On clear days, Mt. Hood is visible from The Bluff. Lush, green trees line the sidewalks, flowers push up from the soil near Saint Mary’s, and the Willamette runs adjacent to River Campus. The Pacific Northwest is undoubtedly rich with nature.
We are taught from a young age to navigate interactions with others using kindness and respect. Trite sayings such as “sharing is caring,” and “treat others the way you want to be treated,” are ingrained in our minds. Most of childhood is focused on improving upon aspects of interpersonal communication and self-expression.
But environmental communication is simply overlooked. Defined as the “study and practice of how individuals, institutions, societies, and cultures craft, distribute, receive, understand, and use messages about the environment and human interactions with the environment.”
Whether it’s a college campus deciding to cut down part of a sequoia tree family, the use of plastic bottles and straws or government policy, nature is relevant. It is an aspect of everyday life, and as humans we are dependent and inseparable from the environment. Yet for some reason, we were never taught how to treat the Earth with kindness.
We have reached a time where just saying “reduce, reuse and recycle” is not enough. Environmental communication is now more crucial than ever.
The future of the environment lies within the youth. Personal experiences with nature are the best way to create and strengthen a connection with the Earth. Children need to spend time outdoors — hiking, observing animals, exploring or camping. Interacting with nature teaches respect and appreciation for the delicate equilibrium. Nature is not ours to exploit. We do not own it, we do not control it.
A little human respect, kindness and common sense could prevent incidents like the recent Gorge fire.
Cultivate kindness. Love your Earth. Help it heal.
