Not knowing when the dawn will come
I open every door
Or has it feathers like a bird,
Or billows like a shore?
Emily Dickinson
Spring Poem
Category Archives: Nature
How to Help Bumblebees
The US Fish and Wildlife Service just finished reviewing petitions to add certain species to the endangered list, one of which includes the Southern Plains bumblebee. This large black-and-yellow bee is found in the mid-Atlantic states, the mid-west and the Plains states from Texas to North Dakota. It lives in open prairies, meadows and grasslands. It is also found in grasslands and savannahs of south-east states, including Florida. Habitat loss and degradation, plus pesticides have led to sharp population declines.
Some things that you can do to help bumblebees in your area include planting pollinator gardens, avoiding the use of pesticides, and making sure there is long grass and undisturbed leaf-litter (in early spring) so that bumblebee queens have adequate cover. Thank you for being kind to animals and bees.
Some Inspiration for 2024
On this special day I take the opportunity to wish you many blessings, good health, and peace in the year. I also shall share this poem by Emily Dickinson, one of my favorite poets. It is part of the collection of 1,775 poems that were not published until after her death in 1186.
“If I can stop one heart from breaking
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.”
Inspiring
Many of you are aware, Climate Week took place in Manhattan, NY the week of September 17th. Many people, from all walks of life, got together to talk about climate change, nature, and reducing carbon footprints. There were speeches, marches, seminars, discussions and cultural performances. I was fortunate to attend some of the events and was really touched by an organization called Junglekeepers, http://www.junglekeepers.com, founded by Paul Rosolie. He and his team are protecting 30,000 acres in Peruvian Amazon, and doing work that truly inspires me. I saw a video he shared showing a beautiful puma and jaguar. I also had a chance to speak with him. May we all remember that the Amazon is home to millions of trees, numerous Indigenous communities, and uncountable numbers of animal heartbeats. Sadly, new roads, illegal logging, poaching, and mining have begun to seriously degrade the forest.
Fortunately, Junglekeepers is doing work that makes a positive difference. I invite you to support Paul’s team and other groups working to protect forests, and the precious animals in them.
Canada’s Wildfires
I write this blog while scorching wildfires race through eastern and western Canada. Honestly, my heart is quite heavy and I fear greatly for our precious, livable planet. The fires are out of control and over 9.4 million acres have already burned. The fires affect countless people, pets, and wild animals. The smoke from the fires is so bad it has reached down to New York, NJ, and Washington DC. Air quality levels have been frightening and New York City ranked among the worst cities in the world. People have been told to stay at home and schools are conducting remote classes. As I think about all of the animals inhaling smoke who can’t shut themselves in an enclosed space with air purifiers, I shudder. I wonder about the animals in Canada literally fleeing the fires and dying. I had to bury two dead birds that I found lying on my lawn. When will we end this chaos? When will we all wake up and drastically cut our carbon footprints and change our ways of life? This matter is so urgent and time is of the essence. Please, we must WAKE UP!!! We must make different choices. It is truly a matter of life and death.
@climatereality
@gretathunberg
Increasing Biodiversity with Keystone Species
I recently watched a great short film: https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/keystone-species-trophic-cascades/some-animals-are-more-equal-than-others-the-serengeti-rules/ about keystone species.
Keystone species are animals which have large impacts on their ecosystems, despite not being abundant in their numbers. Their presence cascades down the food chain and affects the very structure the of ecosystem where they live. Sea otters in the North Pacific, for example, keep kelp forests intact, directly controlling populations of some species such as sea urchins, and indirectly controlling the populations of other species such as snails and crabs which rely on kelp as a source of food. If you remove the sea otter from the system, the sea urchins would eat all of the kelp, leaving nothing for the snails and crabs. Wolves, bees and African elephants are also keystone species. Keystone species are crucial in maintaining biodiversity, as they help create the conditions for other wildlife and plants to thrive.
You Can Do It
Here is a short video by Greta Thunberg, someone who very much inspires me. Please watch and share it. Thank you.
Biodiversity & Climate Change
The World Wildlife Fund recently released its “Living Planet” report. Sadly, there has been a 69% drop in the numbers of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish since 1970. Populations in the Caribbean and Latin America did the worst, with an average decline of 94%. Global freshwater species also declined by 83% on average. The report said the key drivers of biodiversity decline include habitat loss, species overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, climate change and disease.
Anyone who cares about animals and wildlife must urge policymakers to transform economies so that natural resources are properly valued. Since biodiversity loss and climate change share many of the same underlying causes actions which transform food production and consumption, cut emissions, and increase investment in conservation can mitigate both.
“The world is waking up to the fact that our future depends on reversing the loss of nature just as much as it depends on addressing climate change. And you can’t solve one without solving the other,” says Carter Roberts, president and CEO of WWF-US. “Everyone has a role to play in reversing these trends, from individuals to companies to governments.”
New Beginnings
September is often a time of new beginnings and thus, I share some words from Christine Evangelou:
“I hope that the darkest nights of your soul
Give way to the glorious days of your spirit
I hope that through the shadows
Of those heart eclipses born of solitary evenings
A new life is born, and a change is set forth
I hope that you grant yourself the celestial passport
Your spirit has been yearning for
As you sweep into the deepest valleys of your soul
So you can gather the strength to soar to the highest mountain peaks
Breathing in the angelic essence of you
Fully, unashamedly, and unconditionally
I hope that you find the beat of your heart
In every flower, every meadow, every delight that your eyes can truly see
For it is within that beauty that your spirit lives
A conscious connection, a godly reflection
Of all natural, ethereal, fountains and springs
I hope that you can see beyond the clouds
To the sunlight that is waiting to peek its way through
Remember, the blanket of sky that keeps you warm at night
Is one of a silver, shimmering starry view
It is where you are held, always loved and at peace
A lustrous artwork of angels to whisper their magic as your heart speaks.”
International Day of Forests
Many people, including me, did not know that Monday, March 21st was the International Day of Forests. How precious forests are and yet, we don’t often realize their importance. “When we drink a glass of water, write in a notebook, take medicine for a fever or build a house, we do not always make the connection with forests. And yet, these and many other aspects of our lives are linked to forests in one way or another”. Sadly, we lose a football field size of forest every second, and yet planting trees and preserving biodiversity are one of the best ways to solve climate change. Many non-profit organizations and companies such as Terraformation are working to reforest the planet, please join me and them, before time runs out. Thank you.