Where the “Wild” things are

When I think about the word “Wilderness” I still envision human’s amongst the beauty because we are still are a part of nature, and wilderness. Regardless of religious or scientific belief, there is no doubting that humans have been on this earth for a very long time. I believe that humans are still a part of nature, and the wilderness because we live in it, it’s just as civilization as increased so has our ability to manipulate our surroundings to fit our needs (first starting with survival and eventually consumerism). Human life tens of thousands of years ago would be much different as what we know as life today but the point I am making is the fact that we did not come here, we are from here. So it’s near impossible (for me) to imagine a place that has been “untouched” by humans because we have always been here, and this is our home.

However that being said, our society has had such a change of pace in regards to consumerism, and industrialization given the rise of oil, and other non-renewable resources. Sure, humans are a part of nature but the way we are re-configuring the Earth is not. Regardless of belief, I don’t believe oil was meant to come out of the ground, or anything for that matter. Even when looking at the First Nations philosophy involving the ground; must give in order to take. We were not meant to bring stuff out of the ground, burn it for energy and have the bi-products of that reaction have an effect on our surrounding.