There are no small things...

There is a harmony in nature -- the birds, the animals, the flora -- all seem to live with and for one another. Even the pesky insects are a great part of the overall picture of life.
It seems strange that we humans sit at the top of the natural food chain and yet often fail to see our connection to nature and our role in the grand picture. We seem much more intent on ruling over everything than in being a part of it all. 

I'm not much of an environmentalist and I'm a pretty poor philosopher. This morning I'm just an observer and wondering about the ways of the small slice of nature that I see. I hear the highway noise in the background and marvel at the advances of humans and the price we have paid for those advances and wonder what would happen if some things changed.

Think about this -- 
I am sipping coffee that was grown in Ethiopia. It was likely harvested by hand, processed in a simple mill and dried on a concrete slab. Somehow, by sea or by air, it made its way halfway around the world to a roaster in the US. From there it was roasted, bagged and shipped (by truck) to a grocery store where I purchased it. The impact to the world economy and to the environment was quite significant when you consider that it literally costs me cents per cup of this life giving nectar. 
How is that possible?
And what happens if we (in the US) decide to stop drinking coffee?
How is the environment impacted with no shipping or moving of the freight? 
What happens to the farmers that lose their US market?
What happens to the commodity dealers that trade and profit from the sale of coffee?
And how do millions of Americans start their day since coffee only grows in tropical regions?

It is weird where my mind goes when I examine the impact of simple actions. We're going to add to our carbon footprint today as we hop across the state to visit family. Mobility has separated families by greater distances and staying connected has greater costs and effects than it once had. I've become more aware of the impact that seemingly small things have on the world around me.

It seems that there are no small things.

Hmmm...

John