Are environmental issues important to you? Why? What do you do to protect the environment?

The issues of the environment are very important to me. Some of my reasons are personal and others are directed towards the balance of the planet. In my life I have seen beautiful places in North America. Traveling as far east as Louisiana to Montana, and as far south as Mexico, there are many other places I would love to see. These different landscapes have their own unique beauty about them. Someday I hope that my children and grandchildren are able to enjoy such sights as I have.
A specific memory pops into my mind when I think about the environmental issues at hand. One day I was in Yosemite National Park working when a car passed with a bumper sticker that said, "Daddy what is a forest?" Now this might be a little extreme for some people, but with the way land is being purchased, timber being harvested, and houses being built, I think that this quote is becoming more realistic as the days pass.
My point is that in the future urban areas will cover the landscapes that we are able to enjoy now. Our children and the generations beyond theirs will not have the same outlook on the planet as my generation and the generations past. This frustrates me, mainly because of the damage to the planet we inflict on it. The industrial and technological industries have played a huge part in the decay of the planet.
In my mind, some of the ways I protect the environment was fighting fires for over 4 years. To me firefighting is a double edge sword when it comes to protecting the environment. Plants and animals are saved from mortality, but on the other hand fire is natures way of cleaning up. Insect invasion on forest leave trees dead or weaken, same with the impact that winter has on a forest. When trees become diseased or dead, fire will consume the dried fuels, and in the process stimulates roots and pine cones that use the heat in order to start the germinating process of some trees. Some of the other methods I use to protect the environment are recycling, I also drive a car that has great gas mileage, I smog my car so the the pollutants omitted into the atmosphere are minimal. My house is an energy efficient house by P.G.and E standards. I am looking into installing solar panels on my house so that I do not have to rely on natural gases as much, this will also allow me to conserve more energy in the long run. I am always looking for new and innovative ways to become more energy efficient, as well educating others on the different ways to become more efficient.