This is the Washington we have seen so far - strikingly beautiful, but scarred by man's ever increasing footprint. As we drove towards Ocean Beach on Saturday afternoon, we passed a sign advertising a scenic view ahead. Naturally we pulled over, expecting a view of the ocean or the mountains in Olympic Cascades Park. Instead, we saw thousands of felled trees waiting to be processed by the adjacent paper mill, framed by the smoking twin towers of a nuclear power plant. Not quite the view we were hoping for, but one we needed to see nonetheless.
On the two hour drive to the beach, we passed hundreds of acres of clear cut forest, rows of pines replanted with military precision, steaming paper mills, mountains of sawdust, clusters of houses with peeled paint and sagging roofs, and miles of steel bridges and pipelines. When at last we arrived at the beach, we were amazed to see SUVs driving through the surf and clunkers parked on the beach, dripping oil and depositing road sediment in the sand. Fast food wrappers and empty coffee cups were strewn next to the parked cars, and people stared vacantly into the grey surf as they listened to music turned two notches too loud. Dogs, horses, cars, and people all shared the miles of beach front - each depositing their own forms of waste in the sand, hoping it would be washed out to sea. A little girl was forced to look both ways for cars before trotting back to her sand castle!
We were too disgusted to walk the beach, so we drove to the nearest Irish pub to discuss the situation. Thankfully, Galway's By the Bay offered a comforting fire, authentic and delicious Irish fare, and warm and friendly service. A few hours by the fire and a shepherd's pie made everything seem a little better, and we talked about other areas that may be more pristine and suitable for hiking. In the middle of the conversation, however, we both realized we cannot, as a couple or a nation, continue to run away to the dwindling wilderness to calm our fears about environmental disaster. In a way, it was good to see the effects of our wants and waste firsthand. I know I will think twice the next time I grab a "scrap" piece of paper, leave the lights on when I'm not in the room, buy coffee in a disposable cup, or throw something usable away. We were both able to see the width of our own footprints more clearly, which led to an honest discussion about ways to improve our own lifestyles.
I struggled with putting this on the blog, since I know most of you like to read about the fun adventures we have. But I feel it is also important to truthfully report what we see. Part of traveling is seeing the good and the bad of what this country has to offer. John Muir, famed environmentalist and founder of the Sierra club, was able to preserve thousands of acres of forest because of his beautiful and descriptive writing coupled with his activism. When he saw the effects that people were having on the land, he wrote about it and petitioned for change. I believe it is important for us to do the same. Living in the utopic bubble of Palo Alto allowed us to temporarily forget the urgent nature of our world's environmental and political crises. Now that we are seeing them firsthand, we realize that our immediate action, along with the actions of everyone we know, and everyone they know, is vitally important to the success and effectiveness of the solutions to these issues.
So please tell the truth that we have seen to others and know that your actions matter too. For a few heartening examples, turn to this month's issue of Utne magazine. Andy Isaacson, in his article "Mimicking Nature", reports that scientists at PAX Scientific are developing new energy-efficient air conditioners and fans that are 25% more efficient than the current models. He hopes to continue to develop energy efficient industrial models as well, which will "decrease dependency on fuel by at least 50 percent" (60). DaimlerChrysler has developed a prototype vehicle modeled after a coral reef fish that is composed of hexagonal plates rather than panels, making the car two-thirds lighter than today's car, and thereby more fuel efficient (62). The list goes on and on. On a more localized scale, people are turning towards organic foods and local farmer's markets as alternatives to large corporate brands, thereby cutting down on packaging waste and shipping costs. (See Harvest for Hope by Jane Goodall for more information about organic and local foods). Also, people are forming bartering coalitions to trade goods rather than buy new things, which also reduces waste. (See craigslist.com for a bartering resource near you.) For more information about reducing waste, refer to Garbage Land by Elizabeth Royte or check out www.earth911.org for a list of local recycling options. Every change we can make, no matter how small, makes a huge difference in the types of products that will be produced, and the ways in which they will be manufactured and transported. As I told my students last year, it is vital that we all become citizens of the world. Seeing the devastation of the land in coastal Washington has only reinforced the necessity of mindful eating and shopping. And, as this famous quotation states, "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." So take the initiative, spread the word, and lighten your own global footprint for the good of everyone. And remember that you're not alone.
Post By: Rebecca
Photo By: Ted (Taken near a state park, fifteen miles south of Olympia)
No comments:
Post a Comment