Sunday, May 18th - from the confines of my spacious basement apartment I'll start this blog. Conservation for Humanity I'll call it, in hopes to inspire a continuing dialogue around the interconnection between humans, our well-being and the natural environment.
I've just returned from a work trip/vacation in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Towering ancient Mayan ruins, vast coastal wetlands, and white sand beaches as far as the eye can see, no wonder tourism from this one region of the country represents over 3% of the country's total GDP. Hiking into one of the largest Mayan ruins in Central America, Calakmul, surrounded by a 1.8 million acre biosphere an interpretive sign caught my attention. Translated into three languages (English, Spanish and Mayan) this particular sign provided a brief introduction into the history and importance of the civilization at Calakmul finishing with a charge that resinated with me deeply. "You are about to enter an exceptional historic site. Take care of it, for it is yours." This statement seemed to shrink the world small enough to grasp in the palm of my hand. Here was this picturesque ancient ruin in the middle of the nowhere and it was mine, to treasure and enjoy, but to also care for just as much as the people who lived there.
Sometimes I wish we could all view the world in a similar light, perhaps we would realize that we are all in this together - one world, one humanity.
I've just returned from a work trip/vacation in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Towering ancient Mayan ruins, vast coastal wetlands, and white sand beaches as far as the eye can see, no wonder tourism from this one region of the country represents over 3% of the country's total GDP. Hiking into one of the largest Mayan ruins in Central America, Calakmul, surrounded by a 1.8 million acre biosphere an interpretive sign caught my attention. Translated into three languages (English, Spanish and Mayan) this particular sign provided a brief introduction into the history and importance of the civilization at Calakmul finishing with a charge that resinated with me deeply. "You are about to enter an exceptional historic site. Take care of it, for it is yours." This statement seemed to shrink the world small enough to grasp in the palm of my hand. Here was this picturesque ancient ruin in the middle of the nowhere and it was mine, to treasure and enjoy, but to also care for just as much as the people who lived there.
Sometimes I wish we could all view the world in a similar light, perhaps we would realize that we are all in this together - one world, one humanity.
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