Nature is everywhere …. if we just see ….

“You can live your life in several ways. As if nothing is a miracle…. or as though everything is a miracle,” said Einstein. For me ... there is no greater miracle than life.

As a trusted partner of PYM, a peer-to-peer community of wealth owners, deeply aware of the impact their investments can have in the world, we believe in the power of money as a force for good. Every year, and this year for the 12th time, they organized the Impact Days. The first day, a family day, is followed by a day where social entrepreneurs, fund managers, foundations, measurement experts, speakers and others are also invited. The theme for this year’s PYM Impact Days is “Sustainability is the Bridge; Regeneration is our Destination.” A personal reflection …

Much has been said and written about the definition of nature. What is 'nature'? And is there still nature in a world where humans have influence everywhere? I often think that we define nature so strictly these days, that with the definition we create for ourselves, there won’t be any nature left. I explain…

I don’t see nature as the untouched by humans, but think that nature is everywhere where life flourishes, everywhere where several species coexist, everywhere where it is green, flourishing, full of life and growing. With that definition, things look a little different. If we define nature like that, we suddenly are surrounded by nature. Suddenly we see that butterfly and that bird (even that city pigeon) and probably more than a dozen plant species growing. Nature... right in and under our noses. We often don't even notice.

Of course i understand that certain places in nature appeal to us in a special way. Like Yellowstone, the Great Barrier Reef or the Serengeti. Paradisiacal places. Nature before we interfered with it. And in a way, they are less affected by our day-to-day activities, as in many of those places you will find few or no roads. But ultimately these “Eden's” are also deeply influenced by humans. Humans have been influencing nature for a long time.

Moreover, these paradisiacal places are often far from civilization. It takes a lot of money and effort to visit them. That means they are only available to a limited number of people, the elite. And that is a real problem! A national survey by the University of Wageningen shows that the Dutch spend much more time indoors than they want. More than 50% would like to spend more time outdoors. The weather, little time, COVID-19, but also the lack of nature reserves in the area are by far the most important reasons not to go out.

Such a pity, because how many people actually live close to nature, even in a city park. I am sure that is the case almost everywhere. And then I don't even look at your own garden or your roof terrace. Everyone lives with nature. Every child lives with nature. We've only forgotten how to look at it and feel it! We've been watching too many National Geographic documentaries where nature is very sexy.

We forgot to look at nature. Is it a far-away place or just out your front door? The nature of the street tree, the street pigeon. Using the broader definition, a lot of our planet falls under the heading of 'nature'. But in a world where everything is changing, we have to be careful how we define nature. First, let's not just define nature as something pristine. That excludes most of the nature that people can visit and enjoy, as well as nature that children are not allowed to touch. Which brings me to the second point. We have to go out into nature ourselves and let children see and touch nature. The only way we can raise a generation of people who care about nature is to let them touch and "play" nature. Like the American writer Elwyn B. White said “Every morning I awake torn between a desire to save the world and an inclination to savor it. This makes it hard to plan the day. But if we forget to savor the world, what possible reason do we have for saving it? In a way, the savoring must come first.”

The inspiring opening of the Impact Days 2022 by Satish Kumar, founder of Schumacher College and the Resurgence Trust, remains very close to me. “People need to realize that humans and nature are not separate. We are nature, as Satish Kumar, ?so passionately and well explained. We need a new consciousness, a new understanding of our total interdependence, total interconnectedness, total relationship in life and total unity with nature! Nature is our nationality and only when we realize that, we go beyond ego to eco and feel at home on this beautiful earth!”

It was a great event, very well organized and a place with other PYM-ers where beliefs and expertise were shared, and new connections made!?

?

At Bank J. Safra Sarasin we are also committed and pledged for Biodiversity and look forward to support you in translating biodiversity into investment opportunities and harness them.

?

?