When I was child, I fretted about some environmental issues. I was so very worried when the gypsy moths were destroying trees and imagined they would kill them all. I worried about humans cutting down too many trees. I hated when people littered.
But there was a definite disconnect of not understanding how ruining this earth was a global issue. Most the gypsy moths were down south, so I thought we were safe from them. Driving to my grandparents in New Jersey, we drove through the visible smoke and pollution of Elizabeth and Newark. I felt lucky that we lived north of it, safe in Massachusetts, and my grandparents were safe down by the shore. I remember swimming in Congamond and Hampton Ponds before there were concerns of pollution.
Environmental issues have been in the forefront of the news for many years. I think many of us as adults still feel some disconnect of the ubiquitous problems and how they directly affect public health. Or feel it is such a massive problem intermingled with politics and economics, it’s bigger than them. The effect of the wildfires in Canada visibly affecting our air here in New England was undeniable evidence for us. Further stressing the point was the warnings to stay inside because of the effects on one’s health. The wildfires on the Hawaiian Islands clearly illustrates the public health damage to the community.
