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Do you really give a shit about extinction?
Do you really give a shit about extinction?30-Sep-2016 15:11
WARNING: Contains strong language and comments that may upset!
I made the mistake of watching a nature programme yesterday. I used to love them as a kid, and still try to watch them even now. I love animals and love watching them live their lives. I also marvel at the camera work, big respect to all nature photographers.
So why was it a mistake watching yesterday? Because all nature programmes these days can't avoid the issue of extinction. It's so wide spread that every continent has an extreme extinction problem. The one I heard about yesterday made my blood boil.
The Northern White Rhino is on the verge of extinction. After 40 million years roaming this planet man has managed to bring this impressive beast to the door of extinction in just 100 years.
Yes 100 stupid, ignorant, selfish years!!! It's made me so angry that I started a new series of artworks to highlight this issue (the pics show a sneak peak of work in progress). The working title is the title of this blog, because I really don't think the majority of humans give a flying fuck whether animals, any animal, become extinct. Especially when they see no use for them - chickens, pigs and cows will be ok because we're happy to eat them!
Oh yes, we all tutt and groan when we hear yet another horror story, but what do we actually do about it? Some may give a donation (cool), some may sign a petition (I'm all for signing petitions). But then we return to our daily lives and forget that half the items in our shopping basket are directly responsible for habitat loss - leading to, you guessed it, big time extinctions.
We carry on buying products made in China because they're cheap or there's no alternative - down to us wanting cheap and giving up on our own manufacturers many years ago. China is one of the worst countries for animal cruelty and their thirst for animal parts is bringing so many animals to the brink of extinction.
We buy that super little party dress not giving a thought to the dyes and other noxious manufacturing processes that have leaked into the waterways in India and are poisoning everything in their wake.
So, my question to you is do you really give a shit about extinction? Enough to give up something you think you need? Something important to you? Enough to make changes to your lifestyle?
If not then you're almost as bad as the poachers and forest arsonists. Putting on blinkers and hoping all will be ok is not really giving a shit.
If you're about to fire off an email to me having a go at my language or telling me that I'm as much to blame as anyone else, don't bother. I admit I have cravings that make me buy questionable products, I'm not claiming to be perfect. But I made serious changes over 10 years ago and have come a long way since. There's still masses I could do so I'm still trying, still educating myself, still changing my lifestyle, examining my motives and giving up things I know are causing habitat loss (however hard that sometimes is).
I'm boycotting Chinese products whenever I have a choice and I'm voting with my wallet to hunt out products that help the environment rather than destroy it.
I also give a percent of my art sales to animal and environment charities.
The time has gone for being subtle and hoping someone else is going to sort it, these animals have no time left for that. The forests are burning in Indonesia and Sumatra to fuel our desire for palm oil. Rhinos, elephants and tigers (to name but a few) are being hunted for their bones and horns to quench the inexhaustable Chinese medicine industry. Animals are becoming extinct on a daily basis - so I'm shouting out for them - please, please, please do something. Do anything and do it TODAY to help stop this ecocide. Be part of the solution:
Live simply so other animals can simply live.
P.S. If this article has made you uncomfortable, angry or upset then good, it was meant to. Please direct that energy into doing something positive for nature. Please share, share, share to get the message out there. Time is running out.
P.P.S. The art you see in the photos is created using upcycled, organic and natural materials.
Please comment and share
I really love connecting with like minded souls and would love to hear how you're making a difference to your lifestyle to help save endangered animals.
Get your friends on board too by sharing this article on endangered species with them.
Thank you
L xx
Great article and I share your anger and anguish. 10% of my income from art goes to NRDC, and Defenders of Wildlife - more than 10% at present as I don't sell that much!
Susan Woodward
Hi Susan, thank you for your response. It's so lovely to hear how much you care for wildlife and what you're doing about it. I sign lots of petitions for both of those animal charities, they do great work. May you sell lots more art! Laura xx
It's been really good to read your articlemail again Laura - just confirms what my focus will be for future craft projects - it's also great to read your thoughts journey around your projects - look forward to seeing more 😊
Thank you Jan! Once I established what I was going to create my art for it became much easier to focus on themes and series. So glad it's similar to how you feel about your craft projects. Watch this space eh?!! L xx
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