Do We Value Nature? (repost)

Tall trees, covered with light, glistening, newly formed snow contrasting the bright, blue sky - this is nature at its most majestic moment. Although home is the world of flat roads and crowded streets defining Wilmette, IL, I find my sense of place in the mountain of Steamboat, Colorado, a vacation spot I enjoy every year. Steamboat distracts me from the pressures of school and society allowing me to enter a milieu of snowboarding, relaxation and family. However, the natural state of these mountains is not so “natural.” High peaks surrounded by man made slopes and masses of people, condos, hotels, restaurant and shops provides a sense of security, familiarity, for the many who are not comfortable or in touch with nature in its pure, unaltered state. Sitting in the high-speed chairlift overlooking the gorgeous Colorado Mountains, I wonder if humans have completely lost our sense of nature, sense of place resulting in the lost sense of our own real identity and character. Has the alienation and pain of our separation from nature caused society to obsessively consume in order to feel connected and fulfilled? In addition to Colorado, have we forgotten the natural, beautiful landscape of the Hudson River and abused it for our own means in the name of progress? The Hudson River is a sign of the future of our relationship with nature. Will we be able to balance economic growth with environmental degradation for the future of a sustainable society?