Greentings Everyone!
When the idea came up that we— eragreen, would be writing several articles on the Islands of the Atlantic, there was immediate debate among us, where concerns were raised on the context of these articles. Concerns on how they would fit our vision on a more sustainable future. Some of us said that it would not match this said vision and could potentially go against our responsibility towards safeguarding nature and informing our audience of sustainable practices. Their opinion was that it would motivate more to travel to these destinations via unsustainable means of transportation, while also putting pressure on these fragile biospheres. Others suggested that showing our natural world should remain front & center. That showing our audience the breathtaking and even jaw-dropping beauty that is nature would provide added incentive to preserve it. Both sides of the discussion gifted us with interesting thoughts and opinions which have ultimately assisted in the framing of this series.
After a rather heated discussion, we concluded that during these dynamic, difficult and let’s face it, scary times, showing our natural world is just as important as challenging currently established socio-economic trends. Trends, that to this day have turned parts of our world into literal wastelands. After all, how will we effectively tackle these concerning trends without maintaining a fresh and realistic depiction in our minds of what we are fighting for. Why is sustainability so important? Why should we give up on conveniences that we—as a society, have grown accustomed to? In this series—which will consist of 5 articles, we will try to bring a refreshed focus on the why. To do this we will be taking you on a journey across several islands in the Atlantic, from the underwater marvels of Madeira Island, the volcanic fields of Lanzarote, the craterous landscapes of the Azores to the highest point in the Atlantic, Mt. Teide located in the Canary Islands. All the while emphasizing their individual inherent beauty, but also their importance in striking the balance of nature. We hope that this series will provide you a glimpse of some of these far-flung places, motivation to continue with your environmentally positive approach and ultimately answer your why. Remember, seeing is believing and believing that we all play a part in protecting this circle of wonders that we call planet earth is half the battle towards realization.
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