The biggest crisis facing the planet today is that it is inhabited with a species that hates it. We love the planet but we run away from it. More than 50% of the world's population now lives in cities. Studies show that the economic conditions of an immigrant are often worse, not better, than they were in her/his rural village. The main reason that rural people (usually, young ones) migrate to cities is that cities are "cool". Many young people feel ashamed and embarrassed if they still live in a rural village. People aim for asphalt and concrete, away from the trees, rivers and wildlife of the natural planet.
People who want to "save the planet" are missing the point. It is not that we are accidentally destroying it: it's that we really don't like to live in this planet. We created an urban world to take the place of the natural world not because evil corporations or inept governments wanted so, but because we want so. There is a genetic force at work that pushes humans away from their natural background and into the artificial surroundings of the city; away from the unpredictable and hostile chaos of Nature and into the predictable and safe order of the city.
With human population still increasing exponentially, and this being a driving force behind economic growth, there is the concern about the stability of resource systems. With rising tides, increased flooding, increased droughts and famines, there is likely to be a lot of human displacement and death. We are now creating an even more artificial world, the digital world that adds mental order to the physical order. Again, we are not doing it because we are forced to but because its appeal is irresistible. The urban person wants the comfort and fun of city life. The "digital" person wants videogames, digital music players and personal digital assistants. They don't want trees, rivers and wildlife.
Humans are destroying their planet because, ultimately, they don't care too much for what it has to offer. They are building their own world, a world of concrete, asphalt, electricity and files. Nature is timeless; we are not, either individually or as a species. The purest way to be reminded that life is precious and short is to simply watch nature from within it.
It’s a time for reflection and a time to give thanks to our creator for not only the beautiful scenery but also for all the blessings we have in our lives. I’m not talking about materialistic things but about the many centuries of events that occurred long before we were born that created the many breathtaking landscapes we have now. I don’t take any of it for granted. I am truly grateful that I can open my eyes and see all the beauty this world has to offer. And the air we breathe, the breeze we feel, the sun on our face, we have evolved to fit in with all that like a perfect glove. It is all part of who we are, how we came to be.
