There’s a reason that the Paleo “diet” has become so huge – it’s a way for us to draw on the instincts of humanity to eat whole foods.  As hubby and I prepared foods from our CSA and a friend’s garden yesterday, I could see how wonderful these foods were in their unaltered, natural state.  I often feel like there are two different magnetic pulls in life – one that draws me to want to shop and materialize, to have those awesome western-style Madden booties I saw at Marshalls, and the other to cleanse by body in nothing but natural ingredients – Dr. Bronner’s for my body, olive/castor/tea tree and lavender oil for my face, and Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar for my hair.  One of these leaves me with more stuff-fitting into a very American society that collects things.  The other defines me as a “hippy” which lands me in a liberal category, much away from the traditional society which surrounds me here in Lancaster County.

In my last blog, I discussed more about what makes me tick when it comes to wanting to protection the National Parks.  Recently I began looking at some different programs that are based in and around Lancaster County that share my values.  Two are very much in line with my want of protecting our resources, our land and our heritage.  The Lancaster County Conservancy helps to preserve various spaces across the county.  Some of them most beautiful and valuable wildflowers are found in the grounds they protect.   Susquehanna Gateway Heritage Area is another organization that promotes protection of the cultural and physical areas surrounding the Susquehanna River.  They are also working for a national designation to make that region a National Heritage Area – falling under the NPS.  Of course, this greatly excites me, and I immediately emailed all of my senators and representatives (you can too here).

There’s so many wonderful people in this area working to help protect our land and to try to keep it in its unaltered state.  While bulldozers push away hills against which water has flowed from rainfalls for years, these people are working to make sure that those pieces of land remains as they always were.  The more natural our lands stay, the less erosion into rivers, and the more that natural flora and fauna can flourish as it once did.

Begin taking note of how natural your lifestyle is, how whole it is, and how much impact your daily life puts on your physical surroundings.  Just taking note of these things, I believe, will make you want to consider the impact you have.