I spent the day volunteering at the Trinity Audubon Center.  If you are interested in the outdoors and conservation, make time for a visit.  The Center encompasses nature tours, bird watching, educational opportunities, and a gift shop.  This once illegal dumpsite hosting over 1.5 million tons of waste, is now a LEED certified building, and home to numerous plant and animal species. 

The site's sustainable design is easy to miss, but important to note.  Permeable pavement for increased water collection, rooftop gardens, high efficient heating and A/C systems, low flow toilets, locally purchased materials, and increased daylighting characterizes the center.  This is the first LEED certified building constructed by Dallas Park and Recreation Department

I shadowed a tour guide as she led a group of third graders around the complex.  She started with a brief description of various life forms found in the area.  We hiked an outlined trail, noting bee hives, diverse fauna, and the Trinity River.  (The tour also offers a river boat activity, but unfortunately, was unavailable).  The kids had notebooks and were scribbling ideas, drawing photos, and asking better questions than I could have imagined.  At the end of the tour, the students took water samples and examined their findings. Creatures such as water bugs, spiders, and fish were discovered.  Pretty cool to see their wheels turning. 

Science is incredible, and the earlier kids get hooked (on science)... the better.  Side note- Did you know the Trinity Forest, at 6,000 acres is the largest urban bottomland hardwood forest in North America?  Neither did I, but one would never guess it existed just outside of Dallas.  

Point of this post is to introduce an intriguing, progressive, and relevant book.  Paul Hawken's Ecology of Commerce highlights our dilemmas with environmental epidemiologies, deforestation, carrying capacities, specie extinction, waste, toxic chemicals, and a close-minded business-as-usual attitude.  A few book facts regarding the nexus of human activity and the environment: 

• 97% of North American ancient forests are decimated.
  
• Globally we lose 25 billion tons of fertile soil and 27,000 species a year 
  
• Over 500,000 tropical forest trees are chopped every hour (most bio-diverse areas- hosting potential medicines, fuels, oils, and pollinators)
• Over 4.1 billion pounds of pesticides are released into the natural environment annually- responsible for over $1 trillion clean up tab for the taxpayer.
  

WHAT?? Surely, this is a joke... 'fraid not... but let's not dwell on the negative.

Seed and crop management company, Syngenta Crop Protection LLC, has requested to increase legal levels of thiamethoxam- a pesticide linked to a decline in the pollinator population.  According to this notice, Syngenta, one of the largest pesticide manufacturers, wants to increase the allowable threshold 400%.  This petition would apply to alfalfa, barley, wheat, and corn.

This predicament sounds like a "pick your poison, double-edged sword".  So, what is the "right" thing to do.  I recognize, respect, and encourage industry, but... when others are at the expense.... a long look in the mirror is required.  The problem with pesticides is they end up in unwanted areas (water sources and the atmosphere).  What about eco-friendly substitutes?  Higher taxes for the use of pesticides?  What is your take on this dilemma?  

Be Authentic.

-Sterling