Last week was the 50th celebration of Earth Day. I grew up in a family that not only believes in protecting the environment, but have also actively worked for decades to make sure that Belize stays as untouched as possible, so Earth Day is important to me.
Family Pride
My grandaunt, Lydia Waight, and grandmother, Meg Craig, helped to found the Belize Audubon Society (BAS). Many members of my extended family have sat on the board of BAS and of the Protected Areas Conservation Trust. Throughout the years they have helped to set up many of the parks here in Belize, starting with the very first one, the Half Moon Caye Natural Monument. They have also worked on environmental laws, helping to set up the Belize Turtle Network, etc.
Here’s a wonderful fact: almost 40 percent of Belize- land and sea- is under some form of environmental protection.
Another point of pride is The Craig Family Collection. This collection includes butterflies and insects, cultural displays that include Mayan Artifacts, and memorabilia of Belize’s past, including the history of our stamps. This collection makes up almost 50 percent of what is displayed in the Museum of Belize. Parts of this collection have also been displayed in various countries in the world too.
Growing up watching my uncles and grandmother go bird-watching and getting so involved in protecting Belize, of course, had an impact on me as well. I’ve done my fair share of beach clean-ups. I was part of the first team of Belizeans to do the Swim for the Reef – an almost 11 mile relay swim from the reef off St. George’s Caye into Belize City when I was 12 years old. I’ve camped out in the Jaguar Reserve and helped to dig a well at the Half Moon Cay Natural Monument, the water from which would later be used to build the visitor center there. Yeah, protecting Belize has been something instilled in us from birth.
Enjoying Mother Earth
So this Earth Day, with being trapped inside, I had a lot of time to think. Mateo hates being indoors. He is happier when he’s outside and the happiest when he’s near water- sea, ocean, lake, river and even pool. Taking advantage of his love for the outdoors, we’ve had a great time exposing him to as much as possible.
He’s been to the Mayan Ruins and into the Mountain Pine Ridge. He’s swum at the waterfalls and in the rivers of Belize. He’s been to the Blue Hole National Park. He’s visited numerous islands in Belize and beaches around the Caribbean, really. He’s been sailing, kayaking, surfing, paddle boarding, tubing, and of course on speed boats. He went on his first catamaran trip before he could even walk!
He does love running wild in open spaces too. He’s loved climbing the Mayan Ruins (probably mainly because he loves heights – yup! Major sensory issue there). He even liked climbing around St. Herman’s Cave- not phased at all by the dark.
Animals
Mateo has paid attention to a few animals over the years- but mainly those that swim. Yup! As we’ve established, Mateo loves water more than anything. We’ve had many, many sightings of dolphins – some times they have followed us while we paddle board. If they are close enough, it seems to register to him. He gets excited and jumps in with them. They keep their distance, don’t worry. The last time we went paddle boarding, we came right up next to a manatee that was fatter than our paddle board! The manatee quickly swam off when Mateo jumped in. Poor guy. My Teo just wants friends to swim with him, but they keep swimming off. LOL
When we went to Ripley’s Believe it or Not in Toronto, he was fascinated by the jelly fish and spotted stingrays. Where as, when we went to the zoo in Toronto, the only animals that he seemed to pay any attention to were the Otters and the Penguins. He showed very little reaction to horses and most land animals. Yappy little dogs annoy him. But he has reacted completely differently with larger dogs – an almost insta-love with a few of them.
Constant Pondering
Even with all these experiences and the fact that he spends so much time outdoors, I really don’t know what he thinks about it all. Does he see an orchid growing in the rain forest and think how beautiful it is? When I show him a picture-perfect sunset, he looks out the corner of his eye, but does it amaze him? Other than wanting to swim with animals, would he be gentle and caring? I swear, I spend so much of my life just wondering what goes through his head.
Considering it was Earth Day, I couldn’t help wondering- how do I teach him to protect all this that we love and spend so much time enjoying? Taking him on a beach clean-up kind of scares me. I can see him picking up some piece of trash and putting it in his mouth- especially if it looks like food. Can I maybe try to have him plant something? I don’t see that holding his attention – except for when I show him how to water the plant. He will probably spend all day filling up cups of water to go throw on the plant. Then again, I keep underestimating him and he surprises me at every turn. Who knows?
Can you think of any ideas that might include water – so it will help grab his attention? Can you suggest something he and I can do together?
Just like how I love that we both share a love of swimming, I want to teach him to respect the earth and appreciate it for all its glory. It’s what my family taught me. It’s what I want to teach him. Sigh. But how?
