I want to ask if you have…

I want to ask if you have genuinely ever stood outside and listened to what is around you. I’m not talking about outside in the depths of a city, though that’s nature too. But somewhere it is quiet. You can hear the birds, the rustling of mammals, the hum of amphibians at night around this time of year.

I beg you to allow yourself to change your mind and see the world differently. Because life is so much better when you let yourself feel like a part of the environment around you, and not like it is something to control for the sake of economic development. I promise, that will never give you satisfaction. And I promise, that not having these kinds of protections will lead to more economic cost then benefit in the long run - but you aren’t thinking of the long run are you?

A wetland full of turtles at risk may not look like much to you. A forest may look like an opportunity for development. But I promise you they have more value than money could ever buy. I’m so sick of watching the world around me be distracted by all the wrong things. And I’m sick that things like this bill are even a consideration.

Before you throw away the environment more, and I’m talking to everyone that plays a hand in making this bill and putting it in motion. Go outside, to a place that is quiet and take some deep breaths. Maybe you’ll get stung by some mosquitoes this time of year but maybe you’ll also realize that you need the environment, and all the species that call it home just as much as they need you. And remember that the mosquitoes are food for the birds, bats, and dragonflies while you’re at it because everything has a place in ecosystems. It’s all interconnected. And diversity, protecting species, protecting habitats, protecting lands that we all call home matters.