"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, American anthropologist, 1901-1978
The Snow Leopard Trust has set up a telephone hotline service in northern India.
It’s a line local communities can call if they need help managing problems with snow leopards.
They’ve had a number of calls already, including an important call from a village called Gue.
There had been five snow leopard attacks there in one week, resulting in the loss of 76 goats. This was a terrible blow to the community of Gue – and of course to the goats.
The Snow Leopard Trust’s field team were able to get permission to travel to Gue, where they assessed the situation and then shipped materials so that the most vulnerable corrals could be reinforced.
They returned again to predator-proof ten corrals.
The idea behind the corrals is that they secure livestock at night, locked away safely from predators such as snow leopards. They also create more interest in the Trust’s conservation work and enhance tolerance of snow leopards.
There are a couple of petitions you may want to sign – or at least look at – which are aiming to move the planet in the direction of having cleaner air and stopping toxic air.
Asthma UK: We want clean air!
Asthma UK is asking us all to take action on toxic air and tell our leaders that we want CLEAN air. It has a petition for new, life-saving clean air plans.
The charity says that over 6 million people who are older than 65 are at a greater risk of breathing problems and experiencing asthma attics or flare-ups of COPD because of living in areas that are heavily polluted.
You may remember a land-mark case last year; air pollution was cited for the first time anywhere on a death certificate. An inquest heard of the role toxic air had played in the death of nine year old London girl Ella Kissi-Debrah as her asthma got worse.
Avaaz says that just as many countries are at last taking action to protect the planet, fossil fuel giants are suing governments for billions.
You see, the Energy Charter Treaty was designed to encourage energy companies to invest in developing economies. Unfortunately, it’s being weaponised, as Avaaz calls it, to sue countries which try to shut down toxic coal plants and oil rigs. Avaaz further say that companies have already won over $50 billion from taxpayer funds.
However, there is hope.
There’s a plan to stray this treaty. Italy has withdrawn. France and Spain and others are calling on the treaty to go.
World Wildlife Day takes place on 3rd March and this year the theme is “Forests and livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet.”
#Doonethingtoday to help forest communities and conserve our forest wildlife.
The day in 2021 will highlight the essential role played by forests, the species living in forests and ecosystems play in sustaining the lives of millions of people around the world. It particularly focuses on indigenous and local communities who have long held ties to forest areas and areas next to forests.
Representatives from the UN member States, UN system organisations, the private sector and others come together to discuss the theme of “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet".
One is – of course – to spread the word. Use the hashtags
#ForestPeoplePlanet; #WorldWildlifeDay; #WWD2021.
#DoOneThingToday
Other ways you can help are to just #DoOneThingToday to make a difference and help wildlife conservation.
The website has a number of different ways you can do this and they include:
1. Set a goal
Try to have the smallest possible negative impact on the environment, wildlife habitats and the planet’s biodiversity. This is really important. Examples are to eat less meat or no meat, reduce food wastage, buy local, look for products with palm oil in them (check Ethical Consumer for lists), reduce your use of everything especially plastic, and really think before you buy: do I absolutely NEED this? Why do I need it? Making one change can quickly lead to another. If you fall by the wayside, just get up again and get back on the road to change.
You could also try to have the largest positive impact on the environment, habitats and the planet’s biodiversity. Actions could include things such as making choices which boost this goal, such as choosing wildlife friendly flowers for a garden pot or border, doing a monthly donation to a Buy an Acre scheme such as the World Land Trust, supporting a campaign such as Plantlife’s Road Verges campaign.
2. Donate something
What can you give?
Time: volunteer for a conservation charity – there are all sorts of ways to do this, from short volunteer holidays to regular volunteering and supporting one off events such as a beach clean. This may not be easy due to covid-19 restrictions but keep checking because things are liable to change fast. Some may need help from people stuck at home with essential admin tasks.
Money: support an appeal, buy an acre, buy something for a charity off a wish list or support them on Amazon Smile or any fundraiser
Your voice: speak out, write to companies who need to change their ways, support petitions,tell politicians that the environment and wildlife are important to you. Speak out against companies that want to bulldoze habitat.
3. Encourage others to get involved
Hedgehog Street is a great example of this – there are 70,000 hedgehog champions in the UK now, all championing the role of hedgehogs. Toad Patrol is another example where people go out at night and ensure toads cross the road safely. Beach cleans is another example – you can literally adopt a beach to clean up.
4. Offset your carbon emissions
For example if you fly, instead of donating to an airline’s carbon emission offset scheme, donate to a charity which knows where to plant trees. There are a lot of tree planting schemes going on and you need to be sure you donate to one which knows which trees to plant where so that the most appropriate trees are planted for the area. One option is to donate to an appeal of a conservation charity.
5. Understand the illegal wildlife trade
Be informed on the illegal wildlife trade. Visit CITES, and TRAFFIC to find out more. Tell the authorities if you have information on illegal wildlife activities such as poaching, wildlife trafficking and illegal logging. Education for Nature Vietnam has a video which encourages people to report those engaged in such illegal activities to the authorities.
6. Connect with the natural world.
One thing I found particularly useful when I really got involved in conservation (and I’m not a scientist or professional, I’m just someone who cares and makes a difference) is to try to develop a relationship with an animals so that you feel you’re caring for “your” animal. For instance, a few years ago my husband adopted a polar bear for me as a birthday present. I am still “looking after” Nanuk by turning all the lights off as I leave a room, turning my thermostat down and wearing a jumper, looking for ways to cut carbon emissions etc. It’s my way of looking after her. And her cubs. Knowing she is out there trying to survive always does the trick in helping me to make the decision that’s best for her.
The fundraiser hit its target (it was £716 in the end) and now the tigers' solar pumps can be mended so that they, and other wildlife in the area, have water to drink. The background story is below.
However, it's not too late to donate to give tigers water! Tigers4ever have another Global Giving campaign called Water For Bandhavgarh's Tigers - Reducing Conflict and they still need donations for that. Read the background to this appeal here.
Background Story....
A herd of wild elephants have moved to Bandhavgarh. And they have been very naughty and destroyed two solar pumps which power the borewell pumps at two waterhole sites.
The tigers in the area are more than a bit miffed, and they are worried, too, because the drought season is rapidly approaching, and they need water to survive. As do many other animals in the area.
As a result of the elephants’ actions, the tigers need the solar pumps to be mended and of course they don’t have any money.
Please will you help the tigers?
It’s easy to do.
Tigers4ever, an amazing charity which works to give tigers a future, has a Global Giving campaign. They need to raise £803, and you can contribute to the campaign here.
Replace the broken solar panels so that water under the ground can be pumped to the surface again – then the animals will have a source of water and won’t need to go into villages looking for water.
Put up fencing around the solar pump that’s elephant proof so that the solar pumps will be protected. They are looking at using chilli fences and beehive fences to deter the elephants but these will need to be funded.
Anyway, the tigers and the other animals in the area would really appreciate your help. They want and need access to water to survive and thrive. Please help them and contribute towards giving them water.
Explorers Against Extinction have a remarkable way to mark 2021.
They are championing the work of 21 conservation projects around the world, many of which are small projects that have been badly hit by Covid-19 in 2020. They are calling this initiative 21 for 21 and all the fundraising and donations this year are going towards it.
Firstly, a bit about Explorers Against Extinction:
It is a registered working name of The Real World Conservation Trust, a UK registered charity. There’s another working name called Sketch for Survival. Their mission is to promote the conservation of rare and endangered species and the protection of their environments; to advance the education of the public in the conservation issues around rare and endangered species and the threats to their environment; and to help local communities impacted by proximity to rare species benefit from their protection.
About 21 For 21
There are 21 projects and you can nominate a specific project from the 21 For 21 Directory to fundraise for or split your fundraising across several or all of the projects. There are some UK projects but equally there are projects overseas – and this will help raise awareness of the work they are doing.
In each case, human activity is the biggest driver of destruction so this amazing initiative gives us all the chance to really and truly contribute to worldwide conservation from our homes – just £21 will support the 21 projects, unless you prefer to focus on one or a couple, for example. So this is a very exciting chance to really make a difference while sitting at home!
The 21 For 21 Projects are:
Seagrass Restoration UK
Saving the last West African Giraffe, Niger
Kit for Conservation K9s
Protecting Pangolins, South Africa
Big Cat Conservation, Tanzania
Protecting Ol Pejeta, Kenya
Sowing Seeds to Save Gorillas, Uganda
Whale Shark Conservation, Indian Ocean
Turtle Watch, Sri Lanka
Manta Ray Research, Indian Ocean
Big Cats of Bandipur, India
Elephant Sanctuary Support, Cambodia
Saving the World’s Smallest Bear
Trees for Koalas, Australia
Saving New Zealand’s Dophins
Wild Water Whales, Southern Ocean
Spotlight on Alabratrosses, South Georgia
Rewilding in the Pantanal, Brazil
Floating Classroom, Galapagos
Safeguarding the Maya Mountain Marine Corridor, Belize
To simply donate – you could donate £21, with one pound going to each project, or £2.10
To get involved in Challenge yourself for Charity
To get creative for conservation – submissions are invited until 30 June 2021; there are three categories, namely Stories for Survival, Sketch for Survival and Focus for Survival
One of the things I LOVE about the 21 For 21 initiative is that if, like me, you find it really difficult to choose between all the conservation projects, you can choose to support them all in one go with £21 or whatever you choose to donate! I always feel bad for choosing one project over another so this makes it easy for me to support the lot!
