Today, I went to the Museum of London. You’re probably thinking, “how does going to a museum make you think of nature?” But that’s the thing, we are surrounded by nature. If you’re looking for it (well, even if you aren’t), it’s not hard to notice the crisp air, the vibrant greenery, the pops of color in the flowers, the chilling winds.
This is the thing I find most interesting- in the midst of a bustling urban city, nature is abundant still. I love London because walking through the city will almost always bring you to a park- one with trees and plants and flowers galore.
You can sit in the stillness of the nature as you break from the busyness of the crowds. I walked through a park like that today, and it was just as refreshing as ever.
As I walked into this miniature landscape, everything became quiet and it was as if it was just me and nature transmitting good energy and love. It always helps me stop and reflect for a few minutes- it allows me to BREATHE. Even inside the museum, it’s easy to see how nature has impacted Britain throughout its history. If you don’t know already, the Museum of London basically showcases the history of London-from the stone ages to the present. As I moved throughout the exhibits, taking in the magnificence of London becoming what it is today, I started to get goosebumps because I just kept thinking, “This is London, this is why this amazing city is the way it is, this is how it BECAME.” And then I reached the more modern exhibitions, the ones spanning from around the 1960s to present day. I noticed how environmentalism started becoming a thing, how the younger generations started to become more progressive. London, being the urban center it is, obviously produces a load of pollution on a daily basis.According to the London government website, everyone in the city is in some way affected by air pollution due to the transportation and heating systems (LDN gov).
Even so, it is filled with activists that see nature (and the environment) in the worthy light it deserves. In 1952, the Great Smog of London killed 4,000 people, resulting in the start of an environmentally forward movement. Great Britain passed the Clean Air Act in 1956, proving that action was being taken in an effort to better humanity. From then on, this movement gained traction and became a global phenomenon (Weyler). There was one poster showcased in the museum that read,
“LESS PASSION FROM LESS PROTEIN: LESS FISH MEAT BIRD CHEESE EGG: PEAS BEANS, NUTS and SITTING”.
As I contemplated this message, the only thing I could think of was veganism (maybe that’s just the way my mind leans because I’m vegan, but, hey, roll with it). In the 1970s, when this poster was created, it’s clear that the environmental movement, the plant-based diet movement was just starting to take off.
I loved seeing the way people viewed veganism during that time. I gathered that it was a universal consensus for activists that an all vegetable diet results in more passion.
Passion is such an emotional word which leads me to believe that the amount of belief these people had in the movement was ENORMOUS. It’s encouraging, honestly, and I feel more connected to London and its history because of today- what about you? xo
**all photos from this post were taken by me**
LDN gov. “Health and Exposure to Pollution.” London City Hall, Greater London Authority, 12 Mar. 2018, https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/pollution-and-air-quality/health-and-exposure-pollution.
Weyler, Rex. “A Brief History of Environmentalism.” Gr eenpeace, Greenpeace, 8 Oct. 2019, https://www.gre e npeace.org/international/story/11658/a-brief-histor y-of-environmentalism/.