​​​​​​Because humor is funnier when you know it's true.

Young conservationists

Back in our early teen years, my friends and I loved to fish. But we were twerps who complained about the three mile roundtrip bike ride we had to make to fish the nearest lake. And if we were lucky enough to catch fish, we’d complain about the long uphill ride back, carrying both our gear and the fish. Yes, we were spoiled brats. 

There was a large pond in the nearby woods that was much closer and more convenient to fish. Convenient, that is, if only that pond contained fish. So we came up with what we thought was a brilliant idea. We could catch fish in the distant lake and cart them to stock the nearby pond. Over time, those fish would breed and create a great local and sustainable fishing hole, with no bike riding required! We had ourselves a spring and summer project. 

Now we were fishing the lake with zeal. Each time we caught a half dozen or so sunfish or perch, we would load them into water-filled buckets and balance the buckets on our handlebars to prevent spilling the fish, while vigorously pedaling up the steep hill back home. But we were no longer complaining. We had a larger purpose. 

Once we got home with the fish, we had to walk with our buckets about a quarter mile up over a mountain to reach the pond. We’d dump the fish into the pond, head back down the mountain, and start the cycle all over again. It was a labor of love. 

After multiple fishing/stocking trips, we had probably contributed several dozen fish to the pond, and were able to take a break for the rest of the summer. The fish needed a chance to adapt to their new environment. We also decided to hold off on any pond fishing until at least the following spring.