Rewild

I love this idea. Imagine: the process of rewilding the urban world, going back to a time when nature ruled. It reminds me of the series Life Without People, and the book The World Without Us, both very intriguing! I would actually prefer to see the world transition back to this state. The idea of nature fighting back is encouraging to me! It shows that there is hope!

Views from a Barcelona Streetcar in 1908

This is quite an inspiring film! You just don't see streets as active as this anymore; people moving every which way- feeling as if they are a part of the city! These days, if we're lucky enough to have pedestrians outdoors, they're hugging the buildings in order to steer clear of the traffic!

Before 2050

The urgency that presses behind the need for positive environmental action is somehow forgotten when advocates for sustainability argue their points. Not only is it crucial that we change our behavior, but we must do so immediately. Many forecast, as I believe, that the Earth will reach it's carrying capacity by 2050, rendering it unable to support its inhabitants. Some scientists actually suggest that the planet will be "unrecognizable" by 2050. To me, this concept is unimaginable and quite disheartening! (1) If we do not act quickly, we are doomed to enter a world-wide environmental depression that endangers our lives and the life of planet Earth. As alarming as this may be, there is hope, still, for this prediction still allows for ample time to change.

Population is growing; this is difficult to control but humans must be more conscious of and deliberate in the decisions they make, as well as the impact these decisions have on the population of the world as a whole. I would rather save the choice/life discussion for another day, but I will gently recommend people consider the loss of life caused by unplanned, irresponsible life. The brutal fact is that there used to be extreme population controls, such as war or fatal diseases. As humans become healthier and safer, and technology extends the human lifespan, we flood the planet with more life than it can support. It wont be long before we are overpopulated and Earth will be unable to provide for us. The large issue brought about by the population dilemma is about the resources we waste and exhaust. "A study by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)... warns that the human race is plundering the planet at a pace that outstrips its capacity to support life." (2)

With such extreme levels of consumption, we are condemning our planet and home. The same report explains how humans worldwide have destroyed a third of the natural world over the past three decades. In the energy we invest in competing to have the best technology, best cars, and largest homes it's almost as if we are racing to see how quickly we can obliterate the planet when we should be investing all of our energy in opportunities to preserve and save it.

But I refuse to picture a future without nature. I refuse to accept that this is the path we are stuck along. It will take more than a few changes by one person to change this path, but I am dedicating my entire life to saving our planet, as are others. Before it's too late, we must all take action and accept responsibility as the stewards of this planet.

1. http://www.populationmedia.org/2011/04/07/planet-could-be-unrecognizable-by-2050-experts-say/
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/jul/07/research.waste

More posts will come soon...

I promise I'll write more soon. One post a week has proven to be harder than I imagined, but still, I should be able to write more frequently.

Recently, however, I have been busy. I've been much more active in the community, I've attended many lectures, presentations, etc. and I've been involved in volunteer opportunities. On top of that, last week was Baltimore Green Week, of which I spent each evening at an event learning about sustainability in Baltimore, and I received my acceptance letter to the Master of City and Regional Planning program at Morgan State University. I'll be specializing in Urban Design and Sustainability. But first, I need to figure out how to pay for my education!!!

Here's a start, a humble request for sponsorship! http://www.sponsormydegree.com/meganschwartz

Earth Day

Hope everyone enjoyed Earth Day 2011! May the efforts continue for the other 364 days of the year!

And here's a clever little animation featured on Mother Nature Network for you: