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1. Wild Horses of Alberta Society....

   Posted on 4:00pm Monday 31st Jul 2017

   So yesterday I was having a canter around the BBC website and having a browse and I came across a video made by the Wild Horses of Alberta Society. The Society is "committed to the preservation of these magnificent animals in their natural environment" and they have a number of videos on their You Tube page which I must say I did enjoy.   As well as informing the public about the history of these wonderful horses, the Society  is also working with the government to establish reasonable and achievable wild horse population management solutions, and also another objective I particularly like is their work to promote the welfare of wild horses by rescuing, gentling and rehoming of wild horses providing veterinary care. They also have a wild horse adoption programme. Of course, being a horse lover I had to have a look, and the video was just wonderful!   The wilds of Alberta, the care the people took of these wild horses and the spirit of the horses was just - for me - really moving.   Here's one of their videos, A Year with the Wild Horses - do take a look!   The organisation entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the province of Alberta back in November 2014 - a 5 year agreement.  It means WHOAS can run 2 programmes in a large area of the Sundre Equine Zone -  Firstly, a contraception program for wild horse mares - this should help manage horse populations Secondly, an adoption program so that WHOAS can rescue wild horses in trouble on private land or that are found abandoned or injured. It's always interesting to see how people are working to help animals and I do wish the Society well in its work. Click here to visit the Wild Horses of Alberta Society's website

    

2. Help stop bear farming in Vietnam - your voice is needed now

   Posted on 10:00pm Wednesday 28th Jun 2017

   Today I had an email from the amazing charity Four Paws asking for all our help in supporting their petition to encourage the Vietnamese government to stop bear farming once and for all.

   In just six weeks, 275,000 people have signed the charity's petition - including comedians Matt Lucas and John Bishop, MEP Jean Lambert and VietPro.  

   Will you add your voice to the petition to stop bear farming?  

   Four Paws are hoping to have half a million names on their petition.  
   
   

   

   Every single signature could help encourage the Vietnamese authorities to end bear farming once and for all.   Four Paws is asking everyone to share, share, and share - and if you know any famous people who can help raise the profile of the petition, that would be great :-) 

   Please sign now

   Share now using #saddestbears

   Although the Vietnamese government has taken steps to end bear farming over the last 10 years, there are still about 1,300 bears living in tiny cages.  Bears are being used for bile extraction. So more action is needed to end bear farming once and for all. 

   The petition calls on the Vietnamese government to (and I quote):

   • Take even greater steps in ensuring that bears are not farmed for bile extraction.
   • Ensure bears currently on bear farms are strictly monitored with confiscations and penalties for noncompliance.
   • Close all bear farms by 2020 and ensure the transfer of all remaining bears to rescue centers and sanctuaries.

   Please take action and sign the petition here

3. Give a gift which helps many

   Posted on 8:00am Thursday 22nd Jun 2017

   I read this wonderful quote recently from somebody called Charley Willey, who worked out the following: "Make one person happy each day and in 40 years, you will have made 14,600 human beings happy for a little time, at least."  That struck a chord with me, and of course as an animal lover, I came up with an alternate version: "Make one animal happy each day and in 40 years, you will have made 14,600 aniamls happy for a little time, at least." Of course, you can make your dog or cat happy every day and at the end of that time, that will just have been one animal over the length of time that you are blessed with them.   But then there are ways to reach out to help a vast number of animals.   Feed the birds in your garden or via a window feeder, and you feed many (or more than one, at any rate).  Grow wildlife friendly flowers in your garden with a simple packet of seeds, and you'll help butterflies and moths, bees and other insects. Put a small wildlife pond in your garden or a bird bath and watch in enjoyment as animals come to drink or take a quick dip. Plant a tree and you'll give hundreds of animals shade from the sun, shelter from the rain, and somewhere to rest and nest. Sponsor an acre, and you'll help thousands of animals and many different species by providing them or protecting their habitat - the area where they live. GIve a horse lover a virtual gift from a charity like the Brooke or Spana and you can help hundreds of horses, donkeys, mules and camels, all thirsty after working long hours in incredibly hot temperatures.    Add your name to a petition and improve the lot of animals in your country or abroad. Every act helps and every act has the power to improve the lives of animals and people world wide.  And every act has the potential to help not just one animal but millions of them.

4. Reducing our rubbish

   Posted on 10:00pm Tuesday 6th Jun 2017

   Stop producing the rubbish in the first place We need to stop putting rubbish into the ocean – it will end up somewhere, even if it is on the other side of the world.   What goes around, comes around.   If 1 of us stopped using one plastic bottle a week - that would mean 52 less plastic bottles a month.  If two people stopped, that would be 104.  If 10 people stopped, that would be 520 less in the environment.  What was found in the MCS Beach Clean Up Weekend The top 10 Items found on beaches in the 2016 clean up Plastic/polysterene pieces Cigarette stubs Packets (crisps, sweets, lollies, sandwiches) Caps and lids String and cord Cotton bud sticks Glass Wet wipes Fishing line Plastic drinks/bottles Popular items found on Henderson Island in the Pitcairns were toy soldiers, dominos, toothbrushes and hundreds of hardhats, cigarette lighters And on the Versova beach in India, the volunteers discovered blue plastic bags, faded milk packets, torn teddy bears, soaking diapers, wrappers, empty toothpaste tubes, all of which were washed ashore.    Taking a look at the litter found in beach clean ups – what do you use, and is there a substitute?   I'm going to take a look at  and   for a start.

    

5. Help clear up the rubbish with a beach clean up

   Posted on 9:00pm Tuesday 6th Jun 2017

   Help clear up the rubbish with a beach clean up What would be helpful and encouraging for us all is to know that lots of people are getting involved.   People are already caring for the ocean.  We just have to join them and lend a hand.  We’re not acting alone.  Join in beach clean ups There are hundreds of people getting involved all over the world.  People are doing what they can in their patch with their own communities.   They are getting up at the weekends, heading to the beach, joining groups and getting busy picking up litter.  Joining groups like this is empowering – it shows that we’re not acting alone.   Not near a beach? If you’re nowhere near a beach, check out the Canal and River Trust to see if there’s a volunteer group near you.  The water from rivers and canals end up somewhere. Be inspired by... A whopper beach clean An amazing example is a the Versova beach clean up in India, near the city of Mumbai.   One man started a beach clean and others gradually joined in.  In the end 1,000 volunteers took 85 months to turn the beach from a huge rubbish dump and turn it into a pristine, beautiful place.   And volunteers have planted 500 trees as well.   A smaller beach clean In Dorset in the south of England, there are small groups of volunteers who are packing a punch and having a real local impact on their beaches by taking part in beach clean ups.   They also campaign, educate and promote the importance of healthy living for us all.  Click here for more info 7 beach clean up ideas The Marine Conservation Society Great British Beach Clean - 15-18 September 2017, but there are also lots of events you can get involved with during the year.   The Great Winter Nurdle Hunt - there's a nurdle guide to help you. The #2minutebeachclean  - spend just 2 minutes clearing the beach, or more!  Every piece of marine plastic removed from the beach is a piece that will no longer go on to kill. World Clean up Day - 15 September 2018 - people in 150 countries will stand up against the global trash problem and clean up waste Just go and create your own beach clean up - even five minutes is better than none Clean up as you go - always take your litter home with you and dispose of it, recycling where you can Why not suggest your company does a beach clean as a team building event?