Peace and Diversity
Can there be peace without diversity? It is
our differences that make us function well together, using our special
gifts to fulfill the needs of our existence. This is also true of Nature.
From worms to wolves, every living thing helps complete a cycle of nature.
We have decimated whole populations of
animals due to man’s ignorance of their importance. There were once
300,000 blue whales in our oceans. Now, just 1% of these magnificent
animals remain.
Man has replaced many natural cycles of
nature with the use of chemicals, sometimes with devastating results on
the ecosystem..
The Bald Eagle is a great example. Their
populations plummeted due to contamination of their food by the pesticide
DDT. But there is hope. In 1967, in response to the decline, the
Secretary of the Interior listed those populations of the bald eagle south
of the 40th parallel as endangered. Through implementation of a specific
recovery plan, strict enforcement of the Endangered Species Act, and the
banning of DDT, we’ve brought the eagles back. Public awareness has also
been instrumental in saving these birds from extinction.
Educating the public helps people understand
the significance of individual species and the importance of protecting
and conserving habitat. Science should lead and guide our strategies and
approaches, from the best way to restore animals in viable, breeding
populations to deciding which habitats need protection the most.
So what can you do to help save the whales,
grizzly bears, and over 40,000 other species that are in danger of
extinction according to the Swiss based conservation group known as IUCN.
Consider supporting conservation organizations known for acting on sound
science, like the World Wildlife Fund or the Natural Resource Defense
Fund.
Working together, we can make our world a
peaceful blue planet. For more peaceful solutions visit
www.peacefulblueplanet.org
