What is Nature? Nature is all the naturally occurring things on this planet. Nature is the animals, plants, events, processes, and products of the earth that are not made by people. It is the physical world and everything that lives in it.

 

Nature is more than just a word for plants, animals, and habitats. She is a complex living organism that produces and nurtures life. That’s why we call her “Mother Nature.” We may view ourselves as separate from Nature, especially when we use words like “man-made” to describe something that is NOT natural. But this notion is far from the truth.

All living things are made up of proteins, each with different roles in the organism. They form bones and muscles, release hormones, and power immune system responses, to name a few. Each protein comprises its own unique sequence of the same 20 amino acids that are found in all life on Earth. Our connection to Nature is embedded in the cells we are made of, in the resources we use to live, even in the vibrations that come from our magnetic field.

Nature has amazing systems for providing constant sources of energy and nutrients, in a variety of forms, to support the many complex and diverse communities of thousands of species and their ecosystems.

When human activities interfere with Nature’s processes, it comes at a price. The following Four Laws of Ecology can help us to understand our true impact on the environment and help us make informed choices for the present and for future generations.