Thanks to my sister Michelle McIlroy for designing the logo!

Welcome!

Ever since I was a child, I have been very interested in nature and the environment. I have a B.S. degree in wildlife biology, and have worked as a zookeeper, wildlife biologist, and ecologist. I am conducting a brief survey of world leaders, government officials, religious leaders, corporate CEOs, environmental groups, wildlife experts, and others regarding nature and the environment. I am also very interested in religious views, customs, and beliefs from around the world, and the interactions between religion, culture, society, and the environment. This is something I am doing out of personal interest, and is not connected to any group or organization. I have been working on this project since the summer of 2006, and hope to eventually turn it into a book and/or documentary. I am hoping to make this into a global project, with responses from all segments of society. Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or comments. If you have not already done so, I hope that you will consider taking part in my project, and please spread the word to anyone you think might be interested! Thanks for stopping by!

TAKE THE SURVEY ONLINE HERE http://tinyurl.com/nx4ng7

September 06, 2006

Dan Mauger

Supporter Information Team, Friends of the Earth, www.foe.co.uk

Thank you for sending the survey. Unfortunately, because of the enormous pressures on time we are not able to answer each question in turn.

However, I can point you to the book Tony [Tony Juniper] wrote on a species that is very dear to him: http://www.amazon.com/Spixs-Macaw-Race-Worlds-Rarest/dp/074347550X

I can also say that the single most important issue we are working on is climate change or global warming. This is the biggest threat facing us and the lack of action by Government's and big business borders on a crime against humanity.

You can read more about efforts in the US to get action on the issue at:
http://www.foe.org/globalwarming/index.html

Eric Hanquinet

Curator, Siit arboretum botanical garden, Philippines

Today's Date: September 6, 2006

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

Impossible to select one!, I would say monitoring gorillas in Africa, witnessing the birth of a volcano, deep sea storms on small crafts..

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

The Mediterranean rocky coasts

Now? Africa (central and eastern)

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

I wouldn't know how to select one; it would be a lie..
The tiger because It is gorgeous
The gorilla because It is human with innocence
The whale because It talked to me

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?

OVERPOPULATION, and the lack of love for nature, without a doubt, the total lack of education governments are giving to their populations to that effect, keeping it unconcerned for reasons of commercial, political and religious interests. (Developing nations mostly for overpopulation matters, developed nation mostly for their irresponsibility in international law making in saving biodiversity and control pollution)

In the future the challenge is similar, the materialist greed of men taking over respect for nature, their egoistic nature ignoring the better tomorrow for their descendents for their present enjoyment. Non existent sense of Ethics, self respect of our own species, someone has to tell them, education.


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

Get involved, because if you don’t now, there is no more time for those after you. The only substantial pride of being a human being that is left for you to have. Get informed, and talk around you, decide for yourself which environmental groups are worthy of your support, our governments are not interested in helping, we must pressurize them or we have to help ourselves.

For the least educated, and for the great majority of the planet's population, help them to see how to love nature, many don’t know yet there is something to love there..