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Understanding Our Connection to the Earth<\/b><\/p>\n
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Katlia\u2019s visit to our class and the discussion of her book Earth Is Our Elder opened my perspective on the relationship between humans and the environment. Her insights made me realize that the Earth is a living system to which we are deeply connected. Before learning about her experiences, I thought of nature mostly as something that surrounds us. Her explanation about rivers and their significance caught my interest.\u00a0 Because rivers circulate water throughout their surroundings, much like human hearts circulate blood through our arteries, Katlia referred to rivers as the “heart of the land.” This analogy made it clear to me that harming rivers and ecosystems had an impact on the entire planet. Katlia also discussed the impacts that pipelines can have on the environment, Indigenous communities, and future generations. This connects to the idea that \u201cclimate change is unstoppable no matter which way you look at it\u201d (Lafferty, 2026, p. 222), as industrial development continues to contribute to environmental harm. However, protecting the environment also requires respecting Indigenous rights and voices. As her book explains, \u201cThat is when section 35 of the Canadian Constitution comes in, which states that any development that is to take place on Indigenous lands must go through extensive consultation with First Nations\u201d (Lafferty, 2026, p. 264). This shows the importance of including Indigenous communities in decisions that affect their traditional lands and ecosystems. Katlia\u2019s discussion also connected with Tim and his experience being arrested while protesting pipelines at SFU.\u00a0 I learned from hearing about Tim’s experience that environmental protection requires people to take action and defend the environment. Together, Katlia and Jim showed that taking responsibility and promoting change are just as important to protecting the environment as understanding the issues. Their stories made me realize that safeguarding the environment is a shared duty that calls for knowledge, respect, and action.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Garden Progress and Growth\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Watching my garden grow has been a rewarding experience because everything is growing so nicely.\u00a0 I’ve learned from this experience that gardening takes a lot of time, patience, care, and effort. Watching the plants’ slow growth has made me realize the effort required to maintain nature and the value of patience. Seeing ladybugs and butterflies in our garden is one of my favourite things. Their presence serves as a reminder that a garden is about more than just growing plants; it’s also about creating an environment that supports many different kinds of life. This experience has helped me build a stronger connection with nature and understand the importance of caring for the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/wordpress.kpu.ca\/green-criminology\/files\/2026\/07\/tempImageJKIJrU-1024x906.jpg\")
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