Family Environmental History
February 18, 2026 By: T00736087
When I think about my family’s environmental history, I can clearly see a movement from a life that was centred on nature to an urban or much modernized life, and then to my own generation that is trying to reconnect with the environment in a more conscious way. Looking at my grandparents, my parents, and myself shows how different environments shape not only daily life but also values, habits, and our relationship with natural resources especially with a world that is continuously evolving.
My grandparents grew up in Pangasinan, a province in the Philippines defined by its vast rice fields and closeness to the Lingayen Gulf. Their livelihood depended directly on the land. They farmed palay (rice) and mangoes which are famous in Pangasinan. They also raised livestock such as chickens, pigs, and goats in their farmland. This meant that food was not something they just bought from a grocery store; it was something produced through physical labour and knowledge of nature. Water was collected from the ground using a manual poso (pump) and cooked their meals on a kalan, a traditional wood-burning stove fueled by branches they gathered from nearby Ipil-ipil trees. Through these acts, it showed their life where natural resources were not hidden or taken for granted. Every task required effort and awareness of the environment as their relationship with nature was not recreational but for survival.
In contrast, my parents grew up in Manila, Philippines which represents a shift to a more urban and industrial environment. Unlike my grandparents, they did not depend on farming or raising animals for their livelihood. Their professions as a nurse and an engineer which reflects a modern, city-based economy where survival is no longer directly tied to the land or nature but more so to education and specialized work. However, even in an urban setting, they still practiced environmental awareness in small but meaningful ways. They reused plastic bags, conserved electricity, used public transportation, harvested rainwater, and air-dried clothes instead of using a dryer. These practices show a transition from a survival-based relationship with nature to a conservation-based one. They were not producing resources themselves, but they were aware that resources were limited and needed to be managed thoughtfully and with care.
As for my own experience, growing up in Parañaque, Philippines shows another stage in this environmental history. I was raised in a subdivision surrounded by malls and urban buildings, far from the direct production of food and water. Flooding during storms is one of the clearest ways I experience the environment in the city. It reminds me that even in a really developed area, natural systems still affect our lives. But despite growing up in an urban environment, I still feel a strong connection to nature. I enjoy seeing trees and forests and going on hikes because they allow me to experience a different kind of environment from my everyday surroundings. Seeing deforestation and industrialization saddens me because it feels like something important is being lost. Unlike my grandparents, I do not depend on nature for survival, but I feel a moral responsibility to protect it. I believe that we are stewards of the environment because we benefit from it, even if we are not always aware of that dependence.
Social class and education also play an important role in this environmental history. My grandparents’ rural life needed physical labour and direct interaction with the land, while my parents’ education allowed them to move into urban professions that provided more economic stability. As a student in the present generation, my relationship with the environment is shaped not by survival or economic necessity but by awareness and choice. Environmental concern for me is connected to ideas about sustainability, climate change, and the future.
Gender and generational identity also influence how I relate to the environment. As part of Gen Z, I grew up in a time where environmental issues are constantly discussed online and in school. This makes me more conscious of global environmental problems compared to previous generations, even if my daily lifestyle is more urban and technology-based.
In the future, I want to be closer and more sustainable with the environment. I may still live in a city, but I hope it will be a greener one, with more trees, and access to nature. I also want to practice more environmentally responsible habits, decisions, and support efforts that protect forests and natural ecosystems.
Looking at my family’s environmental history shows a clear transformation from direct dependence on the land, to urban resource conservation, to environmental awareness and stewardship. Each generation experienced a different environment, and those environments influenced how we think about nature today. Understanding this makes me realize that my values did not appear suddenly, they are part of a longer history that connects me to both the rural and urban ways of life.