We Can’t Recycle Our Way Out of the Environmental Crisis

Ecologist Rick Lindroth uses the phrase “free range” to describe his childhood because he grew up in rural northern Illinois roaming freely in a backyard with acres of fields, forests, and marshes. He knew by the age of 7 that he wanted to become a biologist, and this early connection to nature is what he credits for that inspiration.

Establishing a deep connection to the natural world is thought to be especially important between the ages of seven to 12. That’s exactly what happened to Rick. He says that at a young age “nature was imprinted on my soul.”

Now a retired biology professor, he’s helping his grandkids and others develop similar connections with nature. Last summer, he convinced his grandkids to explore a nearby grassy field. Rick recalls, “It took some convincing, because they weren’t too excited at first. The grass was ‘too scratchy.’ ‘There might be snakes’ and the proverbial ‘this is boring’—but I knew that if I could get them to open their eyes, to use their senses, we’d have a great time.” And they did.