Have you ever thought twice about tossing that plastic bottle in the garbage? Or that handbag you threw in the trash because you got bored with it? Well, they don’t disappear into thin air. They appear in the middle of the ocean, taking on a new life of their own and hurting marine life.

Upon discovering the Great Pacific Garbage Patch a few years ago, artist and illustrator Rachel Hope Allison was shocked. The patch is a giant destructive vortex of floating debris of human consumer waste that has been accumulating over the years. It lies in the calm seas between Hawaii and the California Coastline and is destructing to the marine environment.

Published by Archaia in association with Jeff Corwin Connect (co-founded by conservationist and Emmy winning TV host of Ocean Mysteries Jeff Corwin), Allison’s debut graphic novel I am Not a Plastic Bag is about this very real threat of the giant trash island. The novel is told entirely without words.

Explaining why she chose this topic for her debut novel, Allison said, “I remember being freaked out when I was a little kid when I heard about big problems like global warming and ozone layer. I didn’t know what to do with it. So I decided to write a story that is not all doom and gloom. This book has some whimsical moments too.”

Allison beautifully weaves the tale through colorful illustrations of objects— a supermarket plastic bag, a broken umbrella, a rubber ducky, a car tire—that make their way to the patch in the ocean and form a destructive island of trash. As someone who is passionate about science and wanted to be a marine biologist, Allison artfully portrays the interactions the trash items have with one another and their effect on marine life.

In the book, giant sea birds hovering over the debris get entangled in the remains of plastic bags, a giant squid barely escapes getting caught in the mess. Realty is worse. There have been numerous accounts of beached sperm whales discovered with stomachs full of plastic debris and fishing nets. Albatrosses, mistaking plastic pieces (also known as nurdles) for food that cause a sensation of being full starve to death.

In the foreword of the book, Jeff Corwin wrote, “The journey of discarded waste is wide-ranging and far-reaching. A flyaway sheet of plastic tarp may end up smothering a living boulder of coral reef, while a produce bag from a distant supermarket, masquerading as a jellyfish, could find its way into the belly of an endangered sea turtle.”

While the subject may seem hard to stomach, there are parts in the book that are beautiful and hopeful. And the message is clear- we can all do something to curb the damage. Allison hopes that “the book will get people excited about learning more about nature instead of being scared,” she added.

Even though US citizens take up only 5% of the world population, we generate 40% of our planet’s trash. “Your average American produces nearly 5 pounds of non-biodegradable material each day, which nationally adds up to about 200 million tons of long-lived garbage,” said Jeff Corwin in the forward.

He added, “The good news is that each one of us, no matter where you are from, or how old you are, has the power and the responsibility to keep our Earth clean.”

We can all make simple changes to reduce garbage. We can minimize use of plastic bottles, bags, cans and recycle whenever possible.

I Am Not a Plastic Bag is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and stores selling graphic novels. For each tree that is cut down for the printing of book, two trees will be planted.

Top Ten Items Found in Ocean Debris (information from Ocean Conservancy)

1) Cigarettes
2) Food wrappers/containers
3) Caps, lids
4) Cups, plates, forks, knives, spoons
5) Plastic beverage bottles
6) Plastic bags
7) Glass beverage bottles
8) Beverage cans
9) Straws/stirrers
10) Rope

www.facebook.com/jeffcorwinconnect

HBO’s new racing drama Luck ceased production after the third horse died on the set. The young thoroughbred was euthanized after it hurt its head during a fall. Sadly, the industry that thrives on the backs of these hardworking horses is failing them. The horses are raced at too young of an age before their bones develop, and they sustain injuries as a result. Not all retired race horses get to live out their lives in peace.

Last year I came upon the book, The Horses of Proud Spirit by Melanie Sue Bowles and it opened my eyes to the plight of horses in America. Melanie is the founder of the Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary located in Mena, Arkansas and she has the same philosophy as I do. Riding horses used to be one of my favorite activities until one day I heard about the abuse that goes on in stables and the horse racing industry, and decided to give it up. I consider horses my friends, not merely a means of enjoyment.

“A horse doesn’t have to be used to have value,” said Melanie when I visited her beautiful sanctuary last Fall. Melanie and her husband Jim Bowles founded the Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary 20 years ago to help abandoned and neglected horses. Today, Proud Spirit is one of the most successful and longest running sanctuaries for horses in the United States.

Melanie never backs away from helping an animal in need- whether it’s an injured race horse, a miniature horse with an abusive past or an abandoned emaciated dog- she comes to their rescue. With Jim and Melanie’s diligent care and the comfort of the herd, the dogs, donkeys and horses that find their way to Proud Spirit recover their health, and become a part of their family. The 58 current resident horses of Proud Spirit get to run freely on 320 acres of rolling hills near the Ouachita Mountains, playing in the sparkling lake and living their lives in peace. They are never ridden, and they are never torn from their family.

During my visit to this amazing place where I spent time in the company of so many happy and much loved animals, I had a conversation with Melanie about the sanctuary, rescue work and what we can all do to help animals.

Lavanya Sunkara: Proud Spirit recently celebrated its 20^th year, and no doubt you have saved hundreds of horses. How did it all begin?

Melanie Sue Bowles: I have to be honest and tell you that I avoid using the word ‘celebrate’. The fact that animals even need to be rescued can’t be celebrated and I actually wish that Proud Spirit was out of business. But we started the sanctuary because we saw a need; abused, elderly and neglected horses needed a place to go where they could heal. We began with just one horse on five acres of land. Over the years we’ve evolved into an award-winning facility and we’ve intervened on behalf of nearly 400 horses.

LS: What motivates you every morning to do the work you do?

MSB: The short answer is, the horses. The longer answer is that I believe we are most happy in our life when we take the focus off of ourselves- what we have, what we don’t have, what we wish we had- and instead find ways to give back without expecting anything in return. In that regard, I get much more from our rescued horses than they get from me.

LS: You treat all animals that come into your life as family, you nurture them, communicate with them and they seem to bond with you right away. What is it about horses that you think most people misunderstand?

MSB: One of the biggest things that most people, even seasoned equestrians, misunderstand or disregard about horses is their emotional well-being. Horses form very strong ties, they become family to one another, but we sell them and trade them and shuffle them around from owner to owner, breaking up bonded mates and taking babies from their mothers way too young. It’s heartbreaking. Even sadder is all the horses that are forced to come and go through show barns and industries like Thoroughbred racing. Horses are herd animals, they desperately need each other to thrive, but those horses never even have a chance for that essential bonding.

LS: How do you stay positive with all of the animal abuse and neglect you witness in your rescue work?

MSB: I’m not always positive! Anyone who does rescue work sees the worst of mankind. It can be exhausting. But I think I’ve survived for 20 years in the trenches because I accept that evil has existed since the beginning of time and there will always be wrongdoing. For me, it’s a waste of time and energy to lament this fact, or to constantly question how or why abuse and cruelty happens. I’d rather put my energy into making things right for the lives I’m able to touch and rejoice the successes. When we bring a new horse into our fold we don’t dwell on his or her past or rail on about the abusive former owner. We focus on “right now”… this horse is here, right now, and he is safe and his future is secure.

LS: I read your book, The Horses of Proud Spirit, and I am touched by the stories. Each time you brought an emaciated horse back to life, tears welled up in my eyes. You are truly a blessing for these animals. What else would you like to see happen?

MSB: We aren’t taking care of the animals already here, and everyone who brings another colt into the world or another litter of puppies or kittens is guilty of adding to the burden. No man is an island and irresponsibility affects us all. Before you breed, or buy from a breeder, consider rescuing an animal instead. Imagine a day when we aren’t sending millions of animals to their death. I would like to see stricter laws regarding animal abuse, but these laws must be enforced. The laws serve no purpose when authorities turn a blind eye to the suffering of powerless animals.

LS: Any advice for people who want to do rescue work?

MSB: Your vision regarding why you’re doing this should be very clear. Rescue work takes an extraordinary amount of commitment and sacrifice. It goes back to my statement about finding ways to give back to the world around you without expecting anything in return.

To support Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary, purchase Melanie’s books The Horses of Proud Spirit, Hoof Prints: More Stories from Proud Spirit and The Dogs of Proud Spirit or make a donation at www.horsesofproudspirit.com

“The animal kingdom is in critical condition. The affliction isn’t a disease, but rather a crisis of endangerment that threatens to wipe out many of the world’s animal species forever. Ironically, the only species capable of saving these animals is the same one that’s responsible for putting them in danger.”
~ Jeff Corwin 100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save Earth’s Most Endangered Species

It may be hard to admit, but every one of us has played a part in putting the precious animals we share this planet with in peril. The paper we write on, the furniture we use, the homes we live in comes from wood from clear-cut forests, leaving countless animals homeless. The cruises we take leave the oceans polluted and hurt marine life. Circuses perpetuate animal abuse. Tourism industries in many countries rely on the exploitation of wildlife from tigers to baby elephants. Smuggling of exotic animals, and poaching for ivory and rhino horns for supposed “medicinal” purposes are driving the animals to the brink of extinction.

It’s still not too late for us to turn things around. While there are several ways to help wildlife, the easiest is to support organizations that are making a difference to endangered species. For the animal lover in your life, make a donation on their behalf to any of the following organizations around the world.

1. David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya – It was wonderful interacting with adorable baby elephants and rhinos during my visit to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi National Park a few years ago. The reality is that these were orphans and victims of poaching that continues to threaten black rhinoceros and elephant populations in Africa. At the Trust, the keepers raise the orphaned elephants and rhino calves by bottle feeding them and sleeping in their stalls. Once they are rehabilitated, they are re-entered into their communities in Tsavo National park. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/

2. Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica – Sloths are simply adorable with their ‘smiley’ little faces and furry bodies. They may be slow, but are quick to draw attention. The sloth sanctuary in Limon, Costa Rica began twenty years ago with a sick and starving baby sloth. Owner Judy Arroyo cared for this baby, named Buttercup, and raised her to adulthood. Today, the sanctuary cares for more than 150 sloths that have been orphaned, harmed by electrical wires or hurt by humans. The sanctuary is also in the process of reseeding critical areas to combat habitat loss. www.slothsanctuary.com/

3. Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee – A documentary by Emmy Winner Allison Argo, The Urban Elephant, opened my eyes to the plight of elephants that were brought as babies to work in circuses. One of the segments of the film tells the story of Shirley, a crippled elephant that suffered at the hands of humans throughout her life. After living a solitary life for several years, she was brought to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee where she was reunited with an old friend Jenny that she knew from her life in the circus 20 years prior. Jenny too was a victim of abuse. The sanctuary is the nation’s largest natural habitat refuge developed specifically for endangered African and Asian elephants. It operates on 2,700 acres and cares for fourteen elephants. To watch the heartwarming tale of Shirley and Jenny, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF8em4uPdCg. http://www.elephants.com/

4. Animal Works – Due to habitat loss, animals are increasingly coming into conflict with humans in villages in India. Animals Works is dedicated to educating the public and helping orphaned elephants in the Assam region of India. It collaborates with two on-ground organizations to reduce the human-elephant conflict problem– the Wildlife Trust of India and the Assam Haathi Project (“Haathi” means elephant in Assamese). At the Wildlife Trust of India’s Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, elephants, one-horned rhinos and tigers are rehabilitated before they are returned to the wild. The Assam Haathi Project has developed chilli (hot pepper) projects across the state, to keep elephants away from people’s crops and also give them a high value cash crop that elephants don’t eat. http://animalworks.com.au/

5. Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary in Congo – Bonobos are great apes, along with chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas. They are most closely related to us, sharing 98.7 percent of our DNA. They are faced with destruction and degradation of their habitats, and are commercially hunted for bushmeat. Lola ya Bonobo, which means ‘paradise for bonobos’ in Lingala language is situated just outside of Kinshasa in Congo. It is home to 52 bonobos that live in 75 acres of primary forest. Claudine Andre founded the sanctuary as part of the NGO, Les Amis des Bonobos du Congo (ABC) in 1994. Claudine’s reach extends to the rest of Congo, as she works to educate the Congolese of the endangered bonobo, and the danger and cruelty of eating bushmeat. www.friendsofbonobos.org/sanctuary.htm

6. Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest – A little closer to home, the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, located on a 26 acre farm in the Cascade mountains east of Seattle houses seven chimpanzees released from biomedical research. We are not the only ones who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. After having endured years of abuse for scientific purposes, Chimpanzees show similar symptoms as soldiers and torture victim. The sanctuary is only one of nine in the country that cares for chimps. Alas, the our cousins can now enjoy peace and spend time outdoors. www.chimpsanctuarynw.org

7. Save the Manatee Club in Florida – Manatees are endangered largely due to human activity, specifically watercraft collisions, ingestion of fish hooks, and entanglement in crab trap lines. Save the Manatee Club is dedicated to protecting manatees and their aquatic habitat. Raising awareness, advocating for protection measures along with rehabilitation and release are top priorities for the Club founded by renowned singer/songwriter, Jimmy Buffett, and former U.S. Senator, Bob Graham, when he was governor of Florida. www.savethemanatee.org

8. Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia – The cheetah is the fastest land animal and is also the most endangered cat in Africa. There was a time when cheetahs lived in almost all African countries and in large parts of Asia, but today they are almost extinct in Asia. Main causes include poaching, high infant mortality and loss of habitat. Namibia is the only country with the largest and healthiest population of cheetahs. The CCF is dedicated to understanding the animal’s biology and ecology so as to better able to manage its sustainability for the future. www.cheetah.org

Let us hope all these animals can win the race for survival with our help.

Jeff Corwin with CCF founder Dr. Laurie Marker and Chewbaaka, ambassador for CCF

More from ecomii blogs:

• Secrets of an Urban Beekeeper
• Builder Creates Ewok World in the Trees
• Learn more about Jeff Corwin and his Furry Friends
• How Soon Will We See “Driverless Cars”?

It is not uncommon for newspapers in India to report elephant and other wild animal encounters in towns and villages. These creatures are losing their habitat and finding nowhere to go but the human inhabited areas. Dr. Tammie Matson, a wildlife conservationist, started Animal Works, an organization addressing the issue of human-animal conflict in the Assam region of India and raising money for orphaned elephants.

Dr. Matson is an Australian zoologist who spent over a decade working on threatened species in southern Africa. She ran WWF Australia’s national species program from 2007 to 2008. She has published two books, “Dry Water – Diving headfirst into Africa”, about her experiences being a wildlife researcher in Africa, and “Elephant Dance – a story of love and war in the elephant kingdom” based on her work on human-elephant conflict.

Dr. Matson recently won InStyle magazine’s prestigious Women of Style award for the environment in June of 2010. Here, she talks about her life as a conservationist and what we can do to save elephants. 

LS: What inspired you to become a wildlife conservationist?

TM: I have been passionate about animals from a young age. I grew up in North Queensland on the Great Barrier Reef, living among wild possums, bandicoots, wallabies and turtles. I don’t think it was a great surprise to my parents that I became a zoologist, as regular family camping trips to the outback and snorkeling trips out to the coral reefs made sure that we had an appreciation for nature and a desire to conserve it.

When my dad took me to Zimbabwe at fifteen, I fell in love with the wild animals, the adventurous life, and became immediately passionate about conservation. I studied Environmental Science at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, before deciding to major in Zoology. For my Honours project, I studied the behavior of impalas in Zimbabwe. For my PhD in Zoology, I stuck with impalas because I had developed a real respect for them.

When I had to leave Zimbabwe due to political instability in the year 2000, I moved to Namibia, and based myself in a ramshackle tin caravan at Etosha National Park. The park is home to the threatened black-faced impala, which is a subspecies of impala only found in the arid parts of Namibia and Angola. Now, I live in Australia with my family and run Animal Works, raising awareness and funds for orphaned elephants.

Philip Dev, a  male calf who had fallen into a deep ravine and become stuck has recovered well from his ordeal and is starting to show some of the mischievous traits of a young elephant calf.

LS: What are some of the reasons behind the human-elephant conflict?

TM: The root cause of human-elephant conflict throughout Africa and Asia is habitat loss. So much of their natural habitat has been destroyed that they’re coming out of what was once forest, but is now tea gardens or rice paddies or towns full of people, and that’s where they get into trouble – and cause trouble too. Four hundred people are killed by elephants every year in India, and about a hundred elephants are killed by people, either through getting entangled in low hanging electricity lines and electrocuted, through poisoning in retaliation for human deaths, or by being hit by trains.

While working for WWF a few years ago, I met a small group of orphaned baby elephants being rehabilitated at the Wildlife Trust of India’s Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, near Kaziranga National Park in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. Baby Indian elephants are so cute, with a lot fuzzier hair on their heads than their African counterparts, and they were so playful, trying to knock me over when I crouched down beside them. Yet they had been separated from their families and some of them severely injured before being rescued. I wanted to help.

Years later, I set up Animal Works with Australian artist, Nafisa Naomi, to try and raise funds and awareness for these orphans, many of which are victims of human-elephant conflict. Part of what Animal Works does is run an adoption program for these orphaned elephants, and in January this year, several of the ones we support were released to the wild, which is a huge achievement.

LS: Are there any solutions to this human-elephant conflict?

TM: The answer to this issue lies in protecting elephant habitat and enabling the people who live with elephants to benefit from them, or at least to minimize the costs to them. In India, Animal Works is working with two on-ground organizations to try and reduce the human-elephant conflict problem – the Wildlife Trust of India and the Assam Haathi Project (“Haathi” means elephant in Assamese).

At the Wildlife Trust of India’s Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation they are rehabilitating many animals for return to the wild, including elephants, greater one-horned rhinos and tigers. At Animal Works, we enable people to sponsor the baby elephants their vets have saved and are rehabilitating for return to the wild. You can read their stories here: http://animalworks.com.au/meet-the-orphans.

The Assam Haathi Project has developed chilli projects across the state, similar to the model used in Africa, to keep elephants away from people’s crops and also giving them a high value cash crop that elephants don’t eat (unlike rice, which elephants love!). By using things like chilli fences and chilli briquettes, people can keep elephants away from crops and reduce the conflict. At Animal Works, we’re supporting the work of local Assamese women to learn how to process these chillies and develop sustainable, long term, micro-businesses.  http://www.assamhaathiproject.org/

LS: Any advice for those wanting to do what you do?

TM: Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world”. I reckon he was right. Everyone’s accountable for what’s happening to the planet, so why not get out there and do something? To be a good wildlife conservationist, you need determination more than academic smarts, and it helps to be a good communicator. You can be the best scientist in the world, but if you can’t speak to people and win them over you won’t win any conservation battles.

How to Help:

• Sponsor an orphaned elephant in Assam for 1-3 years http://animalworks.com.au/meet-the-orphans
• Buy milk for a baby elephant for a day $10
• Help a farmer grow chillies by establishing a seedling nursery – $50
• Purchase Nafisa Naomi’s elephant art- http://animalworks.com.au/drawings-slideshow
• Take advantage of Tammie Matson’s special deal– buy both her books on her website for little more than the price of one including postage. http://www.tammiematson.com
• All donations to Animal Works are tax deductible and go directly to the field. http://www.animalworks.com.au

More from ecomii:

• Learn about the majestic Bald Eagle
• Tips for staying flu-free this winter
• Get the latest info on our favorite endangered fuzzy friends
• Five cost-effective super foods
• Learn more about the Mountain Gorilla

There are plenty of people who tirelessly work to save unwanted and abused animals. I recently got an opportunity to spend time with two of them. Melanie Sue Bowles and Jim Bowles, founders of the Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary, are retired professional fire firefighters who have been saving abandoned and neglected horses for the past 20 years, They have intervened on behalf of nearly 400 horses, and continue to do so.

Over the years, they’ve also opened their hearts and home to plenty of dogs that have found their way into their lives. All of them either abandoned, or locked up in shelters or sent to the vet as puppies because they didn’t meet breed standards. Today, all 13 of their dogs live harmoniously in the house and share the affection of their owners with 58 horses and donkeys in Mena, Arkansas. The horses and donkeys run freely on 320 acres of their property near the Ouachita Mountains. The dogs, however, never leave Melanie and Jim.

As a dog lover, I can never understand how someone can abuse or carelessly abandon their dogs. These innocent animals, some of them very young, diseased or elderly cannot fend for themselves. While most of them suffer due to no fault of their own, some fortunate ones who get rescued by organizations or good-natured people like Melanie and Jim get a second chance and find loving homes.

My time at the Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary will always remain one of my favorites. Never have I seen so much love, and experienced the joy of being around so many happy animals. That’s the beauty of animals- no matter what they’ve been through- they respond in kind and are loyal to those who care for them. “All they want is some food and love,” says Jim Bowles, petting a dog that Melanie had rescued the first morning I was there. In addition to providing home to so many dogs, the husband and wife team have also helped place dozens of rescued dogs with forever homes.

One of the recent additions to the Bowles’ household is the beautiful dog pictured here with me. His name is Winston, a pitbull mix named after Winston Churchill. He was the size of a rabbit when Melanie and Jim found him and his littermates on the side of the road near their ranch, scared, starving, and covered in fleas and ticks. Melanie was able to find homes for Winston’s siblings, but he became a part of their family and quickly adjusted to the lifestyle with the rest of the dogs. During my stay, Winston followed me everywhere, and was super sweet (as you can tell from the picture). He was full of energy, and never tired of playing with his furry friends.

While I loved all the dogs at the Sanctuary, one in particular stole my heart. Her name is Trudi, a small beagle mix that resembled my own puppy. There was never a moment I could sit on the couch or the porch without Trudi running up and sitting on my lap and showering me with kisses. Melanie and Jim found Trudi, and her sisters Daisy and Trixie as puppies in a ditch with a box of adult dog food next to them that they could barely eat. Today, all three sisters, although the smallest of the bunch, know how to assert themselves. In the picture below, you’ll see little Trudi having a “conversation” with one of the donkeys of Proud Spirit.

Then, there are the fluffball corgis, who with their little legs would climb up to my knees and plead for attention with their curious wide eyes. Most of them are rescued from shelters, and animal hospitals where they were sent to be euthanized because they weren’t “perfect” purebred puppies. One has a blue right eye, another a left blue eye, and another has a floppy ear. Luckily, their imperfections don’t come in the way of how much love they give.

The most captivating story of all of them is that of big Louis. Jim and Melanie’s friends found Louis near death in Florida. He was emaciated, with gun pellets in his body, and suffering from heartworm disease. The Bowles’ friends cared for him, and tried to get him adopted. When no one came forward, Melanie drove all the way to bring him home to Arkansas.

Louis, named after Louis Zamperini, World War II hero written about in Unbroken, has definitely been through his share of suffering for most of his life. Today, he is a much loved member of the Proud Spirit family. He has fully recovered from his ailments, and bounced back to health. Towering over the rest of the dogs, Louie is very possessive of Jim and makes sure no other dogs come near him, but there is plenty of love to go around for all of them.

In the endearing picture below, you’ll see Louis nuzzling his best friend’s ear. “Every dog must be loved this much,” says Melanie, with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.

How to Help

• Purchase The Dogs of Proud Spirit book by Melanie Sue Bowles for more true stories about the Proud Spirit dogs. All proceeds go towards the Sanctuary and rescue work.
• Visit www.HorsesofProudSpirit.com to learn more and make a donation.
• Before you buy from a breeder, consider rescuing instead. Visit www.Petfinder.com or your local shelter to find your next best friend.
• Hug a dog or two, it’ll do you some good.

Connect with other species on Jeff Corwin Connect

It is not uncommon for newspapers in India to report elephant and other wild animal encounters in towns and villages. These creatures are losing their habitat and finding nowhere to go but the human inhabited areas. Dr. Tammie Matson, a wildlife conservationist, started Animal Works, an organization addressing the issue of human-animal conflict in the Assam region of India and raising money for orphaned elephants.

Dr. Matson is an Australian zoologist who spent over a decade working on threatened species in southern Africa. She ran WWF Australia’s national species program from 2007 to 2008. She has published two books, “Dry Water – Diving headfirst into Africa”, about her experiences being a wildlife researcher in Africa, and “Elephant Dance – a story of love and war in the elephant kingdom” based on her work on human-elephant conflict.

Dr. Matson recently won InStyle magazine’s prestigious Women of Style award for the environment in June of 2010. Here, she talks about her life as a conservationist and what we can do to save elephants.

LS: What inspired you to become a wildlife conservationist?

TM: I have been passionate about animals from a young age. I grew up in North Queensland on the Great Barrier Reef, living among wild possums, bandicoots, wallabies and turtles. I don’t think it was a great surprise to my parents that I became a zoologist, as regular family camping trips to the outback and snorkeling trips out to the coral reefs made sure that we had an appreciation for nature and a desire to conserve it.

When my dad took me to Zimbabwe at fifteen, I fell in love with the wild animals, the adventurous life, and became immediately passionate about conservation. I studied Environmental Science at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, before deciding to major in Zoology. For my Honours project, I studied the behavior of impalas in Zimbabwe.

For my PhD in Zoology, I stuck with impalas because I had developed a real respect for them. When I had to leave Zimbabwe due to political instability in the year 2000, I moved to Namibia, and based myself in a ramshackle tin caravan at Etosha National Park. The park is home to the threatened black-faced impala, which is a subspecies of impala only found in the arid parts of Namibia and Angola. Now, I live in Australia with my family and run Animal Works, raising awareness and funds for orphaned elephants.

Philip Dev, a  male calf who had fallen into a deep ravine and become stuck has recovered well from his ordeal and is starting to show some of the mischievous traits of a young elephant calf.

LS: What are some of the reasons behind the human-elephant conflict?

TM: The root cause of human-elephant conflict throughout Africa and Asia is habitat loss. So much of their natural habitat has been destroyed that they’re coming out of what was once forest, but is now tea gardens or rice paddies or towns full of people, and that’s where they get into trouble – and cause trouble too. Four hundred people are killed by elephants every year in India, and about a hundred elephants are killed by people, either through getting entangled in low hanging electricity lines and electrocuted, through poisoning in retaliation for human deaths, or by being hit by trains.

While working for WWF a few years ago, I met a small group of orphaned baby elephants being rehabilitated at the Wildlife Trust of India’s Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, near Kaziranga National Park in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. Baby Indian elephants are so cute, with a lot fuzzier hair on their heads than their African counterparts, and they were so playful, trying to knock me over when I crouched down beside them. Yet they had been separated from their families and some of them severely injured before being rescued. I wanted to help.

Years later, I set up Animal Works with Australian artist, Nafisa Naomi, to try and raise funds and awareness for these orphans, many of which are victims of human-elephant conflict. Part of what Animal Works does is run an adoption program for these orphaned elephants, and in January this year, several of the ones we support were released to the wild, which is a huge achievement.

LS: Are there any solutions to this human-elephant conflict?

TM: The answer to this issue lies in protecting elephant habitat and enabling the people who live with elephants to benefit from them, or at least to minimize the costs to them. In India, Animal Works is working with two on-ground organizations to try and reduce the human-elephant conflict problem – the Wildlife Trust of India and the Assam Haathi Project (“Haathi” means elephant in Assamese).

At the Wildlife Trust of India’s Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation they are rehabilitating many animals for return to the wild, including elephants, greater one-horned rhinos and tigers. At Animal Works, we enable people to sponsor the baby elephants their vets have saved and are rehabilitating for return to the wild. You can read their stories here: http://animalworks.com.au/meet-the-orphans.

The Assam Haathi Project has developed chilli projects across the state, similar to the model used in Africa, to keep elephants away from people’s crops and also giving them a high value cash crop that elephants don’t eat (unlike rice, which elephants love!). By using things like chilli fences and chilli briquettes, people can keep elephants away from crops and reduce the conflict. At Animal Works, we’re supporting the work of local Assamese women to learn how to process these chillies and develop sustainable, long term, micro-businesses. http://www.assamhaathiproject.org/

LS: Any advice for those wanting to do what you do?

TM: Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world”. I reckon he was right. Everyone’s accountable for what’s happening to the planet, so why not get out there and do something? To be a good wildlife conservationist, you need determination more than academic smarts, and it helps to be a good communicator. You can be the best scientist in the world, but if you can’t speak to people and win them over you won’t win any conservation battles.

How to Help:

• Sponsor an orphaned elephant in Assam for 1-3 years http://animalworks.com.au/meet-the-orphans
• Buy milk for a baby elephant for a day $10
• Help a farmer grow chillies by establishing a seedling nursery – $50
• Purchase Nafisa Naomi’s elephant art- http://animalworks.com.au/drawings-slideshow
• Take advantage of Tammie Matson’s special deal– buy both her books on her website for little more than the price of one including postage. http://www.tammiematson.com
• All donations to Animal Works are tax deductible and go directly to the field. http://www.animalworks.com.au

More from ecomii:

• Learn about the majestic Bald Eagle
• Can meditation actually reduce pain?
• Get the latest info on our favorite endangered fuzzy friends
• Five cost-effective super foods
• Learn more about the Mountain Gorilla

“I don’t see any bonefish!” I said, standing on a flatboat in the middle of shallow aqua green waters of Fresh Creek in Andros, the largest island in the Bahamas 30 miles west of Nassau.

I walked to the edge of the boat, trying to catch a glimpse of the much sought after fish, which brings many around the world hoping to try their hand at this delicate art of hunting. The fish are almost always released back into the water. At the back of the flatboat, Ricardo navigated slowly from the poling platform. In a hushed tone, he told Glaister who is up front to cast the line 20 feet as we floated quietly.

“There are hundreds of bonefish here!” Glaister said handing me his sunglasses, which apparently help with seeing the dusky finned fish in the clear waters. I still couldn’t see any, which explains why the fish are called “gray ghosts”.

A few moments later, a catch! A grinning Glaister pulled up a slithering bonefish out of the water. Cheer erupted. A sooty tern seabird soared above the mangroves near us. A few Facebook worthy pictures later, the fish was let go and the anglers were already casting for another.

I smiled as the fish got its bearings and took off.  Then, I spotted a stingray gliding a few feet from the boat. Within minutes, a baby shark made its appearance. I had never seen a shark or a stingray so up close. While both were a delight to see, I was in awe when the shark devoured the fish we just released. It felt as if a Discovery channel show unfolded right in front of me.

The myriad of tidal creeks, interconnected lakes, mud flats and mangroves of Andros support some of the most diverse populations of underwater life. Least developed of all the islands of the Bahamas, Andros is a place where nature is untouched, people treat others like family and time flies by with smiles.

That afternoon, right before entering the premises of the Small Hope Bay Lodge in Central Andros where I was staying, I caught sight of a majestic yellow crowned night heron, quietly perched on a branch above a flowing brook. I admired the grayish white feathers and the crowned head of the bird.

I was happy to be in a place that’s home to such exotic creatures. It is no wonder Small Hope Bay Lodge is listed in 1000 Places to See Before You Die book.

During lunch, which was arranged in an al fresco patio next to the bar ten feet away from the water’s edge, I caught up with the owner Jeff whose father Dick Birch opened Small Hope Bay Lodge in 1960. With diving instructions, guided nature tours, and rustic beach cabins decorated in

Androsia batik fabrics and local art, the resort is perfect for both adventure seekers and families hoping to truly experience all that Andros has to offer. Trees bearing edible fruit line the pathways. Hammocks hang between palm trees. Emphasis is placed on low impact and eco-friendly lifestyle. Beer and wine bottles are recycled and made into drinking glasses onsite.

Away from a big natural harbor and separated by canals, the island of Andros is hard to reach by ship. Its shallow waters led many a ship to wreck. The porous limestone found everywhere made it harder for developers to build.

The population of approximately 10,000 relies on fishing, crab hunting, tourism and the active US Naval base for employment. Divers from all over come to explore the third largest barrier reef (extending a distance of 142 miles) located a mile off the coast. The west side of the island is teeming with many species including green and loggerhead sea turtles to rarely seen bull sharks and endangered saw fish, making it a wildlife heaven for nature enthusiasts.

A reverend named Newton Wesley Hamilton was my guide and driver the next day. After kayaking the inland waters near the lodge, we went hiking at Dick’s Crossing nearby, where for the first time in my life I had to avoid potholes that were big enough to fit a car.

Trees and vegetation grew from the sides of the limestone holes, making them hard to see, but also making one more aware of the natural wonders around. The only guiding markers on the winding path were pieces of bright colored Androsia batik (official fabric of the Bahamas made in Andros) tied to trees. I overheard someone mention that wild boars crossed the trails, but I didn’t see any.

We drove north towards our next destination, Captain Bill’s Blue Hole, the largest accessible blue hole in Andros. Given the sparse population of the island, the roads were empty, with only a passing car every now and then. We passed pastel colored houses and playing children. Further out, we saw abandoned rusting cars on the side of the road (which oddly add to the mystic allure of the island).

Some of the trees and shrubs were covered in copper colored love vine plants. Locals believe that drinking the juice made from the love vine will bring love into one’s life. I was already in love with the island.

Miles and miles of baby pines lined the sides of the road ahead. Reverend informed me that 50 years ago, all the pine forests were cut down for paper products. My heart sank a bit, but the views of endless pine trees and happy bird chirpings made me relax. The pinelands are now part of the Central Andros National Park and protected.

At the entrance to the blue hole, we took a wooden path to get to the platform where visitors could either plunge from 15 feet or take the steps to slip into the blue green waters. The fresh water abyss, which is perfectly round and surrounded by pine trees, was at least a quarter of a mile across and a few hundred feet deep. On that clear quiet day, worries were far away, but I did keep a lookout for the legendary Lusca, a mythical half-octopus half-shark monster that lives in the blue holes.

“Salt water cures everything,” said one of the dozens of witty painted wooden signs at Hank’s Place, a local restaurant lining the waterfront on the north side of Fresh Creek. I was in Andros for only a few days, but was already feeling the healing benefits of island life. I’ve seen everything from exotic birds to baby sharks, and experienced the magic of kayaking above blue holes and the thrill of bonefishing. That night after dinner at Hank’s Place, I slipped to the deck at the back of the restaurant and quietly watched the shadowy bodies of the fish swimming under the moonlit sky. I am returning for sure.

Sarah, the resident dog at Small Hope Bay Lodge

How to get there-

15 min flight from Nassau via Bahamasair (800-222-4262, www.bahamasair.com) or LeAir (242-377-2356, www. leaircharters.com) or Western Air (242-377-2222, www.westernairbahamas.com)

Where to stay-

Small Hope Bay Lodge – $260 all-inclusive per person and $360 per person including diving (scuba and snorkeling lessons are also offered). www.smallhope.com, 800-223-6961, SHBinfo@smallhope.com

More from ecomii:

• Learn about the majestic Bald Eagle
• Can meditation actually reduce pain?
• Get the latest info on our favorite endangered fuzzy friends
• Five cost-effective super foods
• Learn more about the Mountain Gorilla

The first Jeff Corwin Experience DVD I bought was about Costa Rica. I had seen the show so many times that I’d say the lines even before him. “It’s time to go from a quadruped to a biped in search of a no-ped”, is one of my favorites.

When I made my trip to the beautiful country, I didn’t have to search for any snakes. A gorgeous boa constrictor crawled from the nearby jungle onto the front yard of Costa Verde, the hotel I was staying in. It wasn’t a surprise because wildlife is abundant; more so in Manuel Antonio than in other places.

I also knew that the snake was non-venomous, but kills its prey by wrapping around it. Some boa constrictor species are endangered as they are excessively hunted for their exotic skin. As I touched this boa’s fine ornate layer, while it was being gently held by the security guard, I couldn’t help but feel exhilarated.

Manuel Antonio is home to the smallest yet most bio-diverse national park in all of Costa Rica. Located on the central Pacific coast south of Quepos, Manuel Antonio National Park is known for its beautiful white-sand beaches and gentle hiking trails. It is teeming with wildlife at every bend. Sloths, crabs, iguanas, monkeys and snakes can all be seen within an hour walk through the park. It’s no wonder the park is listed in the book, 1000 Places to See Before you Die.

Two and three toed sloths slowly meander among the trees, oblivious to the pouring rain, baring their algae covered backs and greeting visitors with their ever present “smiles”. Howler, squirrel and white-headed capuchin monkeys play around on tree tops, often times within a few feet from passersby. Colorful toucans are the stars attracting crowds and stopping traffic on the trails. Little orange land crabs crawl in a distance. Multicolored frogs hop from one leaf to another. Trees with gigantic above ground roots, where snakes hide, adorn the sides of the trails. All of this means being alert and in utter awe, a combination that makes Costa Rica a wildlife haven.

PLAYA MANUEL ANTONIO AND PLAYA ESPADILLA SUR

A short walk through Manuel Antonio Park leads me to the ocean. A crescent shaped beach called Playa Manuel Antonio surrounded by lush green forest that plunges into the sea, is one of the most beautiful environments I ever experienced. Here, sloths cling to the palm leaves, and iguanas sunbathe on rocks, carefree and living life among the tourists. Leaf cutter ants walk up the trees like a marching band to their colony carrying pieces of leaves. Crossing the tambolo (sandy strip that connects an island to the mainland) leads me to another stunning beach. Playa Espadilla Sur is much less crowded and calmer than the other. Although I venture only a short distance, I feel a hundred miles away, where a long stretch of beach awaits just for me.

Playa Manuel Antonio

It is ecstatic seeing exotic wildlife and experiencing the natural beauty of the Park, but I yearn for peace away from the crowds. Since Manuel Antonio Park is popular and easily accessible, it is the most visited park in the country. My guide, Henry Pizarro, a former English teacher who once appeared on a CNN segment on Manuel Antonio, suggests we try a far less visited place not too far away.

RAINMAKER RESERVE

We drive for half an hour towards San Rafael Norte, past palm oil plantations towards mist shrouded emerald green hills. Henry says some of the plantation workers face harsh conditions, one of them being bitten by venomous snakes. Dark clouds hover above. We pass small towns where horses and dogs wander about. Soon, we enter the premises of Rainmaker, a reserve known for some of the most feared snakes in Central America. Rainmaker is a privately owned mountain consisting of 1530 acres of primary rainforest. Dedicated to conservation, the owners protected the land from being sold to a logging company in the 90s. It is home to 60% of all the flora and fauna found in Costa Rica, including the flashy harlequin toad, which was once thought to be extinct due to global warming. It began to drizzle. Henry hands me a hiking stick, warning me to not go off the trail, so I don’t slip on the wet ground or step on something that would require medical assistance.

Rainmaker Reserve

With no other visitors and sounds besides the bird callings and wind whispers, I follow Henry into the reserve. Large leaves as big as umbrellas hanging from tall trees that seemed to have been left behind from the dinosaur era, drip water droplets. Within just a few moments of being in the forest, Henry spots an eyelash pit viper curled up on a tree branch on the side of a hill. Its greenish brown color is perfectly camouflaged to its surroundings. Ascending the hill, we notice a string of baby bats on a tree and a pre-historic looking Jesus Christ lizard, which I am told has the ability to run on water. The blue morpho butterfly’s bright blue wings shine in the low light against the dark green background.

Then, to my pleasant surprise, I see a long hanging bridge tied to platform on a massive hardwood tree in front of me. I had fantasized for years about these mystical suspension bridges that are so symbolic of Costa Rica. Slowly, I put one foot in front of the other and make my way across the slightly swaying bridge, holding tightly onto the rope handles.

Halfway through, I look down, amazed by the deep ravine below me. The expansive virgin rainforest all around me is still, raindrops trickle through the branches, and soon I am walking through mist and crossing more hanging bridges, one just as thrilling as the last.

After a few hours of hiking through the reserve, waterfalls begin to appear deep within the forest. The humbling views of water gushing over boulders, the sweeping surrounding greenery, the low hanging clouds and the solitude bring me back in time. It wouldn’t have been surprising if Henry told me Jurassic Park was filmed here.

I am happy to have been in a place of such wild beauty, among the wise old trees that stand tall and proud, and animals that continue to thrive in protected areas.

Rainmaker suspension bridge

MORE INFORMATION

Land transportation (buses, rental cars, shuttles) takes 4 plus hours from San Jose, Costa Rica

Domestic flights from San Jose to Manuel Antonio run frequently. See Sansa Air (www.flysansa.com)

Manuel Antonio National Park (www.manuelantoniopark.com)

Rainmaker Conservation Project (www.rainmakercostarica.org)

Costa Verde Hotel (www.costaverde.com)

Certified Tour Guide: H. P. Tours by Henry Pizarro, aside from guided Park and hiking tours, the company also offers bird watching, mangrove boat and kayak tours as well as night tours.

(www.costaricanaturaltours-henry.blogspot.com, hpizacr@yahoo.com, 506-2777-1555)

Pura vida!

More from ecomii:

• Learn about the majestic Bald Eagle
• Can meditation actually reduce pain?
• Get the latest info on our favorite endangered fuzzy friends
• Five cost-effective super foods
• Learn more about the Mountain Gorilla

I was in awe of hearing that more than 100 turtles crossed an active runway at New York’s J.F.K airport recently. These diamondback terrapins that inhabit the surrounding brackish wetlands delayed air traffic and caused quite a sensation.

The turtle crossings happen every year during breeding season, with more activity in some years than others. The turtles were safely taken from the tarmac and deposited in a sandy nestworthy area out of harm’s way. Then it dawned on me that we are the ones invading their space.

Many of the turtle species are endangered. Reasons range from global warming to party balloons (who knew?). To learn more, I reached out to a sea turtle conservation expert. Dr. Candace Carter, who has been working as a biologist at Florida’s Canaveral National Seashore, was kind enough to answer my questions. Carter has a doctorate in veterinary medicine and has been working to protect sea turtles for the past seven years.

She has recently appeared on an episode of Discovery channel’s Hog’s Gone Wild. She has won the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Directors Award for her efforts in rescuing turtles stunned by Florida’s cold winter in 2010. She, like others in the front lines of conservation, is an inspiration.

Below, she shares information about the threats sea turtles are facing, the steps being taken to protect them, and actions we can all take to ensure that these precious creatures are here for years to come.

LS: As a biologist at the Canaveral National Seashore, what does your job entail?

CC: My official title is “biological science technician” and I work in the Resource Management division. We are responsible for the natural and cultural resources in the park, which encompasses about 57,000 acres. My job is about 50% fieldwork and 50% office work (reports, gathering and recording data, etc.)

LS: How did you become involved with sea turtle conservation? Do you remember the moment you decided you want to spend your life protecting animals? Any role models who inspired you?

CC: Sea turtle habitat protection and nest protection is a big part of what the park does, so it is a part of my job. I guess I fell into it, and it’s great to get paid to do something so rewarding! I don’t remember the moment I made the decision, maybe when I was little and playing in a shallow creek near my home. There were so many living things in the water and under rocks. I was fascinated. It also seemed fragile and vulnerable. Of course, I was influenced by Dr. Seuss and the Lorax.

LS: What species of turtles do you see at the seashore?

CC: Typically Loggerheads, Greens and Leatherbacks. Occasionally we get a rare Kemp’s Ridley. Last year we experienced a record number of nests, almost 5,600 on the park’s 24 miles of beach.

LS: What are some of the threats they are facing?

CC: Predators of eggs and hatchlings are always a concern, from raccoons and ghost crabs to bobcats, coyotes, feral hogs and birds. Feral hogs are becoming a bigger problem south of the park and we are concerned about them. We anchor 2″x4″ wire screens over the turtle nests. They can deter and sometimes prevent some predators from reaching the egg chamber, but it’s nothing against feral hogs. There are also human-caused threats, such as abandoned fishing nets and ropes causing entanglements, garbage and pollution, and even balloons and plastic grocery bags to name a few. Some sea turtles feed on jellyfish, and balloons and plastic bags are mistaken for them. When ingested, they can cause blockages and kill the turtle.

There are also threats from climate change, especially with rising water levels and loss of suitable nesting habitat. The lagoon between the barrier island and the mainland here is a nursery for a number of species, including some juvenile sea turtles. Rising water can change the ecology of the lagoon.

LS: What is your typical day like? What measures are being taken to protect the endangered species?  

CC: The days I go directly to the field are good days. There is little development out there, and wildlife is abundant. It’s like stepping back in time before Florida became such a popular place to live. I get out to do sea turtle nest inventories, shorebird surveys, take ocean water samples, and oversee sea turtle releases and exotic/invasive plant removal.

During nesting season, the seasonal employees protect the nests by patrolling the beach at night. It’s 7 days a week from May 15th to Aug 31. Two teams (12 miles each team) go out at 11pm and work until 7:30am. They use ATVs to patrol and red lights are all they can use because white light distracts turtles.

The sea turtle crawls are what is used to find the nests, then a protective screen is placed over the nest and anchored by rebar. The nest is numbered and recorded on a data sheet and later entered into a database. The screens keep raccoons from digging up the nests (for the most part). We trap and relocate problem raccoons, like ones that learn to tunnel under the screens. My day might start with picking up a raccoon to relocate, or it might start with picking up an ATV to be repaired. These days I tend to be the “Radar O’Reilly” for my boss.

LS: Are you seeing any results from the outreach and the work in the field?

CC: People used to eat sea turtles and their eggs here, and obviously there are laws against that now. We try to educate visitors about not so obvious things like littering, beach lighting, and letting balloons loose at parties or special events (balloons and plastic bags are my pet peeves!). Controlling predation is another big thing we do here. Prior to screening, the rate of predation was around 90% on our beach. With screens, the rate has dropped as low as 6%. With an average of 100 eggs per nest, and 3,000 or 4,000 nests each season, we’re saving a lot of eggs.

LS: You have received special recognition for your turtle rescue efforts during Florida’s 2010 winter when temperatures dropped to near 40° F, with nighttime temperatures at or below freezing. Could you share your experiences with that? (http://www.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=3170)

CC: Sea turtles cannot adjust to temperature changes. The rescue started out as recovering a few cold-stunned turtles from the shores of Mosquito Lagoon to a huge effort by multiple agencies. Every day saw higher numbers of turtle coming in to the facility where we were staging them, and every day we said there couldn’t be many more turtles out there. But they kept coming. A lot of volunteers worked long hours right beside us, and some local businesses donated food for the workers and supplies for the turtles. It was really amazing. We were all bone-tired by the end of the day, but the next morning we were right back at it, forgetting our aches and lack of sleep. I think our facility saw the most turtles and had the highest survival rate.

LS: What do you like most about your job?

CC: I love the variety of things that I do, and that what I do makes a difference in the world I love. Besides sea turtles, I help monitor other threatened and endangered species like Florida Scrub Jays, the Southeastern Beach Mouse and even some plants. (My favorite is the scrub jay, but don’t tell the turtles). I’ve even helped rescue and release injured manatees.

LS: Any advice for those aspiring to do what you do? What can people do now?

CC: Volunteering is always a good way to gain experience and help support parks and refuges. For people aspiring to do what I do, there are also internships. I think if people in general, even away from the coastal areas, just think about the consequences of their actions, like not recycling – it has to go somewhere (ocean dumping is not unheard of!) But inland, there are lakes and creeks. What did one of those famous scientists say?  For every action there is a reaction.

LS: Any thoughts on the turtles that stopped air traffic at J.F.K recently?

CC: I think it’s great, and funny, too! People tend to forget that we build things in the animal’s habitat. We should respect that. I mean they have to nest somewhere, don’t they?

For more information:

www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/marineturtles/marineturtles.html

http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/diamondback_terrapin.php

Melting icebergs, rise in sea level, threatened animal species, increase in severe storms are just a few effects of global warming.

Some believe climate change is a natural part of the planet’s life, while others are convinced that it is a result of human activities that produce carbon gasses that are trapping heat and warming Earth.

Whichever stance you make take, there is no denying that the planet is in peril. Ecosystems are being destroyed, forests are cleared for timber, millions of acres of land are exploited for resources, oceans are drilled for oil, rivers are polluted by industry waste, and countries are struggling to feed growing populations.

The health of the planet and future generations lies in our hands. Getting a hybrid car or going off the grid are some options for going green. But there are easier and simpler ways to help curb climate change. Here’s a guide to a smaller carbon footprint in a month.

1. Reuse and Recycle Paper- Paper comes from trees that are primary absorbers of heat trapping CO2. Whenever possible, recycle paper both at home and work by opting for double sided printing and properly disposing of used paper in recycling containers. Reusing and recycling helps minimize trash and helps conserve resources.

2. Eco trips- A trip to the beach or a hiking outing is more eco-friendly when getting there via a Zipcar and carpooling with friends. Better yet, choose rail. www.Zipcar.com

3. Better Barbecuing- Summer holidays mean barbecuing. Although barbecue enthusiasts might not want to give up charcoal grilling, a gas grill is cleaner burning and doesn’t produce tiny soot particles that pollute the air.

4. Meatless Mondays- According to World Watch Institute, byproducts of animals raised for consumption are responsible for 32.6 billion tons of CO2 per year, or 51 percent of annual worldwide human caused greenhouse gas. Becoming 100% vegetarian might be tough for most people. Eating less meat is a good start. Find out recipes and more at www.MeatlessMonday.com

5. Clean Investments- We can make socially responsible choices with our dollars. Invest in green technologies such as electric cars, solar farms, and General Electric’s wind-powered electric generators. www.Greentechnologyinvestments.com

6. Florescent Bulbs- Florescent light bulbs use about 75% less energy than regular light bulbs and last much longer. They are more expensive, but they will eventually pay for themselves due to lower energy costs.

7. Public Transportation- Leave your car at home, and take the train to work or ride your bike to run your errands.

8. Switch Off- Turn off your computer at work. No need for the system to be using up energy while you are out of the office. Besides, the network administrators back up files and/or make software upgrades over the network at night that you wouldn’t want to miss out on.

9. Plant Trees- One of the best solutions for reducing carbon footprint is to plant trees. Gather friends and family and have a fun day of planting. www.Arborday.org

10. Buy Locally- Plant your own vegetable garden in your backyard or buy seasonal and organic food locally. Farmers markets are filled with fresh, locally produced fruit, veggies, bread, jams, pies and much more. Eat at restaurants that serve locally produced foods. Keeping it local means less time the food has travelled, which in turn means less energy spent. www.Farmersmarkets.org

11. Unplug- Unplug chargers and unused appliances whenever not in use. You will see a drop in your electric bill.

12. Recycled Toilet Paper- 3-ply toilet paper is made from fiber from trees in old-growth forests in North America. Recycled toilet paper from Marcal’s Small Steps and Seventh Generation isn’t plush, but comfortable enough. www.Marcalsmallsteps.com

13. Green Toys- Most toys are plastic and mass-produced, and end up in landfills after short life spans. Buy natural BPA free toys for a greener generation. www.Childtrek.com

14. Give up Plastic- Plastic, which is non-biodegradable, never leaves the planet. Use reusable cloth bags when shopping. You will be helping reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills and ocean garbage patches.

15. Reduce Garbage- Every day, each of us produces 5 to 8 lbs of non-biodegradable garbage, which ends up in already brimming landfills and contributes to more pollution. Buy products that use less packaging and recycle bottles and cans as much as possible. Compost food scraps and use the fertilizer for gardening. www.Compostguide.com

16. Green Party Dishware- Paper plates and plastic forks are an easier option when hosting large parties. Switch to biodegradable, compostable and reusable tableware made from corn, palms, and sugarcane for an eco-friendly party. www.Greenplanetparties.com

17. Green Cleaning- Chemical-free, non-toxic cleaners and laundry detergents from brands like Seventh Generation are safer and better for the whole family. www.Seventhgeneration.com

18. E-cards- Show your love with an e-card. It costs less and saves plenty of trees.

19. Turn down temperature and reduce shower time- Bring down the temperature of your hot water heater to 120°F to reduce energy consumption by 3-5%. Another way to save energy and reduce your monthly water bill is by keeping showers under 5 to 10 minutes.

20. Clean Power- Support solar power and wind energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.  You can purchase renewable energy from your local power company. To find out if your local utility has a green power source, check the Green Power Network’s U.S. map. http://Apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/buying/buying_power.shtml

21. Turn off the tap- You will save gallons of water by turning off the tap when brushing. Fix any leaky faucets.

22. Green Laundry- Wash clothes in cold water instead of hot and only run full loads to save water and energy. Hang dry clothes outside in warmer months. Choose eco-friendly dry cleaning that uses liquefied CO2 instead of hazardous air pollutant perchloroethylene or “perc”. You’ll be happy to get chemical odor free clothes back from the dry cleaner.

23. E-Billing and Junk Mail- Sign up for paperless statements through your bank to shrink paper waste. Reduce junk mail by returning to sender, and by using an online based service at www.41pounds.org, which lets you remove yourself from the commonly used marketing and direct-mailing lists.

24. Planet Friendly Pets- Reduce your pet’s paw print by using biodegradable poop bags and eco-friendly cat litters. Make toys from scrap yarn or fabric and use natural pet-care and cleaning products. www.Greatgreenpet.com

25. Electronics Recycling- Cell phones and other electronics cannot be disposed in the garbage. E-waste contains mercury and other toxics and is a growing environmental problem. Donate or recycle cell phones and computers. www.Electronicsrecycling.org

26. Renewable Gifts- Roses are so cliché. A plant is a gift that gives back for a long time.

27. Reusable Water Bottles- Bottled water has a huge carbon footprint, and the water is not necessarily pure. Water in bottles is filled in at one location and shipped across the world, adding to more greenhouse gasses. Many plastic water bottles are recycled, but most are not. Use a reusable water bottle or Kanteen Klean bottle for your drinking water. www.Kleankanteen.com

28. Eco- Jewelry- Beauty doesn’t have to come at a price. For jewelry made from diamonds, gemstones and precious metals originated from conflict and environmental abuse free regions, visit Brilliant Earth at www.Brilliantearth.com

29. Buy Fair Trade- From chocolate to coffee to bananas, buying fair trade means helping provide better living and working conditions for producers. Fair trade also promotes social, environmental and economic sustainability in developing countries. www.Rainforest-alliance.org

30. Offset Travel- Whether traveling for fun or business, there are now options to mitigate the environmental impact of trips.  www.TripCarbon.com gives you an estimated number for the CO2 emitted from the use of flights, hotels, and rental cars. The number can be used to purchase offsets. Native Energy, Terrapass, and Brighter Planet are some good outlets for purchasing offsets that support clean energy and projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Another way to reduce travel footprint is by staying in green-lodging listed at The Green Hotels Association or Environmentally Friendly Hotels. www.Greenhotels.com, www.Environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com, www.Nativeenergy.com,  www.Terrapass.com and www.Brighterplanet.com.

Every single positive step we take makes a world of a difference for the planet and future generations. Good luck on your journey to a healthier planet and a greener you!

More from ecomii

• Learn more about the Gharial
  
• Discover the Galapagos Islands
• Get the latest info on our favorite endangered fuzzy friends
• Five cost-effective super foods
• Miso soup: A powerful antidote to radiation?