I mentioned in my last post that I would be talking more in depth about microplastics this week. However, due to a busy week, I needed a bit more time to really make sure that it's what I wanted, and, if those desires are met, then I should have a pretty special post for you all. So, while we're waiting on that, I wanted to share my thoughts on a topic that I had been thinking about for a while now: the real value of spending time in, learning about, and appreciating nature.
Today's Condition
Let's face it: not many people's lives, especially those of young children like myself, are spent appreciating the environment. In a climate where technology progresses at the rate it does, often times it can be hard to step out of our homes, out of the "bubble" if you will, and experience what's around us. Why? Well, unlike times before, where there would be no option to stay inside if one was looking for entertainment, nowadays remaining within our homes is almost always easier, and more engaging, then leaving it. We've got TVs, smartphones, computers, all incredible devices that help to keep us entertained on a daily basis. And as a result, the need for entertainment from nature dwindles. Obviously, everyone's situation is different in terms of their access to technology, but I've definitely witnessed this in my community, and even in myself.
Why is This Even a Problem?
That being said, why does it even matter if people are spending less time out in nature? Don't they have the freedom to make their own choices, and find their own interests? While this is certainly true, it brings up a key point that I want to address. In an ideal world, choosing our interests and what we wish to pursue, even if that doesn't relate to nature, would be an easy and harmless reality. We could live our lives how we want to, choosing to completely ignore nature if we wanted. However, our reality's different, and neglecting nature ENTIRELY from those interests has been the cause behind many of the global problems we face today.
The Expected Answer
When I originally intended to write this post, my first reason for finding appreciation in nature was quite different, and what I see as a bit more expected. I proposed that spending more time listening to birds, or identifying trees, would give our lives more meaning, and make us happier people. That increasing the time we spend outside would somehow correlate to an increase in happiness, or prosperity. This was originally my view because it was the experience I had. I find that, the more time I spend in nature, the happier I am (in most cases). But, as I continued to think about it, I realized that this couldn't be the same for everyone.
The Reality
As much as I would like to tell you that spending time out in nature will make your life ten times more meaningful, it's just not the case for everyone. It was for me, and for a good few others I've known throughout my limited years, but for some it just doesn't work. And most importantly, not everyone has the means or circumstance to cultivate the same experience. All of this, I believe, we already knew.
So, what could be the reason? Well, it's one that I certainly don't like, and one that poses a bleak view of reality. Because the truth is, we've dug ourselves a deep hole. Problems like climate change, deforestation, ocean acidification, and desertification don't come out of nowhere. They're products of decades worth of lost interest in nature, a result of our disregard and lack of respect. They've come from a distinct, grounded origin, and one that can only be reversed by the creation of new interest.
The reason for appreciation in nature comes not from a perceived moral benefit, but from a necessity. The problems mentioned before, if left untouched, will be our downfall. The Earth, after many, many years, might survive, but humanity will not, and there's only one thing that could possibly stop it. The problems that were created by a lack of interest can only be solved by a renewal of that same interest, adopted not by a few, but by many.
Protection Without Care
You can't protect what you don't care about. That one statement has rung true throughout a multitude of different issues, and continues to showcase itself countless times over. The people who cared, who were really passionate about an issue, did the most when it came to protection. And those who have cared the least have often been the most destructive, which couldn't be showcased better than in the recent administration and resigning of Scott Pruitt, head of the EPA. The care that others have shown for nature has led to some of the greatest protective efforts, and our world needs this more than it ever has in the past.
Solutions can't be forced upon us, it just won't work. If we ever hope to solve these catastrophic problems, we must first develop a passion for nature, whether it be through experience, education, or otherwise, then utilize that passion to craft solutions. In a sense, we must push ourselves to find that love, and work to expand it. Solutions cannot be crafted, nor implemented, without that passion: it is in itself the source of all possible solutions. Saving our Earth, and saving ourselves, is all a matter of interest. If we care about our world, we can, and will, save it. But if not, then we have truly condemned ourselves.
Conclusion
That being said, I want to make one last point before I wrap this up. Developing a passion and desire to protect nature doesn't require us to dedicate our entire lives to it. Environmentalists, at least through my experience, have been labeled as having to give up their entire lives for the cause. This is not the case, and it's an idea that has turned many people away from developing this passion. You don't have to give up your entire life to care, and I would argue that it's really not too difficult to develop an interest anyway. Protecting the environment isn't about sacrificing everything we have, it's about learning to use what we've been given in a way that considers all aspects of our planet. So, if you take the time to develop this interest in nature, to learn about it, and take the time to think about what it means to really protect it, then you'll not only develop what might turn out to be a life-long passion, but one that will help to benefit humanity for years to come.
All credit for images used in this post goes to:
http://www.wallpapereast.com/wallpaper-nature/page/4
http://athomewithred.blogspot.com/2013/08/natural-texture.html
http://www.klemchuk.com/2016-presidential-election-important-for-the-future-of-technology-and-innovation/
https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/desertification-crisis-affecting-168-countries-worldwide-study-shows
http://brewinghappiness.xyz/tag/nature/
http://wdmarchitects.com/2016/10/nature-architecture-happiness/
http://www.arkive.org/c/deforestation
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2015-05-06/community-based-drought-response/
https://trofire.com/2017/06/25/epa-continues-purge-scientists-putting-public-health-jeopardy/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/2392606034485548/
https://www.thelifestylecompound.com/big-secret-finding-passion-life-chasing/
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