There is only the world.

There is no natural world. There is no human world. There is only the world.

It is one of the greatest intellectual failings of our civilization to represent them as separate. Our cities, for all that they are less aesthetically pleasing than the wild, are intricately linked with the ecosystems around them and intersecting them. Thanks to the nature of urban logistics, they're linked with ecosystems hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Every action we take anywhere on the planet interacts with the global ecosystem- because nothing escapes it.

We need to start keeping this in mind more not only as we design buildings and cities, but as we go about our day to day lives. The smallest actions and habits can snowball to massive influence when millions carry them out.

You've all heard the long litany of things to do to help protect the environment- bike to work, take public transportation, eat locally grown foods. They're good things to do, no question. You should absolutely jump on that bandwagon.

Even more important, though? Start educating yourself on these topics. Learn about complex ecosystems. Learn about zoonoses. Learn about the immensity of the logistical structures that keep our cities running. Learn about how our actions as individuals and as a civilization affect our water, our air, even our dirt. Go to the library and get started. Today.