As far as Tourism is concerned, we join the choir: "From Nature, nothing shall be taken away but photos, nothing shall be left behind but footsteps, nothing shall be taken along but memories"
Nature is life
What is the relationship between environmental sustainability and security? The most obvious relationship is in the very definition of sustainability. The concept was coined and disseminated from 1972 - in Sweden - during the meeting of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (UNCHE). It is a comprehensive concept that transits politics, economics, philosophy and other social sciences, as well as engineering and other exact sciences. It refers to the use of energy resources, the protection of ecosystems and natural environments, with the aim of preserving human and ecological health in the face of innovations, so that they do not threaten life.
The proposal contained in the concept of sustainability is important and rich in possibilities for studies and planning precisely because it does not separate man from nature, rather treats them as a whole, showing that human life will only prevail in a nature conservation scenario. Security, for us humans, is possible only in the continuation of Nature with all its resources. Predatory human activity, in any sector, destroys the fundamental resources for the continuation of life; is a threat to contemporaries and a sentence for future generations.
When we speak of NATURE we soon think of the "physical universe”, what we find as "given”, what was not built by us. Usually we exclude ourselves, but we ARE PART OF IT. Nature refers to life itself.
LIFE is also a comprehensive concept with many definitions, but through this concept it is easier to feel included, together with everything that lives: water, plants, animals etc. Life is, in this sense, the continuous process of transformation of organized beings. It is not an abstract entity, it is the process of living, the mode of existence. These ideas take us back to Nature and its sustainability.
NATURE’s DAY
In 1931, ecologists gathered in Italy instituted October 4 as Nature’s Day. They chose this date because it is the day of St. Francis of Assisi in the Catholic Church. The intention was to encourage reflection on the preservation of natural environments and animals, as well as the importance and influence they have on our lives and to alert us about our daily or temporary activities, which, in one way or another, undermine integrity from Nature.
Saint Francis of Assisi is known as protector of animals and Nature, his iconography is based on images of him in the midst of animals and plants. He was born in 1182 and his history is full of episodes concerning the protection and respect to the Nature in general, as well as to human beings - the Order of the Franciscans itself, founded by him, is considered an advance in the Catholicism of the time.
The creation of Nature’s Day (some countries refer to as Animal’s Day) resulted from the desire to generate discussions and educational programs regarding our attitudes towards Nature, reflections on how we use natural resources individually or on a large scale in industries etc., how we behave in natural environments whether for leisure or for any productive activity. Internationally it is the day when we are alerted to the problems generated by our predatory and / or irresponsible attitude towards our immediate natural environment.
Adventure Tourism and safety/risk in activities in natural environments are the central topics of our #cachoeirasseguras campaign (#waterfallsafety campaign), they are at the heart of our worries. The human presence in ecosystems until then intact generates transformations, and to minimize them with educational projects is more than desirable, it is responsibility towards the life and future generations.
To respect Nature, to think of preservation is to think of human security. Eroded trails, for example, reflect not only deforestation on its creation, but also the result of continuity of use, with users stripping vegetation or opening secondary tracks at random, with neglect of private or public park managers. Plastic and / or organic litter left on trails, campgrounds, waterfalls, beaches and rivers, seems a minor problem, however, it is one of the main problems: they attract reptiles and insects, pollute the waters, leading to an inevitable process of degradation and threat ! Urban waste is a known problem and in the last few years litter accumulated in mountains, waterfalls, beaches, rivers or any recreational environment in Nature has become one of the agents of risk to human health and safety.
The integrity of the natural environments we visit is one of the key security factors in these locations. Preserving this integrity is the duty of everyone: owners, managers and tourists.
The commemorative date is a reference, an extension of the alert so that we rethink our DAILY ATTITUDE in relation to Nature. Think about it every day when you are going out to the beach, to a river bath or waterfall, to a boat trip, to take a trail or to enjoy the weekend in a camping, in other words, "do not leave behind anything but your footprints, take nothing but your memories”.
. do not leave trash behind
. do not remove plants even if they are very small ones
. do not cut trees
. do not feed wild animals
. do not pour industrialized liquids into water (rivers, waterfalls, oceans)
. when lighting fires, take care with the winds
. do not leave cigarette butts at random
. take care with handling of plastics and non-biodegradable objects
. do not fish in spawning season
Fertility, harmony and generation
From antiquity and practically in all cultures, the image of WOMAN is associated with the image of NATURE. This association is essentially phenomenological, emphasizing in both: the cycles, the fertility, the gestation, the harmony and the beauty. We find a kind of sacred image, Divine Feminine linked to Nature and generating myths, rituals and arts. The strongest element in this imagery is that of MOTHER NATURE, a timeless image that keeps humanity linked to the idolatry of Nature. It is true that civilization results from subjugating it, but it is also certain that without the secular tradition which, with this association, emphasizes respect for it, we would be with more difficulties to deal with its devastation.
#cachoeirasseguras - #waterfallsafety - remembers NATURE’s DAY every day and on October 4th, together with everybody, celebrates and warns to the importance of preservation and safety. To respect Nature is to maintain our existence.
In the context of the need for more security in the relationship of the human being with Nature, be with your mind alert. The Preservation of Nature and the Security Management in natural environments is to protect your greatest wealth: LIFE!
Illustrations: under CC0 License except the last one created by #cachoeirasseguras