Tara Creehan

ESPM 160AC, 1998

My Personal Environmental History

My grandparents, known to me as Nana and Grandad, were first generation English immigrants to New Zealand. Both of their families settled on the west coast of New Zealand--an area that was predominantly rainforest at the time. Their migration had a major impact on the environment, as they established a village based on coal-mining. In the 1930's, they moved to the already developed city of Christchurch--the city of my mother's childhood. Originally built on a swamp by immigrants, Christchurch is situated in the middle of port hills, the Canterburry plains, and the coastline. The city at that time consisted of a predominantly white middle class society (the population was comprised almost entirely of British immigrants), and thus a great deal of non-native species of plants and animals were introduced and established in the region. These include, but are not limited to, sheep, cattle, potatoes, weeping willow trees, rabbits, and deer. Many of these species, particularly the rabbits and deer, became great pests as there were no predators for these mammals--leading to an imbalance in the food chain. According to my mother, food was very plentiful and cheap. People subsided on great quantities of meat (lamb, beef, and pork) and vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, green beans, and peas.

My grandparents on my father's side of the family are second generation Irish immigrants. My grandfather, Opa, grew up in Castle Shannon, Pittsburg, where he began working in the coal mines at nine years old. At that time, Castle Shannon was a very small town, comprised mainly of Irish immigrants and their descendants. Oma, my grandmother, spent her childhood in Maryland, and later moved to the Bay area in California where she met and married Opa. Together they raised my father in San Mateo. In the 1930's and '40's, San Mateo was a relatively small city. My father recalls a great deal of open space and not much development. The environment was a mixture of both native species (oak trees and grasses) and non-native species (Eucalyptus trees, cattle, and potatoes).

Overall, my family, as European immigrants to foreign lands, has played a major role in transforming their environments. Through their introduction of or reliance on non-native species and resources, they have been active participants in the evolution of the landscape. While they are responsible for altering the environment, my family has had a great deal of respect for their natural surroundings. As their homes were surrounded by large areas of open space and undeveloped land, both my grandparents and my parents lived in tune with nature. In this sense, they were very aware and appreciative of their environment and its valuable resources. On a more negative level, I think their sense of vast land and plentiful resources also may have caused them to overconsume.

My family's relationships and perceptions of the environment have tremendously influenced my feelings on my natural surroundings. I grew up in a suburb outside of Sacramento, California where I lived in a house with a big yard. My parents always encouraged me to respect the earth, and thus I developed a great love for the outdoors--spending almost all of my time laying in the grass, climbing trees, or going for nature hikes. Unfortunately, I think I also shared my family's perspective that resources were abundant. For example, we were not highly conscious of how much water we used or what we put in the trash. Fortunately, I think my relationship and my family's relationship with the environment have evolved and improved in recent years. As the environmental movement grew stronger, and education and awareness spread, we grew more conscious of just how precious the earth's resources are. I have noticed my parents taking action by making changes in their everyday lifestyles--recycling, carpooling, etc. In conjunction with their beliefs and values, I am taking our relationships with the environment a step further by studying Conservation and Resource Studies--ultimately pursuing a career in environmental education. In preparation for my career, I hope to learn more about the history of the interactions between different cultures and the environment and utilize that knowledge to move towards a sustainable future.