Change it!

 

Is there an issue you feel especially strongly about?

Given we all have just 24 hours in a day - and nothing's going to change that, to be sure - and most of us need to work and sleep as well, it makes sense to think about any issues there are in the animal kingdom which really do make us feel as though we want to bring about change and focus on those.

This may not mean starting up our own efforts - it may mean joining in and supporting the efforts of those organisations which are already working to do something about them.

It could also mean looking at events taking place in the calendar and organising our lives so that we have a chance of attending them.

For instance, if you want to get involved in the Big British Beach Clean in September organised by the Marine Conservation Society, but you don't live anywhere near the coast, this could be a chance to plan a weekend breakaway on the coast and combine it with some beach cleaning!  

Once you know what you want to help change, that's a good start because you can start focusing on your time and energy on finding the people who are already doing it, and joining in.

Issues facing animals 

This is obviously far from a complete list...

  1. Climate change
  2. Loss of habitat 
  3. People's increasing disconnection with nature and inability to see its relevance to their lives
  4. Illegal wildlife trade
  5. War and conflict
  6. Human population explosion and high demand, unsustainable lifestyles 
  7. Pollution and plastics, oil spills  
  8. Human-wildlife conflict for land, food and water
  9. Farming on land and sea - exploitation of our oceans, factory farming, live export, open net fishing, inhumane slaughter
  10. Lack of education and training in animal welfare
  11. Animals being used for "entertainment" e.g. animal circuses, animals in captivity, the holiday industry, trophy hunting
  12. Animals being used for our own ends e.g. cosmetic testing


  Back to: Where do you start?