The Older Sense of Place

"I don't understand the question..." I got a lot of that during my interview with my grandparents, I spent a lot of time explaining what I was asking almost too much so that I might have given them an answer.
What is your philosophy on sustainability I asked them only to be answered with well that's broad what are we sustaining. I then continued to explain to them what we have been going over through out class and rephrased the question to my grandfather as what is your philosophy on sustainability in that are you willing to make the compromises in your life to help ensure resources for future generations?

"At my age I'm gonna life the rest of my life the same way I am living now. I am not going to change, hell I’ll be 75 in July"

 When I continued on and asked to know what they thought about their up bringings versus mine they both shared the same answer,

"Kids have it too easy today, my parents were much more strict."

I continued on to clarify, in regards to the environment and being outside how do you think our up bringings differ. Again they both gave me the same answer stating,

" We were outside all the time, kids now a days just sit inside and play with their games."

I pushed the question further  by asking them whether or not they thought this was because the ratio of urban to rural areas has increased and there is less nature to play in or still because of the technology.

My grandpa said " I lived in a urban area and 9 times out of 10 you'd find me outside."

My Nana had sympathy for children now a days because as she sees it they have it harder than they did back in the 50's, she expressed that children have more to worry about with sex offenders and drug every which way you turn.

I then went on to explain everything we learned and did this semester and ask my Nana for her opinion, she agreed that our lifestyles do need to change to a more sustainable way of living, she does not however think that there is any such thing as global warming and she does not think that if the world were to be getting hotter humans are to be blamed. She explained that in her opinion the Earth is just going through a cycle.

After talking to my Grandparents I would say that they are not very informed in regards to the environmental issues we currently face. They could not give me an answer for their sense of place of ecological perspective. I feel that it is my responsibility to take the knowledge I have gotten from this class and also other classes I have taken and pass it on to them.


Thanks Nana and Grandpa for your time!!!