Wild For Change

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we will be speaking about plastic pollution with three experts from Ocean Conservancy;

Dr.  Britta Baechler, Senior Manager, Oceans Plastics Research will be discussing the overall problem with plastics, how microplastics form and why they are problematic.

Robyn Albritton, Senior Manager, International Coastal Cleanup, will be discussing plastics in the environment and ways Ocean Conservancy is working to clean them up.

Dr. Anja Brandon, U.S. Plastics Policy Analyst, will look at plastic from a policy lens and show us ways we can tackle the plastic pollution problem in our daily lives.

Plastic does so much for us as it is found in airbags, helmets, keeps our food safe and fresh, and helps lighten loads for transportation, reducing carbon emissions and saving fuel.   

But there is a downside to plastic.  We use a lot of it and it’s difficult to recycle.  Globally, we produce about 400 million tons of plastic each year and only 10-13% of it gets recycled worldwide. The environmental lifetimes of common products such as plastic bags, Styrofoam cups and other single-use items remain largely unknown. What we do know is that plastics never actually go away- they break up into smaller and smaller pieces but persist in the environment indefinitely. 

Approximately 11 million metric tons of plastic ends up in our oceans each year.  Since plastic is ending up in our waters, marine life is ingesting it. Plastic has been found in 60% of sea birds and 100% of sea turtles studied because they mistake plastics for food. We now know that nearly 1,300 marine species ingest plastics, and that number continues to climb as scientists pursue new research avenues. 

In this podcast, we will learn;

• What microplastics are and why they are so pervasive in our environment and harming wildlife
• What is a global microplastic cycle
• How these pollutants impact human health
• Learn how to help with International Coastal Cleanups
• What the Clean Swell App is and how we can use it to help with plastic pollution
• About federal policies like the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act and Save Our Seas (S.O.S.) 2.0 Act to help reduce plastic pollution
• What Extended Producer Responsibility is
• What Bottle Bills are and how they help with increasing rates of recycling plastic
• What we can do to reduce plastic consumption in our daily lives

To learn more of Ocean Conservancy’s work click here. 

Website: http://www.wildforchange.com

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On today’s podcast, we will be speaking with Marc Ayers, Illinois State Director for the Humane Society of the United States.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1954 to champion animal welfare and to fight the good fight against animal cruelty across the nation and the world.  

HSUS’ scope of animal protection is wide and ranges from animal rescues to improving state and federal legislation for animal welfare.  

Despite the circumstances of the pandemic in 2020, 

• HSUS was able to rescue over 3,000 animals from cruelty cases
• 300 dogs were saved from slaughter houses and HSUS was able to close the 16th and 17th dog meat farms
• 100,000 animals were cared for via HSUS rescue teams and affiliated sanctuaries
• and 200 animals such as koalas and kangaroos were rescued from Australia’s wildfires.  

HSUS has been a formidable force who fights for the betterment of animal welfare and Marc Ayers is a part of this force.  

Marc works tirelessly to create and improve legislation for animal rights in Illinois.  Whether it is to ban the sale and trade of endangered wildlife parts to the fight against puppy mills and the pet stores that sell puppies from these mills, Marc never gives up the fight that all animals deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.  

During this podcast, we will learn;

• how animal welfare bills come to fruition on the state level
• about the monumental bills that passed in 2021 against puppy mills and wildlife trafficking in Illinois
• the effects of puppy mills on the dogs being bred, the puppies, and the consumer
• what new bills HSUS in Illinois will be focusing on in 2022
• what one can do to make a positive impact for animal welfare through legislation at the state level 

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The Regenesis Project is a trailblazing regenerative model of inhabiting the earth so that both humans and nature can co-flourish.

It is part of a global network of living labs called Ecosystem Restoration Camps that are restoring a diverse array of degenerated ecosystems and experimenting to find the best ecosystem practices.

These restoration camps envision a fully functional, peaceful, abundant, biologically diverse Earth brought about through cooperative efforts for the ecological restoration of degraded lands. 

The Regenesis Project is the first Ecosystem Restoration Camp in the Philippines.

Beyond sustainability, everything The Regenesis Project does is regenerative, from regenerative agriculture to regenerative industries. 

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On a new Wild For Change podcast, we will be speaking with Dr. Vicki Fishlock – resident scientist of Amboseli Trust for Elephants in Kenya. 

The Amboseli Trust for Elephants is a not-for-profit organization that focuses on the long-term conservation and welfare of Africa’s elephants in the midst of human expansion, through scientific research, outreach, advocacy, and training.   

Dr. Cynthia Moss and her co-founder, Harvey Croze created the Amboseli Elephant Research Project in 1972 and is the longest-running elephant research program globally.  Currently, over 1800 elephants are monitored over the Amboseli Ecosystem. The research covers many areas including: social organization, behavior, demography, ecological dynamics, spatial analyses and mapping, communication, genetics, human-elephant interactions and cognition. 

The beauty of the Amboseli Elephant Research Project is what has been learned about elephants and their family dynamics.  

Dr. Cynthia Moss stated;

“Elephants form deep bonds with each other, which last for decades. Elephant survival is strongly affected by access to the social and ecological knowledge that older elephants hold; where to go, what to eat, how to avoid danger.”

This research provides the basis that elephant familial bonds are an integral element to their continued survival, which also helps us as humans relate to another species and see the importance of ensuring their place on earth. 

In the podcast, we will learn how the ongoing research provides;

• Important data on reproduction
• Why familial bonds are so important
• What family structure is like
• How elephants interact within their herd as well as other herds
• How elephants respond when in stress
• How elephants adapt and move across changing landscapes
• The importance of elephants in the Amboseli landscape as ecosystem engineers

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On this new Wild For Change podcast episode, we will be speaking with Damien Mander, founder of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation.  

Damien was a naval clearance diver and special operations sniper for the Australian Defense Force.  He completed 3 years of duty in Iraq.  While traveling through Africa, he was inspired by the work of game rangers.  He decided to liquidate all his assets to create the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF) in 2009.  

The mission of IAPF is to deliver ecological stability and long-term protection of large-scale wilderness landscapes by supporting and empowering local communities.  

In 2017, IAPF founded Africa’s first armed, plant-based diet, all women anti-poaching unit called Akashinga – which means the Brave Ones.  This unit began with 16 women who came from the local community and were trained to protect nature reserves.  The goal is to employ 1,000 women protecting 20 nature reserves by 2025.  Now women have the opportunity as much as men to be on the frontlines protecting the wildlife.

Key accomplishments made by IAPF:

• 1.3 million acres have been protected by Akashinga
• There has been an 80% reduction in poaching in the communities where IAPF serves.
• 350% increase in wildlife

In 2019, Damien received the Winsome Constance Kindness Gold Medal.  It is a prestigious award given to individuals who dedicate their lives to humanitarian and animal causes.  

During this podcast, we learn from Damien:

• How women rangers are helping change the face of conservation 
• Why looking after nature can provide us with a brighter future
• What we can do to help improve the future for animals, ourselves, and our planet 
• What IAPF’s vision is for the next ten years

Website: http://www.wildforchange.com

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On today’s podcast, we will be learning what biomimicry is with Lex Amore, Director of Partnerships and Advocacy at the @biomimicryinstitute.  

There is a quote from Frank Lloyd Wright that seems to sum up for me how to describe biomimicry; “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature, it will never fail you.” 

Biomimicry is a practice that imitates or mimics nature to help find solutions to challenges we face in today’s world. 

If we think that life has been sustained on earth for billions of years, we can see the benefits of using nature as our role model and tap into her wisdom to help solve these challenges.  Biomimicry can be used to find solutions in areas such as agriculture, construction, food waste, energy, fashion, and architecture.  

To quote the @biomimicryinstitute;

“Biomimicry is about valuing nature for what we can learn, not what we can extract, harvest, or domesticate. In the process, we learn about ourselves, our purpose, and our connection to each other and our home on earth.”

In this podcast, we will learn what biomimicry is and how it is used to develop sustainable solutions to global challenges we face.  The answers to these challenges are truly right outside our window.  We will also discover why learning from and mimicking nature can reveal just how intimately connected we are to nature and to each other, helping to shift our focus to one of interconnectedness. 

Website: http://www.wildforchange.com

Twitter: @WildForChange

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On today’s podcast, we will be speaking with Larissa Sousa, Associate Director for Communications for Gorongosa National Park. 

Gorongosa National Park is located in the Great Rift Valley in central Mozambique, Africa.  Gorongosa is one of the most biodiverse places on earth with over 4,800 species identified and is home to a unique blend of thriving wildlife and 200,000 people.  On July 23, 2020, the park celebrated 60 years!  

The park survived a civil war from 1977-1992, which led to a massive decline of wildlife.  Approximately 95% of the wildlife were wiped out.  But once again wildlife populations are thriving. Rewilding has been successful as painted wolves have been reintroduced into the park after being extirpated after the civil war.  New species have been found that are endemic to the park, which means the species do not exist anywhere else in the world.  

Community is the cornerstone of the park where local people are receiving healthcare, education is ensured for children, assistance is provided for farmers, and ecotourism provides employment for the community and gives people who come to visit, a taste of Gorongosa’s magic.  

Bryant McGill stated:

“There is a deep interconnectedness of all life on earth, from the tiniest organisms, to the largest ecosystems, and absolutely between each person.” 

Gorongosa National Park definitely demonstrates this interconnection of all life there.  The park would not be successful if the people needs, conserving wildlife, and preserving the ecosystem did not go hand in hand.  In the time we are living right now, this model gives us the expanse to see all of life is deeply connected and focusing on the whole benefits all of us more than focusing on a single facet.  

During the podcast, we will discover how a Girls Club is helping shape brighter futures for young girls in the community, we will learn how Goronogosa National Park helps the community co-exist with the wildlife, about the thriving wildlife in the park, game rangers, and so much more!

You can learn more about Goronogosa National Park here:

https://gorongosa.org

Website: http://www.wildforchange.com

Twitter: @WildForChange

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Today, we will be discussing the importance of ocean conservation with conservationist, Sruthi Gurudev.  

According to the National Ocean Service, our oceans cover 70% of the earth’s surface and produce over half of the world’s oxygen and absorb 50 times more carbon than our atmosphere.  

As Sylvia Earle, an oceanographer so aptly put; “With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you’re connected to the sea.  No matter where on Earth you live.  Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere is generated by the sea.”

And right now, our oceans need our attention.  The oceans do so much for us and it is now time we return the favor.  

Sylvia Earle also stated; “Many of us ask what can I as one person do, but history shows us that everything good and bad starts because somebody does something or does not do something.”  

Sruthi Gurudev is doing something to help our oceans.  

She is a passionate ocean conservationist.  While diving in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Sruthi recognized the coral was bleached which transformed her understanding of what was really happening to our oceans.  

This dive inspired Sruthi to create an e-magazine called An Hour in the Deep, where she gives young conservationists a platform to tell a story while incorporating science about the threats our oceans face.  Sruthi has been recognized as a National Geographic Explorer for her work in ocean conservation.  She is also a youth council member of Reserva: The Youth Land Trust whose mission is to empower young people to make a difference for threatened species and habitats through story-telling, education, and conservation.

During this podcast, Sruthi will share her origin story as to how she became a young conservationist and why our youth are critical to helping reshape the way we address conservation.  She will also address issues with overfishing, why marine protected areas are vital for ocean health, and what simple measures we can take to help conserve our oceans. 

Website: http://www.wildforchange.com

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Today, we will be speaking with Ross Bernet, Mapping and Monitoring Expert for One Tree Planted.  We will be discussing what trees actually provide for us, animals, and the planet beyond their beauty and shade.   

Our planet is home to over 60,000 species of trees, some of which provide us food, all of which help absorb carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.  

Forests cover a third of our planet and absorb up to 7.6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.  Tropical rainforests alone absorb up to 1.8 gigatons of carbon per year.  

Not only do trees absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale, but they also absorb greenhouse gases that human activities emit, they filter our water, trees are home for 80% of terrestrial plants and animals, provide jobs for communities, and even provide us with health benefits such as some medicines like aspirin that is found in tree bark.  Not to mention trees have been found to help us recover faster from illness when they are in our view.  

However, due to deforestation to create space for cash crops, cattle ranches, urbanization, and logging, we have lost approximately 46% of the world’s forest.

According to National Geographic, between 1990 and 2016, the world lost 502,000 square miles (1.3 million square kilometers) of forest, an area larger than South Africa. 

As Paul Bamikole said; “Gold is a luxury. Trees are necessities. Man can live and thrive without gold, but we cannot survive without trees.” 

This is where One Tree Planted comes in.  One Tree Planted is an environmental charity that is working hard to ensure the health of our planet.  With every dollar donated, one tree is planted.  Thanks to the support of donors, One Tree Planted will be able to plant over 10 million trees this year!

During this podcast, we will cover many topics ranging from:

• What agroforestry is and why it helps with biodiversity and maintaining the natural landscape of a region
• How urban development affects the health of a forest
• The impact of forest fires
• Why choosing sustainable paper products helps protect our ancient forests
• How rainforests are so rich in biodiversity but only cover less than 3% of the earth’s surface and what this small percentage of forests does for our planet, and so much more!

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Today we will be speaking with Leif Cocks, world renown orangutan expert and founder of The Orangutan Project.  

The Orangutan Project was created in 1998.  Its mission is to protect endangered orangutans from extinction and to live in secured populations for years to come.  Leif has played a key role in establishing conservation plans for orangutans and their survival for nearly thirty years.

With Leif’s extensive work, he has published several papers on orangutans, is a public speaker, and lectures at universities.  He is also an author of three books, one including an amazon best seller: Orangutans; My cousins, My friends.

Orangutans are amazing creatures who share 97% of human DNA.  They are very self-aware and are as intelligent as a 6-year-old child.

Orangutans are found on the island of Borneo which is politically divided by Indonesia and Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra.  Both species are critically endangered and due to being the slowest reproducing creatures in the world, their population is even more at risk.  

80% of orangutans live in unprotected forests which puts them at risk to losing their precious habitats to palm oil plantations, logging, mining, and agriculture.  Their habitats are rapidly being lost as every hour 300 football fields of rainforests are removed to make palm oil plantations.  

We are losing approximately 5,000 orangutans per year.  Therefore, The Orangutan Project’s strategy is to save up to eight ecosystems that orangutans live in, in order to bring the orangutans through our current extinction crisis.  

In this podcast, we will learn what re-wilding means and why it is important to wildlife, humans, and our planet.  We will also learn why the next ten years are critical to saving our planet and how The Orangutan Project work is not only helping to save orangutans but our planet as well. 

You can learn more of The Orangutan Project’s work at:

Website: https://www.theorangutanproject.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/orangutanTOP

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theorangutanproject/

Website: http://www.wildforchange.com

Twitter: @WildForChange

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