Initial Reflection
When thinking about my own relationship with the environment, I have a much broader view than most. To me, the environment is everywhere that you are. The environment is a combination of the places and things that make up the world around us. I believe that defining "the environment" as places set aside from human activity opens the door for us to abuse the places and resources closest to home. As someone who likes to think about how their actions affect the environment, I think it is very important to have a very wide definition of the environment. This forces us to treat the places which we might see as mundane or inconsequential with the same care that we give to the places which are hailed as natural wonders.
As someone who has grown up with a strong interest in outdoor activities, it feels like my care and reverence for the environment was inevitable. When spending extended periods of time in natural areas, the effects of human interaction become much more evident and impactful. Just as it feels you are leaving the world of human intervention behind you are reminded just how widespread human influence is. Places which are hailed to be the most "untouched" or "pristine" examples of the natural world, often are a manicured experiences which resemble a museum or zoo more than the rugged wilderness that are advertised. Through my experiences in the outdoors I have gained a sense of responsibility for these places that I love, but I have also gained a deeper connection with the spaces I live everyday. When walking down the path by my apartment, I hear the creek softly flowing, see the tall grass blowing in the breeze, and feel the cool air and the warmth of the sun. It is these moments where I feel the same peace that I felt when hiking the Colorado Trail. By dismissing the park near your house as just a piece of the city you are denying yourself a deeper connection with the environment as well as dismissing its importance. If our goal is to help the environment, we must take a holistic approach and focus just as much on the places close to home as we do the beautiful and remote places.
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