It’s earth day and I feel a mix of emotions as I reflect on experiences I’ve had while exploring earth’s remaining wild places. I’m deeply grateful for these moments, such as the time with this spirit bear in the Great Bear Rainforest.

And I think it is precisely because these moments are so close to my heart, that possibility of a not-so-distant world devoid of these places saddens me. As a human race our unyielding drive towards growth and progress has improved quality of life in innumerable ways, and continues to do. On many accounts this propensity is a good and beautiful thing

Yet, blindly racing down this path comes at a cost, one that our tunnel vision has kept us reluctant to see. We are using a finite resource as if it were infinite. The effect of this behavior on the planet is tangible, and clearly not sustainable. If we continue down the path we are on, there is little uncertainty about the detrimental net effect it will have on wildlife and wild places.

However, this spirit of innovation and commitment to progress also gives me hope. When coupled with a sense of responsibility and appreciation for the natural world, it has the potential to create a new and sustainable path into the future. I see more and more brilliant people and creative companies taking this challenge on with enthusiasm and optimism.