Littered Canyon

This week I read an article called, "Oases in a Dry Land." It talked about how humans are depleting water sources for birds in the West and explained that solutions to environmental issues should benefit both the land and the people. I was thinking about this as I took another couple walks this week. Instead of going downtown, I went to Rock Canyon which is five minutes from my apartment. While I was there, the first thing that stood out to me was a surprising amount of litter. A critical issue highlighted in the article is the unnatural manipulation of Earth's resources by humans. By diverting the water that would otherwise replenish the local ecosystem, humans have been sucking this water source dry. While litter might not have as drastic of an impact as the problem faced in the article, it still reflects the disregard we may have to our surroundings. Frank Ruiz hoped to find a solution that would mutually benefit both humans and birds because the effects of our actions will inevitably reach us. An example from the article were the exposed substances left behind the receding shorelines. Something as simple as litter on a trail is the first step of the footprint humans leave behind. These observations left me frustrated with figuring out how to become a better steward for this land. How can humans live comfortably while still being conscientious of the toll we create for our surroundings?