Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle del Hudson
Since April is Earth Month, it’s a good time to reflect on our relationship with the planet. There are at least two ways to view our place in the world. As human beings—creatures who think and create, use tools and laugh—we may come to believe we are also superior, even invincible, compared to the world around us. From this perspective, our task is to maximize every available resource, to exploit them as if there were no tomorrow. This has been the dominant mindset in many periods of history we learn about in school, from the Roman Empire to European colonialism and the Industrial Revolution, to name just a few examples.
This way of thinking is what led much of the Hudson Valley to be plundered for centuries. In the 19th century, the region became an industrial hub, with forests cut down to make way for farms and, above all, to burn as much wood as possible to fuel factories operating 24 hours a day. A visit to Taconic State Park and the ruins of its Iron Works Museum offers a vivid picture of this extractive past.
But the damage didn’t stop in the 19th century. In the 20th century, the Hudson River turned into an industrial sewer. Without proper regulations, factories dumped chemical waste directly into its waters, causing such severe pollution that swimming and fishing became impossible. This extractive mindset—viewing ourselves as separate from or above the rest of life on Earth—is undeniably harmful, not only to the environment, animals, and plants, but also to ourselves.
Another way to see our place in the world is not as owners of the planet, but as one part of its intricate machinery, as a piece of a greater balance. This worldview is shared by many cultures we learn less about in school—like the Iroquois with their Seventh Generation Principle, or the Quechua and Aymara peoples of the Andes, among many others across the Americas, as well as Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism and Taoism. As intelligent beings, we can help build a world where everyone can thrive. Or we can continue to destroy it, as we’ve been doing—fully aware that we are also destroying ourselves. We are not immune.
Climate change is an undeniable reality. In recent decades, global temperatures have risen since the pre-industrial era, bringing more frequent and devastating heatwaves, hurricanes, and droughts. In 2023, climate-related disasters in the U.S. caused over $165 billion in damages and claimed hundreds of lives. According to a UN report, over one million species are at risk of extinction due to human activity—not to mention the thousands already extinct. Air pollution alone causes around seven million premature deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These facts remind us that the harm we cause the planet also affects us directly. Yes, we truly are just one part of the larger mechanism.
Fortunately, the Hudson’s story proves that regeneration is possible. Thanks to decades of activism and the work of organizations like Riverkeeper, and individuals like musician and environmentalist Pete Seeger, the river has largely been cleaned up. In 2019, the EPA declared that most of the PCB cleanup was complete, though challenges remain. Today, entire communities rely on the Hudson for drinking water—a testament to the power of collective action. Forests have also regrown in the Hudson Valley thanks to reforestation programs and trees planted one by one by hard-working hands.
These examples show that we can, in fact, reverse some of the damage caused by our hyper-consumerist, plastic- and fossil-fuel-hungry society. But doing so requires us to roll up our sleeves and work—individually and collectively. Good intentions alone are not enough. While governments change hands and priorities, we still have both the responsibility and the power to care for this planet—our one known home—and make it a place where everyone can live with dignity.
When we say we must take care of the environment, we are talking about a verb: a concrete and continuous action.
And you, how do you see your place in the world?Mariel Fiori
Translated from Spanish by Nohan Meza
COPYRIGHT 2025
La Voz, Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle de Hudson
This way of thinking is what led much of the Hudson Valley to be plundered for centuries. In the 19th century, the region became an industrial hub, with forests cut down to make way for farms and, above all, to burn as much wood as possible to fuel factories operating 24 hours a day. A visit to Taconic State Park and the ruins of its Iron Works Museum offers a vivid picture of this extractive past.
But the damage didn’t stop in the 19th century. In the 20th century, the Hudson River turned into an industrial sewer. Without proper regulations, factories dumped chemical waste directly into its waters, causing such severe pollution that swimming and fishing became impossible. This extractive mindset—viewing ourselves as separate from or above the rest of life on Earth—is undeniably harmful, not only to the environment, animals, and plants, but also to ourselves.
Another way to see our place in the world is not as owners of the planet, but as one part of its intricate machinery, as a piece of a greater balance. This worldview is shared by many cultures we learn less about in school—like the Iroquois with their Seventh Generation Principle, or the Quechua and Aymara peoples of the Andes, among many others across the Americas, as well as Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism and Taoism. As intelligent beings, we can help build a world where everyone can thrive. Or we can continue to destroy it, as we’ve been doing—fully aware that we are also destroying ourselves. We are not immune.
Climate change is an undeniable reality. In recent decades, global temperatures have risen since the pre-industrial era, bringing more frequent and devastating heatwaves, hurricanes, and droughts. In 2023, climate-related disasters in the U.S. caused over $165 billion in damages and claimed hundreds of lives. According to a UN report, over one million species are at risk of extinction due to human activity—not to mention the thousands already extinct. Air pollution alone causes around seven million premature deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These facts remind us that the harm we cause the planet also affects us directly. Yes, we truly are just one part of the larger mechanism.
Fortunately, the Hudson’s story proves that regeneration is possible. Thanks to decades of activism and the work of organizations like Riverkeeper, and individuals like musician and environmentalist Pete Seeger, the river has largely been cleaned up. In 2019, the EPA declared that most of the PCB cleanup was complete, though challenges remain. Today, entire communities rely on the Hudson for drinking water—a testament to the power of collective action. Forests have also regrown in the Hudson Valley thanks to reforestation programs and trees planted one by one by hard-working hands.
These examples show that we can, in fact, reverse some of the damage caused by our hyper-consumerist, plastic- and fossil-fuel-hungry society. But doing so requires us to roll up our sleeves and work—individually and collectively. Good intentions alone are not enough. While governments change hands and priorities, we still have both the responsibility and the power to care for this planet—our one known home—and make it a place where everyone can live with dignity.
When we say we must take care of the environment, we are talking about a verb: a concrete and continuous action.
And you, how do you see your place in the world?
Mariel Fiori
Managing Editor
Translated from Spanish by Nohan Meza
COPYRIGHT 2025
La Voz, Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle de Hudson
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