Are you stuck in your car?

Do you cringe each time you drive by the gas station?  And vow to drive less each time you fill up your gas tank, draining those precious dollars from your bank account?  But still hop in your car every morning to get to work, the super-market, gym or other worthy destination?  Don’t worry…apparently its the ‘norm’ these days. 

With crowded streets, busy schedules and numerous other factors, Americans use alternative transportation such as walking and biking with great hesitancy. I guess that no matter how expensive gasoline gets or how daunting the warnings about climate change become, Americans just love their cars (me included).  Funny, I wrote my college thesis on nearly this exact topic five years ago.  I think it was titled: The American Love Affair with the Automobile and How it Inhibits our Public Transportation System…interesting topic, huh?

Here in Boulder (and in other bike-friendly cities around the US like Portland and DC) biking is pretty popular, but apparently less than 1 percent of personal trips are made by bike in the US .  But, we could all clearly do more.  Tomorrow is national bike to work day, so hop on your bike, put on your helmet and cruise on into the office.  The results could be great - major props at the office for being so eco-friendly, a good workout, and a bit of feel-good energy!

Running for Wilderness

The Comrades Marathon is one of the greatest running events on the planet.  Titled “The Ultimate Human Race,” the grueling 90km course (that’s over 54 miles!) between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, South Africa is run by the most elite runners in about 5 hours.  This means that the rest of us mere mortals may be on the course for twice as long, if not more.  Given the gusto with which WILD works, it is no surprise that within our WILD group, we have deep routes in this (some may say crazy) tradition.   Paul Dutton, long-time WILD associate and avid conservationist, completed Comrades, with the support of WILD founder Ian Player and wife Anne in 1964.  In the time prior to high-tech running gear, Paul ran in flimsy running shoes, and was fed the magic remedy of salt tablets and brandy by Player to combat the effects of heat exhaustion! 

Continuing in this tradition, Mandla Buthelzi, a veteran field officer for the Wilderness Leadership School, will be running the Comrades on June 15.  He will be painting his body green and white and wear the “leaf,” to raise awareness and funds for wilderness.  To support Mandla, please send us an email!  We all send him the best of luck! {photo: Paul Dutton running Comrades}

Listen to the Bees

A bit of interesting news on bees has popped up this week.  Maybe its because summer is just around the corner, and everyone is thinking about pesky bee stings?  More likely its because bee populations are declining, and since they play such a vital role in the pollination process more than a few eyebrows are raised.  A recent survey with-in the US found that more than a third of the nation’s commercially managed bee hives have been lost since 2007.  That’s one in three bees! This shocking results is primarily attributed to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a mysterious disease that causes adult bees to abandon their hives.  Another factor now being explored is the effect air pollution is having on the ability of bees (as well as other pollinators) to follow the scent of blooming flowers.  Without this scent trail, bees are unable to find the flowers and thus pollination does not occur.  This is troublesome for both the bee population and the plant population and subsequently animal (even human!) populations.  Without pollination, flowering plants will not proliferate, effecting not only those beautiful spring-time flowers we all enjoy, but the world’s supply of fruits and vegetables.  Others speculate that air pollution may be one of the contributing factors causing CCD.  Clearly, we should pay a bit more attention to those little buzzing creatures…a lot depends on them!

Read the recent Associated Press article on bee populations….

Read the recent Washington Post article on bee populations…

The Healing Power of Wilderness

WILD’s work to protect wilderness is routed in the belief that such areas provide essential social, spiritual, biological and economic benefits.  There are countless studies, papers, even books on the economic and biological benefits of wilderness areas, but what is often overlooked are the social and spiritual values.  These values are harder to define by numbers or empirical data, but are likely more easy for us to relate to.  The Wilderness Leadership School (WLS) a member of The Wilderness Network, celebrates our connection to nature by leading wilderness trails in the pristine wilderness areas of Southern Africa. 

{photo: WLS trailists enjoy a swim}

What are you doing for Earth Day?

Earth Day is just around the corner (next Tuesday, April 22nd to be exact), and I’ve been trying to figure out how best to celebrate this year.  Maybe I’ll ride my bike to work?  Or maybe I’ll try not to use electricity for the whole day (though this may limit office productivity)?  Or maybe I’ll join in on some of the celebrations taking place here in Colorado.  The great thing is, there’s no shortage of things to do to celebrate Earth Day, here in Boulder and around the world. 

I haven’t made any plans yet, but I might check out The Green Apple Festival in Denver this weekend, then cruise around the Earth Day Network site for some ideas for next week.  How are you going to celebrate?

Whatever you do, remember to take some time on Earth Day, and every day, to celebrate this wonderful earth and take actions to protect its priceless resources…I hope you have a wonderful Earth Day!

Eco-Leaders Recognized with Renowned Goldman Prize

Seven amazing leaders from around the world are honored this week as recipients of the 2008 Goldman Environmental Prize.  Their experiences and successes vary greatly - from agricultural advancements to protecting ecosystems from nuclear interests to using music as a tool to alleviate poverty.  The group of leaders “exemplify the astounding environmental work being done by ordinary people around the world,” comments Richard N. Goldman, Goldman Prize founder.  This year, as with each of the past 18 years of the award, the winners represent those who are working on some of the world’s greatest social and environmental challenges.  Since its inception, 162 people from 72 countries have been honored with the award.

New Technology Maps Biodiversity HotSpots - Helps Conservation Strategies

A team of researchers working in Madagascar have developed a new, technology based, method of identifying vital habitats for biodiversity to assist in defining key conservation goals.  The advanced computer software allows scientists to find an optimal solution for all (or the majority of) species within a defined region - a calculation more complex and formalized than past methods for selecting conservation areas.  Piloting this analysis in Madagascar shows the effectiveness of the tool; with over 2,300 species, many of which are endemic, and diverse and unique ecosystems, identifying conservation hotspots in Madagascar is not uncomplicated!  The results of the Madagascar study revealed important, previously overlooked conservation areas - the results are now assisting the government in defining a conservation strategy.

Greenpeace India Launches Campaign for the Olive Ridley Turtles

Today, Greenpeace India launched an online campaign to support the protection of the Olive Ridley sea turtle nesting ground in Orissa, India.  This online campaign adds support and attention to the ongoing campaign, supported by WILD and many other international and local organizations, urging the Tata Steel Company to halt construction on the Orissa port and examine alternatives for this massive project.  The Orissa Coast is one of the last major nesting grounds for the threatened sea turtle.  The interactive Greenpeace website encourages visitors to send a letter to the head of Tata Steel, Ratan Tata and shows photos of those individuals who have already signed onto the campaign.

Whistling in the Dark

  Tomorrow, March 29th at 8pm millions of people from around the world will spend 1 hour in the dark - by choice.  Earth Hour 2008 is an international event to make a statement about climate change and energy use.  Started by the World Wildlife Fund and launched in Sydney, Australia in 2007, Earth Hour has quickly grown into an international event, with over 200 major cities participating world-wide.  Even major landmarks such as the Sears Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Sydney Opera House will turn their lights down low for the hour.  This international and high-level participation is, no doubt, a clear sign that the urgency of stopping global warming is on the minds of individuals, business, governments and organizations around the globe.  What will you do for a whole hour in the dark?  Chat with a friend, pay some extra attention to your pets, sleep, read by candle-light, go for a walk or make a list of all of the ways you plan to reduce your impact/carbon foot-print!  So, at 8pm (your local time) turn the lights off and take one step toward a greener planet!

April IJW is Now Available!

The first issue of the International Journal of Wilderness is now available!  Renew your subscription today - and you’ll receive April’s issue within the next few weeks and the August and December issues when they arrive.  The April IJW highlights El Triunfo RAVE (Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition) and the continued work of our partners and colleagues in Europe, working tirelessly to expand the wilderness concept in this region of the world.  The issue is also full of great feature articles, editorials, book reviews and announcements, as is each and every  issue of the IJW.  Be sure to renew today!