The Dark Art of Loving Nature

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Loving nature is not enough. 

It's essential to connect with, or reconnect to, nature for our well-being. As a species and part of the natural world, it’s only natural for us to seek out environments filled with nature rather than surrounded by buildings.

However, simply wanting to (re)connect is a good start, but not sufficient. Some people take advantage of nature in a selfish way, taking from it without giving back and using it only to solve their circumstantial problems.

We often grow weary of the noise in the city, so we decide to escape to the mountains. When we want to go on holiday, we choose to go to the beach. For a picnic or to celebrate an anniversary, we head to a park. Ultimately, we just want to relax, unwind, and spend quality time with our loved ones or enjoy some solitude.

While these choices are valid, we often forget that other species inhabit these areas, and we enter ecosystems we may not fully understand. To make matters worse, some of us can be quite spoiled. When there are no bins nearby, we leave our trash behind because it's inconvenient to carry it for kilometres until we find a bin. Additionally, some of us don’t just want to go to the beach; we also expect bars and restaurants right on the coast, preferably with tables on the sand so the sea can gently touch our feet.

The question is: Do we really need to know every detail about every species and habitat? Is it worth our time? 

We don't recommend conducting extensive research or becoming familiar with every species. However, it's important to have a general awareness of our surroundings and to understand our impact on ecosystems and other species. There is a two-way street when it comes to the unknown; you can either fear it or disrespect it by assuming superiority over it. When you gain knowledge about something, it becomes easier to understand and, consequently, to respect it.