Society and the Health of Nature
Isaiah Chase
View from atop Iwakuni Castle Looking at the City
The importance of nature is something we are often reminded of. We are constantly told to take care of it and to enjoy it–but why is that? In this photoVoice project, the importance of taking care of and experiencing the environment will be discussed–as well as the benefits of doing so. In particular, the lens in which the analysis is made as well as the lens of the participant are both those of a military child. A good friend of mine is the subject of this study, one whom I have known for several years and someone I used to and now again go to school with: Christina. Christina has consented for me to use her pictures, words and name in this project. Both of our families were stationed overseas in Japan and we spent some time there, myself 5 years and her 7 years. Since going to high school together we now both attend the University of Central Florida. Below are images taken of the environment we lived in and her thoughts on what they mean as well as my analysis.
“soft pink flowers…”
“Cherry blossom trees, also known in Japan as ‘Sakura’, were abundant all over the country. Their pink, cloud-like blooms attracted tourists from everywhere during the springtime. I remember taking thousands of pictures of them as well as with them as my father would set up his tripod camera, getting every angle of the beautiful trees. My favorites were the ones that were full of soft pink flowers, with random patterns of bright green leaves. I will forever cherish the unique natural environment that I was able to witness while living in Japan, and I am forever grateful that my parents made me, and my younger siblings stay still for so many pictures.” – Christina
A world-famous tree, the Sakura tree is a symbol of Japan. In Japan there is a Springtime activity which most all families participate in: 花見. 花見, or ‘hanami’ comes from the words ‘hana’, meaning flower, and ‘mi’, a word for the eyes or looking. During hanami, the streets will be lined with pavilions serving fresh foods and the hills and grassy areas are filled with blankets and picnic goers. It is no strange sight to see toddlers giggling happily at the falling flower petals. The memories made at hanami serve throughout the life of those who attend as a happy memory of which to look back on. This is particularly good for those who attend to be able to breathe the fresh air, spend time with family and enjoy the natural environment. The environment of Japan itself is meticulously cared for and there is little to no litter, perhaps the time spent amongst the falling petals helps to instill a desire to protect it. The lush green background and well-kept bushes in the picture is evidence of that.
Christina is demonstrating what a wonderful world it is we live in when we take care of it and take the opportunity to enjoy it. This is evident by the gratefulness she feels towards her parents for forcing them to take pictures–a feat worth recognizing considering how difficult we all were as children when it came to sitting still. The Sakura trees Christina discusses can be seen in different environments across the world, albeit in different forms. Our own Floridian ‘Sakura trees’ could be considered our palm trees or the beaches we are famous for attracting tourists to. Taking care of the environment for us to enjoy is a must, be it for children to sit under falling petals or to enjoy the splash of waves.
“fresh vegetables, and the richest eggs…”
“Something that every foreigner should do in Japan is to try as much of the culture’s food as possible. Specifically, the traditional ramen dish that is widely popular in Japan as well as overseas. Ramen? A bowl of ramen sounds like the last thing that someone would go out of their way to acquire and gives the image of a typical college students’ lunch. However, ramen in Japan is so much more than just a bowl of salty broth and noodles; it is a dish served with handmade noodles, fresh vegetables, and the richest eggs you have ever tasted. Compared to what you can find in America, ramen in Japan is surprisingly healthy; the ingredients always tasted fresher in Japan with each component of the dish well-made and meticulously put together. I will never understand how dishes in Japan always tasted as if the ingredients were taken right from the source of where they grew.” – Christina
When you first look at the picture you may notice the color of the eggs: brown and orange. The reason for the eggs being this brownish hue is that they are soaked in soy sauce. The reason for the orange yolk is simply because the chickens there have a more natural and healthier diet compared to what chickens tend to be fed in the United States. The standard for eggs and chicken meat is far stricter in Japan; it is considered normal to eat raw eggs and it is not unheard of to eat raw chicken. Due to the quality of the feed as well as the ability to consume the chicken raw, it may be inferred that the food there is of higher quality and healthier.
Parroting Christina, ramen is something you would think a college student to eat, but, in Japan it is quite healthy. The picture Christina took contains bamboo shoots, green onions, seaweed, bean sprouts, and a light custard-like treat. You may think this to be an expensive meal with the ingredients used, but in fact this meal was probably only 700 yen, or about 7 dollars. Cheap healthy food is available everywhere in Japan. Christina is trying to show us that by taking care of the environment on which we rely, our food sources, we in turn take care of and are responsible for our own health. Additionally, Christina is attempting to showcase that something which can be taken for granted, food, is something that can easily brighten someone’s day and create long lasting memories of the taste. Food is crucial for survival, cheap food is crucial for a society, cheap tasty food is crucial for our well-being.
“from stalks to blooms…”
“Driving through the streets of Japan were always enjoyable as they were always full of a variety of different plant life. Right outside of the community I lived in, there were houses that had their own gardens with different plants and crops that the locals would grow throughout the year. It was amazing to see the fields of lotus fields transition from stalks to blooms, to produce that could be cultivated. My parents and I would stare with curiosity as we watched an older woman pull weeds around in her garden and carry a basket full of different root vegetables to her house as the sun was setting, ending the day of work.” – Christina
This photo depicts a house nestled in the mountains, with a garden growing in the front. One might think this picture was taken hours away from the city out on a desolate road, but in fact scenes like this, houses surrounded by natural greenery, is sight that can been seen a mere 10 minutes in any given direction where we lived. Driving down the main road next to the train station there were massive plots of lotus plants being grown, however this was not in a rural farm village but in the middle of a city. When Christina talks about seeing houses with their own gardens, she isn’t referring to the outskirts of town or suburbs, but to houses sitting on the main roads with driveway sized gardens growing a small field of corn. In the suburbs you can find gardens that take up more space than the house itself, all while still staying in the city.
Christina uses this image to announce that the environment is very much tied to our way of life, as evident as how people live in Japan. While it may be less obvious here in the States, it still holds true. Christina wants us to see the beauty and serenity that comes with living with a garden or near nature by showing us the tranquil house in the mountains. What Christina wants to teach us is that we can coexist with nature. We can easily, without loss of comfort, incorporate nature into our lives and homes. Christina chooses to show us a picture of a home a mere walk from the forest, with a garden to provide fresh food, and with the context of nearby amenities, to make apparent to the reader that it is possible for humans to take care of the environment in our own home and have it take care of us.
The theme Christina is trying to show us through her pictures and words is: People can co-exist with nature and it is highly beneficial to do so. The reoccurring theme in the two nature pictures is that a good environment can provide for those who live in it, be that with fresh food (as additionally shown in the food picture) or as wholesome entertainment. The food picture contains a similar, related theme, that well taken care of sources of food can create high quality tasty food. These well cared for environments can be somewhere dedicated like a high-quality chicken farm or as mundane as a home garden. The story Christina regales us with is that the environment we live in doesn’t need to be distinct from nature, we aren’t required to travel long distances for fresh air or food, we can nurture it in our own backyards. Christina is declaring that we can co-exist with nature more easily and viably than we realize: an entire nation is already doing it.
A few readings affected my analysis of the pictures, in particular, the readings regarding food and nature. By bringing nature into our lives and cultivating food in our own yards we can take control of our health, reduce food waste, and give genuine choices instead of the appearance of choices. The article “The illusion of choice: five stats that expose America’s food monopoly crisis,” is a wonderful complement to my analysis. By utilizing the knowledge that much of America’s food choice is not real, the attractiveness of growing your own food in a garden becomes much more apparent. Taking care of the environment by reducing waste and land for agriculture, we can preserve nature’s beauty for our children to enjoy and experience growing up. By growing food at home, we can help to mitigate waste such as shown in “Dumped Milk, Smashed Eggs, Plowed Vegetables: Food Waste of the Pandemic” by reducing our total dependance on store bought food. We can help reduce food prices and care for the poor in our communities like the community garden talked about in “Latino Gardeners in Santa Cruz Fight To Keep Culture, Community Garden Alive.” Many of the covid related readings talk about food insecurity and people struggling to get food in the US; being able to bring nature into our homes and grow fresh healthy food has to potential to greatly improve the quality of life for many of America’s poor. The loss of natural lands for agriculture as talked about in “Inequality promotes deforestation in Latin America” can additionally be mitigated by growing food at home. All of these readings seemed abstract while going through them for the first time, but the concepts truly came to life while analyzing Christina’s photos. Left and right, the thoughts offered by Christina offered solutions or mitigations to the current struggles faced in each of these articles. These articles in turn helped to provide insight into where these solutions are most needed and for them to be effective.
Food fresh from home can be a boon to communities by preserving lands for future enjoyment so that children may enjoy a walk on the beach by the sea, or stroll near home under the mountains, or a picnic underneath the falling petals of cherry trees. Nature is something we can co-exist with to the benefit of both the environment and ourselves. By taking care of the environment, it will in turn take care of us. Keeping the environment clean and well taken care of provides us with a nature outlet for enjoyment and improvements of life. A good environment is crucial for making positive lifelong memories. A healthy environment can provide excellent sustenance for those who with access; with an abundance of food and a well taken care of, natural, environment this becomes a possibility. By bringing nature to us and having a garden we can make all this a possibility.
Media Attributions
- View of Iwakuni City from Kintai Castle, Iwakuni City, Japan
- IMG_3928
- IMG_1773
- IMG_1298
