We just kept tending; a raw reckoning in a turbulent time
A meditation on grief, tenderness and quiet devotion in an unraveling world; this piece arises from the ache of witnessing. Written from the in-between, where steadiness falters and purpose flickers, it asks: how do we remain present in a world that overwhelms? A call to staying-with: to co-breathe with the world, to tend the small, sacred thread we each carry, even when change feels impossibly far away.
The Hill Symphony
Perched beneath a lone eucalyptus, The Hill Symphony is a sensory meditation on nature’s quiet intelligence and divine orchestration. Through the simple act of attention, whether through holding a leaf, listening to cicadas or watching the sea, we are invited into a deeper rhythm where silence becomes symphony. Weaving memory, theology and ecological beauty, this reflection explores how even the smallest details of the natural world can become sacred compositions: a reminder to us that to listen is to belong.
A Walk for the More-Than-Human
In a world asking for urgency, what does it mean to move with care? This reflection explores walking as an embodied act of attention—where each step becomes a quiet offering to the land and its unseen kin. Rooted in the belief that agency doesn’t always roar, sometimes it simply walks; toward connection, toward reciprocity, toward remembering that we belong not apart, but with. Through movement, we honour the more-than-human world in our thought and in our practice.
The Slow Harvest
An act of care for the Earth can take many forms. For Erthly co-founder Emily, it often begins at the farmers market. After being featured on Who Does The Dishes, she shares a gentle reflection on slowness, seasonal rhythms, and the quiet joy of knowing who grows your food. In each vegetable, a reminder: tending to the world can be simple, relational and deeply rooted.
A Brand Of Lasting Intent
The quiet clarity behind Slowe Projects—a studio shaped by care, time, and a commitment to enduring practice. Its recent rebrand isn’t a shift, but a return: to slowness, substance, and the integrity of making with intention. In a world driven by speed, Slowe moves differently—releasing one piece at a time as an invitation to pause, to notice, to choose well. Design here is both contemporary and timeless, responsive yet rooted.
Rooted Reveries
Created by Alva and Emily, Rooted Reveries is a playlist that explores how music can deepen our connection to the Earth. Just as nature moves in rhythms and cycles, music has the power to ground us in the present while evoking a sense of place, memory, and emotion.
The Seven Flowers of Midsummer Eve
A special Earth Day reflection: In Sweden, Midsummer marks a luminous bond with nature—wildflowers gathered, meals shared under endless skies. An old tradition says to dream of love with flowers under your pillow—but maybe the true love is in the gathering itself. This is a story of care, of meadows once rich with life because we gave more than we took. We can’t turn back time, but we can choose to remember—and to care, deeply, again.
The Power of The Ripple Effect
This blog post explores how small actions can create meaningful change, building momentum in ways that extend far beyond their initial impact. Drawing from experiences with the UNICEF Student Team Utrecht and international exchange programs, it highlights how grassroots initiatives—like a bottle collection drive—can contribute to global efforts, foster collaboration, and reshape perspectives. Change doesn’t happen all at once, but through collective effort, every step taken can ripple outward to inspire lasting transformation.
A Diver’s Story; Individual passion fuels collective action
From childhood memories of kelp forests to the stark white silence of a bleached reef, this is a story of one diver’s evolving bond with the ocean—rooted in wonder, shaped by grief, and driven by purpose. What began as a personal calling has become a shared mission: to show that individual passion, when echoed by the collective, can create waves powerful enough to shift tides.
Climate Policy From The Frontlines
What began as a role at the ATO became an exercise in storyholding—bearing witness to the enduring impact of the 2019 Black Summer Bushfires. In conversations with survivors, Ray encountered policy not as abstraction, but as a force that shapes lives in immediate and profound ways. This piece examines how these narratives of resilience underscored the necessity of climate policy rooted in lived experience, ultimately catalysing the creation of the Youth Climate Policy Centre: an initiative dedicated to equipping young people with the tools to drive community-centred climate solutions.
The Art of Noticing
In this post, we explore the intellectual importance of noticing subtle moments in life. By tuning into the small, often overlooked details, we sharpen our awareness and cultivate mindfulness. These moments help us recognize the interconnectedness of all things, deepening our connection to nature and enriching our emotional and cognitive experiences. Appreciating the ordinary allows us to find meaning and beauty in everyday life, offering new perspectives and insights into the world around us.
Where the Winding Paths Meet
Where the Winding Paths Meet is a reflection on the deep connection between nature, healing and community. What started as a personal journey through water and wilderness became a path toward belonging—one that grew through shared experiences, storytelling, and a love for the land. This piece explores Arawyn, curator of platform Tranquil Trails, and how nature not only grounds us but also brings us together, reminding us that every step we take toward it is also a step toward each other.
Bridging Between Climate, Values, and the Human Story
Inspired by the panel event Bridging Generations: Climate, Values, and the Human Story, this reflection explores how storytelling shapes climate action and collective identity. The climate crisis is not just environmental—it is deeply social and cultural, revealing gaps between generations, disciplines, and ways of knowing. By bridging these divides, we open space for more inclusive narratives that center lived experience, emotional connection, and relational ways of understanding change.
And as part of the panel, a visual scribe captured the dialogue in a storytelling-based illustration, weaving together key insights and reflections. You can find this visual piece included in the full blog post.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion… For whom?
This post explores the true purpose of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)—not as a divisive concept, but as a necessary recalibration. DEI is not about exclusion; it’s about creating space for diverse experiences, knowledge, and leadership in systems that have long prioritized a narrow perspective. Just as biodiversity strengthens ecosystems, human diversity strengthens society. Embracing DEI means shifting away from scarcity-driven thinking and toward a world where inclusion is not an afterthought, but the foundation for progress.
Mermaids are real, and they live in Trinidad
One moment can change everything; the ocean shifts from just water to something that calls you home. Through a journey across continents, Kenia Marcano reflects on the plastic crisis in Trinidad and Tobago, the realization that set her on the path of marine advocacy, and how small ripples of awareness can turn into waves of change.
In step with nature
The four key paradigms of ecocentrism—Living With Nature, Living As Nature, Living From Nature, and Living In Nature—each offer a unique perspective on our relationship with the natural world. With Nature emphasizes coexistence and stewardship; As Nature highlights our oneness with all life; From Nature focuses on reciprocity and sustenance; and In Nature encourages a deep sense of belonging and rootedness. This blog is an interpretation of the latest paradigm.
The basis of our coalition
Our reflection as co-founders on an excerpt from Marx’s 'Estranged Labour,' laying the groundwork for the Erthly Collective's vision and guiding philosophy.