I love wilderness, I always have and I always will. Being in nature is special to me. I love the way the wind blows through the trees, all the beautiful colors and textures, the moss, birch bark, soils, bark, leaves, the way the sunlight flows through a forest after a spring rain. I love the mists that sit like cotton candy over the mountains after a storm. I love looking up at the moon, the stars, and building soul cleansing campfires. I love the quiet, the peace, and the balance. Ever since I was a small child, I have loved the outdoors, hiking, camping, fishing, exploring, traveling, looking for stuff off the trails like deer antlers, owl pellets, bones, anything cool. I love to travel, and I love the great feeling of strength I feel in the woods, away from all the lights, noises, cars, TV's, rushing, stressing about meaningless details. What is really important in life? Survival. That is it. Once we have secured our survival of food, shelter and warmth, we can seek out our emotional and spiritual needs. We can find love, and spend the rest of our lives enriching our spirits, sharing our precious personal gifts, loving one another.
I am fiercely upset at the condition of our environment. It is all because of humans. Every single ecological problem can be traced to overpopulation of humans. We are destroying planet earth and all of its creatures. We have wrecked the air, polluted all the water and soil, cut down the rainforests, killed off beautiful creatures, harmed and tortured animals to extinction. We think we are the superior creatures. We deserve all the pain, illness, and suffering we are now getting. Ever notice how almost everyone has cancer these days? Any connection to the fact that we have not one spec of land on this earth that has not been altered by a human being. Air currents carrying pollutants from the United States have spread to the farthest reaches of the globe, spoiling forever a once pristine wilderness.
I always knew I wanted to work to protect the environment. When I was a little kid, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill destroyed Alaska. I cried my eyes out over the pictures I saw of the dead water birds, otters, and eagles. It hurt my heart so much. I was mad, so mad that I immediately joined Greenpeace, and made it my goal to work for them one day.
I did as much as I could in my community to protect the earth. I worked summers in the local Conservation Corps, working in nature sanctuaries, and spreading environmental awareness. I had over 200 tick bites during those summers, but back then, nobody cared, and it meant nothing, I continued on to College where I got my Degree in both Ecology and Environmental Science. I spent some wonderful years working for Greenpeace and other groups and am extremely proud of all my accomplishments. The world needs me to get better so I can get back in the fight!!!!
I have always loved the woods, and wonder why we hurt it, and cut down the trees. I have a passion inside me that knows better, the plants and animals cannot defend themselves against humans. We are convinced that technology will save us from any dangers, and all other creatures are below us, and all natural resources are there for our use, and abuse. I disagree, and when I hear about people being attacked by bears, catching West Nile virus, Malaria and Lyme disease I know all to well, that we damn well deserve it for destroying and altering nature.
Think about me and Lyme Disease/malaria. Why did I get it? First of all, there are too m any people. Too many people means we all need our own suburban houses, pretty yard so the kids can play, a pet dog, and a white picket fence. We killed off all the coyotes, wolves, cougars, and bears that used to prey on white tailed deer in New York. What is left after we killed off the natural predators? We now have a deer population so enormous that if you caught them all, you could put them nose to tail together and form a line around the Earth. Deer LOVE edge habitats. Edge habitats are what all of the USA looks like with the exception of Alaska. If you have a forest and right next to that, a field, or a backyard. The deer love to graze in back yards (especially when idiots feed them) and then quickly jump into the forest when alarmed. The only thing that kills deer are cars and the occasional hunter brave enough to trek through the tangled tick infested brush. One deer can have as many as 1000 ticks on it. Mice, songbirds, rodents, pets, and family members carry ticks into homes, and yards all over the place. If the deer had one giant stand of forest like they used to before we built up all of New York with houses, there would probably be little to no disease. I feel that humans suck, and even though I am one, I am part of a huge global problem. We should all do our best to consume less, waste less, recycle more and appreciate what little wilderness we have left. We should also hunt as much as possible for white tailed deer, all year round and kill as many of them as possible. Trek on, fight on, and do not forget we need the Earth. I really wish more people would hunt! make beef jerky you guys, you'll save some lives! Do it! Peace.... |
