We Are Part of Nature.
Folks have asked that I explain the name of my blog. Many people don't realize we are part of nature. We are dependent upon the environment and the interactions between living things. Most people I encounter tend to take the view that human beings should control nature...kill the ants, swat the wasps, "who cares about the owls," and on and on. Each species plays a role, part of the web of life. Each species is part of this web of life. Human beings make up one species and we are part of the web of life, dependent upon this web for our existence. Every time habitat is destroyed for another subdivision or strip mall, the support system is weakened, eventually leading to more species becoming extinct. With the loss of each species, the web is weakened. The web of life will eventually collapse. I used to know summer was here when I heard a meadowlark sing near the end of the road where I live. When I saw this bird on the power line, I would roll down my car window to hear it. After enough subdivisions were built nearby, there were no more meadowlarks in this field. As my summer became quiet, I am reminded of another book about man's impact on nature, "Silent Spring," by Rachel Carson. Now, back to the title of the blog...we are dependent upon nature. A student once asked, "Where do eggs come from?" I told her, "Chickens." She replied, "No they don't. They come from the grocery store." I am afraid of a generation of which a significant portion don't realize we depend on other living things in order for us to live. I am afraid of a generation that does not realize the existing contamination of our food supply. If anything good could come from the nuclear disaster in Japan, it would include the realization of how closely connected we are to each other and our environment.
