By: Kandjengo kaMkwaanyoka

 

Every evening, I wrestle with the urge to grab a broom and swat away the spider dangling from my room’s ceiling.

It’s a struggle born of fear; fear of spiders and other bugs that have haunted me since childhood. Growing up, it was ingrained in me to eradicate any insect or small creature I encountered, a misguided rite of passage tied to notions of hunting and bravado.

Though my expertise lies not in ecology but in economics, I consider myself a welfare economist.

As I delve into the interactions between economic agents and their relentless pursuit of raw materials from the environment, my appreciation for nature deepens.

Nature is a precious gift, offering myriad benefits beyond mere resource supply.

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