Looks Like A Job For...Captain Planet!

I always like to think I'm doing my part when it comes to beating up tyrannical lumberjacks and resuscitating various woodland critters (only) when needed, but when I think it over, I'm a lazy conservationist. Don't misunderstand - I never feel more relaxed than when I surround myself with nature, to look on a world unconscious of itself but still perfectly balanced and ever-changing, connected and unique. We can never truly be a part of it, we may never completely understand it, but nature is the basis of our thoughts, the cornerstone of our innovation. It was our start, and it will be our end - sooner than we think, if we don't shape up.

With that cheery thought brought to light, I will reiterate that the efforts I make to protect our fellow living beings are not always tangible. I would be content to do nothing the rest of my life but study life on Earth and work to protect what's left. But I still need time, time to see the problem from a greater distance and throw myself into the fray without doubt. I could never fully commit myself to such an undertaking if I couldn't see where I was going with my work. So what I do now, I do because I fully understand why I feel I should do it.

Every spring around the middle of May, I plant trees. I don't do this because I think it's the only way I can ever contribute to the solution, nor do I do it because hundreds of advertisements have told me it's my solemn duty to suddenly change our ways. I do it because I see all life-forms as both a work of art and a great manifestation of the joyful mystery of life. What better way to spread art and life, to get so personal with another living thing that it becomes clear that we're not so different? Along with simply educating myself on the energy-ecology crisis and thinking over ways to turn the tide, helping and seeing life spread gives me a never-ending motivation to see that we all make it over this obstacle, human or otherwise. It's something we should all take into account at some point on Earth Day - why do we do what we do? When we can answer that, it may make changing to energy-efficient bulbs and buying that new hybrid car a lot easier for us.