Earth & Animal Advocates - How To Help

10 Ways To Help Wildlife

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 01:26:00 +0000

Habitat loss and the extinction of species are devastating consequences of irresponsible human actions. The problem’s complexity and reach often leads people to feel unable to make a difference. However, every single action we take is crucial in bringing about change. Although individually our contribution may seem small, the sum of our efforts can really make a huge difference.

Protect Wildlife Habitat

The most pressing issue that threatens species is their progressive loss of habitat. Animal agriculture, deforestation, and development impact the environment in profound ways: erosion, soil compaction, desertification and changes in climate. When the land is manipulated in such a manner, wildlife habitat alteration or even elimination takes place. This is more pronounced when rare species are involved; these alterations may result in the rapid extinction of the species. Habitat protection ensures that whole animal communities are safe, which in turn leads to fewer interventions needed towards the conservation of endangered species. Reserves, parks, and similar protected areas are often the only safe havens that remain unaffected by habitat loss.

Consume Less, Recycle More

A great way to minimize our effect on the environment is to recycle and reuse as much as possible. Consuming less is an immensely effective means of protecting the planet. What’s more, by reducing our energy consumption we help conserve our natural resources, and we save money in the process!

Become Member Of A Conservation Organization

Numerous conservation organizations exist with a mission to protect endangered species and habitats. Each organization has a different mission – for some it’s to safeguard a certain habitat or species, for others to push for the legislation of good environmental practices. If you are particularly interested in a topic, chances are that you will find an organization that shares your interest. Becoming a member will let you back organized, constant efforts towards protecting wildlife and habitats. Moreover, there are often special programs available that offer the chance to do conservation field work, as many organizations depend on volunteer work.

Use Fewer Herbicides And Pesticides

Herbicides and pesticides are effective in beautifying your backyard, but they wreak havoc on wildlife on several levels. Some of these compounds degrade at an extremely slow rate, which means their levels build up in the soil and, consequently, pass into the food chain. Certain animal groups, like the amphibians, are especially prone to the toxic effects of these chemicals, suffering a greater impact.

Prevent Invasive Species From Spreading

Native wildlife populations all over the world have been severely affected by the invasion of non-native species, since the latter increase competition for food and habitat. Native species may even become their direct prey, risking extinction. You can minimize the impact of invasive species by populating your garden with native plants.

Don’t Drive Too Fast

For many native species, life takes place in densely populated areas, meaning they have to find their way through a labyrinth of human-made dangers. Roads, in particular, pose one of the greatest risks for wild animals that live in developed areas, because they split their habitat and pose a constant threat to animals that try to cross to the other side. So, if you are driving in such areas, reduce your speed and pay attention for such animals.

Install Decals On Windows To Prevent Bird Collisions

Collisions with windows is a serious risk for birds. Almost one billion birds lose their lives every year by colliding with windows. A simple way of decreasing that number is by installing decals on the windows of your office and home. Other things you can do to help is to relocate bird feeders to a more convenient spot, draw curtains and shades when it’s bright outside, install screens on the external side of your windows, or use tinted window glass.

Express Your Concerns And Become Actively Involved

By actively expressing your concerns regarding endangered species to local and national authorities, you raise the chances of someone actually doing something to remedy the situation.

Share Your Excitement For Nature And Wildlife

Motivate other people to read up on wildlife issues, respect wildlife, and be serious about the protection of species and habitats.

Go Vegan

Last but not least, the single most effective way of helping wildlife is to adopt a vegan diet. Animal farming is the number one cause of water consumption, pollution, and deforestation. Livestock has a higher greenhouse effect on the atmosphere than fossil fuel consumption. The farming industry is the greatest cause of rainforest demise, soil erosion, habitat loss, species extinction and dead zones in the oceans.

Reducing & Reusing Basics

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 01:25:00 +0000

The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. Making a new product requires a lot of materials and energy - raw materials must be extracted from the earth, and the product must be fabricated then transported to wherever it will be sold. As a result, reduction and reuse are the most effective ways you can save natural resources, protect the environment and save money.

Benefits of Reducing and Reusing

- Prevents pollution caused by reducing the need to harvest new raw materials

- Saves energy

- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change

- Helps sustain the environment for future generations

- Saves money

- Reduces the amount of waste that will need to be recycled or sent to landfills and incinerators

- Allows products to be used to their fullest extent

Ideas on How to Reduce and Reuse

- Buy used. You can find everything from clothes to building materials at specialized reuse centers and consignment shops. Often, used items are less expensive and just as good as new.

- Look for products that use less packaging. When manufacturers make their products with less packaging, they use less raw material. This reduces waste and costs. These extra savings can be passed along to the consumer. Buying in bulk, for example, can reduce packaging and save money.

- Buy reusable over disposable items. Look for items that can be reused; the little things can add up. For example, you can bring your own silverware and cup to work, rather than using disposable items.

- Maintain and repair products, like clothing, tires and appliances, so that they won't have to be thrown out and replaced as frequently.

- Borrow, rent or share items that are used infrequently, like party decorations, tools or furniture.

Donation

One person's trash is another person's treasure. Instead of discarding unwanted appliances, tools or clothes, try selling or donating them. Not only will you be reducing waste, you'll be helping others. Local churches, community centers, thrift stores, schools and nonprofit organizations may accept a variety of donated items, including used books, working electronics and unneeded furniture.

Benefits of Donation

- Prevents usable goods from going into landfills

- Helps your community and those in need

- Tax benefits may be available

Go Green By Eating Green

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 01:24:00 +0000

While there are many lifestyle changes you can make to help the environment, no other lifestyle decision can compare with the positive environmental impacts of veganism.

Veganism is a compassionate lifestyle of daily decisions that reject the exploitation and harm of animals. Vegans do not consume food that is derived from animal sources, do not purchase products made from animal sources, do not use services in which animals are harmed, and do not involve themselves in activities that cause intentional harm or exploitation of living beings. Vegans attempt, as much as possible, to live their lives free from all forms of animal exploitation. It is a humane, responsible and healthy choice.

And not only does veganism help animals, it helps the planet – in a big way. Becoming a vegan is the single, most effective action you can take to help the environment. Adopting a compassionate lifestyle can have a profound impact not only on you and your family, but also on the planet. Our fragile environment benefits immensely by your vegan choices.

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution. It is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry. Factory farms are a primary driver of topsoil erosion, rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss and ocean dead zones. Raising animals for food requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water and causes immense animal suffering.

It takes 12 times as much land, 13 times more fuel and 15 times more water to make a pound of animal protein than to make a pound of plant protein. Adopting a vegan diet saves 20 pounds of CO2 equivalent, 45 pounds of grain, 1,100 gallons of water, 30 square feet of forest land, and one animal every day!

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF VEGANISM

Vegans save more than farm animals. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of species extinction, habitat destruction and wildlife culling. Each year the USDA kills millions of wild animals.

Vegans help save aquatic animals and ecosystems. Commercial fishing methods often clear the ocean floor of all life and destroy coral reefs. Thousands of dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, and other “bycatch” animals are killed each year. Fish farms release antibiotics, feces, parasites, and non-native fish into aquatic ecosystems, and farmed fish are often fed massive amounts of wild-caught fish.

Vegans reduce the adverse impact of climate change. Animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the entire transportation industry combined. A staggering 51 percent or more of global greenhouse-gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture. Methane (CH4) emissions have over 20 times the global warming potential of CO2.

Vegans reduce the destruction of forests. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation. Up to 91% of Amazon Rainforest destruction is caused by animal agriculture. One of the main crops grown in the rainforest is soybeans used specifically for animal feed. Plant-based diets require 20 times less land than animal-based diets.

Vegans reduce pollution caused by animal breeding, animal processing and food processing. Deforestation for animal grazing and feed crops is estimated to emit 2.4 billion tons of CO2 each year. Burning fossil fuels to produce fertilizers for animal agriculture may emit 41 million metric tons of CO2 each year. Animal agriculture contributes to air pollution by releasing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, methane and ammonia.

Agriculture animals produce many times more excrement than does human population – a staggering 500 million tons of manure each year in the US alone. There are no animal sewage processing plants; most of the sewage is stored in waste “lagoons” or sprayed into the air.

To prevent disease in crowded, filthy conditions and to promote faster growth, farm animals are fed numerous antibiotics. Around 75 percent of these antibiotics end up undigested. These antibiotics can contaminate crops and waterways through urine and manure, and can ultimately be ingested by humans.

Vegans save and protect precious water resources. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of all fresh water pollution, the leading cause of ocean dead zones, and the leading cause of Great Barrier Reef die-off. Bacteria and viruses can be carried by runoff and contaminate groundwater. Runoff is one of the leading causes of pollution in rivers and lakes.

Animal agriculture is responsible for 55% of US water consumption. It takes 683 gallons of water to produce just 1 gallon of milk, and more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef. 1 pound of tofu requires only 244 gallons of water to produce. Every vegan saves approximately 219,000 gallons of water every year.

Veganism feeds more people and could end world hunger. Animal agriculture contributes to world hunger. Livestock consumes up to 50% of all grains produced each year. 45% of the earth's entire ice free land is used for animal agriculture.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF VEGANISM

While going vegan helps us help nature, nature rewards our efforts with a bounty of health benefits. You can reduce the risk of many diseases by modifying your diet habits and becoming a vegan.

A plant based diet reduces the risk of cancer as carcinogens and other harmful chemicals are used in growing, processing and storing animal based food products.

Vegans have less risk of heart disease and high blood pressure as most plant foods do not add bad cholesterol to your body and clog your blood vessels. Animal foods saturated with excessively high amounts of fat and other enzymes have an adverse impact on the natural body processes.

Veganism can help prevent the onset of diabetes as most plant based foods tone up the glucose handling mechanism of your body, adding strength and boosting the natural metabolic process without the harmful enzymes and secretions you normally get with animal based foods.

Vegans have less chance of getting rheumatoid arthritis as plant based foods do not create toxins in your body during their natural metabolism.

A vegan lifestyle helps animals, the environment and you. By opting for plant based foods and products, you are choosing compassion, health and responsible living. And choosing to go vegan really could save the world.

Live Compassionately

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 01:26:00 +0000

"Compassionate living" is a concept based on the belief that humans have a moral responsibility to treat animals with respect, and that the interests of humans and animals should be considered equally. This means that in any decision that could potentially affect the life of an animal, that particular animal's interests should not be dismissed simply because it is inconvenient for us to consider them.

Although it may not always be easy to determine accurately the best interests of an animal, we can safely assume that animals generally prefer to live, to be free from pain and to express their natural behaviors.

The failure of humans to consider an animal's needs/interests as equal to those of humans is an expression of prejudice called speciesism. Defenders of speciesism often argue that humans are superior to other species because of their greater intelligence. Taken to its logical extreme, this argument would imply that humans with higher I.Q. scores should have more rights than humans with lower I.Q. scores. However, we have developed the sensitivity to extend basic human rights to all humans, whether or not they meet any criteria for intelligence, capacity or potential. But animals are commonly experimented on without their consent, and even killed, if it suits human purposes. This gross inequality is what we are trying to address with the concept of "animal rights."

Another common assertion is that humans are superior to animals because we possess the capacity to understand morality, as well as the ability to determine right from wrong. Since some animals may lack these same abilities, it is argued that humans are not obligated to treat them in any particular way. However, if only those who are capable of making and understanding moral judgments were to be accorded basic human rights, than infants, young children, and the severely ill or mentally challenged would be excluded. It is equally logical to affirm that, since humans are the only ones who can make moral judgments, that it is our responsibility to do so on behalf of the animals.

All animals, including humans, have the ability to experience pleasure and pain. Unfortunately, humans have tended to inflict tremendous amounts of pain and suffering on animals without any consideration of how this affects the animals themselves. By making compassionate daily choices, you can help end widespread animal abuse and exploitation.

WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO WEAR

Fur: Each year more than 40 million animals are senselessly tortured and killed to satisfy the dictates of fashion. Wild-caught fur is obtained by setting traps or snares to capture fur-bearing animals. Once an animal is caught it may remain in the trap or snare for several days starving or slowly strangling. Farm-raised fur comes from animals kept in tiny, filthy cages, deprived of adequate protection from the elements. As a result, animals develop stereotypical behavior, including pacing, head bobbing, and self-mutilation. The techniques used to kill animals on fur farms include neck snapping or "popping", electrocution with a rod shoved into the anus and gassing or smothering.

Wool: Sheep raised for wool are subjected to a lifetime of cruel treatment. Lambs' tails are chopped off and males are castrated without anesthetic. In Australia, where 80% of all wool comes from, ranchers perform an operation called "mulesing" where huge strips of skin are carved off the backs of lambs' legs. This procedure is performed to produce scarred skin that won't harbor fly larvae, so that the rancher can spend less time caring for the sheep. The shearing of sheep can be a brutal, as workers are encouraged to shear as quickly as possible. As a result, an estimated one million Australian sheep die every year from exposure. Sheep that are no longer useful for their wool are sent to crowded feedlots and then transported to the slaughterhouse.

Leather: By-products of the beef industry are defined by the parts of the cow that are not consumed by humans. These include hooves, some organs, bones, and skin. Skin (leather) accounts for about half of the by-product of the beef industry. Like meat, leather is a product made from animals that experienced the horrors of factory farming, transport and slaughter. The leather industry uses some of the most dangerous substances to prepare leather, including formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, various oils and some cyanide-based dyes.

WHAT YOU CHOOSE FOR ENTERTAINMENT

Circus: Animals used in the circus spend the majority of the year imprisoned in small cages or on chains, traveling from show to show. The training endured by circus animals is almost always based on intimidation; trainers must break the spirit of the animals in order to control them. It is not uncommon for an elephant to be tied down and beaten for several days while being trained to perform, and tigers are chained to their pedestals with ropes around their necks to choke them down.

Rodeo: Horses and cows used in rodeos are abused with electrical prods, sharp spurs and "bucking straps" that pinch their sensitive flank area. During bucking events, horses and bulls may suffer broken legs or run into the sides of the arena causing serious injury and even death. During calf-roping events, a calf may reach a running speed of 27 miles per hour before being jerked by the neck to an abrupt stop by a lasso. This event has resulted in animals' punctured lungs, internal hemorrhaging, paralysis and broken necks.

Greyhound and Horse Racing: Once greyhounds begin their racing careers, they are kept in cages for about 22-1/2 hours a day. The cages are made of wire and are barely big enough for dogs to turn around. Dogs considered too slow to race are sold to research facilities or killed (20,000-25,000 each year) - very few are adopted. More racehorses are bred than can prove profitable on the racetrack. As a result, hundreds are sent to slaughter every year.

Zoos and Aquariums: While zoos and aquariums may appear to be educational and conservation-oriented, most are designed with the needs and desires of the visitors in mind, not the needs of the animals. Many animals in zoos and aquariums exhibit abnormal behavior as a result of being deprived of their natural environments and social structures. Some zoos and aquariums do rescue some animals and work to save endangered species, but most animals in zoos were either captured from the wild or bred in captivity for the purpose of public display, not species protection. The vast majority of captive-bred animals will never be returned to the wild. When the facility breeds too many animals they become "surplus" and often are sold to laboratories, traveling shows, shooting ranches, or to private individuals unqualified to care for them.

WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO EAT

Every year billions of animals are raised and killed for human consumption. Unlike the family farms of the past, today's factory farms are high-revenue, high-production entities. On a factory farm, animals are confined to extremely small spaces, which allows farmers to concentrate on maximizing production. Because this type of overcrowding breeds disease, animals are routinely fed antibiotics and sprayed with pesticides. They are also fed growth hormones to enhance productivity. These chemicals, antibiotics and hormones are passed on to the environment, as well as to consumers of meat and dairy products.

Pork: In the United States each year more than 115 million pigs are raised on factory farms and slaughtered for human consumption. Factory-farmed pigs are raised in crowded pens which are enclosed inside huge barns. The air in these barns is filled with eye and lung burning ammonia created by urine and fecal waste collected below the floors. Breeding sows (or "animal production units") spend their lives in metal crates so small that they cannot turn around. Denied adequate space and freedom of movement, these sows often develop stereotypical behavior, repetitive movement such as head bobbing, jaw smacking, and rail biting. At the slaughterhouse, pigs are stunned (often inadequately), hung upside down before their throats are cut, and then bled to death. If workers fail to kill a pig with the knife, that pig is carried on the conveyer belt to the next station, the scalding tank, where he or she may be boiled alive.

Chicken: Every year approximately 8.785 billion chickens are raised and slaughtered for human consumption in the United States, most on factory farms. Crowded and unable to express natural behavior, chickens begin to peck excessively at each other. Rather than solve this problem by providing adequate space for the chickens, factory farmers "debeak" them, a painful procedure where the bird's sensitive upper beak is sliced off with a hot metal blade. Chickens raised for consumption have been genetically altered to grow abnormally large. As a result, many broiler chickens' bones are unable to support the weight of their muscle tissue, which causes them to hobble in pain or become crippled. At the slaughterhouse, chickens while still fully conscious are hung upside down by their feet and attached to a moving rail. Birds missed by the mechanical neck-slicing blade and boiled alive are called "redskins".

Eggs: There are more than 459 million egg-laying hens in the U.S. Of these, 97% are confined to "battery" cages - tiny wire boxes roughly 16 by 18 inches wide. Five or six birds are crammed into each cage. Battery hens are forced to produce 10 times more eggs than they would naturally. When egg production slows, factory farmers use a method called "forced molting" to shock the hens into losing their feathers, which causes them to begin a premature laying cycle. "Forced molting" involves starving the hens and denying them water for several days' time, during which many hens die. To keep hens from pecking each other in their crowded cages, factory farmers "debeak" them. Male chicks, considered by-products of laying hen production, are either tossed into plastic bags to suffocate slowly, or ground into animal feed while still alive.

Beef: About 41.8 million beef cattle are slaughtered annually in the United States. For identification purposes, cattle are either branded with hot irons or "wattled," a process in which a chunk of flesh from under the cow's neck is cut out. Raised on the range or in feed lots, cattle when large enough are crammed into metal trucks and taken to slaughter. On the way to slaughter, these cattle may travel for hours in sweltering temperatures with no access to water. Animals unable to stand due to broken legs or illness are called "downers" by the meat industry. Downers are electrically prodded or dragged with chains to the slaughterhouse, or left outside, without food or water, to die.

Milk: About half of the 10 million milking cows in the U.S. are kept in confinement on factory farms. Dairy cows are forced to produce 10-20 times the amount of milk they would naturally need for their calves. This intensive production of milk is extremely stressful, and as a result many dairy cattle "burn out" at a much younger age than their normal life expectancy, and up to 33% suffer painful udder infections. To continue milk production, a cow must bear a calf each year. Although calves elsewhere stay with their mothers for a year or more, on the dairy factory farm they are immediately removed from their mothers so that milk can be sold for human consumption. Calves are sold to the beef or veal industry or become replacements for "burned out" dairy cows.

WHAT PRODUCTS YOU CHOOSE

Despite the modern alternatives to animal testing, millions of animals suffer and die each year for the "good" of cosmetics and household products. No law in the U.S. requires cosmetic, household product, or office supply companies to test on animals, but many companies do so to protect themselves against liability. However, animal testing does not necessarily make a product safe for humans. Most animal tests were developed over 50 years ago and are significantly flawed and inferior to modern alternatives. Use your dollars to send a strong message that animal testing is outdated and unnecessary. Support only companies committed against animal testing.

Make Less Waste

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 01:24:00 +0000

All the garbage you throw away is destined to end up in a landfill. What’s more, most of the items constituting your garbage (metal, plastic, paper, and everything else) was probably created using environmentally harmful methods. When you produce less trash, you ease up your environmental impact. Consider doing the following:

Purchase reusable products, and avoid buying new ones. Take care of, and repair, the ones you currently own. Use glass containers instead of plastic. Stop using plastic bags and opt for reusable cloth. Don’t use disposable kitchenware; use reusable items. Store your food in reusable containers and avoid plastic wrap and aluminum foil as much as possible.
Repair your clothing instead of purchasing new. Equip your most frequently used devices with rechargeable batteries. Opt for used furniture – there is a large supply of it and it costs much less than new. Don’t buy products that are packaged in several layers, when they could have been packaged in one. Almost 33 percent of our waste consists of packaging material.
Choose recycled paper. Print and copy on both sides. Reuse your folders, envelopes and paper clips. Reduce your paper mail by relying more on emails and mobile texting.
Cook your own food. And if you are up for it, grow it yourself! In any case, try to make as many meals as you can from the most basic of ingredients – which you can also buy in bulk to save on packaging.
Try making your own personal care products. Homemade soaps and shampoos are much more environmentally friendly than commercial ones that are often full of toxic chemicals. There are literally no personal care products that you can’t make on your own, including toothpaste, lotion, conditioner and shampoo. Begin by replacing one product at a time. Most homemade products have a variety of uses (IE baking soda can be used as soap, shampoo, conditioner, facial cleanser, teeth whitener and toothpaste – as well as for cleaning.)
Reduce your reliance on chemical products. Synthetic chemicals in cleaning and personal care products end up in the water supply. Because the bulk of chemicals used today are toxic, they end up harming aquatic life and waterways significantly. What’s more, these substances harm people as well, so it’s only in your best interest to reduce their usage. Also, avoid herbicides and pesticides and opt for natural ways of combating pests and weeds.
Revert to homemade cleaning products. You can make all sorts of cleaners – in fact all of your cleaning products – with natural-only ingredients. Read up on how to make alternative cleaning products that exclude harmful chemicals. For instance, you can do your basic cleaning using a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar, that works just as well as most conventional cleaners on the market. Virtually all your cleaning can be accomplished with baking soda, vinegar and water. You help protect the environment, your health, and save a lot of money.
When there are no reliable alternatives to a harmful item, try to use the minimum amount needed. By doing so, you help the planet and also help your wallet.

Start A Group

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 01:24:00 +0000

As you set up tables and distribute leaflets, you'll meet people who feel the way you do about earth and animal issues. Although it's not absolutely necessary, you can increase your effectiveness by joining forces and forming a group. A group can have more clout than one person. The media, the government, and the public will usually give more serious consideration to the views of a group.

CHOOSING YOUR ISSUES

A group can start with two people. The important thing is to decide from the beginning which issues you will work on. Then choose a name for your group that reflects that focus. Do you want to work primarily on animal or environmental issues? Realistically, you won't have the time, energy, or money to focus on all issues effectively. It's usually best to stick to animal and environmental education, organizing, and lobbying and refer individual cruelty cases to the appropriate agencies in your community that should be equipped and trained to deal with them.

TAKING THE FIRST STEP

Before you get a group together, educate and organize yourself:

Setup a website or social media page for your group.
Get a post office box mailing address at a local post office.
Open a bank account. You'll need to keep accurate financial records from the start, so decide on a record-keeping system. At the minimum, record the date and amount of all donations, and the name and address of the donor. Also keep a record of how money is spent, including the date, amount and purpose. Save all your receipts and write on the back of the receipt the item you bought and the date and reason you bought it.
Prepare an information pack for new members and a form thank-you letter for donations you receive...and make sure you acknowledge them quickly.
Prepare a media list of newspapers and TV and radio stations with their addresses, telephone numbers and deadlines to save time when you need to publicize an event.
Do some long-term planning. Set up a tabling schedule or leafletting plan for the next three to six months.
As a small and new group, prioritize your activities. Member newsletters, for example, should be a low priority. Your time and money will be more wisely spent on educational materials, leaflets and campaigning. Remember that newsletters relate what a group has already done - they shouldn't be used as a replacement for action.
You may want to postpone incorporating your group as long as your budget is small and you're not launching high-profile campaigns.

THE FIRST MEETING

Decide how you want to operate. Should you meet once a month or call meetings as you need them? If you have regular meetings, they should be held on the same day and time each month to make them easier to remember and schedule. Can you find a room at the library or a local school or church? Avoid meeting in people's homes - you're better off in neutral territory.

LEADING THE GROUP

Expect to be the leader of your group and to do most of the work, even if you have hundreds of people interested in joining. As the leader, it's your job to prepare an agenda for each meeting. Make sure each person will leave the meeting with something to do. It may seem tedious to do this but people feel useless and drop out if they don't feel needed. Find out what kinds of things people are good at: who has web designing skills or access to a copy machine, who is good at designing posters, and who enjoys tabling.

Don't let meetings become strictly social affairs - keep on target. Avoid the "pot-luck supper" trap. Many new activists will suggest having them frequently. But people have a limited amount of time and energy, and it's more important to spend it on activism than on cooking. Make sure your meetings are friendly enough that people feel comfortable offering their feedback and ideas. Having a "work party" to prepare posters or write letters can do wonders to boost spirits.

Always be on the lookout for potential leaders to share responsibilities. Most groups are held together by one or two strong people, with short-term volunteers working only when convenient.

Let people move (and move on) at their own pace, and accept the fact that people will leave the group. Be grateful for every contribution, no matter how small, and never publicly criticize or embarrass anyone. Never make people feel guilty for not doing enough. You won't encourage them to do more; it's more likely they'll stop working completely. People's activism thrives on encouragement and recognition rather than criticism.

It's very important to avoid fighting within the group. Avoid criticizing others, even if you're speaking confidentially - your words may come back to haunt you. If it's really necessary, criticize the act rather than the individual.

Be open to new ideas and encourage people to express themselves. Have regular brainstorming sessions. Ask each person to think of several ideas, and write down every one, no matter how offbeat. Discuss the ideas only after you've finished listing them all. Don't allow people to disparage others' input. Everyone is special in some way, and even outlandish suggestions can lead to creative planning. Ask questions and listen attentively.

WHAT SHOULD THE GROUP DO?

Your group's activities will probably fall into three categories: public education, seasonal or "reaction" events, and long-term campaigns.

Every group should try to sustain a minimum schedule of public education work, including tabling, leafletting and electronic media. Your group can also host educational seminars and workshops, donate earth and animal themed books and media to libraries and schools, and host fundraising events that also educate the public on specific issues.

Seasonal or "reaction" events are another valuable activity. These include leafletting or picketing stores that carry inhumane items in response to advertised sales, demonstrating when a circus or rodeo comes to town or protesting the destruction of area wild-lands. In smaller towns where you are likely to get publicity, these one-time events can be especially effective.

The easiest way for local groups to work on long-term campaigns is to join one that has been initiated by a national organization. You can bring important issues to your community and have the benefit of the national group's literature and resources.

You may eventually want to take on a purely local campaign to shut down a lab, puppy mill or polluting factory, or to stop industrial polluting. This kind of campaign will most directly involve the local community and can be one of the best ways to bring people into the movement. Be aware, however, that this requires much more time and money than the one-shot seasonal events.

Above all, your group should be visible. Get into the public eye often, and always try to get media coverage for your events.

Share Your Property With Animals

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:24:00 +0000

Despite ever shrinking green space, the animals that share the Earth with us are trying to survive. Our homes, offices and shopping centers were developed on what was once forest and fields. Chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, possums, skunks, raccoons, ground hogs and deer are not the invaders. We are. Please remember this when these displaced animals forage for food on your property or try to find places to bear and rear their young.

With education and raised awareness, more and more people are choosing the enlightened and compassionate way to protect their homes and gardens from unwanted animal visitors. There are many humane alternatives to killing. Simple commonsense and prevention are the best forms of animal control.

Raccoons and possum are attracted by garbage. Keep all leftover food inside until the night before trash pick-up. Seal organic garbage in plastic bags (a good way to reuse sandwich or storage bags) and refrigerate or, better yet, freeze it. The less your garbage smells, the less likely it will attract an animal. Use trashcans, with locking lids, where allowed. Otherwise, use heavy-duty, tightly tied trash bags.

With so few places left to burrow or nest, raccoons, possums, skunks and ground hogs will look for safe haven wherever they can find it. They will seek out the weak spots around your home. Neglect invites these animals. A well maintained home does not.

Install lattice under porches and decks to block animals from nesting. Another option is stainless steel screening that can be sunk into the ground around the inhabited area. A one-way gate is installed that allows the animal to leave, but will not allow it to return. Only install this form of prevention when there are no babies in the nest.

Keep your garage or shed door tightly closed and repair broken boards at the bottom of cracks in the foundation.

Seal all openings under the roofline and cap your chimney. Do not do this if an animal has already entered. Wait until the animal has left to look for food. And be certain that there are no babies left behind. Do not use mothballs or ammonia to flush the animal out. You will kill the babies. A radio tuned to a talk show will sometimes disturb the mother enough to cause her to move out with her babies.

Your garden, whether it is a flower garden or you grow vegetables, will tempt any animal that forages for vegetation. There are a variety of repellants commercially available that claim to keep animals away. These range in cost and effectiveness. And there are recipes for homemade, foul smelling deterrents all over the Internet. The same commercial products used to repel cats and dogs often deter raccoons.

Another option is a mechanical device. Motion-activated sprinklers can be purchased that shoot a stream of water at an intruder, like a remote squirt gun. Loud or annoying sounds can also be set to go off like a security alarm, whenever movement is detected.

Polypropylene netting is sold to cover plants and keep deer and rabbits from eating them, but this netting can put other wildlife at risk. Small birds, toads and other animals could become trapped in the mesh. The netting is also very difficult to work with and expensive in large quantities.

By far the most effective “critter control” is fencing. A low voltage, electrified fence can be effective for all animals, but this option can be expensive. Chicken wire has served the purpose for years. A picket fence may be charming, but deer can jump those of average height. Decorative metal fencing looks good and should keep out all but the most intrepid deer. A low-tech method is simply a nylon string, stretched across your garden perimeter, chest-high. A deer will back off when it feels the tension.

Deer can be the most destructive of all the animals that come into your garden to forage. In addition to the measures above, you could simply plant as many deer resistant plants as possible. The following is a list of plants that deer will “rarely” damage or “seldom severely” damage. Ask your nursery expert or search online. You can find photos of beautiful plants that won’t tempt the creatures in your garden.

Allegheny Spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) -Groundcover

American Holly (Ilex opaca) -Tree

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia sp. (Datura) -Annual

Anise (Pimpinalla anisum) -Annual

Anise Hyssop (Agastache sp.) -Perennial

Annual Vinca (Catharanthus rosea) -Annual

Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) -Shrub

Autumn Crocus (Colchicum sp.) -Bulb

Barberry (Berberis sp.) -Shrub

Barrenwort (Epimedium sp.) -Groundcover

Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) -Shrub

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) -Groundcover

Big Bluestem (Andropogon sp.) -Ornamental Grass

Bigleaf Goldenray (Ligularia dentate) -Perennial

Bishop's Weed (Aegopodium podagaria) -Groundcover

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) -Perennial

Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) -Ornamental Grass

Blue Mist Shrub (Caryopteris clandonensis) -Shrub

Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) -Ornamental Grass

Bluebell (Endymion sp.) -Bulb

Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) -Tree

Broom (Cytisus sp.) -Shrub

Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) -Groundcover

Bush Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) -Shrub

Butter & Eggs (Linaria vulgaris) -Perennial

Buttercup (Ranunculus sp.) -Perennial

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia sp.) -Shrub

Cactus (Cactaceae sp.) -Perennial

Catmint (Nepeta sp.) -Perennial

Christmas Fern (Polystichum arcostichoides) -Fern

Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) -Fern

Clump Bamboo (Fargesia sp.) -Ornamental Grass

Coleus (Coleus sp.) -Annual

Common Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) -Shrub

Common Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) -Biennial

Common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) -Perennial

Corydalis (Corydalis sp.) -Perennial

Crown Imperial, Fritilia (Fritilaria imperialis) -Bulb

Daffodil (Narcissus sp.) -Bulb

Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) -Perennial

Daphne (Daphne sp.) -Shrub

Devil's Walking Stick (Aralia spinosa ) -Shrub

Dill -Herb

Drooping Leucothoe (Leucothoe fontanesiana) -Shrub

Dusty Miller (Centaurea cineraria) -Annual

Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca 'Conica') -Tree

European Ginger (Asarum europaeum) -Perennial

False Camomile (Matricaria sp.) -Annual

False Indigo (Baptisia australis) -Perennial

Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis sp.) -Ornamental Grass

Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana sp.) -Annual

Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis sp.) -Perennial

Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis sylvatica) -Annual

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) -Ornamental Grass

Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatic) -Shrub

Fringed Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia) -Perennial

Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis) -Perennial

Germander (Teucrium Chamaedrys) -Perennial

Giant Japanese Silver Grass (Miscanthus floridulis) -Ornamental Grass

Giant Reed (Arundo donax) -Ornamental Grass

Golden Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) -Ornamental Grass

Greek Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis sp.) -Perennial

Hakonechloa (Hakonechloa macra) -Ornamental Grass

Hard Rush (Juncus Effusus) -Ornamental Grass

Hayscented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) -Fern

Heath (Erica sp.) -Shrub

Heather (Calliuna sp.) -Shrub

Heliotrope (Heliot-opium arborescens) -Annual

Holly Fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) -Fern

Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) -Perennials

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) -Perennials

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) -Perennials

Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) -Ornamental Grass

Iris (Iris sp.) -Perennial

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphylum) -Perennial

Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergiana) -Tree

Japanese Blood Grass (cylindrical) -Ornamental Grass

Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium goeringianum) (nipponicum) -Fern

Japanese Pieris, (Andromeda Pieris japonica) -Shrub

Japanese Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) -Shrub

Japanese Sedge (Carex sp) -Ornamental Grass

Japanese Silver Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) -Ornamental Grass

Japanese Skimmia (Skimmia japonica) -Shrub

Japanese Spirea (Spiraea japonica) -Shrub

Japanese Sweet Flag (Acorus sp.) -Ornamental Grass

John T. Morris Holly (Ilex x 'John T. Morris') -Shrub

Katsura Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum)-Tree

Ladys' Mantle (Alchemilla sp.) -Perennial

Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantine) -Perennial

Large Blue June Grass (Koeleria glauca) -Ornamental Grass

Larkspur (Consolida ambigua) -Annual

Lavendar (Lavandula sp.) -Perennial

Lavender-Cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus) -Perennial

Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia bealei) -Shrub

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis ) -Perennials

Lenten or Christmas Rose (Helleborus sp.) -Perennial

Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) -Groundcover

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) -Ornamental Grass

Lungwort (Pulmonaria sp.) -Perennial

Lydia Morris Holly (Ilex x 'Lydia Morris') -Shrub

Lyme Grass (Leymus arenarius glaucous) -Ornamental Grass

Marjoram (Majorana) -Perennial

May Apple (Podophyllum) -Perennial

Meadow Rue (Thalictrum sp.) -Perennial

Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) -Tree

Mint (Mentha sp.) -Perennial

Monkshood (Aconitum sp.) -Perennial

Moonglow Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow') -Shrub

Mountain Pieris (Pieris floribunda) -Shrub

New York Fern (Thelyptens noveboracensis) -Fern

Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) -Ornamental Grass

Oregano (Oreganum sp). -Perennial

Oregon Grape Holly (Mahonia aquifolium) -Shrub

Oriental Fountain Grass (Pennisetum orientale) -Ornamental Grass

Ornamental Onion (Allium sp.) -Perennial

Ornamental Onion (Allium sp.) -Bulb

Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) -Fern

Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) -Groundcover

Pampus Grass (Cortaderia selloana) -Ornamental Grass

Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera) -Tree

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) -Tree

Peony (Paeonia sp.) -Perennial

Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) -Tree

Poppy (Papaver sp.) -Annual

Pot Marigold (Calendula sp.) -Annual

Potentilla, Cinquefoil (Potentilla sp.) -Perennial

Prince of Wales Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis 'Prince of Wales') -Shrub

Purple Moor Grass (Molinia caerulea) -Ornamental Grass

Purple Rock-Cress (Aubretia deltoidea) -Perennial

Ravenna Grass (Erianthus ravennae) -Ornamental Grass

Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) -Shrub

Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) -Tree

River Birch (Betula nigra) -Tree

Rock-Cress (Arabis caucasica) -Perennial

Rocket Ligularia (Ligularia 'The Rocket') -Perennial

Rodgers Flower (Rodgersia sp.) -Perennial

Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria) -Perennial

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) -Annual

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) -Fern

Rue (Ruta sp.) -Perennial

Russian Cypress (Microbiota decussate) -Shrub

Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) -Shrub

Russian Sage (Perovskio atriplicifolia) -Perennial

Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) -Fern

Siberian Bugloss (Bruneria macrophylla) (Brunnera) -Perennial

Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica) -Bulb

Silver Mound (Artemisia sp.) -Perennial

Small Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro) -Perennial

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) -Annual

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) -Bulb

Snow-on-the-Mountain (Euphorbia marginata) -Annual

Spider Flower (Cleome sp.) -Annual

Spotted Deadnettle (Lamium sp.) -Groundcover

Spurge (Euphorbia sp.) (except 'Chameleon') -Perennial

Statice (Limonium latifolium) -Perennial

Strawflower (Helichrysum) -Annual

Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritime) -Annual

Sweet Box (Sarcoccoca hookeriana) -Shrub

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) (Asperula odorata) -Groundcover

Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum) -Ornamental Grass

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) -Perennial

Threadleaf (Coreopsis Coreopsis verticillata) -Perennial

Thyme (Thymus sp.) -Perennial

Variegated Purple Moor Grass (Molinia caerulea 'Variegata') -Ornamental Grass

Varigated Oat Grass (Arrhenatherum elatius -Ornamental Grass

Weeping Love Grass (Eragrostus curvula) -Ornamental Grass

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) -Perennial

Winter Aconite (Eranthus hyemalis -Bulb

Wood Fern (Dryopteris marginalis) -Fern

Yucca (Yucca filimentosa) -Perennial

End Internet Hunting

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 01:26:00 +0000

Internet hunting—also called remote controlled hunting—utilizes Internet technology to allow a computer user to hunt large game and exotic animals from their own home. The controversial practice originated in San Antonio, Texas, with the launching of the website Live-Shot.com, which allowed hunters to shoot animals with the click of a mouse for a fee. Computer users aimed and fired a weapon that was mounted on a mechanized tripod at a remote location—usually a game ranch where exotic animals were kept penned and shot at close range.

The customer signed up through the website and paid a user fee and deposit for the animal he or she wished to kill. The animal was lured to a feeding station within range of the mounted rifle. At one facility, the animals were fed at the same time and place each day by people to whom they had become accustomed. When the animal approached the appointed place at the appointed time, the desktop hunter used the computer mouse to line up the crosshairs and fire the rifle. A single click of the mouse shot the animal. Trophy mounts were prepared at the ranch and shipped to the customer.

An Internet hunting session usually cost more than $1,500. The final cost depended on the species and size of the animal killed and the cost of mounting the trophy.

This practice bared no resemblance to traditional hunting. Even pro-hunting groups denounced Internet hunting because it violated the ideals of a "fair chase." Kelly Hobbs of the National Rifle Association stated, "The NRA has always maintained that fair chase, being in the field with your firearm or bow, is an important element of hunting tradition. Sitting at your desk in front of your computer, clicking at a mouse, has nothing to do with hunting." Even Safari Club International, a group dedicated to hunting large and exotic trophy animals, agreed that Internet hunting "...doesn't meet any fair chase criteria."

John Lockwood, the founder of Live-Shot.com, claimed the operation was intended to provide disabled individuals with the opportunity to hunt, but the Texas legislature did not buy it and promptly outlawed Internet hunting in state. The website was removed.

Internet hunting has now been banned in 40 states. This proactive measure has so far curbed the practice, but the interstate and international nature of the worldwide Web necessitates federal legislation. Laws in the states where it is still permitted are also needed to put a permanent end to the travesty of Internet hunting.

Save The Earth At Work

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 01:25:00 +0000

You can help save the planet by adopting some environmentally friendly workplace practices. Encourage your coworkers and employer to do the same.

Schedule deliveries together
Subsidize and sell employee bus passes in the office
Encourage employees to phone first rather than driving
Use teleconferencing instead of driving to meetings
Take the bus, walk or ride your bike to meetings
Offer employees incentives for not driving
Buy gas-efficient or alternatively fueled vehicles for your fleet
Put a carpool matching map in the office
Buy a bike rack for your employees
Buy an office bike for employee use
Buy recycled paper for office use
Start a paper recycling program
Make two-sided copies whenever possible
Put an aluminum can recycling bin next to the pop machine
Bus, carpool, walk or bike to work

Glue Traps Are Inhumane

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 01:25:00 +0000

Glue traps are often used to catch mice, rats, sparrows and other small birds, and is thought by some to be a more humane method of catching small animals that are seen as pests. Glue traps, however, are an extremely cruel method of catching animals. If people understood the degree of cruelty associated with the use of glue traps, they would want no part of them.

A 1983 test that evaluated the effectiveness of glue traps found that trapped mice struggling to free themselves would pull out their own hair, exposing bare, raw areas of skin. The mice broke or even bit off their own legs, and the glue caused their eyes to become badly irritated and scarred. After three to five hours in the glue traps, the mice defecated and urinated heavily because of their severe stress and fear, and quickly became covered with their own excrement. Animals whose faces become stuck in the glue slowly suffocate, and all trapped animals are subject to starvation and dehydration. It takes anywhere from three to five days for the mouse to finally die. This is nothing less than torture.

If traps are needed to remove mice or rats, humane box-type traps are available from humane societies and hardware stores. These traps are a box-like plastic or cage-like metal with a spring-release trap door at one end that closes behind the animal once he or she enters the trap. The trap can then be taken outdoors where the animal can be released. Live, humane rodent traps are widely available, and have the added benefit of being reusable, while glue traps are not. The labor involved in using these is comparable to glue traps, as someone will always have to pick up the trap and discard it, or in the case of a humane trap, release the mouse outdoors.

You can then take measures to prevent mice from re-entering the building, as they surely will over time. Patch all holes larger than 1/4" in diameter, seal cracks in the walls and floor, and close gaps around plumbing, doors, windows. This should help to prevent the need to deal with the problem of removing mice again. If you need to do so in the future, you will have the humane traps at your disposal.

It is important to remember that though small and removed from our day-to-day world, mice and other small animals are mammals, with nervous systems and perceptions of pain that are similar to humans. There is no evidence that mice suffer any less than we do.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Use only humane traps. Seal all holes in your home to prevent infestation. Educate others on the issue and ask local retailers to carry humane traps and not glue traps.