planet vs plastics

Earth Day is a reminder of the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability, encouraging us to come together and take action for a healthier planet and brighter future.

This year wonder | wander | women are in the Philippines to celebrate the dual birthdays of our oldest and youngest Taurean males in the family.

Earth Day 2024

Being in the East for Earth Day, we are forced to confront the contrast between how we deal with plastics over here versus over there. 

Fonab Castle and Pitlochry Dam, Scotland

In late July wonder | wander | women enjoyed a visit from family - my nephew had turned 14 earlier in the year and we were celebrating. As a present, my aunt took him and my cousin to the UK. 

Fonab Castle, with dining pod

I was excited to meet them in London and ride up with them to Scotland, where we walked our happy feet off through Edinburgh's most famous castles. 

As an extra treat, we went with some dear friends up into the beautiful and ancient Cairngorms area of the Scottish Highlands. We stayed at the Fonab Castle Hotel, a gorgeous Victorian castle with phenomenal views.

nurture nature naturally

Humanity has painted itself into a corner in its pursuit to control and harness our natural environment. As a result we seldom find absolutely natural environments on Earth with naturalness varying from 100% natural in one extreme to 0% natural in the other. Prioritizing for human comfort and convenience has turned much of our natural world into an artificial habitat to suit us. 

Glacier retreat 1979, 1991 and 2002 due to global warming

At what price and cost to the ecosystem and biodiversity of our planet? The trouble may have started in how we categorize elements - as biotic, or living organisms and abiotic, what are considered non-living things. 

urban refuge: Camley Street Natural Park

A secret nature sanctuary nestles on the site of old coal yards, just beside one of the busiest urban developments in London Kings Cross. Camley Street Natural Park was supposed to be turned into a parking lot for trucks servicing the station, but plant life had overgrown the area and local birds and animals had made their home there. The London Wildlife Trust lobbied for the partially-reclaimed wetlands to be turned into a nature reserve.

the earth from above

Being insatiable tourists, the wonder | wander | women love taking pictures, but some of the best photo opportunities come at thousands of feet above ground level.