My dear friend April Noga of Chicagoland Pig Rescue and I picked up trash on Earth Day. We hit a stretch of road that makes my skin crawl every time I drive by it because it’s strewn with garbage.
What we both found heartbreaking were beetles burrowed underground with plastic molded over their tunnels. The beetles even tried to burrow in styrofoam. For me, it was an in-your-face moment of just how much our actions affect the rest of the species we inhabit this earth with. Much of nature is trying to adapt to our footprint everywhere but these beetles including other species are necessary and have a specialized purpose for being on Earth, otherwise, they wouldn’t be here. These particular beetles help to keep our soil healthy just like earthworms.
Every single part of nature is like a cog in the wheel. No matter how small, each aspect of nature provides a building block to form a thriving and biodiverse ecosystem. According to E.O. Wilson, American biologist, ecologist, and author of the book Half-Earth, he states no species can survive on its own: “When we allow one species to die, we erase the web of relationships it maintained in life, with consequences that scientists seldom understand.”
We need nature for us to thrive. All ecosystems support our lives by providing us with elements to use for our shelter, food, water, clothing, and other resources. I ask you to look at any aspect of your life and see how nature influenced it. From the toilet paper and plastic bags you use to the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the gas in your car, and the roof above your head. It all originates from nature. When you garden and your flowers grow, you can thank in part the earthworms and beetles for supporting healthy soil. This is the intricate web of interconnection we share with all of life on earth. So next time you see an insect, look deeper into their reason for being and you’ll catch a glimpse of the mystery of our life here on earth.
“Save your mother, save yourself.”
