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Regional is the New Global

Regional is the New Global

I have a long and ever-expanding life list of places to go for outdoor adventure: the Galapagos Islands, Bhutan, a big wall at Yosemite, etc. But I’m learning, just as you are, that the resources it takes to go to these places gives me bad carbon karma. And I already know how pricey it’s getting to travel long distances, especially now that gas and diesel costs have hit $4 a gallon.

But I’ve got a solution to these problems tied up into one tidy cliché: Regional is the New Global. I’m really just putting another name to a trend that’s already occurring: local economies, 100-mile diets and so on. And to tell you the truth, I’m proud that Get Out! is promoting regionalism over globalization.

Every time you visit someplace close to home, you have more time to spend once you’re there. You support that local economy. You don’t spend all your money on transportation and you use less petroleum. You can get to know the people and place by going back again and again. You know that you aren’t skirting labor or environmental regulations while enjoying a beautiful place.

I’m also making an effort to get to know my region better. I’m learning to identify more wildflowers and birds, I’m finding out about which events and festivals are the most fun to attend, I’m finding when the fall colors are at their height.

From my home in Athens, OH, I can be in the Hocking Hills, OH, in 40 minutes; at the New River Gorge, WV, in two and a half hours; in Ohiopyle, PA, in three hours; at the Red River Gorge, KY, in about four. And these are some of the most beautiful places that exist, especially now during springtime.

So now I’m re-creating my life list to include some pretty amazing places I’ve never been to, but are close to home: Laurel Highlands Trail, PA; Land Between the Lakes, KY; Garden of the Gods, IL, Otter Creek Wilderness, WV. And I’m checking the Get Out! events calendar to learn about some pretty cool events, like the Morel Mushroom Festival at Brown County State Park, IN.

What are your favorite places in the Ohio River watershed? You can submit your own prose, poetry art and photos and I’ll post them to Get Out! under Your Special Place. Check out some of these readers’ submissions and click on the contribute button at the top of the page: http://www.getoutzine.com/your_special_place

For the wild,

Mary

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