Natural world is something that keeps us intrigued, excited with new discoveries, but on the other hand sometimes concerned for it safety. We have not only witnessed its natural and man made disasters, but also how amazing the Earth is in heeling if we give it a chance.
Many years after Chernobyl incident in Ukraine, we are seeing animals such as brown bears, bison, wolves, lynxes, horses, and more than 200 bird species, living and nesting in the exclusion zone. Some adapted certain features to help them survive radiation, but for some of the species their lifespan is not as long as elsewhere in the world. This is just one example of the nature adapting and thriving, after the human element is taken out of the picture.
Another incredible example of Earth healing itself is the population of the humpback whales and it’s increase due to pressure put on the whaling industry. In the 1950s there was only 440 South Atlantic humpback whales left. Since then, in 1960s the protection procedures were put in place to control commercial whaling, bring the population to a healthy number of 25,000.
It is always a joy to hear there is always hope on the other side of the dark cloud, but things can only improve if we all continue striving for bettering our selves through education and understanding. Changes are also made if we continue putting pressure on political procedures, consumption trends, and change how we coexist within our natural communities including animals and plants, to increase Natural World ability to heal.
I find it inspiring to see others making small changes and adaptations to their daily lives to appreciate natural beauty by e.g planting more plants in the garden, which in the end brings more insects to the ecosystem meaning more food to small mammals and birds.
It is important for myself to appreciate natural world on daily bases. I do this sometimes by observing birds in the garden going on about their own business, enjoying different new experiences or taking new paths on a walk or a run, or just breathing in fresh air during morning Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation).
This year is the first time ever that I have had some real health concerns, which I’m still going through at the moment. Normally we all feel in control of everything that we do and what happens to us. I have been keeping up with a good diet and lifestyle, but what is happened to me is completely out of my control. It is clear that none of us are in control at all. Nature gives life, but it can take what it has given in a blink of an eye. Sometimes, if I would stress or get upset about that particular problem and how it’s taking a long time to having it fixed, I feel like turning to nature for some mental healing and brake from reality.
Earth, seas, the wind, animals, plants and whole ecosystems are not judgemental, but it can get hurt, and when it does it cries lives of innocent. If we all give something back, others will follow in our steps and small changes become changes of the world. I think one of the best things we can all do is just help others understand the issues we are facing in natural world and hope they will change their perception. It is true we are only small individuals in the big world, but if we all pay our part right, individual actions count bake a big difference.
This year I am aiming to continue cutting down on my plastic imprint and I’ll start looking into cleaning natural areas that I’ll go and visit while climbing. I have a few of these trips planned this year so I’m supper excited.
To summarise, appreciate what we all have and how we use it as we are on this Earth only a small fraction of time. Long after humans are extinct, what we leave behind is what the future generations will remember us by. Either creators, innovator and pioneers of the Earth supporting its ecosystem, or era that has drained Earth from it’s natural resources.
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