My friend Abby Irving (otherwise known as Gal, hippie child, and abs) is a girl I have grown to love over my first year of college. Abby Irving, a 19-year-old biopsychology student at Wagner College, is very earthly orientated, or what some people here (Metropolian area) like to call "a granola." She is able to realize the importance of the environment and strives to explain one’s carbon footprint to others. Originally from British Columbia, Canada, Abby invests her time with nature- paddle boarding, surfing, snowboarding, skiing, and canoeing…to name a few. As a water polo division 1 athlete, she has learned to use every body of water to her advantage. On a nice crisp summer day, Abby enjoys training in her local lake; swimming the distance multiple times for endurance and sprinting it in 10 minute increments.

Abby translated her love for the environment into a field in science. She inspires me because of her help through various groups such as the recycling club and a clean up beach crew. While talking to Abby, she talked about the changes one can take to be able to notice the earth’s capability.

Take Nature Seriously

Realize the power that the environment holds. Global warming is real, and its’ major changes in the earth’s temperature are being noticed more prominently every year. Reflecting on how you use the earth’s resources (food, water, materialistic goods), will make you more aware of it’s significance.

One Can Always Find Nature in an Urban or Rural Area

Although in a concrete jungle it is hard to imagine a potent smell of salty, untamed, crisp ocean air- one should embrace community parks and local nature conservation areas to feel in touch with the environment.

Find People Who Are Passionate Near You

It is easy to forget about a necessary cause when you are not surrounded by the influence of change. In order to make yourself aware of the environment, and its problems, gain friends who are, or research a nearby group that is.

When talking to Abby she makes everything about the earth seem magical. It’s easy to get side tracked in your own life and its craziness, but also take into consideration, that you have personal opportunities because of the world and what it has provided for you. On the day I interviewed Abby it was cloudy, gross day where all you would want to do is cuddle up in bed. However, this not-so-pleasant atmosphere was her definition of the best weather. She embraces the good and the bad of the world, and better yet liked the bad…more.

Abby spoke to me with life and fulfillment. I wish more people could see the world as beautifully as she. At the end of the interview, she said: “I miss it being gray outside. When you can’t tell what time it is, and that you have to check the puddles to see if it’s raining or not. The smell of wet bark and fresh cut green grass.” –Abby Irving