Green Junction - Nature's Treasures: Appreciating and Protecting the World Around Us

Much of the earth has been altered by humans to serve humans. An analysis by the World Economic Forum published in 2021 states that the world’s land has been modified for agriculture, mining, industrialization and urbanization. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, more than one third of the earth’s land is now used for agriculture to feed the 8.3 billion people in the world.

Future generations will enjoy and benefit from the earth’s treasures only if continued modifications are in line with sustainable growth. The organization Habitable (formerly called Healthy Building Network) is one of many focused on sustainable growth. “We believe all people and the planet thrive when the materials economy is in balance with nature.” As modern society continues to develop at a fast pace, with an anticipated 2.5 trillion square feet of new construction by 2060, a real appreciation of nature is needed to ensure its health and longevity.

In Elizabeth A. Johnson’s book “Come, Have Breakfast,” she writes “In general, people’s spirits pick up when they experience something of the wonder and beauty of the natural world. Getting outside is rejuvenating. Whether it be desert or green woods, grassy prairie or sandy beach, snowy mountains or fertile river valleys, a city park or even a flower growing in an apartment window box.” She also writes about the abuses from human “progress.” “All too often today some places in the natural world ..are poisoned by mining, burned by fires, flooded, eroded, stripped, polluted, dumped with garbage; these break one’s heart and turn one’s stomach.”   

Nature’s gifts and treasures have to be experienced and appreciated in order to be honored and protected. Kudos to all the organizations that function in various ways to appreciate and guard nature. The international pledge by Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) seeks to protect 30% of land by 2030. According to the Protected Planet Report 2024, “17.6% of land and inland waters and 8.4% of the ocean and coastal areas globally are within documented protected and conserved areas.” How much of your yard or community includes areas that are purely nature?