Bears and Staircases
In response to Trump’s proclamations to reduce the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments by 2 million acres on 12/4/17.
Throughout my childhood, my parents wouldn't take me on "normal" family vacations. As my friends were going to New York, LA, and Vegas, we'd go to Arches, Denali, and Yellowstone. Growing up in Seattle, I've been fortunate enough to be surrounded by nature, from the Olympics and coast to the West, and the Cascades and Palouse to the East. Nature was all around me, so I never understood why my parents continued to take me on trips where we'd just go to more natural attractions. At the time, I couldn't have been more furious at my parents mostly because they were "robbing me" of the glitz and glamor that most cities tend to provide. Most importantly, it felt like it was harder for me to connect with many of my friends after a school break. I found it very difficult to describe the unique panorama of painted hills at Death Valley when others could describe the theatrics of a 'Cirque du Soleil' show at the Bellagio with ease.
It wasn't until I graduated high school and went to college that I started to realize that going on these trips during my childhood was beneficial in more than one way. I started to see the same glitz and glamour I once saw in cities at the same National Parks and Forests my family and I would go to in middle school and high school. All of a sudden, the looming, moonlit Saguaro cacti at Joshua Tree struck me with more awe and amazement than the shimmer of lights along the Chicago skyline at night.
So, what's the big deal? I've finally realized that natural lands have a profound importance in our society, but how and why are they important? Why is it so hard for others, like the leaders of our current Administration, to see the same importance I, and several other environmentalists have seen?
I firmly believe there is no other activity that is as universal as exploring our natural lands. I used to think sports and music were universal sources of entertainment until I realized that New York is divided by Yankees and Mets fans. Folk and country music dominate the American South, but they are not nearly as prominent in the North. However, no matter where you might be in the country, there are natural lands surrounding population centers. It might be more difficult to see in some places than others, but natural lands are all around us and are highly accessible across the country.
Being a recent graduate in a STEM field, I tend to see the world around me very scientifically and look for patterns. Unknown to many, nature has provided the inspiration for many of today’s luxuries and even household products. The flight of birds originally inspired da Vinci to invent a “flying machine”, the tiny hooks on bur fruit inspired velcro, and the body of a humpback whale has influenced how wind farms generate clean, renewable energy. There is still so much to learn from nature, and orders that stem from documents such as Federal Reserve Document 2017-09490 will not only take land away from thousands of residents, but also destroy the possibility of learning from our natural lands like we have been doing for centuries.
Having driven through both the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, it truly pains me to think that the next time I make the drive there could be a refinery in place of the unique rock formations and canyons that lie there today. As a citizen of this country and someone who is perhaps slightly too obsessed with nature, I believe it is part of our responsibility to take action against orders that seek to destroy natural lands and in turn destroy the sense of curiosity and adventure this nation so proudly boasts.
While it may not seem like much, I urge everyone reading this post to stand up against any orders that might resemble FR Doc. 2017-09490. The Administration may choose to ignore you, but others are listening. Look for sites like http://bit.ly/2BaWT38 and http://bit.ly/2AhzqJT to see how you can help protect our land. We only have one Earth, let’s not mess this up. #ThePresidentStoleYourLand #OptOutside
On another note, Happy Holidays and hopefully the New Year brings with it some better fortune.
Throughout my childhood, my parents wouldn't take me on "normal" family vacations. As my friends were going to New York, LA, and Vegas, we'd go to Arches, Denali, and Yellowstone. Growing up in Seattle, I've been fortunate enough to be surrounded by nature, from the Olympics and coast to the West, and the Cascades and Palouse to the East. Nature was all around me, so I never understood why my parents continued to take me on trips where we'd just go to more natural attractions. At the time, I couldn't have been more furious at my parents mostly because they were "robbing me" of the glitz and glamor that most cities tend to provide. Most importantly, it felt like it was harder for me to connect with many of my friends after a school break. I found it very difficult to describe the unique panorama of painted hills at Death Valley when others could describe the theatrics of a 'Cirque du Soleil' show at the Bellagio with ease.
It wasn't until I graduated high school and went to college that I started to realize that going on these trips during my childhood was beneficial in more than one way. I started to see the same glitz and glamour I once saw in cities at the same National Parks and Forests my family and I would go to in middle school and high school. All of a sudden, the looming, moonlit Saguaro cacti at Joshua Tree struck me with more awe and amazement than the shimmer of lights along the Chicago skyline at night.
So, what's the big deal? I've finally realized that natural lands have a profound importance in our society, but how and why are they important? Why is it so hard for others, like the leaders of our current Administration, to see the same importance I, and several other environmentalists have seen?
I firmly believe there is no other activity that is as universal as exploring our natural lands. I used to think sports and music were universal sources of entertainment until I realized that New York is divided by Yankees and Mets fans. Folk and country music dominate the American South, but they are not nearly as prominent in the North. However, no matter where you might be in the country, there are natural lands surrounding population centers. It might be more difficult to see in some places than others, but natural lands are all around us and are highly accessible across the country.
Being a recent graduate in a STEM field, I tend to see the world around me very scientifically and look for patterns. Unknown to many, nature has provided the inspiration for many of today’s luxuries and even household products. The flight of birds originally inspired da Vinci to invent a “flying machine”, the tiny hooks on bur fruit inspired velcro, and the body of a humpback whale has influenced how wind farms generate clean, renewable energy. There is still so much to learn from nature, and orders that stem from documents such as Federal Reserve Document 2017-09490 will not only take land away from thousands of residents, but also destroy the possibility of learning from our natural lands like we have been doing for centuries.
Having driven through both the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, it truly pains me to think that the next time I make the drive there could be a refinery in place of the unique rock formations and canyons that lie there today. As a citizen of this country and someone who is perhaps slightly too obsessed with nature, I believe it is part of our responsibility to take action against orders that seek to destroy natural lands and in turn destroy the sense of curiosity and adventure this nation so proudly boasts.
While it may not seem like much, I urge everyone reading this post to stand up against any orders that might resemble FR Doc. 2017-09490. The Administration may choose to ignore you, but others are listening. Look for sites like http://bit.ly/2BaWT38 and http://bit.ly/2AhzqJT to see how you can help protect our land. We only have one Earth, let’s not mess this up. #ThePresidentStoleYourLand #OptOutside
On another note, Happy Holidays and hopefully the New Year brings with it some better fortune.
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