“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
As a child, nature was my playground and her creatures were my playmates. Watching my new friends in action just captivated me: how ants unite to build a mound; the multiple legs of a caterpillar moving in sync to climb a branch; an earthworm working its way through the dirt; and the unique patterns of ladybugs resting on a leaf. To the disgust of my mum, I would bring my new little friends home, stuffing my pockets full of leaves, worms, and other bugs…they don't call me "Robin" for nothing. In my four-year-old mind, I was rescuing my new friends and wanted to share these observations with my parents, not realizing I had kidnapped them from their habitat. My aspirations to share my environmental encounters nurtured my passion for sustainability.
Nature was not just a playground or a friend, nature became my mentor. Through her, I learned about observation, teamwork, collaboration, perseverance, patience, and diversity. Lessons we have all learned in business school, lessons that are executed every day in the environment around us. Nature is so simple, yet mysteriously complicated. She is always there for us; however, we take her for granted every day. My goal is to reconnect people with nature and foster the next generation of environmental stewards. I want my kids to put leaves in their pockets, have dirt under their fingernails from playing in the soil, and, for them, to be the next apprentices of Nature.
Nature was not just a playground or a friend, nature became my mentor. Through her, I learned about observation, teamwork, collaboration, perseverance, patience, and diversity. Lessons we have all learned in business school, lessons that are executed every day in the environment around us. Nature is so simple, yet mysteriously complicated. She is always there for us; however, we take her for granted every day. My goal is to reconnect people with nature and foster the next generation of environmental stewards. I want my kids to put leaves in their pockets, have dirt under their fingernails from playing in the soil, and, for them, to be the next apprentices of Nature.
— Robyn Tsukayama