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Environmental
Topic
Du Jour: Chinese Dolphin Declared Extinct
It's not very Christmasy news, but a 20 million year old freshwater
dolphin in China is now extinct.
Scientists spent 39 days trolling its former habitat and were unable to
locate a single one of these mammals, known as the goddess of the
Yangtze. Culprits cited for this tragic loss include pollution of the
river, overfishing, and habitat loss.
Use of concrete has eradicated the sandbars that were crucial to the
animals' survival. This is the first large aquatic animal driven
extinct by humans since the Caribbean monk seal was hunted to death in
the 1950s.
The unlucky baiji serves as an important warning about the impact of
human behavior on animals. In honor of this dolphin, I am sending $50
to the Dian
Fossey Gorilla Fund
to help preserve the habitat of a critically endangered animal that can
still be saved. I urge you cut a check this holiday season to benefit
your favorite endangered animal. Think of it as a present to yourself:
the joy of living on the same planet as some rare, exotic creature you
may never see in person, but you are nonetheless in awe of.
You can donate to any organization fighting global
warming to help the poor
polar bear, which is suffering dramatically because of
thinning ice. I would recommend the NRDC.
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links
What can you do right now to help the environment? Drop a line to save some of nature's BioGems.
It happens to us all: you've got
stuff you
don't
want anymore, don't need anymore, or never liked to begin with. Whether
you're motivated by a natural sense
of thrift, an environmental conscience, a desire to help others -- or
all three -- here are some suggestions as to what to do with many of
your unwanted items.
Hope they help!
Previous
Topics:
links
Veggie Oil Fuel
Extinct Dolphins 2
Giving to Charity
How To Throw A Yard Sale
Enviro Resolutions
The Oceans
Carbon Neutral
Extinct Dolphins
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