At just about every environmental non-profit event I have attended, the getting-to-know-you conversations with fellow attendees tend to follow a similar pattern. You are likely quite familiar with the “Where are you from? What do you do? How do you know our host?” line of questioning as well, if perhaps a bit less recently in light of current events. My favorite question to ask that tends to punch through the cursory, safe, and rehearsed responses when at such events is this one: “What was the first place that made you fall in love with the outdoors?” Immediately, the eyes of the conversant open a little wider, the corners of their mouth pull up, and you can tell that they’ve gone to a treasured and well-worn memory to recall their first profound encounter with the natural world. The resulting stories are all so varied, so intensely personal, that it’s impossible to categorize them, but they all share a few common threads. Almost always, they were kids during the encounter, and often, they were with a mentor in the moment. Also, the event usually occurred when the person was out IN nature, away from the comforts of the routine. In short? A person’s journey to environmental stewardship almost always begins with visceral, hands-on experiences early in life.
Sometime about ten years ago, humanity passed a noteworthy demographic boundary. We became an urban species. For the very first time in our existence, more humans lived in and around cities than in rural settings. No longer can most of us simply walk out a door and into nature. When also considering an ever-growing population that relies on basic natural services like clean water, air, and a stable climate, a troubling equation emerges: More humans, asking more from our natural systems, but with less exposure to the places that teach the necessity of stewardship and conservation.
I give to Muddy Sneakers because it provides such an elegant solution to this problem. There’s an organization that can plant the seeds of conservation with kids who might not otherwise have access to the outdoors? Sign me up! Wait, it also teaches the STEM skillset necessary to protect those same places in the future? Take my money!
People care for what they know intimately, so let’s make sure our kids get to know the natural world. I encourage you to consider the role nature has played in your personal experience and growth as a person. If you think you’re better off for it, pay it forward and give that same crucial opportunity to another, younger version of yourself.
Jay Lanier
Muddy Sneakers Board Member
