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#RE

TURN

a subtractive solution to save the bees

The #REturn Movement

When faced with issues too complex and connected to be solved by the individual, sometimes the greatest power that we have is to raise awareness. Our mission is to explore the possibilities of a new landscape for information spread: social media. We are creating a model for a social media movement that aims to glamorize biodiversity - educating about its benefits, prompting individual action, and most importantly exposing the individual to information that they will take with them as they move throughout the world. We have created a snapchat filter in order to spread awareness of native biodiversity and its benefits. By creating a Snapchat filter and photoshopped images of biodiverse lawns, we aim to show a "glamourized" version of a biodiverse lawn and increase acceptance and interest in implementing biodiversity in local blank spaces. 

Reasons to Care

Loss of native biodiversity is listed by the world economic forum as one of the top 10 threats to humanity. Currently, grass lawns cover more than 40 million acres of land in the Unites States alone--requiring resources such as mowing, pesticides, fertilizer, time, and money. These grassy lawns also deplete natural habitats and food for pollinators: members of this planet that benefit us by pollinating our food (a third of our food requires pollination!). Biodiverse lawns have other benefits as well; clover is able to pull nitrogen from the air and soil, resulting in cleaner air and soil and an overall decreased need for fertilizer - ultimately lowering greenhouse gas emissions that are a byproduct of fertilizer production. Implementing biodiverse lawns eliminates the need for mowing, which not only requires time and money, but contributes more air pollution than driving a car for 100 miles. Biodiversity is is beneficial for native pollinators, and our wellbeing and survival depends on it.  

How to Get Involved

Learning this information can be intimidating and scary. Luckily there are ways you can help! Below are a few attainable options for how to get involved with this issue:

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  • Create social media posts with the filter (linked below) and #REturn 

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  • Explore this site and other similar movements to gain more knowledge

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  • Stop mowing a section of your lawn 

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  • Plant native wildflowers in spaces near you

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  • Share what you learn with others!

Rewilding

"Rewilding is a progressive approach to conservation. It’s about letting nature take care of itself, enabling natural processes to shape land and sea, repair damaged ecosystems and restore degraded landscapes. Through rewilding, wildlife’s natural rhythms create wilder, more biodiverse habitats."

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-Rewilding Europe 

Filter Implimentation

Resources

Talbot, M. (2016, September 30). More sustainable (and beautiful) alternatives to a grass lawn. NRDC. Retrieved from https://www.nrdc.org/stories/more-sustainable-and-beautiful-alternatives-grass-lawn. 

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