Why Do I Care?

It's a funny thing, determining where your opinions originated; once you start looking into it, chances are you'll find that there was more than one push that got you going. Something must have happened for me to care a little more about sustainable living, organic foods and eco-friendly products than your regular Joe.



I think it started a long time ago when I lived on a little acreage outside of town. We had a sheep, a big ol' garden and usually some rambunctious little puppies getting underfoot. I didn't spend my time playing video games; though I do now. I was one of those kids who liked nothing more than building a fort in the trees outside. Sticks for the walls, mud for chinking...

I think my love of nature may have solidified in one singular moment; when we found a nest of baby sparrows on the ground beneath our pine tree and no mommy sparrow to be found. (There had been quite the storm the night before.)



We took the little birds in of course, learnt how to feed them, how to care for them. Two of them made it to adulthood, learnt to fly and were released back into the wild. One came back to our porch every spring for years; just sitting on the railing of our front stairs, waiting for us to come out, say hello and bring a little treat.

You would think, perhaps, that such fondness for nature would result in me becoming a vegetarian. But it didn't. Instead it pointed me in a direction that made a little more sense.

The food chain has existed since the beginning of life on Earth. Earth being destroyed by greedy, uncivilized and uneducated humans is a relatively new occurrence.

Trees could be harvested sustainably, without destroying whole forests. Without leaving nothing but a gaping scar on the land. Mining could be done in such a way as to prevent the destruction and pollution that it causes. The whole earth could run on sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources. But we don't. Because it's all about money and convenience. Why have tomorrow what you can have today.



... If it was going to work better, taste better or be better for me tomorrow. I think I'd be willing to wait to a day.

As for the whole eating organically thing. If I don't want humans poisoning the planet, why oh why would I want to poison myself???

(There is a long story that leads to me coming to that conclusion as well, though I think it can be told in another post.)

So. Enough about me! Why do you care when others don't? Why are you here reading this post?

Photos courtesy of Nick Saltmarsh, MissTurner and crustmania.

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