untouched?

I am currently in Winnipeg, awaiting the start of the A Rocha conference tonight. Today, I wandered around the neighbourhood, exploring a bit and finding the bus stops I need to get to CMU (Canadian Mennonite University), where the conference is. I have most of the day to myself, as Heidi is at work, and Reuben is busy with school.

My flight here was beautiful. It was perfectly clear flying from Abby to Calgary, and I took a few pictures as we went (check out the "In The Air" photo album on the right). One thing that struck me though, while I was soaking up the gorgeous mountains and fields, was how much we have changed the landscape around us. I won't get into whether that is good, bad, or neutral for us and our world, but I just wanted to share my reflections. After flying over the relatively untouched soaring, snow-covered peaks, there were times when we reached areas that had multiple logging roads winding through them, with a patchwork pattern of old and new clear cuts:

It happened again flying over the prairies and into Calgary. As far as the eye could see, there was a patchwork quilt of farmers' fields. And then the suburbs of Calgary, sprawling out into these farms:

When you're on the ground, driving amoung the fields, or walking through the city, or hiking in the mountains, it doesn't really strike you. Only when you see the bigger picture from the air does it hit home. We are huge initiators of change on our planet, whether for the good of it (and us), or not. We need to remember that as we go about our daily lives. Our own actions may seem so small when compared to the overwhelming demands of earthly degradation and human inequality - but together, those actions all add up into bigger ones, which can (and do!) have a bigger impact.

Any thoughts?