Janice D. Boyd

Private Citizen

Today’s Date: 20 July 06

1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?

growing up in a community in the mountains of New Mexico

2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?

in the woods and mountains behind my home

Now? Valle Grande caldera in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico

3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?

parrot: they are sooooo intelligent, as well as being pretty and leading interesting lifestyles

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?

now: overpopulation ; in the future: increased overpopulation and flow of migrants away from highest population densities into areas of lower density, thus creating uniform misery in the world

5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?

stabilize and even reduce the population of humans. We have exceeded the long term carrying capacity of the planet, at least for a generally decent lifestyle for all. We are ruining our planet for all life.

The biggest problem is over population, but it is the elephant in the room that few people want to talk about because of some religious groups' selfish positions and some cultures' pursuit of the oppression of women. We need to acknowledge this elephant!