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[otenvs3000f23]

Hello everyone, 

I hope you are all enjoying our last few days of the beautiful autumn weather – certainly my favourite season, so I’ll be sad to see it go! 

I am not much of a musically inclined person, I never even learned how to read music in school! Nonetheless, I absolutely love listening to music, if you are anything like me, I have about a million different playlists for various moods, ‘vibes’, and activities on my Spotify. My family is in Vancouver, so I spend a good amount of time in the mountains, and I always find myself listening to ‘folky’ and rock songs that embody the whole “granola-girl” aesthetic whenever I am out there (I find it funny how I rarely listen to that playlist when I’m in Ontario). In my opinion, nature interpretation is all about gaining an appreciation for nature and being fully present and in tune with it. Listening to the music of the trees blowing in the wind, birds chirping, and the crunching of leaves beneath your feet is probably the best kind of music for being present and one with nature. Still, if I had to pick a genre of music that spoke to me most while outdoors – or elicited a feeling of being fully present – it would have to be contemporary classical music. The absence of lyrics allows my mind to take in all the beauty around me. The calming melody of the classical instruments kindles the sense of “presentness” that I find so important about being outdoors – and in any aspect of life. In the same way photos and social media can push for immediate interpretation (as stated in the textbook), I would argue that music has the ability to transport you to another realm of awareness and presence, one where you can tune out some of your incessant thoughts that consume your day, and one that can evoke feeling and emotion. I think it’s super cool that we humans aren’t the only species who communicate through music, for example, think of whales or birds, even insects have the ability to feel rhythm! There is a reason music can induce great emotion and memory, it is ingrained in our history as a species and we wouldn’t have it if it weren’t for nature and our great ancestors evolving animal vocalization into the sounds of music we hear today. If I had to pick some songs that transport me to a space where I can be fully immersed in nature – sticking with my contemporary classical genre – the following are what I would recommend: 

Sunken Dreams by Alban Claudin & Esther Abrami

Minerva by Akira Kosemura

Avril 14th by Aphex Twin, Daniel Hope, Jacques Ammon, Christoph Anacker, Jane Berthe, and Kaiser Quartett

I look forward to hearing what you have to say about this week's prompt because I sort of struggled with it haha!

All the best,

Olivia

[otenvs3000f23]

Hello!

Thank you for reading my post! Your response made me think even more deeply about my original thoughts and I was curious to read about your ideas.  

You certainly seem to have an eye for art - one that I clearly lack haha! I absolutely loved how you talked about the way art speaks to the soul, which makes it such a great tool for nature interpretation. Whether you're the artist or viewer, art is a wonderful reflection of expression that can evoke transcendent feelings for oneself and the world around us. Art offers us inspiration and can contribute to enhanced quality of life. This makes me think of the quote from the film 'The Dead Poets Society', "... medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love: these are what we stay alive for.”. I think this quote is perfect for this week’s topic. Deriving meaning, contemplating our lives, and pursuing love for those around us and for ourselves can fulfill our desire for self-actualization, I think this is what art is all about. Despite the vastly different experiences of each and every one of us, art has the ability to unite us and create a sense of “oneness” through our shared human condition.

To end, I loved your description of who you are when it comes to interpreting art. I believe we are all souls moving through our time here on Earth to learn from our unique collection of experiences. I hope you forever remain curious and continue to always see the beauty of everything around you!

All the best,

Olivia

Blog Post 4

Who are you to interpret nature through art? How do you interpret “the gift of beauty”? (Your readings – specifically Chapter 5 of the textbook – will be helpful for this!)

Art can be interpreted differently by each person based on their own sense of "the gift of beauty". In my case, I have unique interpretations and perspectives on art. To me, art and the gift of beauty are appreciated for their aesthetics and looks as well as for their ability to tell stories. 

Sculptures, paintings, and photos can all be considered art. The aesthetics of a piece of art are what first catches my eye when viewing it. At first, I enjoy observing art, taking in the shapes, colours, lines, and textures because they fascinate me and have a way of providing feelings and sparking a sense of delight and curiosity. The aesthetic attractiveness of an art piece can be an experience in and of itself, providing enjoyment for the eyes and soul. 

I've always been fascinated with art, and on my first trip to the Louvre in Paris, I was especially taken to Eugène Delacroix's masterpiece "Liberty Leading the People." I just couldn't believe that a picture from the 1800s could be so detailed and carry so much history and meaning. I will make sure to include a photo of this painting so you can view it for its aesthetic and potentially recognize the history and story behind it!

My observation is that after admiring a work of art for a few seconds or minutes, I try to grasp its meaning by way of storytelling. My appreciation of art is enriched by the depth that this storytelling component brings, turning a lovely composition into a meaningful and stimulating experience. Art may help convey the gift of beauty by depicting how nature interacts with us, the wonders and mysteries it provides, or the compelling need to conserve it. We can interpret art in a way that is particular to each of us and open to interpretation in order to discover the message behind it. According to my perception, art acts as a link between the creator's original expression and the viewer's particular viewpoint. It enables us to connect with the beauty that the artist sees and get a look into their spirit. Consequently, art allows us to include our own experiences and recollections so that each interaction with art becomes a very personal and constantly changing journey. So to answer the initial question as to who I am labelled as when it comes to interpreting art, I am a curious soul looking to understand the meaning behind art. I continue to learn skills just by observing and staying curious. This ability to find significance and beauty in our own manner is what makes art such a valuable and lasting gift to society.

Hope you are all enjoying this sunny week!

[otenvs3000f23]

BLOG PROMPT: Who are you to interpret nature through art? How do you interpret “the gift of beauty”? (Your readings – specifically Chapter 5 of the textbook – will be helpful for this!)

Hello all, I hope you’ve gotten a chance to get outside and enjoy the sun!

Typically, when I think of ‘art’, my mind always goes to paintings and such – which I personally don’t have much of an appeal for, or in the least, not the eye for. But if we take a look at what art really encapsulates and consists of (because it’s certainly more than just paintings), I have forever been drawn to photography and film.

What captivates me most about it is the power a single photograph or film can hold. Photographs can open people’s eyes to things they didn’t know existed or was a problem, or even simply display the beauty of whatever their subject may be. I can think of many instances where photographs and films have changed federal policies, raised thousands of dollars, brought awareness, and captured the hearts of millions. Displaying and highlighting the interconnectedness of us all, we bring people together to take fastidious care of our world and our fellow beings. Just one of many examples, ‘The Terror of War’ (aka., ‘Napalm Girl’) (pictured below), has become a defining photo of the war in Vietnam. The image was seen around the world and had become a symbol for anti-war and American occupation in Vietnam. Or even think of documentaries such as Blackfish, the film that changed the face of an entire industry; opening viewers’ eyes up to the cruelties of animal entertainment companies such as Marine Land and SeaWorld. Following the release of the incredibly moving documentary Blackfish, SeaWorld saw an 84% decrease in income and lost thousands upon thousands of attendees. Protestors took to the streets of Canada and demanded that displaying dolphins, whales, and porpoises be made illegal, resulting in a federal bill to be passed that banned the use of these marine animals for entertainment purposes.

By informing audiences of controversial topics, climate disasters, ethical dilemmas, war-torn countries, species extinctions, and even just the world around them, we can provoke thought and meaning-making to all viewers and audiences. Art of all kinds has the potential to elicit an emotional response to the interpreter’s subject. Opening the hearts and minds of audiences through illustrating our beautiful planet and the marvel of human resilience, we can create radical change and unite people across the globe.

Enjoy the sunshine people!

Talk soon,

Olivia

The Terror of War or Napalm Girl (photograph by Nick Ut - June 8th, 1972)

Ut, N. (2016). Napalm Girl. Times. photograph, Trang Bang. Retrieved October 2, 2023, from https://time.com/4485344/napalm-girl-war-photo-facebook/.

Soderberg, A. (2021, December 13). The continuous impact of ’blackfish. Medium. https://medium.com/@annika_soderberg/the-continuous-impact-of-blackfish-303eb5a20526#:~:text=In%20the%20year%20following%20Blackfish%27s,the%20impact%20of%20the%20documentary.

[otenvs3000f23]

Good morning!

You’re completely right about the importance of recognizing one’s privileges - and might I add, perhaps the idea that given your privileges, what you can do to cultivate a better world around you. We need to create safe and open spaces to talk about this instead of turning a blind eye and hoping that it just works out. I loved how you mentioned that most places have essentially put up boundaries for what you can and cannot do; this is why it is so important to create accessible opportunities for all, this way it can be up to the individual participating to decide what they’re up to rather than having their experience be constrained by the limited options available to them. Lastly, your point about cities and lack of greenery really stuck out to me! I’ve grown up in both Vancouver and Toronto, both of which are Canada’s most popular cities with a high cost of living, yet, they are vastly different and the people they consist of seem to have opposing values in many ways. Toronto has very little greenery and the air has always seemed dirty to me, looking around, all you can see are buildings and some more buildings. Vancouver on the other hand is filled with greenery, even the places with the most densely placed buildings, there is always room made for nature - not to mention you get to see mountains and the ocean pretty much everywhere you go. I without a doubt believe that this has certainly impacted the values of the people who live there. As you said, growing up in Toronto it is very difficult to reach green spaces, Vancouver on the other hand is filled with trees, parks, and gardens, making nature easily accessible to all who live there. In my experience, the majority of people in Vancouver are very nature-oriented and have a great appreciation for the environment, whereas Toronto (being the financial capital of Canada) seems to be more consumerist. It is probably very likely to be less concerned with the environment if you have little access and exposure to it. I think this acts as a wonderful example as to why making nature accessible is so critical for raising environmental awareness and for allowing everybody to experience the benefits of being a part of nature.

I wish you the best throughout your journey and I hope you continue to raise up and challenge the doubters!

Cheers,

Olivia :)

Week 3: Privilege

Prompt: What role does “privilege” play in nature interpretation? Please include your working definition of privilege.

Privilege can be defined as a “a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.” While this definition is correct, my personal definition adds a bit more towards this: an important note is that privilege in its roots is a systemic issue based against minorities that can include race, social class, ability, gender, or orientation. Many systems that we have in place in western cultures really wish to see people the same as livestock and crops - a singular monoculture of workers. The reality is that people are incredibly diverse and our differences are something to be celebrated, not shamed for. Everyone deserves equal opportunities, although I know in reality many don’t get the opportunities to do so.

What’s so important to note about privilege is that most have it in one way or another. It is not necessarily a bad thing to have, as it means you have had access to certain things in your life, which is beneficial and good. Some people just do not have the environment to be able to have these same privileges. It is not shameful or bad to have privileges, but the most important part is that people who do have it can recognise it. Being able to recognize privilege can create a space for conversation and being able to brainstorm ideas on how to provide the opportunities to others that they may not have previously had.

It can range from something as simple as access to green spaces, where people who live in cities, especially lower income areas, tend to have less green spaces. Growing up in Toronto, I lived beside a lot of low-income areas, although I never was in one myself. Even growing up in that vicinity, I rarely had any greenspaces that were more than just a park the size of my bedroom that was always an hour walk away. It can sometimes make it incredibly hard for many to be able to get into nature interpretation and nature in general because of this.

From my own personal experience, although I am a person who has privilege in some aspects, in others I may not. One issue I notice heavily with nature interpretation is its accessibility issues for people who are disabled. As a disabled person myself, I get many people asking me if I would ever be able to actually go out and do fieldwork and interpretation. It’s frustrating, as a lot of places may not be as kind to people who may just need a bit of help. I hope to one day be able to challenge those people who doubt, but also hope that more opportunities will be available for people who deserve an equal chance. It’s hard as a lot of places try to define what someone can or cannot do but in reality it is up to the person signing up to determine if it’s truly the right fit or not. Overall, Privilege is something that people as a whole need to have a larger conversation on and figure out how it really does affect people. It’s not bad, but it is important to be honest and look at what you do have so we can try to provide these same opportunities to those who may not.

[otenvs3000f23]

BLOG PROMPT: What role does “privilege” play in nature interpretation? Please include your working definition of privilege.

Good afternoon everyone,

Being a healthy and able university student who lives in Canada, I come from parents who support me and are fairly wealthy. I would say that based on social and cultural advantages, I would be considered someone extremely privileged. I am a Caucasian female who lives in arguably one of the best countries to be born into, we have free healthcare; safe drinking water at our disposal – I mean seriously… we have so much of that stuff we poop in it –; the right to vote; education open to all; the list goes on and on. So yah… I think I won the jackpot and I’m sure the majority of you reading this could likely say the same.

I think to be privileged is about having opportunities or advantages because you fall into certain societal and/or cultural categories. Being someone who would be considered privileged and well-off, I have struggled with a lot of guilt about being given so much when there are millions of people with so little. Aside from the generic benefits of being privileged, I think it gives a wonderful opportunity to use it for the greater good. Because I don’t have to worry about things that underprivileged people are consumed with, I can actively pursue my education, be more sustainably conscious, and I can help others more freely. Amidst a climate catastrophe, it is easy to say that we as consumers need to be more careful in what we support and buy, but there are many people who simply may not have the means to make more sustainable choices. I think this is a wonderful attestation to how uplifting others will ultimately uplift us all. The more education and opportunities we can give to those who lack it, the more chances they have to make sustainable choices. When looking at the impact of nature interpretation on getting people to care for their planet, I believe it highly valuable for all (and should be inclusive and easily accessible for all demographics); but if the standard of living isn’t high enough for those listening, then I worry that audiences won’t be able to fully implement their existing or newfound values of nature preservation into their day-to-day routines.

So coming back to my point about using our privileges for the greater good, I still am struggling to figure out just what I can do to help uplift others – especially given the fact that I have the opportunity to do so. Do you guys feel that you need to do something with all the privileges you’ve been given? What are your plans?

Thank you for reading and enjoy the rest of your week!

Olivia

[otenvs3000f23]

Hey Rebecca,

That is absolutely insane that you lived in Tanzania! Mount Kilimanjaro is definitely on my bucket list so I hope to travel out that way sometime! Are there any other cool spots to see from a local’s perspective?

I like how you pointed out how you noticed the banning of ivory when you returned home. I love noticing positive changes like that too - even if its as simple as walking through the grocery store. While I believe that the big companies who are exploiting our planet certainly have to pay, I think we as consumers can have such a large impact as well. Every time you spend money you are essentially casting a vote for the kind of world you want to live in (if we look at it in simple terms of supply and demand). Given that the majority of large corporations are profit-driven, they’re likely to be in tune with consumer demands; if consumers demand more ethical/sustainable products, companies will want to provide those things! I mean, over the last few years just look at how many makeup brands now promote their “vegan and zero animal testing products”, or the surge and proliferation in meat and dairy alternatives. I think our generation is going to be seeing a lot of change throughout our lifetime and I have faith that we will be innovating for the greater good.

Thanks for reading my post as well haha!

Hope you have a great week and I look forward to reading more of your thoughts!

All the best,

Olivia :)

Week 2

BLOG PROMPT: Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter. What might it entail? Where might it be? What skills might you need? (Keep these all in mind as you begin to work on your assignments – tailor these to that ideal job!)

Hello again everyone, I hope your first week of classes has gone well! 

I have two ideas for what my ideal position as an environmental interpreter would be. The first being something that I would consider to be more self-serving and the other would be a position where I could promote change on a grand scale. 

Let us dive in! 

First, let’s begin with the position of nature interpreter that 7-year-old Olivia would truly enjoy. Something I’ve always wanted to do since I was very young was to live in some country in Africa and constantly be surrounded by wildlife – I pretty much just wanted to be Jane Goodall! Working with a safari company and touring across the savannah is certainly the dream, perhaps Kruger National Park in South Africa. Having so much information about the wildlife, vegetation, and the history of the land while being able to share that knowledge with others has been a goal of mine for as long as I can remember. If I were to take the safari tour guide route, it would be important that I make the excursion enjoyable, but more importantly an experience that is moving and an experience that provokes thought of appreciating and preserving nature. By creating an adventure that is memorable and promoting of environmental stewardship for all visitors, it would be the goal that they can extend their learning and experience to others and become interpreters of their own. Showing how preserving and restoring biodiversity can help stabilize the planet’s natural systems and save life on Earth would be the main message I would wish to convey to my audience.

This same message would be conveyed if I were to take another route, possibly a more political and influential route. While it certainly wouldn’t be as exciting as being a safari tour guide, in order to create the most change on a large scale, speaking on panels or lobbying for climate action would be my other ideal job. This position would be more difficult to offer direct involvement or hands-on experience, but I would hope that interpreting nature in a more formal way to incentivize climate action could create real change. Providing accurate information and engaging audiences to take this issue to heart would be of great importance since I would be less likely to provide audiences with direct involvement; with that being said, I would hope that my interpretations encourage others to actively seek direct involvement in their communities and abroad. I would want my audiences to leave feeling empowered to take action, create change, and feel strongly about protecting their planet. 

Regardless of the scale of interpretation, I hope that I always leave this message with those around me. Inspiring just one person to take action or stimulate a certain type of thinking can create a massive domino effect of change that you might not even be aware of. Never underestimate your importance and your impact on the world. If everyone thinks this way I think we could all collectively create enormous positive change. 

I look forward to reading about everyone else’s dreams!

Cheers, 

Olivia :)

[otenvs3000f23]

Week 2

BLOG PROMPT: Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter. What might it entail? Where might it be? What skills might you need? (Keep these all in mind as you begin to work on your assignments – tailor these to that ideal job!)

Hello again everyone, I hope your first week of classes has gone well! 

I have two ideas for what my ideal position as an environmental interpreter would be. The first being something that I would consider to be more self-serving and the other would be a position where I could promote change on a grand scale. 

Let us dive in! 

First, let’s begin with the position of nature interpreter that 7-year-old Olivia would truly enjoy. Something I’ve always wanted to do since I was very young was to live in some country in Africa and constantly be surrounded by wildlife – I pretty much just wanted to be Jane Goodall! Working with a safari company and touring across the savannah is certainly the dream, perhaps Kruger National Park in South Africa. Having so much information about the wildlife, vegetation, and the history of the land while being able to share that knowledge with others has been a goal of mine for as long as I can remember. If I were to take the safari tour guide route, it would be important that I make the excursion enjoyable, but more importantly an experience that is moving and an experience that provokes thought of appreciating and preserving nature. By creating an adventure that is memorable and promoting of environmental stewardship for all visitors, it would be the goal that they can extend their learning and experience to others and become interpreters of their own. Showing how preserving and restoring biodiversity can help stabilize the planet’s natural systems and save life on Earth would be the main message I would wish to convey to my audience.

This same message would be conveyed if I were to take another route, possibly a more political and influential route. While it certainly wouldn’t be as exciting as being a safari tour guide, in order to create the most change on a large scale, speaking on panels or lobbying for climate action would be my other ideal job. This position would be more difficult to offer direct involvement or hands-on experience, but I would hope that interpreting nature in a more formal way to incentivize climate action could create real change. Providing accurate information and engaging audiences to take this issue to heart would be of great importance since I would be less likely to provide audiences with direct involvement; with that being said, I would hope that my interpretations encourage others to actively seek direct involvement in their communities and abroad. I would want my audiences to leave feeling empowered to take action, create change, and feel strongly about protecting their planet. 

Regardless of the scale of interpretation, I hope that I always leave this message with those around me. Inspiring just one person to take action or stimulate a certain type of thinking can create a massive domino effect of change that you might not even be aware of. Never underestimate your importance and your impact on the world. If everyone thinks this way I think we could all collectively create enormous positive change. 

I look forward to reading about everyone else’s dreams!

Cheers, 

Olivia :)

[otenvs3000f23]

Hey Maddy, 

I love how your post touched upon the importance of educating people and communities about preserving the natural world. I truly believe that the more that people are out in nature and knowledgeable of our home there will be more of a collective effort to help conserve biodiversity and save our planet. I loved that you were able to convey the significance of nature and make fun personal experiences for the kids you babysit, I hope you know how impactful that can be for people! 

It is lovely to hear that your community is so aware of the value of preserving nature. We are so much more powerful and adept when people come together to collectively create change. It's awesome to hear that your sense of place comes from so many people and it is wonderful to have that kind of support from so many others. I hope to one day live in a place such as your Eden Mills! 

From the sounds of it, it seems that you may already be quite a good nature interpreter. I hope you continue to inspire others to enjoy and appreciate nature the way you do!

Best of luck in the rest of your studies,

Olivia

Blog post 1

This blog was created for ENVS3000, University of Guelph. 

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the University of Guelph. 

The University of Guelph is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by this blog.

Hello all, my name is Maddy, welcome to my blog!

I am based in Eden Mills, just outside of Guelph, Ontario. I have always been what my mom calls a ‘nature girl’. As a child, I would bring any animals I happened to catch in the house asking if I could keep them as pets, quickly learning that wild animals were meant to live outside.  Although I have always had a love for nature and the outdoors, as I’ve grown up I’ve been able to learn more about specific species as well as being able to pass on important lessons regarding respect for nature to a younger generation. For example, taking the kids I babysit out on walks through our local trail, I am able to show them different animals and teach them viewing these animals from a respectable distance as well as leaving the path the way it was when we arrived. I was taught by my parents and babysitters from my community and now I get to share with the children I care for as they grow up in our wonderful little village. 

Where I live, nature is abundant, I am very lucky to live in a place not only full of nature but full of people who respect nature. Although I always felt like everyone in our village respected nature it became very clear to me just how much a few years back. There was a large property going for sale in Eden Mills that used to be a camp (a camp that I once worked at with many others my age from the area). There was talk of it being bought and developed. In true Eden Mills fashion, 7 members of the community got together and purchased the property to prevent this from happening. They ended up severing the land and donating a section of it that is filled with trails to RARE preventing it from ever being developed. They sold the other four severed lots to families for family homes to be built. I get to be surrounded by a beautiful village full of flora and fauna every day whether it is simply walking the dog or admiring the animals in my yard through the window and part of the reason I can do that is thanks to those people. I am forever grateful that this group of people took action and helped preserve our little piece of heaven that is Eden Mills. It's these people that I am surrounded by that have given me a sense of place.

[otenvs3000f23]

Disclaimer (please pin an edited version to the top of your blog)

This blog was created for ENVS*3000, University of Guelph. 

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the University of Guelph. 

The University of Guelph is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by this blog.

[otenvs3000f23]

Week 1

BLOG PROMPT: Describe your current relationship with nature. How has this developed/evolved? Who offered you “a sense of place,” as described in our textbook?

Hello, my fellow nature interpreters!

I look forward to getting to know you all through sharing our thoughts on Tumblr – I honestly forgot this platform even existed! Nonetheless, I wish you all luck in your studies and am excited for this semester with you!

Do you guys ever think about the things that have shaped who you are and your interests? What influences and experiences made me who I am today? If you’re anything like me and coming up to your ‘quarterly-life crisis’, you might spend countless hours pondering (and stressing) over who you are and what you’re meant to do; what is going to bring me happiness and a sense of meaning? At least for me, I think this is where the natural world comes into play in my life.

Let us begin…

For as long as I can remember, I could always be found reading some book or encyclopedia on wildlife. I’ve always been fascinated by animal behaviour, animal physiology, wildlife conservation, and pretty much anything animal-related. Was anyone else obsessed with BBC’s Earth nature documentaries? I would argue that David Attenborough must be one of the best nature interpreters of our time. He encapsulated millions by sharing breathtaking landscapes and all the life that depends upon it. His impassioned rhetoric brings meaning to conservation efforts and displays the beauty of our home. His documentaries profoundly enriched my admiration and awareness of the fragility and adaptiveness of nature. As I grew older and as my knowledge of animals expanded into the natural world and the environment, I began to notice the interconnectedness of life; I learned of issues our planet was facing, such as how climate change was affecting wildlife and biodiversity, the inequalities and ethical concerns found within so many industries, and most importantly, how utterly crucial it is to protect our beautiful little planet.

After the release of several articles all over social media explaining that we are in the ‘decisive decade’ and on the brink of the sixth mass extinction, there seemed to be nothing but bad news everywhere. Essentially every article and social media post alluded to the idea that humanity is doomed and that we’ve completely screwed up our planet. I honestly struggled with a lot of anxiety around this, and I took this issue personally (and still do).

On a side note, I like the idea that amongst chaos and ruin, nature and life on Earth will continue to rebuild itself – maybe we can look at times of hopelessness and chaos in our own lives this way, we are forever transforming and learning, perpetually being rebuilt despite it all. I think if we all look at nature as our friend instead of trying to be separate from it and viewing it as a commodity to be exploited we can instead appreciate our planet, and then perhaps we can save it too.

While I always felt that anything I did would be insignificant in the grand scheme of things, I still do my best to live more sustainably and try to encourage others to do the same. After having such a defeatist mindset about the state of our planet for quite some time, I would say I grew quite proficient in appreciating the natural world around me and am in constant awe of its resiliency. If you pay attention to the beauty of it all, you too can feel a little more at peace. Take a minute to look up and be captivated by the stars at night, isn’t it neat that the longer you look, the more stars that seem to appear? Study the intricate chevron markings on the legs of a grasshopper. Stick your arms out and feel the heat from the sun on your skin and the wind blowing across your face. We come from nature, it is ingrained in who we are; so take a moment to be present and admire what our wonderful world offers – I hope it brings you as much peace as it does me.