Jun 8 2012: I agree that zoos should change their focus to helping visitors "understand how healthy ecosystems work and are maintained." Zoos could even change their focus more on local species or habitats. Helping people understand the ecosystems that surround them could also catch more peoples attention because they will be able to make more of a connection than they can to some places that are far away. If they camp or travel around the state or area, teaching them about how they can help protect the ecosystems and why this is important would be beneficial. I think one thing that people could use lessons on today is good camping practices, such as the principles behind Leave No Trace, which would help improve the ecosystems that they camp within on a more local level.
Jun 8 2012: I agree that zoos should focus on both educating the public and conserving the areas outside the zoo. I think if zoos set up more ways that people can see the conservation related in simple terms with lots of pictures and interactive displays they will understand this more and maybe help too. The research that zoos do has helped them improve habitats for animals they house, adapting to things that they have found are necessary in the wild for these animals. I do think that zoos can provide captive breeding while also educating the public about the species and why the breeding is necessary. In this way they could show things we buy that could be causing the animal's home to be destroyed or things we are doing that are destroying the animals native habitat.
Jun 8 2012: I completely agree Neil, we should be teaching early rather than the top down approach we are taking. I think both together could be good though because if we are teaching children about the environment and conservation we should also be teaching their parents. If we teach the children about reducing, reusing and recycling, but they have no means of doing this at home then they wont actually do it and may not take as much out of these lessons. I know from experience that children who grow their own vegetables and fruit will eat them more often than children that get them from the store. If they see the whole process of their food being grown they are much more likely to eat it. I think starting early and implementing different aspects of conservation through all of their education would be a great step forward in the future environmental movements. If children are given hands on experience with conservation at a young age then I bet they will be more likely to do more later. Teaching our children is important because they are the future of the conservation movement. The changes they make and fight for are going to change the future of our world. Through our teaching of the things we have learned, both mistakes and successes, they will use this knowledge and continue or implement/ try new things to make changes to further conservation and make bigger changes than our generation will.
Jun 8 2012: I agree with what both Greg and Nickie are saying about the lingo and words used to describe people who want to fight for environmental conservation. It is very true that people have a negative feeling around the word "environmentalist" and other lingo used to describe the people and the efforts. I think the media could play a part in starting "new trendy models of preserving ecosystems." The media could also be playing a role in overusing the words, which could give them the negative connotation they have today.
Greg, I think in some ways it could be both hindering and helping the conservation, but overall technology seems to do a lot of harm through the process it takes to make them and then the energy needed to run the technology. Would it be better to have these kids doing hands on science and learning rather than learning about it from technology?
Jun 3 2012: This is very true with the credibility that movements have if they use extreme tactics such as violence. Violence is never the answer, it causes the loss of credibility and makes people not want to fight for them. Extreme groups can exist and fight for their cause peacefully, but won't be seen as legit or worthy if they use violence as a means to fight for their cause. If they use violence they will lose many supporters. I think that any movement that uses violence is a step backwards because of the loss of credibility and supporters.
Jun 3 2012: I agree using extreme tactics make movements become more powerless and negatively thought of in society. Some people may see violence as their only resort but that doesn't usually get them anywhere. As seen with Greenpeace, peaceful movements can make huge differences, although it may take longer, more positive attention will be given to peaceful movements than violent attacks where the leaders may even be killed or thrown in jail. This makes no forward movement, but backwards because society will see these violent attacks and not support their cause. People are more likely to attend protests and want to help if they think they are safe doing it, which will help the cause.
Jun 1 2012: Okay, maybe in some areas it would be reasonable to use solar panels instead of a green roof, but if in areas such as Arizona, using plants native to the area would allow them to survive as long as they were established. Solar panels would just increase the use of Air Conditioning because people would think that it is not harming anything, when it is just decreasing their reliance on the power grid to power their air conditioner.
May 30 2012: I think that shark farming in this manner seems feasible and good. This would be instead of catching a shark and releasing it without fins so that it dies. If you use the whole shark and set up farming like this that uses scraps from other fishing industries as long as its not harmful to the shark. If it doesn't matter what species of shark it is that they use I think using the Reef shark as discussed above could be a good species for use here.
May 27 2012: I think that shark finning should be illegal. Sharks are majestic creatures of the sea and yes they are dangerous, but removing part of the circle of life in the Ocean could cause many other problems for the ocean. Maybe, removing the loop hole could be a temporary fix, but I think overall a ban on shark fishing should be in the works. Yes I know it is an integral part of Chinese culture, but I bet other species have been integral to other cultures and I think because this is a large creature of the sea it is getting more attention and is a larger deal. I think even if it is a cultural thing, shark finning should be stopped because they are on the brink of extinction. Even taking the whole shark does the same thing. Killing sharks threatens the species and finning is mutilation, which ends up killing the innocent creature that deserves to live.
May 27 2012: I agree that in certain places there should be incentives or requirements to have green roofs on new buildings. In the pacific northwest many people are very conscious of the environment and I think most would love the idea. If it can reduce our excessive need for air conditioning and maybe even keep the buildings warmer in the winter, I agree that it should depend on the area and the plants would need to be natives so that they are adapted to the area like Ellen said. I don't agree that solar panels could accomplish the "same absorption of light and reduce the cooling costs" because it takes a lot of energy to make those solar panels and the green roofs need little to no maintenance. Yes sometimes especially when they are being established may need water, but if they are natives they should be fine with the weather of the area. If water is the problem, most tall buildings already have water running to the top floor so what would be the difference between one more floor?
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A reply on Conversation: Do zoos help biodiversity conservation?
A reply on Conversation: Do zoos help biodiversity conservation?
A reply on Conversation: From ivory tower to prison cell: How can we bring conservation efforts to the public?
A reply on Conversation: From ivory tower to prison cell: How can we bring conservation efforts to the public?
Greg, I think in some ways it could be both hindering and helping the conservation, but overall technology seems to do a lot of harm through the process it takes to make them and then the energy needed to run the technology. Would it be better to have these kids doing hands on science and learning rather than learning about it from technology?
A reply on Conversation: Do extremist tactics push environmentalism forwards or backwards?
A reply on Conversation: Do extremist tactics push environmentalism forwards or backwards?
A reply on Conversation: If green roofs were mandatory in cities would there be less development and building?
A reply on Conversation: Should shark fishing be banned?
A comment on Conversation: Should shark fishing be banned?
A reply on Conversation: If green roofs were mandatory in cities would there be less development and building?