I am Not a Tree Hugger #6

After reading this selection, I guess that I could be considered a biophobic.  I really do not enjoy "the great outdoors."  I hate getting sweaty and dirty unless it involves playing a sport, I don't like bugs, and walking through any kind of plants usually makes me itchy (even if it is just unmaintained grass).  I feel much more comfortable walking the pavement of a big city and enjoying an overpriced cup of coffee while people watching.  I enjoy nice cars and beautiful houses almost as much as I enjoy designer heels. There is nothing really natural about these things other than the leather that potentially contributes to their creation.
Despite my great protesting, I was forced out into nature when I was younger as my brother was part of the Boy Scouts of America.  I went on family camping trips, I slept on the ground, I cooked over an open fire, I kayaked; I was miserable! There was no amount of bug spray that would make that situation enjoyable for me.  I often spent the whole time staring at what I liked to call tree huggers, but this reading has provided me with a more proper name for these people.  I just could not seem to understand how the biophilliacs could be so in tune with nature and embrace it so openly.  The only thing that I gained from the experiences was the ability to use a bow and arrow.
My roommate on the other hand fits in with that group rather well.  She enjoys hiking, biking, and all of the other general outdoorsy experiences.  She likes fishing, and while her family does eat some of them, she often names them before throwing them back.
As I read along, and looked at the life she leads, I realized that I can find a happy medium between the two extremes described in the article.  There is no need for me to despise the outdoors the way that I do but I could also learn to coexist with the world around me and respect nature.  While I realize this is silly, I actually didn't squish an ant today just because I wanted to be that much more environmentally conscious.