All About That Nature

Great Outdoors "Must Knows"

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From the Heart.

For my last blog post, i’d like to share my own beliefs when it comes to being a nature interpreter. Admittedly, at the beginning of this course I wasn’t too fond of nature, I always thought it was kind of dirty, filled with insects and just not my cup of tea. I mean i’m still not very fond of insects, but I definitely have a newfound appreciation for nature. This is why I think as a nature interpreter, it’s important that I am compassionate and kind to nature. 

Majority of my childhood I think I just misunderstood nature. I didn’t realize how beautiful and soothing it could be for your soul. To me, it was just the dirty outdoors even though of course it has always been a lot more than just trees, grass and bugs. However, as of recently my relationship with it began to change. 

I’ve mentioned in an earlier post that during my trip to India last year was when my relationship with nature truly began to change. I’d like to share that feeling once again, because it’s truly important to me. My family comes from Punjab, india. In Punjab, the majority of the population there live off of farming. Not only do they farm to survive, but they farm because for generations we’ve been farming. So the one day when my uncle took my brother and I to the farm lands, and with my own eyes I saw the farmers working on their individual plots. It was one farmer per plot of land, and the land just seemed to go for miles. They were knee deep in soil, just digging, watering, planting and instinctively I was disgusted at the idea of being covered in dirt. However, when I just sat on top of the water motor and watched from a distance, as they continued to work, it finally hit me. All of a sudden I felt instant regret and guilt for feeling so disgusted, because these fields they were farming on, were once the same fields my grandfather, and his father worked on as well. I felt instant guilt in thinking I was disrespecting not only my grandparents, and great-grandparents, but all my ancestors who have only ever known farming and are the reason I am standing here today. 

Farmer husband and wife, in their fields. 

My grandfather used to tell me stories about him working on these farms. He would tell me how hard it was to work in the blaring sun, and for 14 hours of the day too. He always told me how much his heart-ached during the dry months, when he’d watch his plants begin to dry and wither away because it hadn’t rained in months. Then, he’d tell me the stories about the joy the farmers felt when it finally did rain. Some would cry out of relief because the rain saved their months long work, while others would call it a day and drink in celebration. 

It was then in India when I realized I had it wrong the whole time. Nature has always been nurturing and giving to me. This is why I felt guilty. I felt guilt because I knew how deeply connected my grandfather was to the same soil that was disgusting me seconds earlier. Not only did the soil feed his family but it had the heart and soul of all my ancestors in it, and that is why it was so dear to my grandfather. You see, to farmers their farmland is not just their livelihood but also extremely spiritually important. Their soil means so much to them, because its the same soil their fathers, and their father’s fathers, and even their father’s father’s father once stepped foot on. It’s been passed along for generations, so of course there is an emotional connection to it. My trip to India taught me that I need to be kind and compassionate to nature, because it’s nurtured my ancestors for centuries and it’s the only thing connecting me to them. 

This is why I want to share with you all something that is so dear to my heart, something that makes me tear-up even writing it. I’m not sure if you have heard about currently 12 million_ farmers are protesting new farm bills passed in India. Farmers from North, South, East and West India have made their way to Delhi to protest against these bills, but they have been met with tear gas, water cannons and beatings from the police. The violence against them is completely unnecessary because their protests have been entirely peaceful, and majority of these farmers are old aged and already risking their lives during this pandemic to protest. The farmers know all the bills are disguised to help them, when in reality they make them more vulnerable to large corporations. The Indian government has pulled their minimum support price, and instead has given the private corporations the ability to determine the rate at which farmers can sell their produce. The minimum support price was acting as a minimum wage for the farmers, but now since large corporations decide the price, the farmers are left with no leverage or backup plan for their goods. This is very dear to me, because I am only one generation removed from being in India protesting as well. I come from a family of farmers and they know right now their livelihood is at stake. They know that these new bills give these large private corporations the ability to manipulate and exploit farmers even more so than they already do, and push farmers further into debt until they’ll be forced to sell their farm land. The same ancestral land, the same land these farmers work 14 hours a day to make the food that feeds the entire country. 

From the protests In Delhi.

12 millions+ farmers protesting in the streets of Delhi.

I’ve attached links to petitions, links to learn more, but please consider reading up more because I know I didn’t do a sufficient job in explaining the depths of the threat these bills pose to farmers. 

This is what I think is important as a nature interpreter. I think it’s important to be kind and compassionate to nature, and no one is going be to more kind to these farm lands than the farmers themselves. Don’t let the Indian government steal that from them! 

https://www.change.org/p/support-all-farmers-by-revoking-the-farmers-act-in-the-republic-of-india?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_26058773_en-US%3A0&recruiter=1107756442&recruited_by_id=d11970e0-a663-11ea-be3d-638667c84178&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_abi

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/what-is-the-farm-bill-and-why-are-farmers-protesting-against-it/689215 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kmDsLp0xnw&t=13s&ab_channel=DhruvRathee 

References: 

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/agency-wire/2705-a-happy-farmer-makes-a-happy-countryvice-president-venkaiah-naidu

https://twitter.com/IkjotChahal/status/1333304013744349185

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Hi Gurrasna,

Thank you for sharing your post, I truly felt as though it was coming from the heart (no pun intended here). I loved how you shared some very personal thoughts and things about yourself, your family and your origin. I thought it was so great how you were able to connect the farming that your grandparents and great-grandparents did in India to the level of nurture that nature has provided you, that is truly a moment of reflection. Thank you for spreading awareness about the new farm bills that have been passed in India, I was not previously aware of this and its very saddening to hear. Unfortunately, in many third world countries, when citizens are peacefully protesting about certain topics and issues they are faced with violence from their governments. This is unfair and unjust, and I could talk about it for hours. I think you are doing a very good thing by further educating all of us and helping us learn and understand complex issues such as this one at an appropriate level as this was something that we learned from our textbook about cultural and natural awareness (Beck et al. 2018). I will be taking a look at the petitions and links your provided and doing what I can to support and further raise awareness to this serious topic. Thank you again for sharing!

Warmly,

Balsam

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC

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My Purp in Interp

              Throughout the duration of this course, I feel as though my personal ethics regarding nature interpretation has developed quite a bit. This course has unpacked many things I didn’t formerly consider when formulating interpretation programs such as privilege, modes of interpretation and accessibility. The beliefs I bring to interpretation is that learning should be fun! By making concepts and understandings engaging, we can motivate a wealth of people to enjoy and learn the things we find interesting and important. This was particularly well exhibited in my ZOO*4910 course. Though this was a science-based course, our final science communication project made students in the class pick a scientific theory that they wanted to explain in a fun and engaging way.

              The goal was to make science accessible and easy to digest for the public and the class came up with so many fun ways of doing this. Some people made videos; others made comics and there were even some memes! The last class was spent teaching each other and everyone was so supportive; it was a very wholesome time. It honestly didn’t even feel as though we were teaching each other complex scientific concepts because we were having so much fun! My favourite comic strip was about Trinidadian guppies and their posthumous breeding strategies. The story involved cheating scandals, baby mama drama, death and more! The overall story was very dramatic and quite funny, but by the end we learned the importance of posthumous breeding strategies as a mechanism female guppies use to sustain the population. If anyone would like to hear more about it the concept explained or see the comic let me know in the comments below, but for now I’ll attach this meme as a quick summary!

  Posthumous breeding meme

             The second belief that motivates me is that learning should be impactful. I think of interpretation as a tool to initiate positive change. Perspectives change as one learns and aims to understand the thing being unpacked in front of them. If I can tie significance to the thing being understood, people are much more likely to be forgiving, considerate, passionate, and more towards the topic at hand. I whole heartedly believe that people don’t need to drastically change their outlook on life, but that if people can make little, sustainable changes suitable to them we as a population can make a world of difference.

              Something I’ve taught people that is so small but can make worlds of change is the impact of littering. Littering, as seen abundantly on highways and roads, has such a negative impact on our local wildlife. You see, littering attracts small animals to the road who feed on what was left, which can result in roadkill. These small animals, however, are also game for large predators who in turn are attracted to busy roads due to the abundance of food sources there. As a result, a lot of small and big animals can get hurt and killed causing major trophic impacts while also negatively affecting the population long-term. Thus, by holding onto your trash until it can be disposed of properly and by teaching others the same thing, we can amount to substantial positive change beneficial to native wildlife. While someone may not have initially thought of the breadth of issues tied to littering, its my job as an interpreter to connect those dots and help people amount impactful change, when possible.

              Finally, I think learning can happen at any age. No one should be limited by their stature in life, and learning should be accessible to every type of person. I feel as though anyone should be able to initiate change and shouldn’t feel limited doing so. It’s important to make people feel important and that stands no matter where you are in life. A lot of times, I think people get down on themselves because they feel as though they were insignificant. It’s a concept I’ve truly struggled with for some time. It’s important to know that this isn’t the case and that something small like littering can lead to big changes. You have significant capabilities to shape the days of those who surround you in a positive way, and I think this a powerful tool that people don’t give credit to! And to quote a film I recently watched, The Help, “You is kind, you is smart, you is important.” While I won’t be unpacking this concept completely in this post, I think its important to give yourself credit because everyone is capable of making an impact and often do it without even knowing so.

 Love yourself (even if you look like a burnt chicken nugget)!

             My responsibility as an interpreter is to bring about a good experience of learning while providing accurate information as accessibly as possible. This means I should strive to teach others without any prejudice regarding potential limitations or biases I may have towards an audience, while giving my audience equitable treatment. Learning should be tailored to the learner, so while there is things I might find effective overall I should never stop adapting and learning how I can best interpret to others. While its good to also simplify certain concepts, I should maintain a level of accuracy concerning the topic of conversation. I should be honest about my level of knowledge and sometimes that’s as simple as saying I don’t know when a there’s a question that stumps me. There’s no need to fear looking inadequate, rather its an opportunity to lead by example. We all have to start somewhere and its good to be reminded of that. I think its important to be humble while striving to do your best, and maybe that vulnerability will open up the opportunity to deepen your connection to others!

              The approach I find most suitable for interpreting is presenting or meeting people at a display. Presentations are fun because you have the audience’s undivided attention and you can do a lot with that. Displays are also fun because you can meet and engage with people on a personal level. I personally find displays the best because its much less stressful because it’s a more informal set up, and you can connect and talk to people about what interests them, life stories they may have and more! I remember doing a display at Cottage Life (a convention) and there were so many displays to enjoy and meet people at! I remember collecting donations and an old man approached me to ask if I’d help him get over his fear of snakes. While it was the next display over (not my station) I gladly obliged and it was a good time! We got to talk about his fear and why he was afraid but didn’t want to hurt them or see them in decline and he was so respectful of our native species even though he didn’t like them! It was quite refreshing and when I think of this 80 year old coming to me saying “If you touch the snake I’ll touch the snake” is freaking hilarious and a very special memory I have in my heart. He ended up giving a really nice donation and it was a good time!

A freaking cute baby snake so you know the danger noodles are also the cutest noodles.

              This ended up being quite the lengthy post, but I hope you enjoyed reading a little (or a lot) about my perspective. A lot goes into being a good interpreter! I can’t wait to see what the rest of you guys post and I hope y’all have a good end to the semester.

Your homie,

Grish

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Hi Grish,

Great blog post! I loved the incorporation of various images to further captivate your readers experience with your post. I really resonated with many of the ideas you presented and felt as though they in fact captured the true thoughts of a nature interpreter. I agree with what you said about making concepts and information engaging; this course specifically, excelled in doing so and I found myself excited much of the time to get up and do work (blog posts, podcasts, etc.), which is something I would never usually admit. The beliefs you possess are all very important and the point you made about making information as accessible as possible to people is very critical especially in the sense of providing awareness. As we learned in the textbook, by provoking the audiences and forging personal connections with things, places, people and concepts, the audience will be more inclined to protect and advocate for their protection (Beck et al.2018). This statement goes back to what you mentioned about littering, when you provide certain individuals with the right information that connects to their personal lives and things that they love, they will be more likely to listen and comprehend. For example, when educating a child about littering, you could incorporate their favourite animal and explain how this animal is specially affected by the action of littering; this will make the child intrigued and maybe even a little upset, provoking them to try and really change their actions and the actions of the people around them (parents, friends, teachers). As I conclude my reply, I have a question for you: What is the most effective way of learning for you personally? Are you a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner and how can you apply your learning style to the way you approach nature interpretation?

Looking forward to your reply,

Best,

Balsam

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC

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Me, Myself and Nature Interpretation:

For my last blog prompt of the semester, I am excited to describe and talk about my personal ethic as I develop as a nature interpreter. However, it is only fair to first start this post off by defining what ethics means to me; ethics are principles that follow a specified assortment of morals, more specifically I think that ethics is knowing the difference between what is nobly right and what is nobly wrong and then basing your actions accordingly. Some of the qualities that a nature interpreter can possess include hope, passion and beauty. These qualities are very important to me as an individual as they encompass my personal code of ethics and beliefs that I carry with me and will continue to carry with me into the future. Over the past couple of weeks, thanks to this course, I have learned and obtained various skills and tools and while on this journey of interpretation, learning and growth, I began to realize that I have already possessed some of these skills prior without noticing. In this final blog post, I will discuss (in detail) my personal ethics, values and beliefs. I will also aim to describe how I believe that we as nature interpreters have an immense power to make positive futuristic changes. Lastly, I will share different approaches that I’ve used in different situations that have helped shape my abilities as a nature interpreter.

Looking back at my first ever blog post, I reflected on how my first experience with the spark of nature or in other words my first “sense of place” as Beck et al. describes; it was when I was younger. I reflected on different memorable camping trips that I had experienced with my family and cousins during the summer. Thinking back on this first blog post, I realize that to me a spark is really my first memorable experience with nature. It can happen at any age or stage in a person’s life; mine happened when I was young. My initial spark of spending time outdoors with close family led me to further observe and experience my natural surroundings, which in turn allowed me to further appreciate nature and all that it can do for me. Referring back to the course textbook, effective interpretation allows for the trigger of brain paths and stimuli and for the information to be processed and stored for later use. I think this is important to address because it is initially the first step that anyone has to take in order to become a nature interpreter and was a step that I now realize I had taken unknowingly when I was younger through my camping experience.

Heres a photo of me fishing while camping near Lake Simcoe, ON when I was younger. Fishing was something that I really enjoyed doing as it made me feel very relaxed and at peace.

The main value and belief that I bring to my interpretations is that everything in nature matters, this means respecting everything that nature has to offer while appreciating the land. Anyone can say that everything in nature matters, but do they really mean it? Well that’s a matter of perspective and opinion. I really do care about nature and its future as this was something that was passed along to me through my dad who is the biggest nature advocate that I know. So, put simply, yes, everything in nature matters and has a purpose. That being said, there are many other beliefs that I have that I feel should be addressed in relation to nature interpretation. Another important belief that I possess is knowledge, and more specifically sharing the things you learn with others. This is important as knowledge spreads awareness and with awareness comes change. I say this because we are currently in an environmental crisis and there are many problems at hand that the average person may or may not be aware of. I took Climate Change Biology (ENVS*3010) last semester and learned, in depth, of the many issues we are currently facing when it comes to climate change and our environment. Being able to share this information with some of my friends (who didn’t take the course) and some family members made me feel good in the sense that I was doing something to initiate a change (no matter how small). Throughout that course, I was able to comprehend the impacts that climate change has on human health, safety, the economy, our natural resources and our ecosystems. I could talk about this issue for hours on end, but for the sake of the word count all I can say is: Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution and it needs to be talked about more. 

This is a photo I took off of @recycleseas instagram page. This page advocates for change and attempts to spread everyday awareness about the issues our planet is currently facing. I think about this picture often and wanted to share it with you guys. 

The main responsibility that I believe I have is the responsibility of using my knowledge to advocate for changes when it comes to different environmental issues. I feel as though this goes hand in hand with my previous talk about beliefs. Being privileged enough to go to university and learn first-hand about issues we face as a society I feel as though it is my responsibility to relay these issues to other people and make conversation. This doesn’t just go for issue-based knowledge, it applies to interpretational knowledge as well. This course has helped me understand the journey of a nature interpreter by peeling back the layers of the environment, appreciating them and understanding them. Once you have the knowledge of a nature interpreter you have such a rich understanding of the world that you want to protect it. Because of my passion towards nature, I find it is my duty and responsibility to share this passion with other people, so they too start their journey in becoming a nature interpreter.

As for approaches, I think some of the approaches that are most suitable for me include factual and practical approaches. I find that facts really stick with me and I can remember them really well, which would be useful to add to my interpretations. Additionally, practical approaches like learning how to identify thing works for me as well. I find that my go-to combo is based on factual and practical approaches; I like to identify things, research them (background information, history, etc.), and discuss them with others. I think this is a great way to develop identification skills, because it allows different perspectives to shine through during the discussion aspect of the approach.

To conclude, I’d like to end my final blog post by emphasizing how much I really enjoyed this course and how eye opening it has been to me as an individual interpreter. I loved being able to interact with my classmates and learn about their different perspectives as well. Overall this has been a great experience and it has me considering future career options in nature interpretation.

Thank you for reading!

Best,

Balsam

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC

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Hi Balsam!

I really love your reflection back on your first post in the course. Thinking back to that point is amazing if we consider all of the knowledge we have gained since then. I also enjoy how you’ve reevaluated your first spark with your connection with nature, truly thinking back on your first views as an “amateur nature interpreter”. When I think back on my first interactions with nature with the knowledge and information I have now, it makes me happy as I still have a love for what I initially did. I am now able to understand the impact that being able to play and learn from nature really shapes your view of the world and your ability to interpret nature as an adult. While I was writing my post I remembered how I took a recording of the waves hitting the shore at the beach near my house before I went away to university in first year. I took that recording to use as a calming and grounding mechanism for when I felt stressed out or homesick. Little did I know I was allowing myself to interpret nature in a form other than physically being in it. In my opinion this is one of the first steps to becoming a nature interpreter. To be able to understand the different ways that it can be interpreted is a valuable skill that I truly only grasped after starting this course. 

Thank you for sharing this post Balsam! I really enjoyed reading how your reflected on this past semester

All the best!

Caitlyn 

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Hi Caitlyn,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply to my post. I’m very happy to hear that it inspired you to look back and reflect on your first ever blog post as well! I think it’s very important to take a moment of reflection especially in a course like this because it helps you to really see and understand how much you’ve changed in the span of just a couple of months! Even just reflecting on the privileges you now have compared to what you started off with in the beginning is just fascinating! As Beck et al. 2018 states, privilege plays an important role in nature interpretation; now that this course has come to an end, we now have the privilege of knowing and understanding how to interpret nature. We also have the privilege of knowing the different ways of nature interpretation. For me personally, this course has given me the privilege of interpreting nature through my photography. Although, I had always enjoyed taking photos of various things, I now truly understand that my ability to photograph nature and interpret it in that sense is a privilege in itself. I’m curious to hear, what is one privilege you now realize you possess due to this course?

Thanks again for your reply to my post,

Cheers,

Balsam

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC

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Ethics in Nature Interpretation

Ethics is a very diverse term that is unique to everyone in different ways (Beck et al. 2018). Personal ethics are moral guidelines that you give yourself that help in situations and making decisions in your personal life (Beck et al. 2018). Often ethical values are shared between people but, the level of importance within your ethics will vary. Some personal ethics I poses in my day to day life includes integrity, respect, empathy, selflessness and honesty (Indeed, 2020). Other types of ethics involve the moral decisions of right and wrong. I myself make decisions based on my ethical and moral views which are developed as I grow as a human being, experiencing different places, cultures and education. In terms of nature interpretation, the type of ethics I developed throughout this course is the moral relationship of human beings to the environment. I value all of natures living and non-living components because they hold true beauty and importance to my life as well as others around me.

I believe every living thing shares an equal intrinsic value despite how powerful one can be over another. What I mean by this is that I morally feel it is wrong for example to destroy ecosystems for urban development or hunt tigers for their fur and/or welcome new products into our lives that had to be tested on multiple animals first. Who is it to say that humans have the rights to make the decisions regarding another living things life? It reminds me of an environmental perspective I have learned about and that is the social construction of nature (Robbins, 2014). Humans for hundreds of years have used natures natural wonders as a way to express social status rather than appreciate nature for all it is (Robbins, 2014). For example, people with weeds all over there lawns were seen as not successful or socially acceptable people because weeds were deemed as “ugly” (Robbins, 2014). Dandelions are a type of weed that humans feel pressured to expel from their lawns but in return we are just damaging the honey bee population (CBC, 2016). Honey bees rely on dandelions because they are the first source of nectar for bees in the early spring (CBC, 2016). Who is to say that humans have the rights to subtract a major food source from an ecological important species just for a socially acceptable status? I believe the answer is that humans don’t have this right and we abuse the privileges nature provides us with.

The type of weeds usually removed from lawns so the lawn looks “prettier”.   https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/solutions/weed-control-turfgrass/

I also believe expressing nature through different art forms is one of the greatest and most ethical ways of doing so. A special place to me where I grew up is my cottage located in Dorset, Ontario. Throughout the town of Dorset, sculptures of beavers, loons and wolves are displayed to express appreciation for these species and acknowledge that they are important in nature. Whenever I walk past these sculptures it makes me think about my encounters with beavers, loons and wolves throughout my life. For example, when I think of beavers, I can tell a story of why beavers were given the status of an emblem of Canada. When I think of wolves, I remember back to when a pair of wolves made shelter under my cottage and I was able to see them come out from underneath and walk back across the frozen lake into the forest. When I think of loons, I think about all the years practicing and mastering a loon call and the cool feeling I got when it triggered a response from them. There is nothing more beautiful then relaxing by the fire on the beach as the sun is setting and the loons are howling back and forth.

Common loon found in freshwater ecosystems.     https://abcbirds.org/bird/common-loon/ 

I also believe privilege plays a role in nature interpretation (Beck et al. 2018).  Being able to grow up and experience the things I listed above is truly a privilege I am forever thankful for. It is to my understanding that some people don’t have the privilege of going outside or having the freedom of seeing a beautiful landscape (Beck et al. 2018). In my most recent adventures, I had the opportunity to travel to Vancouver and go hiking. The accessibility to fly across Canada to another province is a privilege as well that some people may not be able to experience. Hiking and exploring the different ecosystems they have really opened my eyes to how much nature can change even just between a few provinces. Nature flourishes wherever life can grow and be sustained which I think is beautiful.

The ethical responsibilities I have in my day to day life is educating others on why we need to treat nature and the environment as equals to us. Our beautiful environment will not be sustained if we keep negatively impacting it (Wals et al., 2014). That is why environmental education is so important, people can learn about the evolving issues of species loss, ecosystem destruction and climate change in hopes of creating efficient solutions for the future (Wals et al., 2014). If we treat nature and wildlife as an equal to us then maybe we can start to preserve our natural world before it is too late (Wals et al., 2014).

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC

CBC News. (2016). Lawn full of dandelions is a good thing, says bee expert. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/dandelions-lawn-bees-1.3526394#:~:text=Julia%20Common%2C%20chief%20beekeeper%20for%20Hives%20for%20Humanity%2C%20a%20group,at%20this%20time%20of%20year.&text=It’s%20pollen%20and%20nectar%2C%22%20Common,Coast%20guest%20host%20Gloria%20Macarenko.

Robbins P., Hintz J., and Moore S. (2014). Environment and Society. Wiley Blackwell, United Kingdom.

 Wals, A.E., Brody, M., Dillon, J., and Stevenson, R. (2014). Convergence Between Science and Environmental Education. Science, 344: 583-584

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Hi Taylor,

I wanted to start off by saying how much I enjoyed reading your post. It was very well thought out and the information flow captured my attention. I liked that you effectively described the diversity of ethics and how it can pertain to nature all while relating it back to the course textbook. I agree with the point you made about every living being having equal value. This is something that is often overlooked as in many cases people value one being over another or one thing over another. For example, the use of straws and turtles. This was something that was extremely blown up by the media in order to make the public feel at fault for causing turtles to die through the use of single use straws. Funny enough, it’s not just the straws that are affecting turtle health, it’s all single use plastic! Even funnier, it’s not just the turtles that are affected by these straws and single use plastic its almost all of the species that can be found in our waters. It’s also the birds that eat these fish and the larger animals that eat these birds… the list goes on and on. Who says that the life of a turtle is more important than the life of a fish? Or the life of our coral reefs? Now, going back to your point yes, every living being should be treated as equal but unfortunately in our day and age the media only portrays what they want and much of what is actually occurring is not that readily available to the general public. To me, this is completely upsetting and unfair. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this statement when it comes to public information and social media blow outs.

Thanks again for sharing!

Best,

Balsam

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Me, Myself and Nature Interpretation:

For my last blog prompt of the semester, I am excited to describe and talk about my personal ethic as I develop as a nature interpreter. However, it is only fair to first start this post off by defining what ethics means to me; ethics are principles that follow a specified assortment of morals, more specifically I think that ethics is knowing the difference between what is nobly right and what is nobly wrong and then basing your actions accordingly. Some of the qualities that a nature interpreter can possess include hope, passion and beauty. These qualities are very important to me as an individual as they encompass my personal code of ethics and beliefs that I carry with me and will continue to carry with me into the future. Over the past couple of weeks, thanks to this course, I have learned and obtained various skills and tools and while on this journey of interpretation, learning and growth, I began to realize that I have already possessed some of these skills prior without noticing. In this final blog post, I will discuss (in detail) my personal ethics, values and beliefs. I will also aim to describe how I believe that we as nature interpreters have an immense power to make positive futuristic changes. Lastly, I will share different approaches that I’ve used in different situations that have helped shape my abilities as a nature interpreter.

Looking back at my first ever blog post, I reflected on how my first experience with the spark of nature or in other words my first “sense of place” as Beck et al. describes; it was when I was younger. I reflected on different memorable camping trips that I had experienced with my family and cousins during the summer. Thinking back on this first blog post, I realize that to me a spark is really my first memorable experience with nature. It can happen at any age or stage in a person’s life; mine happened when I was young. My initial spark of spending time outdoors with close family led me to further observe and experience my natural surroundings, which in turn allowed me to further appreciate nature and all that it can do for me. Referring back to the course textbook, effective interpretation allows for the trigger of brain paths and stimuli and for the information to be processed and stored for later use. I think this is important to address because it is initially the first step that anyone has to take in order to become a nature interpreter and was a step that I now realize I had taken unknowingly when I was younger through my camping experience.

Heres a photo of me fishing while camping near Lake Simcoe, ON when I was younger. Fishing was something that I really enjoyed doing as it made me feel very relaxed and at peace.

The main value and belief that I bring to my interpretations is that everything in nature matters, this means respecting everything that nature has to offer while appreciating the land. Anyone can say that everything in nature matters, but do they really mean it? Well that’s a matter of perspective and opinion. I really do care about nature and its future as this was something that was passed along to me through my dad who is the biggest nature advocate that I know. So, put simply, yes, everything in nature matters and has a purpose. That being said, there are many other beliefs that I have that I feel should be addressed in relation to nature interpretation. Another important belief that I possess is knowledge, and more specifically sharing the things you learn with others. This is important as knowledge spreads awareness and with awareness comes change. I say this because we are currently in an environmental crisis and there are many problems at hand that the average person may or may not be aware of. I took Climate Change Biology (ENVS*3010) last semester and learned, in depth, of the many issues we are currently facing when it comes to climate change and our environment. Being able to share this information with some of my friends (who didn’t take the course) and some family members made me feel good in the sense that I was doing something to initiate a change (no matter how small). Throughout that course, I was able to comprehend the impacts that climate change has on human health, safety, the economy, our natural resources and our ecosystems. I could talk about this issue for hours on end, but for the sake of the word count all I can say is: Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution and it needs to be talked about more. 

This is a photo I took off of @recycleseas instagram page. This page advocates for change and attempts to spread everyday awareness about the issues our planet is currently facing. I think about this picture often and wanted to share it with you guys. 

The main responsibility that I believe I have is the responsibility of using my knowledge to advocate for changes when it comes to different environmental issues. I feel as though this goes hand in hand with my previous talk about beliefs. Being privileged enough to go to university and learn first-hand about issues we face as a society I feel as though it is my responsibility to relay these issues to other people and make conversation. This doesn’t just go for issue-based knowledge, it applies to interpretational knowledge as well. This course has helped me understand the journey of a nature interpreter by peeling back the layers of the environment, appreciating them and understanding them. Once you have the knowledge of a nature interpreter you have such a rich understanding of the world that you want to protect it. Because of my passion towards nature, I find it is my duty and responsibility to share this passion with other people, so they too start their journey in becoming a nature interpreter.

As for approaches, I think some of the approaches that are most suitable for me include factual and practical approaches. I find that facts really stick with me and I can remember them really well, which would be useful to add to my interpretations. Additionally, practical approaches like learning how to identify thing works for me as well. I find that my go-to combo is based on factual and practical approaches; I like to identify things, research them (background information, history, etc.), and discuss them with others. I think this is a great way to develop identification skills, because it allows different perspectives to shine through during the discussion aspect of the approach.

To conclude, I’d like to end my final blog post by emphasizing how much I really enjoyed this course and how eye opening it has been to me as an individual interpreter. I loved being able to interact with my classmates and learn about their different perspectives as well. Overall this has been a great experience and it has me considering future career options in nature interpretation.

Thank you for reading!

Best,

Balsam

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC

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The Importance of Outdoor Education and Hands-on Learning

Dear Board of Directors,

I am reaching out to you today to discuss the current situation regarding Wrigley Corners Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre.

As I have been notified that the Center is being closed due to insufficient funding, I wish to draw your attention to the lasting benefits this Center has provided.

As a former student of the Waterloo Region Districts Schoolboard, I had the benefit of attending many programs at the Center where my understanding of nature was deepened and my love of the natural world flourished. Through the classroom space us students were able to learn about the natural world and look at different samples and specimens that were housed there. We benefited from hands on experiments such as collecting samples from the pond and then bringing them back to examine them under microscopes.

This learning experience not only provided many lasting memories, as here I am retelling stories some 12 years later. But it also allowed me to gain a better understanding of these ecosystems that we were taught in class. By closing this Center, you are removing this hands-on experience that many kids are not able to experience on their own. This environment provides the firsthand experience with proper guidance and resources to help children explore and develop greater understandings of nature and their world around them. By having interpreters available for the children, they are able to get deeper understandings of their environment rather from a teacher who may just be a generalist in the topic being discussed. The interpreter provides an enriched experience that speaks to the children while being educational and enjoyable (Beck et al., 2018). As I have learned through my nature interpretation class, these experts are incredibly valuable for the skills they have and their ability to adapt and tailor the experience based on their group and how they learn best.

By having these hands on experiences available at such a young age and within their own community the children are deepening their understanding of their own environment and further creating a sense of place, identify different characteristics and the “big story” (beck et al., 2018). The interpreter working with the kids helps them see past the basics and unpack all that nature is able to offer them. This allows the kids to be more invested in their own environment and encourages them to protect it and make the environmentally conscious decisions when they can.

An example of the resources that this location also provides for teachers while still engaging the kids!

When we have these experts that are trained in interpretation and know how to respond and encourage these discussions with children why would these valuable lessons be sacrificed. As shown through my own interest these lessons were truly impactful and educational and helped lead me in the direction of working with the environment and I truly believe that these are lessons that are more effective in these hands on learning experiences. I urge you to reconsider your funding and find a way to keep this important education center open to continue environmental education within the schoolboard and within the children’s own neighbourhoods.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Emily

Sources:

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Moore, L. (2020, May 21). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/wrigleycorners?lang=en

Waterloo Region District School Board. (n.d.). Wrigley Corners. Retrieved from https://schools.wrdsb.ca/environmental-education/about-2/our-centres/wrigley-corners/

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Hi Emily,

Thank you for sharing your letter, I enjoyed reading it and felt very connected to many of the things you said. I like how you brought up the idea of hands on learning in relation to children and how it provides a rich experience for them when it comes to environmental education and awareness. This is something that I can 100% vouch for. My most memorable learning experiences as a child were hands on activities, whether it was a field trip, a science experiment or just a nature walk; I tend to learn the most when it is hands on and visual. This is something that I’ve noticed in many children as well. When it comes to environmental education, outdoor education programs are extremely necessary, not only do they have various mental health benefits, but they also provide a sense of place and belonging to interpreters. One thing that I’d like to add on to what you have said is that programs such as this emphasize skills essential for succeeding in tomorrow’s world; they form nature interpreters and empowers them to lead the way in creating a greener and healthier world for our planet. Seeing as climate change is a significant issue in our current world, the defunding of nature programs is a step in the wrong direction.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this,

Cheers!

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Saving the Scenic Wonders of Hamilton, Ontario’s Interpretation Program

Dear Board of Directors,

My name is Balsam and I am writing to you on behalf of the Scenic Wonders of Hamilton, Ontario, a local nature and environmental interpretation program. It has been recently brought to my attention that this wonderful interpretation program is looking to close due to insufficient funding; I would like to address this issue in hopes of delaying the discontinuation of the program. As a nature interpreter, I believe that this interpretation program is of great importance to its overall community and surrounding environment for various reasons that will be outlined below but first, let me tell you a little bit about the program in its entirety.

The mission of the Scenic Wonders of Hamilton, Ontario’s Interpretation Program is to foster unique connections with nature that advance our overall understanding of environmental interactions. In other words, connecting humans with nature in a positive setting. This is something that is often overlooked but extremely essential; as generations advance, it has been shown that their environmental understanding and readiness decreases. In other words, we are becoming out of touch with nature (Mitchell and Ryland, 2017). This is a great issue, and interpretation programs such as the Scenic Wonders are attempting to fill in this gap through various hands on, interactive methods.

Nature interpretation plays an important role of connecting us to the world around us and teaching us about all the nature environments. Additionally, it can raise significant awareness of issues impacting the environment upon which we all depend on as well as actions we can take to improve and sustain it through special connections. It has many benefits to youth, educators, schools and communities as a whole. Wals et al. 2014 stated that environmental education is extremely important as it aids in the restoration of many ecosystems. To elaborate on this, exposing people (especially youth) to nature and allowing them to learn and play outside, fosters appreciation and respect for the environment and its species which in turn fosters and promotes action toward healthy and sustainable lifestyles for the future. This interpretation centre connects with schools and youth in order to further acquire environmental education.

Moving on to the physical and mental benefits associated with nature interpretation; spending time outdoors and in nature has been found to help with mental health problems including but not limited to anxiety and depression. This interpretation program, through its various strategies, provides a positive space and distraction that aids in improving human wellbeing, allowing for an overall healthier community. As addressed in Beck et al. 2018, nature interpretation has endless benefits that are beyond just the inheritance of facts, it allows for a deeper, more precise connection to nature via the mind, body and soul.

Now, what can be done you may ask? I believe that additional funding towards the Scenic Wonders of Hamilton, Ontario’s Interpretation Program can prevent it from completely closing down and I am asking for your help. This additional funding is necessary as it aids in conserving our beautiful planet for future generations while empowering individuals to share their voices and make a difference!

I hope that you consider providing additional funding in order to save this amazing nature interpretation program (as not many of these programs exist in our current world).

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

With gratitude,

Balsam

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Urbana: Sagamore Publishing.

Mitchell, J., & Ryland, P., Dr. (2017). Natural interpretation: A brief guide to the interpretation of nature and wildlife. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/96655055.pdf

Wals, A.E., Brody, M., Dillon, J. and Stevenson, R.B. 2014. Convergence Between Science and Environmental Education. Science. 344:583-584.

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A Moment of Unpacking: Nature Interpretation Style

Learning about nature interpretation through this course has overall, been very wonderful. I had many eye-opening moments going through all the course content and learning different ways in which nature can be interpreted and what it really means.

What I know for certain is that nature interpretation plays a huge role in how an individual view the natural world around them. People who know how to interpret nature are able to form special connections with the beautiful spaces around them while also taking initiative to help others connect with these spaces as well. Beck et al. 2019 stated that by provoking the audiences and forging personal connections with things, places, people and concepts, the audience will be more inclined to protect and advocate for their protection. This is something that I know for certain as I have seen it first-hand. For example, I have friends that are vegan and have formed personal connections with this belief who advocate for it every chance they get. This goes back to my original point about interpreters forming special connections with the natural world and by doing so, inspire others to learn more about nature as well. This is something that Nirupa Rao does through her artwork and passion for nature.

What I still wonder in regard to nature interpretation is how I can go about applying all the concepts I learned about nature interpretation in this course in my daily life. As you know, technology plays a huge role in our day to day lifestyles and sometimes when I’m walking around outside, I notice that I am not focusing on any of my natural surroundings but rather consumed with all the endless notifications I am getting from my phone. I often find myself looking down on my phone while being outdoors and this is something that bothers me, yet I can’t stop doing. I notice this in the people around me as well and its saddening to see. Yes, technology can be very helpful in nature interpretation as it aids in different interpretation styles, but I also can’t help but wonder if the cons of technology outweigh the pros; especially in my day to day life. This is something that I struggle in understanding.

Not to contradict my last point, but I personally find much of my inspiration online through social media, more particularly through photography. I will often be scrolling through Instagram or Facebook and come across a photo of a place with beautiful scenery and can’t help but add that place to my “to explore” bucket list. This is how I have found various beautiful hike trails and walkways. This is something that helps me stay connected to the natural world around me. Do I take photos when I explore these places you may ask? Definitely. I find my inspiration through photography and attempt to release it back out into the world through photography as well by sharing various photos I’ve taken of nature at different locations.

Here is a photo of me enjoying my short hike at Edwards Garden in Toronto, ON. Walking down this path was so mesmerizing as there was so much to see and indulge in when it came to nature! I would definitely recommend.

Lastly, what ignites me is being able to explore and learn new things with my close friends and family. I enjoy teaching others of interesting places I want to explore and cool things I’ve learned. I love being in the presence of my friends and family, and to me there’s no better way of doing so than to go outside and explore. Nature is so special to me and to be able to share this special thing with the people I love most truly excites me!

My question for you today is do you often find yourself engaging with the notifications on your phone, rather than living in the moment and enjoying what’s present around you at the time?

Thanks for reading! Cheers.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Urbana: Sagamore Publishing

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Hello! 

I really agree with you, I also had so many eye-opening moments throughout this course, and I learned that nature interpretation play a huge role in how an individual views the natural world. It amazes me that everyone views nature in a different way, and everyone experiences nature in a different way. I really enjoy Nirupa Rao’s work and how she inspires special connections with the natural world. I recently followed her on Instagram, and I am so fascinated by the way she interprets nature. I would definitely recommend giving her account a follow! @niruparao​ 

I always find myself consumed in technology, especially now that school is online. If I am not on my phone, I am on my computer doing homework. It has been hard for me to find the time to get outside. I am making more of a conscious effort recently and have been taking mental breaks by going for a walk along the speed river behind my house. Technology is a very useful tool but taking breaks are necessary; nature can give us those breaks when we need them.

I really like how you mentioned that you find your inspiration online through social media. I also really enjoy finding inspiration online! I am an avid Pinterest user and I spend WAY too much of my time scrolling through Pinterest looking for inspiration. Photography is an amazing way to find inspiration, and it definitely influences my decision to explore particular places.

Here is a snapshot of my Pinterest board “Wanderlust”. This is where I collect pictures of places I would like to travel to! Similar to your bucket list collection! 

Answering your question, I do find myself engaging with the notifications on my phone, rather than living in the moment. This is something that I am actively working on, this semester turned on the “Screen Time” setting so that I am kicked off of social media when I have reached a certain time limit. This has helped me a lot recently, I have been more productive and enjoying the present moment when I am restricted from the addicting social media websites. I believe this is a step in the right direction, I have significantly decreased my screen time and I am understanding the importance of living in the moment. There is nothing better than experiencing something firsthand.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! How do you manage the battle between your phone notifications and living in the moment? 

- Victoria

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Hi Victoria,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply to my post! Like you mentioned, I find myself confused in technology quite often as well. I can’t help but sometimes think that technology is an allusion and we are addicted; everyone is typing and swiping, and we are becoming unsocial, and it no longer satisfies to have an engaging conversation with one another. One thing that I’ve also started noticing with my younger cousins and family friends is that they are becoming addicted to playing games on their phones and tablets and going on various apps such as TikTok rather than spending lots of time outdoors playing games with their friends and just enjoying nature. This is very upsetting to me because when I look back at my childhood, most of my memories come from playing hide and seek or man hunt outside with my neighbourhood friends and going on long bike rides with my siblings. This is something that children these days do not engage in enough which is very sad to see. To answer your question, I do try to manage the battle between my phone and living in the moment, however it is very hard. I attempt to wake up and not check my phone for an hour and similar to you, I also set a screen time limit. Additionally, when I am having dinner, I tend to put my phone on do not disturb in order to give my complete attention to my family and friends that are physically there with me. Now, these things are helpful, but theres always more that can be done, and I am working on it!

I wanted to share a video I made in first year for a theatre studies course I took (THST*1200). I made this video to spread awareness about phone technology and I feel that it completely relates to what we are talking about right now!

Cheers! 

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A Moment of Unpacking: Nature Interpretation Style

Learning about nature interpretation through this course has overall, been very wonderful. I had many eye-opening moments going through all the course content and learning different ways in which nature can be interpreted and what it really means.

What I know for certain is that nature interpretation plays a huge role in how an individual view the natural world around them. People who know how to interpret nature are able to form special connections with the beautiful spaces around them while also taking initiative to help others connect with these spaces as well. Beck et al. 2019 stated that by provoking the audiences and forging personal connections with things, places, people and concepts, the audience will be more inclined to protect and advocate for their protection. This is something that I know for certain as I have seen it first-hand. For example, I have friends that are vegan and have formed personal connections with this belief who advocate for it every chance they get. This goes back to my original point about interpreters forming special connections with the natural world and by doing so, inspire others to learn more about nature as well. This is something that Nirupa Rao does through her artwork and passion for nature.

What I still wonder in regard to nature interpretation is how I can go about applying all the concepts I learned about nature interpretation in this course in my daily life. As you know, technology plays a huge role in our day to day lifestyles and sometimes when I’m walking around outside, I notice that I am not focusing on any of my natural surroundings but rather consumed with all the endless notifications I am getting from my phone. I often find myself looking down on my phone while being outdoors and this is something that bothers me, yet I can’t stop doing. I notice this in the people around me as well and its saddening to see. Yes, technology can be very helpful in nature interpretation as it aids in different interpretation styles, but I also can’t help but wonder if the cons of technology outweigh the pros; especially in my day to day life. This is something that I struggle in understanding.

Not to contradict my last point, but I personally find much of my inspiration online through social media, more particularly through photography. I will often be scrolling through Instagram or Facebook and come across a photo of a place with beautiful scenery and can’t help but add that place to my “to explore” bucket list. This is how I have found various beautiful hike trails and walkways. This is something that helps me stay connected to the natural world around me. Do I take photos when I explore these places you may ask? Definitely. I find my inspiration through photography and attempt to release it back out into the world through photography as well by sharing various photos I’ve taken of nature at different locations.

Here is a photo of me enjoying my short hike at Edwards Garden in Toronto, ON. Walking down this path was so mesmerizing as there was so much to see and indulge in when it came to nature! I would definitely recommend.

Lastly, what ignites me is being able to explore and learn new things with my close friends and family. I enjoy teaching others of interesting places I want to explore and cool things I’ve learned. I love being in the presence of my friends and family, and to me there’s no better way of doing so than to go outside and explore. Nature is so special to me and to be able to share this special thing with the people I love most truly excites me!

My question for you today is do you often find yourself engaging with the notifications on your phone, rather than living in the moment and enjoying what’s present around you at the time?

Thanks for reading! Cheers.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Urbana: Sagamore Publishing

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Salty Situations Podcast Debrief: A seamless execution that made fifteen minutes feel like five

I absolutely loved the first thirty seconds of the podcast, as a participant I felt immediately drawn in by the groovy music, sound effects overlay, and tiktok meme?! The animated tone the hosts conveyed also allowed for an immediate interest in engaging with the content they were about to deliver. 

The first lesson I learned was the danger of road salt to living organisms such as animals and plants. A situational example was posed in which the audience learns that the introduction of salt into freshwater ecosystems impacts the food sources of fish. I also learned that fish are not the only organisms affected by the problem as road salt can also be poisonous to animals we see on land such as squirrels and chipmunks. However we are not just left to ponder on the problem, but we have a solution introduced, beet juice! I know a lot about the nutritional benefits of beets but I had no idea its benefits extended to dealing with snow and ice. Finally, I learned about the impact road salt can have on trees through depleting the vitamins they need to grow, and a second solution of sand is presented as an alternative to road salt in order to prevent slipping in the winter.

                 Image by Rupert Kittinger-Sereinig from Pixabay 

The lessons in the podcast were presented through the use of descriptive words and sound effects to invoke imagery in the various situational descriptions, as well as analogies to relate to the experiences of children such as referring to the freshwater environment as the fish’s home.

I think the method in which the information was presented was very effective in regard to the target audience being children. This is in terms of the humor used, the sound effects, and the casual and friendly mood invoked by the hosts, which I think would positively contribute to keeping children engaged throughout the entirety of the podcast. These techniques used also contributed to the flawless development of information in the podcast while still allowing for breaks, which is great in avoiding overloading the audience with information, but also makes the time fly by. 

                      Image by Irfan RInaldie from Pixabay 

After listening to this I feel motivated to explore and integrate more sound effects and music throughout my next podcast to not only compliment the information being communicated, but also seamlessly transition between different sections.

My overall experience of the podcast was great, I think it would be a fun and enjoyable listen not just for children, but their parents who might be listening in as well. The hosts made it seem like a walk in the park (although I’m sure a lot of hard work went into it), and the only criticism I have to offer is that I feel they could have expanded more on points such as how road salt gets into water and the mechanism in which beet juice works that makes it as effective as road salt. All in all, my rating is 10/10, and I think the hosts of this podcast did an incredible job in communicating to their target audience.

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Hello,

Thank you so much for sharing this post and all the kind words and feedback you provided my group! Also, the additional information that you added was also very helpful and important and will be incorporated our next podcast. Firstly, I’d like to say that I’m very glad that you enjoyed listening to our podcast and that you also understood our brief TikTok reference! That’s so amazing! I wanted to touch up on what you said regarding the use of sound effects; we attempted to capture our audience’s attention through getting them emotionally and intellectually involved (Beck, Cable,& Knudson, 2018), that is through the incorporation of various background sound effects and at times, when possible, short song clips. Additionally, we also attempted to get our audience emotionally involved through the use of a “story time” and having them imagine what it’s like to live as a fish in freshwater lakes.

I found that the criticism you provided was super helpful and will be kept in mind for our next podcast. However, I’d also like to address it right now as well. How does road salt get into our freshwater lakes you may ask? Well, when it starts raining and the snow melts, that salty “snow water” gets into our sewers and water ways and eventually flows back to our lakes, which in turn affects our environment negatively. As for the other point you brought up regarding mechanisms in which beet juice works as a good alternative to road salt; beet juice lowers the freezing point of water to as low as -20 degrees, while salt on the other hand only prevents water from freezing at temperatures of 5 degrees or higher. When you look at it like this, you can really see how beet juice is in fact the better, more superior alternative!

Thank you again for your post! All the best!

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018) Chapter 7: Serving Diverse Audiences. In Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For A Better World (pp. 146-161). Urbana, IL: Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC.

Mackie, E. (2018, December 24). The price of salt: How road salts are affecting our Great Lakes. Retrieved November 09, 2020, from http://www.waterkeeper.ca/blog/2018/12/18/a-salty-lake-ontario-and-aquatic-life

Sugar Beets: Missouri Department of Transportation. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2020, from https://www.modot.org/sugar-beets

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“Children’s Podcast”- Green Beans (Raptor Podcast)

For this week’s prompt, I chose to debrief the podcast titled “Green Beans”. I chose this podcast because it talks about all things raptors and I personally find these species very interesting. I’d like to start off by saying I enjoyed listening to the podcast and thought it was packed with a lot of great information especially when listening from the perspective of a participant, which in this case is the perspective of a child. My first 30 second impression was good as the introduction song really caught my attention. I liked how the hosts introduced themselves right away as well as the name of their podcast and a short and simple explanation of what it is all about. As I continued to listen further into the podcast, the hosts explained what a raptor is and gave examples of birds of prey (ie. birds that hunt with their feet). The group then introduced their interviewee, Jenny, who studies nature and tries to connect people with the cool things it has to offer. The group offered many very important lessons about various raptors and incorporated various jokes within the podcast to keep it interesting! I will talk about the three that stuck to me the most!

The first lesson that I learned from the podcast is modern day raptors and what they are. I learned about the varieties of raptors such as eagles, hawks, owls, etc. Jenny explained that these birds all have similar features but that they differ from one another; “there are little differences” between them. These differences can include hunting styles, features, etc.

The second lesson that I learned from this podcast revolves around owls. As jenny was explaining some of the differences between raptors she went into great detail about owls which, to me, was very intriguing as owls are one of my favourite animals. I learned that owls rely heavily on their night vision as they are night animals, they have huge eyes to help them see things and they have binocular vision, which essentially means they see the same thing in both eyes but in a slightly different picture. Owls also have depth perception which is important for their survival. I think the most interesting fact I learned about owls however is that they have feathers that go all the way down to their tows to help them stay warm in the winter (other raptors don’t have this).

Here is a very cute photo of on owl that I found in an article on The Atlantic (citation found below). This species is my favourite because of their big round eyes! So fascinating!

The last lesson I learned was about falcons, they described falcons as the fighter jets of all birds which I thought was a great metaphor, especially for kids! I learned that their wings and bodies are extremely pointy and narrow which helps them fly better and faster. I also learned that falcons have malar stripes which jenny described as dark stripes running down their faces. These stripes are important as they help increase the accuracy of their vision because they also must be able to spot prey from large distances in sunny conditions that produce glare. Jenny compared this stripe with the stripe under football players eyes and explained the similarity in these stripes; they both prevent light from reflecting into eyes.

This photo shows the Malar stripes that can be found on various falcons eyes! The photo was taken from The Nest (citation found below). 

The lessons I talked about are only a few among many other lessons this podcast had to offer about these amazing species. Personally, through the lens of a child, I thought that these lessons were very effective. They made various comparisons to help children connect ideas and understand them better. They also asked engaging questions at times which I think is extremely important to do, especially when it comes to a children’s podcast. There’s always room for improvement when it comes to producing a podcast, one tool that this group used that I thought was useful and would like to integrate into my own podcast is the use of “questions of the week”. Essentially, the group made up questions and presented them as if they were being asked from their viewers. I thought this was a great addition as it keeps listeners engaged and makes the podcast appear more credible.

Overall, my experience with this podcast was well. They provided lots of important information and relayed it in a very well put manner. Going forward, one suggestion I have for this group is to include more sounds and music to split up the information because at times, I felt as though there was no pause for the listener to comprehend all the new information that is being thrown at them. Other than this I really enjoyed listening to the podcast and learned a lot! Great job! My question for you guys is what is your favourite raptor and why!

Cheers.  

Reference:

Finch, D. (1970, January 01). Convergent Evolution: Malar Stripes & Eye Black. Retrieved November 05, 2020, from http://finchesofdarwin.blogspot.com/2017/03/convergent-evolution-malar-stripes-eye.html

Taylor, A. (2020, February 02). Superb Owl Sunday IV. Retrieved November 05, 2020, from https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2020/02/photos-superb-owl-sunday-iv/605854/

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The Oceans – A Beautiful Mystery

          The ocean is one of the most amazing, diverse and mysterious systems within nature on Earth. There are so many wonderful things that the oceans provide us with, and we often overlook their huge important to us as humans. For one our oceans cover more than 70% of earth’s surface, with this being said it can be quite clear how they are so mysterious because we still have so much of them left to explore. In fact, we have only explored about 5% of the world’s oceans, just think of how much more there is left to discover. It is also therefore not surprising that 95% of earths species live in the oceans, with currently over 200,00 registered marine species in these oceans; which means there are still likely so many more to discover (Nunez, 2019). What I think is one of the most amazing things about the ocean, however, is that it provides over 70 per cent of our planet’s oxygen (Nunez, 2019). We often think that most of our oxygen on earth comes from trees in forests such as the boreal forests and rain forests but in fact, it is actually produced by marine plants; the majority of which are marine algae’s.

A photo I took a while ago of the sunsetting on the Gulf of Mexico in the Atlantic Ocean.

           There are also some of the most obscure and unique creatures within our oceans. One of my personal favourites is the Frogfish. These fish belongs to the anglerfish family and they are found in relatively shallow waters and do not get much bigger than 30cm (Spencer, 2020). This spectacular fish is also probably one of the strangest, they have modified fins that resemble legs, so they are able to ‘walk’ along the ocean floor (Spencer, 2020). They are also able to camouflage with their surroundings by changing colour to match different coral and rocks around them (Spencer, 2020). Their camouflaging abilities along with them having a lure which resembles a worm, small fish or shrimp cause them to be a pro predator, as they can then lure prey in super close (Spencer, 2020).

The frogfish - a very odd looking fish (source: Spencer 2020, ©RICHARD CAREY/FOTOLIA)

           Another one of my favourite sea creatures is the Glaucus Atlanticus also called the blue dragon. They are an absolutely beautiful blue sea slug found throughout the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans (Oceana, 2018). The most interesting thing about this species, in my opinion, is that it incorporates stinging cells from its prey into its own body (Oceana, 2018). This is because they prey on Portuguese man o’wars a toxic species and store the stinging nematocysts that are created by the prey’s venomous tentacles. This slug can then use this venom later and it is much more effective and dangerous than it ever was in the man o’war (Oceana, 2018).

The beautiful Blue Dragon (Source: Oceana, 2018)

           I think the knowledge I have about oceans is truly the most amazing thing I know about nature. Unfortunately, the oceans are also one of the most affected systems on earth as a result of climate change and pollution; coral reefs are dying, species are going extinct, the water is full of garbage etc. There are many efforts out there to educate and promote protecting these waters, as well as many conservation efforts. Even if we don’t have access to an ocean ourselves (as in Ontario), we can learn about them through all different forms of art and through the use of technology.

Works Cited

Nunez, C. (2019). Find out about the world’s ocean habitats and more. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/ocean/

Oceana. (2018). Blue Glaucus. Retrieved from https://oceana.org/marine-life/corals-and-other-invertebrates/blue-glaucus

Spencer, E. (2020). The Frogfish: Weird-Looking and Wonderful. Retrieved from https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2019/08/05/frogfish/

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Hi Emily,

Awesome post! I really enjoyed reading it as I also think that oceans are one of the most amazing things nature has to offer. I was very surprised to hear that our oceans provide 70% of the oxygen on earth. I feel that this is something that should be talked about in high school science classes more!

Although we don’t have access to oceans in Ontario, great lakes are a very close relative. Similar to what you mentioned about oceans, many of our lakes have various species that have not yet been discovered, large bodies of water are so fascinating in that sense! I did some research on great lakes and discovered some very awesome information! I learned that more than 20% of all the worlds freshwater is in the Great Lakes, that’s a lot of water! I also learned that there are very large fish that can be found in Great Lakes, these fish can weigh over 200 pounds. This fact was very particularly interesting to me as I always associated large fish with oceans and seas!

Regarding what you mentioned about our oceans being the most affected system on earth when it comes to climate change and pollution, that is very sad and unfortunate to hear as oceans are a very crucial part of our ecosystems and we need them to survive. Reading this however, sparked my interest about if lakes are affected and if so, how much? I did a little bit of research on this and found that yes in fact they are affected. The great lakes have warmed up 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit exceeding their average. This may seem like a small amount; however, it is very drastic. Appropriate changes need to be made immediately before it is too late.

Thanks again for sharing!

Reference:

Gronewold, D. (2019, June 08). Climate Change Sends Great Lakes Water Levels Seesawing. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-change-sends-great-lakes-water-levels-seesawing/

McDowell, A. (2020, September 03). 10 Great Lakes Fun Facts You May Not Know. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://www.michigan.org/article/trip-idea/great-lakes-fun-facts

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Weather - Natures Amazing Characteristic

Nature is amazing in itself and to have to pick one single amazing characteristic to talk about is a very hard task. However, after soaking up the question and really taking it in, I realized that to me, the most amazing thing I know about nature is weather. Weather is important to our lives in many different ways; it controls the distribution of rainwater on earth (all organisms on earth need water to survive), it has had an impact on the distribution of humans on earth (mitigation), and to me it is just fascinating.

The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is look outside my window to see what the weather is like and quite honestly, I base many of my daily decisions on it (what shoes I should wear, if I need a jacket, if I should go on my daily outdoor run, etc.). These day to day weather changes can really influence how many people feel and the way they look at the world. With weather comes seasons and with seasons comes many things to look forward to. For example, right now it is fall, and it also happens to be my favourite season. I love the feel of the cool chilly air in the fall and I enjoy sitting under my cozy blanket with a hot chocolate watching the colourful leaves fall down. I look forward to the fall season every year and the different weather it brings along. With each new season comes “new nature” to explore. Summer means warm weather and exploring the lakes and oceans, while winter means cold weather and exploring nature through skiing and snowboarding on different mountains and cliffs, every season has its perks!

- Here is a photo I took in Sarinia, ON this summer while watching the sunset near the beach.

Things as little as the sounds of crickets at night as opposed to birds chirping in the morning amazes me. There’s just so much to indulge in when it comes to weather. Although, I would love to focus on just the amazing things that weather has to bring, I do think that it is important to address the negatives as well. During the past century, humans have released huge amounts of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. With this buildup of greenhouse gases, the climate has been changing. By definition, climate is the weather conditions prevailing in an area over a long period. What this means is that our climate is becoming increasingly extreme. Hot places are becoming way too hot and cold places are becoming way too cold. There has been an increase in the number of hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. All of these things are a direct result of global change resulting from greenhouse gases. We as a community of individuals and organizations need to start working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before it is too late. Here is a link on how you can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions that I thought was very educational: http://www.eastgwillimbury.ca/Services/Environment/Ways_to_Reduce_Greenhouse_Gases.htm?PageMode=Print

- This is a photo I found on the BBC website of a baby polar bear and his mom sitting on melting ice due to climate change. This photo is very powerful and captures many of the realities we fail to see. If all the ice melts, polar bears will have nowhere to go and will eventually go extinct.

If we work together to reduce these greenhouse gas emissions then our climate will slowly begin to go back to normal and we can go back to enjoying all the amazing things nature and weather have to offer!

My question for you this week is: do you ever notice your mood changing based on weather?

Personally, when it is rainy outside, I find myself a little grumpy and when it is very sunny and nice out, I find myself very cheerful and excited to take on my day! Is this something that you experience? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Cheers.

Reference:

Climate Change Indicators: Greenhouse Gases. (2017, February 22). Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/greenhouse-gases

Gill, H. (2020, July 20). Climate change: Polar bears could be lost by 2100. Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-53474445

USBC Science Line. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2020, from http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=4580

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Interpreting Art Through Nature

As a society, we are constantly distancing ourselves further from nature (Rao, 2020). This is alarming because if our society is not emotionally invested in the natural environment, they may not be interested in becoming educated about it (Rao, 2020). When our society needs people to fight for nature due to issues such as global warming, I worry there won’t be enough people that care and are educated enough about nature to help (Rao, 2020). It is important for nature interpreters to educate society about nature, and using art is a great way to do this. I believe it is truly inspiring how botanical artist, Nirupa Rao has used her painting skills to educate others about nature. To learn more about how she does this, I encourage you to watch her video by clicking on the following link:

https://www.ted.com/talks/nirupa_rao_an_illustrated_kingdom_of_real_fantastical_plants/transcript?fbclid=IwAR0wePCPsoB7W6fgEjKTvhLWaGit_9QSPdoJSWDWHM7iBTExFR9P0cxnNNY&utm_campaign=social&utm_content=2020-10-05&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com#t-66363

A photo of Nirupa beside some of her scientifically accurate nature artwork. Retrieved from https://www.indianwomenblog.org/nirupa-rao-brings-to-life-the-flora-of-south-india-with-her-magical-illustrations/

Another piece of botanical artist Nirupa Rao’s artwork. Retrieved from https://scroll.in/magazine/891185/this-illustrators-sketches-of-south-indias-wondrous-plants-are-lessons-in-art-and-botany

Although I am not a professional artist like Nirupa, I believe I can use my own artistic abilities to intellectually and emotionally communicate with others to further educate members of our society about nature (Beck et al., 2018). Growing up, I developed musical and theatrical skills from being in a variety of plays, musicals, choirs, and bands. I have had a lot of experience working with kids, and I could use these talents to plan educational nature programs for children such as singalongs, plays, or skits focussed on nature education. Singalongs would be especially great as they provide an interactive component for audiences in the programs which will help the audience to better remember the nature related messages of the songs (Beck et al., 2018).  I could also post videos of educational nature skits and songs on social media platforms, such as Facebook or Instagram.

While sharing my art is a good way to interpret nature, there are other ways to interpret nature through art. I can show my appreciation for the art creations of others by sharing them (A.L. Hooykaas, 2020). Social media has become a widely used platform to share information and visuals with others. I can share artwork and photographs of nature online that other people have posted to spread the messages to my friends. Constantly sharing these moments in time help to continue the stories of nature in the artwork and allow these stories to have an impact on more people (A.L. Hooykaas, 2020). I am even showing my appreciation for another person’s nature art in this blog post by posting pictures of Nirupa’s paintings (A.L. Hooykaas, 2020).

Ultimately, when I ask myself the question “who am I to interpret nature through art?” I answer that I am a nature interpreter, a theatrical/musical artist, and a person that appreciates the nature art of other artists (A.L. Hooykaas, 2020). If you had to state who you are to interpret nature through art in one sentence what would you say (A.L. Hooykaas, 2020)?

References

Bagchi, A. (2018, September 11). Nirupa Rao Brings To Life The Flora Of South India With Her Magical Illustrations. Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://www.indianwomenblog.org/nirupa-rao-brings-to-life-the-flora-of-south-india-with-her-magical-illustrations/

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Bose, A. (2019, March 31). This illustrator’s sketches of South India’s wondrous plants are lessons in art and botany. Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://scroll.in/magazine/891185/this-illustrators-sketches-of-south-indias-wondrous-plants-are-lessons-in-art-and-botany

Rao, N. (2020). An illustrated kingdom of real, fantastical plants. Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://www.ted.com/talks/nirupa_rao_an_illustrated_kingdom_of_real_fantastical_plants/transcript?fbclid=IwAR0wePCPsoB7W6fgEjKTvhLWaGit_9QSPdoJSWDWHM7iBTExFR9P0cxnNNY&utm_campaign=social&utm_content=2020-10-05&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com#t-96935

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Hey Madison,

Thank you for sharing your ideas this week I really enjoyed reading your post! The points you brought up were very eye-opening and had me thinking about art and nature in a different perspective. It’s so crazy to me that it is now the year 2020 and many people of all ages don’t believe in global environmental issues that are currently extremely prevalent. You brought up the point that our society is constantly distancing itself from nature and I truly believe that is one of the main reasons as to why some people don’t believe in these environmental problems. I like that you brought up the artist Nirupa Rao who, through her artwork, tries to educate others about nature prevalent issues. In different ways, we all do so whether we know it or not. Through this week’s prompt, I found out that for me this is through nature photography, for others it could be poetry or filmmaking, etc. Now, to answer your question, if I had to state who I was to interpret nature through art in one sentence I would say that I am a photographer who loves to capture beautiful naturistic moments and through doing so appreciates the natural world around me all while sharing it with others to experience as well. Thank you again for sharing your post this week it was truly captivating. I’ve attached a link below from NASA that illustrates different ways that Climate Change is real and thought it was super important to read! Let me know what you think.

Cheers!

NASA link: https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

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Interpreting Nature Through Art:

This week’s discussion really had me thinking… Who am I to interpret nature through art and how do I do it? I had never thought of consciously grouping nature and art in the same category before but when I stopped to think about this for a while, I realized something. I have never been an “artsy” person. I was actually the kid who avoided art classes at all costs in high school, but I was also the kid who loved taking pictures. I’d take pictures everywhere I went of everything around me; whether it was photos of my friends in front of a scenic background, me in front of pretty flowers or even just the pretty flowers by themselves. Going back to my original point, the thing I realized is that this in itself is a form of interpreting nature through art because photography is a form of art.

Here is a photo I took this summer of the beautiful sunset while boating on Lake Ontario. 

The textbook helped me wrap my head around this idea because it presented multiple ways in which nature can be interpreted through art. The textbook stated that art can be experienced through music festivals, art museums, nature photography, expressive sculptures and even theatre performances (Beck et al., 2018). This notion was eye opening to me as I had never thought of associating most of those things directly to nature, however now I can link such activities and use them as a tool of nature interpretation in my day to day life. For example, I can now be more aware of the prevalence of nature in media platforms such as TV shows, movies, podcasts and even music videos.

Last weekend while home for thanksgiving, I watched a very thought-provoking documentary by David Attenborough called A Life on Our Planet. Essentially this documentary talked about our history of life on earth and how we are slowly killing our planet, species, and ecosystems or in other words “nature”. The reason I am mentioning this particular documentary is because it had a very specific way of offering a vision for our environments predicted future through nature and various scenic videos. I now realize that this itself is a form of art. The documentary effectively and efficiently connects our generation directly to the current natural world through our television screens, and to me, that is phenomenal. Our textbook expressed that nowadays younger generations have a loss of interest in nature in comparison to previous generations, as a result of a disconnect from the natural world (Beck et al., 2018). That is very unfortunate to hear, but I felt as though this documentary in a small but significant way through art, helps to fill this gap and I’m sure there are lots and lots of other similar films that do the same!

I now realize that we all individually and in our own unique ways interpret nature through art. For me it’s through my passion and desire of capturing every moment and especially the moments with beautiful scenery (my favourite is sunsets). For other people it may be through their music, art museums, etc. These unique ways in which we interpret nature through art help us mold our individual thoughts on nature.

This is a photo of me and my best friend surfing in San Diego, CA in 2019. The scenery was so incredible we had to stop and take a photo! 

Thanks for reading! If you have any documentary suggestions that pertain to the ideas, I shared I’d love to add them to my “to watch” list.

Cheers.

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing. ISBN/ISSN: 978-1-57167-865-2

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Covid-19 and Taking a Break.

COVID 19 has thrown our world sideways & it is something that I have been thinking a lot about. A virus that emerged in China and spread quickly throughout the world has affected everyone and the way we live our lives. It is likely that everyone in this class experienced the lockdown back in March, and it left a lot of us feeling alone, anxious, and scared. We began to navigate working and learning from home and preparing for this new world of COVID 19. And although it felt as if our entire world just came to a halt, people began to deeply understand the importance of experiencing nature. 

While everyone was locked inside and off the roads, our air became significantly cleaner. Smog in certain areas of the world disappeared, and people were viewing sights that they did not know existed. With improved air quality, plants started to thrive in cities, which created a positive chain effect. There were many reporting’s of unusual wildlife encounters, like the dolphins in the canals in Venice, Italy, or the pumas wandering the streets of Chile; It was evident that nature responded to the lockdown. A break from human activity demonstrated how resilient nature really is and many people developed a new respect for the environment.

Once restrictions started to lift, people everywhere turned to nature as a way to reduce stress and calm their minds while still following local guidelines and maintaining 6 feet apart from others. Experiencing nature offers an escape from all the bad stuff going on in the world and although everyone’s experiences with nature are different, just going outside and sitting under a tree can reduce someone’s stress significantly. This was so crucial to everyone during the spring months; just going for a walk with my dog everyday made me feel a million times better. I think it is so special that nature has this effect and I believe this pandemic really emphasized how important it is to take the time to immerse yourself in nature. Nature is connected to the health of every individual, and I hope that this pandemic taught everyone the importance of saving nature in order to save ourselves. Healthy communities sprout from healthy environments. Even now, with school in full force, taking 20 mins out of your day to take a walk or sit outside can have tremendous effects. 

In an effort to maintain safe public spaces, Toronto turned to painting social distancing circles on park grass so that people could enjoy time outdoors (Novakovic, 2020). 

As a landscape architecture student, my goal is to have a significant impact on communities and quality of life. I want to create spaces that people can immerse themselves in when they need an escape from the real world. I hope to create spaces where the benefits of nature can be found, while advocating for the preservation of our environment. The pandemic really taught me the importance of these kinds of spaces, especially in dense cities. It also taught me the importance of taking a break when I need one. Through nature interpretation we are able to provide people with these breaks from reality and help others immerse themselves in the beauty of our natural world.

References: 

Novakovic, S. (2020). Park Politics: Equity and Public Spaces During COVID-19. Retrieved October 01, 2020 from https://www.azuremagazine.com/article/park-politics-inequality-and-public-space-during-covid-19/ 

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Hey Victoria,

Your post this week was very interesting to read because it is so real and relevant to our new and current lifestyles. I like that you were able to look at the pandemic in a positive way, as many people don’t view it in that sense sometimes. It’s hard to look at the positive sometimes when there is so much negative going on all around us. Our environment is the most important thing we as humans have and its sad to see that often it is taken for granted. I was very happy to hear that while we were in lockdown our air became significantly cleaner! You mentioned how people began connecting with nature and going on walks and hikes to reduce stress and calm their mind during this difficult time. I can say from experience that that definitely helped me. I found myself extremely more anxious and stressed around April and May and started going on hikes in different places near my area with my little sister just to get out of the house and quickly found myself indulged in my surroundings. I started to notice little things like the flowers blooming in my backyard, and different types of beautiful birds. Things that I had not paid much attention to before. On another note, it’s important to address that it is okay to feel more stressed and anxious during this time and know that there are many ways of coping with it. I found a helpful website by the CDC that I will attach below that has helped me better understand and cope with my stress. It talks about taking care of your mental health and different available services. Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations, it’s important to take care of yourself and your community! If anyone is feeling down, I am always here to talk!

Thanks again for sharing!

CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html

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Microplastic Pollution in the Environment – Small Plastics, Big Problems

I’ve been on social media a lot recently and have stumbled upon multiple awareness posts regarding microplastics that have since been on my mind. What are microplastics you may ask? Microplastics are very small plastic bits (about 5mm or less in length) that are harmful to aquatic life and species. From my research on this topic, I found that microplastics have various health effects on humans as well through their prominent role in our food web.

This is the photo that first made me want to do more research on microplastics. As someone who frequently goes out for sushi (about once a week) this was a very moving photo to me. It will always resonate in my mind. “If it’s in the fish, it’s in you”, we need to do better!

Did you know that plastic is the most prevalent type of marine debris found in our lakes and oceans? I mean look around you, almost everything we poses is made of plastic or contains it. I think that we as a generation need to be more aware of this problem and work on ways to help save our ecosystem. It would surprise you how many people are uneducated on this topic; I’ve talked to multiple of my friends about it and was disappointed to hear that they have never heard the term “microplastic” before.

Are we already a few years too late? Our current plastic consumption and pollution rates predict that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in our major oceans and lakes than fish. This is now at a scale we simply cannot ignore, and changes need to be made.

There are many things that we can do on a personal scale to reduce our consumption of plastic and in turn help stop microplastic pollution. Some of these things include but are not limited to: using reusable grocery bags, buying less fast fashion clothing (yes that means less online shopping), buying reusable water bottles, etc. Every little thing we do counts. Personally, when I first heard about this ongoing problem, I started to make small changes in my life. I’ve bought stainless steel straws, have stopped buying plastic water bottles and even convinced my parents to start bringing their own reusable shopping bags!

Some good news surrounding this topic is that multiple large companies such as Adidas, Nestle, HP, etc. have started working towards making their products and packaging more environmentally sustainable. Additionally, many entrepreneurs and scientists are currently working on finding ways to prevent plastic from becoming waste and are looking for ways to tackle microplastic pollution.

Plastic rarely degrades and sometimes it really is the small things that cause the largest impact; in this case, those small plastics that you don’t particularity see are going to cause irreversible damage to our world. Just food for thought! Let me know what you think of this and if you’ve heard about it before, I’m very curious.

Here is a link with additional information on this topic if you’re interested! This link also provides more tips on how to reduce microplastics in your daily lifestyles. (LINK: https://tappwater.co/us/what-are-microplastics-and-5-tips-to-reduce-them/)

Reference:

US Department of Commerce, N. (2016, April 13). What are microplastics? Retrieved October 01, 2020, from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html

Microplastics: Your Environment, Your Health | National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved October 01, 2020, from https://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/sources-of-exposure/microplastics