We Must Learn to Love Nature Before Being Asked to Save It!

oh and this is fun! http://meetyourneighbours.net/

My articles has been around place-based education as a way of instilling a love and respect for one's own place (whatever your definition of place may be) as a starting point for building a sense of responsibility towards place and community. Then one can broaden community and add to this sense of responsibility.

Any insights you would like to share?

I just read 7 articles on this topic for my class!!

Well said Vince! There is increasing recognition that childhood and adolescent experiences in or with nature (think not just camping in the wilderness but also at the zoo) are crucial in forming people's perceptions of and appreciation for the natural world. While this could be viewed as is troubling given the disconnection of so many people (both young and old) from the natural world, it also offers us direction in inspiring an appreciation for nature and an environmental ethic in the next generation.

As far as what you could do on a practical level, what about an occasional blog post about someone who is getting it right? A person (scholar, activist, politician, 10 year old kid) who has done something great for the environment or has started/followed a movement. If we are going to get behind the "one person can make a change" idea, then maybe you could talk about some of those people?

I'll think about other ideas, but I also like any post where you include photos of the outdoors--maybe just an occasional post to show off some of the beautiful pictures you take?

I hope you haven't taken any of MY comments to be critiques of the blog, but I will say I really liked this post today. Seeing and hearing about the change that has to take place and the work that needs to be done is overwhelming (as I have said in the past), especially when one considers the work and change that also needs to take place to help the other causes I care so deeply about.

This post is a great reminder to just stop and take a breath sometimes. Life is good. It really is. The world is a lovely place. People aren't all out to destroy things. Sure, we have work to do. But, yes, I like the sentiment of just remembering and enjoying what it is we are fighting for.