If you caught the previous post on Endamgered Species condoms, you'll want to watch this video of one volunteer handing out condoms in varying locations on the street. It is both funny and illuminating in that it shows the disconnect that many people have between over-population and depletion of resources, habitats and species.
Those words ring in my ears every time I groan at yet another email from some group or another asking me to call, send emails or write to my representatives about some issue or another. “I don’t have time!” I don’t need another distraction in my day!” I do a good enough job of distracting myself on my own.
But the fact is, if I don’t do it – you don’t do it - we don’t do it …. Then who will? The fact is that those of us who care about the environment and about the health of the planet we are leaving to our children and grandchildren, need to get up, speak up and act out every chance we get.
The window of opportunity for significant change is right now – the current administration and balance of power in Washington is our best hope for meaningful progress on the environmental front in our lifetime. Since there are no guarantees about how long this window will remain open, I feel a great sense of urgency to move the environmental agenda forward as much as possible in the next two years.
If you agree with me, there is something you can do right now – TODAY!
1Sky - A partner organization of the National Wildlife Federation, is organizing a national call-in-day to Senators tomorrow (Tues, Jan 12).
From 1Sky’s Colorado coordinator, Micah Parkin:
“With the healthcare debate now in the rearview mirror of the Senate, it is time for climate legislation to become the top priority. The planet cannot wait any longer for an effective plan to reduce global warming pollution and unfortunately a real international plan is not a possibility without first seeing action from the United States Senate. The failure to achieve a binding treaty during the Copenhagen process was just one more example of this fact.
On January 12, 1Sky activists nationwide will fire the first salvo for climate in 2010 by logging thousands of calls into U.S. Senate offices to demonstrate the widespread support that bold action against global warming pollution has from voters throughout the country.
Importantly, we will urge our Senators to oppose Sen. Murkowski's Amendment (more info below) which would take away the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases- set to come to a vote Jan. 20th.Our Colorado goals are 100 grassroots calls, 10 business calls, and 10 calls from leaders of organizations!*
Can you pitch in and make calls to your senators during business hours this Tuesday? Please RSVP YES by emailing Micah@1Sky.org, and you will get signed up today (so we are able to predict how many calls will be made). Then you'll receive special instructions via email for your calls before next Tuesday. Two calls to your senators will be a fast, easy, and effective way to let your voice be heard. Please sign up today to make your calls.
P.S. If we don't generate thousands of calls, it will be hard to have a real effect on the debate. *Please forward this message to five of your friends *and urge them to also sign up to make a call. (They can email me an RSVP.) *And please let me know if you would like to help phonebank others on Jan. 12 at a Climate Action Meet-up Lunch* in Boulder (or before from home). Together, we can and will make a real difference in 2010!
A little extra background info(for those who want bonus points)
The most critical issue in the first few weeks of 2010 will be making sure the Senate votes down Senator Lisa Murkowski’s (R-AK) amendment that would take away the ability to use the Clean Air Act to crack down on dirty coal plants. This use of the landmark Clean Air Act legislation, which even the conservative Supreme Court approved, is important because it gives us a way to fight back against dirty coal companies even if climate legislation fails in 2010 or is so watered down as to be ineffective.
The Murkowski Amendment is expected to be up for a vote on January 20. But on Jan. 12 1Sky activists will let the Senate know that there have already been too many giveaways to dirty coal and that the American people don’t want another bailout for an out-of-date industry.
Specific message for the call will be:
"I’m calling to ask Senator Bennet/Udall to support strong
climate legislation this year that will fight global warming and help to generate millions of green jobs here in America.
The most important thing Senator Bennet/Udall can do right now is to vote “No” on the Murkowski Amendment. We’ve already had too many giveaways to the dirty coal industry. Please tell the Senator to vote no on Murkowski and to vote yes on green jobs and fighting climate change."
As Dr. Seuss’s Lorax said:
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing’s going to get better.
It’s not.
Onward!
Linda Helm
Please write to let us know that you saw this blog and took action based on what you read. If people see others taking action, it can inspire them to do the same.
by Gregory Mayse
Photographer
The debate rages on… Right versus Left, Greenies versus Corporations, Tree-huggers versus Profiteers. Which data - or adjusted data - are we to believe? One thing is for certain - Earth needs our help.
I have heard my share of passionate discussions, both in the national media and in the workplace. I really do not care where each person reading this chooses to stand on the subject of Global Warming, Climate Change or whatever you choose to call it.
As a photographer, I choose to look at the BIG picture on most things in life, and the question raised by looking at the Big picture is simple - Are we doing things to improve our environment and to protect the creatures who share our little rock that rotates around the sun?
What should matter to all of us is that if we do not continuously make a focused effort to preserve what we have, it will be increasingly difficult for us to survive on Earth. I am not talking about the sudden end of the world according to the Mayan calendar in 2012. I am talking about the continual destruction of our natural resources that we MUST have in order to survive. Do not turn your back on Mother Earth. Her natural ReSources are our only Sources.
When all of the rainforests have been logged, when our water is no longer safe to drink, when we have taken away the habitat and culture of all indigenous people as well as wild animals around the globe, then we may look back and ask “What were we fighting about back then?”
Is this really a political discussion? NO. It is simple. Do you want your children, grandchildren and their descendents to be able to appreciate the things in their lives that we may take for granted? Do you want your great-great grandchildren to grow up and look back at our generation and ask, “What were they thinking?”
The native cultures that were here in what we now call America held strongly to the belief of respecting the sustainability of Mother Earth for seven future generations. What if we dare to take on that philosophy once again? Do you believe we can survive with the global environmental damage being done by some of the planet’s major corporations and governments?
So next time you see an photograph of a polar bear leaping between floating icebergs, or the surviving indigenous people standing in a clear-cut area of their rainforest, don’t just brush it off as another one of those “environmentalist global warming photos.” Instead, let it remind you that everything is interconnected, that the planet as a whole, is a living organism that needs all of its parts to function healthily – there is value in every creature – every habitat – every culture.
We humans hold the power either to make our planet better or worse for future generations. The responsibility was somehow handed to us over the other animals of this planet. I’m not sure if this was the right decision. All I ask is that all of us FOCUS on the BIG PICTURE. If we don’t work hard to preserve our planet now, who will…and when?
It’s all over but the work.
I have been struggling for 3 days to come up with an effective way to “wrap a bow” around the gift of Wild 9. It’s hard to see and hear everything that we saw and heard at the WWC without coming back to the everyday world highly energized, inspired and more than a little terrified. What are the big take away realizations for me? Small planet ….. smaller than we think. Big problems …. Bigger than we know or can fully understand. Time for solutions is verrrry short – shorter than we care to admit.
But Wild 9 introduced me to so many incredible thinkers, activists and worker bees from every strata of every society that I experienced a profound and deepening hope for our future. I most certainly felt a global reinforcement for what we at Art for Conservation are trying to do in our own small way – the arms and hearts of strangers patting the collective “us” on the back and saying “Nice work! Keep it up! Thanks for what you are doing.”
So, platitudes and affirmations aside, it’s time to get back to work with a knowledge that we are on the right path and that there are many, many others around the world ready and willing to collaborate, connect and conspire to save the planet and to work with the sense of urgency that is dictated by the crisis that grows every day in our air, our water and our landscapes.
To paraphrase President Obama, ”the fierce urgency of now” is indeed upon us and the common themes that inform our work are connectivity, communication and climate change. The party's over. Get to work!
Quotable Quotes from 9th World Wilderness Congress
1.“That just scared the hell out of me!” Art Wolfe, after viewing Jim Balog’s presentation on the Extreme Ice Survey which is visually documenting the catastrophic decline of the world’s glaciers.
2. “Less than 1/5th of 1% of the world’s oceans are protected from fishing and yet oceans cover 75% of the earth’s surface.” Brian Skerry on the rapid decline of our ocean ecosystems.
3.“The next 4-8 years are the most important years in human history.” Bittu Sahgal, editor of Sanctuary magazine, India.
4.“We will not stop climate change if we don’t stop killing nature. It’s that simple.” Harvey Locke, Canadian conservationist, one of the founders of the Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative.
5.“I awake each day torn between a desire to save the world and savor the world. It makes it hard to plan my day.” E.B. White
Onward!
Linda Helm, VP
Day 1. Wild 9. Merida, Mexico. Nov 6, 2009
So if you ever want to see a completely full airliner disgorge it's passengers in less than 10 minutes, just have the Captain announce in a rather urgent tone that El Presidente Felipe Calderon is arriving momentarily right behind us and that if we don't ALL debark post haste, we will be stuck in the plane - on the tarmac - until they have cleared all areas for his landing and made sure security precautions were properly in place for his safety and exit. A possible delay of up to an hour........
A thundering but fairly agile herd of water buffalo comes to mind - but with less courtesy and decorum. Needless to say, we got off in record time. And once we all knew we were safe and sound inside the airport, it became clear that many of us were here for Wild 9 - as was Presidente Calderon! How cool is that? The President of Mexico showing up for the opening of a conference on conservation and wilderness protection.
The first day of the conference was primarily devoted to setting the stage for the rest of the week, with a number of international dignitaries and conservation leaders articulating the global vision for wilderness protection and citing concrete examples and programs in action all around the globe. But really, the highlight for me was to see the buzz about town - it was exciting to see the painted jaguar statues starting at the airport and then all about town - an arts and culture project to support the Wilderness Congress. Also to be witness to the excitement of having the President arrive to take part in the opening ceremonies.
The evening of this first day was spent, predictably, in the hotel lounge with many of the attendees catching up on current projects, networking, discussing hot conservation issues and in general, just having a great time seeing lots of familiar faces from iLCP, NANPA and beyond.
Adios. Tomorrow is another day.
Linda Helm
VP
First, let me introduce myself, and tell you what you should expect to read about in my blog postings.
My name is Maria Montano, and I am the Web Mistress for Art for Conservation and Fine Print Imaging. I have first hand knowledge of the non-profit world having served on the board for multiple organizations in the Fort Collins community. I also use my photography as an advocacy tool to help raise awareness in the community on a wide range of issues, from sexual assault to donating images to the Save the Poudre coalition.
My blogs on Art for Conservation will be mostly about two subjects: how to work with non-profits to help raise awareness for the causes you care about, and using the internet to promote your work and those causes.
This first blog will be about taking the first steps toward working with a cause in your community. I have found that a lot of photographers and artists want to help, but don’t know how to get involved. Not only does working with non-profits help them, it is a great way to raise your profile as an artist within the local art community, as well as the broader community that you live in.
Introduce yourself
The first thing that you’ll want to do is call or e-mail the volunteer coordinator; this is generally the person responsible for setting up volunteer opportunities within the organization.
When you show up to your meeting, look professional.
Be respectful of their time. Show up no more than 10 minutes early and never arrive late for your appointment.
Come Prepared
Coming into your first meeting, make sure that you know the basics about what the organization does.
I have found that most organizations don’t know how to effectively use imagery to tell their stories. Have several ideas in mind to propose that would fit with what they do.
You should be ready to present your ideas to the Executive Director, or the Board of Directors. This means explaining how your idea will help raise awareness about what they are doing, planning a timeline for when you expect to have the project done and finally a budget of what it is going to cost them.
Be patient
Patience is a virtue when it comes to working with non-profits. Remember, their first goal is to serve the community and raise awareness about issues, and sometimes they don’t get how using images can help them do those things.
They also have to be careful with their image; working with them may require a lot of meetings, and approval from the board of directors for some of your bigger ideas.
Be persistent
Once you finally get approval of your idea, you will need to be persistent to make it a reality. Ask what resources are going to be made available for you to help you with your project/idea and get important contact information from anyone on staff that is assigned to help you. Most non-profits have a limited staff, so plan to do most, if not all, of the work yourself.
Follow Through
This is the most important part of working with non-profits. They are counting on you to do what you said you would do. They will devote valuable time and resources to your project and expect you to represent them in a positive fashion. You get one chance to make a first impression…make it a good one!
This week's Voice Behind the Camera is Florian Shulz
Born in Germany, Florian Schulz (32) is a professional nature and wildlife photographer with a vision of broad horizons. Through skillfull and artistic photography, he is in the constant search for breathtaking images that inspire individuals to take action in the protection of large endangered ecosystems.
Schulz has dedicated years of his life to documenting the drama and beauty of North America’s most critical wildlife corridor: “Yellowstone to Yukon”. Sponsored by the Blue Earth Alliance, his first book —Yellowstone to Yukon: Freedom to Roam (2005) received an Independent Book Publisher Award as one of the “Outstanding Books of the Year” singled out as “Most Likely to Save the Planet.”
Images carefully selected from his book, produced a traveling exhibit by the Burke Museum in Seattle. Schulz’s photography has also been displayed in important museums like the American Museum of Natural History, and in 2009 The Field Museum (Chicago) will be hosting Y2Y-Freedom to Roam. Exploring the concept of wildlife corridors and the need for ecosystem connectivity, Yellowstone to Yukon-Freedom to Roam is a beautiful and unique tribute to the North American wild.
As the youngest founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), Florian uses his photography to instill in viewers a greater interest in both the natural and cultural diversity of the planet.
Together with four international renown photographers, Schulz took part in “El Triunfo” RAVE (Rapid Visual Assessment Expedition in Chiapas, Mex) organized to document in depth, a very rich and severely threatened ecosystem in the Clouded Forest of Sierra de Chiapas. The images were used in the media to strongly promote this Biosphere Reserve and were fundamental elements to help raise funds in order to ensure it’s protection.
Twice, the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) has awarded Schulz for his dedicated work on conservation. In 2006 he received the Philip Hyde Environmental Grant and in 2008 he was announced as the first recipient of the 2008 NANPA Vision Award.
Recognized as an outstanding speaker, Schulz has devoted months to promote the idea of creating wildlife corridors. Since the publication of Yellowstone to Yukon, Florian has been featured internationally as a speaker in many prestigious venues from universities, book and film festivals to National Geographic and Microsoft.
Florian’s work has been published by internationally recognized magazines including Nature’s Best, Outdoor Photographer, The Nature Conservancy, The New York Times, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Natur & Kosmos, Airone and TERRA. His photographs have won awards in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition, the Nature’s Best International Photography Awards, the Banff International Mountain Photography Competition and the European Nature Photographer of the Year competition.
As part of his continuous conservation work, Florian has committed to a second photography conservation project, which will be part of the series “Freedom to Roam”. It will follow the same line as the past project: connecting wildlife corridors for sustainable wilderness. The new project, under the title “The Wild Edge, from Baja to Beaufort” will lead Florian from the warm waters of Mexico all the way up to Alaska, along the Pacific Northwest coast line.
“… The vision of Y2Y is a gift that future generations will be able to cherish forever. Through my work, I hope to fuel the new conservation movement of connectivity and perhaps, sharing my photography will move people’s heart to get involved in saving North America’s greatest treasure.” -FS
Now, let's listen to the voice behind the camera of Florian Schulz ...
To find out more about Florian visit his website http://www.visionsofthewild.com/
Please meet a fearless woman, wonderful photographer and a true friend of the earth and all of it's peoples :
CRISTINA GOETTSCH MITTERMEIER
The relationship between nature and humans is where Cristina Mittermeier’s photography finds its true mission. The idea that people and nature are not isolated from each other, but are inexorably connected, lies at the heart of her work. This relationship is particularly poignant when it comes to indigenous people and this where Cristina’s images truly shine. Her work has taken her to 54 countries, including some of the most remote and beautiful areas of our planet.
As a photographer since 1996, Cristina has help produce 8 books, including a series published with Conservation International and Cemex. Megadiversity: Earth's Wealthiest Countries for Biodiversity (1996), Hotspots: Earth's biologically richest and most endangered ecoregions (1998), Wilderness Areas: Earth's Last Wild Places (2002), Wildlife Spectacles (2003), Hotspots Revisited (2005), and Transboundary Conservation: A New Vision for Protected Areas (2005), and Pantanal: South America’s Wetland Jewel (2005) are all part of that series.
Her latest book project, The Human Footprint, was produced with the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York in conjunction with her own organization, the ILCP. Cristina serves as Executive Director of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), a prestigious group of photographers which she founded in 2005.
From the popular to the scientific, her work has appeared in major magazines around the world including Nature's Best, Latina, Elan, National Geographic, National Geographic Explorer and American Photo in the United States, Rumbos, Escala and Sale la Foto, in Mexico, Explorador and Terra in Brazil, Man and Biosphere in China, among others.Cristina serves in the Advisory Board of Nature's Best Foundation and is a Board Member of the WILD Foundation.
Visit Cristina's Website
Cristina's images may be purchased at Digital Railroad or Fine Print Imaging
Listen now to the voice behind the camera of Cristina Mittermeier:
For those of you in the Colorado area and more specifically, northern Colorado - the information below will be of interest to you. The future of the Poudre River is in the hands of folks proposing dam construction as well as those opposing it. Get informed, get involved and decide for yourself what the appropriate course of action should be.
Quoting from a recent publication by the Colorado chapter of the Nature Conservancy:
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