By Suzanne York. As the world rings in a new year, there are the ubiquitous feelings of desiring fresh starts and new beginnings. Yes, a fresh start is greatly needed, as the state of the global environment (and more) is extremely bleak. With so much on the line for the planet as a whole –
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By Candela Vázquez Asenjo, youth blogger, Transition Earth. When I decided to volunteer to work with orangutans in Indonesian Borneo, little did I know how much it would change my life. It all started with Jane Goodall. Her life and spirit of discovery has always been an inspiration to me since I was young. It
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By Suzanne York. The prediction is so shocking that it is difficult to comprehend – our world is on track to lose two-thirds of wild animals by 2020. The Living Planet Report 2016, by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Zoological Society of London, reports that animal populations plummeted by 58% between 1970 and 2012, with losses on
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By Suzanne York. One thing is for certain – there is not a lack of specially recognized days, especially for Earth’s endangered species. Last week there was World Elephant Day. This week, we have World Orangutan Day. If only the day could be celebrated with uplifting photos and stories.   But sadly, orangutans are facing multiple
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By Suzanne York. The outrage over the killing of Cecil the lion from Zimbabwe is palpable. Sadly, this lion is just one of many species of animals killed by trophy hunters (as well as poachers). Yet would people be outraged if they knew that wild habitat for almost all species in Africa – and the
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org It is said that ignorance is bliss.  What about willful ignorance, or worse, indifference? It is undeniable that humans are changing the environment and affecting the planet’s biodiversity, and much of this change is not for the better.  But it is easier to stick our heads in the sand, look the
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org The Living Planet Report 2014, an analysis of undertaken by World Wildlife Fund, the London Zoological Society, and a few other groups, just reported sobering and disturbing news:  the world is losing more species than originally thought, with the state of global wildlife populations halved in 40 years. The opening paragraph
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org There is no denying that humans are impacting the planet, and not necessarily for the good. Some people may argue this point, but one look at mountaintops blown off in Appalachia or forests cleared for palm oil production would have to elicit some acceptance of human alteration of the environment. Many
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org Consumer knowledge on the destructiveness of palm oil production – found in everything from ice cream and crackers to detergents and cosmetics, is rising.  Increased awareness is sorely needed, as more and more forests are cleared to make way for palm oil plantations. There are a lot of questions around the
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org Forget nature, as oil trumps conservation once again.  Last week, Rafael Correa, Ecuador’s president, announced the end of an innovative plan to protect one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, opting instead to allow drilling for oil. Known as the Yasuní-ITT Initiative, the plan called for permanently leaving more
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