"Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul." Edward Abbey
Environmentalism starts at home
For more than a decade now, I have been implementing diverse eco-friendly measures in my small suburban backyard. I was the first one in my area to break the nexus between a typical suburban home and its big lawns. Replacing lawns with native ecosystems such as a prairie and a woodland, and planting trees and shrubs for wildlife has provided a suitable habitat for various fauna. Every year we have resident and migratory birds nesting in the backyard along with gray and fox squirrels, eastern cottontails, opossums, etc. Installation of a small pond has provided a suitable breeding habitat for the American toads and for the first time this year we saw tadpoles. Installation of compost bins and rain barrels, and ensuring a chemical-free organic environment has been fruitful for both man and beast. Having met the food, water, shelter and breeding needs of various fauna, my backyard is now a National Wildlife Federation-certified wildlife habitat.
Our yard has become a significant educational attraction for neighborhood children (and also adults) who spend a big part of their free time there and observe eco-friendly processes and the wildlife that they support. Following my example and with encouragement, many of my neighbors have adopted green practices such as reducing their lawns by growing vegetables and fruits and minimizing their use of pesticides. This experience has taught me about different ways of initiating change and the need for advocacy. Most importantly it reinforced the value of educating children on environmental issues.
Global components of environmentalism
Apart from my professional interests, I enjoy hiking and observing wildlife. In recent years I have hiked the Cabot trail in Nova Scotia, the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, the Connemara coast in Ireland, and the Viking trail in Newfoundland. Earlier this summer, I went bird watching in Costa Rica. Such trips make me more aware of the impacts of climate change on the flora and fauna across the world and add a sense of urgency to my environmental work. I hope everyday environmentalism becomes the norm in our society where we make conscious, science-based decisions to reduce our collective environmental footprint.
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” Edward Everett Hale