Signs of hope.
– Doug McConnell
Photo: Pigeon Point Lightstation by Yen-Wen Lu
I watched a piece of CNN’s “Planet in Peril” series last night. I’ve spent quite a bit of time during the past few decades working on programs to help us understand and address the immense ecological crises of our time. In most ways, I haven’t seen much success. While the biosphere doesn’t get any bigger, our appetites for its limited resources seem to grow exponentially. The planet heats, habitats are destroyed and species disappear at rates unprecedented in the past sixty-five million years. Overall, it’s a pretty gloomy picture.
However, there are many signs of hope scattered across the face of the earth. Right here in northern California, I get encouraged every day by the commitments of concerned people and the consequences of their hard work. The Bay Area in particular has long been a leader in environmental action and land conservation. If you visit here these days, you’ll discover this country’s most complex and visited urban national park, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). Check it out on our website. You’ll find the nation’s largest regional park system, the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD). We have a little bit of it here, too, with much more to come. And you can drive for miles along the largely undeveloped coastline of San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties and enjoy state parks and other open spaces all along the route. We’ve links to all of that as well. If you have a minute, our inspiring piece about an organization that’s know as the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) has played a huge role in protecting the coast against all odds. As you’ll see, POST is helping to keep farming traditions alive also. As a result, inner-city kids are getting a chance to learn about growing food and caring for the earth. We’ll all need their knowledge and wisdom in the years ahead.
So when I look at the condition of spaceship earth and genuinely see a planet in peril, I take heart in the achievements of people I’ve come to know. I’m glad we can feature them on this website and I look forward to adding many more in the months ahead and to hearing about people and organizations that you admire. I love traveling and keeping my eyes open for all kinds of things, including signs of hope.
