Note: While not related to water conservation, I wanted to explore another topic concerning the environment as well as animal rights, while maintaining some connection with our goal for our project.

Although I cannot recall the exact age I was, I do know I was in elementary school when it was my first and only visit to SeaWorld. Nothing remarkable happened that immediately comes to mind, with the exception of the humid air lingering over the packed arena like a thin sheet of smoke over a burning building, or how my mother shielded her face with her sun hat when an orca, aka “killer whale”, was splashing the contents of its tank towards the park goers seated in the front rows. (No, my family and I weren’t that close, but we could feel faint droplets misting our cheeks).

The entire day was filled with attending many shows and eating the typical lunches you’d usually find in a park like this, such as chicken fingers and French fries accompanied by drinks in lidless cups. From a small child’s eyes, it almost appeared as though there was a type of kinship between sea mammals and their human performers. After all, when you’re so little, the only thing that matters is you’re entertained, right?

While I can agree with the above statement, I can say that my views have shifted, as I grew older. That is, my original conceptions of how animals were treated in order to get that perfect flip or image of cooperation. In fact, it seems like a complicated matter considering I feel as if I should be looking out more for our furry, scaled, and feathered friends we coexist with. While I see this as a valid argument, it still contradicts with my lifestyle as one who is not vegetarian nor vegan.

I have not visited SeaWorld or even a zoo since and hopefully I can cultivate a better understanding of what my position is.