Earth Day was first held when I was a high school student in 1970. I remember well the photos of the earth taken from the moon for the first time. A new perspective of the world in which we lived! The image allowed us to see the beauty and vastness of the blue oceans, the snowy white clouds floating around parts of the globe, and how interrelated the nations of the earth really are…

I created this piece when studying human-environmental systems. Its message is that even with the differences between people, such as gender, ethnicity, and culture, there are also needs we all hold in common–such as respect, safety, opportunities, and good food and water.

Many years have passed but Earth Day (April 22) is still observed by many. The new view of the earth encouraged people to respect nature and understand our dependency on the resources provided by our natural environment.  In the 1970’s, the discipline of Human Ecology—the study of the interrelationship of people and the environments in which they live–was established in some universities. So while many people’s understanding of the world changed or expanded, others’ did not. They continue to live in a more detached way from the earth around them.

I can only believe that a broader perspective and understanding of our Earth has served to raise important questions and prompt us to seek new knowledge…

An awareness of our interdependence hopefully helps us live on the planet in a responsible manner…

to preserve it for future generations…

as the Earth turns.

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*How do you view our Earth? What do you think about the natural environment and how to use its resources in a mindful way?

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