Accelerating Extinction Rates | Intergovernmental Science-Policy on Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services | Soiling the Earth | Soil not Oil

A few days ago I had one after another article pop up in my Facebook feed talking about the same UN report that had just been released. I decided to compile these and simply let the pictures and headlines speak for themselves.

Media Release: Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’

1,000,000 species threatened with extinction

The recently released IPCC report (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) of November 2018, was widely distributed in news channels internationally. It was talking about the serious consequences for humanity for global warming of 1.5º C.

This is to me, more devastating.

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Report (IPBES) states that

“Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history — and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely.

The health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever. We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide.”

“The Report also tells us that it is not too late to make a difference, but only if we start now at every level from local to global,” he said. “Through ‘transformative change’, nature can still be conserved, restored and used sustainably – this is also key to meeting most other global goals.”

 

Human Society Urgent Threat UN Report The Guardian

The article, Human society under urgent threat from loss of Earth’s natural life

states “The biomass of wild mammals has fallen by 82%, natural ecosystems have lost about half their area and a million species are at risk of extinction. Two in five amphibian species are at risk of extinction, as are one-third of reef-forming corals, and close to one-third of other marine species.” The populations of insects have been crashing as wll.

It is time to do something, isn’t?

What can we do together?

Keynote – Dr. Vandana Shiva, Soil Not Oil International Conference 2017

I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THE LIFE ON EARTH.

Joel Sartore, photographer, has created this Gallery: The Photo Ark, documenting all species of bird, amphibian and animal.

Carol Keiter aka nomadbeatz welcomes donations for her writing, photography, illustrations, eBook & music composition

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Carol Keiter the blogger

E.O. Wilson Half-Earth Project to Protect Global Biodiversity | Largest River in the Sky | Norway Bans Palm Oil Biofuel to Protect Rainforest

Unless Humanity Learns about Global Biodiverity, We Will Lose Most Species – E.O. Wilson

In the Malaysian state of Sabah there are no Sumatran rhinos left in the wild, the Environment Minister says.

Another Giant Has Left Sumatran Rhino is Extinct Lifegate

A new report by Greenpeace has found that Mondelēz International (chocolate producers) have destroyed over 25,000 hectares of Orangutan habitat in Indonesia.

Orangutan habitat destoryed by Chocolate makers Mondelez, Cadbury

 

This is not about an allegiance to a particular place, political or religious affiliation or identification with a country. It is about realizing that the vast beauty and fantastic life forms of this planet are what make life on earth so utterly fantastic and magical. There is nothing that could replace it. Nothing on a screen or virtual reality could possibly replace a lifeless world. The life on this planet of which humans are a part, are part of this earth’s heritage. Human habits have been choking out life. This is about recognizing the very fragile state that we have left to the rest of the life forms of the world, when we blinked and realized that we’ve been expiring their habitat through the many actions of humans. The life which makes up this planet is so unbelievably beautiful, enchanting and scintillating. This is about honoring this life and doing all that we can to protect it, as if it is your child.

Joel Sartore’s ‘Photo Ark’ photographing and documenting species before they disappear, to get people to care while there’s still time.

Which is why I bring you visually, Joel Sartore’s work, to comprehend what I’m speaking of. Joel is the founder of the Photo Ark, a groundbreaking effort to document species before they disappear—and to get people to care while there’s still time.”

Joel Sartore’s ‘Photo Ark’ photographing and documenting species before they disappear, to get people to care while there’s still time.

The BBC wrote an article Joel Sartore: The man who takes studio photos of endangered species

Sartore wishes to show us the splendor and personality of all of the delightful creatures. Edward O Wilson is designing an interactive means for all of us around the planet to participate in protecting the flora and fauna of our globe.

Edward O Wilson proposes the Half-Earth project
Devote Half the Surface of the Earth to Nature

Let’s help him!

Edward O Wilson Devote Half Surface of Earth to Nature

We can all do this together! Half-Earth is a call to protect half the land and sea in order to manage sufficient habitat to safeguard the bulk of biodiversity.

 

Half-Earth Project Maps

Take the Half-Earth Pledge Learn Care Act

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sierra Club Cities Committed to 100% Renewable Energy!
The Sierra Club announces that across the USA, over 90 cities, more than ten counties and two states have already adopted ambitious 100% clean energy goals. These goals bring tremendous hope for creatures since they share our planet. Climate catastrophe; pollution by chemicals, plastics and particulates and the heating of the globe certainly affects habitats on land and sea.

 

Norway is the first country to ban all Palm Oil based Biofuel to protect the rainforest

“Norway’s biofuel industry will have until 2020 to phase out the oil. But palm oil isn’t just found in biofuel; it is also used in a range of food and personal care items from pastries and peanut butter spreads to shampoos and soaps. Those items will still be permitted. The EU is also working toward a 2030 deadline to phase out products using palm oil. And other countries are expected to follow Norway’s lead on palm oil.”

Norway is the first country to ban all Palm Oil based Biofuel to protect the rainforest

The rain forest is not only the ONLY HABITAT for some of the most wondrous creatures, the rain forest is also a magnificent organ of the earth. The Rain Forest is the lungs and the water of life.

PBS The Largest River on Earth is In the Sky – Above the Amazon

There are individuals and groups and whole towns working together.

We can do this. We will do it with attention and love, because life would be very dull without it.

Joel Sartore photo ark picture and the blogger, Carol Keiter

Carol Keiter aka nomadbeatz welcomes donations for her writing, photography, illustrations, eBook & music composition

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the Photo Ark | Half-Earth Project | Plastic Ocean | Dolphin Deaths Sonar-Seismic Tests | Patriotism to Finance the Military Industrial GDP > Ecocide

We are creatures that live on a miraculous planet with a plethora of life forms that are phenomenally beautiful and intriguing in their intricacies of form and behavior. A world of intelligent systems, from how the wind and water moves, to living soil that nourishes flora that in turn house and nourish fauna. All these systems are intelligent and continually interacting. Without all of this life, we would have a very dull, one-dimensional existence. In fact, we wouldn’t exist at all; not without the birds, bees, trees, ants, bacteria, rain, plasma. Yet we sort of forget about it and go about our lives entrenched in our habits: patterns of movement, acquisition of materials and societal norms that compel us to adhere to certain standards and activities. Many of our actions that don’t appear to be harmful in any way because they are accepted as standard – everyone else does it – are extravagant and fully damaging to all life systems on earth. Yet, we are magical beings. We have intricate bodies, minds and imaginations. We are capable of so, so much more. There is so much beauty on the earth. Soil gives nutrients to plants. The sun infiltrates and charges life. Water provides life. One drop of water is fragile beauty, an ocean is a reservoir of life and power. Taking oil out of the crevices of the earth, is like draining blood vessels. Mining and splitting the earth is like slicing and tearing away skin. Do you feel joy exchanging a smile with another being? Delight in interacting with another creature? Do you realize that you have the choice through joining in your actions with many other people together, to make this earth into a paradise in a multitude of ways? Simply by making the decision and joining others to change habits and become the life force that walks away from the path of destruction and the monetary system within which we are entrenched. If we all do this together, it will actually be a spiritual leap of faith.

Joel Sartore the Photo Ark

Joel Sartore decided to photograph every life form. He’s the founder of the Photo Ark ” groundbreaking effort to document species before they disappear—and to get people to care while there’s still time.” The BBC did a feature on his work The man who takes studio photos of endangered species. as well.

At the same time, E.O. Wilson’s incentive is to catalogue all of earth’s species. He’s established the Biodiversity Foundation’s Half-Earth Project. “Half-Earth proposes an achievable plan to save our imperiled biosphere: to devote half the surface of the Earth to nature. In order to stave off the mass extinction of species, including our own, we must move swiftly to preserve the biodiversity of our planet”, says Edward O. Wilson.

E.O. Wilson’s Biodiversity Foundation and Half-Earth Project

https://eowilsonfoundation.org/half-earth-our-planet-s-fight-for-life/

The reason I bring these people up who wish to remind us of what is out there and encourage us to do what we can to save their lives, is because we have come down a path that is wiping them out. Our habits of sophisticated locomotion, comfortable surroundings, tastes for food and beverages and entertainment, conveniences, comforts and luxuries as humans, come with a cost to the rest of the living planet and wildlife.

Certify your Garden to Wildlife; your yard, deck, windowsill, roof, local park or school. Learn what you can do, and do it.

We are suffocating our atmosphere, putting toxins into our soils, choking our planet’s coastlines, waterways and oceans with plastic. An article in a New Zealand paper a year ago states, “Drowning our marine life in a growing sea of plastic.” 27 Mar, 2017

Plastic Ocean Still from Australian documentary NZHerald

Plastic Oceans Foundation is a global charitable organization that aims to change the worlds’ attitude to plastic in a single generation. They’ve created a film Plastic Ocean. Here’s the trailer of A Plastic Ocean.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Five major collections of garbage due to ocean currents.

Particles of plastic of all shapes and sizes are being found in the farthest islands from civilization, inside the stomachs of migratory birds and in whales. Researchers indicate that they find typically 100 to 200 pieces of plastic in the stomachs of birds. A beached whale had more than a 1,000 pieces of plastic in its stomach. As plastic gets baked in the sun and tossed around, it breaks into smaller and smaller pieces, and is often misidentified as food all along the food chain of ocean creatures.

Boyan Slat: How we will rid the oceans of plastic

 

Fortunately, there are a number of individuals and groups of people who recognize this and are doing fantastic things to mitigate problems from deforestation to replanting, cleaning, finding ways to dissuade  people from using plastics, educate them, devise ways to encourage people to recycle and exchange plastic for currency and who are cleaning it up.

 

 

Yet the reason that I started this blog was when I learned of several dolphin stranding events that occurred a weekend ago. And as I was putting together this article, a week later another stranding happened. I found plenty of articles showing a correspondence between naval sonar exercises as well as industrial seismic testing with mass stranding events (landing out of the water and unable to swim back in) of various marine mammals. I’m talking about species that are social, intelligent, humorous, playful and gregarious. I’ve written to several international marine mammal groups and several responded, yet none indicated a direct association to naval sonar exercises or petroleum exploration recent enough to indicate that their seismic testing may have affected these pods. I however, am inclined to think that if these were previously associated, with a correspondence between these underwater invasive sound activities that travel easily through the medium of water and are extremely loud, that these pulses would indeed affect these species who use echolocation to find their food, detect their predators and to navigate. If it has already been linked, why is it not recognized or talked about?

Senator for Queensland to Australia questions regarding Active Sonar

 

RIMPAC CPF Navy Warship Exercises

Comments steered me to references of naval (military) activities in the region where these recent dolphin deaths occurred. I was pointed to RIMPAC and Raytheon.  I looked up The Raytheon Company – a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics.

Raytheon gets $37 million SM-6 and SM-2 missiles contract modification Nov 27, 2018 in Maritime Security, Missiles & Bombs, News

I was told about RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. And found this very proud pro war-games propaganda video “News Alert – World’s Largest Naval Exercise Rimpac 2018 Begins, China Un-Invited”

Though the article a week ago regarding 145 Pilot Whales Found Dead on Remote New Zealand Beach, Nobody Knows Why (Pilot Whales are dolphins), I feel like there’s a silence about this. There have been discoveries of damaged tissue, acoustic trauma and hemorrhaging around the ear.

145 Pilot Whales Found Dead on Remote New Zealand Beach. Nobody Knows Why.

This article refers to the one that happened a few days ago. 51 Pilot Whales Die in Another Mass Stranding in New Zealand.

This somewhat recent article hints at sonar, but will not make a clear statement indicating that this was the cause. “Dead whales that washed up on Irish beaches ‘may have been killed by military sonar” Thursday 9 August 2018 “The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) said the strandings coincided with naval manoeuvres following the reported sighting of a foreign submarine in British waters. No connection between the whales’ deaths and the naval manoeuvres was established.” Hmmm, once again, no idea? No connection!

Greenpeace talks about whale and dolphin injury and deaths due to Seismic & Sonar Testing. They say that according to government estimates, 138,500 whales and dolphins will soon be injured and possibly killed along the east coast of the U.S., if exploration companies are allowed to use dangerous blasts of noise to search for offshore oil and gas. Just as the reports I read from the New Zealand government report on pathologies of marine mammals, none of the reports really divulged what may have caused the death. These are individuals working in a government office. I met an American who was a Climate Scientist working for the State of California who told me he was warned not to mention the word ‘global warming’ in any of his reports as early as 1991. He confided that his studies always lead to mentioning the phenomenon. I’m thinking that the lack of mentioning a correlation with sonar or seismic testing of the Australian government bureau may also be because the employees are dissuaded from mentioning this.

The Center for BiologicalDiversity is well aware of the deleterious impacts of sonar and seismic testing.

Seismic blasting diagram center for biologicaldiversity

The correlation is certainly there. Well, where exactly are our heads at? Certainly the Navy is going to be the last to admit that they’re killing dolphins.

I sent a letter of inquiry to a handful of international whaling organizations asking if they have any more information on this connection? I did receive several responses. So far, the two that wrote back didn’t make that correlation. The dolphins were too remote to get to before decomposition begins, which emulates the findings of damaged tissue from sonar or seismic activity, then it’s too late to detect specific deterioration from what had been the cause. I asked if they were aware of autopsies being conducted regarding signs of deafness, damaged tissues, acoustic trauma or hemorrhaging around the ear? Mentioning that although certainly ingestion of plastics is a tremendous problem leading to toxicity and death, the stranding of an entire group points to an event that effected them during a fixed period of time.

They didn’t find this correlation. One responded with an official New Zealand government link to Marine Mammal Pathology Reports, which upon perusing a few, I didn’t see any indicating plastic or naval sonar. In fact, none of them point to any projected cause.  I investigated current 2018 Australian Naval exercises, didn’t yet find any specific report (to the public) but found for example this. The NZ response mentioned that “The most recent petroleum seismic survey in New Zealand finished on 30 Mar 2018, so this is unlikely to be related.”

 

I guess PTSD isn’t considered with respect to marine mammals who’ve been forced to exposure of extremely loud noises. Of course it is disruptive and cumulative. Of course it would lead to deafness and affect the function of sensitive organs , when one’s entire operating system – echolocation – relies on subtle sound detection.

 

A naval report Thales to Upgrade Sonars on Australia’s fleet of Collins-class Submarines with a lot of military propaganda. “Australia’s strategic priority on enhancing its submarine capability will be supported by Thales through major upgrades of the sonar systems on all six Collins class submarines. A$230million contract with Thales is part of a A$542million project approved by the Australian Government for the upgrade of the Collins class sensor capabilities, the key to extending the life and the regional superiority of the Collins fleet.”

In the meantime I’d just watched this video by Robert Reich, THE MONOPOLIZATION OF AMERICA: The Biggest Economic Problem You’re Hearing Almost Nothing About He explains that a century ago there were anti-trust laws preventing any company from getting too large, but they disappeared during the Reagan years. Reich points out that the less businesses there are in competition, the more that the few who are in control can create their own prices as well as the wage standards. No competitor, no problem, for those making the rules.

Robert Reich Monopolization of America Monsanto Owns Genetically most soy and corn

Robert Reich Monopolization of America Walmart Drives Down Workers Wages

Robert Reich Monopolization of America Health Care Monopolies 2015

Robert Reich Monopolization of America Health Care Monopolies 2016

And then I saw this bit of information

The USA according to what businesses ‘control’ each state. Walmart Nation, Health Care Boeing

I noticed how odd it is that Health Care is a business, an obviously really, really big moneymaker. Hmmm, and then Boeing, a weapons manufacturer. ok. The Boeing Company is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. Yes, the same Boeing which Withheld Information on 737 Model, According to Safety Experts and Others. You know, that most recent airline crash in Indonesia.C

Military/Naval use of seismic testing to detect enemy submarines and underwater electronic weapons testing and industrial exploration to detect resources they wish to split open the earth to access. These I believe are completely in synch with the stranding, um, lets call it mass death.

Stranding sounds too harmless, a better word is ECOCIDE. If there is any correlation to the fact that this has occurred once, it means that the people of the world who are continuing an activity that they consciously know is killing another species, I would say is killing, silently, without regard. And as long as they can keep a lid on it, they will.

Well, hmmm. The technology for war and manufacturing – seismic testing – is causing staggering loss.

Transnational BANKS, CORPORATE INDUSTRIAL Monopolies and MILITARY > are DRIVING RELENTLESS GROWTH and FINANCING EXTINCTION.

There have been suggests on many fronts that we need to reintroduce the commons, so treasured land and water and air resources are commonly held among all of the people. And in the process of valuing, establishing parks and community gardens and places for people to come together in the arts and sciences, all people can participate in building this community; re establishing the common wealth and common health, as George Monbiot eludes to in Common Wealth 2nd October 2017

Federal Budget the Costs of Being an Empire

Joseph E. Stiglitz wrote on November 1, 2018 The American Economy Is Rigged, And what we can do about it “Markets do not exist in a vacuum: they are shaped by rules and regulations, which can be designed to favor one group over another.”

The military is big business. It’s not just about defense, it’s integrated into the economic system, manufacturing, jobs, investments, just like  big industry. These have a presence in all powerful countries. So the scale is continually tipped towards investments and money, with the natural environment and the preservation of life and wilderness, not good for finances. This massive infrastructure of manufacturing weapons, building sophisticated information systems, to fleets of ships, submarines and jets, and upgrading technology to be the most powerful to penetrate everything, to be the feared and powerful enemy, is all part of the global market, keeping business and money, flowing.

Most of the wealthy nations and multinational companies that bolster this military presence, basically adhere to the same stance: war, might, deterrence and growing the GDP in profits in the multi-billions: USD $, AUD $, GBP £, EUR €, CNY ¥, CAD C$, HKD HK$, INR Rs., JPY ¥….

And all of us are participating in one way or another. Grade schools are grooming kids to stay in line. Patriotism plays a big role as well. Patriotism to the school, to the country. Military is considered honorable. Media and broadcast TV show idols. We are encouraged as young adults to decide what we wish to provide through our services to the world. We start working or enter into vocational schools, colleges and universities. The military in its different guises is a lure, secure income, free education. Many students are persuaded to study not necessarily what they feel the most connection to, but what will make the most money. Along with consolidating companies, minds are getting shrunk into mirroring this value of money and profit above all else. Thing is, it’s maybe not so easy to decipher how what they are doing for their work is affecting other life. We have this extraordinarily beautiful earth and delightful creatures whose habitat continues to shrink as the big box stores, the Walmarts, the Coscos, the Starbucks, the CVS…keep building more and more branches, mowing down trees and tasteful buildings and paving more parking lots as cities all over the USA have the same ugly car-centered peripheral sprawl of all of the chains and box stores. Is that really what we want? Or are we sort of indoctrinated into thinking that we need to keep buying, that this is what life is all about. And we keep feeling a crunch of money and time, and keep rushing to go out and buy more. It is perhaps difficult to find the time or space or luxury to step back and know that our work and habits may be contributing to some very nasty stuff. But perhaps it’s not quite in our consciousness, and therefore not really in our conscience to be bothered if the work we do isn’t meaningful or is paving the way to more destruction of our natural world? Perhaps the huge narcotic epidemic in the USA is because of all of this emphasis on financial wealth and power, with little connection to how much we are violating the earth and the habitats of its creatures. I’d rather see a bunch of fields of flowers and groves of trees, bicycle paths, community gardens and fruit and nut trees in parks than more Walmarts or other box stores. I think a lot of people would be a lot healthier and happier if they were out with friends and families playing outdoors and interacting with one another in parks than having to have the newest and latest fashion, shoes, watches, phones, computers, tv monitors, cars. We are sort of drilled into thinking that we need all this stuff, and that ‘getting the best deal is more important’ than the fact that Walmart has wiped out all of your local markets, that Amazon has put all your favorite little shops out of business and that there’s hardly any green left as these massive businesses keep slapping them up as fast and efficiently and cheaply as they can.

This is violence to the earth and its creatures. Building more and more box commercial chains, outlets, malls appears to be what people want, but I think its a seduction game into making people feel that they NEED these things to be loved and lovable. Or that an engine is an extension of one’s manhood and therefore showing someone’s worth. Fighting so called enemies in wars, drilling, fracking, draining, cutting, slicing, spoiling environments, destroying beauty and habitats is violence to the being (the earth and its creatures) which is our life support system which gave us the gift of life and all of these wonderful creatures to watch in endearment to share it with. How far can a person go making choices, or simply not paying attention to the repercussions of their actions? How long can people distract themselves and not have the community resources to understand how their habits are affecting creatures near and far? Many are so time-challenged and consumed with making ends meet their tastes, that they do not comprehend the larger picture, nor wish to.

Humans are highly social creatures. As babies, we learn through watching, listening and observing our surroundings with all of our senses Then we adapt into discovering who we are through interactions with our parents, at school, with teachers, peers. Cultural institutions monitor us and guide us. Modern western man over a period of time shifted to a very comfort driven, consumer oriented culture in the land of plenty. And this idolatry for gadgets and all that glistens and gives us glamour and freedom, comes at a cost.

Just when we were catching on to all that money can buy, we started to get more indoctrinated into being patriotic to our countries. As war became the focus with WWI, this marriage of industry and government seemed to launch. People were living well, standard of living associated with goods manufactured and profits made through war. In the latter part of the last century, more businesses consolidated, and the money firmly linked to the government and continually to weapons manufacture and war.

Do I sound unpatriotic? If Patriotism implies looking the other way when the means of employment is to build weapons, approach other people by trying to overpower them instead of looking another human being in the eye, or regarding any creature as a subject that is incredible with fascinating life, to destroy it because it’s in the way of my profit, or choke it’s air, pollute it’s water and soil and basically kill anything that gets in the way of the corporation or state, then yes indeed, I am not patriotic.

A song by the British band The English Beat talks satirically about youth being indoctrinated into working in industries making weapons or things you don’t need that will screw up everything it touches. That’s a pretty common understanding these days.

The English Beat song Get a Job

There’s a training course
boys and girls of real ambition
start a new job in a factory
where they’re making ammunition
but it makes them think of stealing
when they read between the lines
through the owners of this funfair
you won’t find a ride you like
just get-a-job, get-a-job

manufacture rubbish
although no one can afford it
you could make a profit
more than anyone deserves
so you find you’re left with poison
so you dump it in our water
and so create the kind of problems
only radiation cures
through get-a-job, get-a-job
get-a-job, get-a-job

oh you young people are revolting
8 to 5 life should give the jolt needed
in a few years you won’t feel quite the same
you’ll be playing their get-a-job game
games games games games

there’s a training camp when
you come from saving nations
get a new job and a new leg
social rehabilitation
every time you thing of leaving
you get caught between the lines (lies)
it’s the training for the funfair
you get taken for a ride
you! get-a-job get-a-job
just get-a-job, get-a-job
just get-a-job, get-a-job

Oh, it’s an understanding that things may suffer from the job, but completely misunderstood that the person is choosing to do something that is really bad for their own spirit and health and bad for others, bad for our living planet, bad for life systems and destroying biodiversity.

That’s why I feel so much hope when a youthful person stands up and says what many adults are not wanting to talk about or hear. The 15 year old Swedish girl,Greta Thunberg made a speech in English in London at theExtinction Rebellion launch. She went on a school strike and then Greta sat before the Swedish Parliament stating that the government and the grownups are doing NOTHING, regardless of all the facts.

Greta’s powerful speech to Swedish people before the Parliament

There are individuals and entrepreneurs and nations taking action to deal with plastic crisis. But there’s nothing more important than recognizing that change can happen. Coming through education and arts and activities within your own communities. We can drive that change. If one young girl has already sparked and inspired students in Australia, in another continent, this can ripple. We need to look very, very hard, at what we are choosing, so that we don’t lose what is most precious. You may think your own immediate children are the most precious, but what if there are no trees, woods, grasses, available food, no clean oceans or rivers or lakes, or air, and no other life? It is an astoundingly clear choice to me. We’ve got to make some changes, and we’re going to do this together. And plenty of people are pointing the way, and your own ideas will be as valuable as anyones, collaboratively we will create this change.

Greta states in her speech before the Swedish Parliament, “To all of you who choose to look the other way every day because you seem more frightened of the changes that can prevent catastrophic climate change than the catastrophic climate change itself. Your silence is almost worst of all. The future of all the coming generations rests on your shoulder. Every single person counts. Just like every single emission counts. Every single kilo. Everything counts.”

Geert Weggenhe Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2018

Global Warming. Climate Change. Climate Justice. Ben & Jerry’s

Stop Look Smile
Appreciate All Life
It’s Free

Joel Sartore photo ark picture and the blogger, Carol Keiter

What can I say? I simply did not want to break up how I wish to present these topics, because they are integrally interrelated.

Animal Bridges >< Wildlife Crossings | Witnessed way too many dead Deer en route to New York city through Pennsylvania and New Jersey

En route to New York through Pennsylvania and New Jersey my heart was sickened each time I saw the body of a dead deer along the highway, which I witnessed way too many times. The moon was full moon a week ago, which may have had something to do with it. One driver said he had seen quite a large number of dead deer coming from New Jersey on the other side of the highway.

Animal Bridges / Wildlife Crossing

I wish to investigate and contact biologists, zoologists, someone, to find out whether there’s a chance of organizing scientists to research the more likely places that deer will cross highways in these wooded areas of the Northeastern United States, where they are more likely to cross due to less construction, and find a way to emulate what California has already begun – building animal bridges / wildlife crossings.

Their habitat can be stretched across these so that they have more of a chance of survival. Why do I care? Because I care about all creatures. There are indeed segments of the human race who do recognize how awesome and beautiful all of the different creatures are who inhabit this planet with us.

Here’s a great article regarding wildlife over-passes – green bridges describing animal wildlife over-passes already in place in various parts of Europe, and the West of the U.S., which can be adopted everywhere. The following pictures each link to articles about the subject.

“Wildlife overpasses, green bridges, under-passes and ecoducts all refer to structures that have been built over or under roads to allow wildlife to cross safely to the other side of the road.”

Ecoduct – Wildlife Bridge – the Netherlands alizul2 blog

wildlife bridge near Keechelus Lake, Washington state USA twistedsifter

Elephant underpass Kenya amusingplanet

Wildlife Crossing Banff National Park photo Joel Sartore amusingplanet

Thank Yougourthen Ayouni for the pic of he and Carol at the G bar Manhattan halloween.

It was my trip to NYC for Halloween where I encountered perhaps a dozen dead deer, on my way there and back – very upsetting!

What Will You Do? | The Greatest Story of Our Generation | DoSomething | TimeForChange

image from “The Greatest Story of Our Generation”

I was just exposed to this video Post moments ago, and it is exquisite in the story it tells.

I had viewed a two minute video “The Essence of Life“, a trailer of the Film “Beyond“, posted on Cryptik about a week ago. Something compelled me to hold onto it. I only really investigated the Cryptik site yesterday, perusing its postings.

Their prominent quote by Albert Einstein let me know why I had synchronistically kept this on file.

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.” -Albert Einstein

It was yesterday, 11/10/2014, that I discovered this movie – the subject of this blog. “The Greatest Story of Our Generation“. I believe that this information is essential to understand; that it should be mandatory viewing! I challenge myself and everyone; to listen, watch and respond with action. It resonates so completely with my heart, intellect and spirit and embraces so much of the content that I have been writing about, that I had tears rolling down my face as I listened to it.

“The Greatest Story of Our Generation” put out by “Films for Action”: A Learning Library for People Who Want to Change the World – is written by Andrew Dickson, directed by Louie Schwartzberg and produced by Lyn Davis Lear.

Narrated by Morgan Freeman (the sought after voice these days whose affect is one which invokes trust and respect) “The Greatest Story of Our Generation” is the story of the human journey at this critical moment in time. Of all the stories to belong to, this is the story to be a part of. Don’t watch it from the sidelines. Don’t wait for the experts to figure it out. Ask yourself: how can I become one of the weavers of the story? It’s a tapestry with 7 billion threads. What contribution do I want to make? If you’re not yet contributing to this story in some way, ask yourself why not? This is a story for everyone. See the video here.

Amazon Rain Forest 1975 2008 via Satellite

In fact, the earth is not in danger, we are. Changing our actions and moving forward is the one thing that can prevent our extinction. Destroying our rainforests and evaporating our lakes is like dissecting a lung; depriving our bodies – our earth – of oxygen.

Our best chance for survival comes from continuing to imitate nature, drawing inspiration from its awesome power.

Consider mycelium, a mass of filaments beneath the soil that allow the natural world to distribute nutrients and information to be communicated without a central brain.

Mycelium was part of the subject of one of my former blogposts. https://digesthis.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/gross_domestic_problem_-why-measurement-of-wealth-depends-on-a-healthy-environment/

mycelium filaments from mushrooms

 

 

 

 

 

mycelium decentralized network of communicaiton

 

 

 

 

 

It is similar to how the internet functions. People around the world can communicate information with each other without it being transmitted hierarchically – top-down – from a centralized source.

internet network world wide web of communication

I wrote about mycelium and how mushrooms can be a solution for the environment and economy in this former blog. https://digesthis.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/gross_domestic_problem_-why-measurement-of-wealth-depends-on-a-healthy-environment/

The message of “The Greatest Story of Our Generation” is that we have already contributed many designs from what we have observed in nature…It is still possible to redirect and save the world from ourselves. What is needed is a concerted effort.”

what is needed is a concerted effort

This isn’t a challenge that a few countries or world leaders can fix on their own, it is going to take ALL OF US – through actions large and small.

One day we will be asked, “What did we do?” We have never faced a crisis this big. This is our only home. You can choose today to make a world of difference.

What will you do?

faces from around the world up close

 

 

 

 

faces from around the world further away

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Become one of the weavers of this story.

 

footage donated by the following

https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-poaching-animals

DoSomething.org is one of the largest orgs for people to participate in social change.  Here are 11 facts about animal poaching, with information on what you can do to take action and volunteer with millions of members to in their words, “make the world suck less”.

Do Something – 11 facts about Animal Poaching

Here’s a link to explore the various campaigns that are existing today that you can join in. https://www.dosomething.org/campaigns

 

 

 

 

 

DoSomething Justice for Elephants Signup

 

 

For information about your own carbon footprint, http://timeforchange.org is all about personal growth and the meaning of life…not financially based goals or making purchases. As they say:

«Time for change» is about your life, your objectives and your decisions. We are convinced that basic human needs are the same everywhere and finally we all strive for the same thing:

•We want to be happy and satisfied • we want to be able to live our lives• without worries and cares.

If you don’t feel that you are there – this might just be the right time for change!

Because I am personally a HUGE animal advocate who appreciates all of life, I have included these links below, alerting people to various animals in danger due to poaching – because of ignorance and misconstrued ideas.

http://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000003221222/gorillas-in-the-crossfire.html?emc=edit_th_20141108&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=21379859

“Gorillas in the Crossfire” Virunga National Park – Democratic Republic of Congo

Andre Bauma works with orphaned gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been in conflict since 1996. More than 140 park rangers have been killed protecting gorillas in the past 15 years.

You can view National Geographic Society’s 2013 Annual Report of what has been accomplished through their efforts.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/03/18/sloth-curse-cute

Tinka Plese is a Croatian woman who has been rescuing sloths for almost twenty years. She started this Sloth Sanctuary in Columbia, South America.

three-toed baby sloth at Columbian Sloth Sanctuary

 

http://www.jaguarrescue.com

La Ceiba Reserva Natural – Centro de Rescate Jaguar, La Ceiba Nature Reserve, Jaguar Rescue Center

Why does this matter? Because we don’t inhabit this planet alone.

http://www.joelsartore.com/galleries/the-photo-ark/

Alert ! We Need to Address our Plastic Problem ! Charles J. Moore | Hurray ! Boyan Slat | The Oceancleanup

I’ve decided to repost this article in the New York Times written by Charles J. Moore, “Choking the Oceans With Plastic“, because of its importance. This needs to be brought to the world’s attention. Awareness of the epic amounts of plastic that are drifting into the oceans and accumulating in massive islands, is a start. We need to put our heads together towards finding solutions that will educate & create actions and incentives to ameliorate the problem.

“Plastics are now one of the most common pollutants of ocean waters worldwide. Pushed by winds, tides and currents, plastic particles form with other debris into large swirling glutinous accumulation zones, known to oceanographers as gyres, which comprise as much as 40 percent of the planet’s ocean surface — roughly 25 percent of the entire earth.

No scientist, environmentalist, entrepreneur, national or international government agency has yet been able to establish a comprehensive way of recycling the plastic trash that covers our land and inevitably blows and washes down to the sea.”

In addition to the Pacific Garbage Patch

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

A 2nd Garbage patch: Plastic soup seen in the Atlantic.

“Since there is no realistic way of cleaning the oceans, advocates say the key is to keep more plastic out by raising awareness and, wherever possible, challenging a throwaway culture that uses non-biodegradable materials for disposable products.”

Tom Bawden in his article posted in The Independent: Plastic Rubbish heaps at sea pose bigger threat to Earth than climate change references the ocean expert Charles J. Moore.

Reccomendations

Moore states, “The real challenge is to combat an economic model that thrives on wasteful products and packaging and leaves the associated problem of clean-up costs. Changing the way we produce and consume plastics is a challenge greater than reining in our production of carbon dioxide,” Captain Moore added.

How to reduce ocean plastic

There are no high-tech methods for reducing the volume of plastic at sea. In fact, those techniques we do have are surprisingly mundane.

• Plastic bag tax: The best way to reduce the amount of plastic is to use less of it, and the best way to do this is to cut down on plastic bags.
• Sieve-like skimmers: These come in a variety of shapes and sizes but essentially they aim to scoop up debris out of the water.
• Screens: Covering gutters and catch basins in urban areas with 5mm screens has reduced the amount of debris flowing down rivers into the sea.
• Circular economy: The basic idea is to recycle as much as possible and to design products in such a way that as little has to be thrown away as possible.”

As Bucky McMahon says in this article ‘The Terrifying true story of the garbage that could kill the whole human race’ “Of course, the petrochemical complex, its dependents and beneficiaries—just about everybody—resist change.”

Yet as we introduce awareness, educate one another and resolve to solve the problem with actions, we can begin to make a difference.

the five major gyres in the oceans around the world

Created by the 19 year old Boyan Slat The Ocean Cleanup is his entrepreneurial creation using technology to combat and reduce the plastic pollution collecting in the world’s gyres.

There is hope!!
Click on this image below of him and listen to his presentation.

19 year old Boyan Slat of the Netherlands

Hurray!

Not only is Boyan Slat brilliant, but he demonstrates resilient determination. He’s not put off by people saying, ‘this can’t be done’, as his speech clearly reveals.

Greenpeace banner: Real change is possible when we work together!

Together We Can Do So Much

Coming up on the 21st of September on the autumnal equinox, is the Climate March in New York City organized by a number of global environmental organizations.

In a community outreach, various groups have organized screenings of their informative movie about climate change.

Climate Change Disruption
the film

“Climate. Change. Disruption” is a film by Kelly Nyks and Jared P. Scott. They ask you to be a part of the largest climate march in history.

Our actions matter!

And here’s a pic of Carol Keiter, the blogger, beneath one of the creatures featured by the photographer Joel Sartore, who is capturing photos of all the species, in his series, the photo ark.

Picture of primate, compliments of Joel Sartore’s photo catalogue of species and me, Carol Keiter the blogger

GDP | Gross Domestic Problem | Why the measurement of wealth depends on a healthy environment |

why trees matter | mushrooms offer solutions | Handprint | Gross National Happiness

When I walk or ride along streets basically every where, I look at trees as I pass them by. I see trees as elegant beings, that besides providing oxygen and shade and beauty, create a home for insects, birds and other animals. They are an integral part of what has created life as we know it on our planet.

This Op-Ed article in the New York times sparked my interest.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/12/opinion/why-trees-matter.html

Walnut tree in a gentleman's yard in Pennsylvania.

As this writer states, “In a bit of natural alchemy called photosynthesis, for example, trees turn one of the seemingly most insubstantial things of all — sunlight — into food for insects, wildlife and people, and use it to create shade, beauty and wood for fuel, furniture and homes.” Ah, and sunlight is hardly insubstantial – as I write about in my other blog regarding plasma cosmology and the electric universe theory.

“Decades ago, Katsuhiko Matsunaga, a marine chemist at Hokkaido University in Japan, discovered that when tree leaves decompose, they leach acids into the ocean that help fertilize plankton. When plankton thrive, so does the rest of the food chain.

Trees are nature’s water filters, capable of cleaning up the most toxic wastes, including explosives, solvents and organic wastes, largely through a dense community of microbes around the tree’s roots that clean water in exchange for nutrients, a process known as phytoremediation. Tree leaves also filter air pollution.”

I will let you read the rest of the article yourself, instead of copying and pasting it ‘-))

Yet, on the same subject, mushrooms also have the capacity to filter and clean toxicities out of the environment, as this article in UTNE reader demonstrates. “Mushrooms Offer Solutions for Environment and Economy”

http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world.html?quote=294

An image of mycelium below.

“Human beings are more closely related to fungi, than they are to any other kingdom. Within a single cubic inch of soil, there can be 8 miles of these cells. Mycelium are externalized stomachs and lungs, essentially extended neurological membranes.” Paul goes on to say that mycelium form a fabric which is the biological version of earth’s natural internet. The internet, in turn, is man’s tool, or extension, which can be allocated to protect the biosphere”. It’s kind of like the concept that DNA replicates itself, in order for life to ultimately witness and see itself.

We can not measure the worth and wealth of a country or its peoples through qualifiers like the GDP, Gross Domestic Product; the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders, because this becomes a

Gross Domestic Problem

Gross Domestic Problem

Bhutan has a more enlightened way of approaching the subject, with the King’s assertion of a measure of Gross National Happiness!

Recognize that happiness and environmental health play a much larger role in the attributes which contribute to ‘quality of life’, than ‘wealth’, as measured by economic means alone. Bill McKibben who started 350.org contributed this article about the politics of global warming for the Rolling Stone magazine “Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math“.

We need to pay attention to our carbon footprint, showing the detrimental results of our actions on the environment as well as to actively become aware of our social handprint, revealing the benefits of our actions on nature; with the concept of balancing out what we take, through what we share and give!! Our handprint measures the positive impacts we can make, simply by changing the way we do things; at home, at work…

You can read more about this
http://challengingbehaviour.marketingmagazine.co.uk/2012/03/05/forget-your-carbon-footprint-whats-your-handprint/

Why does this matter? Because we don’t inhabit this planet alone.

http://www.joelsartore.com/galleries/the-photo-ark/