The underlying cause of many of the environmental and ecological problems that we face is that society has a major disconnect with nature. Our modern lifestyles do nothing but further this disconnect, while simultaneously enabling us to abuse and degrade the earth and its resources. While there are some of us who make a conscious effort to explore nature periodically, a majority of the world unfortunately does not do this.
It is very rare to find a human that has a deep and genuine connection with the natural world, and this is a very sad reality. If we know nothing about something, how are we expected to have a profound appreciation for it? How are we expected to have the motivation to preserve and care for it? How are we supposed to have a healthy and mutually beneficial relationship with it?
These are some of the questions that need to be asked more often, because they are becoming more and more important each and everyday. The deep disconnect that we have with nature is both unfortunate and frightening, and it is something that society needs to start working on immediately.
Nature is not something that is simply there in order to help support human life. We do not own it, and it is not something that we can simply use however we would like to. It was here before us. In actuality, we belong to nature, and we came from it. The human species is not responsible for creating the web of life. Unlike what many people tend to think, the web of life was actually responsible for creating us.
The world is in a desperate need for changemakers who understand the value of nature and are willing to work directly with it. We need these changemakers to help bridge the gap between society and nature, and further the relationships that individuals across the world have with it. We need these changemakers to help protect the natural world from the destruction that it currently faces, and we need them to prevent it from being completely destroyed.
Once this has been accomplished, we then need these changemakers to help teach others about nature, and to help individuals acquire a deep appreciation for it. Ideally, they can become a bridge between the natural world and the human population until nature finally becomes more appreciated and accepted. These changemakers can teach us how to live our lives in harmony with nature, and they can teach us what we can do in order to make a difference.
We owe our lives to these amazing and complex ecosystems; the least we can do is respect and protect them. Without them, we would never exist in the first place, and society, as we know it, would have never been created. It is up to us to now pay it back to nature, and to do our part as humans in order to sustain it.
Just a few examples of jobs that help to accomplish all of these things are park ranger, biologist, eco-friendly tour guide, activist, dog walker, tree trimmer, nature camp counselor, farmer, and many more.
Any vocation that manages to work directly with nature without harming it is one worth pursuing. If the job also teaches others about the value of nature and why it is worth respecting, that makes it even more honorable and worthwhile. Some of these careers involve heavy science, and others require no scientific knowledge whatsoever.
No matter what your qualifications are, and how much training you are willing to go through, there is a potential job for you to pursue. Everyone can have a positive relationship with nature; it is just a matter of building bridges and overcoming societal norms.
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