How to Help the Affected Wildlife of Gulf Coast

With the explosion on the Transocean Deepwater Horizon Rig on April 20, 2010 the Gulf of Mexico has become a dangerous site for the wild habitats of that region. Macondo Blowout or the oil spill of Gulf has put both the human and wild lives under threat, especially the wildlife. You can check out some facts about the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to understand what I’m talking about, if you already don’t know.

Read about what a simple fisher man's 19 year old son did after the aftermath of the Gulf Oil Spill in this ebook.

Get Involved

What’s done is done! Yes, what happened out there is really bad. Justice (penalize/compensate) should be provided to both the responsible parties and the effected people. And we also have to be very careful so that these occurrences don’t happen again. But now, the most important thing to do is to get involved in helping the people and the animals, birds & marine life of the gulf; and joining hands to clean the area which has been/is being contaminated by the oil spill.

Now the question is how we can get involved? How we can help?

There are many volunteer and non-profit organizations working on the scene besides the government, to reduce the damage done by the oil spill and clear the oil affected wetlands of Illinois. We can work with them as a volunteer or work alone as much as we can to reduce this oil spill crisis. We can offer our time, clean the oil drenched birds, fund the charity organizations by buying their products or we can donate online to help. We can also help by spreading these massages so that more people can get a chance to help. Below I’m listing some of the many organizations working to reduce the after affects of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill.

:Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans: How to help

:Community Center of St Bernard: Donate, Buy a T-Shirt, Volunteer

:Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana: Donate

:The National Wildlife Federation: Text “WILDLIFE” to 20222 to donate $10.  Or donate online.

:The International Bird Rescue Research Center: Picks up oiled birds, cleans and rehabilitates them.You can donate or adopt a bird. Adopting costs up to $200.This donation will be used to raise and eventually release the bird into the wild.

BONUS: how to clean oil coated birds

The crude oil is very heavy and it is really hard to just wash off. Oil coated birds of the gulf are as a result unable to fly with all that oil stuck in their feather. To help them survive we can first gently rub their feather with vegetable oil which helps to break down the crude oil and then we can wash them with mild detergent.

People can go and wash off the crude oil on their bodies if they have to but birds or animals can’t, at least not as easily as we can. They need our help more than ever now. Let’s act. Let’s do something to give back their natural life and their habitat. Let’s not hurt the nature anymore.


Further reading: 12 Facts about the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 2010

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12 Facts about the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 2010

This is the first post of the 2 post series about the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 2010

How much do we care for our environment? How much are we willing to do to at least stop further hurting it? Well, these are all vague questions, the answers of which are bound to be vague too. Instead let’s talk about something which can be “measured”, which will not be vague. Let’s talk about Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 2010 or Macondo Blowout.

What! Did I just say “oil spill”? “Spill” as if a little milk spilled from a glass? The word “spill” doesn’t do justice to the crisis that the Gulf of Mexico is facing right now. The Gulf of Mexico is faced with an unchecked flood of crude oil coming from the underground well and no one knows when this will end.

In this post I have gathered 12 updated facts about the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 2010. Here are the facts:

1. The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 2010 is also referred to as the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, the BP Oil Spill, the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill, the BP Oil Disaster or the Macondo Blowout.

2. The oil spill of the Gulf of Mexico started on April 20, 2010 with the explosion on the Transocean Deepwater Horizon Rig. “Deepwater Horizon” is a 5th generation, dynamic positioned (DP) semi-submersible oil rig owned by Transocean.

3. The explosion has injured 17 platform workers and 11 are missing, presumably dead.

4. The oil rig sank on April 22, 2010 which caused massive amount of oil to leak out into the Gulf of Mexico. The spill occurred some 50 miles away from the cost of Venice, Louisiana. As of now, oil is seeping into the wetlands of Louisiana making it a potentially risky place to live in for both human and animals. BP is saying that it may be months before the oil is contained.

5. Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill of 2010 is considered the biggest offshore oil spill in US history as it crossed the mark of 10.8 million gallons of oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez, previous largest oil spill in US.

6. The source of the oil is a deepwater wellhead 5,000 feet or 1,500 meters below the ocean surface.

7. Every day 210,000-260,000 gallons of crude oil is being wasted and added to the water of the Gulf of Mexico (official sources say). This is equivalent of 1 Olympic pool every 3 days. That’s about 19.24 million gallons of oil spilled so far. Some scientists state that the rate is much higher than this.

8. Oil spill covers a total area of more than 4000 square miles which is 10 times larger than the area of New York City. But even a larger area is polluted by oil underwater, which cannot be seen from the surface.

Read this book about Gulf Oil Spill titled "Fire on the Horizon: The Untold Story of the Gulf Oil Disaster". I think you should know about what happened there.You can get this book from Amazon for a discount.

9. The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 2010 has greatly devastated the marine and wildlife habitats. This has put the population of turtles (Loggerhead, Kemp’s Ridley), mammals (Fin Whales, Sperm Whales, and Bottlenose Dolphin), fish (Tuna, Sailfish, Jack etc) and pelagic birds in that area in grave danger.These animals need to be protected.

10. The initial loss for the fishing industry was 2.73 billion USD.

11. US government has named BP as the responsible party for this disaster. The Deepwater Horizon was worth more than 560 million dollars. And the cost to clear up the huge mess on the water will be about $12.5 billion. BP will pay the entire cost themselves.

12. Multiple aircrafts, 75 vessels and about 2000 personnel have been deployed so far to bring the matter under control.

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is getting more political attention than environmental. You be the judge of which has the top most priority. According to my opinion, finding the reason behind this occurrence at Gulf of Mexico is very important so that these sorts of things never happen again. It is also important to find out who ARE actually responsible for this. But right now, the top most priority should be to secure the area under threat, to secure the marine and wildlife of that area. The environment and thus human lives are at risk. We can find plenty time to play the blame game, but now, the most priority should be “environment.” And we can not let BP to drill on the Arctics too.

Reference: Wikipedia, National Geographic, PBS Newshour, Bukisa

You have read what I have to say, now share your views. What do you think about the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 2010?

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Arizona World Cup Lion Burgers: When Greed Wins

A small restaurant in Mesa, Arizona called Il Vinaio ran by Cameron Selogie is serving real African Lion Meat Burgers as a way to “honor” the ongoing FIFA world cup in South Africa.

I first received this shocking news through a group message in Facebook. I immediately looked it up in the internet. Maybe it is my dumbness, but I really couldn’t believe at that time that these kinds of thing still happen in the world, let alone in the most advanced country of the world, America! I think they are right when they say, in a place there are as many good people as there are bad ones.

Apparently this is not the first time in America when they served Lions as a dish! A restaurant in Philadelphia included a dish made out of Lions in their menu. But as protests raised, they had to remove that shameful "delicacy".

 

Let’s go a little deeper into this matter, as far as I can go with my limited knowledge and resources.

The story started when Il Vinaio (a restaurant) bought about 10 pounds of so-called African lion meat. They planned to mix it up with ground beef and make burgers honoring the FIFA World Cup 2010, which is currently taking place in South Africa. Selogie, the owner of the restaurant sent emails to his customers stating the special dish they were serving. But unfortunate for him, and fortunate for us, one of his customers were animal activist. She spread the word to a local TV station, and the news has since circled the globe from there.

Now, from where does Selogie get the meat?

Selogie bought the meat from "Czimer's Game and Sea Foods" (czimers.com) which is a butcher shop located just outside of Chicago in Homer Glen, Ill. Czimer sells pheasants, quail, ducks, venison, buffalo, llama, camel and so on.

So where does Richard Czimer, the company's owner, get these lions?

Richard said to CNNmoney.com, 

"This man (mystery man) buys and sells animals for the skin, and when I need something and he has ability to get it, I will bargain for the meat. It's a byproduct. (...) I wouldn't have any idea (from where the mystery man gets the Lions). He has his sources, and I do not infringe on his business, just as he does not infringe on mine. Do you question where chickens come from when you go to Brown's Chicken or Boston Market?"

Its clear that the mystery supplier is a poacher. In his defense Richard Czimer said that African Lion is not an endangered species, so it can be sold as a game food. But he ignored the fact that African lion is in the list of “threatened” animals. The current population of African Lions is somewhere between 16,500-47,000. Maybe he might not be legally obliged to stop what he is doing, as according to him, his business is certified by USDA and FDA; but it is really a matter of moral obligation. You cannot just go ahead and kill a magnificent wild animal for a few extra bucks. I am not a vegetarian by any means but I strictly hate poaching and killing of wild animals, for any reasons apart from self defense. The wild life or the nature depends on us, more that we depend on them. We must not forget that.

Stop Poaching

Stop Farming African Lions, Thee are not Domestic Animals  

Sign the Petition: Save African Lions from being Meals
Blog Yourself or Share This Article to Raise Awareness

Don't Let Greed Win 

Are You Joining Blog Action Day 2009?

After the huge success of last year, Blog Action Day 2009 is returning with all its power and will to change the world. Last year's topic of discussion was Poverty and this year the topic has been chosen "Climate Change".

To be a part of this year's event, you are requested to commit to writing one post, in your own voice, on October 15, on the topic of climate change. Without the perticipation of the bloggers all around the world this event won't be successful. So, let's blog about climate change and how it effects us all.

You can learn more about the issue of climate change and see sample topics you might write about- like the connections between climate and clean energy, food choices, green products, health, transportation, and the broader economy- at the official website of Blog Action Day.

Climate change is a reality. Without raising our voices against this issue, without raising awareness we can not stop this. I believe that, together we can make a difference. So, let's write! So, let's do what bloggers to best.

One issue, one day, thousands of voices. Let's do it!

Register your blog at: Blog Action Day
Follow on twitter: Blog Action Day
Read last year's Post: Let's Open Our Eyes

New 7 Wonders of Nature: 28 Finalists

This is the second post of a series: New 7 Wonders of Nature.

The primary voting period has expired on July 7, 2009. Then among the top 77 candidates expert’s panel selected 28 finalists on July 21, 2009. Now the voting power has been awarded back to us once again. Now we’ve the power to vote for 7 worthy candidates. The top voted 7 natural places will be awarded with the title “new 7 wonders of nature” in 2011.

It’s a matter of great sorrow for all the Bangladeshis that the Cox’s Bazaar-world’s largest sea beach was eliminated from the final list. It was 3rd in its group.

On the other hand, Bangladeshis can rejoice as the Sundarbans won a place in the finalists list. Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. Don’t forget to vote for it.

Vote for the wonders

Tipaimukh Dam Project: We have to Protest

What is the power of a blog? What changes can a blog bring? Do bloggers love their country? What price are they willing to pay for that love? Are they brave enough?

I am frustrated. I am frustrated because at this moment I am not being able to do anything but to write. Will writing solve this great problem of ours? Will writing solve any problem of ours?

After the project of Farakka Dam, India is starting another similar project which is equally (if not more) dangerous for the ecology and Bangladesh. India has taken Tipaimukh Hydro Electric Project in hand. It involves creating a dam in an international river- Barak, in the state of Manipur, just 200 km away from the Bangladesh border. According to international laws, without the permission of the downstream river nation, one country can not control the flow of a multination river. But it is very sad that India cares little about what Bangladesh has to say about this issue. They proceeded with their plans without even consulting Bangladesh.




E-Pao lists the consequences of building this dam in this location:

1. A total land of 826.20 sq. km will be submerged for ever.
2. More than 40,000 people will be rendered landless.
3. Eight villages situated at the Barak Valley will be completely underwater.
4. About 27,242 hectares of cultivable land will be lost.
5. Increase in salinity of ground water will be unsafe for drinking thereby causing a lot of problems to the people.
6. Many more at the E-Pao site.

If India builds the dam on the River Barak, the water-flow of the River Meghna in Bangladesh will be hampered in a great deal. This will dry up 350 km long Shurma and 110 km long Kushiara River. As a result the north eastern Bangladesh will face severe environmental and economical consequences. It is considered that Sylhet, which is full of flora and fauna, will turn into a desert if this dam is built. Thousands of people and many organizations form the both countries are protesting against this project as it is a great threat to the ecology. Another thing to know is that there had been major earthquakes (8+) in the last 50 years on the location of the dam. But Indian government is going ahead with this project as they planned.

As bloggers the minimum thing to do is to write posts about this issue and create a mass protest against it. I invite all the bloggers across the world especially in Bangladesh and India to raise their voice against this injustice. Let’s fight legally to save the thousands of people, their lands and the environment.

What can we do as bloggers, readers and responsible persons?
1. Write a blog post. If you write a post about this issue I’ll be happy to read your post and link back to some posts.
2. Sign an online petition.
3. Join the Facebook group on this issue.
4. Any suggestions?

these badges can be used in blog posts

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Further reading (outside links):
No to Tipaimukh Dam
Damned Hearings of Proposed Tipaimukh Dam
Amra Tipaimukh Badher Biruddhe (bangla blog)

New 7 Wonders of Nature

Bernard Webber said, “If we want to save anything, we first need to truly appreciate it.” And to make our appreciation count he has launched a program called New 7 Wonders. Here we get to nominate and vote for the places which we find worthy of our appreciation. By our votes the new 7 wonders of nature will be selected. This is a great chance to give recognition to 7 great natural beauties and take a step forward towards their protection.

This selection process consists of 3 steps. First we get to nominate and vote for our worthy candidates (1 vote, 7 candidates). Then among the top 77 nominees, the "new 7 wonders" panel of experts will select 28 finalists. After that we will again get the chance to vote for our favorites among them. Finally the top voted 7 natural beauties from 7 different categories will be honored as they will be named the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

The first round (primary voting round) is about to end (24 days left). The last date for voting is July 7, 2009. Have you voted for n7w of nature? If not, vote now and take a step towards protecting the environment, protecting what you love. Before I talk about how to vote, please allow me the time to talk about two great natural beauties.

Cox’s Bazaar: world’s longest natural beach

Cox’s Bazzar, situated at the south east part of Bangladesh, is the world’s longest natural beach. It stretches over 155 kilometers. The beauty of the beach can not be described in words. You just have to see it, to believe it. To vote for Cox’s Bazaar choose "Seascape" from “category” or “Asia” from “continent” and select Cox’a Bazaar Beach from the right drop down menu. Its current position is 2nd in its group. (polls closed)

The Sundarbans: world’s largest mangrove forest

The Sundarbans, situated jointly in Bangladesh (south-west part) and India, is the world’s largest mangrove forest. It stretches over 10,000 squire kilometers and acts as a protecting shield against storms, cyclones and hurricane. If this forest wasn’t here then the cyclone Aila would have caused us more devastation. This is the home of the world famous Royal Bengal of Tiger. This forest habitats more than 120 species of commercially important fish, 270 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, 35 reptiles and 8 emphibian species. This forest is also the main income source of millions of people living nearby. To vote for the Sundarbans choose "Forest, National Park" from “category” or “Asia” from “continent” and choose the Sunderbans Forest from the right drop down menu. Its current position is 3rd in its group. (polls closed)

I really hope that you vote for the new 7 wonders (and for Sundarbans). Before voting you will have to register your email id. You can do that in the middle of the voting process too, without ruining your votes. The website will guide you. After voting you will be sent a confirmation email massage. Once you check out the email, your votes will be counted. You can vote multiple times using multiple email IDs. So, what are you waiting for?

Update July 7, 2009: The primary voting round is over. Visit the new7wonders site to vote for the second round.

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World Environment Day 2009: Duty Calls

The theme of World Environment Day 2009 is “Your planet needs you! Unite to combat climate change.” This theme is to remind us about our involvement with the environment and the planet. Everything we do can and will effect the environment directly or indirectly. As our irrational and careless steps will devastate the environment, our “green steps” will come in handy in protecting it.

On this day, I am requesting you to take a minute of your time to look around and appreciate the planet around you. This beautiful world might not be so beautiful after a few years, if we don't act now.

Some random things you can do to protect the environment:

1. Plant a tree; help UNEP achieve the Billion Tree Campaign.
2. Learn how to reduce water wastage in home and try to maintain it.
3. Look for to alternative sources of energy like Renewable Energy.
4. Let’s switch off.
5. Don’t drive if you can walk the distance.
6. Reuse and recycle.
7. Protect endangered animals.
8. Visit UNEP’s Easily Green Your Daily Routine.

Small changes can and will result in a big solution if we all contribute. Make sure that you do your part and notify others to do their part.

What changes have you made to your home or your habit to help the environment? If you have posted on World Environment Day 2009 share the summary and the link of the post on the comment section. I'm very interested in reading your posts on this subject.

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Related posts from this blog:
Bloggers Unite: Earth Day 2009
I Do My Part

Cyclone Aila: Bangladesh Takes Another Blow

In the span of little over one and a half year two major cyclones have struck Bangladesh. In November 2007 it was cyclone Sidr- the meanest hurricane of all time, seen by the people of Bangladesh, which took the lives of more than 3,500* people. And now it is the infamous cyclone Aila. Aila swept away many areas, which were still recovering from the hurricane Sidr. I’m afraid it has put Bangladesh, once again, on her knees.

The nightmare

Aila struck Bangladesh on May 25, 2009 putting coastal people in severe danger. About half a million people had to leave their homes and go to temporary shelters when huge tidal waves came crashing with the 100 kmph (60 mph) wind. But not everyone could move to safety timely. It is estimated that, by far, about 200 people are dead*, 1,120 people are still missing and 200,000 people are trapped in water. The misery of the effected* people knows no bound. They don’t have water to drink, as most of the sources of fresh sweet water have been washed away by Aila, let alone food to eat. They don’t even have the place to burry their loved ones at this time, as most of the land is under water. They have to cross as much as 20 kilometers to find a place for burial. Even if the water goes away soon, people are confused about how they will get back on their feet, as they have lost their houses, cattle and boats.

Less Important Issue

When lives of thousands of people are at stake, maybe that’s not the time to think about the wildlife. But it hurts me a lot that the Sundanbans, the largest mangrove forest of the world, is badly affected by Aila. It has been estimated that hundreds of wild animals are killed in that cyclone.

From Disaster to Hope
We are a brave nation. We fight to live and live to fight against all odds. I’m sure that we will be able to survive this great blow from nature as we have been surviving for decades. We just need to hang in there till the primary shock goes away. Meanwhile the effected people need to have free access to fresh water, food and medicine. They need people who are kind enough to stand beside them. If you want to donate to speed up the relief work, you can do so with the help of BRAC (NGO). Click this link to donate now and answer the call of humanity.

Source:
*Save The Children: the death toll of Sidr is 5,000-10,000.
*ReliefWeb: 3.5 million people are affected by Aila.
*Reuters: 200 dead in Aila.
*The Daily Prothom Alo: 200,000 trapped, 20 km walk for burial.

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Ways to Reduce Water Wastage in Home

A little introduction

Water is the most important element of any creature’s life. A person can survive weeks without any food, but none can survive 3 days without any water.

Getting on the same page

Like many developing countries, Bangladesh has a severe crisis for pure drinking water. Due to pollution, very bad distribution system and wastage people living in the congested urban areas has to deal with this crisis everyday. Because of water pollution, the water of many rivers are now too polluted to be treated in the water treatment facilities. In many places the water people gets is just too dirty to use as there are literally worms in the water. They have to stand in lines for hours to get a bucket or bottle full of fresh water. This is not just the scene of my country. Many developing countries are faced with this same problem. I am just using the name of my country because I can relate to it.

People all around the world are having a very hard time coping with this problem. And we, who have no shortage of fresh water supply, are using more than we actually need, we are wasting it.

Ways to stop water wastage in home

1. 40% of all the water used in a household is being flushed down the toilet. No one needs all that water for that purpose. Using low flush tanks can solve this wastage. You reduce the tank space by putting a bottle full of water or stones in it. This will reduce water wastage in some extend. For example, if you live in a family of three and you put a half liter bottle inside the flush tank, you will be saving 270 liters of water every month. And please, don’t use your toilet as an ashtray or dustbin.

2. 20 gallons of water per day can be wasted through very small leaks in faucets or pipes. The number can be multiplied if the leak is bigger. So often check the pipelines for leaks.

3. Using bath-tabs wastes a lot of water. Taking a shower consumes much less water. And honestly, I don’t think taking a shower of one hour is a “need”.

4. Closing the tap carefully is a wise thing to do. Sometimes due to carelessness we leave the tap running even after our work there is done. If a running tap drops one drop of water each second, you’ll have wasted 4 liters of water during your sleep. You can use a water meter to check for water leaks. Water meter can be a useful tool for checking for any leaks.

5. Many people keep the water running while they are brushing their teeth or washing dishes which is not at all a necessity. Please turn the tap off after you have wetted your toothbrush.

6. Wash multiple cloths together if possible. Washing them one dress at a time, requires more water than washing multiples at once.

6. During the war in Rwanda, Bangladesh Army went there on a peace keeping mission on behalf of UN. They had to face with the problem of severe lack of water there. To cope up with this problem they followed certain rules. I am not requesting anyone to follow these rules. I am just pointing it out because I think this is something that everyone should know.

* They laid a paper on their plates and then served food so that the dishes would not require cleaning.

* They used and re-used water 3 times to consume less fresh water. First they collected the water they used in shower and re-used it to wash dirty clothes. Then finally they re-used the same water in toilets.

Gross? No. It’s called lack of water and the power of wishful thinking.

I hope this post was helpful. If you have any more ideas about saving water in our day to day life please let us know by writing it down in the comment section.

The aim of this post:
1. Making people conscious.
2. Showing people some ways to stop wasting water in their homes.
3. Inspiring people to respect the natural elements.

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You have read what I had to say. Now it's your turn to share your views...

Related website: Eartheasy

7 Tied Up Deer Rescued

Today while going through the newspaper a news caught my eyes. Police (Bangladesh) has captured a small boat with 7 tied up deer in there. They were captured from the Sundarbans (Bangladesh) – the biggest mangrove forest of the world, by poachers and the poachers were talking them in a local market to sell them. Hats off to the police for rescuing them before it was too late.

But the sad news is that police couldn’t catch the poachers who were involved. They believe that there are 10 groups of poachers active in this region. They capture deer using traps and sell them in the nearby markets for 4-5 usd per kilogram.

I hope police catches these poachers soon and ensure a safe habitat for the wild animals.

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10 Ways to Protect Endangered Animals

If you haven’t already read it, then please go through this post: Endangered Animals: We are Responsible

"We all moan and groan about the loss of the quality of life through the destruction of our ecology, and yet each one of us, in our own little comfortable ways, contributes daily to that destruction. It's time now to awaken in each one of us the respect and attention our beloved mother deserves."- Quote by actor, environmental supporter, Ed Asner

As we “happen to be” the best creature of the world, it’s our duty to look after (at least not destroy) other species. I am writing down some points which might help to preserve the wildlife and help the endangered species.


1. Organizations like Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund have dedicated themselves to preserve the earth and its ecology. Many volunteers join organizations like these and work for the environment. You can find some international/local organizations like these and join them.

2. Boycott fur coats and medicines made from rare animals. Boycott ornaments made from ivory and staff like this. Baby seals are murdered for their skin, as it is used to make expensive coats- don’t bye them.

3. Raise your voice against this injustice. Peaceful protest, human chain, petition and rally are some ways to do it. You can also write a heart felt and logical letter to the government stating your ideas about this issue and how it can be solved. Like I wrote a post about African Lion Burgers which are being sold in Arizona.

4. Try to raise awareness amongst your local people. Apart from face to face interaction, the best way to do so is blogging. Blog about endangered animals and what we can do to help them. If you have posts like this, then please write about it in the comment section.

5. Recycle and reuse. It will reduce the need to have more raw materials to produce something. As a result a lot of trees will be spared and wild animals’ habitat will be undisturbed.

6. Governments should come forward to create more safe zones and national parks for wild animals where they will be able to move freely without worrying about hunters and poachers. Governments should apply strict laws to stop poaching.

7. You can make a little room for your wild neighbors. Like, you can build a bird house and feed local birds.

8. Like I always say, PLANT A TREE.

9. Stop hunting for pleasure.

10. Donate money or trees to different non-profit organizations which work to protect the wildlife. You can donate money to Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund etc. You can gift trees from Arbor Day Foundation.

You have read what I had to say. Now it's your turn to share your views... You can also Retweet or Stumble this article to spread the word

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Endangered Animals: We are Responsible

Man has named over 1.5 million species till now. Due to overpopulation, carelessness and some uncontrollable changes, many beautiful and unique creatures have been (are being) vanished from the face of the earth. According to IUCN Red List 2008, the number of totally extinct animal species is now over 840 (1983-2008). To make the problem worse, currently about 1566 animal species are right on the verge of extinction (critically endangered). Moreover a study shows that about 23% species of mammals, amphibians, birds, reptiles and fish are now threatened by extinction in total. This is indeed a great threat to our eco-system. Source

Quoting from the site AboutMyPlanet “One reason many animals are becoming, or have already become, extinct is human hunting and poaching. Elephants are slaughtered simply for their two ivory tusks in order to make pretty little ornaments that adorn shelves intended to impress strangers. Baby seals are bludgeoned for their tiny furs in order to make fashionable coats for rich people lacking in self-worth. Tigers, lions, and other beautifully coated mammals are hunted for the same inane reason seals are. Sharks are speared for their impressive jaws and bones, for glory and to make herbal concoctions. Countless other animals are shot, killed, and hung on a wall as compensation for much smaller 'heads'.”

9 fascinating animals which are on the verge of extinction:

The Iberian Lynx:
#Cause of endangerment: they live only on rabbits. In early 1950s humans introduced a virus illegally, which reduced the number of rabbits dramatically, to protect their crops. As the number of rabbits reduced, the Lynx population also reduced.
#Current population: 100-150

Saiga Antelope:
#Cause of endangerment: Demand for their horns is very high. Poaching for their horns has reduced their number more than 97.9% in the last 60 years.
#Current population: Less than 42,000

Sumatran Tiger:
#Cause of endangerment: Poaching and loss of its natural habitat due to logging.
#Current population: About 400

Silky Sifaka:
#Cause of endangerment: They are found only in Madagascar. Locals hunt these beautiful animals for their meat.
#Current population: 100-1,000

Vaquita:

#Cause of endangerment: They live only in Mexico’s Gulf of California. Each year 40-80 Vaquitas get trapped in nets and get killed.
#Current population: Less than 600

Javan Rhino:
#Cause of endangerment: Its horn is very expensive. Because of poaching now Javan Rhino is on the verge of extinction.
#Current population: Less than 60


Cross River Gorilla:
#Cause of endangerment: Habitat loss and death due to the bushmeat trade.
#Current population: 250-300

South China Tiger:

#Cause of endangerment: in 1959 Mao Zedong declared this animal a “pest” and “our enemy”. So people started killing South China Tiger.
#Current population: 60 in captivity, extinct in wild

Amur Leopard:
#Cause of extinction: Habitat loss, deforestation, urbanization.
#Current population: Less than 135

To read more about these animals in details visit ecoworldly.com

The reason why I mentioned the name of these animals is that, I wanted to show that the main reason behind the extinction of most of the animals is man made. Introduction of new chemicals, deforestation, urbanization and poaching are the main causes of this extinction. The extinction of any species has a chain affect. If a certain kind of insect becomes extinct, the larger animal which lives on it will also become extinct. So, we have to be careful about each step we take which affects the eco-system.

The aim behind this post:
1. To raise awareness
2. To make people conscious about their surroundings
3. To make people conscious about their activities

Continue to the second post: 10 Ways to Protect Endangered Animals

Bloggers Unite: Earth Day 2009

If you don’t care for this world, please don’t waste your time reading this post.

Today is the 39th anniversary of the Earth Day. The bloggers all around the world is participating in this day by answering the call of Bloggers Unite and writing a blog post on this day.

What is Earth Day?

I was having a lot of trouble fully understanding the meaning of the Earth Day. I wasn’t fully sure about what to write. So I had to google a lot to have a little idea. So according to my understanding the Earth Day is a day to observe the need to protect the earth and its equilibrium. It is also the day to raise awareness among mass people so that we can start performing for the betterment of the earth. It is a day to start appreciating the world around us and to stop abusing the environment for our selfish betterment.

A very brief history

Thanks to Gaylord Nelson, Richard Nixon and Denis Hayes, the Earth Day movement began its journey back in 1970. On the first Earth Day 20 million people came together and participated voluntarily. But now, on the 39th anniversary, over 500 million people and 175 countries are celebrating this day and working hard to protect the environment.

Let’s get on the same page

Is the world really dying? Yes. Because the resources are limited and we are speeding up the process by spending too much energy and polluting the environment. Willingly or unwillingly we are killing this world. Technically we have no love for this beautiful earth whatsoever as we abuse it all the time. Did you know that we could have reduced 95% carbon monoxide emission per person if we just rode on buses rather than cars? Because of our carelessness the world has become such a place which is dangerous for us to live in. For example, according to World Health Organization, in Cairo breathing daily air is like smoking 20 cigarettes a day! We are cutting down trees every second without any “backup plan” which has devastating effects over our environment; our earth. Rainforests used to cover 14% of land surface. But now it covers less than 6%. As a result the world is heating up, ice caps are melting and the environmental equilibrium is getting destroyed in a rapid pace. I wonder how long it will take to announce “the world is no more suitable for the mankind to live”. Is this what we want?

Let’s unite

Let’s try to bring a change. Let’s start to look forward to a better future where pollution is a yesterday’s topic.

* Let’s look for alternative ways to meet our energy needs. Renewable energy will play a vital role here. Renewable energy is generated from natural resources like wind, sunlight, rain, tide, geothermal heat. Windmill a wonderful example of the source of renewable energy. We have to try to set up windmills locally to meet the need of electricity. Further reading: wiki renewable energy


* We have to stop using plastic bags. A normal plastic bag can take up to 450 years to dissolve. Plastic bags (polybag) are also hard to recycle. That’s why we have to use paper bags instead.

* Though coal is a very common source of energy, it causes a lot of damage to our environment. We have to make this world coal free. Again, the alternative is renewable energy.

* Cutting down trees without any plan has to come to an end. If we cut down trees, we must plant atleast 2 trees there to fill up that empty space. If possible try to plant a tree in your backyard (or anywhere you like) within seven days.

* Replace your ordinary light bulbs with energy saving bulbs. And don’t forget to switch off the light/fan whenever you leave the room. Further reading: this time ~ this space

* Don’t ride on your car that much. Use bus, train and bicycle or just walk. It will reduce air pollution, oil/gas consumption and traffic jam. But if you really prefer to ride avoid mass transport, then you can use smart cars and bikes ran by electricity. It is important if you want to reduce 95% carbon monoxide emission caused by yourself.

* We have to have a control over the dangerously rising population. Over population spoils almost every act of saving the mother earth.

The Earth Day has a great responsibility; the responsibility to make people aware, the responsibility to start bringing a change- a change towards better, cleaner and greener future. And it is YOU who holds the responsibility of making this day count. I feel really happy to be born on this wonderful and meaningful day. I feel honored when I see that The Earth Day is also my birthday.

Peace

Related articles:
How Much Do You Care For The Environment
I Do My Part

How Much Do You Care For the Environment?

I can feel winter is coming. The extreme hot weather has just started to fade a little. After sunset a cool breeze flows around this beautiful campus of ours. You know, winter is the favorite time of the year for me. So I’m pretty happy seeing the signs of winter. But in Dhaka, the capital city, I know that it’s still very hot and humid and I think it will remain the same for another one and a half month or more. The reason behind is nothing but lack of trees and too much pollution, in other words “greenhouse effect”.

As the world is getting smaller and education is spreading its wings over a larger mass, I think people are caring less and less about the environment. At least that’s how things look like from here. My last trip to Mymensing really made me think about the environment. The rate of literacy is really high there but pollution rate is more than that. It forces me to doubt the education system and the inborn sense of right and wrong.

Let’s get on the same page

1. We rely more on environment than the environment relies on us.

2. Global warming is a reality. And now the signs are becoming clearer by the minute. We are having less rain, the weather is getting hotter and in winter the cold is also more severe than it was in the past. You noticed it, right?

3. The nature does fight back. The number of natural calamities and the death count over the years has increased significantly. And it’s mostly our fault. Cutting down trees and destroying forests without any planning is an act of selfishness and it harms the environment and the earth a lot.

4. We need oxygen to breathe and oxygen comes from trees. 25% land space of a country needs to be covered by trees and forests for a healthy environment. But Bangladesh has only 16%. What about your country?

This article is written to make you think a little more about the environment. Caring and thinking about it will definitely help us to stop us from doing many unnecessary harmful things that we do to the environment. Maybe it will lead us to planting trees and recycling. We should make the most out of the environment/resources without damaging it. We should also stop wasting water, electricity and food if we want a better/safer future for our children and the generations to come.

Tell me what you think about it…

Related post:
I Do My Part

Things Have Changed

For those who don’t know- I was away for a while. But now I have returned to my campus and to blogging.
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Mymensing used to be such a fan place for me. I used to love spending vacations there with my grandparents. But things have changed now. All my past experiences have been changed during this visit. I don’t think I’d like to spend another vacation there. Now I can easily describe it as an old, crowdie, smelly, dirty and congested city. It’s not like that it wasn’t congested before but now it’s just too much to stand. Houses and apartments built here are so unplanned and so extremely close (as if ‘near’) to each other that any outsider can easily get disgusted just by looking at them.
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People there care little about lakes, trees and sewerage system. Roads and drains are filled with rubbish. Almost all of them just care about constructing their home sweet home (what about maintaining?). They don’t seem to spare just a tiny fraction of the space available- uff…disgusting!
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Just a few cars and buses are seen in the roads of Mymensing (though it’s a not-so-small city). I’m pretty sure it's because it is extremely hard to drive there as thousands and thousands of Rickshaws (a special kind of man powered vehicle- slow and small) rule the roads. But having less motorized vehicles has its benefit- low air pollution.
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Sorry if I hurt someone through this post. My intention is not to curse Mymensing but to point out some things those are destroying this used-to-be-a-beautiful city.
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