more just future.

Heather White?is an author, CEO & founder of OneGreenThing.org, CEO of the consulting firm Heather White Strategies, LLC , and nonprofit executive with more than 20 years experience in environmental law, policy & advocacy. She's a frequent spokesperson in the national media on eco-anxiety, climate, sustainability, well-being, and environmental issues. She's the author of One Green Thing (Harper Collins 2022). Her next book 60 Days to A Greener Life: Ease Eco-anxiety Through Joyful Daily Action will be published on April 9, 2024. Follow her on Linked In, Instagram, TikTok, X, and Threads.