Action required in defense of nature

CHERRIL DOTY

Jobs. Economy. War. Taxes. These were the key issues in our recent

national election. Population. Progress. Protection. These were

other, underlying issues that effect the environment. But were they

given the priority they so deserved?

It is estimated that 80% of America’s population favor strong

protection of our environment. This figure is based on all Americans

period -- no party affiliation, no agenda. I have to say it again.

Eighty percent of Americans favor environmental protections! Taken at

face value, that seems like a wonderful thing. What if 80% of our

population actively took steps to protect the environment?

In early 2005 my daughter will give birth to a child. What

environmental legacies are we leaving that child and the others born

now who will be in their middle age with children of their own by the

year 2050?

Population itself is one of the problems in protecting our

environment for future generations. California alone has a population

of 38 million people. Imagine what it would be like if all those

people decided to go to the beaches one day. Even going to the

largest of our state parks -- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park north of

San Diego -- would be troublesome. It is 600,000 acres of washes,

spectacular dunes, wildflowers, palm groves, and stunning vistas. But

600,000 acres divvied up among 38 million folks sounds pretty crowded

to me. There would be no way to protect the flora and fauna in those

conditions.

Progress is another environmental problem. How do we balance the

needs of an ever increasing population? How do we do business and

create products for this population without doing environmental harm?

More and more people, technological and industrial progress, goods

and services in support of these all wound the natural systems of the

earth.

So how can we protect this earth as we say we want to? In our

lifetimes, much has been done to protect this earth. Not enough. Not

nearly enough. We must do more, much more. We must find alternatives

to the ways we now do even the basic things like going to work and

eating, building homes and businesses, creating goods and services.

Progress must foremost become about protection of this earth, our

home.

Human beings are ingenuous and creative. We need only to see the

importance of the environment to preserving all life, as the figure

of eighty percent seems to suggest that we do. Then we can turn that

ingenuity toward solving the environment’s problems and create new

ways to live on this planet that nurture and sustain it.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? So why is our water not becoming

cleaner? Why is it that wetlands continue to disappear? Why are there

more and more byproducts of toxic waste? What are we going to do with

all that we are currently producing that is nonbiodegradable and/or

hazardous waste? Why are whole forests dying out? How is it that we

can even consider drilling in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge? How many

animals will either become extinct or endangered in the near future

because we cannot seem to do enough? Why are costs soaring for

energy, food and water while there is no decrease in usage?

We don’t do enough. You don’t and I don’t. We must do better. We

must not only speak of supporting our environment, but actively

participate in as many ways as possible. We must become better

educated on our environment and not expect ‘someone else’ to take

care of the growing problem.

Start with exploring some possibilities. Here are a few websites

to get you started. Please let me know if you have others you think

would be helpful: https://www.earthshare.org;

https://www.wildcalifornia.org; https://www.sierraclub.org;

https://www.onepercentfor

theplanet.org; https://www.calepa.ca.gov; https://www.epa.gov/kids.

* CHERRIL DOTY is a creative life coach and artist. You can reach

her by e-mail at cherril@cherrildoty.com or by calling (949)

251-3883.