This year, September ended on a sweet note when I took a trip with my ELS (Environmental Literature and Science) class to Devil’s Lake for a rock climbing trip. On the trip, we took a hike through a trail called Parfrey’s Glen and I was blown away by the sights it beheld. As we hiked it, we entered a gaping canyon-like rock formation, where the foundation revealed a vast layered timeline through the rocks, dirt, and sand compressed into layers over time. There was a cold, crystal-clear stream running through the entire ravine and I cannot describe it as anything other than whimsical. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
Throughout my trip, I formed a sort of connection to the outside world that I had never really had before. I would describe it as an awareness; to look at the world around me and realize that every action has an impact, and that nature is more than just the thing outside your window. Nature is home.
My expedition got me wondering when the last time was that the people inhabiting our land truly appreciated it the way I was able to. When did we stop connecting with the staggering environment that we call home? We have become so stuck in our own heads that we forget the value of the world around us. People as a species have evolved to be industrial beings, where industrialization and technological advancements dominate our culture, beliefs, way of life, and state of mind. We continue to grow more and more disconnected from the world around us as we become more withdrawn into ourselves, our devices, and ultimately the idea that humanity is its own category rather than something of a larger picture.
A lot of people insist on living the way we do because it is considered more civilized; but what truly defines civilized? Civilized, as an adjective, is defined as “at an advanced stage of social and cultural development.” Wouldn’t being at an advanced stage of cultural development then also mean being ecologically, morally, and ethically advanced as well? I actually think our relationship with nature has grown more fractured due to our “civilized” lifestyle. The technology-forward and “me first” mindset has led to people disrespecting the environment and leaving major negative footprints on it.
But the people of America haven’t always disrespected the land they walked on. Our indigenous population is very conscientious of the ecosystem they exist in, by the way they navigate their lifestyles and connect with the world around them. The indigenous people have a strong connection with nature spiritually and physically, through their practices, and awareness of the interconnectedness of humans and nature. Instead of feeling that land is something owed to them, first nations have regarded land as something that they have been bestowed to protect, respect, and depend on. To the native peoples, land ownership was nonexistent, but if anything was taken from the land, they gave thanks for the resources they harvested. All aspects of native life have been built around this wholeness; their art, music, dance, medicine, farming, food, and mythology is based entirely around the concept of everything taking part in one systematical ecosystem. Instead of viewing people and nature as separate entities, the indigenous people of America have viewed them as a whole.
In the modern day, much of America is structured around modernization and priority of the individual rather than the collective group. For 14,000 years the native people managed to leave little trace on the land, to live harmoniously with it, and within about 420 years of being colonized the land has been significantly degraded and turmoiled. Environmental scientists have a hard time measuring the impact humanity has had on the climate, but it is without a doubt that we have had one. Between carbon emissions, the trash we produce, and overall the waste of our day-to-day life, we have created a place where humans are prioritized over all other species.
The apparent problem becomes that unlike our environmentalist and indigenous populations, the majority of America today has lost that connection with nature. In a world exponentially progressing, we have lost our grip on what our place is as a part of this fragile system we exist in. If you think of the ecosystem like a clock: it needs every gear to properly function. We have allowed our gear to go rusty and we are slowly but surely ruining the clock. Even though we may just be one little part of the system, our decisions have an impact. Our decisions have an impact on not only ourselves, but also everything and everyone else.
In many ways, being so detached from nature has led to the human species losing its way and losing its purpose. By giving up our connections with the ecosystem in favor of material objects we have become more dissatisfied. But when we actively put in effort to connect with our roots and our ecology, we can find a sense of wholeness. If we are going to make real change, it will first be essential to re-examine our relationships with nature. Really making a difference will begin with changing our state of mind, and our philosophy.
As society has rapidly progressed, it has forgotten how priceless nature really is. To be progressive in terms of the climate is to build a connection with it, and to understand the value within each tree, bird, and animal; but most importantly it is to recognize the impact of each and everything we do. We have achieved a better state of mind when we can realize that our actions are not just about ourselves; they are about everything around us.
Maybe we could learn a little something from America’s history by creating an understanding of how colonization and modernization have shaped our connections with the environment, and truly understanding the impact we have through our persistence to live a “modern” or “civilized” life. Change is a long winding road, but in the end it’s worth navigating. Change can even start with a simple camping trip.