Improving an Individual’s Relationship to the World
When I think of ecology, a variety of different terms come to mind- environment, sustainability, interactions, and many more. There is no clear cut definition of ecology as there are so many different subcategories that belong to this discipline. No matter what way you define the word “ecology”, possessing an ecological view of the world can be very beneficial. Viewing the world through an ecological lens can change your perception on certain notions, as it did mine. To me, an ecological view of the world means to see how everything on this planet is interconnected. Everything we as humans do has an effect on other organisms as well as the environment.
Applying an ecological view has altered my relationship with the world especially in regards to nature. Personally, I’ve always been relatively careless when it comes to the environment, not because I held an intent to hurt it, but more so because I never really realized how my actions impacted it. Until I started to use an ecological lens, I never thought twice about throwing a plastic bottle out the window while driving. I failed to realize how one animal can come into contact with that bottle and hurt itself, or how that plastic bottle can end up in a body of water. Seeing and realizing how my actions can have so many different effects on other living organisms or the environment made me more conscious of my behaviors and a lot less ignorant. My relationship to the world is definitely a work in progress, but applying an ecological view of the world to my daily life will continue to allow this relationship to grow and prosper in a healthy manner. — Bianca Holzthum