Ever since I was a little kid, I have had a keen sense of love for our earth. My childhood was filled with long weekend days on the farm. Picking vegetables, swimming in Deer Creek, and fishing were all consistent activities in my life.

I cannot remember where this love came from, but I can imagine it had to do with my father. My dad has been a beekeeper and gardener for as long as I can remember.

I looked forward to putting on the veil, tucking my sweatpants into my muck boots, and helping my dad in the hives. Something I do not necessarily miss is the laboring hours spent over a five-gallon bucket snapping the ends off peas. But even this I would not change for the world.

I am forever grateful for the love of nature my father has instilled in me.

Now, I sit on the Harford County Soil Conservation district. With this position, I attend monthly board meetings and attend field visits with the other board members.

As I move forward with my education I intend to pursue a soil science degree.

While re-watching one of my favorite childhood movies I was struck by a quote. In Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, the Lorax says to the Once-ler, “A tree falls the way it leans. Be careful which way you lean.”

Our decisions will dictate the state of our earth. It is more important now than ever.

By protecting our planet, we protect ourselves. We must put an end to mass deforestation, limit the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted into the atmosphere, and start restoring our planet to its original beauty.

In today’s world trashing our planet has started to become normalized and overlooked.

It is not uncommon whatsoever to be walking down the street and see someone in the act of littering or seeing litter throughout our streets.

Putting your trash where it belongs is a very simple place to start to work towards a better planet.

So, the next time you feel the urge to throw your water bottle out of your car window, think twice.

We only have one home; let’s take care of it.