As we realized that we could afford in both time and money to spend the winter somewhere else, I began to wonder if we were actually being too indulgent, too wasteful to be snow birds. Then, I finally looked at the issue of the National Geographic about Great Migrations. Even while looking at the article and the accompanying map, I was still uninterested. So large herds of African wildebeest run from here to there. So what? Then, I turned the map over. I was struck by the variety of animals who have a migration built into their life cycle. Eighteen sorts of animals are listed, scattered over 8 classes of birds, mammals, fish, microorganisms, crustacean, reptiles, amphibians and insects. They have clearly been doing migrations for a long time and it they aren't green and earth-friendly, what is?
So, I conclude that traveling to warmer places for winter, where I can and do exercise more consistently and safely, is ok.
I don't look at the National Geographic very often but each time I do break it out of the plastic mailer and look through it, I am glad I did. It is a publication that certainly opens my eyes and broadens my horizons, scientifically as well as geographically. The organization is much more than just a magazine. Among many other things, they are the source of the Genographic Project that got me to thinking that whether my ancestor in 9000 BC was a jerk or a king is a short-range question when we are all cousins and all ex-Africans, going back millions of years.
I did take the trouble to set the Migrations issue aside, along with the eye-opening graphic on migrations that came with it. Today, I got an email from National Geographic reminding me that their program on Great Migrations starts today. It says on the cover that it will be at 8 PM, with no time zone given. In my area, it is at 7 - 9 to be rebroadcast, immediately following. The first two episodes of out of seven in all are called "Born to Move" and "Need to Breed".
Turns out we snow birds are hip to nature, too!
