Rediscovering Mother Nature

For my last blog post, i’d like to share my own beliefs when it comes to being a nature interpreter. Admittedly, at the beginning of this course I wasn’t too fond of nature, I always thought it was kind of dirty, filled with insects and just not my cup of tea. I mean i’m still not very fond of insects, but I definitely have a newfound appreciation for nature. This is why I think as a nature interpreter, it’s important that I am compassionate and kind to nature. 

Majority of my childhood I think I just misunderstood nature. I didn’t realize how beautiful and soothing it could be for your soul. To me, it was just the dirty outdoors even though of course it has always been a lot more than just trees, grass and bugs. However, as of recently my relationship with it began to change. 

I’ve mentioned in an earlier post that during my trip to India last year was when my relationship with nature truly began to change. I’d like to share that feeling once again, because it’s truly important to me. My family comes from Punjab, india. In Punjab, the majority of the population there live off of farming. Not only do they farm to survive, but they farm because for generations we’ve been farming. So the one day when my uncle took my brother and I to the farm lands, and with my own eyes I saw the farmers working on their individual plots. It was one farmer per plot of land, and the land just seemed to go for miles. They were knee deep in soil, just digging, watering, planting and instinctively I was disgusted at the idea of being covered in dirt. However, when I just sat on top of the water motor and watched from a distance, as they continued to work, it finally hit me. All of a sudden I felt instant regret and guilt for feeling so disgusted, because these fields they were farming on, were once the same fields my grandfather, and his father worked on as well. I felt instant guilt in thinking I was disrespecting not only my grandparents, and great-grandparents, but all my ancestors who have only ever known farming and are the reason I am standing here today. 

Farmer husband and wife, in their fields. 

My grandfather used to tell me stories about him working on these farms. He would tell me how hard it was to work in the blaring sun, and for 14 hours of the day too. He always told me how much his heart-ached during the dry months, when he’d watch his plants begin to dry and wither away because it hadn’t rained in months. Then, he’d tell me the stories about the joy the farmers felt when it finally did rain. Some would cry out of relief because the rain saved their months long work, while others would call it a day and drink in celebration. 

It was then in India when I realized I had it wrong the whole time. Nature has always been nurturing and giving to me. This is why I felt guilty. I felt guilt because I knew how deeply connected my grandfather was to the same soil that was disgusting me seconds earlier. Not only did the soil feed his family but it had the heart and soul of all my ancestors in it, and that is why it was so dear to my grandfather. You see, to farmers their farmland is not just their livelihood but also extremely spiritually important. Their soil means so much to them, because its the same soil their fathers, and their father’s fathers, and even their father’s father’s father once stepped foot on. It’s been passed along for generations, so of course there is an emotional connection to it. My trip to India taught me that I need to be kind and compassionate to nature, because it’s nurtured my ancestors for centuries and it’s the only thing connecting me to them. 

This is why I want to share with you all something that is so dear to my heart, something that makes me tear-up even writing it. I’m not sure if you have heard about currently 12 million_ farmers are protesting new farm bills passed in India. Farmers from North, South, East and West India have made their way to Delhi to protest against these bills, but they have been met with tear gas, water cannons and beatings from the police. The violence against them is completely unnecessary because their protests have been entirely peaceful, and majority of these farmers are old aged and already risking their lives during this pandemic to protest. The farmers know all the bills are disguised to help them, when in reality they make them more vulnerable to large corporations. The Indian government has pulled their minimum support price, and instead has given the private corporations the ability to determine the rate at which farmers can sell their produce. The minimum support price was acting as a minimum wage for the farmers, but now since large corporations decide the price, the farmers are left with no leverage or backup plan for their goods. This is very dear to me, because I am only one generation removed from being in India protesting as well. I come from a family of farmers and they know right now their livelihood is at stake. They know that these new bills give these large private corporations the ability to manipulate and exploit farmers even more so than they already do, and push farmers further into debt until they’ll be forced to sell their farm land. The same ancestral land, the same land these farmers work 14 hours a day to make the food that feeds the entire country. 

From the protests In Delhi.

12 millions+ farmers protesting in the streets of Delhi.

I’ve attached links to petitions, links to learn more, but please consider reading up more because I know I didn’t do a sufficient job in explaining the depths of the threat these bills pose to farmers. 

This is what I think is important as a nature interpreter. I think it’s important to be kind and compassionate to nature, and no one is going be to more kind to these farm lands than the farmers themselves. Don’t let the Indian government steal that from them! 

https://www.change.org/p/support-all-farmers-by-revoking-the-farmers-act-in-the-republic-of-india?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_26058773_en-US%3A0&recruiter=1107756442&recruited_by_id=d11970e0-a663-11ea-be3d-638667c84178&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_abi

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/what-is-the-farm-bill-and-why-are-farmers-protesting-against-it/689215 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kmDsLp0xnw&t=13s&ab_channel=DhruvRathee 

References: 

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/agency-wire/2705-a-happy-farmer-makes-a-happy-countryvice-president-venkaiah-naidu

Thank you for sharing your post, I truly felt as though it was coming from the heart (no pun intended here). I loved how you shared some very personal thoughts and things about yourself, your family and your origin. I thought it was so great how you were able to connect the farming that your grandparents and great-grandparents did in India to the level of nurture that nature has provided you, that is truly a moment of reflection. Thank you for spreading awareness about the new farm bills that have been passed in India, I was not previously aware of this and its very saddening to hear. Unfortunately, in many third world countries, when citizens are peacefully protesting about certain topics and issues they are faced with violence from their governments. This is unfair and unjust, and I could talk about it for hours. I think you are doing a very good thing by further educating all of us and helping us learn and understand complex issues such as this one at an appropriate level as this was something that we learned from our textbook about cultural and natural awareness (Beck et al. 2018). I will be taking a look at the petitions and links your provided and doing what I can to support and further raise awareness to this serious topic. Thank you again for sharing!

Warmly,

Balsam

Reference:

Thank you so much for the support! I was really nervous about sharing at first. I was contemplating whether I should even post this or not, but what’s happening to the farmers of India has been the only thing on my mind, so I felt I needed to. 

I know it’s completely ridiculous to be spewing violence onto the people of our own country. The same people who feed your nation in India’s case. Majority of the farmer population is elderly as well, and they’re already risking their lives amidst a pandemic to be protesting. It goes to show you how important farming, and these bills are to them, for them to be risking their lives. My heartaches thinking about farmers sleeping on the cold streets, enduring beatings, tear gas and even water canons. You know what’s especially horrifying for me? I know that farmers in Punjab for years have been begging the Indian government to provide them access to water so they can water their fields during the extremely dry months, they were begging for water that comes from Punjab, but the government always denied them access to it, and now they’re using the same water in water canons to hurt the protestors. It breaks my heart. 

This is also apparently the largest protest in the world, with 12+ million farmers from all around India making their way to Delhi. The protests haven’t been limited to India either. There was a protest in Toronto and New York City today too! I’ve seen videos from protests in Vancouver, Surrey, Chicago, California, so many cities and different countries that I’ve lost count. Even our Prime Minster Justin Trudeau recognizes the injustice taking place in India, and has called them out too. We can just hope the message gets across eventually. 

For my last blog post, i’d like to share my own beliefs when it comes to being a nature interpreter. Admittedly, at the beginning of this course I wasn’t too fond of nature, I always thought it was kind of dirty, filled with insects and just not my cup of tea. I mean i’m still not very fond of insects, but I definitely have a newfound appreciation for nature. This is why I think as a nature interpreter, it’s important that I am compassionate and kind to nature. 

Majority of my childhood I think I just misunderstood nature. I didn’t realize how beautiful and soothing it could be for your soul. To me, it was just the dirty outdoors even though of course it has always been a lot more than just trees, grass and bugs. However, as of recently my relationship with it began to change. 

I’ve mentioned in an earlier post that during my trip to India last year was when my relationship with nature truly began to change. I’d like to share that feeling once again, because it’s truly important to me. My family comes from Punjab, india. In Punjab, the majority of the population there live off of farming. Not only do they farm to survive, but they farm because for generations we’ve been farming. So the one day when my uncle took my brother and I to the farm lands, and with my own eyes I saw the farmers working on their individual plots. It was one farmer per plot of land, and the land just seemed to go for miles. They were knee deep in soil, just digging, watering, planting and instinctively I was disgusted at the idea of being covered in dirt. However, when I just sat on top of the water motor and watched from a distance, as they continued to work, it finally hit me. All of a sudden I felt instant regret and guilt for feeling so disgusted, because these fields they were farming on, were once the same fields my grandfather, and his father worked on as well. I felt instant guilt in thinking I was disrespecting not only my grandparents, and great-grandparents, but all my ancestors who have only ever known farming and are the reason I am standing here today. 

Farmer husband and wife, in their fields. 

My grandfather used to tell me stories about him working on these farms. He would tell me how hard it was to work in the blaring sun, and for 14 hours of the day too. He always told me how much his heart-ached during the dry months, when he’d watch his plants begin to dry and wither away because it hadn’t rained in months. Then, he’d tell me the stories about the joy the farmers felt when it finally did rain. Some would cry out of relief because the rain saved their months long work, while others would call it a day and drink in celebration. 

It was then in India when I realized I had it wrong the whole time. Nature has always been nurturing and giving to me. This is why I felt guilty. I felt guilt because I knew how deeply connected my grandfather was to the same soil that was disgusting me seconds earlier. Not only did the soil feed his family but it had the heart and soul of all my ancestors in it, and that is why it was so dear to my grandfather. You see, to farmers their farmland is not just their livelihood but also extremely spiritually important. Their soil means so much to them, because its the same soil their fathers, and their father’s fathers, and even their father’s father’s father once stepped foot on. It’s been passed along for generations, so of course there is an emotional connection to it. My trip to India taught me that I need to be kind and compassionate to nature, because it’s nurtured my ancestors for centuries and it’s the only thing connecting me to them. 

This is why I want to share with you all something that is so dear to my heart, something that makes me tear-up even writing it. I’m not sure if you have heard about currently 12 million_ farmers are protesting new farm bills passed in India. Farmers from North, South, East and West India have made their way to Delhi to protest against these bills, but they have been met with tear gas, water cannons and beatings from the police. The violence against them is completely unnecessary because their protests have been entirely peaceful, and majority of these farmers are old aged and already risking their lives during this pandemic to protest. The farmers know all the bills are disguised to help them, when in reality they make them more vulnerable to large corporations. The Indian government has pulled their minimum support price, and instead has given the private corporations the ability to determine the rate at which farmers can sell their produce. The minimum support price was acting as a minimum wage for the farmers, but now since large corporations decide the price, the farmers are left with no leverage or backup plan for their goods. This is very dear to me, because I am only one generation removed from being in India protesting as well. I come from a family of farmers and they know right now their livelihood is at stake. They know that these new bills give these large private corporations the ability to manipulate and exploit farmers even more so than they already do, and push farmers further into debt until they’ll be forced to sell their farm land. The same ancestral land, the same land these farmers work 14 hours a day to make the food that feeds the entire country. 

From the protests In Delhi.

12 millions+ farmers protesting in the streets of Delhi.

I’ve attached links to petitions, links to learn more, but please consider reading up more because I know I didn’t do a sufficient job in explaining the depths of the threat these bills pose to farmers. 

This is what I think is important as a nature interpreter. I think it’s important to be kind and compassionate to nature, and no one is going be to more kind to these farm lands than the farmers themselves. Don’t let the Indian government steal that from them! 

https://www.change.org/p/support-all-farmers-by-revoking-the-farmers-act-in-the-republic-of-india?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_26058773_en-US%3A0&recruiter=1107756442&recruited_by_id=d11970e0-a663-11ea-be3d-638667c84178&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_abi

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/what-is-the-farm-bill-and-why-are-farmers-protesting-against-it/689215 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kmDsLp0xnw&t=13s&ab_channel=DhruvRathee 

References: 

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/agency-wire/2705-a-happy-farmer-makes-a-happy-countryvice-president-venkaiah-naidu

Its interesting to read about a kid not liking the outdoors, how one finds it kind of dirty. When I was a kid all I wanted to do is play outside and check out what it has to offer. So many just want o to play in the dirt and get messy. I guess it depends what you are exposed to as a kid and how you are raised. I’m glad you have expanded your opinion on nature. I was touched to read about your grandparents and your family. Sometimes its hard for kids to follow in their family’s footsteps, especially to become a farmer. As the world grows I think farmers are going to be hurt more and more due to corporations. So, to hear about the protests in India I was hurt. There should be no violence given it is a peaceful protests. I appreciate the information being shared, about the strugglers India is going through, I would not have known of its existence otherwise, probably like most people. I agree with your final statement about this is what it means to be a nature interpreter. Continue to spread your compassion about nature and your beliefs. Keep up the fight for a better outcome for the farmers and I will try and do the same. 

Thank you so much. Yeah, as a kid I was always afraid of insects and so the outdoors were a nightmare for me. Even though I played a lot of outdoor sports, I still couldn’t stand feeling dirty, and I always felt dirty whether it be from grass or dirt. I’ve grown out of that for sure. I mean, I’m still terrified by bugs but I can at least appreciated the outdoors now. 

Also, thank you so much for the support. I was very nervous about sharing about the farmer protests but it’s been the only thing on my mind, so I couldn’t help my self. I’m glad I got to share with you, especially since I don’t think there is any media coverage surrounding it even though it is the world’s largest protest to date. Over 12+ million farmers, and close to 100k tractors involved too. 

Today, I sit down in a silent room and think about myself as a nature interpreter.  I learned a lot in this course, and I thank my professor and university for offering something different from all my past experiences. The projects that I have done in this course are challenging because they make me think outside the box. I came into the course with just a love for nature, a love that started when I was a child going on camping trips with my family, but I come out of it interested in working as a nature interpreter.

A photo of people enjoying camping and nature. Similar to what I used to do as a child. Moments like these are priceless. Retrieved from https://www.anyrgb.com/en/free-image-ybbnsy

As I develop as an interpreter, I believe that I have a responsibility towards nature. I have a responsibility to protect nature, show and spread its beauty to everyone. People in our day and age are missing out on nature. People are always busy with life. Busy making more money and buying bigger things. Our lives are short, and we must enjoy nature and our planet while we can.

I believe it starts at a young age. As a child I developed my love for nature when I used to go camping with my family. Our children are the future and if they don’t care about nature and our planet then we are in trouble. Our world moves into becoming more urbanized and the emphasis on nature is becoming less important. We have less connection to nature than people before us and our children will have even less. This trend will continue if we don’t take action now as nature interpreters and show the importance of nature to our children. We must take our children outside and let them enjoy outdoor activities like camping, hiking and climbing. We must take them on nature walks and allow them to wonder and ask questions about nature. Dr. Richard Louv mentioned in one of the videos in our lectures that we are animals, and we need nature for our health. I truly believe that and think that everyone should experience nature in some sort or form. Whenever I feel down or depressed, I go for a walk or a run through nature, I feel peace and calmness when in touch with nature. I have a responsibility to spread this knowledge to people around me. I need to inform people about the benefits of taking some time off and going out in nature. We need to stop and contemplate away from the busy lives that we live. Enjoy the little things outdoors, it’s good for our health especially mentally.

My personal experiences must be translated to a larger audience and I have a responsibility to do so. As nature interpreters, we must continue to fight for nature educational centers. We must be alongside any programs that exposes people to nature especially children. I think that a large number of people don’t realize the importance of nature and these programs showcase that importance.

People making gardens and showing children the importance of nature. Programs like these are wonderful and it our responsibility as nature interpreters to be involved in such programs. Retrieved from https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/importance-nature

We have explored many concepts throughout the term. The two that stands out to me as I think today are privilege and technology. As nature interpreters, we are privileged when it comes to nature. We are receiving the education that nature is important. We are realizing how important it is to humans. Some people grow up not experiencing nature at all and sometimes it’s too late. Ones humans grow older, their minds are set on what’s important in life and if they don’t grow up loving nature, it’s hard to change their mindset. No matter who you are or where you come from, nature always has something to offer. I consider this realization a privilege. Therefore, we are privileged to be learning about what nature has to offer. This knowledge can be translated into helping nature in the future. As I mentioned, the world is becoming more urbanized and technology is taking over our lives. The need for people to focus on the preservation of nature is never been more important.

This brings me to the second concept that stood out to me during the term which is technology. I think of technology is a double-edged sword. We have discussed in lectures and readings the positives and negatives of technology. Technology can keep us inside our homes. Nowadays, you can do everything from the comfort of home and there is no motivation to go outside. This can make people more stagnant. People will be encouraged to spend their free time at home, they will watch movies, play video games, use their phones for hours and never think about going out and enjoying the outdoors. This is a huge concern when it comes to technology. Technology can actually turn people away from nature if used incorrectly.  

A photo encouraging people to work and stay home. Notice that ‘DREAM’ is also written to convince people that this is the dream. Making money wile working from home. Photos like these make people want to stay home even though they don’t realize it. Retrieved from https://quickmarket.co.uk/ad/work-from-the-comfort-of-your-home-and-earn-money/

On the other hand, technology can actually be the answer to more people experiencing nature. Technology allows us to see beautiful natural places in photos or videos which will in turn motivate us to go out and experience these places. I know myself; I would research beautiful areas and see images of them before I travel. Seeing a beautiful natural environment motivates me to go to it. In that sense, technology is helping me experience more nature. Technology also helps preserve nature. It has many methods of preservation but one way that I think is very important is GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Plants can actually be modified to be more resistant to climate change for example. That means they can live longer under harsh conditions. This will preserve nature and allow us to enjoy it for longer time. Our planet needs more plants and technologies are vital for a better future. Therefore, technology can be helpful from these aspects.

Photos like these inspire me to go to them. This is located in Jamaica, a country that I would like to visit for its natural beauty. Retrieved from https://www.iberostar.com/en/inspiration-guide/travel/nine-natural-wonders-you-cant-miss-in-jamaica-nature-caribbean/

Thanks for sharing! I completely agree with you. Technology is for sure a double-edged sword. This course really put that into perspective from me. You’re right, we have everything available to us, all in the comfort of our homes. Like even exploring nature, we can still at home and comfortably surf the discovery channel. It’s so crazy to think we have everything available at our fingertips. But then at the same time technology can seriously alter our perceptions as well. 

For example, did you know moose were close to 7 feet tall? I always just assumed they were the same height as deer, or maybe just a little taller. How about penguins? I remembered I posted a blog earlier this semester explaining my frustration at being unware of how tall moose really were, and then someone said wait till you hear about penguins. Penguins are like 3 feet tall. I thought they were tiny birds, for my whole life. You see how messed up our perceptions are? This is all a result of technology. If you were to ask some if they’ve seen a moose or penguin before, they’d say yeah for sure because they have on TV or movies, but since they haven’t actually physically seen them before and their only perception of them, is incredibly inaccurate too. 

Ever since I discovered this, I’ve become hyper aware of it. Now, I just automatically assume animals are at least x2 bigger than my initial perception of them. 

Anyways, I really enjoyed your post! We definitely are key in saving nature like you said and I will for sure do my part too, by sharing my knowledge as well. 

Each and every person has their own ethics, beliefs, and approach to life, and these are just a few of mine when I think about nature interpretation.

My current personal ethic as a nature interpreter is that I believe the individual is just as important as the whole. By this I mean that even the smallest organisms in nature are as important and have equal intrinsic value as the largest organism. In my mind, if I stick with this outlook while leading interpretive tours people will find a new sense of importance in nature.

Based on my personal ethics explained in the previous paragraph I’m sure it comes to no surprise that my biggest belief when it comes to nature interpretation is that it should be more than just providing information to a group of people about their current environment (Beck et al., 2018). I believe that the point of nature interpretation is to provide your guests with an experience and leave them with the desire to learn more and provoke deeper thinking causing them to question nature around them for the rest of their life (Beck et al., 2018). By doing so, this may cause people to change certain habits, challenge social norms, and even support the fight for the environment (Beck et al., 2018). I think If you are able to evoke change in just one person through just one nature interpretation program, you have successfully fulfilled your purpose as a nature interpreter.

As nature interpreters we have many responsibilities. The first that comes to mind is education. We are responsible for teaching individuals both young and old about the environment around them while trying to instil (in a limited amount of time) that nature is much more than just forests, mountains, and animals. When it comes to education, I think the most important type of people we are responsible for is the educating of children. I am a strong believer that teaching young people the value and importance of nature early in life will truly benefit them in the long run. For one, nature provides countless opportunities for discovery, creativity, problem-solving, stimulating deeper thinking, improving cognitive development, as well as contributing to improved physical and mental health (Beck et al., 2018; Poppell & Monroe, 2018). Most importantly, the young children we teach today are the future and hopefully, these teachings will translate down to future generations and create change in the world.

A photo of a young children learning about nature…in nature. 

Outward Bound.  (2020). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.outwardbound.org/blog/pursuing-career-outdoor-education-instructor/

I have found with my own personal experiences in the role of nature interpreter, that the approach that is most suitable for me is storytelling (Beck et al., 2018). While working in Costa Rica I taught people primarily about the local insects (mainly butterflies) and I found that on these tours I loved telling my own personal stories for a couple of reasons. I felt it made me appear like more of a friend rather than a teacher. This made my guests feel more comfortable with asking me questions which created a personal relationship between me and them. While writing this, the story that comes to mind that I used to tell was about the tarantula hawk wasp.

During our tours most interpreters would quickly speak about the tarantula hawk wasp being the second most painful insect sting in the world, and then move on to our golden orb weavers that had their webs above the heads of the guests. However, I usually spent a little extra time after explaining the lifecycle of the wasp to tell my guests about my first encounter with a tarantula hawk wasp. My story went a little like this;

“Earlier this year I was in the rainforest of Ecuador, 6 hours from the nearest city. It was my first morning at Yanayaku Biological Station, 2100 masl. I woke up early with the excitement of venturing deep into the rainforest that day to find some cool bugs. Trying not to disturb my sleeping roommate on the bunk beside me, I took my headlamp and began to dig through my backpack for a change of clothes when I saw something literally running toward me along the floorboard. I shined my headlamp at it and saw it was an iridescent insect with orange wings. Thinking it was just a simple wasp I left it alone, changed my clothes and went down the dining area. This is where I found my professor sitting on a chair in front of a dirt mound. Curious, I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was observing a tarantula hawk wasp burying its recently paralyzed tarantula. I then told him I had just seen one in my room. He then tells me that its sting is second to the bullet ant and that I needed to go find it quick! I ran up to my room to find my roommate awake and I told her what I saw and that we have to find this bug immediately! After searching for an hour, we gave up. We could not find the wasp and we just hoped it found its way out through a crack in the wall. I soon forgot about the hawk wasp but on the day we were packing up to leave, I picked up my backpack from off the floor and the hawk wasp fell out of my backpack strap!”

Me with the female tarantula hawk wasp I caught in Costa Rica.

The reason why I think this approach suits me is that I am very loud, excitable, and expressive (in person) and because my stories are not ones you hear every day. 

If you would like to learn more about the tarantula hawk wasp… here is a good link…https://www.aboutanimals.com/insect/tarantula-hawk/

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Thanks for sharing, this was a great read! I definitely agree that the most important demographic to teach about nature is children. As you said, children are the future and if we want to have a future, we better teach our kids today of the importance of conservation nature and combatting climate change. It’s important they learn young because if they develop a connection, a relationship to the Earth early, then they’ll be more likely to advocate for its protection later. And besides, having a relationship and connection with nature is a good thing regardless. It keeps you humble and grounded. 

Also, I loved your story about Costa Rica. I can only imagine what that might have felt like, teaching others about nature or insects in particular, but through your own stories and experiences. Now, they’re always going to carry your story with them as well, and perhaps even share it with others. 

When I was 5 I took a trip to India and while we were in Delhi there was this elephant walking around. There was a man walking around with it, but even till this day I couldn’t tell you how or why both the man and elephant were together just walking around Delhi. That’s besides the point though! I was only 5 so of course I was really intrigued. Right away I told my uncle about it, and he said they’re probably offering rides, and he asked if I wanted to go for a ride on it. I agreed and we made our way to the elephant. There was already a relatively large group surrounding the elephant, but my uncle pushed through the group to ask about rides. Turns out they weren’t offering any rides, but while I was standing only 5 feet away from the elephant I couldn’t help but stare at her. She was so tall, and she wasn’t grey like I expected her to be but she was this brown colour. I was just so amazed to be standing in her presence, that I was speechless. I knew she caught me staring too because she looked right into my eyes, and I swear to you it was the most magical moment in my childhood. The man that was with her noticed that as well and he told me that when an elephant looks you in the eye, they are wishing you best of luck. I don’t know how true that is, but 5 year old me took it and rolled with it. Ever since then, whenever elephants are mentioned I bring up this story, because it truly touched me a kid. 

Your Costa Rica story sparked my urge to tell this story again, hope you don’t mind. Anyways, your post was great once again and I have to say your definitely a lot braver than me, I could never get close to a spider let alone a tarantula. 

Dear Board of Directors,

I am reaching out to you today to discuss the current situation regarding Wrigley Corners Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre.

As I have been notified that the Center is being closed due to insufficient funding, I wish to draw your attention to the lasting benefits this Center has provided.

As a former student of the Waterloo Region Districts Schoolboard, I had the benefit of attending many programs at the Center where my understanding of nature was deepened and my love of the natural world flourished. Through the classroom space us students were able to learn about the natural world and look at different samples and specimens that were housed there. We benefited from hands on experiments such as collecting samples from the pond and then bringing them back to examine them under microscopes.

This learning experience not only provided many lasting memories, as here I am retelling stories some 12 years later. But it also allowed me to gain a better understanding of these ecosystems that we were taught in class. By closing this Center, you are removing this hands-on experience that many kids are not able to experience on their own. This environment provides the firsthand experience with proper guidance and resources to help children explore and develop greater understandings of nature and their world around them. By having interpreters available for the children, they are able to get deeper understandings of their environment rather from a teacher who may just be a generalist in the topic being discussed. The interpreter provides an enriched experience that speaks to the children while being educational and enjoyable (Beck et al., 2018). As I have learned through my nature interpretation class, these experts are incredibly valuable for the skills they have and their ability to adapt and tailor the experience based on their group and how they learn best.

By having these hands on experiences available at such a young age and within their own community the children are deepening their understanding of their own environment and further creating a sense of place, identify different characteristics and the “big story” (beck et al., 2018). The interpreter working with the kids helps them see past the basics and unpack all that nature is able to offer them. This allows the kids to be more invested in their own environment and encourages them to protect it and make the environmentally conscious decisions when they can.

An example of the resources that this location also provides for teachers while still engaging the kids!

When we have these experts that are trained in interpretation and know how to respond and encourage these discussions with children why would these valuable lessons be sacrificed. As shown through my own interest these lessons were truly impactful and educational and helped lead me in the direction of working with the environment and I truly believe that these are lessons that are more effective in these hands on learning experiences. I urge you to reconsider your funding and find a way to keep this important education center open to continue environmental education within the schoolboard and within the children’s own neighbourhoods.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Emily

Sources:

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Moore, L. (2020, May 21). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/wrigleycorners?lang=en

Your post was a great read. Thanks for sharing! I wholeheartedly agree with you when it comes to the importance of hands on experience. Not only are children deepening their understanding of the environment, but their also developing a connection and emotions with the environment. Not only do children better understand material by using their own senses, but as a result they also begin to connect feelings and emotions to the experience as well. I think this is really important in the fight against climate change. I’ve already come to terms with the idea that older people, people from older generations just don’t care about this fight against climate change but children they definitely do. The younger generations know that we are the generations that going to have to witness the drastic effects of climate change further down the line, and that’s why we want to save the planet before its too late. This is why I think developing a connection to nature at a young age translate to concern and care for nature when your older as well. Hence, I definitely agree that a hand on experience like that offered by  Wrigley Corners Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre is something to cherish. 

Dear board of directors, 

I am writing to you today on behalf of the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF). I am writing in light of the current financial situation that threatens the organization. This federation and it’s cause is extremely important to society and our planet, so it’s crucial we keep ????

 Since it was founded in 1961, the CWF has been devoted to teaching the world the value in nature, ensuring people develop an appreciation and love for it that will translate into conservation of our natural environments. The CWF informs and educates Canadians on wildlife and natural habitats, promotes responsible human actions and conservation and represents wildlife on conservation issues. The CWF offers several education programs like the Wild Education program, a Summer Institute for educators, Hinterland Who’s Who, Wild about Sports and more recently the Wild Outside Program and the Canadian Conservation Crop. The Wild Educations and Summer Institute are designed for educators. The first one helps teachers develop their own programming to use for their students, and the Summer Institute is designed to teach teachers the importance of wildlife conservation so they can teach their kids. The Hinterland Who’s Who is a 60 second service announcement that has informed Canadian about issues in Wildlife for the last 50 years. Ultimately, each program is designed to bring people closer to wildlife, whether it be through an infomercial or a wildlife sports day. This is why the CWF is so important because it helps bring the public closer to wildlife.

Beck et al. 2018 explains that by forming personal connections with nature, then people will feel obligated to protect them as well. The CWF through all of our educational programs, it offers the Canadian public means of getting closer to nature. The closer people get with the wildlife, the more emotionally invested they’ll be and that will encourage them to fight for the protection of wildlife. With the current climate surrounding issues regarding our planet, I think it’s more than crucial that we begin to tie our future generations closer to nature. Only if they feel connected to nature, will they feel any kind of sympathy and pain in watching it wither away. The older generations don’t care about this planet the way our kids do. The older generations know they won’t live long enough to experience some of the worst that climate change and global warming have to offer, but we can’t let their lack of empathy impact our children’s future. We need to root our kids with nature, so they recognize the importance of it. This is why we can’t afford to lose the Canadian Wildlife Federation. 

Thanks for taking time to read this letter, and I truly hope you understand that this isn’t just about losing an environmental education organization, but it’s about losing means to connect people to the Earth that birthed them. Please take that into consideration before making your decision.

Sincerely, 

Gurrasna

References: 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. CHAMPAIGN: SAGAMORE Publishing.

Educational Units. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2020, from https://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/for-educators/educational-units/?src=menu

Why is Outdoor and Environmental Learning Important? (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2020, from https://eeanm.org/about/why-ee/

Great post!

I enjoyed how you used climate change as the basis for reconsidering the decision to shut down the CWF as it’s becoming more and more of an issue. I agree with your rationale that programs like the CWF may ultimately result in the younger generation caring more about our environment.

I’d like to add that keeping the CWF may also strengthen the municipality’s future efforts towards programs aimed at improving the climate change dilemma (Beck et al., 2018). I mention this because many cities in recent years have been incentivizing “green” strategies as a way to mitigate climate change. Therefore, keeping the CWF may result in the municipality seeing more support for future rulings related to climate change. Instead of spending more money in the future convincing residents to care about climate change and garnering support, these programs are a way to indirectly have the same result (and perhaps at a cheaper cost).

Keeping programs like the CWF may also make the area more desirable to future residents because people appreciate having access to nature near their residence (Beck et al., 2018). This may ultimately result in the municipality making additional income indirectly through collecting property taxes as a result of funding the CWF.

All in all, in addition to the reasons you mentioned, I believe programs like the CWF may be kept purely for financial reasons as well as their role in helping climate change. What do you think about what I said in regards to the financial benefits?

Mo

References

I didn’t realize how much financial benefit there was in keeping programs like the CWF open. I guess, I got so lost in potentially pushing future generations away from nature that I totally forgot to consider other factors as well. Thanks so much for bringing it up. I definitely agree with you. The municipality could definitely benefit from the CWF too. Perhaps, they could develop some kind of partnership, a mutualistic relationship that would benefit them both. 

Throughout this course I have been exposed to many new ideas regarding nature interpretation, and all the different methods through which nature can be interpreted. It has been very eye opening to learn about all the different ways different environments, stories, pieces of art, or songs can be interpreted from a nature perspective.

What I know for certain is that there is extensive variability when discussing nature interpretation. Throughout this course we have discussed how many different factors can influence a person’s view towards nature, such as geographic location, economic status, or culture. Skogen (1999) investigated how children’s up-bringing and culture influenced their connection and perspective with nature and concluded that those raised with more exposure to nature and in culture that place emphasis on connection with nature, such as Aboriginal people. This study emphasizes the idea that different culture and upbringings can shape a person’s views towards nature and ability to interpret. I find the variance in ways people interpret nature so interesting because no one could really be considered wrong in their interpretation of a certain aspect of nature because we are all so unique with different backgrounds and ideas.

What I still wonder is how far nature interpretation can go and how much influence it can have on future issues relating to the environment. It is no secret that the physical state of the earth has been declining, but one large issue facing the planet is that there are still many people who deny any environmental issues, such as climate change, exist. I think that nature interpretation has a lot of potential in this area, because increasing a person’s ability to interpret nature can also help them understand the complex issues facing it.

I find inspiration through learning about new ways to interpret and think about nature. Throughout university I have taken many courses in environmental sciences which has greatly expanded my understanding on different environment related topics. By gaining better understanding about certain topics through my courses it has inspired me to continue to learn more about different areas surrounding the environment. This course has also inspired me to look back on many events from my life from an interpreter’s point of view in order to strengthen my understanding on the variety of ways nature can be interpreted.

I believe I can ignite by using the information I have learned in this course to interpret different areas of nature in ways that people may be more familiar with and more easily understand. This course has taught me many different ways through which nature can be interpreted, and many important aspects to keep in mind while interpreting, such as the targeted audience you are attempting to interpret for. A strong example of this was working through the first podcast assignment targeted at children ages 8-12. During this assignment I was able to apply many new strategies I have learned throughout this course in order to create a podcast about a somewhat complex topic in a way that young children can understand. Using the interpretation skills I have developed throughout this class, I hope to be able to further assist different groups of people in interpreting complex environmental topics.

Sources:

I wonder the same thing too regarding how much nature interpretation can go, especially regarding environmental issues. I feel like as we grow older and technology advances, people are beginning to stray further and further from nature and more into technology. People are beginning to replace natural experiences with simulations thanks to technology, and I fear as a result of that, people are losing the ability to form real, meaningful connections with nature. This is why I think the best way to get people to care about climate change, is to get them to care enough about the Earth first. People need to feel for the Earth, they need to connect with it, and then they can advocate for its protection. I remember a while ago I saw this TikTok, where this woman was talking about majority people who don’t believe in environmental issues like climate change, all come from older generations, and it’s not that they don’t believe in them, it’s more so they just don’t care because they won’t be alive by the time we actually start to see drastic detrimental changes on the Earth. I wholeheartedly believe this. I feel like younger generations are the ones that are really actively trying to save the planet, while older generations just don’t care because it won’t affect them. What makes it worse is that unfortunately people that are from older generations are the ones who are currently in power and have authority to make decisions about large carbon emitting factories, and oil ships and etc. This is why I think nature interpretation and more importantly developing relationship with nature for future generations is really important, if we want to save the world. 

The Snapping Turtle podcast was a great listen. I enjoyed the introduction music which I thought was fitting for a child audience. The topic of snapping turtles is a great idea as I think turtles are a common interest of many children. The guest speaker Matt seems like the perfect guest lecturer with lots of turtle related knowledge.

This podcast offered several important lessons about the nature of snapping turtles. The first lesson I learned from this podcast is the diet of snapping turtles. Before this podcast I had assumed they were had a mostly carnivorous diet. However, I learned that they also eat a variety of fruits and vegetables which I thought was an interesting fact. Another lesson learned from this podcast is the incredible strength of the snapping turtle shell which can hold over one hundred pounds of force. I found this to be a neat fact because I had always assumed turtle shells were strong, but not that strong. One more interesting lesson I learned from this podcast was the natural predators of snapping turtles. Prior to the podcast I did not think snapping turtles had any natural predators, so it was cool to find out that river otters were natural predators.

 Figure 1: The North American River Otter

These lessons were explained by the guest speaker Matt. The simple explanation of relevant snapping turtle facts was an effective way to teach children about snapping turtles. I think these cool, easy to remember facts about turtles were great for child listeners because they offer something simple that children can take away from the podcast. I think that is important for a children’s podcast because if the lessons are too complex the child will not be able to take anything meaningful away from the podcast. Children need interesting, yet easy to comprehend facts that they can share with friends or family. I thought the podcast did a great job of doing just that.

One technique this podcast used which I found to be effective was the interviewer taking things the guest speaker had said and put them into their own words. This technique simplified what the guest speaker had said and turned it in to an interesting story. I thought this was a great technique because it seemed to break the podcast in to different sections which helps the podcast retain the listener’s interest throughout the podcast. Instead of a simple conversation between interviewer and interviewee taking up the majority of the podcast they were able to break the conversation in to different sections. This seemed to be an effective way of keeping the listener more actively engaged in the podcast throughout its entirety.

Overall, I enjoyed listening to this podcast. I thought the topic of snapping turtles was one of relevance to the interests of children. I thought the guest interviewee was a great choice who had a friendly voice which appeals to children. The topics were not too complex which again is ideal for a young audience. Well done!

References:

Figure 1:

Thanks for the post, it was a nice little summary of the podcast. I haven’t gotten the time to actually listen to their podcast but your post was very helpful in getting the gist of it. I think the technique they used was wonderful too! I think it’s really important that we breakdown large concepts in a way that children can understand them. Often times children are dismissed as learners or students, just because they are so young and people want to believe they wouldn’t be able to understand. However, I think this idea is completely flawed and quite frankly backwards. If your going to continue to ‘baby’ kids, then of course they’re going to be little babies. It’s only when you begin to teach kids about more important things, that they will understand and care. Children are the future, so i think it’s really important we start teaching them about things that are going to have an impact on them. For instance, climate change. We need to start teaching children about the dangers of climate change right now, so that they know of it and care about it as adults. We can’t afford to have another generation of adults who don’t believe in climate change, or care about it since it won’t affect them. Hence, I definitely agree with you on their use of the technique. I think it’s a great tool, and honestly should be used a lot more. Children are a lot smarter than we think, and we need to start giving them credit for it. 

I think the most amazing thing about nature is its connection to humans. My mood almost always depends on the weather outside. If I wake up and it’s dark and gloomy outside, I can almost never just get out of bed right away. My friends and I always talk about this because they feel the same. I think in general, majority if not all students would agree with me when I say that if it’s dark outside when I wake up, then I am going back to bed. The dark and gloomy days are almost always my least productive days as well. I always feel low on energy, motivation and inspiration on those days. However, when the sun is out then I’m always up and ready to go. The sunny days always go by great for me, and are always my most productive days too. Another example is seasonal depression. Seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a kind of depression that is related to seasonal changes. Seasonal depression has sort of become an ongoing joke amongst students and although we all joke about it, I know the jokes come from a place that understands the depths of the disorder. Obviously not every student is diagnosed with actual seasonal affective disorder, but I know we all at least share similar feelings of sadness that come from the darker and colder days in the winter. The winters are really tough as students, and I can vouch for that. 

I don’t know the exact moment I made the correlation between my mood and the weather because for as long as I can remember I’ve been associating the two. However, I do remember this conversation I had with my grandmother, when I was younger. I got in trouble for running around my grandma’s flowers with my soccer ball and cleats. I tripped and scraped my knees, and while I was crying about my knee, it began pouring rain outside. My grandmother was obviously annoyed about her garden, so she said “look you even made mother nature upset and now she’s crying!” Instantly I felt bad, and so I stopped crying and made a note to be extra careful around my grandma’s garden. The comment to my grandma was nothing other than a trick to get me to stop crying, but to me, it left a hefty mark on my little 6 year old brain. After that moment, any time it would rain, I would wonder why mother nature was sad, and the fact that she was sad made me sad too. As a little delusional 6 year old, I really thought me and mother nature had some kind of bond. Another very vivid memory I have, is of me walking home from the school bus on a half day. I was in the 7th grade, and our school did half days occasionally, so I was walking back from my bus stop and I wasn’t feeling the greatest. The whole day was kind of gloomy and occasionally it would sprinkle rain, so I guess it really impacted my mood too. I made it to my house and no one was answering the door, so I sat on the porch playing on my iPod touch, waiting for my mom to get home. The rain began to pick up so I decided to let myself in through the garage door. I got inside and usually I would turn the TV on, but I was still very sad for some reason and now since it was raining, I just felt the need to cry. I cried for a while and eventually got myself together and was making myself a snack when the phone rang. It was my mom so I picked up and she began apologizing saying she forgot it was a half day, and she had to rush somewhere urgently and she would be home in a few hours. She wasn’t telling me where she was, but I kept asking over and over, so she finally broke and told me that my uncle had just passed away and she was in the hospital. My uncle had been fighting cancer for two years at that point, and it looked like he was winning the battle, up until we got the news of his sudden passing. Suddenly, everything made sense to me, I was sad because somewhere downtown in the hospital my uncle was taking his last breaths, and as always mother nature was crying with me. 

These two memories have been some of my core memories as a child, and I think they dictated my relationship with nature. I’m a lot older now, more wise and definitely not the same little delusional 6 year old, but I still feel like nature is tied to all of our emotions and wellness, just as I thought it was back then. This is what is amazing about nature to me.

References:

I completely agree with what you said about the correlation between mood and weather. I feel this too and I know many of my friends do. Often when I’d come home from school on a bad weather day, I’d find my roommates all napping on our couches, because like a lot of us feel, the weather called for a nap.

Your post reminded me of a term I recently learned. I know it’s not the same as what you were talking about, but it is another way mental well-being is connected to nature. When I learned about it, I found it really interesting. It’s a term called “ecological grief”, and its feelings of deep sadness or anxiety due to ecological changes, often due to climate change and other unprecedented alterations to nature. Communities with deep connections to land and environmental scientists have been documented to experience this, but many other people do as well. I feel that recently, with the looming threats of climate change, more and more people are experiencing this. As communities see or experience devastating impacts, such as wildfires and natural disasters, it would difficult not to experience these emotions. 

I think the most amazing thing about nature is its connection to humans. My mood almost always depends on the weather outside. If I wake up and it’s dark and gloomy outside, I can almost never just get out of bed right away. My friends and I always talk about this because they feel the same. I think in general, majority if not all students would agree with me when I say that if it’s dark outside when I wake up, then I am going back to bed. The dark and gloomy days are almost always my least productive days as well. I always feel low on energy, motivation and inspiration on those days. However, when the sun is out then I’m always up and ready to go. The sunny days always go by great for me, and are always my most productive days too. Another example is seasonal depression. Seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a kind of depression that is related to seasonal changes. Seasonal depression has sort of become an ongoing joke amongst students and although we all joke about it, I know the jokes come from a place that understands the depths of the disorder. Obviously not every student is diagnosed with actual seasonal affective disorder, but I know we all at least share similar feelings of sadness that come from the darker and colder days in the winter. The winters are really tough as students, and I can vouch for that. 

I don’t know the exact moment I made the correlation between my mood and the weather because for as long as I can remember I’ve been associating the two. However, I do remember this conversation I had with my grandmother, when I was younger. I got in trouble for running around my grandma’s flowers with my soccer ball and cleats. I tripped and scraped my knees, and while I was crying about my knee, it began pouring rain outside. My grandmother was obviously annoyed about her garden, so she said “look you even made mother nature upset and now she’s crying!” Instantly I felt bad, and so I stopped crying and made a note to be extra careful around my grandma’s garden. The comment to my grandma was nothing other than a trick to get me to stop crying, but to me, it left a hefty mark on my little 6 year old brain. After that moment, any time it would rain, I would wonder why mother nature was sad, and the fact that she was sad made me sad too. As a little delusional 6 year old, I really thought me and mother nature had some kind of bond. Another very vivid memory I have, is of me walking home from the school bus on a half day. I was in the 7th grade, and our school did half days occasionally, so I was walking back from my bus stop and I wasn’t feeling the greatest. The whole day was kind of gloomy and occasionally it would sprinkle rain, so I guess it really impacted my mood too. I made it to my house and no one was answering the door, so I sat on the porch playing on my iPod touch, waiting for my mom to get home. The rain began to pick up so I decided to let myself in through the garage door. I got inside and usually I would turn the TV on, but I was still very sad for some reason and now since it was raining, I just felt the need to cry. I cried for a while and eventually got myself together and was making myself a snack when the phone rang. It was my mom so I picked up and she began apologizing saying she forgot it was a half day, and she had to rush somewhere urgently and she would be home in a few hours. She wasn’t telling me where she was, but I kept asking over and over, so she finally broke and told me that my uncle had just passed away and she was in the hospital. My uncle had been fighting cancer for two years at that point, and it looked like he was winning the battle, up until we got the news of his sudden passing. Suddenly, everything made sense to me, I was sad because somewhere downtown in the hospital my uncle was taking his last breaths, and as always mother nature was crying with me. 

These two memories have been some of my core memories as a child, and I think they dictated my relationship with nature. I’m a lot older now, more wise and definitely not the same little delusional 6 year old, but I still feel like nature is tied to all of our emotions and wellness, just as I thought it was back then. This is what is amazing about nature to me.

References:

              It’s quite interesting to me that your inner feelings can be so synonymous to the physical conditions of the outer world because for me it’s the opposite. On sunny bright days, I tend to be choked full of anxiety because the outer world has so much movement and so many things happening that I feel like I can’t keep up, let alone enjoy the moment. On the dark, cold days of winter however, I really thrive being able to do things because it feels like the world is stuck in everlasting peace, where I can breathe and take a moment to relax. Things are quieter, cozier and I feel unstoppable while the outside world has stopped in all its bustling liveliness. Thus, while I can’t really relate to your intimate relationship to nature and its correspondence to substantial moments in your life, I have to agree that nature and especially weather can play a major role in the mood we feel day to day.

Thanks for sharing! I think you brought up great points. I can definitely relate to you when you were describing the anxiety you feel during sunny days. Although, I don’t think I’m much of an anxious person, I do still feel at peace during the night time. In high school, I used to upset my mom a lot because I would spend hours awake at nigh doing random things. I would binge watch Youtube videos, or movies, or even read books if I felt really quirky. My mom never understood why I chose to do all of that stuff at night, but to me it was time that I finally got alone. It was as if the whole world was asleep and I was the only one awake. Just like you were saying, it felt like the world was on pause, and I had all the time I could imagine, to do all the fun things I wanted to do during the day, but because of my busy school schedule, I just didn’t get the time. 

Nature is amazing in itself and to have to pick one single amazing characteristic to talk about is a very hard task. However, after soaking up the question and really taking it in, I realized that to me, the most amazing thing I know about nature is weather. Weather is important to our lives in many different ways; it controls the distribution of rainwater on earth (all organisms on earth need water to survive), it has had an impact on the distribution of humans on earth (mitigation), and to me it is just fascinating.

The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is look outside my window to see what the weather is like and quite honestly, I base many of my daily decisions on it (what shoes I should wear, if I need a jacket, if I should go on my daily outdoor run, etc.). These day to day weather changes can really influence how many people feel and the way they look at the world. With weather comes seasons and with seasons comes many things to look forward to. For example, right now it is fall, and it also happens to be my favourite season. I love the feel of the cool chilly air in the fall and I enjoy sitting under my cozy blanket with a hot chocolate watching the colourful leaves fall down. I look forward to the fall season every year and the different weather it brings along. With each new season comes “new nature” to explore. Summer means warm weather and exploring the lakes and oceans, while winter means cold weather and exploring nature through skiing and snowboarding on different mountains and cliffs, every season has its perks!

- Here is a photo I took in Sarinia, ON this summer while watching the sunset near the beach.

Things as little as the sounds of crickets at night as opposed to birds chirping in the morning amazes me. There’s just so much to indulge in when it comes to weather. Although, I would love to focus on just the amazing things that weather has to bring, I do think that it is important to address the negatives as well. During the past century, humans have released huge amounts of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. With this buildup of greenhouse gases, the climate has been changing. By definition, climate is the weather conditions prevailing in an area over a long period. What this means is that our climate is becoming increasingly extreme. Hot places are becoming way too hot and cold places are becoming way too cold. There has been an increase in the number of hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. All of these things are a direct result of global change resulting from greenhouse gases. We as a community of individuals and organizations need to start working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before it is too late. Here is a link on how you can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions that I thought was very educational: http://www.eastgwillimbury.ca/Services/Environment/Ways_to_Reduce_Greenhouse_Gases.htm?PageMode=Print

- This is a photo I found on the BBC website of a baby polar bear and his mom sitting on melting ice due to climate change. This photo is very powerful and captures many of the realities we fail to see. If all the ice melts, polar bears will have nowhere to go and will eventually go extinct.

If we work together to reduce these greenhouse gas emissions then our climate will slowly begin to go back to normal and we can go back to enjoying all the amazing things nature and weather have to offer!

My question for you this week is: do you ever notice your mood changing based on weather?

Personally, when it is rainy outside, I find myself a little grumpy and when it is very sunny and nice out, I find myself very cheerful and excited to take on my day! Is this something that you experience? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Cheers.

Reference:

Climate Change Indicators: Greenhouse Gases. (2017, February 22). Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/greenhouse-gases

Gill, H. (2020, July 20). Climate change: Polar bears could be lost by 2100. Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-53474445

I really enjoyed your post! When it comes to climate change my heart always breaks thinking about it. I know that all the extra carbon dioxide and extra green house gases emitted into the atmosphere is due to humans, and obviously I feel extremely guilty, but only recently have I started to feel more bitter. Humans, as a collective, are definitely responsible for the climate changing, and it is our responsibility to save our Earth, but honestly speaking what can me and you even do that could even scratch the surface at making a change? Both you and I, could work endlessly to reduce our own carbon footprint by even like 90%, and it wouldn’t even make a dent in the climate. Our whole class could follow suit too, even our whole school could do the same and yet we would make little to no effect. All this pressure to save the planet has been placed on the heads of the average human, when in reality we aren’t even half as responsible for the climate shift as all these massive corporations. This is why I’ve become so bitter. The media can go on and on about using metal straws, and taking the bus to school and whatever else, they can force all this pressure on to us even though we don’t contribute to even 1% of the carbon emission that large companies like Amazon do. This pressure on us is ridiculous! We can’t alone fix the mess these companies have created. We need to start holding them accountable. 

 This week’s readings were especially interesting to me. While reading the thesis summary of “At the heart of art: exploration of practices in arts-based environmental education” the authors brought up an interesting perspective about replacement of the real with simulations. Although I’m well aware that a lot of our human experiences are being translated into the virtual world, and people can essentially experience anything virtually, I just never really thought about the consequences regarding it. 

One of the first things that came to mind while I was reading the paper was this TikTok I watched a while ago. I tried really hard to find it again so I could shout out the creator but I wasn’t able to find it. In the TikTok, this teenager was talking about how in reality scientists don’t actually know what dinosaurs look like, and all of our perceptions about dinosaurs are just based on estimates. He was talking about how we know their sizes and anatomy because of the fossils we’ve discovered, but when it comes to the colours, they’ve always been an estimate based on what current animals look like. He went on to talk about how there’s nothing stopping the dinosaurs from actually being a bright fuchsia or even a lavender, and although he was joking, it was still a very interesting point. 

The thesis summary really struck a chord with me. To think that there are so many experiences with nature that seem real to me but in reality have always been simulations. For instance I can sit here and describe what a moose looks like if someone were to ask. I could probably draw a pretty accurate figure, since I think I know what they look like. However, whatever I know is all based on what I have seen on TV and on the internet while I was doing research for an old assignment. To me, I think I know what it looks like but in reality I’ve never actually seen a moose and so my perception of them is just based on simulations. In reality, I have no grasp on the size of them relative to humans, I couldn’t give you an accurate description, and this has happened before. While doing research for the same assignment I came across a video of this person standing next to a moose, and I realized quickly that my perception of their size was very off. Ultimately, I’ve realized that a lot of my perceptions on nature are results of exposure to simulations of nature not the actual real life experience, which is so scary because I didn’t even know that they were all simulations. You’d think we’d have a better grasp on what is a simulation and what is real, but only now I’ve realized that the line between the two is actually really hard to distinguish. 

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