Is it Leather writes on LinkedIn: Nature has a cycle to it. It’s well-planned, sustainable and quite beautiful. Credit it to science or a deity, there is no denying this planet was built to keep itself going if we let it.

That is why a responsible reliance on natural materials is so important to us all. Mother Nature gives us a head start by providing some of the strongest, durable and sustainable materials ever created as a part of the natural circularity the earth relies on.

Leave it to humans to feed our needs blindly and overuse and destroy the simple sustainable gifts the earth provides. Our existence is indeed a hindrance to the natural ecosystems of the world. But there is a toughness the Earth possesses that lets us find our way. Even though over the ages we have beaten up many of our natural ecosystems, they have bent, not broken. Waiting for us to catch up.

And luckily, in the recent century, humans have embraced these issues much more closely and have made sustainability and ecological protection a much higher priority. We have studied, learned and implemented some incredible changes to the way we interact with the earth over the last hundred years. And implementing activities like deforestation initiatives and regenerative farming techniques are proof that we keep evolving toward practices that are good for the planet.

One of the greatest natural resources at hand is cattle. Not only do they feed us, but they provide natural, degradable materials that clothe us in real leather, heal us and protect us. Almost everything but the “moo” is used from beef cattle, a truly amazing resource rich animal that is an intricate part of “the circle of life.”

Admittedly, there are some issues in the cattle raising process that cause concern. We hear a lot of noise in the system from anti-beefers about negative issues in cattle rearing. Most of these stories seep out from beneath political agendas, but where there are true issues, the industry is making strong efforts at correction.

Take the story of White Oak Pastures in Georgia, where the owners of this family-owned farm have worked over 20 years turning it from an industrial farm to a regenerative farm, where they actually offset more carbon than they produce. It’s a wonderful story that is getting a lot of traction and was the subject of a Joe Rogan experience podcast (see link in the comments).

There are many other examples of ranchers and farmers studying the land, their processes and finding new and exciting ways to not only protect but revitalize the land we use. These efforts need to be lifted up, highlighted and encouraged. These people are true environmentalists, using what nature has provided to benefit the needs of humanity while making sure we respect and replace all that we use.

This is the amazing cycle of sustainability that the earth provides us with – kudos to those working hard to honor it.