This picture I captured is one of the common North American Hardwood Trees. It’s name is White Ash or Fraxinus americana which are native species to our area— they were essentially “born” here. You might be thinking, why is it called White Ash if they are red/purple? If you were to look at the veins of the leaves, they have a white hue, giving it it’s name. Those little flower-looking roots popping out from the branches are the new leaves that are growing in joining the White Ash clan. 

If you were like me, after taking a picture of your plant (or whatever your natural thing was)  you probably thought, how do I figure out the name? Well Google a description of course. How is it that there are so many different species of the natural world around us, but if we know the name of just one, that’s impressive. 

My initial thought with this blog post was to connect something in nature to life, because ya know, that’s “deep” or whatever. To be quite frank though, after rewatching Greta Thunberg’s Ted Talk, I almost just want to further her points (I’ll try not to though because I couldn’t have said it better myself). It’s frustrating because I feel so passionate about the Environmental Issues there are, to the point I even majored in it. But she’s right. We know all the solutions, it’s just a matter of implementing them, so why haven’t we? 

The excuses I’ve heard are, well it’s too radical, there’s no real plan, or better yet, it won’t make a significant difference. It all comes down in my opinion to money, greed and power. To fix a lot of the problems we made,  it would cost us. For example,  fossil fuel burning is so cheap and cleaner resources tend to be more pricey. We have to look at the price in the long run though. If we continue to be reactive to each crisis rather than proactive, then it might just be too late. 

Just like the White Ash, we were born here. We have to take care of where we come from and stop acting like we are given a second chance with another earth. And just like the roots of leaves coming in, it’s our youth. Our future. We have to protect their lives and prosperity. I’m a part of that future as well and am scared for what not only my kids futures will look like, but my own as well.

-Ivellise Morales