Good morning, and welcome to the Indy Environment newsletter. I’m Amy Alonzo, the environment reporter for The Indy.
What makes something worth saving? Is it age? Sentimental value? Cultural significance?
Everyone has something that holds a special place in their heart — old photographs, jewelry from a significant other, a childhood stuffed animal. For me, it’s old pieces of rock climbing gear that are no longer made, reminders of athletic accomplishments from 20 years ago. Sometimes, I still use them, but other pieces of equipment hang in my garage as sentimental tokens, replaced by more modern pieces of gear. Even though I don’t use them, I can’t stand to part with them.
Holding on to sentimental belongings at home is one thing — saving old, sometimes decaying, buildings and towns at the regional and state levels is much more complicated. It requires more than a corner of a one-car garage — it needs funding and buy-in from residents, developers and lawmakers. Preservation of intangible items such as dark skies and native languages is even trickier.