Natural Preservatives

Nature is a fascinating commodity to me. And I do use the word "commodity" by design since it is an innately valueless device whose monetary value increases only at the same rate of its commercial viability.

This is partially incorrect in that it's not wholly valueless. Rather, its unfettered beauty is incompatible with any price tag; the search, however, to participate in and observe its unfettered beauty can, and often does, incorporate a price tag.

In this, Nature and Capitalism seem to be natural enemies; they are, however, unwitting accomplices to governments that ensure natural environments remain free from mankind's inevitable intrusion and alteration while allowing a maximum number of participants to engage with this inherent beauty.

Next month, a skywalk will open over the Grand Canyon. It differs from traditional observatory points in that instead of peeking over the ledge, visitors will walk over a suspended platform 4,000 feet above the canyon's floor. To put this height in perspective, it is more than 3 times as tall as the Empire State Building.

Much of the platform is composed of glass thick enough to support over 70 million pounds, winds of over 100 miles per hour from eight different directions, and an earthquake of a magnitude of 8.0.

The skywalk will be on land owned by the Hualapai tribe. The tribe, like all other Indian tribes, was stripped of all other capitalistic opportunities, save one: tourism.

I have mixed emotions about this particular project, however.

Constructing this sort of spectacle will certainly increase car traffic and all its ailments that follow to this area.

However, constructing this sort of spectacle will also certainly increase appreciation for nature and the various ancient civilizations that originally owned this land.

That alone is worth the $25 price of admission.