theglobeandbark-blog

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at Centre Wellington

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So lovely was the loneliness of a wild lake. @explorecanada @can #tbt #lakelifeisthebestlife #temagami #animanipissing #ontario #canada150 #summer17 #canoe (at Temagami, Ontario)

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“Immerse yourself in the nature world ... you love it, and you protect the things you love.”

“Being in a canoe was part of it [being Canadian]... it gave you a sense that this is how everything started.” 

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I had a chance to attend my first Outdoor Adventure Show in Toronto in February. Though I was skeptical (don’t they just want to sell us things?), I felt inspired at the end. It has been a hectic and rough few months for us, and being there, with fellow nature lovers who couldn’t wait to get to the woods like me, was great. There wasn’t even as much for sale as I’d expected -- there were other great initiatives like Credit Valley Conservation, Parks Canada (my favourite booth!), Ontario Parks (who brought a turtle and snake to educate people on some of Ontario indigenous wild), Canadian Canoe Museum ... it was amazing. 

Back to the film. Ontario Tourism happened to have a booth where they were encouraging visitors to check out a new film. That’s the link in this post. 

If you’re jonesing for an opportunity to connect with mother nature, and especially in this year of Canada’s 150th, watch this beautiful film. It’s 26 minutes and speaks of such beauty, that it reminded me how beautiful this country is, how kind our people can be, and the adventure that lies in our backyard. 

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I’ve been reading a lot about Rob Stewart these last weeks. You’ve probably heard of him; he was the photographer/conservationist who died on January 31st scuba diving off the coast of the Florida Keys. Rob was a Canadian who had for many years devoted his life to saving sharks. His goal was to educate people on sharks, and their rapid decline in our oceans at the hands of over-fishing, cruelty, and damage to habitat. 

There aren’t a lot of people who are willing to dedicate their lives so definitely to something, especially when there’s not much money in it, and when a lot of the time, it will feel like no one is listening. 

Though I feel like I’m always head first in all news related to wildlife conservation, I seemed to have missed the name Rob Stewart until his recent death. I hadn’t heard of his movie, Sharkwater, and hadn’t known about his work with Greenpeace and other organizations to help contribute to safety of sharks in our oceans. 

Since then, I’ve read up a lot. Rob was working on his next movie, Sharkwater: Extinction, when he died. Though it sounds so cliche, it’s awesome that he died doing the thing he loved most. I can only hope the same happens to me (in many, many years from now). 

That said, Rob’s death needn’t be in vain. There are those who knew his name well, and those, like me, who are just learning it. For all that, his voice and his message -- and in that, his hope to save sharks -- are out in the world now, in full force. 

Rob’s first film was heavily focused on banning shark fin soup. In Asia, no one knows quite how, there grew the belief that this soup has medicinal benefits. It’s total bullshit. It has no nutritional value even - so definitely no healing agents. In fact, if you did get a shark fin soup, it would be flavourless entirely unless it was flavoured with beef or pork. It’s said that the belief arised because it was believed that sharks don’t get sick -- that they suffer no ailments, and it’s unheard of to hear of a shark with cancer. 

Sometimes I am scared of the crazy shit the world can convince itself of. 

No. No. No. Sharks can get sick. Sharks are not immune to illness, nor to cancer. Eating their fin DOES NOT MEAN that you will never get cancer. 

There. Mind blown. Total obliteration. 

It seems silly that someone had to work so hard to create a film to tell us this truth, but it’s true. Rob worked with various teams to bring real life examples to life... not just about the harvesting of too many sharks for shark fin soup, but also long-ling fishing (which is still done illegally all over the planet), and the senseless killing of these animals. 

Did you know that the Great White Shark is endangered? I know, it seems ridiculous. But, it’s true. And if we don’t do something, it’ll be the last of them. Goodbye Great White Shark. Let’s not let Jaws be all we know of these creatures. 

You can find Sharkwater on Vimeo. Google search it. Watch it. Learn about this story. Knowledge is power - let us all share Rob’s message that he worked so hard to share with the world. He’s no longer with us, but it’s our responsibility as participants in the conservation community to carry on the work of our fellow conservationists. 

Find your shark voice. 

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I visited Banff National Park for the very first time last June (2016) and it was truly the best travel experience of my life. It’s the first time I’ve ever used the word “majestic” to describe something I’m looking at. I couldn’t even take the true breadth of everything on my first few days there. It took a gradual growing -- and constant pinching myself! - to realize where I was and create those permanent memories. 

This is such a beautiful initiative. Happy Canada 150th! Here’s hoping that these beautiful creatures are flourishing when 2018 comes around. 

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Everyone who knows me, knows I read  A LOT of National Geographic. And although I credit its scientists, researchers, investigators and writers with teaching me so much about the environment and wildlife. It’s one of life’s greatest passions. 

But even I don’t always understand everything I read in National Geographic. It’s all very scientific and I am by no means, a scientist. 

The linked article is one of those that I’d give a good go at, but in the end, I’d be pretty lost. Luckily, National Geographic kindly often caters to us non-science educated. 

But who needs a science degree when you’ve got a bookshelf full of Jane Goodall? In her book, “My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe” speaks to this rare kind of killing of chimpanzees. She and her team have decades of research and data that tells us this type of behaviour is rare, but not as rare as the article insinuates. In her experience, chimps live in communities for their whole lives, lead by alpha males and alpha females, and just like humans, they fight for territory, for their children, and sex and power often lead to disgruntled disagreements, heartbreak and full-blown family splits, cheaters, greed and yes, killing and cannibalism. 

If any children are reading this - stay in school, kids. Read, read, read. Read until you can read no more.

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I know this is supposed to be sad, but I feel relief. This poor whale somehow survived 33 years living in a tank,where the water, having infected his lungs, slowly killed him --- all while having to perform jumps and tricks for the public who sat watching without considering his suffering. 

Tilikum - you’re one of the world’s most majestic creatures. Who knows what your life could have been if you hadn’t swam into that net so many years ago, torn from your family to live in a small tank for the rest of your life. You didn’t die in vain; you brought to light to such a tragic problem in our world. But, because of you, the world is a little smarter, a little more aware, and more of us refuse to stay silent anymore. 

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I can't believe I closed out 2016 without sharing the link to my favourite podcast series - She Explores! I am new to the podcast world (no, I do not live under a rock), and in the last few months I've learned so much about so many different topics. One day, while I was searching for something outdoorsy, with an environmental and human feel, I came across She Explores. Gale Straub is a damn genius. She started She Explores for women. Many of the interviews I've had the privilege to hear are about their experiences after hiking the Pacific Coast Trail, or other places, and what does that does to the human soul.

I couldn't agree with Gale more when she writes on her website - getting outdoors does something to us. It really does. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, restless, worried, tired ... I needn't go farther than a park, and I'm already feeling lighter. If I can get to the woods, or better yet my personal mecca - the ocean! - I am full on the healthy, calm, curious girl with not a worry in the world. I feel confident in my own skin, happy in the quiet, and am tempted to throw mobile phone into a hole in the ground that I'm happy to dig myself.

Nature is so damn good for us. Why do we spend so much time inside?

One of my favourite aspects about hearing these interviews (effectively, lives changed forever), is about how life changes when you get back. On the trail, they learned to live with less, and perspectives changed on what 'need' means. These women learned that we don't need much to be happy; being content means being happy with where you are and who you're with (even if the answer to the latter is no one) and no one needs. You don't need those second set of boots because they also come in brown, or a new set of furniture because you found the perfect chair that doesn't match with anything else, or another car, or another ...anything. If you're meeting the basic needs, and afford a few luxuries that bring you absolute, unquestionable joy, then run with that. I'm still in the process of learning this myself. I am by no means a clutter bug .. but I do like pretty things on occasion. But I'm making pretty good strides and hoping to make even larger ones in 2017.

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Because the holidays are exhausting. Seriously though, I just flipped through some disturbing photos from Humane Society International on a dog-hoarding situation in Asia ... which I think we can guess the purpose of the hoarding. Sometimes, it's easier not to think about the fact that most dogs don't go to bed every night like the pup in the photo above ... so tired from running and treats (he's going cold turkey after the holidays, I swear) that he can sleep so comfortably because he's safely tucked at home. There are so many dogs out there who will never experience that but we can make a change.

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Let’s call this edition of the blog a “Reusable Moment”. 

For those who might have come across this Tumblr, you know it’s largely about our beautiful planet, how we can help save, it, and nature and wilderness that make it so special. 

2016 has meant a lot of learning for me. Learning about wildlife and our planet has been always been a huge part of my interests, my many passions, and something I can definitely support. Getting educated is such a powerful thing, and I can’t thank those enough out there who produce blogs, journals, documentaries, and more that help me waddle my way around the environmental and wildlife conservation efforts of the globe. 

That said, a huge part of all of this that can’t be ignored is consumerism. Ugh, Ew, Blah, Eek... I know, that word is awful. But, likely, it’s played some kind of role in your life - yesterday, the day before that, today and probably tomorrow. 

But it doesn’t have to be all bad. When we make efforts to better our planet by monitoring and being aware of what we’re consuming, every little bit helps! 

So here is goes - one of my all-time favourite Christmas gifts this year was a ..... reusable bag!!!! Don’t laugh, it’s true. I hadn’t ever heard of Baggu before (www.baggu.com) - but hubby purchased one of their reusable grocery bags from the Well.ca pop-up store, which, to our delightful surprise, opened up at a local mall in our neighbourhood. 

The first time I used this bag, I knew it was going to be carted around with me for a very, very long time. It’s big (though looks deceivingly small), it’s sturdy, and it’s scrumptiously pretty! (see above). 

I researched into this company a bit - and so far, I like what I’m reading! They say, “We are dedicated to providing high quality, high value environmentally friendly bags without sacrificing style or fun”. Amazing! 

The bottom line is, I can’t possibly carry all my groceries in my arms ... but I don’t want plastic from the store ... so I need a bag. If you need it anyway, why  not make the conscious choice to purchase from a company that values the environment and your sense of style too?

No brainer. Go get one. 

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Amazing news today! The world’s biggest media outlets are reporting that China plans to ban the trade/selling of ivory by 2017. The effects of this will likely mean an increase in elephant populations and deaths by natural consequences of the wild, and less at the hands of poachers, who are generally smuggling the ivory out of Africa and to China. 

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Hope he lived a good life. 

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This beautiful place. To some, it's a spa but to others, it's a desperately needed escape - no matter if there's a spa at the end of the tunnel. For those of us who spend most of our time in the city but belong in the open air, we start to get that stifled feeling if we don't escape the big city regularly. There are wonderful, exciting experiences that come with living in a big city and I'm grateful. But there's something about the open land that soothes my soul, calms my mind and helps me re-energize. I don't want to sound all hippy-dippy but nature is such good medicine.

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The greatest danger to our future (of our planet) is apathy. Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help shall we (our planet) be saved.

Jane Goodall (a.k.a earth goddess

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When did #BecauseCanada become a thing?

Soo Alberta Parks has issued a warning about moose approaching cars to lick off road salt in Peter Lougheed National Park.

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If you didn't have any reasons to help save this beautiful planet today, here's one.

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African elephant populations have dropped 97% in the last 100 years.

Big LIfe Foundation