There are many noble causes in the world to support – too many in fact, for just one person. Environmental concerns alone feature causes against oil companies, fracking, aerosol products, and dumping toxic waste into water sources.
There are also several causes for the preservation of habitats, and the wildlife that thrives within them.
Save the whales.
Save the pandas
Save the tigers.
The list is endless.
The Smoking Hippie Paradox
I once made friends with an American hippie from Texas, while still living in Jamaica. He talked of little else but helping the environment. He showered once per day, flushed his toilet as little as possible, and did his best to educate everyone around him on the importance of preserving the environment.
After this, he would then blow through an entire pack of cigarettes each day – not counting the weed he also smoked heavily.
After raising my eyebrows in amusement a few times at his inconsistency, I then asked him, “What are your views on pollution?”
Of course, he immediately began to blame Corporate America, while emphatically pointing with his iPhone. Corporate America was to blame for pollution, and the people who did not take responsibility for their actions, he declared.
“And what about you?” I asked him.
He paused mid-puff to ask, “What about me?”
“You smoke. Smoke is bad for the environment.”
He looked at his cigarette. “What’s one cigarette?” he said, defensively.
“You smoke a pack a day – that’s 20 cigarettes every day of your life,” I pointed out.
He was silent for a moment, and then he put his cigarette out in the dirt. “You’re too smart for your own good,” he said, derisively.
It was not a compliment.
The Effects of Smoking on the Environment
In America alone, 1% of the entire national electricity consumption goes to the growing of marijuana. And for every joint, there’s two pounds of carbon dioxide emissions making its way up to the ozone layer.
Just like tobacco, growing marijuana leads to high levels of deforestation and the use of scarce, natural resources to farm something that does not satisfy any of our basic needs – not food, not shelter, not clothing.
In fact, agriculture in general has not been kind to Mother Nature.
Can’t Do it All
But ultimately, this is not a post to discourage people from smoking – though ‘secretly’ I hope it does. It just reminds us that even the best intentions to live right can often become thwarted by a simple fact: we can’t do it all.
It’s virtually impossible to do all the things that are beneficial to the environment, and if we did, we probably wouldn’t have much of a life to speak of.
Even so, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to do all we can, whenever we can. After all, we’re not just trying to create a better world for ourselves, but to leave a better one behind for our children, as well.
To me, there’s no better way to understand that than to go out in nature and see what you’re preserving for yourself. There’s a great big world outside your front door, and it doesn’t hurt to step outside and explore it.
Exploring a Local Nature Preserve
A few weeks ago, I did just that when we visited a nature preserve in Georgia. Had I known that their snake population was “thriving” – as they put it – I might not have gone.
Nevertheless, hiking is always a great experience, and one that ultimately reminds us of what we destroy when we indulge in every destructive whim that comes to mind.
This is especially important when we give into impulses that not only damage the environment we share with others, but which causes harm to ourselves.
Check out the pictures from the hiking trip below.
Reblogged this on TwoToneTheArtist and commented:
Featured in this post on environmental preservation.
Thank you for writing about the environment and how it helps if we all do something. Please keep it up! Your blog is the only one I follow. I don’t have much time for others, and I’m thankful that you always address worthwhile topics. You Rock! Sending much love….
Oh wow. Thank you! That’s beyond flattering. I’ll definitely keep tackling the bigger issues. Someone has to!
Oh my, snakes again. Did the leash-pulling dog at least help a little?
Haha. Tell me about it. Snakes seem to love me, I think. The dogs didn’t notice any. The one I think I saw slithered into the bushes while they were distracted by squirrels.
Fab post, and you’re so right! We definitely have to be more environmentally conscious, and even the smallest changes can make a huge difference. Your photos are gorgeous and illustrate this piece brilliantly – our natural surroundings need preserving, especially places as beautiful as that. (and that dog is adorable!)
Thank you! Yes, I do believe we’ve become too lazy and entitled as human beings and neglect to do what we can for the environment.
I’m glad you enjoyed the photos as well. Thanks so much for dropping by and do come by again! 😊
I definitely will!
Thank you! I tried checking out your blog as well but WordPress says it’s been deleted.
Really? That’s weird, it did that for me for another blog earlier too.
Yeah, you have the URL?
Yeah, it’s alwaysinthewrite.wordpress.com 🙂
The photos in this post are beautiful. In this post you reminded me about the importance of preserving our trees and wildlife. I wonder, how much damage has been done to our air and water
Hi Wanda – saw your post and decided to get back to it in a bit, then I just couldn’t find it. Turns out somehow it got flagged as spam, but that’s been fixed! LoL.
Thanks again for dropping by. I’m glad you enjoyed the pics. It was not easy taking them with two dogs tugging at their leads – one being a pit-bull and lab mix that I was watching for a friend.
I do wonder how much damage has been done to the air and waters. But what gets me most is that so many Americans still want to debate about whether or not climate change and global warming is even real. That’s so bizarre to me. In Jamaica, there isn’t a soul who doesn’t take that as fact.
I was flagged as spam ? Lol 😆 I’m glad it’s fixed now. I’m very familiar with the challenge of traveling while watching someone’s dog. One of my friends has bulldog and a german shepherd. I always wanted a dog, but my cockatiel Harmony is very territorial and jealous. Yeah, it is crazy how most Americans still want to debate about whether or not climate change and global warming is real.
Lol yes. I was like, am I crazy? Didn’t I just see her message pop up half an hour ago? I had to turn detective to figure it out lol.
Even the drive was a challenge. The dog was very anxious about being left by her owner, climbed into the front seat, and would not get up. We had to seatbelt her in.
I’ve always had dogs. Before I left Jamaica, I had a Black lab. I think ideally I would love a husky but Georgia is too hot for that. I also love German Shepards and Aussie shepherds. So cute.