#learning forever

Ethic… the guiding principles that govern my behavior as to what I think is right and wrong. I often ponder about greed in the world and to live without greed is often one guiding principle I live by throughout my life and hope to bring with me in nature interpretation. I believe that everyone has the chance to make small changes which will compound to make a large difference, we just need to start! This will be hard to accomplish because even with individuals making small changes, a few big corporations often have all/most of the control. We can try to change what we consume and who we buy from, but affordability and convenience is very important to today’s consumers. For groceries, with rising food insecurity, it is very impractical to choose sustainable options (more expensive) or choose to shop locally. I often feel that the solution is out of my reach and far larger than myself, but if you can live greedless and afford to put the planet before convenience and affordability, I encourage you to do so! I often see greed in other places, especially when I see how grocery prices and taxes rise for consumers while large corporations are making record breaking profits. It is frustrating to see these profits going into a greedy person’s pocket instead of perhaps into conservation efforts. Just recently carbon taxes have gone up, gas prices went up to reflect this and the tax is being absorbed by the consumer. I ask what is this tax going towards, their reason for taxing gas is because it is ‘dirty’ so are they using this tax to clean up the ‘filth’ we must use in today’s society? There seems to be no transparency of where the extra money is going when prices rise for consumers, is anyone asking this question too? Yet we continue to exploit the planet without restoration.

I feel responsible to be the generation that actually does something about the world’s state, because after all, humans are the reason everything is happening. By acting, educating, carrying out plans I want to make the difference! Conservation plans are always made but failed to be carried out. For example, the UN Decade of Biodiversity (2011-2020) had a strategic plan, 20 biodiversity targets across 5 strategic goals but zero were successfully completed and only 6 were partially completed… Did I know about this? No. Once I knew, did I feel as though I could individually make a difference? Also no. I have grown up with older generations consistently passing the responsibility to younger people, or making plans and strategies but putting other selfish goals as their priority. I don’t want to be a part of the next generation that has a chance to conserve the beauty in nature that doesn't! Therefore another goal I have as I continue as a nature interpreter is educating others on what they can do individually and help them see that value of nature as something of beauty and solace instead of something we can exploit to make money.Perhaps another goal/responsibility I have as an interpreter is to inspire people to necessary small changes and encourage others to ask necessary questions large businesses don’t want us asking like the recent annihilation of plastic bags, then charging more for reusable bags. Are they using the profits made by selling bags for the environment or are they filling their pockets and continuing to act unsustainably (CTV Vancouver, 2018)?

Another guiding principle I would use as an interpreter is emphasizing the quality of information I use in interpretation. I have the responsibility to listen to many points of view and obtain the highest quality of information for interpretations. I also must adapt when new information is found as soon as possible as having accurate information I think is the most important when trying to convey the message in nature. This would lead me to be up to date with information by always learning! It has been mentioned in our textbook that an interpreter always has the desire to continue to learn beyond the classroom which is why I would use this to guide me in Interpretation!

As for approaches…

As I develop as a nature interpreter, I want to bring these questions, solutions, inspirations to be selfless and quit exploiting nature. I do not want to see nature degrade but want to share my love for nature with others! This is my place where I feel at peace, especially the places where I share fond memories of family and I hope that we can conserve nature for many generations to come to have the chance to experience what I have been lucky to have done so.

I want to start my responsibility now… educating you on something called the Willow Project that is proposed to start in the next month or so. I know that this is happening in the US, but it impacts us all worldwide! It is the largest oil extraction proposed on federal lands in Alaska, and is estimated to add more than 250 million tons of CO2 to the atmosphere over the next 30 years (POW). Research at Stanford by Josie Carthwaite estimates that plants and soils together currently absorb an estimated 30% of the CO2 emitted by human activities each year (2021)! With this additional release by the Willow project, it's hard to imagine coming back from such a catastrophe and perhaps will push global warming to an all time high! No only does this impact us as we will likely see a short lived boom of the economy for immediate benefits, but soon after, it is likely that our earth will have no more to give after ecosystems are gone, global warming unstoppable, animals wiped out at an uncontrollable pace will all have long term impacts. Don’t let our immediate greed for money and energy jeopardize our earth, ecosystems, and other generations' chance to have nature, experience the joys I feel when in nature.

People are already speaking out, signing petitions, making videos, researching, trying to get the Willow Project to stop! Everyone joining together is making NOISE and not sitting back and letting people motivated by greed to do this to our planet! We all can make the difference! 

There is just too much information and tools I have learned in this course to name everything in just a short blog! Thank you everyone for the incredible information you shared and conversations and replies!

What was your most memorable blog you remember using nature interpretation?

Resources:

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed). Sagamore Venture

Carthwaite, J. (2021). Soils or plants will absorb more CO2 as carbon levels rise- but not both, Stanford study finds. Stanford- News Service.https://news.stanford.edu/press/view/38728#:~:text=Plants%20and%20soils%20together%20currently,there%20for%20a%20long%20time. 

POW. (2022) The Willow Project. Date accessed: 2023, March 15. https://protectourwinters.org/campaign/willow/ 

Training for a Late Bloomer

He was a bona fide dressage master. We were lucky to have him come for a clinic. It was the early 90s and I was signed up for three rides at $225 each. More than I’d spent on my horse and I knew the clinic would change my life. The participants joined him for dinner the night before the clinic started. Aware of his training resume and humbled by his accent, when he stood to address us, we were…

Turns out I remember very little and my handwriting is as bad as ever.

It could be a neighbor, a friend, a teacher, a colleague, even a sister or mother.

We witness their struggles and their sadness and wonder why they stay, but we also know that we can’t force them to leave. We only hope that one day they see for themselves their infinite potential and send them encouragement to find their own happiness.

Whether it is a job, a relationship, a city or simply a life that is unfulfilling or holding them back.

The moment they realize their own potential and self worth, is much more powerful than anything we could have said to them.

It’s priceless.

If you have questioned your own situation and wonder if it’s time to leave, consider what makes a woman finally leave and ask if any of these statements ring true for you.

Why She Stayed.

She was once happy where she was. There were infinite possibilities—the love they shared was deep and powerful—she was desperate to rekindle that.

In the beginning, it felt wonderful and joyous as they were exploring new things together and she was learning so much about herself.

She remembered the fun they used to have and how fulfilled she was. He was everything she thought she wanted.

Her friends and family used to comment on how happy she was, as if they were envious of the joy she radiated. They wanted it too, or so she thought.

When things started to change, and the feelings began to dissipate, she wondered where she went wrong. She was hopeful that it would come back that strong again.

She was upset with herself, that she was somehow to blame.

She felt that staying showed her commitment and she was worried that she may leave too soon and live to regret it.

She waited for things to get better. She stayed optimistic that things would change.

She questioned many times if she should leave. That was the first sign that she should.

So instead, she looked for signs that she should stay. And sometimes when she looked hard enough, she found them. She knew, in some ways that she was settling, but still she questioned if there would be anything better.

Besides, it wasn’t terrible and there was still some good left. Others certainly had it worse, she would justify.

She felt some safety in knowing what to expect, as if being comfortable brought happiness. It didn’t. She had many ways to rationalize why she should stay.

She was scared about what she was giving up, and worried about what she may lose if she left. But she didn’t consider what it was costing her to stay.

She started to uncover the courage and strength that she knew she always had. She weighed the risks.

Now, she was tired. She was defeated. She was resentful. She had given up her own power and happiness and she knew it was too far-gone.

She spoke to friends and she built up a tribe around her. They supported her. They always did.

She remembered how much potential she had and how the choice to stay was hurting her.

She let go of the guilt and blame that she had done something wrong. She hadn’t.

She finally had enough. She realized that it was no longer serving her. It was making her sad, hurt and frustrated.

She had given until there was nothing left to give. She wanted to smile and laugh again, like she did when it first began.

She knew it was inevitable that she would leave, but she didn’t know when. She didn’t know how. She knew she was stalling.

But she wondered what she was waiting for.

But finally, she left. The sadness became too much, the stress too overwhelming and the hurt enclosed her.

It was time to move on and she had found the strength. She realized that the only one holding her back was herself.

She was terrified of the aftermath. How would she cope? Who would she be without this part of her life that she had held onto for so long?

She picked herself up, she found the courage and she believed in herself. She knew she was strong, she knew she would survive.

She thought back to who she was before she weakened and how amazing and accomplished she was. How she lived her life without fear—she felt joy and passion. She found inspiration in that.

When it was all said and done, it was like a breath of fresh air. And she smiled again. Just like she knew she would.

She survived and she proved her strength. Not to anyone else, but to herself. She became aware of how much she had sacrificed and how unhappy she had been.

Life started to unfold around her and happiness began to pursue her. She didn’t need to reach for it with outstretched arms like she thought.

Happiness found her.

She still holds onto the happy memories, but she decided she deserved to be unconditionally happy. She decided that her life was worth pure bliss and that she didn’t need to rationalize her choices any longer.

For all of the amazing women of the world, may you find the strength and the courage to live the life of joy you are worthy of and finally take that breath of fresh air.

Sometimes I'm talking about a wine and I get afraid I'm lying. It can be a strange industry to work in because you often just learn things by osmosis. Not only that but you taste literally thousands of wines in a year. From hundreds of different regions and countries. Sometimes hundreds in just one afternoon. So one day, say today, you're telling a customer about the Italian wine, which is admittedly not your area of expertise and which you must work very hard to wrap your head around as there are two types of people: The people who instinctively respond to France and those who instinctively respond to Italy and you are decidedly the former.

So there you are, telling them about a wine you think you think is really great, Terre Nerre Etna Rosso and you start talking about how it's Sicilian and grown on high altitude Nerello vines in the volcanic soil on the slopes of Mt Etna, which lends it an obvious, striking minerality and fresh, bright yet complex berry fruit almost reminiscent of Burgundy. You remember really liking it. That one time. Or did you? Did you taste this wine? You did. No wait. Did you? And then in a panic you think to yourself:

"am i even telling the truth to this person?!  Is any of this even true? Is this even from Sicily? Is this even Nerello Mascalese?! Am I actually accurately identifying the flavor profile? I AM SUCH A FAKER! A WRONG STUPID FAKER WHO SHOULD BE FIRED!"

And then you run to the computer and double check yourself because god knows you couldn't possibly just trust yourself and your own judgement and there sits your redemption: You were exactly, precisely right, in fact you couldn't have been more bang on in your description, both technically and aesthetically. And you're still not totally convinced you did taste this wine, but you must have. Or something, because you're not even sure how you know any of this information.