Nature: Can We Coexist?

Dear Class of 2099,

There is one thing in this world that is changing in every second of every day, nature. When you walk out of your front door, savor every moment of what you are feeling because within a few seconds, it will no longer be the same. Nature is forever changing and forever evolving and that is why it should be appreciated whenever possible. The year now is 2020 and it is a typical winter day in Atlanta, GA, sixty degrees and sunny. See, the other thing about nature is that not only does it change within seconds, it’s never the same in two places at once. So, while Georgia is experiencing sixty-degree weather on a February afternoon, Illinois is experiencing thirty-degree weather with chances of snow. In many instances, inconsistency can be frustrating, however when it comes to nature and the environment, you somehow learn to love it. The purpose of this letter is to encourage you to not only enjoy nature, but to preserve it. Preserving nature has always been important, however it has now become a more pressing concern because the world is becoming more industrial, so more trees are being cut down to create homes and businesses.

The state of Georgia is known for its beautiful State Parks with mountains for you to hike through year-round and observe and cherish the different nature paths. My two favorites are Tallulah Gorge State Park and Amicalola Falls State Park because they have the best waterfalls in the state of Georgia; of course, this is a biased opinion. The best experiences I have ever had in nature was hiking through these two parks, I probably could not be paid enough to choose a favorite between the two. Although they are known for their waterfalls, the hikes provide you with an array of flowers, different types of trees, and a genuine experience with Earth’s unmanipulated structure. Although there are many ways to manipulate nature and form it into something beautiful, there is nothing like its original form.

The amount of destruction to nature that is occurring for the benefit of man has become unsettling. Of course, we enjoy having a new Starbucks on every corner, however I believe that we have become entitled to the gift of nature and it does not appear to be slowing down any time soon. As I write this, I now wonder if it has only gotten worse for you or if we as a people have determined a solution to coexist with nature without destroying it for our own gain. Preserving nature means preserving mankind because without it, we do not exist. Our bodies literally feed off of it through actually food and energy. As we work to better ourselves and maintain our health, it is important that we do the same with nature.

Taking care of the environment is a branch of nature that has been long overlooked for years and now that global warming is getting worse, we are trying to play catch up. As we try to improve our impact on the environment, we have brought awareness to the effects of pollution, overconsumption, overexploitation, deforestation, and even human reproduction; one of the most detrimental being pollution. As stated before, the world is filled with the over-use of energy, gas, and industrious chemicals, all of which have contributed to pollution on a global scale. Solutions consist of the use of solar panels, electric vehicles, recycling, the use of environmentally safe products, and more. It is my hope that these solutions have made a lasting positive impact and that it is still ongoing for your generation.

Frank Lloyd Wright believes that if you believe in nature and stay close to it, then it will never fail you. It is this belief that allowed him to coexist with nature through his architectural designs. Wright’s designs are physical representations of how mankind should merge with nature with gentleness and care, living amongst it without undue harm. Nature was here before we were, yet we are becoming the cause of its extinction. When you eliminate the source of something great, it is no longer great, it is only, at its best, good. Therefore, creating the extinction of nature is in return creating the extinction of mankind. I am writing this letter to encourage you to preserve the beauty and authenticity of nature in its purest form. Enjoy it. Cherish it. Preserve it.

Sincerely,

A Naturalist