Monday, April 27, 2009
Flannel Philosophy and Arbor Day
Saturday was Arbor Day or so I assume because I had to convience myself to get out of bed at 8:30 am to go plant trees at Saint Ann's Convent. While there was the incentive of recieving a bright yellow shirt that had "I planted a tree" across it and some free ice cream I was suprised of the number of people that attened to the event. There were families with parents pushing strollers and old women. There were probably about 75 volenteers to help the nuns plant a lot of trees (I am not really sure on the number). The arbor day event allowed me to understand why so many people would practice flannel philosophy. It was fun! It was nice getting up and working with a bunch of strangers to help something greater. Not only were we helping the convent but we were also doing a small part to help the enviorment. The event probably took 2-3 hours of my saturday. Such a small amount of time I thought. I wondered if everyone took 2-3 hours out of their week to do something small than maybe helping the enviroment would not seem like such a monumental task but something that people could learn to enjoy.
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I definitely agree that if more people took the time to volunteer their time, even in small amounts, the world would be a much happier place. I probably would have dread the thought of getting up at 8:30 to plant a tree as well but as soon as the feeling that your helping someone else or doing it for a good cause comes into play it doesn't seem so dreadful anymore. Even if your not getting an incentive to do this good dead, the feeling u get after helping someone or something is all the gift you need.
ReplyDeleteIn the post on Arbor Day below, it is noted that a million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first celebration in the 1800s. Just a bunch of flannel ecologists doing their part!
ReplyDeleteArbor to many is just some stupid national holiday that has no bearing on their lives, but in reality it does. By supporting Arbor Day celebrations and planting trees every year, we are helping to improve the environment in many ways. Not only are we going to get cleaner air in return for planting, but the new trees will also serve as homes to various animals throughout their lives. I find it to be an amazing thing that people care enough about their environment to not only go green, but to plant some green in the form of trees and other valuable plants.
ReplyDeleteArbor Day is something that over the years I have found has lost its meaning an sense of importance. When I was younger, schools made a big deal out of this day in order to teach children the importance of the earth and nature in general. I can remember planting trees and flowers all over my schools lawn every year on this day. the sad thing is, is that when I asked my younger brother what he did for Arbor Day he looked at me and said, "whats that?" This is a prime example that in the eye of the community nature and the purity and respect for the earht is dwindling more and more each day!
ReplyDeleteCandance, I definatly agree with you! I remember when I was younger we actually planted these little trees. Not teaching little kids about the enviroment is a bad direction to go in. If you agree with Midgley idea that we all need to maybe have the curoisty of children to understand the enviroment, then allowing children to plant trees is a vital step in ingraining the care of the enviroment into their mind sets. If you teach them that the world is disposable, then they will only fight to save the material poscessions nature gives them. Maybe Captain Planet needs to come back!
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