As I sit watching the rain fall lightly this early spring, I can hear the birds singing their mating songs, and see the trees starting to unfurl leaves and flowers. A layer of forest that, a few short weeks ago I could see through, now is shrouded with hints of color. Our summer visitors, the robins and the rufus towee are showing up, as well as chipmunks, raccoons and a skunk. All are waking or returning to our area, showing us that life’s natural cycle is starting once again.
Where are we (the humans) in this natural cycle? Not too many generations ago, we were tied to nature and its cycles; we ebbed and flowed with the passing of the seasons and our lives depended on it. In the spring we worked the soil and planted the seed that would grow and feed our families. In the summer we tended to those plants, knowing that if we provided for them, they would provide us with the food needed to survive. In the fall we took in the harvest, preserving what we could for the long winter ahead. In the winter we survived on what nature had provided us and what we had preserved. For many, many generations, this is how the human species survived and coexisted with nature.
What about now? Besides looking at the calendar and feeling the warmer or colder weather, how many of us really feel the seasons? Sure, we all have our little activities and holidays that make us know that it must now be a certain season, but do we really experience each season and ebb and flow with the natural cycle anymore? I think we have built ourselves artificial environments that make us think we are above nature. Take temperature as an example; our society tends to keep our houses/work places and even cars at a temperature that is always around 70 degrees even when nature’s temperature is much higher or lower. How can we say that we experience the seasons when the temperature never changes for us? Of course other creatures in nature build themselves artificial environments (a.k.a. nests, caves, burrows) to maintain a temperature that is survivable, but the key word here is survivable. Our society has gone beyond building our environments to survive, and has gone to the extreme notion of trying to live outside of the rhythms of nature permanently. And to make things worse, we are building these environments at the cost of all things in nature by burning all sorts of fossil fuels to keep our ‘nests’ at the same 70 degree temperature year round.
Our society being out of touch with the rhythm of nature is the source of our environmental and some could say societal problems. If we could simply step out of our ‘nests’ and live with nature instead of acting like we are above nature, we would start to see solutions to our problems, solutions that could help us live with nature while still living comfortably. Then again, this is just life according to Troy.
How to take care of your hair this winter
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During cold weather, doing less to your hair will benefit it more.
7 years ago
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1 comment:
Hello Troy!
I do enjoy reading your posts, they're always so thought provoking..
It's the first time I've commented on one, but I think you're totally right about the "indoor climate expectations" that some people seem to have, and how much that insulates us from the real world, although my observations are not those of an American!
I think your 70 degree example might be understating the case, although I'm sure I'll be preaching to the choir here..
How about those that crank the A/C to get a frosty 65 when it's 95 outside? They're often the very same people who want be roasting at 75 indoors when it's winter time..
We probably all know someone like that, and they waste so much energy!! Don't even get me started about people having to use small heaters under their desks in summer, just because the office A/C is freezing them through poor design or calibration. That's an extreme waste of energy!
I'm not saying people shouldn't use their A/C if they have it, but just use it responsibly, and the same goes for the heating. Even just setting your thermostat to 68 in the winter, and 72 in the summer would help a lot if everyone did it! Or even try 66 and 74, and watch the energy savings rapidly increase as the temperature differential between indoors and outdoors is reduced.
It doesn't matter whether you're paying the bill yourself, or your workplace is, since every little bit counts, and will reduce costs and emissions.
I grew up in a house in England that had no heat in the upstairs bedrooms (the heat rose from the floor below) and the thermostat was set to 60 degrees. If you were cold then it was time to put on a warmer sweater! Of course it never gets as hot there, so there was no need for A/C.
It all depends on what you're used to, and the average American expects to wear minimal clothing at home, and that they'll need to bring that warm sweater to keep them from freezing when they go out to the movies in the summer!
I personally love the time between the seasons when no heat or A/C is required, and it's a real money saver too, if only for a few short weeks! Just open all the windows (if you can!) and enjoy the fresh air and the wonderful sound of all the birds singing!
You'll also know exactly when those frisky skunks you mentioned come around in the evenings!!!
Take care, and we'll hope to make it to Solarfest this year!
Dave Burton :)
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