Nature Literacy

To me, nature literacy means the ability to possess a deep understanding of the environment and how it functions. Despite our growing awareness of how we affect the environment, my generation is still very far away from becoming nature literate. Awareness can not substitute for understanding. Our society stresses the importance of taking care of nature, yet we have not taken any steps to create a relationship with it. We allow ourselves to be so preoccupied with our busy lives that we do not have the time to take notice of or even enjoy our surroundings. Instead of coexisting with nature, we pass around it. What is the point of protecting something we are not closely acquainted with? How can we possibly know exactly what it needs?