There's nothing quite like looking down the edge of a 7,500 foot cliff to find a new lens on life. That's what happens when you're standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon. It doesn't even seem real at first because the impact is so intense. The grandeur of the Grand Canyon cannot be fully comprehended. Although I can assure that if you took one wrong step your life would indeed flash before your eyes. Isaac and I were lucky enough to find shelter at a camp site that allowed us access to the edge of the canyon about 50 feet away. The rangers at the Grand Canyon, and anywhere else really, are super approachable and are more than happy to answer any questions you have or to give you recommendations, and that's exactly how we pondered across the view that we were given. Blessed with, honestly, if you believe in all that stuff.
As you will see below, the views are impeccable. There is nothing else like it in the world - and that's exactly why you should care. We only have one Grand Canyon; and if you haven't yet, you should take some time to check it out. My opinion is that anyone who is fortunate enough needs to see the Grand Canyon at least once in their life. It's humbling. It's a reminder that human beings are not, in fact, the greatest creation on this earth. Especially when you consider the fact that humans are the reason for not only the haze that covers much of the Grand Canyon, but for toxic pollution that now exists throughout the canyon and in the Colorado River. Yes, that haze that you see is not from the heat, it's air pollution that impacts how far across the canyon you can see. According to the National Park Service, the pollution reduces the natural vision range of the canyon from 170 miles to 120 miles. That's 50 miles it impacts. I will get more into the impacts of pollution and climate change on the canyon later on, but I wanted to raise a point now that one of earth's greatest wonders is in danger. For now, though, let me give you a little history on the canyon. Now, at this point you may be thinking, oh great a history lesson on rocks, but I promise that's not all it is. The Grand Canyon holds a lot of insight into how the earth used to be (think Pangea era), how native ancestors lived, and what species of plants and animals used to roam here. So no, it's not just rocks. The Grand Canyon, while being beautiful, is also very important when it comes to understanding not just the history of human-kind, but of the earth. Which, if I may remind everyone, is 4.5 billion years old. Humans are only 200,000 years old. So we're the invasive species in this situation. Now, the exact age of the canyon has continuously been questioned. Some say that it is 70 million years old. Others suggest that the central and eastern canyons are 70 million, while the western is only 6 million. Recently, that 70 million has been reduced to 17 million, but there is still much debate due to conflicted findings based on how old different geographical substances that make up the canyon are found to be. According to The Grand Canyon Association on the Arizona State website, the Colorado River is is about 6 million years old: "Over the past 6 million years, the Colorado River has carved through almost 2 billion years of the earth’s geologic history at the Grand Canyon." So how exactly did the Grand Canyon come to be? Kaibab.org explains this as well as they can, with respect to conflicting theories and current hypothesizes. Essentially: continental drift, erosion, vulcanism, and climate change are all facts that have contributed to the Grand Canyon that we see today. The continental plate that the Grand Canyon sits on has shifted much throughout its lifetime, so much that the climate is now completely different than it was millions of years ago. Quick note, if you are still confused when people discuss climate change as a natural process versus when people talk about man-impacted climate change, then I really encourage you to do some research. To an extent climate change can be natural; but what we are currently experiencing is NOT natural. It's poisonous. There is a difference from the natural shifting of earth's plates and the melting of glaciers effecting sea levels across the world. Interestingly, though, the oldest rocks of the Grand Canyon are dated back to being 1.7 billion years old. Correct, the Grand Canyon wasn't always the Grand Canyon. It has been carved out over billions of years of natural change. According to the Grand Canyon Association, humans didn't even begin to occupy the Grand Canyon area until an estimated 13,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age. Remind #2: There are still Native American tribes who live in the Grand Canyon. It is a part of their culture and should be respected. The National Park Service does a great job at not only allowing these tribes to live away from the tourism that the canyon incurs, but does a great job at educating curious tourists about the livelihood and culture of these tribes. After all, while most people see the Grand Canyon as a beautiful attraction, it is also someone's home. That being said, these individuals' home is at risk. For reference, the Grand Canyon is also home to hundreds of species of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, insects, and plants. Anyone who knows me knows how much I dislike insects, but when you are at the parks you are in their territory. They are as much a part of the canyon and it's beauty and as the canyon itself. Respect is of the utmost importance. Most recently, officials in Arizona and Utah are calling on the Trump Administration to roll back Obama-era regulations on environmental protections that ban Uranium mining near the Canyon. The Guardian covers this topic very thoroughly in their article "Grand Canyon at risk as Arizona officials ask Trump to end Uranium mining ban", and I recommend everyone to read it to stay informed. Essentially, these officials believe that the mining of Uranium will outweigh the dangerous health risks involved. Which, by the way, are health risks that have already been proven will happen. This mining poison the water that so many humans, fish, and animals rely on. It's quite sad when a whole administration puts vain, economic gain over the quality of life of its citizens and of the environment - especially when renewable energy is on the forefront of many large corporations (and literally every country but the U.S., Syria, and Nicaragua's) agendas. Other threats to the Grand Canyon include nitrogen, sulfur, ozone, and mercury poisoning. Mercury poisons the Colorado River, ozone destroys plant species, and nitrogen and sulfur wreck havoc on the ecosystem. Much of this comes from air pollution. Climate change also, obviously, threatens not only the Grand Canyon, but all of our nation's parks. Here is a list on what species and monuments will be directly effected by climate change in the parks. So what is the Grand Canyon doing to increase sustainability? One thing I noticed about the parks is that they are very aware of giving out tips on how to be more sustainable. Stop by the visitor center of talk to a Park Ranger to ask how you can leave less of a carbon footprint when you visit a park! Not only is the Grand Canyon on track to be a fully Climate Friendly Park, but it's visitor center runs off of solar power, it composts the food from their dining facilities, it converts wastewater to water that is safe to use for irrigation and toilets, and its shuttle buses run on clean-burning naturally compressed gas. Here is their statement on how they're making a larger effort to go green! I think it's obvious that the National Parks are the first in a long line of non-profits, corporations, businesses, universities, and communities who are all moving into the green sphere, but what's great is that the National Parks are offering not only a model in which larger entities can follow, but they're offering a model in which individuals can follow as well. Composting, reusing whenever you can, recycling, and opting to us energy efficient products are just a few things that we can all do to move towards a greener future. I myself am not this all holy center of green-progression, I'm personally learning each and everyday how to strive towards a greener future, but the first step into doing so is opening your mind. It's believing that together we can. Once again, I would like to reiterate that the importance here is to understand your personal impact on great lands such as the Grand Canyon, and that taking the time to appreciate the beauty that is around you is sometimes that push you need to fully comprehend the importance of sustainability. I would also like to clarify that I am no expert on the Grand Canyon. I'm just someone who really cares and believes that we have a huge impact on the future of our environment. If you have any more questions I really encourage you to reach out to the National Park service, an environmental rights activist group, or professors who have received a proper education on these topics. I do hope, if anything though, that this has enlightened you, even in the slightest. If you have any questions about my trip please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]! If you are hoping to plan a trip out to the Grand Canyon, here are a few recommendations I have based on my trip:
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