Welcome Colleen Neely, tell us a little about yourself:

Describe the first time you felt a strong affinity for nature?

Throughout my life, I think my relationship with nature has been, at times, one-sided. I think I have always loved nature, being outside, enjoying all the wonders Mother Earth makes available, but I have not always understood my impact on nature and because of this, I have not always been a good partner in what should be a mutual relationship. As I have gotten older, less self-absorbed and more self-aware, especially as it relates to human impact on the environment, my true love for nature has grown and strengthened and I have become a much better partner to Mother Earth.

I can speak to many moments throughout my life where nature left me awestruck, but I will focus on more recent moments that I feel are much more whole-hearted since having had somewhat of an “awakening” as it relates to nature and the environment.

A few weeks back I was running along Buffalo Bayou. I run here on days where I really don’t feel much like running. It’s not that Buffalo Bayou encourages me to run on those days, but rather, it encourages me to slow-down and take in nature; there are so many surprises at the Bayou if you keep your eyes open and look around. On this afternoon, something caught the corner of my eye as I began to approach Shephard Drive while walking along the Bayou path. It was a mother-duck and her 4 young ducklings. I was so giddy to be able to see these creatures at such a short distance away. I decided to watch for a few minutes rather than just keep going. The most stunning part in watching these creatures was how much like “us” they were. Here were 4 little ducklings scurrying back-and-forth along a patch of grass near the edge of the bayou – newborns wandering and exploring their new home, surely enjoying it. As the ducklings wandered carefree, there was their mother, not unlike our human mothers, close behind, allowing them to wander but at the same time, not diverting her gaze. This really struck me and I felt a pang of “brotherhood” with these animals – a connection – these animals were not so unlike you or I. Moments like this solidify for me how everything in nature is connected, that we all have similarities that bind us (if we look for them). This concept leaves me in awe, in appreciation and inspired.

Describe a time you participated at a Sierra Club event?  What did you do and what motivated you to participate?

I recently participated in a wetland flowers planting event at Exploration Green that the Sierra Club attended alongside other volunteer groups. I went to the event, not completely knowing what to expect but intrigued by the idea of getting dirty on a Saturday morning. It was an amazing event, fueled by the energy of the volunteers. The coordinators at Exploration Green supplied hundreds of wetland flowers, provided gloves, a planting demo, as well as a flower layout. We were instructed to pair-up and then released to begin planting. The event was only 3-hrs long, but it was an amazing display of what a group of motivated individuals can accomplish when they work together on a common task. I felt a great sense of pride having seen the space transform after all the wetland flowers were planted. Before we were finished planting, I saw birds fly over and explore the new habitat, it was amazing to see and brought to life the efforts of the morning.

What kind of activity or activities would you like to see the Houston Sierra Club to do more of and why?

I am new to the Sierra Club so this question is harder for me to answer since I have only seen a few of the events the Houston Sierra Club participates in/ hosts. BUT, being new to Sierra Club, and being someone who likes to read and know about the current state of the environment as well as policies and people affecting it (positively and negatively), it would be great if the SC hosted or suggested educational talks or suggested books or articles related to the aforemented topic. OR, I would like to see the SC either host or suggest events that would teach people how to be persuasive on topics related to sustainability and encouraging others to get involved - friends, coworkers, etc.

What environmental message do you have for young people?

The message I have for young people as it relates to the environment is short and simple, don’t sit back and wait for others to take care of the environment for you. If you want to see change, it starts with you. Be bold; get your hands dirty; ask questions. And remember that every little act matters!