June 8 is designated to be the World Oceans Day and the event started in 2007 with over 50 countries spread over 5 continents participating. Various marine conservation groups have been part of the celebrations which aims to heighten the awareness of the problems our seas are facing as well as the creatures big and small who live in them. We humans are the most destructive beings to ever walk this earth due to the huge amount of destruction we have brought about in our short history as the dominant species on the face of the earth. There are millions of animal and plant species the world over but none has been so to blame for the extinction of the most animals and plants. Deforestation, dumping garbage into the land and sea are just some of the destructive acts we have committed against mother earth and the event aims to educate more and more people as to what we can do to lessen the impact we have on our environment.
This planet of ours has 70% of its total area as bodies of waters and of that 70% not much is known of vast oceans of the world. To this day, scientists are still finding formerly unknown species of plant and animal life from the seas, many of which hold unique and interesting properties that can prove solutions to some of our most pressing problems. The WorldOceanNetwork.org is one of the many organizing bodies which coordinates and provides materials of the scheduled events with organizations such as the Marine Conservation Society of the UK, UNESCO, TheOceanProject.Org, Nature Conservancy and many others taking part in helping our seas get the respect they deserve for theirs and our survival.
Categories: Activities, Campaigns, Environmental, News, Programs, Wildlife | Tags: conservation, Creatures_of_the_Sea, Preserving_our_seas, Sea
Established in 1994 to address the alarming statistics that shows a yearly rate of abandoned pets to be at 6 to 8 million. Among those, around 3 to 4 million are euthanized due to the inability of shelters to take care of them due to restricted resources and funding. Rated a four-star charity by the Charity navigator, they have managed to save the lives of around 3.3 million pets spanning the species spectrum of animals that they send into adoption programs to get them the loving homes they deserve. These abandoned pets are a result of irresponsible pet ownership, some are abandoned due to financial problems, and some are left to fend for themselves, sometimes in appalling conditions. These animals got through health checks and are brought back to proper health according to pre-set standards. Animals are then checked for signs that may show if they are indeed probable candidates for adoption, animals with degenerative diseases and psychological issues are put down for apparent reasons. Their vision of a home for every pet might be too ambitious but they are getting things done and indeed saving lives of animals who would otherwise have to be put down. With the help of state and local authorities and funding from private individuals and businesses they continue on their loving work to get each and every animal a home that would give them the best possible care.
Categories: Animals, Campaigns, Charities, Volunteering, Wildlife | Tags: Animal Rights, Animal Shelters, Euthanasia, Mercy Killing, pets
The Day is barely in and preparations have already begun in preparation for Earth Day 2008 when the world celebrates old Mother Earth as the promotion of environmental awareness expands into our lives. Similar to Earth Hour which happened a few months ago, the move is to promote an earth-friendly approach in all of us. The amount of damage we have done to this earth has amounted to so much damage that we have changed it, literally. The Earth Day Network is committed to enacting change which is to be done in order to halt further degradation of our planet which if not controlled, would end up in us in the losing end. TV networks have been showcasing the day for a week with most search engines doing the same. Earth Day is the time to think, talk and enact change in our daily lives where simple things can have bigger impacts. Lowering your carbon footprint is one way of helping the earth and many have taken up the call. In the US and other major Western nations, the switch to Biodiesel opposed to more traditional types of fuels is one of many alternative fuel technologies that have been in effect. True to this, in the far off land of Africa, one of the first commercial Biodiesel generation plants has been put up to cater to biodiesel needs that has been growing steadily. Alternative fuel cars for private and commercial use have also been growing in their numbers as more and more people shift towards the earth friendly approach to driving in their everyday forays into the urban concrete jungle.
Much has been gained by the raising of awareness but the areas which would have the most impact are also the hardest to reach, the parts of the earth where environmental awareness takes second seat to existence. Much of the world which belongs to the under developed world are the ones who have heavy reliance on earth-impacting technology, technology that came from the developed world and have been making money on. Developed countries can afford to tax their people for using plastic bags but in other countries that would be like telling people to bring home their grocery in their clothes. That is why much has to be done to get these people on the same level as those who live in developed countries so they can focus more on protecting the earth rather than using it for their short-term needs - existence.
Categories: Activities, Campaigns, Environmental, Events, Organizations, Programs, Websites, Wildlife | Tags: earth Day 2008, Environmental Awareness
Bad news for the Eastern Idaho’s Yellow Cut-Throat Trout, for they are becoming scarcer and scarcer. The culprit, crops and resort gardens along with their insatiable need for water to keep them growing. Runoff from farms are also becoming a problem for the run-off which is usually rich in nitrogen fuels the explosion in growth of blue green algae such as the case with the Gulf of Mexico. Nitrogen is a naturally occurring and present element that under normal circumstances is dealt with by bacteria and other micro-organisms in streams as they head to rivers and then seas. Too much, and the natural control and filtering system of these bodies of water diminish in effectivity resulting in too much nitrogen-rich water reaching the seas causing “Dead Zones” near the mouths of these river outlets.
In Montreal, Canada the problem is also attributed to too much nitrogen this time from golf courses that need green lawns to continue and attract customers. Previously rich waters are now turned into brackish rivers and streams that cannot support normal fish and plant life due to insufficient oxygen in the water. This might be one of the problems that were not anticipated by the clamor for such immediate solutions such as alternative fuel production.
It seems more education is needed for the balance between commerce and eco-friendliness would become a true reality for man has a lot to learn while he continues to poison the very earth that gives us all life. Let us just pray that we have enough resolve to initiate change before it is too late.
Categories: Environmental, News, Wildlife | Tags: Environmental Disasters, Gulf of Mexico, Idaho Yellow Cut-throat Trout
Earthsahre is a network of nationwide non-profit organizations that are represented in 18 states in America. Their goal is to empower the individual, business and other groups in their drive to help the earth with regards to the environment. The environment’s health is our health and Earthshare knows that and applies recourses to programs that helps save the environment. Global warming is a real issue that must be addressed, the impact of which is currently being felt with severe weather, unprecedented environmental destruction and many more issues such as uncontrolled pollution and misdirected government expenditures that should otherwise be directed at preserving this earth of ours. Considered to be a respectable group with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator and it is registered and recognized to be a reputable charity organization by the Better Business Bureau.
Their main target is to raise awareness in the workplace through campaigns that encourage them to take part in environmental protection. They work to safeguard the health of everybody including nature’s fragile balance. Years of neglect has led to many natural disasters, many of which have not been seen in recent history. The Antarctic ice melting, the tops of Mt. Everest without it’s glistening white crown and many more changes in the environment are warning signals of the pending danger we are going to face if we do not take action now. From recycling programs for your cell phone to volunteering they enjoin everybody to join in the effort to save the earth which we have neglected for so long. They also offer nifty tips and tricks on how you can become more friendly to the environment. Save the Earth, take action now.
Categories: Activities, Campaigns, Charities, Environmental, Organizations, Volunteering, Websites, Wildlife | Tags: Earth Share, Environmental Charities
June 8 is designated to be the World Oceans Day and the event started in 2007 with over 50 countries spread over 5 continents participating. Various marine conservation groups have been part of the celebrations which aims to heighten the awareness of the problems our seas are facing as well as the creatures big and small who live in them. We humans are the most destructive beings to ever walk this earth due to the huge amount of destruction we have brought about in our short history as the dominant species on the face of the earth. There are millions of animal and plant species the world over but none has been so to blame for the extinction of the most animals and plants. Deforestation, dumping garbage into the land and sea are just some of the destructive acts we have committed against mother earth and the event aims to educate more and more people as to what we can do to lessen the impact we have on our environment.
