Conservationist
Let's talk about conserving our limited Natural Resources.
The other day my father described me as a conservationist. I paused because I hadn't thought of myself in that light. A scientist? Yes! And few other labels, too: Trekkie, botanist, mother, aunt, friend. But over the years I learned that if Daddy gives me a label that he thinks fits, he's probably right. So it made me think, who are conservationists and why does my dad see me among their ranks?
What is a Conservationist?
It's someone who actively conserves biodiversity and lives with sustainability as a core focus. It's someone who chooses to live with less today so they can conserve our natural resources for future generations. This person also educates about endangered species and advocates for conservation.
Oh. Yes. I fit that description. I suppose I am a conservationist. And by taking me camping and cycling outdoors, by teaching me the names and utility of plants at a young age, my father raised me to be one!
Notable Conservationists
Dr. Jane Goodall
John Muir
Aldo Leopold
Have you read the book A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold? It is one of my favorite books. I love the simplicity of watching nature that his book encourages.
Yet in today's America this conservation mentality isn't mainstream.
A Culture of Excess
I went shopping in a store this morning for just a few things that I had on my list. I looked around at all of the waste. Things that didn't sell and are now marked down, seasonal items that make no sense, items that will easily break, shoes that no one will wear.
I was blown away by the inexpensive prices of the over abundant items. I wondered if perhaps people made less they would be worth more, and wouldn't that be a good thing overall? Enough is better than excess.
And yet the consumer expects to walk into a store and see abundance. They scoff at half-filled shelves and they complain loudly about shortages and substitutions with nearly identical products.
The inefficiencies of our supply chain are becoming increasingly apparent.
I don't understand why this doesn't bother more people. Maybe it does and they simply aren't speaking up. They find what they need and they move on with their lives, hoping for change. Purchasing small and staying humble.
Conservation at Home
It's not difficult to take the conservation mentality home. Here are 5 simple steps:
1) We reduce, reuse, and recycle.
2) We share and thrift our clothing when we grow out of them.
3) We are mindful about our purchases, choosing used over new when available.
4) We chose to keep rabbits over other pets because we can engage in regenerative agriculture by using our pet rabbits' litter on our vegetable garden.
5) We compost paper goods and food scraps.
Here is a photo of two house rabbits resting comfortably in their pen.
Here is an easy recycling electronic recycling sorting game for kids:
Want some ideas for repurposing old clothing? Here's a blog post from a friend to check out. https://wondermamas.com/5-ways-to-repurpose-old-clothes/
Learn more about regenerative agriculture here: https://sustainableamerica.org/blog/what-is-regenerative-agriculture/
Learn more about composting - with children - here:
Kindrid Spirits
Every now and again I run into someone who "gets me". I am honestly surrounded by them at work. NASA cares a lot about sustainability. Here's a link to the agency's sustainability action plan:
My friend Danielle Alvarado of Sustainably Kind Living recently shared a relevant quote on her Facebook page (here's a link)
"It cannot be right to manufacture billions of objects that are used for a matter of minutes, and then are with us for centuries." - Roz Savage
Do you have a favorite conservationist?
Share about them in the comments!
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