“Humans and Nature

1.The Earth is a living planet; from the atmosphere above us to the soils and root systems under our feet, the Earth is teeming with life. But how much do we know about all this life? Our textbook author, and indeed environmentalists and conservationists across the globe, hope to change our perception of the Earth; to encourage us to sustain and preserve the life that sustains our lives. To start your final written assignment, what do you think of when you hear the word nature? What does that word mean to you now, and has your perception of and relationship to nature changed over this course?

2.As humans, we share much of our DNA with every other living plant and animal on this planet. But each species is special in its own way. So, for the second part of your final written assignment, I would like you to consider the following question: What makes us human? What makes humans special? Now that you have gotten to know about some of the other resident species of this planet, are we really so far apart from them in our behaviors, our traits, our characteristics? What do we share?

3.Time to go for one last walk in this course. We know where you have been from the first written assignment, now, where would you like to go? What do you want to explore?

4.Finally, who is “your greater self?” And if you were to write a note to that self, what would you tell them about this remarkable planet we live on and the many species we share it with?