Recycled Woods

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by Nicole

Click on the image to see a larger picture

Click on the image to see a larger picture

In this collage a scene of nature is represented using items found in my trashcan at home. There are pieces that are made from recyclable items. There is a Wal-Mart bag and a Dasani label advising the consumer to recycle and a piece of a cereal box proudly proclaiming it comes from recycled paper. These items show the changing role the Green Movement has played in our lives. Every time we go grocery shopping we are confronted with a large number of environmentally friendly products to purchase. Daily we are told of the benefits of “going green.”

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Long before it became part of popular culture, Tolkien was advocating the proper treatment of nature. I say treatment instead of use to emphasize that nature is more than a mere tool for man to enjoy. Treebeard in The Lord of the Rings complains that no one is on the side of the trees, leading the reader to question, “Why not?” This is a problem that is still being addressed today. How important is nature to us—important enough to take the extra trip to the recycling plant or spend the extra money on recycled goods? I don’t believe Tolkien would tell us to buy organic, but instead would probably ask us to evaluate how much we are consuming. It all goes back to being aware of the consequences of our actions. Although nature can be represented through the products we use every day, as this collage shows, it is only a representation. Nature can never be duplicated and so we should care for it and, as Treebeard says, be on its side.

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