What is your own connection or response to the natural world? What more could you do to change how you interact with and respond to nature?

Book Clubs Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor Discussion
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What is your own connection or response to the natural world? What more could you do to change how you interact with and respond to nature?

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We are facing environmental challenges today much like the settlers in the Great Plains. Misuse and overuse of our land has caused loss of diversity in plants and wildlife which is resulting in losses of all sorts including our natural foods. The warming of the climate is a result of our negligence in keeping watch over our ways of farming and developing the land. I plant native plants on my property and take measures to control for increasing pollinators and support of birds. I do not use chemicals and have reduced my lawn. Chemical contamination, much like the use of machines for farming has caused numerous health problems and loss of diversity.

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Lynne_Brosch, You are such a leader. Where do you live? I find it confusing to know what to do. I recently went to a lecture, where the head of the Bee Society for our state, said the number of individuals raising honey bees is hurting the other bees because of the lack of resources. She encouraged that there should be fewer people doing this. Who knew?

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Kim, This is a lovely question. I found it fascinating that there were so little responses. I do think being around nature is essential to good physical and mental health. I am trying to make small changes so that I am a good steward of the land, but it is tough to know what/how to make significant changes. I am going to assume the lack of responses, is the confusion on what/how to improved.

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I wish I could take credit, @Dee_Driscole, but that one came from the publisher. :slightly_smiling_face:

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I think that our natural world is vital to our mental and emotional health. What makes us so different from Europe is that our land isn’t privatized and is for everyone. I’ve been writing to my congressman about keeping it that way. I think whatever we believe, we have a voice and the responsibility to care for our lands.

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I’ve lived in 10 states including DC and now live in the Blue Ridge Mountains — finally, SERENITY! Mountains, hills, fields, forests, creeks, rivers, lakes, wildlife and … small towns!
However, I know even in Appalachia that Nature is changing and not In a good way. Frankly, I think the world is past the tipping point of recovery for three reasons:

  1. Overpopulation (e.g. deforestation)
  2. Technology (e.g. use of non-renewable energy)
  3. Consumerism (e.g. do we really need more stuff)

I think our best chance to reverse the deterioration of Nature is to create a generation of young people like Greta Thunberg. There’s always hope, right?

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I totally agree that I find peace and can recharge when walking on wooded trails in our beautiful park system in DC. When I close my eyes and imagine my walking there my breath slows.
It blows me away when people deny climate change. I see it all around me.
I live in the city and one thing that is a big change is providing bike lanes which cuts down on car emissions. I try to walk everywhere I need to go to.