John Muir, the First Earth Champion

John Muir’s workplace accident drove him to become our first “earth champion,” and founder of the Sierra Club.  

Muir was 29 years old at the time of the injury and lost sight in his eye for several days.  When his vision returned, Muir made a life-altering decision for himself: he quit his job at the factory, telling friends and family he was walking from Indianapolis to the Gulf as the start of his new life of “studying God’s inventions.”  For his thousand mile path he chose “the least trodden” way.

Muir, First Earth Champion

After arriving in Florida, Muir purchased a berth on a ship sailing to California.  Later, on a lengthy hike through Yosemite Valley, Muir knew he had found a special place and his mission in life: to speak out for the preservation of wilderness.  He went on to form the Sierra Club, modeling it after the Appalachian Mountain Club in the east.

Muir, like Thoreau and Emerson, sensed that saving forests was not only important to the environment but also to our spiritual selves.  “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people,” he wrote, “are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home: that wilderness is a necessity. Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give to body and soul alike.”

In 1903 Muir went on a three night camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt.  This trek helped convince the president that Federal action was needed to preserve special places, such as the Mariposa grove of giant sequoias, later to be expanded to Yosemite National Park.  Roosevelt then went on to create and protect dozens more parks, bird sanctuaries and wildlife refuges.

Muir was Right!

Modern day studies bear out the truth of Muir’s beliefs and his passion. For instance, one National Institute of Health report states: “We found evidence for associations between nature exposure and improved cognitive function, brain activity, blood pressure, mental health, physical activity and sleep.”   Those improvements mentioned are exactly the areas we seniors need to focus on!

I first read about Muir when I was 23 years old and the proud owner of ram shackled cabin I had bought in Northern Vermont.  Having read about all the famous mountain men, it was John Muir who caught my full attention for his efforts to save wild places for all of us to enjoy.  Muir is the person who prompted me not to post my land.  I wanted others to enjoy it and also give my time to organizations to preserve and protect open spaces. (I still own that tiny cabin 48 years later!)

The writings of Muir, and others of the same mindset, have encouraged me to get my exercise outside, preferably in a quiet area, rather than join a health club. I split my year between Florida and New England, and in each area I have my own little Yosemite – winding trails through the woods where few others go.  I make a point to never where headphones for music when I walk or bicycle, but instead let my mind roam totally free.  Give it a try!

Michael Tougias is a NY Times Bestselling Author of 30 books for adults and 9 for middle readers.  There’s A Porcupine In My Outhouse: The Misadventures of Mountain Man Wannabe is one of Michael Tougias’ many books.  His latest is In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival and Courage. (www.michaeltougias.com)