People often make this mistake of treating two ends of a spectrum as binaries, it has to only be one or the other. In the case of getting in touch with nature as opposed to being technologically current, this is not necessarily the case, though it might seem that way because of the vast difference in ways of living this might assume. How could anyone possibly immerse themselves in the age of technology but still garner a deep and genuine appreciation for nature? For me, it sometimes feels like I can’t escape technology, that perhaps its reach is so overbearing. I once said that I wish I could live without any technology for a month, just to see what it’s like, but it feels like to go without a cell phone or a computer seems improbable.

But again, that sentiment plays into the idea of nature and technology as binaries, as things that are so far apart and so separate from each other, but what if they’re not? In essence, humans are, well, natural. We came from the earth, developed from the earth, and grew as an extension of the earth. We are as natural as they get. And so, by proxy, is not technology natural? It seems like we were always heading this way, striving for better ways to do the things we needed to do, and isn’t that what evolution is? In the same way that animals have adapted to perfectly complete certain tasks for survival, we have, as self-aware and highly intelligent creatures, gone far beyond that, and advanced so much that we have effectively removed ourselves from the food chain.

So what this goes to show is that, perhaps technology is a natural part of our lives, particularly considering that as millennials, we are the first generation to truly be brought up on this modern technology. Obviously though, we clearly and actually define nature as the natural world, which does exclude technology (despite my claims of connectedness). So how do we attempt to get in touch with nature, without sacrificing our upbringing, our inherent way of living?

I suppose the key is, balance. The one problem with humanity is that we don’t know when to stop. Technology these days is seriously overwhelming. I mean, seriously, how many social media platforms are people hooked up to these days? The key is to strike a balance. Go on Facebook and do your thing, but go for a walk after. Or watch some Netflix then go plant some flowers. Okay, but really, I think the best way to appreciate nature is to help take care of it. One of the best things about technology getting better is that we are finding new and better ways to give back to the earth, things like composting and recycling, things IC does very often, is a wonderful way to start. And doing the other things I mentioned might seem petty, but going out into nature and participating in it is one of the best ways to get in touch with it. Either way, it is completely possible to have the best of both worlds, it’s all about how much effort you put into doing it.