"It's not easy being green." - Kermit the Frog
We all understand green thinking - it's about informed, care-filled choices with regard to the use of Earth's natural resources and it's about living with respect to our personal impact within her delicate, intricate ecosystems.
Most often, raw material sources like forestry and mining come to mind. Green thinking may also extend to the indigenous animal and plant species of a particular ecosystem, region or country. We all understand the need to reduce our consumption, cut back on non-recyclable packaging, eliminate needless waste and littler, and re-use material whenever and wherever we can.
But do we fully consider humanity within green approaches? The encroachment of man into ecosystems is discussed as if we are aliens invading our own planet! Researchers remind us of the delicate balance existing in nature - but humanity is part of those inputs and outcomes (positive and negative). We are, as earth-born mammals, an integral part of Earth's living landscape.
Terms like stewardship, management and carbon footprint come to mind when addressing the human side of environmental responsibility - but do any of these terms really describe the intimate, personal relationship we each have with the patch of ground we call home?
At their roots, humanity understood the connection of their people to the Earth Mother, and many of the resulting customs and rituals exist today, marking that vital link. After a hunt, the Bushmen of the Kalahari still express thanks to the antelope for giving its life to feed their families. Many North American Aboriginal hunters show thanks and respect to the Creator with offerings of tobacco. In India, offerings are mande to the Ganges River in thanks for its life-giving power. Green approaches and solutions are incomplete without considering the integral place of man and culture within their structure.
Oh, and the Irish - they give thanks by raising a glass of green beer on St. Paddy's day!
