Did YOU know?

The Appalachian Trail as envisioned by Benton MacKaye in the early 1920's would be a scenic trail weaving through the Appalachian Mountains to provide “an opportunity for the average person to experience not only the health benefits of the clean mountain air, but to witness America's natural beauty” (History of the Appalachian Trail). This National Scenic Trail, designated in 1968, also escapes "the high powered tension of the economic scramble", as written by Benton MacKaye in An Appalachian Trail; A Project in Regional Planning.

Many hikers seek out life on the Appalachian trail for many different reasons. Completing a “thru-hike”, a continuous hike from the Northern terminus to the Southern terminus or vice versa, will take approximatly 6 months. During those 6 months it provides refuge from monotonous daily tasks that include paying bills, full time jobs, sitting in traffic, you name it. It’s also a daunting physical challenge irresistible by confident hikers dreaming of the notable accomplishment.

Unfortunatly, over the last several decades as travel on the AT has increased the wilderness corridor that travels through 14 states, 8 National Forests, and 2 National Parks has experienced some negative repercussions. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Appalachian Mountain Club contend with pressures from commercial developers for housing projects, declining air quality, threats to endangered plant and animal life, climate change, erosion, and an ever increasing number of hikers and campers. (To learn more: click here)

“The ATC is working to expand its public outreach in the hopes of creating greater awareness of the trail’s ecological and aesthetic value, as well as fostering grassroots advocacy for its protection.”

That’s where we plan to contribute!

Did you know that the Appalachian Trail is maintained completely by volunteers? Thousands of volunteers contribute roughly 200,000 hours to the trail every year!


Did you know that on average about 3 million people hike a portion of the AT every year? In some high-use areas that estimate is 4 million people yearly.


Did you know that there are more than 2,000 occurrences of threatened and endangered species along the AT? (To learn more: click here)

“We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do”

Barbara Ward, Only One Earth, 1972

Training...

Given the serious tone of my last post, I figured I'd lighten the mood a bit with a picture:

Here, Maura is pictured from last summer. She knew that long ago that this was her dream...to hike the AT! Combine that with my desire to remove trash and you get this complementary couple who seek to attempt change within themselves, as well as the world around them.

Here's to continual training (with or without putt putt sticks).
Cheers,
Al

Trash: A Call to Caring!

It is quite difficult this day in age to go anywhere without seeing trash on the ground. On the streets of our towns, the sidewalks of our cities, and strewn along our highways without a care. Why? When did we stop caring about how the environment looked? When did trash become as normal as sunrise and sunset?

Too many questions and not enough answers. Simply put, there are those that care, but they are far outnumbered by those that do not. Should everyone pick up trash? I feel there is a moral duty intermixed with that question. What one chooses to do is their prerogative. There does exist, however, opportunities that we should not simply....well, discard. For example, you drop you car keys in the parking lot and are within an easy reach of a piece of trash. Sure, it's not your trash, but it's trash that needs someone to pick it up!

Some would argue that:
"I don't pay taxes so I can pick up someone else's trash [dammit], that's why they pay that guy." (points at the public works employee picking up trash).

This is true. We DO pay taxes so that municipalities, etc. clean up after us as slobs, but why does it have to be someone's job to follow lazy us around, waiting for an accidental or intentional discard to fall to the ground? Perhaps it's like this: one man's trash is another man's treasure. If so, then I'm gonna be rich spending other people's trash like it's going out of style!

 *****

I had a friend tell me of a story that happened to him the other day out in Durango. He was running on a trail near town and came across something that did not belong: trash. As a good steward of the earth and person with an accurate moral compass bearing, he picked up the trash. Not going more than few steps later he was surprised to find a shiny 2007 penny! Had he not been looking down for spot the not, perhaps he would not have seen the thanks waiting a few steps later. Think he'll look down more often now?

*****

Often while driving, I am distracted by the trash that lines are highways and byways. Sometimes, it looks quite out of place when you are driving through a forested area, for example. Other times, there is such a quantity of discarded items that you cannot help but notice the lack of green grass disguised by the amassed trash. So, where am I going with all of this trash nonsense...?

This is some sort of call to caring. There are many of you out there that care about trash resting undisturbed on the ground. Some of you may bend down to pick up that piece of trash and feel better about your part of the human equation; some of you may support organizations that remove trash from green spaces; and possibly some of you may not have thought this far into it yet. Regardless of where you find yourself, this is your 1st wake-up call. (*the alarm cannot be turned off at this point*)

Find a way to get-involved. Supporting this blog and the cause we are striving for is one way, but it can be even more organic (i.e., easy) and localized than that. Next time you go for a walk in your city, town or neighborhood, spot the not and give it a new home: a trash or recycling receptacle. Surely there is a receptacle within a few hundred strides of where the item is found. Whether it is 1 item of trash, or 1 ton of trash it matters not: think of it like counting your pennies and watching as your dollars count themselves.

Start a trend, a personal goal, to remove 1 displaced piece of trash from near where you pass on a daily basis. Encourage your children, or grandchildren, to assist in their part as well. After all, they are the ones to inherit what we have or have not done with this orbiting ball known as Earth.

This I challenge you in love and care. We have to begin to wake up, even if it is not comfortable nor easy. We already see what happens when we let uncommon occurrences (i.e., trash) build-up. Seemingly, there always exists an excuse as to 'why not,' but go beyond the common, over-used statement and seek to perceive the other side of the equation: trash awareness and removal. The unborn children of this world will thank you vicariously.

In love and support for you as a person in life,
Al

(Trash and recycling clean-up effort: Project Big Green Tree, Fall 2010 - Appalachian State University.)

-Thanks to the students and staff who helped make a difference on-campus! We'll be back at it near Earth Day, April 2012.