I’d like to make a plea to everyone who lives in La Plata County. Look down the road 10, 15, 20 years. What kind of place do you want to live, or your children live?
This area has long been a haven, with open spaces, clean air, abundant wildlife and a slower place of life that creates peace and tolerance. We need to support our farmers and ranchers. They perpetuate this lifestyle while feeding the world.
We also need to recognize that our personal rights come with great responsibilities. I recently traveled to an area that once, only a few short years ago, was a wonderful place to live, but is now a nightmare. The roads are packed to parking lot status. The mountains are pock-marked with roads and trophy homes. The few creatures that still attempt to live with man are smeared across the six-lane highways. You can gaze through the smog at angry and impatient residents.
This will be our future if we don’t plan wisely. Our area is semi-arid and can only reasonably sustain so many people. Water is critical for all life. With every large-scale “development” that is approved, we move closer to the above-described living situation.
While a select few experience financial gain, the quality of life is diminished for all. Bigger is not always better. A smaller piece of the same pie is what we get when we constantly want more and fail to be content or appreciate all that we have. And what we have now is irreplaceable. Once gone, it is gone and we become just one more congested, polluted place.
Please, let’s all be wise stewards of what god has blessed us with and protect and preserve our wonderful way of life for our kids, grandkids and all the creatures who call La Plata County home.
Di Stransky
Durango
