One thing I love about the community surrounding sustainable living, is that every new discovery comes with the feeling of community rather than competition. It’s this shared idea that we’re all in this together, that we all need each other to make a difference, that more can only mean more support, that inspires rather than intimidates when I find a community that operates a little like mine. Coming across the Instagram account Allies of Mother Earth, I instantly felt a sense of camaraderie with its founder, Casha Doemland. (Perhaps this isn’t so surprising, but when you’ve worked in the digital space for years, you start to feel like every community is oversaturated, and it’s so refreshing to realize that there is no such thing as an oversaturated community of people who care. Sigh!)
Long after first connecting online, Casha interviewed me for Allies of Mother Earth. I was honored to share the story of eco club, and discovered just how many times our personal stories overlap… especially since I began writing about sustainable lifestyle while also living in Los Angeles. Naturally I wanted to dive deeper into AOME, its beginnings, and Casha’s plans for the future. Not surprisingly, she’s kicking ass with this new community of Allies in Los Angeles. They’ve recently connected to clean up Griffith Park (my old neighbor!) and have big dreams for supporting Mother Earth as their community grows.
Above photo by Jack Strutz for Allies of Mother Earth.
Tell us about yourself, outside of Allies of Mother Earth.
Los Angeles-born, but Georgia-bred, I returned to my roots approximately three years ago on an impulse and have never looked back. Throughout this time, I have not only achieved my dream of being a freelance writer, but I have learned a variety of skills/trades, lived in Indonesia for few months, and conquered a couple of fears like rock climbing outdoors and learning to ride a motorcycle.
You’re based in LA. How would you sum up the struggles (and successes) of your local community in dealing with the environmental problems we face?
I definitely think there are a significant amount of people in my local community who care about the environment, and who want to not only clean up the planet but live a lower impact, eco-conscious lifestyle. It’s obvious by the sheer number of people who are making shifts in their diets (climate change) or shopping smart to rid themselves of not only plastics but items that are not ethically made.
Additionally, there are a significant amount of people who are speaking out against environmental issues and offering solutions.
On the flip side, I think it’s easy to fail or slip with living consciously because of time constraints or not having the finances to invest in certain things. Sustainable living is a luxury. I, myself, have failed pretty miserably in the last two months due to a grave personal matter where my priorities in life shifted into survival mode. It’s only in the last week that I’ve slowly started to return to an eco-friendly lifestyle.
So, if anything, the struggles surrounding environmental problems are due to a lack of solutions for all. It’s not that people don’t care or aren’t making moves in the right direction, it’s because change takes time.
Thinking back in your life, how did you come to care strongly about Earth and its future?
I’ve always been enamored with Mother Earth’s beauty and found solace in long hikes, scenic drives and days spent by the ocean. When I went into middle school, I discovered the environmental club and helped run the recycling program as well as build trails out in parks.
From there, I always knew I wanted to give back somehow but was unsure of how until I moved into Los Angeles, and found an inspiring community that I realized I could ignite change on my own.
Through my sustainability freelance writing, I expanded my knowledge and launched Allies of Mother Earth.
How would you describe your local community of Allies? Has it been easy or difficult to find fellow Allies? How have you gone about establishing a community?
My community of Allies of Mother Earth is still fairly small as I have just officially launched the website and began planning my official events, but there are definitely plenty of humans who are interested. It’s been fairly easy to foster a community, as lots of people care about the planet, and most of the rad individuals within mine are friends, friends of friends, or individuals who have caught wind of my project through social media/word of mouth.
What are your goals and plans for AOME?
My goals for Allies of Mother Earth are fairly straightforward. I’d love to first, and foremost, raise awareness of the current state of the planet and promote ways in which we can keep her clean and show some much-needed love. In the process of doing so, foster a community with individuals who feel the same by highlighting radical eco-conscious, low waste brands, stores, and humans.
Additionally, I’ve got a handful of local clean-ups and one surprise event in the pipeline for the fall/winter.
In a dream world, which can very much be my world, I’d like to shift Allies of Mother Earth over to a non-profit and continue to spark change on a more national (potentially international) level. I am currently planning to go back to school for a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, so I can further understand policies and back that up.
Above photos of Los Angeles shop Sustain LA. More information on Casha’s visit available on Instagram.
Tell us about your other projects.
Outside of Allies, I have worked on We Are Phenomenal, a platform dedicated to telling the stories of women and gender non-binary individuals around the globe as authentically as possible, for the last three years. Throughout that time, I’ve been able to connect with so many phenomenal and inspiring individuals, and for that, I am forever grateful. It’s a project that I think will always be around and that I will work on in my free time.
Where else can we find you?
You can find all the goodies on my main website/portfolio, cashadoemland.com, as well as on Instagram at @cashad and @alliesofmotherearth.
LA friends, be sure to sign up for one of Allies’ cleanups to meet Casha and fellow AOME in person! Details on the next event can be found on Instagram.
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