greenspace

“The environment”–it’s a trite noun for such an immense concept. What exactly are we referring to when we say “the environment?” A hobby? A cause (such as social justice?) A pretty mountain scene in Alaska?

I find it strange how humans have trivialized our surroundings. We’ve made “the environment” into an interest (”Do you like the environment? I sure do!”) that we pepper into conversations to sound self-righteous.

“Think of the environment.”

Do we really have to take time out to think about it?

The environment is not a mere person, place or thing. It’s not a cause we list on Facebook. It’s not an afterthought. The environment is everything. It’s the air we breathe, the land we live on, the force that sustains our very existence. I like to say “the environment” because it is, like I said before, a simple word for a huge concept, making for easier communication. But then, I hate how it relegates the most important thing in the world.

Do we really need to be told to do things every day to avoid wiping out our entire planet? Do businesses really need to say, “Hey, we care about not making humans and every other species extinct?” Have we indeed made life (and I mean the life of all living organisms) into a simple interest, on par with football, rap music and playing cards?

I only wish there was a way to explain the immensity of “the environment.”