Concrete, Billboards, and Lizards
This week I’ve been thinking a lot about habitats for both people and animals. For people, I’ve been thinking about my city, Inglewood. Every time I look up, there’s a new digital billboard assaulting my eyes and mental health. Recently, Inglewood added smaller, curved billboards along the street’s center median. I hate that I am constantly bombarded by advertisements on screens without my consent. Even worse, the city is removing our trees to install these billboards. Fewer trees mean higher temperatures, poorer air quality, and worse mental health for residents. This only exacerbates the issues created by Inglewood becoming “Stadium City.” First SoFi, then the Clippers Arena. These areas could be designated as green or community spaces, which Inglewood is desperately lacking.
You may be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with lizards?”
Although lizards may not look at billboards, they are just as impacted by the excessive development.
I went to my office kitchen for a morning snack and saw some lizard-shaped lint under the table. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a freshly hatched western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis. It was about the size of my pinky. I caught it to release it outside. Can you #FindThatLizard?!
Thinking about it now, I should’ve given the area I was releasing the hatchling more consideration. My job has a beautiful garden area. However, I stepped out to the courtyard adjacent to the kitchen. This courtyard is completely concrete except for a small rock-filled area. Opposite to that, a medium-sized raised bed. However, in my defense, if the lizard made it over the wall, it would find itself in a nice external garden.
As I was releasing the lizard, it hopped from my arm and onto the concrete. It was trapped between me, the concrete wall of the planter, and two planters.
As I watched that lizard struggle to find a place to shelter on the concrete, an important part of any habitat, I thought about how one day most of our natural spaces could be paved over like this if we as a society prioritize development without co-creating with nature.
Inglewood is getting closer and closer to this reality every day. Both people and lizards will continue to experience negative outcomes if things don’t change.
I don’t have any immediate solutions, but I do know that I want to get more involved with what’s happening in my neighborhood. I'll be looking for ways I can do that. Change doesn’t happen overnight, and I am sure there are already people doing the work. I just need to join them.
Let me know if you #FoundThatLizard in the comments.
