Engaging in acts of mending - symbolic gestures of repair and care in a time when much seems beyond repair. These acts may seem useless, even futile, in the face of the vastness of the climate crisis. Yet they reflect a hope that small, deliberate actions can ripple outward, sparking dialogue and inspiring change.

So in hopes of mending the larger riffs in our lives, this April aka Earth Month, I invite you to mend with me and inspire change.

Here’s the deal:

every day pick up a piece of trash on your walk. Just one piece! 

(Not gonna stop you, feel free to pick it all up!) 

All you need is one for the challenge. Then mend that trash!

How many different ways can you mend a chewed up plastic water bottle? I find lots of those.

How challenging will it be to mend a squashed bottle cap?

What about mending a rip in a plastic bag that you found stuck in a bush?

This type of mending challenge will open your eyes to all the bits of trash, mostly single-use plastic of one kind or another, that might not make it into the trash bin and instead make their way into our rivers and oceans. 

And when you share your challenge with others, it will make them aware of this as well, and maybe, just maybe, it’ll inspire them to pick up a piece of trash as well. Because every little bit counts.

Here’s how to participate:

• Gather your mending supplies - thread, yarn, needles, thimble

• Pick up trash daily

• Mend one piece of trash daily

• Share with me and share on social media for the world to see! Post your art daily on IG and be sure to tag me @artbynatalya so that I can share your work

• PS of course you can choose to mend however you wish, and to mend whatever you wish. The main thing is to mend. It’s a verb.

Here are some hashtags to use:

#EarthMonthChallenge2025

#EarthMonthMendingChallenge2025

#30days4EarthDay 

#RepurposerCollectiveEarthMonth

#MendTheTrash

#VisibleMending

#RepairNotReplace

#CreativeReuse

#TrashToArt

#SustainableMending

#ZeroWasteArt

#PlasticPollutionAwareness

#EveryActionCounts