Welcome and let's get started at the beginning
Hello everyone out there in the cyber community.
My name is Ashley. It's great to meet you! I graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in political science and fine art history. About a year ago, I graduated again- this time with a masters in International Relations- specializing in international finance and environmental studies. All these qualifications do is allow me to say is that I know a lot of things about a lot of things.
Instead of writing about a lot of things though, I want to speak to everyone about what it actually means to be worried about the state of the environment.
I want to communicate, based on science and evidence, what is going on in the world today on this beyond what is repeated on the news cycle and is taken as political rhetoric to bring this issue back to where it is best understood- in the interaction of humans with their environment. I also want to learn. I want to listen. I want to feel. And I encourage everyone to join me.
So first, I want to get started with a mental exercise to get into this mind frame.
Imagine you are outside on a hot, hot day. You have been out hiking, and your trusty water bottle is empty. It will be hours before you get back to a well/fountain/tap/store. You feel the sun beating down on your skin. You feel the light breeze whoosh across your damp skin. You hear a stream nearby. The sound draws you in. You begin to feel the familiar scratchiness at the back of your throat. Your lips are chapped, your tongue is pasty and dry. You are parched. You follow the sound of the stream. Before you get there, you walk into a shaded area, and the relief from the sun's rays is immediate. You come upon the stream. Its so crisp and clear. You go to dip your bottle to capture that sweet water --when you see it. There is a bright red sign next to where you are standing. It reads "Danger. Water Contaminated: Do not swim or drink).
To the Western mind, there are a few problems with this story. First, we are never far from civilization- until we are by mistake. Second, of course you have a backpack with spare plastic water bottles in tow. Third, you would never, EVER, even consider drinking from a stream, contaminated or not.
But these are issues in themselves. As humans, we have lost touch with what these vital resources mean to us. In the less fortunate parts of the world, this is a common problem, not just on an incidental hike, but in their everyday lives. And disease is rampant. Not to mention, the barriers we've increased for the animals and ecosystems to safely access these resources: including those we hunt, and consume.
The aim is not to shock, or scare, but to FEEL. And to understand.
Go grab a glass of water, I'll see you next time.
My name is Ashley. It's great to meet you! I graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in political science and fine art history. About a year ago, I graduated again- this time with a masters in International Relations- specializing in international finance and environmental studies. All these qualifications do is allow me to say is that I know a lot of things about a lot of things.
Instead of writing about a lot of things though, I want to speak to everyone about what it actually means to be worried about the state of the environment.
I want to communicate, based on science and evidence, what is going on in the world today on this beyond what is repeated on the news cycle and is taken as political rhetoric to bring this issue back to where it is best understood- in the interaction of humans with their environment. I also want to learn. I want to listen. I want to feel. And I encourage everyone to join me.
So first, I want to get started with a mental exercise to get into this mind frame.
Imagine you are outside on a hot, hot day. You have been out hiking, and your trusty water bottle is empty. It will be hours before you get back to a well/fountain/tap/store. You feel the sun beating down on your skin. You feel the light breeze whoosh across your damp skin. You hear a stream nearby. The sound draws you in. You begin to feel the familiar scratchiness at the back of your throat. Your lips are chapped, your tongue is pasty and dry. You are parched. You follow the sound of the stream. Before you get there, you walk into a shaded area, and the relief from the sun's rays is immediate. You come upon the stream. Its so crisp and clear. You go to dip your bottle to capture that sweet water --when you see it. There is a bright red sign next to where you are standing. It reads "Danger. Water Contaminated: Do not swim or drink).
To the Western mind, there are a few problems with this story. First, we are never far from civilization- until we are by mistake. Second, of course you have a backpack with spare plastic water bottles in tow. Third, you would never, EVER, even consider drinking from a stream, contaminated or not.
But these are issues in themselves. As humans, we have lost touch with what these vital resources mean to us. In the less fortunate parts of the world, this is a common problem, not just on an incidental hike, but in their everyday lives. And disease is rampant. Not to mention, the barriers we've increased for the animals and ecosystems to safely access these resources: including those we hunt, and consume.
The aim is not to shock, or scare, but to FEEL. And to understand.
Go grab a glass of water, I'll see you next time.
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