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One of my favorite things about Albuquerque is all the different places to get out - by myself or with some of you - and enjoy nature. It is, of course, no coincidence that annual celebrations like Earth Day and Arbor Day occur in April when the world is emerging from its winter hibernation (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). They focus our attention on the environment, and remind us of our fundamental connection to the rest of the natural world. As did our speaker in April, Dr. Matthew Campen. His presentation of his research into nanoplastics in the human body, reveals how our impacts on the environment ultimately impact us. Environmentalism is, appropriately, one of the Ten Commitments of Humanism. As humans we are part of, are linked to every other part of the ecosystem we live in. We were not placed here as caretakers, as some traditions would have it. Like every living thing around us, we are the product of billions of years of evolution. Our distinguishing adaptation, our big brains, have given us the capacity to shape our world in profound ways, and also understand the world and our place in it. As the great poet said, with great power comes great responsibility. As humanists, we can be the voice of that responsibility. If you missed it, or want to see it again, you can see Dr. Campen’s presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/@humanistsNM You can find the Ten Commitments discussed here: https://americanhumanistcenterforeducation.org/ten-commitments Paul Babb is starting a new Special Interest Group in May. See the article in this newsletter if you’re interested in exploring topics in neuroscience. And if you’d like to get some other humanists together to do something on a regular basis - read books, maybe of a specific genre; talk about particular topics; go see movies, plays, concerts or lectures; play board games or pickleball or something else - consider starting a Special Interest Group. Contact me (pete@HumanistsNM.org) or Paul (paul@HumanistsNM.org) or any other board member, and we’ll be happy to help you get started. Be well! Pete Dickinson President |