The tree next door: An environmental love story
Treat the earth well: It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. —Ancient Indian proverb
A walk along the beach. Hiking in the woods. Stargazing. Spending time in nature is soothing to our minds, bodies, and souls. It feels therapeutic because we are intricately intertwined with it. Given the health benefits of communing with nature, preserving our planet’s natural spaces becomes even more vital. Humans have a sacred responsibility to look out for nature’s best interests. After all, nature is sustaining and elevating humanity.
In a series of experiments in 2014 at the University of California, Berkeley, researchers found that experiencing the beauty of nature increased positive emotions leading to pro-social behaviors. A movement called The Rights of Nature attempts to ensure that nature has a voice in how it is treated. It is about balancing what is good for humans with what is good for the planet and its ecosystems.
The relationship between human activity and extreme weather has been documented. Greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, have increased dramatically in a short period of time. They cause climate change, which results in extreme weather patterns, wildfires, poor air quality, and health risks. The combustion and burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) and clearing of forests for agriculture contribute to greenhouse gases.
There are simple steps we can take on a daily basis to do our part in preserving nature and showing the planet some love. By conserving electricity and driving less, we will make a positive difference. Take an aerial view of daily choices, especially at the supermarket. For example, many processed foods contain corn syrup, which is heavily subsidized. Reducing our intake of these foods limits the need for vasts amounts of corn. Buying processed foods that are filled with chemicals and hidden sugars are bad for the body and mind, not just the planet. If we eat less or no meat, we are making a huge environmental difference to the planet. It takes large amounts of feed and water to produce beef. Pesticides used on crops end up in the ecosystem and eventually in us (and we don’t pee them out).
We can choose to buy less plastic packaging, be creative by making our own salad dressing instead of buying plastic bottles, whip up our own whipped cream instead of buying plastic tubs, and buy produce that is not packaged in plastic bins. We can bring reusable grocery bags to the store and bring our own reusable containers to restaurants instead of using plastic or Styrofoam takeout containers. It is not just that these plastics are filling up our landfills and oceans (which is a big problem), but the process used to create plastics is damaging to the air and land.
The health of the environment is truly the most important political issue since if we don’t have a planet, we can’t survive. Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what you can do for your planet.
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