The Tree Hugger

Tsunamis. Landslides. Earthquakes. Draught. Snowstorms. Climate change.

These events have been natural occurrences over the years. Even more so today. Some say it’s the sign of the times while others speak of Mother Earth’s vengeance for her children’s abuse. Some speak of doom while others remain hopeful and continue to fight for saving the planet. Let’s talk about the latter.

Environmentalism naturally spurs from a person’s genuine concern for the well-being of nature around him: the land, human beings, flora and fauna – the entire biosphere by which we live and co-exist. To some, the inclination towards going green is natural, especially when one grows up in an environmentally-conscious system and surroundings. Someone who grew up close to forests and mountains sways towards the conservation of nature. Likewise, people who grew up surrounded by animals become strong advocates of animal welfare.

While these individuals “naturally grow” as environmental advocates, there are some of us who become one out of realization and personal choice. It can come from something they have read or seen – an event that finally unveiled their eyes to the violence and destruction humans cause to nature. Meanwhile, there are those who choose to the natural and eco-conscious path due to health and practical reasons.

No matter the history or reason, environmentalism is a lifestyle and lifetime choice. It doesn’t come easy to some as it entails major changes which may require quite an adjustment to what we are used to. Nevertheless, everyone gets his or her calling to maintain the balance of nature. Depending on your capacity and inclination, there are a lot of advocacies you can focus on. Environmentalism encompasses natural, ethical and social landscapes. Green is the color and there are many shades of it.

Nature Conservation

The proper use, allocation, conservation and protection of natural resources are the main goals in this field of environmentalism. Respect and repair of nature drives the ethics of conservation. The conservation movement focuses their efforts on maintaining the positive health of nature. As such, they are involved in the protection of natural life from harmful activities such as overfishing, deforestation, air and water pollution, and mining, among many others. Nature conservationists believe that a healthy natural world equates to a better and sustainable co-existence of human beings, animals and nature.

Vegetarianism

Vegetarians exclude meat from their diet. This plant-based diet has many varieties depending on a person’s preference of what to exclude from their diet. One becomes a vegetarian for many reasons and motivations, commonly religious, health, environmental or ethical. Most vegetarians are animal lovers and are likewise animal welfare activists, thus the exclusion of any animal meat or by-products from their diets.

PETA is one of the main advocates of vegetarianism. Meanwhile, the documentary Earthling and the non-fiction book Eating Animals written by Jonathan Safran Foer explore and criticize factory and commercial farming, as well as animal rights and welfare.

Animal Rights and Welfare

Speaking of cruelty to animals, another “shade of green” is the protection of animals and their rights. Aside from vegetarianism, PETA is one staunch promoter of ethical treatment to animals, as well. People regard animals with respect due to moral and ethical obligations. Advocates of animal protection usually work in shelters, reserves, zoos and parks. They are against animal testing and regard animals as persons and not property.

The Organic Team

If you belong to the organic team, you are an advocate of natural methods of producing natural products. Organic farming is the only way to grow organic produce. This means growing crops by relying on all-natural methods and techniques such as compost, crop rotation and green mature. Organic farmers avoid or strictly limit their use of synthetic fertilizers and pest control products. This agricultural method is strongly regulated and enforced due to its environmental benefits.

Organic consumers and buyers likewise believe that organic products are safer due to absence of artificial additives, antibiotics and genetically-modified organisms in the produce.

The Practical Ones

The practical ones focus more on taking steps to contribute to the positive change of the environment. They are the rest of us, the ones who in our little ways are doing what’s best for the Earth. They are the ones who make conscious lifestyle choices to make the world a better place. They unplug kitchen appliances, turn off the lights to conserve energy, take carpools or public transport to save on fuel and minimize carbon imprint, and grow plants and trees in the backyard to have better air. They conserve, reuse and recycle where practical.