Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2012 12:56:50 AM
The widely accepted shortcoming of the current generation of teens is the age group’s overall disconnection with nature as opposed to the ever-advancing field of electronic technology. The inference is in fact true; the population of young people has etched the possession of the newest gadget from Apple or Microsoft as a high priority in their relatively fresh lives. The aesthetic beauty of nature has been progressively underappreciated as most teenagers have valued the exciting opportunity of cavorting on the new Xbox game or engaging in the conveniently social activity of texting. However, it is wrong to concur that the modern population is completely disconnected from nature. The only aspect of nature that most people have become disenfranchised with is its recreational aspect. Many people do not realize the sheer importance of natural resources that allow many to live luxurious lives. Any way you look at it, nature is inevitably a defining aspect of everyone’s life. Even the most materialistic possessions arose from raw materials of nature. A woman’s intricately ornate Italian Gucci handbag was once a tattered vellum of an Indian cow and a man’s jewel-encrusted Swiss Rolex watch traces back to a gold ore bed unscrupulously mined in South Africa. All people are in some way connected to the humble generosity of the planet. Variance only appears in the degree to which a person respects the earth for its courteous supply. For instance, there are still a considerable number of indigenous cultures that completely immerse themselves and thrive in natural elements. This archaic demographic of humanity has become nearly obsolete due to the continuous industrialization of the bustling modern world today. This drastic step towards higher civilization has produced a society that greedily demands enhanced products and services that debase the plentiful yet rapidly depleting raw materials that the earth offers, completely ignorant of the strong inspiration nature gives us to create such futuristic items. An increasingly large number of people abuse this endowment and therefore contribute to the cumulative result of losing the privilege. It is not a right, evident from the likely outcome of exhausting natural resources due to overconsumption in the foreseeable future. Nature inspires me, nature inspires all of us to thrive during the time we have. Only when people have epiphanized the great dependency humans have developed for natural resources can we aid our neglected planet that is already showing signs of deterioration. Many people, teens especially, are too concerned about their Facebook or their iPhone to foster this understanding of the environment and partake in conservation efforts. A great way to start would be to go outside and feel the lush grass beneath your feet and the pleasant warmth of the summer sun. Maybe then checking your phone’s text messages will not seem so urgent, but unplugging it from the power charger might.