Conservation
 | Conservation is best commenced at source through the actions and decisions the individual makes. You do not necessarily need to be a member of any environment action group, as long as your actions and thoughts are to preserve. Nothing is too small an action that protects the future of the environment, from purchasing products that are environmentally friendly, to disposal of waste. |
Conservation in the home, work and the immediate surroundings will make a difference causing a quantum shift in the human soul not to destroy the very life force that keeps us all alive. All living things co-exist together; we humans are not self supporting islands that just happen to be on this planet. Every time we loose a species of nature we slowly kill ourselves. There is still time to stop this self sacrifice, but it must start now and by as many people as possible.
The planet and the universe are an infinitely complex system of vibratory phenomena rather than an agglomerate of Newtonian objects. We must change our human mind set from destruction to preservation. This is not just bunny hugging talk but forward thinking. The question is - 'are you doing anything?'
- Albert Einstein
Check out www.Oceana.org - the largest international organization focused 100 % on ocean protection. In just a few years, with the help of hundreds of thousands of "Wave Makers" around the world, they've already begun to turn the tide on ocean destruction. If you'd like to get involved in protecting the world's oceans, and the whales, dolphins, sea turtles and other marine life, sign up to become a Wave Maker at www.oceana.org/subscribe
Tell the United Nations to officially declare June 8 as "World Ocean Day!" Sign the petition today on www.oceana.org World Ocean Day was created in 1992 at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, put on by the United Nations. Ever since, thousands have celebrated the oceans' importance and their personal connections with them. But unfortunately, for the past 15 years this honorary day has remained an unofficial celebration because the UN has failed to formally designate June 8 as World Ocean Day every year. Oceans provide us with food, they regulate climate and generate oxygen, so it doesn't matter if you reside on the coast or farther inland; the ocean in some way impacts on your everyday life. | Oceana Campaigns for Cosmetic Industry to Stop Using Shark Liver Oil Washington, D.C. Unilever, an international manufacturer of leading brands in food, personal care and household products, has announced that it will remove shark squalene from its cosmetic brands, including Pond's and Dove. L'Oreal is currently completing the phase-out of production with shark-based squalene and its substitution with the plant-based ingredient. View the 2 minute video - Sharkwater, a film by Rob Stewart. Humans kill more than 100 million sharks each year, either by hunting them for their fins or killing them when targeting other species. Oceana is working globally to protect shark species and ensure that they maintain their important predatory role in the ocean ecosystem. View this link: http://www.oceana.org/sharks/sharkwater/ |
IYOR & Reef Check will consist of a year-long campaign in 2008 of events and initiatives hosted by governments and non-governmental organizations around the world.
Coral Reefs are in trouble, we need the help of organizations like IYOR to urgently increase awareness and understanding of coral reefs, conserve and manage the valuable ecosystems.
Coral reefs provide resources and services worth billions of dollars each year, a staggering amount for ecosystems that cover less than 1% of the earth's surface.
These are being damaged beyond repair by:
Exploration by diving provides a unique connection with this fascinating natural ecosystem - so register your interest, download your information and get started! www.iyor.org
Reef Check is the world's largest coral reef monitoring organization.Due to lack of public awareness, 5% of coral reefs are lost per year; over-fishing, global climate change and pollution damage the health of coral reefs worldwide.
On the IYOR web site; read and sign the pledge, 1 000 000 signatures needed by 31 Dec 2008
AIMS: Greenpeace is committed to defending the health of the world's oceans. Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by:
Catalysing an energy revolution to address the number one threat facing our planet: climate change.
Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.
AIMS: Sea Shepherd is committed to the eradication of pirate whaling, poaching, shark finning, unlawful habitat destruction, and violations of established laws in the World's oceans.
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was formally incorporated in the United States in 1981 in the state of Oregon. Previous to this, the idea of Sea Shepherd was formed when Captain Paul Watson founded the Earth Force Society in 1977 in Vancouver BC, Canada. The original mandate of both organizations was marine mammal protection and conservation with an immediate goal of shutting down illegal whaling and sealing operations, but Sea Shepherd later expanded its mission to include all marine wildlife.
With financial support from Cleveland Amory of the Fund for Animals, the society's first ship a North Atlantic sea trawler "the Westella" was purchased in Hull, England (UK) and renamed the Sea Shepherd. Its first mission was to the ice floes of eastern Canada to interfere with the annual killing of baby harp seals known as ‘whitecoats'. In the same year, 1979, the Sea Shepherd hunted down and rammed the notorious pirate whaler the Sierra in a Portugal harbour ending its infamous career as the scourge of the seas.
The success of the seal campaign and the ramming of the Sierra was the start of Sea Shepherd's historical 160 voyages over the next 2 decades, enforcing international laws where no law enforcement existed - on the high seas. Sea Shepherd continues to accomplish its mission by upholding and enforcing international treaties, laws and conventions of world governments.
To that end, Sea Shepherd assists national and international bodies in the enforcement of international law under authority of the United Nationals World Charter for Nature.
Can you believe the horrific slaughter of pilot whales is still occuring the Faroes part of Denmark! For some more information check out: http://www.seashepherd.org/whales/danish-faeroe-islands.html
AIMS: Project AWARE Foundation conserves underwater environments through education, advocacy and action.
OBJECTIVES: Project AWARE Foundation is the dive industry's leading nonprofit environmental organisation.
We work in partnership with divers and water enthusiasts to combat challenges facing underwater environments. We involve these volunteers in hands-on environmental activities like International Cleanup Day and The International Whale Shark Project. Project AWARE inspires conservation by incorporating its messages in dive training materials and creating awareness and education campaigns such as Protect the Sharks, Protect the Living Reef and AWARE Kids to name just a few.
The Foundation's Grant Programme provides funding for grass-roots environmental projects that address key foundation focus areas and volunteer-supported community activism with direct contributions made by many people. United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Switzerland and Japan combine efforts to protect aquatic resources in 175 countries of the world.
AIMS: Using our new Coral Reef Sustainable Destination model (CRSD), CORAL is able to measurably increase the capacity of communities to work collaboratively towards coral reef conservation.
OBJECTIVE: The current geographic focus of our field work is in the Indo-Pacific (Hawaii, Fiji, Papua New Guinea) and the Caribbean, with a particular emphasis on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Since 1995, CORAL has provided over $350,000 in micro-grants to support on-the-ground conservation efforts. The current geographic focus of our field work is in the Indo-Pacific.
 | AIMS: Shark Savers is a 501c3 public charity that focuses on creating awareness and education programs about sharks and seeks ways to empower people to get involved through grassroots campaigns. Shark Savers was formed in 2007 by six divers who share a long-held passion for the oceans, the quality of ocean environments, and for sharks. Aware of the importance of sharks and alarmed at the rate that sharks were being killed, they felt a need to apply their skills in media, education, and business to the challenge of shark conservation and create a movement powered by those passionate like them. |
In just its first year of existence, Shark Savers has built the critical elements to enable grassroots action, focused on decreasing consumption of shark fin soup in China and Chinese communities, increase responsible shark tourism, educate the masses about the threats sharks face, launch a positive PR campaign about sharks, and support the conservation of sharks throughout the world.
AIMS: Awareness, protection, preservation and conservation of the global marine environment.
OBJECTIVE: The Save our Seas Foundation is a non-profit Swiss foundation with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Its purpose is to implement and support diverse programmes aimed at education, protection and conservation of the marine environment around the world. Its Foundation Board discusses the allocation of funds, sponsorship and policy. The Founder has provided the Foundation with sufficient means to cover its administrative costs and to ensure that all future donations and sponsorships go directly to help worthy marine projects. Awareness, protection, preservation and conservation of the global marine environment are the heart of the Foundation's mission and to act as an inspiration for the preservation of this natural heritage of international importance.