Tidbits

WITH   KNOWLEDGE   COMES   RESPONSIBILITY

Welcome,  if this is your first visit to TIDBITS, you’ll see that it is totally unrelated to our Photography Workshops; you will not find these topics mentioned during our workshop weekends. The primary purpose of TIDBITS is to create an easy access to information and groups referencing environmental and animal subjects.   With knowledge comes the responsibility to act.  Everyone’s actions can make a difference.

We all share a desire to maintain a certain comfort level and quality of life; but there are many matters needing our attention as both caretakers of this wonderful planet and citizens. With our agendas so fully loaded, not knowing makes dealing with an already hectic daily schedule less complicated.  We simply ignore and don’t get involved.   And because we are unaware of certain consequences, we often, unknowingly, elect to do something that is harmful to the "balance" of our lives; the balance being the nucleus of survival. Often our priorities, wishes and wants conflict with what is in the best interest of the whole. Oftentimes bad choices are made out of lack of knowledge. If we knew the consequences of some of our choices, we might elect to redirect them. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and our children and not leave the delicate balances of life teetering in the hands of but a few. Our choices affect all life forms and those life forms, no matter how infinitesimal are depending on us. We all play a roll in forming this balance, a happy medium, critical to all life. Our future and that of our planet will someday depend on our making certain adjustments and sacrifices of current lifestyles. We need to start now, today. Tomorrow may not be. Every voice counts, every action matter. Nothing is insignificant. We can, as a whole or as an individual, make a difference. If I capture the attention of but one person from TIDBITS, it will be well worth the effort.  Each link leads you to another.   All organizations have web sites and have simplified access as well as taking action on subjects you care about.   There is no longer an excuse to not act – no letters to compose (only edit if you wish),  no envelopes to address, no contact information to hunt down, no stamps or trips to the mailbox required... You simply go to their site read the letter they have composed on the subject at hand, edit it if you wish, click on send and off it goes to your senator, congressman, representative….(you don’t even have to know who they are.) I can promise you from past experiences, that these organizations do not become a nuisance or sell your contact information. And, they do not call you.

I hope you find it interesting and worth browsing. You'll be disheartened at some of what you read, rejoice and be thankful for some, discouraged, overjoyed, disappointed and overwhelmed at what takes place on a daily basis. As I said earlier, sometimes it's just easier not to know because:
With Knowledge Comes Responsibility

Teach your children

Linda

Ansel Adams: "full appreciation of all life is obscured by a mistaken interest in only the highest, most theatrical of natural sights - a typical modern conceit - always looking to maximize dimension and power. Think of the millions upon millions of friendly living things crowded in the soil, the edge of pools, the spaces under the leaves, and in the sunny openings of the forest. Small earthy creatures - dragonflies, larvae, gnats, bees - concern themselves with the problems of existence, not us. A proper mountain reverence is deserved by all kinds of beauty.

Web Sites and Magazines:

FIRST I must put in a plug for all the animal rescue groups. I became involved with one of the local rescues, BARK  www.barkva.org,   eight years ago and it has changed my life. Please think twice before buying and paying money for a pet. And please don’t breed your pets.   You simply can not believe how many phenomenal dogs we have at our kennels in need of good loving homes.  And what is worse is that you can’t believe how many are euthanized, killed, daily at animal shelter all around the county – something  like 5 million a year.  You don’t have to pay for love and companionship. They animals are so anxious to please they will spend their lives thanking you in every way they know how. (see the photo below. Photographer unknown.)

If you desire a particular breed go to www.petfinder.com and search for that breed. Do not get it confused with other organizations having similar addresses trying to sell all sorts of animals. Petfinder.com works solely with rescue groups and animal shelters trying to locate homes for the homeless. Most of these animals find themselves “dumped” through no fault of there own. Just too many animals.  And please be careful of puppy mills from which many many pet stores purchase animals.  The Amish run large puppy mills.   They are one of the worse offenders of puppy mills. I was horrified to learn of this. And they are not always honest with the purchasers as to where they are getting their animals. They sell to pet stores, directly to buyers and research labs. They had some bogus registration of dogs called ACA – a takeoff of the international AKC registration. (See the Sept./Oct. ’05 issue of Best Friends Magazine for article on investigation) Just browse through the many available animals, cats too, looking for homes. Our web site here in Virginia is  www.barkva.org   Help save a life. Rescue, Spay and Neuter!

The following web sites and magazines were used to gather the information that follows. Most of these sites allow you to take action on issues at the click of a button.
See for yourself!!

Humane Society of the United States (HSUS):
www.hsus.org  or llanimals@hsus.org

Disaster Services: www.hsus.org/disaster  or call 202 452 1100

WWF (World Wildlife Federation) http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/TWS  (The Wilderness Society) http://www.wilderness.org

The Sierra Club http://www.sierraclub.org

Lifesavers, Inc. www.wildhorserescue.org

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) www.aspca.org

Environmental Defense (EDF) www.environmentaldefense.org

Best Friends: www.bestfriends.org  A wonderful organization with a great magazine for families.

National Wildlife Federation (NWF): www.nwf.org

Earthjustice: www.earthjustice.org/about/major.html

Natural Health Magazine

Sierra Club: www.sierraclub.org

Greenpeace: www.greenpeaceusa.org or www.cleanenergynow.org

The Humane Farming Association

Defenders of Wildlife: www.defenders.org

Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF): www.tlr-arf.org

Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP): Contact the Wilderness Society above

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): www.nrdcwildplaces.org or www.nrdc.org/naturesvoice

In Defense of Animals (IDA)

Cape Wildlife Center Student Program: www.capewildlife.org

To Help Your Local Shelter: www.AnimalSheltering.org

Animals’ Advocate – Legal Defense Fund: http://www.aldf.org

Pet Finders: www.petfinders.com

Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR): www.bestfriends.org

Korean Animal Protection Society: www.koreananimals.org

Jane Goodall Institute: www.janegoodall.org

Click to help: www.theanimalrescuesite.com