Protecting our world environment.
As a citizen of the United States – with its environmental challenges and controversies – I decided to explore how other countries are endeavoring to preserve the world for generations to come.
This issue’s theme is all things Spanish – and I fully understand Spanish is spoken in countries other than Spain – but the focus of this post will indeed center around the country of Spain.
The first statement disclosed on the site, www.spain.info, regarding their efforts for conservation is as follows: Spain understands the efforts to conserve the environment as being an issue of global concern, and is thus involved in several protection programmes.
To be sure, if efforts to provide a healthy and safe world for all current and future generations is to have any lasting impact whatsoever, it must involve global participation in those efforts. Picture a globe of our planet Earth, there’s a lot of blue on that globe and blue equates to water. Now picture what you can’t see – or shouldn’t be able to see – the atmosphere…the air we breathe in and out and in and out without thought.
I don’t know what you personally consider to be vital towards staying alive, but oxygen and water are what all of us most certainly need in great supply. Going without food? We’ve all gone without food for one reason or another and although those hunger pangs don’t feel at all delicious when experienced, after some time passes, that hungry feeling tends to fade into the background. What about water? You may not have as well-developed a thirst response as do I – I am a dedicated hydrator of my body – but whether you feel thirsty or not, your body notices the lack of hydration big-time.
Approximately three-quarters of the human body is water that contributes to its proper function and health; we take in water, we expel water, and when that supply isn’t replenished, our body’s systems are going to take a hit. And lest we forget, everything we eat – both animal and plant-based – relies on water for development. Whether you are a carnivore, a vegetarian, a vegan or anywhere in between, you cannot prosper without nourishment to stay medically and physically prosperous.
What about oxygen, the air we breathe? How long have you been able to hold your breath without becoming severely compromised in your ability to function? I just tried to hold my breath for a minute, and am pleased to say I held it well but I didn’t enjoy it. The thing is, I did some research and discovered that with training, a person can hold their breath for quite a long period of time; there have been those recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records who managed to do so for greater than 22 minutes. But that’s not the point. That world-record holder eventually took a breath of fresh air and lived to brag about his breathy accomplishment.
What if the world’s air supply were to run out, or the air supply we currently rely on is unhealthy for human and animal consumption? Arguably, that unfortunate situation already exists in areas of our globe – areas that need efforts in place to improve the composition of its air. But my air is fairly clean most of the time so why should I be bothered about someone else’s air? I’ll tell you why, because we are all impacted by the world’s supply of air.
In the year 2017, wildfires in the United States and Canada affected areas without contiguous relationship to states and countries experiencing those fires. In Washington State where I reside, we were advised to stay indoors during that time because of the poor quality of the air. The US Environmental Protection Agency states the following: Short-and/or long-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with a range of human health effects including increased respiratory symptoms, hospitalization for heart or lung diseases, and even premature death. You don’t even have to have compromised health or be in an advanced age category for such effects to be experienced.
You see, selfishness should have no part in whether or not we choose to protect our environment. Our world is a lot smaller than one would think so when the environment stinks thousands of miles away, it stinks in my own back yard. We are a global community of beings who must rely on the efforts of others to guarantee a healthy place to live countless years into the future.
I applaud Spain’s environmental protection plans, as I do every country’s plans to preserve our world long after I am gone. Generativity is a term developed by psychologist Erik Erikson in 1950 that promotes concern for establishing and guiding the next generation. Adopting a way of living that nurtures and guides younger people and contributes to the next generation must be our way of living now, and going forward.
Environmental responsibility is not just about you and me – it’s about everyone who comes after us who deserve the best possible chance of enjoying and thriving during their time on this Earth, just as we have.
This issue’s theme is all things Spanish – and I fully understand Spanish is spoken in countries other than Spain – but the focus of this post will indeed center around the country of Spain.
The first statement disclosed on the site, www.spain.info, regarding their efforts for conservation is as follows: Spain understands the efforts to conserve the environment as being an issue of global concern, and is thus involved in several protection programmes.
To be sure, if efforts to provide a healthy and safe world for all current and future generations is to have any lasting impact whatsoever, it must involve global participation in those efforts. Picture a globe of our planet Earth, there’s a lot of blue on that globe and blue equates to water. Now picture what you can’t see – or shouldn’t be able to see – the atmosphere…the air we breathe in and out and in and out without thought.
I don’t know what you personally consider to be vital towards staying alive, but oxygen and water are what all of us most certainly need in great supply. Going without food? We’ve all gone without food for one reason or another and although those hunger pangs don’t feel at all delicious when experienced, after some time passes, that hungry feeling tends to fade into the background. What about water? You may not have as well-developed a thirst response as do I – I am a dedicated hydrator of my body – but whether you feel thirsty or not, your body notices the lack of hydration big-time.
Approximately three-quarters of the human body is water that contributes to its proper function and health; we take in water, we expel water, and when that supply isn’t replenished, our body’s systems are going to take a hit. And lest we forget, everything we eat – both animal and plant-based – relies on water for development. Whether you are a carnivore, a vegetarian, a vegan or anywhere in between, you cannot prosper without nourishment to stay medically and physically prosperous.
What about oxygen, the air we breathe? How long have you been able to hold your breath without becoming severely compromised in your ability to function? I just tried to hold my breath for a minute, and am pleased to say I held it well but I didn’t enjoy it. The thing is, I did some research and discovered that with training, a person can hold their breath for quite a long period of time; there have been those recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records who managed to do so for greater than 22 minutes. But that’s not the point. That world-record holder eventually took a breath of fresh air and lived to brag about his breathy accomplishment.
What if the world’s air supply were to run out, or the air supply we currently rely on is unhealthy for human and animal consumption? Arguably, that unfortunate situation already exists in areas of our globe – areas that need efforts in place to improve the composition of its air. But my air is fairly clean most of the time so why should I be bothered about someone else’s air? I’ll tell you why, because we are all impacted by the world’s supply of air.
In the year 2017, wildfires in the United States and Canada affected areas without contiguous relationship to states and countries experiencing those fires. In Washington State where I reside, we were advised to stay indoors during that time because of the poor quality of the air. The US Environmental Protection Agency states the following: Short-and/or long-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with a range of human health effects including increased respiratory symptoms, hospitalization for heart or lung diseases, and even premature death. You don’t even have to have compromised health or be in an advanced age category for such effects to be experienced.
You see, selfishness should have no part in whether or not we choose to protect our environment. Our world is a lot smaller than one would think so when the environment stinks thousands of miles away, it stinks in my own back yard. We are a global community of beings who must rely on the efforts of others to guarantee a healthy place to live countless years into the future.
I applaud Spain’s environmental protection plans, as I do every country’s plans to preserve our world long after I am gone. Generativity is a term developed by psychologist Erik Erikson in 1950 that promotes concern for establishing and guiding the next generation. Adopting a way of living that nurtures and guides younger people and contributes to the next generation must be our way of living now, and going forward.
Environmental responsibility is not just about you and me – it’s about everyone who comes after us who deserve the best possible chance of enjoying and thriving during their time on this Earth, just as we have.
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Irene Frances Olson
Author of Requiem for the status quo, a novel that celebrates and encourages family caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other dementia. You can find that book HERE. Ms. Olson is a member of AlzAuthors, www.alzauthors.com, a compendium of authors who have all been affected by Alzheimer's disease and other dementia. These authors share their experiences to bring knowledge, comfort and understanding to those on a similar journey. AlzAuthors was recently recognized as a United States tax-exempt organization. |
