Yesterday, after coming back to our neighbourhood from a family vacation, I spent the day unpacking, organizing and spending more enjoyable quality downtime with my immediate family. I prepared for the canoe trip and packed the gear and clothes I would want and need, including canoe trip clothing, gear, cameras, book, journal, toiletries, sunscreen, rain jacket, bug spray and compass too. I went over to my parents house to pack our bags there with my dad. We reviewed the food items, the tent, paddles, fishing liscence, our clothes and personal items, drybags, grill, ropes, kindling, camp knives, matches, first aid kit, wet weather clothes and warm clothes, packed up and were set and ready to go.
This morning, I got up at 4:30 AM to get ready to head out with Dad at 5:30 to fly up to Thunder Bay from Pearson on an Air Canada flight, and then to fly into Quetico on a float plane and begin our wilderness canoe excursion through Quetico Provincial Park.
I propose that it is possible to help recover and restore healthy and sustainable natural, social and economic environments but we must focus on helping to re-establish healthy natural systems in the natural environment which help enable good weather, ozone integrity, clean water, fresh air, birds, bees, butterflies, wildflowers, healthy local produce, lovely lakes and pine or maple forest to camp by, lakes or rivers to swim in, to enjoy fishing in, fireflies in the meadow and turtles in the pond to enjoy with and show to family, but only if we take care of it and also help provide access to and connect others with nature, as well as to consider our impacts on the environment, help nature and encourage decision makers, and political and corporate influencers to take environmental accountability. Consider that in most urban environments it is generally difficult to find a place to sit by the stream, nonetheless sit by a garbageless shoreline and enjoy seeing wild beautiful songbirds in tree boughs, or native turtles basking on logs and see butterflies and bumblebees visit wildflowers – but it is possible, if people help to clean up litter, help provide greater access to parks, natural areas and trails, learn about and take interest in birds, old growth forest, wetlands, where or how animals migrate and natural systems and how to help protect them. Whether you cultivate native plants at home or whether you help pick up litter, or email or lobby politicians and decision makers, or plant trees and native plants at events, or volunteer, or enjoy wildlife photography, or enjoy reporting wildlife sightings to community science efforts, steward a nature reserve, just enjoy wildlife or help nature and the environment around your area there are ways that we all can help nature and the environment.
Here’s how I am helping nature locally for Earth Day and Earth Week this year.
