Standingontherock

Cedarville Band of Piscataway Indians

Today's Date: October 30, 2006

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

Perhaps to many to mention.................Turkeys, owls, dogs, cats, eagle, chicken, horses, ants, butterflies, dragonflies, birds.

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

Grew up in the country in Southern Maryland on a farm.

Now? Still live in Southern Maryland, but the country is leaving fast........many farms are gone. Been blessed to live near my great great grandparents home with over 60 acres and we can go there to retreat from the cares of the world.

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

Elephants...........I can't say I know why maybe their size.

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?

1. The inability to listen
2. To break free from the system

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

All things created are apart of the circle of life; there is nothing Created that is separate from the other, but all things were Created to work together.....Destruction of one......... is the destruction of all. The earth and all non-human life cries out with a loud voice to the Creator to put an end to mans deadly grip, and so man must wake up from his slumber and cry out too!........for all things that were created to work together............will die together.

Ellen Evert Hopman

Druid Priestess, Order of the Whiteoak - Ord na Darach Gile (www.whiteoakdruids.org)

Today’s Date: 28 October, 2006

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

I live in an Oak forest in Western MA. I started writing when I moved to this house and the trees continue to inspire me, twenty years later. I now think of myself as a forest creature, just like the bears, moose, foxes, eagles, ravens and deer that visit my garden.

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

We moved a lot when I was a child (State Department brat). I always gravitated to the wildest area near the house; the ocean, a forest, or a field filled with sheep.

Now? I love waterfalls and visit all the local ones regularly.

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

Meerkats, because they are so civilized. They know how to co-operate. They take care of each others children, watch out for the group as a whole, and perform heroic acts of self sacrifice for the good of the tribe. For example they will stand guard and not eat or drink for many hours just to make sure the tribe is safe. If humans become extinct I am quite sure that Meerkats will rule.

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?

Global warming. Instead of spending a billion dollars a week on violent wars to capture other nations’ oil supplies, we could be spending that money to re-vamp our entire energy infrastructure. We could be on a "war time" footing to convert to wind, solar, geothermal, biomass fuels sources. For $100.00 every car in the current fleet could be converted to ethanol. Farmers would benefit and we could cut our dependence on oil. It is time for an energy revolution, not more pre-emptive wars.

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

See #4. War is the most barbaric, primitive and stupid approach to solving our energy needs. We need to be smarter than that. Oil is on the way out as a fuel (most analysts agree that we have already hit the peak of world production and it is downhill from here) what legacy are we leaving for future generations?

Karen Coshof

Stonehaven Productions

Today's Date: October 28, 2006

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

seeing the red sandstone Utah desert for the 1st time

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

any woodland

Now? my woods in Vermont

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

They are all my favorites, especially parrots, dogs, elephants and dolphins

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?

CLIMATE CHANGE [Stonehaven Productions created and produced the new feature film The Great Warming, www.thegreatwarming.com which opens November 3, 2006 – JT]

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

[no answer given]

Charity Kirk

Climate Protection Campaign, ecobabes calendar (www.ecobabes.org)

Today's Date: October 26, 2006

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

I'm not sure. Looking at the insides of a turkey one thanksgiving and realizing where lamb came from started me on a path to veganism.

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

The local creek where I played.

Now? Any place beautiful

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

When I was a child it was the snow leopard. Now, I'm very fond of dogs because I love interacting and experiencing them.

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?

The greatest environmental challenge is human apathy and selfishness. Also the current system we're in where it's very hard to change things.

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

Live simply and lighting. Enjoy the world rather than stuff. Think about the total repercussions of your choices, not just the immediate ones. Learn, learn, learn -- don't be afraid that it might make something you did in the past seem unnecessary or even wrong.

Steve Lawson

First Nations Environmental Network

Today's Date: October 25th, 2006

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

Whales, bears and wolves. These are friends of ours. There are many stories about our interaction with these beings but in all the cases, they came to us for help. We spend a lot of time with them all in the wild and on the ocean here. We fought for the old growth forest sanctuaries which are habitat to so much to stop the logging but it is ongoing. What we do impacts everything and the animals know your intentions and it comes full circle. To be comfortable in this world, and that doesn't mean not being careful or cautious, one needs to have good relationships with all our relations.

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

Always loved the natural areas away from populations, industry and unnatural noise.

Now? The intact rivers where industry and resource extraction and human intrusion hasn't destroyed its essence. Especially in fall with the wild salmon and bears.

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

Favorite animal at this moment is wolf.

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, human destruction of the forest cover of the earth and pollution of ocean plants that contribute oxygen, humans disassociation with the natural world out of greed and fear. and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future? alleviating fear and destruction, transforming fear into love

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

Stop the destruction. Live in right relationship and love it. Find a way to connect with the natural world and make decisions based accordingly.

David Radcliff

New Community Project (http://www.newcommunityproject.org)

Today's Date: Oct. 24, 2006

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

Trips to the Ecuadorian Amazon and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

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

The woods behind my house.

Now? Amazon.

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

Wolves. They are a keystone species, solidarity, yet given to community.

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?

Global warming/U.S. consumption and oblivion.

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

Less of everything. Lower on the food/production chain. Love the earth as the Creator does.

Jackson Zee

International Fund for Animal Welfare

Today's Date: 4 October 2006

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

When I was a volunteer I learned that I could have a place in the world, as a person who appreciates animals and nature, and that I could share that feeling of belonging and having a part of the responsibility of protecting our planet.

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

I always loved green fields of grass and being on the beach as a child

Now? I still love being near large bodies of water but spent a lot of time in forests in Asia.

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

I don't think I ever really had a favorite animal because I have learned every individual animal had its own personality and I enjoyed their individual quirks.

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?

I personally feel that the challenge is multi-faceted but in the basic essence if we can get all peoples to understand, identify and work towards a prioritized list of item then we can really consider having a future. Current issues that need consensus are: negative human population growth, greenhouse gas/global warming, water security, food security, energy security, societal development, global health and safety and preserving biodiversity.

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

Believe in hope and inspire action.

Peter Luscomb

General Curator, Honolulu Zoo

Today's Date: 3 Oct 06

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

I spent five years as a child in Puerto Rico and during that time I had the opportunity to have horses. Horses gave me the ability and excuse to spend many hours out in the forest where I lived. It was during this period that I developed a love for exploring and enjoying nature.

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

My fondest memories are of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming . What a beautiful location with wonderful wildlife.

Now? Kuper Range in Papua New Guinea.

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

Iiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) A beautiful bird with a charismatic and great personality.

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?

human population and the impact we have on our environment

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

Conservation is about people and the impacts that they make on our ecosystems in the process of living. Many of our practices are exploitive, degrading and non sustainable. If these practices continue then the ecosystems we live in will be eventually degraded. As a conservation manager it is our responsibility to put value on maintaining an intact ecosystem, and encourage using the resources of that ecosystem on a sustainable basis.

The primary concerns are with habitat loss, ecosystem degradation, and exploitation of resources. Our work will need to focus on people, assisting them in developing sustainable practices that will allow them to meet their needs while preserving their native ecosystems.

VIKASH TATAYAH

CONSERVATION MANAGER, MAURITIAN WILDLIFE FOUNDATION

Today's Date: 1st OCTOBER 2006

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

BEING ON SERPENT ISLAND , THE MOST PRISTINE ISLAND IN THE MASCARENES AND AMIDST A MILLION BIRDS, ZILLIONS OF CENTIPEDES, INSECTS, SKINKS, SPINNER DOLPHINS SWIMMMING CLOSE TO THE ISLAND ON A TINY ROCK OF 40 HA. MADE ME REALISE HOW BADLY WE HAVE MESSED UP THIS EARTH

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

I GREW UP IN AFRICA, AND ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SPOTS WAS GOING OFF TO A SMALL LAKE TO LISTEN TO THE FROGS

Now? ROUND ISLAND , A PROJECT THAT I AND COLLEAGUES ARE MANAGING AND WHERE I AM DOING RESEARCH TOWARDS A HIGHER DEGREE

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

THE ALAOTRAN GENTLE LEMUR, BECAUSE IT IS JUST TOO CUTE!!

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, UNSUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES, REDUCED SPACE FOR WILDLIFE, THREATENED ECOSYSTEMS and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future? THE SAME BUT ON A MUCH GRANDER SCALE, YET MORE UNSUTAINABLE EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

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

SLOW DOWN, THINK WHAT DAMAGE YOU ARE CAUSING AND TAKE ACTION NOW TO REVERSE THIS TREND

MARY WYKSTRA-ROSS

CHEETAH CONSERVATION FUND, KENYA PROGRAM DIRECTOR
www.cheetah.org

Today's Date: 1 OCT 2006

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

MY FIRST RHINO SEEN IN THE WILD IS WHAT DREW ME TO CONSERVATION IN AFRICA.

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

A WOODED AREA IN OUR BACK YARD.

Now? MANY PLACES IN KENYA – SAMBURU RESERVE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES TO GO WHEN I HAVE TIME. FOR A REAL BREAK I ALSO ENJOY NYALI BEACH MOMBASA.

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

THE CHEETAH WAS THE FIRST ZOO ANIMAL THAT REALLY INRIGUED ME. THE EYES COUGHT MY ATTENTION THE FIRST TIME I WORKED WITH THEM AND THOSE EYES ARE WHAT STILL TELL ME THAT I HAVE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICES IN LIFE.

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?

HABITAT LOSS – HOW CAN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY BECOME DEVELOPED WITHOUT RAPING THE LAND?

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

THINK ABOUT YOUR CHOICES IN EVERYDAY LIFE – THE RESOURCES YOU USE, THE RECREATION ACTIVITIES YOU CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE AND THE EFFECTS OF THOSE CHOICES.