Category Archives: Animals

Animals, Kindness, Leadership

Some Good News

Geese

One day I was walking home from work and was feeling the heat, it was 96 degrees Fahrenheit.  As I continued on my path past the park I was carefully looking for the geese and their goslings.  Based on my previous sightings, I knew there were at least two pairs of parents and six goslings.  I was concerned about them becoming dehydrated or burning their webbed feet on the black asphalt.  After a few minutes I was relieved to see four goslings sitting right next to the lower basin of the park water fountain with their parents protectively watching them.  I made sure the basin was filled with some fresh water and then turned around to discover someone had left a container filled with water in the middle of the walkway.  There were the other two goslings and their parents.  What a relief.  I felt so happy that I was not the only one thinking of the animals.  And I even had a renewed sense of humanity’s goodness.

I took a photo of the goslings next to the fountain while one of them was staring up at me.  Hopefully, you like it.  Animals are so much like us; they need water and food, and a safe place to live.  With that in mind, I thank you for making the world a better place by your actions, and for taking care of the animal kingdom.  Our actions, be they little or big, make such a difference.  And I am betting you feel really good when you do something for someone or something outside of yourself.

Animals, Children, Leadership

President Donald Trump versus President John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy

Today President Trump decided to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord.  He did so because he believes that the accord imposes “draconian financial” and other burdens on the country and because he believes it would “kill jobs” and cause lost revenues.  When I heard him speak I was greatly saddened.  He said he is fulfilling his “solemn duty to protect America and its citizens”.  He is not protecting us; in fact, his decision puts all of us at great risk!  Proven scientific evidence is clear, climate change is real and climate related disasters are occurring at every turn.

Trump’s decision has caused angst among Republicans, Democrats, members of his own staff, global leaders, corporate heads, and families.  So I shall repeat the words of President John F. Kennedy, ”ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”  Each one of us must stand up and do what is right for children and animals.  We must reduce our carbon footprints.  We must call our elected officials and urge them to support wind and solar energy.  We must be leaders in our own way and help protect the very planet we call home.  As I have said before, I urge you to make a positive difference in the world.  Time is of the essence.

Animals, Children, Climate Change, Leadership

Don’t Miss Your Chance

Child being examined by juvenile kangaroo

Hello Everyone.  Please don’t miss your chance to stand up in support of science and the environment.

This year there are two important marches.  The “March for Science” will be held on April 22nd which is Earth Day, and the “People’s Climate March” will be held on April 29th.  The marches will be in Washington, DC and there will be sister marches across the United States and in the rest of the world.

Remember, children and animals are counting on you!

For more information please click on the links below or get in touch with your local community organizers.  Thank you.

https://www.marchforscience.com/

https://peoplesclimate.org/

Animals, Leadership

Blue Feet and Coming Together?

Booty Birds

As many of you know, we live in interesting times.  In the United States, and in Europe, there are deep divisions in society and people are either strongly against or strongly for certain politicians.  Nationalism, anger, fear, and distrust are evident and so is great despair.  Yet there is also courage being shown by numerous women and men, and a sense of faith that we can heal the rifts which divide us.

Let us come together.  Let us not be torn apart by hated.  We need to protect and harbor one another.  We also need to protect our air, our land, our water and our wildlife.  Let us not be distracted by illusion and destruction.  Let us hold steadfast in this critical time.  Let us stand up for justice and peace.  Let us protect this beautiful Earth and all of its inhabitants.

May you be reminded of each person’s and each animal’s uniqueness as you look at the photo of these two booty birds with their blue feet.  Let your voice be heard today.  There is courage and consequence even in the smallest positive action.  I believe in a livable future for our children and the animals of this world.  I believe in positive change.  And I believe in you.

Animals, Forests, Orangutans

I Bet You Did Not Know You Can Help Save This

Please watch this video and see what you can save.  Simply by looking at a product label and choosing not to buy snack foods (cookies, chips, peanut butter, etc.) or beauty products made with palm oil, you can help save orangutans and many other precious forest creatures.  Thank you!

Animals, Children, Life, Nature

This New Year

As we enter this new year may we enter it with grace and courage.  And may we enter it in good health and with hearts full of compassion.  So much has changed and happened in these last months and years.  I see it in myself, I see it in others, I see it in the world, and I see it in nature.  This much is obvious, change spares no one or no thing.

My vision is that we come together to mend our differences and see things through another person’s eyes.  My vision is that we treat each other with kindness and without cruelty.  My vision is that we all live in peace and without violence.  Greater it is to uplift one another rather than tear one another apart.  Climate change and the destruction of nature and its precious habitat is one of our supreme challenges.  We can mitigate climate change, preserve nature and protect the amazing animal kingdom.  Yet we must come to terms with our own selfishness and greed.

Let us be better than we were.  Let us be lights for all of the children and animals of the world.  Let us go forth together, and in goodness.

Animals, Nature

Go See this New Film

SEASONS

After traveling the world alongside migrating birds (Winged Migration) and diving the oceans with whales and manta rays (Oceans), Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud return to more familiar ground: the lush green forests and megafauna that emerged across Europe following the last Ice Age.

Winter had gone on for 80,000 years when—in a relatively short period of time—the ice retreated, the landscape metamorphosed, the cycle of seasons was established, and the beasts occupied their new kingdom. It was only later that man arrived to share this habitat, first tentatively as migratory hunter/gatherers, then making inroads in the forest as settled agriculturalists, and later more dramatically via industry and warfare.

With its exceptional footage of animals in the wild, Seasons is the awe-inspiring and thought-provoking tale of the long and tumultuous shared history that inextricably binds humankind with the natural world.

Director: Jacques Perrin & Jacques Cluzaud

Animals, Children, Climate Change

To Vote or Not to Vote on Election Day

VoteElection day in the United States will soon be here, in fact it is on Tuesday.  As I have said so many times before, your actions and your voice matter.  You have a choice to cast your ballot or not.  If you say it does not matter, think of your children, nieces or nephews, or the animal kingdom.  Imagine what they would say to you 10 years down the line if the wrong presidential candidate goes into office.  What if they say you did not care to think about their future?

We have the opportunity to choose between two very different people.  One (Donald Trump) does not believe in climate change and the other (Hillary Clinton) does.  One incites violence and hatred, and the other speaks of bringing people together.

A Trump world is one where immigrants are unwelcome.  A Trump world is one where women are mere objects and are “nasty”.  A Trump world is one where climate change catastrophes worsen, where the middle class continues to shrink, and where nature and its animals are abused and unprotected.  Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, understands the urgency in reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change.  She believes in equal pay among the sexes.  She understands we cannot build walls between our neighbors or sow enmity.

There is no doubt, this election will change the course of history.

I urge you to vote for Hillary Clinton.  I urge you stand up for what is right.  I urge you to join me and make a positive difference.  Thank you.

Animals, Children, Leadership

Disappearing Words and Worlds

Snow Leopard
Snow Leopard

Thomas Friedman, a famous author, wrote an editorial a few weeks ago and made me aware of some disappearing names.  What do I mean by “disappearing names”?  The Oxford Junior Dictionary, which focuses on seven- year-old children, is excluding words which the editors feel are no longer necessary.  The words include otter, dandelion, nectar, chestnut, and cauliflower.  They are being replaced by words such as voice-mail, blog, broadband, and cut and paste.

At the same time as the Oxford Junior Dictionary is cutting words out of the dictionary we are losing species at an alarming rate.  In fact, the rate is about 1,000 times faster than if humans were not around.  I just read that African elephant numbers went down by 30% from 2007 to 2014.  I also know we are losing beautiful ocean coral and animals such as snow leopards, tigers, and the Vaquita porpoise.

When we lose animals, forests and our natural world, we lose a part of ourselves.  We need nature in all of its forms in order to survive. Cures to many illnesses are found in the amphibian class.  Oceans provide us with oxygen and a place to cool off and swim.  Plus, they shelter precious dolphins and seals.

We burn forests to plant palm trees for palm oil.  By doing so, we are rendering orangutans extinct and polluting our air.

A grandmother I know told me she has cried because she is afraid her grandchildren will never see and touch wild frogs.  It is time to cry.  I don’t want zoos to be the only place where we can see animals.  Losing wild animals is like losing words.  They signal the loss of our own species and diversity.

I don’t like words disappearing from the dictionary and I certainly don’t like seeing animals become extinct.  What can you do besides write to the dictionary editors?  You can make sure your children learn to appreciate our wild animals.  And you can make sure to protect both, before it is too late.