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I came across this in today's headlines. Phoebe Weston gives her readers seven examples of how we humans have made our lives here on earth more tenuous, because we made alterations to the natural world. I am constantly reminded of lessons my mom gave me as a child, when we would go out for nature walks. (Yes, I was expected to walk as a child -- no stroller for me!) Each time I would reach for something, she would tell me: "Wait, let's watch it. Everything has a purpose in nature. Don't hurt it."
I love listening to the owl that lives in my neighbor's trees in his backyard. The gentle "Hoo, hoo" lulls me on warm summer evenings when my windows are open. I hear them less frequently these past few years, and now I wonder if, with the increased development here in the hill where I live, they too are being destroyed.
Humanity has this screwed up perspective that WE are the reason everything else is here. Even reinforced in the bible with it's awarding us "dominion" over wildlife.
Pretty self-centered and myopic, IMO.
When I go out to natural areas, I have a "zero trace" philosophy. Leave no trace behind that I was ever there. Not one burned match, not one candy wrapper, not even a worn out stick of chewing gum. It actually irritates me to no end seeing people leave abandoned clutter in natural environments
Humanity has this screwed up perspective that WE are the reason everything else is here. Even reinforced in the bible with it's awarding us "dominion" over wildlife.
Pretty self-centered and myopic, IMO.
When I go out to natural areas, I have a "zero trace" philosophy. Leave no trace behind that I was ever there. Not one burned match, not one candy wrapper, not even a worn out stick of chewing gum. It actually irritates me to no end seeing people leave abandoned clutter in natural environments
I so agree with you. I hope with awareness, people may start thinking about incremental changes.
I do not dispute that humans are careless, selfish, and thoughtless. But we are part of the natural world too...we are just as entitled to be ourselves as any other creature. If all humans disappeared tomorrow, in awhile nature would erode the cities and the world would all be green again.
We are too arrogant to realize that we are just as insignificant as an anthill, or a beehive.
That's something I've come to realize... we can't live without causing harm. Period. Especially if we want to live a modern lifestyle (electricity, cars, eating things besides what grows in the immediate area we live in, travel, etc.) Try to curb it in one way, and you just create harm in another way. And the human race just keeps growing...
I think one of the worst, is abandoned fishing line. I've seen it cause so much suffering.
I've seen that too. Does your region post receptacles near fishing access points for discarded fishing line? Here in WA we have that at most sites and it seems to help, but there are always exceptions. I try to pull what I find out and take it to the next trash receptacle. Sometimes it is located in a place I cannot reach without wading.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gentlearts
I do not dispute that humans are careless, selfish, and thoughtless. But we are part of the natural world too...we are just as entitled to be ourselves as any other creature. If all humans disappeared tomorrow, in awhile nature would erode the cities and the world would all be green again.
We are too arrogant to realize that we are just as insignificant as an anthill, or a beehive.
Keep in mind that our fellow wild animals populations are checked by hunger, lifespan, and predators; they don't create wastes that are not consumed by other wild creatures. Despite our intelligence, we refuse to keep our populations down by voluntarily, and we do not refrain from trashing up our air, water, and lands. I've yet to find a species that destroys our habitat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by K12144
That's something I've come to realize... we can't live without causing harm. Period. Especially if we want to live a modern lifestyle (electricity, cars, eating things besides what grows in the immediate area we live in, travel, etc.) Try to curb it in one way, and you just create harm in another way. And the human race just keeps growing...
Yes, unfettered reproduction is our biggest sin. Just our flatulence (and that of our domestic stock -- also over populated) is destroying the atmosphere. We exhale CO2, and we fart methane. How noble this beast.
My backyard is full of flowers, trees, bushes, birds, butterflies, bees, squirrels, etc. It wouldn't have gotten that way without me.
Same here, along with bunnies. We don't put out any pesticides nor herbicides, so at times things look a bit motley, but I love walking along listening to the steady hum of the bees, the whoosh of the passing humming birds (no feeders -- just flowers and insects), and the "tck, tck" of the dark-eyed juncos.
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