The common thread between all the great environmentalists of the world is a childhood steeped in nature. Just read David Suzuki’s autobiography to get some idea of how much time as a kid he spent exploring the wild world. Not only that, but the great environmentalists had a willing adult that helped them, at first to explore, and then to make sense of the beauty of the world.
I’m not sure where my love of the environment came from. Maybe it was my life in the suburbs with the bush a short walk from our house. I got to tag along with my older brother and sister when they went with their friends into the bush. It was a good childhood, I was allowed into the bush with my older brother and sister accompanying me at a much younger age than I would let my kids go on their own. We stayed there alone, free to play as we pleased.
Just think about the last time your kids were allowed alone in the bush. To experience the thrill of discovering something first and feeling like an intrepid explorer. And why is it important? Well if we want this world to be able to support future generations we have to start taking better care of it. That’s a no-brainer. The best way to do this is for people to enter a kind of relationship with the environment. For instance, if you go to the local shops, where the guy at the counter knows your name, would you steal from that shop? You probably wouldn’t steal from any shop but my point is that there exists a realationship between you and the shopkeeper where each party respects the others role. Your role is to buy (not steal) and his role is to sell. These roles are respected.
When you enter into a relationship with the natural world you soon realise that it gives so generously (fresh air, water, beauty etc). It is easy to forget our obligations in return when we no longer know the entity from which we take. When we remind ourselves how dependant we are on the natural world we cannot ignore our own obligations. This is easy for children who will develop a love for the environment if they are allowed to explore it.
We live in the city and the nearest bush is a car drive away. How can I instill in my children an innate appreciation of the world around us? It is certainly difficult to foster love if I teach them about the threats of climate change before they have found their own love of the environment. Fear will not foster love but action to protect a loved one in peril is inspired. I take my children out into the bush as often as I can. We walk and explore and just ‘hang out’ in the beauty. If we can’t get away in the car, we spend time playing in the garden and watching the stars. They get to run ahead on the path but they are never alone as we were. My kids are still only little so I don’t know yet if these experiences are enough to foster a good relationship with the world, but we are trying as much as city folk can! I do know for sure that getting out in the bush improves behaviour significantly and that makes things much easier for us parents.
All those who know me know that I try hard to make decisions that take into account my relationship with the world. It is often difficult to resolve the hypocricies that city living and my obligations to the environment unearths, but every journey starts with small footsteps. The seeds of ‘love for the environment’ my parents fostered in me are growing and pass down stronger to my own children, and in the future is bright hope!
Jeddah
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