Mario Rigby: How a ‘conservation mindset’ can help you protect nature and travel farther

Mario Rigby

April 3, 2023

Adventure requires a healthy planet. So to mark Earth Day this April, we’re sharing personal essays from individuals who are doing their part to protect our home. Eco-explorer Mario Rigby aims to advance humanity through sustainable, human powered expeditions that promote social and environmental justice. Here, Mario shares how embracing a ‘conservation mindset’ can make protecting wild places a vital part of our business as usual.

It’s not surprising that adventure and environmentalism often go hand in hand. If you’re big into outdoor hiking, camping, or kayaking, it’s likely that you also feel more connected to and appreciative of the natural world.

Adventure also allows people to witness the impacts of climate change, deforestation and pollution firsthand—my experiences walking across Africa showed me the transformative power of immersing myself in nature and engaging with local communities.

But adventure also comes at a great environmental cost, so it’s essential to balance our desire for adventure with responsible environmental stewardship. That means adopting sustainable travel practices, supporting local conservation efforts and being mindful of our impact. By putting Earth first, we can ensure that future generations have the opportunity to experience the beauty and wonder of our planet.

Turks and Caicos-born adventurer Mario Ridgy completed a two-year, 7,000-mile trek by foot and kayak from Cape Town to Cairo in 2018. — Turks and Caicos-born adventurer Mario Rigby completed a two-year, 7,000-mile trek by foot and kayak from Cape Town to Cairo through his expedition, ‘Crossing Africa’. Photo courtesy of Mario Rigby

Protecting our wild places is crucial for the health of the planet and all living things. It isn’t just ‘wildlife’ we’re protecting, but ourselves. The earth’s natural systems provide us with our most basic needs, such as clean air and water, carbon sequestration and biodiversity. Preserving these natural systems is not only a moral consideration, but also a practical one: Our own survival depends on it.

But protecting our wild places isn’t just about preserving them for their instrumental value. It’s also about recognizing their intrinsic value: Their beauty and their role in inspiring awe, wonder and spirituality. Our wild places can remind us of our own place in the world and our interconnectedness with all living things.

“We can cultivate a deeper appreciation for the environment by spending time in nature. Going outside is a surefire way to ensure we care about what’s happening outside.”

- Mario Rigby

So, how can we think more about putting earth and nature first in the future? I have some ideas…

1. Embrace a conservation mindset: We need to shift our thinking from a consumption-based mindset to a conservation-based one. That means valuing the earth’s natural resources and recognizing that they are finite. We need to prioritize conservation over extraction, preservation over development, and sustainability over short-term gain.

2. Support local conservation efforts: We can make a difference in our own communities by supporting local conservation efforts, such as volunteering at a local park, donating to a conservation organization or advocating for stronger environmental policies.

3. Choose sustainable products and practices: We can reduce our environmental impact by choosing sustainable products and practices, such as using reusable water bottles, shopping locally and sustainably, and reducing our energy consumption—both at home and when we travel.

4. Vote for the environment: We can use our political power to advocate for stronger environmental protections and hold our leaders accountable for their environmental policies.

5. Educate ourselves and others: We can learn about environmental issues and share that knowledge with others—whether it’s through social media, conversations with friends and family or community events.

6. Connect with nature: We can cultivate a deeper appreciation for the environment by spending time in nature. Going outside is a surefire way to ensure we care about what’s happening outside.

Mario Rigby at Blue River Nile near Gondar city, Ethiopia. Photo courtesy of Mario Rigby

Adventure, environmentalism, travel and protecting our wild places are all interconnected—you can’t love the outdoors without wanting to protect it, you can’t travel the world without wanting to fight for it, and you can’t be effective in environmentalism without spending as much time as you can in wild places.

We can help protect the earth and all living things. It’s up to us to put Earth and nature first in the future and create a sustainable and just world for generations to come. Happy Earth Month.

The theme for Earth Day 2023 is ‘Invest in Our planet’. Find out more about how you can take action for Earth on the official Earth Day website.

***

Adventure.com strives to be a low-emissions publication, and we are working to reduce our carbon emissions where possible. Emissions generated by the movements of our staff and contributors are carbon offset through our parent company, Intrepid. You can visit our sustainability page and read our Contributor Impact Guidelines for more information. While we take our commitment to people and planet seriously, we acknowledge that we still have plenty of work to do, and we welcome all feedback and suggestions from our readers. You can contact us anytime at hello@adventure.com. Please allow up to one week for a response.