Whales ♥ NY

And the feeling is mutual.

Today's story provides some good news about improving conditions along the East Coast and the opportunities for people to benefit from a connection with the environment.

The story, which comes from the New York Daily News, reports on the growing number of whales returning to the waters off New York. As the story notes, it looks like this return coincides with improving water conditions offshore. Watch the video below.



I found a lot of things to like about this story. First, although the video doesn't list the different species of whales that are visiting the Big Apple, the species include blue and fin whales. These are two of my favorite animals, and the blue is the largest living animal while the fin is the second largest.

Above all, the story spotlights the importance of people's relationship with the environment. Human actions led to the drop in water quality in the first place, and changes in behavior helped improve it. However, I am most struck by Tom Paladino's reaction to the whales' return. Clearly, he is excited to be so close to the animals, and this offers a glimpse into the positive impact a firmly established connection with the environment can have. In addition, the fact that he has been able to operate a whale-watching business indicates that a lot of people in New York share his feelings and the need to connect more with nature.

If this is happening in our largest city, perhaps we can all find ways of improving and strengthening our relationship with the environment. In return, the environment might help us rediscover a lot of things we've forgotten to miss.