New Leaf!

So I have a ton of green aspirations and frustrations and I realized, finally, that I need an outlet to share all these thoughts! Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a green FAH-REAK. People that know me may or may not be annoyed by this. Nevertheless, it's who I am, and I am constantly on a quest to know more about Mother Nature and apply that to my daily life!

I think it's sososo important to have an appreciation for Mother Nature. Yes yes, you've heard it before, we only get one earth. But it's true. Not everyone's born with the appreciation, and I can admit that it was gradual even for me...

I was born (huzzah!) and named Chloe' (meaning: blooming/blossoming) Skye --> spent a lot of my childhood outdoors, or vacationing in Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massachusetts and Canada --> felt a spiritual connection with the Earth --> integrated recycling into my life --> became a recycling nut --> won the Environmental Science award in high school for taking peoples' plastic bottles out of the garbage and bringing them to the recycling bin (they were at the top, okay?!) (simultaneously the proudest and most embarrassing moment of my life) --> came to college and became an English major --> realized there was a lot to be done on campus --> realized what good is there preaching about the environment if my major has nothing to do with it? --> became an Enviro Studies double major.

So that was my descent into tree-hugging, hippie freakishness. Feel free to share your own stories!

Let's end with a bang.

TOP 5 EASIEST WAYS TO LOVE MOTHER NATURE
1) Take a walk! You're lucky. You were born with legs. Use them. Not only is this a great way to take in the sights around you (and look, there is even an aesthetic to the "everyday"), but it's one of the easiest ways of getting exercise. Uh-duh.
2) Take a bike ride! You must have one buried somewhere in the garage. Bike to work, bike to school, save gas and energy, get a killer bod.
3) Take nature photographs! Don't tell me that in the 21st century you don't have a camera (well, i don't, but i'm saving up for a new one...). Beauty is EVERYWHERE if you just look for it! Capture it, venerate it, gush over it.
4) Keep a garden, or just eat close to the Earth! Gardening, something I'm currently working on, gives you intrinsic, esoteric knowledge of the Earth you would never have otherwise. Plus, keep green and healthy by promoting the least resource-intensive, energy-efficient foods: FRUITS AND VEGGIES!
5) Hug a tree! Yeah yeah, that's right. Some people will be embarrassed, but it can actually be quite the experience. Trees are the ideal huggers: stable, solid, strong. Plus, they smell nice. Climbing the tree is optional. (EDIT: according to Luis Vega, it's not.)