Journal Entry #2 Saving our Coral Reefs and the Asperger's Child

Reading about the ocean's coral reefs was quite awakening. I have known for some time, as I am sure many others have that this underwater world is in danger. Exactly how much danger, was something that I did not know. 2050: The Great Stumpy Reef? brought this issue to my attention and seeing as how it is already 2012, 2050 does not seem to be all that far off. It was quite interesting to learn how much biodiversity is in these reefs when they lack so many nutrients and the author used a great example of the plains of South Africa's Cape Province to explain just how diverse they are. It was a little discouraging to read about Ambon Harbour and it's description of brilliant colors, clear water and beauty in 1857 versus it's description of cloudy smelly water and garbage in the 1990's. It is obvious that the coral reefs are very sensitive and that there are some things, such as climate change that we cannot avoid. However, we can avoid and watch carefully the things that do effect our coral reefs that we can control. These being runoff of land-based agriculture and as the reading mentioned, the CO2 emitted by Australia. It is a good thing that the Australian government is willing to protect the Great Barrier Reef, but it isn't enough as they are doing nothing about their CO2 emissions. This is another issue that the world needs to wake up and see before it is too late and we lose this beautiful and diverse ecosystem that we need as much as the species that thrive in it.
The excerpt from Last Child in the Woods was something that hit very close to home for me. My son is going to be seven years old in August and has recently been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. He is a very bright child, but he suffers from social/emotional issues as well as mood swings and ADHD which all tie in with the Asperger's. I really could not agree more with Louv that children need more outside and "green time". Physical activity is a very important aspect of education in my book and I do not think that schools should cut that time away from Elementary students. They need that outlet and time to be outdoors to help them think clearer and concentrate better. I am a believer in the modern medication however, as my own son is on some medication and would not be able to function in a school setting without it. He is a true outdoor boy and he loves to spend time outside and would prefer to do so rather than inside. He rarely watches television. He attends a private school where he can get more one on one attention and is actually able to spend more time outside. They take the children out in the morning before classes start, midday for recess and again after school while waiting for pickup.  I truly believe that this helps my son concentrate better. Now, do I think that just being outside and having "green time" will cure my son of his disorder? No I do not. He still needs medication, but in combination with the outdoor activities he does much much better. A large part of Judaism is loving and respecting nature and we even have a holiday to celebrate it called Sukkot. Instead of giving a gift we may have a tree planted in Israel. It makes sense why we need nature so much, its where we come from, its where we belong.