PTW HEALTH|EDUCATION|WORLD|CHARITY
PROJECT THIRD WORLD
Feature StOry
Asher Jay DESIGNER. ARTIST. WRITER. ACTIVIST
PROJECT THIRD WORLD
April Edition The year has started off in fifth gear for Project Third World. A fortnight ago, we held our first Education Event for the year- The Ticking Bomb, which was a tremendous success, and raised over $1000 for the schools and orphanages which Project Third World supports. Furthermore, the event was enjoyed by all and captivated the attention of the audience who were exposed to a dynamic, contrasting, revealing, colourful and vibrant display of art and eduation together. APRIL 2015
For those who came, it was a large eye-opener into the world of Project Third World and the struggles of our planet, but also our species. The final presentation from the night has been uploaded to our youtube page which can be viewed at www.youtube.com/projectthirdworld. In the next edition of PTW magazine, we will be expanding our scope of health and educational topics; from food to physiotherapy, world issues and domestic issues- we hope to give you a broader and more di-
verse scope of health and education. For those who would like to give feedback on our magazine or any aspect of Project Third World, or would like to have a particular topic covered, or have fundraising suggestions, please email to contact@ projectthirdworld.org . We hope everyone is finding pace into the new year now and is finding ways of making their lives and the lives of those around them happier and healthier.
PTW
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PROJECT THIRD WORLD Playing with Lives
Contents
Animal cruelty in our society
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Barking for Change
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The Udder and the Horns
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Anemia
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The Age of the Cage
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Life on Earth
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Asher Jay
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A first hand account of active animal welfare projects
The Facts about Cow's and Goat's Milk
Tired of Hearing about it?
An insight into factory farming
Editorial
Feature Story
www.projectthirdworld.org contact@projectthirdworld.org facebook.com/projectthirdworld twitter.com/projectthirdworld @projectthirdworld youtube.com/projectthirdworld
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PROJECT THIRD WORLD
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Playing With Lives? In July last year a couple of my friends and I traveled thousands of miles across the globe to a small town called Pamplona in the North of Spain. Here is where the annual ‘Running with Bulls’ event is held & many from across the world come to enjoy a threeday festival fueled by alcohol, adrenalin & well, running with bulls!
There is no bigger thrill than knowing, that any moment an angered, drug fueled Spanish Bull could be going through you – potentially leaving you seriously injured or even dead…Wait a minute, I traveled across three continents & tens of countries to almost endure the thrill of a near death experience by a drug fueled, angered Bull?!
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PLAYING WITH LIVES This was nine months ago & not for one moment did I think about the Bulls wellbeing. Am I selfish or is the world selfish with me? What about the Bulls? When I got told by PTW’s chief editor to write about this topic, I rolled my eyes & thought “where do I start?” Animal cruelty has got nothing to do with my areas of expertise. I’m that guy that chases a laugh then often realizes who suffered after, and then think about it for a few moments; then continue with my day. This time, it’s a little different. I’ve researched heavily into animals’ involvement in modern sport & human entertainment. I’ve awoken to a problem I would have never spent more than thirty seconds to think about. Human entertainment involves animals & in the many cases it’s cruel. Bull fighting for example is controversially one of Spain’s most historic forms of entertainments. In Bull Fighting; the Corrida (bullfighter) has to show his mastery to dominate the bull, and establish an artistic symbiosis between man and beast. The Corrida ends the Torero (Bullfight) using his sword to kill the bull. For the average testosterone fueled man – this is entertainment. An equivalent of a modern-day gladiator in a Colosseum. Here is something we may not be so aware of when watching this self-proclaimed hero pierce the Bull to claim his dominance:
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- The Bulls are deliberately weakened be fore the fight by being drugged. - A Bull’s horns may be shaved down in order to disorient them.
- Sandbags are dropped on their backs to increase weight and decrease mobility. - Petroleum jelly rubbed into their eyes to blur the Bulls vision.
PROJECT THIRD WORLD These Bulls are angered, disorientated, handicapped and killed all while a select few from the human species celebrate their glory. The crowd crowns the Corrida a hero & rejoices in his excellence. Post-fight interviews will be held with the Corrida – while they often blow their own horn & talk about specifics in tactics to kill the Bull. Imagine if the Bull hadn’t been so severely handicapped and had a chance to express his thoughts instead. Here is an example closer to home; the race that stops the Nation – ‘The Melbourne Cup’ and for Britain- ‘Royal Ascot’. Now, I’ll be a little gentle, as Victoria gets a public holiday to watch a couple of horses run around a track in less than 4 minutes; however; this doesn’t mean cruelty or animal right issues haven’t arisen from the event.
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Estimates are that over the year, racing is an $8 billion export industry with around $1.7 billion generated from networking alone at the annual Melbourne Cup Event. Of course, it's also about fashion, which is a huge money-spinner as well. It’s also a financially rewarding day for the betting agencies as every man and his dog truly believes the jockey wearing red will go through with the fastest time. Jobs are created, Melbourne is a buzz and Victorian Australians get a day off to celebrate a race we only care about between 1:00pm and 3:00pm on the day. At the center of all this money, long weekends & fashion, the core to our entertainment is the horses. Trained, fed to perfection and built to run fast; for what? Our entertainment of course!
$1.7 billion generated
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The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) recently launched a new video as a part of its latest campaign to argue that the industry is cruel. The CPR are not just concerned with what happens on the track, but about what happens to horses after they finish their careers. In 2014, a Japanese Racehorse, Admire Rakti, collapsed and died after pulling up distressed after the Melbourne Cup. Araldo, another Melbourne Cup runner also was euthanized post-race in 2014. Araldo fractured a cannon bone (leg bone) when jumping a fence after shying at a spectators flag. These causalities raise the question of animal cruelty once again. Although not being as direct as the Bullfighting we discussed earlier, the final result is the same – death in an animal without their own wrongdoing. To bring the point home, would we allow such casualties in sport if they were human casualties?
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These racehorses, according to the CPR, are among the 13,000 horses that are killed every year in what it says is a “bi-product” of the racing industry. Mr Young a spokesmen for CPR stated that “If it’s critically injured it needs to be euthanized straight away,” rather than after two days which is what is happening with a lot of these injured racehorses. On the contrary, many believe the lifestyle and care these racehorses get is the best in the world. Peter Moody the trainer of successful horse, Black Cavier states; “Here in Victoria, we’ve got over 9,000 active thoroughbred racehorses and in my opinion, they’re the most cared for horses in the land.” From private vets, farriers and dentists to chiropractors and nutritionists, I work hard to give my horses nothing but the best.” At the same time though, which trainer would ever advocate the death of a horse?
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Sure, life on earth for animals and humans ends in death. This fact is inevitable, however; treatment of a less powerful species for human entertainment is a growing concern within many groups in Australia and Worldwide. â– Jay Himat
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Barking For Change PROJECT THIRD WORLD
A first-hand account of animal welfare projects in action
In today’s bustling world, time spent contributing to causes that matter is absolutely invaluable. With this in mind, I have chosen to dedicate precious time over the years to charities that promote and work towards the betterment of animal rights at a local and global level. My volunteer experiences have led me to rewarding positions at the RSPCA in Burwood, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Project Third World.
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PROJECT THIRD WORLD
I am currently undertaking a Bachelor of Science at The University of Melbourne and I aspire to work closely with animals in the future, potentially as a veterinarian. My passion for animals is what initially motivated me to seek out opportunities to contribute to animal welfare projects. It’s frightening to think about the global issues today concerning animal rights and I have found that there’s a lot more to it than what we see on the daily news. When exposed to such devas-
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tating and immense acts of animal cruelty, I realise how easy it is to become overwhelmed with sadness and defeat. However, rather than taking a back seat and being overcome with the magnitude of these issues, I decided to take action through volunteer work. While I have been only able to allocate a few hours a week to animal welfare projects, my experiences have shown me that even a small contribution can contribute to massive change. This is truly rewarding.
APRIL 2015 Chris Phutully
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BARKING FOR CHANGE
I began volunteering at Werribee Open Range Zoo in early 2014. The animals we encounter in the zoo are representatives of Zoos Victoria’s efforts to combat extinction. Zoos Victoria is engaged in over 40 different conservation research projects and my volunteer work allows me to participate in raising awareness. While my position does not permit me to go into animal enclosures, I am still able to contribute to the cause by campaigning for endangered species. My work at the zoo has also involved enriching the publics overall experience of the zoo, through ease of access and interactivity. I found that it is possible incorporate this volunteer work into my busy schedule by simply giving up a couple of hours a week that I would have otherwise spent on leisure activities. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of Zoos Victoria. My endeavours in contributing to the betterment of animal welfare led me to a volunteer position at the RSPCA. My time at the RSPCA has exposed me to tragic cases involving the rehabilitation and care of abandoned dogs, many who came from puppy farms. I am able to interact with the dogs as my job is to walk them for around fifteen minutes to ensure that they are well exercised. The centre cares for over one hundred dogs, each with their own personality and history. Even though the centre is responsible for such a large number of animals, I have witnessed first-hand the excellent level of care that the
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PROJECT THIRD WORLD
RSPCA provides. Some of the dogs I interact with are initially quite timid but once I take them out of their enclosure, their playful personalities come into full view, with tails wagging. I make an effort to interact with each dog where possible to provide them with the love and attention they deserve, in the hope that one day they will receive that same level of care from a devoted future owner. Volunteering for RSPCA is such a rewarding experience and has brought me so much joy. My experience at RSPCA has allowed me to gain new insight into the issues surrounding the animal welfare at a local level and I will carry the knowledge and skills I have gained into my future career.
Royal Society Prevention Cruelty Animals
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for the of
to
As a volunteer for Project Third World I have further enhanced these insights and skills. While Project Third World does not directly contribute to specific animal welfare projects, the charity does work to increase the awareness of these issues. I am an avid supporter of this initiative because it is a unique and diverse charity which strives to incorporate promoting health and education in the developing world through the dedication of passionate volunteers. My work with Project Third World has involved leading fitness classes and contributing to event organisation. I have had the privilege to watch this organisation grow throughout the years and look forward to working with PTW in its future endeavours. â– Chandani Lodhia
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The Udder & The Horns THE FACTS ABOUT COW'S AND GOAT'S MILK
Milk is one of the most widely consumed beverages by humans across the globe. Whilst the source of milk varies, many cultures consider it to be a staple beverage. For decades, children and adults have been told by health professionals that drinking a glass of milk a day is an essential part of our diet. During recent times, there has been a lot of focus on which milk is best for humans, if any. With all the different health messages out there about different milks, we can’t be blamed for being confused and frustrated. In this article, we will explore cow’s and goat’s milk in particular the health benefits, health concerns and associated ethical issues.
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PROJECT THIRD WORLD
COW'S
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MILK The milk produced from cows is the most common source of milk consumed in the world. The ability to digest the milk sugar and lactose, beyond infancy (after the first few weeks of birth) first evolved in dairy farming communities in Europe around 7500 years ago and has developed into one of the worlds most commercialised industries.
Choline - an important nutrient that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory.
Health Benefits
Health Concerns
For many years, health professionals have promoted the health benefits that consuming cow’s milk offers. “Milk, it does a body good” was the marketing strategy employed by the dairy industry in the 1980’s. Although there is increasingly more research that argues cow’s milk may not be as healthy or necessary as once thought, cow’s milk does have particular nutritional benefits: Calcium - milk is naturally high in calcium, a nutrient that assists with the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth.
Potassium - assists with the reduction of stroke, heart disease and protection against loss of muscle mass.
Lactose intolerance - a condition in which a person lacks the enzyme to break down the sugar found in milk. Side-effects may include bloating, flatulence or diarrhoea. Contaminants - Cow milk contains contaminants such as synthetic hormones and pesticides to increase the production of milk. Once introduced into the human body, these hormones may affect normal hormonal function.
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THE UDDER & THE HORNS
Ethical Issues As with other farm-based businesses, the dairy industry has grown dramatically over the past few decades. While the number of farms has reduced, the average herd size has increased. Although this may result in decreased cost and increased time efficiency, there are a number of significant ethical implications that continue to be practised. Separation Calves are removed from their mothers within 12-24 hours of birth. Within a natural environment, calves would suckle from their mother for several months. Mother cows, like most mammals have a strong maternal bond. An Animal Behavioural Study found that this bond was formed in as little as five minutes. This separation causes enormous stress for both the cow and calf. Fate of the calf While female calves are slaughtered or kept alive to produce milk, male calves are often taken away from their mothers to be raised for veal. Calves raised for veal are fed a milk substitute that is designed to make them
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gain weight abnormally quickly, and their diet is purposely low in iron so that their flesh stays pale due to the forced anemia. Mastitis Painful inflammation of the mammary glands, or mastitis, is common among cows raised for their milk, and it is one of dairy farms’ most frequently cited reasons for sending cows to slaughter. Studies have shown that providing cows with cleaner housing, more space, better diets, bedding, and better care will lower their incidence of mastitis. Environmental destruction Large dairy farms have an enormously detrimental effect on the environment. Factory-farmed animals in the USA, including those on dairy farms, produce approximately 1.65 billion tons of manure each year, much of which ends up in waterways and drinking water. The dairy industry is also a key source of smog-forming pollutants that contributes to greenhouse gas levels. A single cow emits more of these harmful gasses than a car does.
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Goat’s
milk
Goat milk has a long association with human history, especially in Asia and Africa where approximately 80% of the world’s goat population resides. Goats produce about 2% of the world’s annual milk supply.
Health Benefits The chemical makeup of goat’s milk is closer to human’s milk compared to cow’s milk. This means Goat’s milk is easier to digest in the human body because goat’s milk breaks down into comparatively smaller ‘fat’ particles that is naturally homogenised . Some research suggests that one of the main benefits of goat milk is that it may benefit inflammation. Manganese - a mineral naturally occurring in very small amounts in our body that benefits bone structure, bone metabolism, absorption of calcium and has antioxidant properties.
Zinc - a mineral that assists with the functioning of the immune and digestive systems, control of diabetes, reduction of stress levels and energy metabolism. Iron - helps to metabolise proteins and plays a role in the production of haemoglobin and red blood cells. Phosphorus - assists digestion, healthy bone formation, regulated excretion, cellular repair and nutrient utilisation.
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THE UDDER & THE HORNS
Health Concerns To date, there is very little research that reports health risks associated with consuming goat’s milk. The main misconception around shifting from cow’s milk to goat’s milk is that it is a solution to lactose intolerance or milk allergy. In fact, goat’s milk contains some of the same proteins that cause allergic reactions to cow’s milk, although the risk may be reduce. Goat’s milk also lacks some important nutrients that cow’s milk has, therefore it does not meet an infant’s nutritional needs.
Ethical Issues Considering the goat’s milk industry is not as large globally as the cow’s milk industry, there are very little known ethical issues associated with the goat’s milk industry. In saying that, many animal welfare organisations across the globe have reported acts of animal cruelty at goat farms. Aside from animal cruelty, it is argued that goat farming contribute less to environmental degradation because goats usually require less space and food than cows. In
saying that, if goat’s milk received the same consumption demand as cow’s milk currently does, it is very likely a range of ethical implications would result. This likely trend highlights the necessity for humans to review the way in which cows and all other farm animals are treated and the conditions in which they are forced to ‘live’ in. Human populations will also have to review the quantities in which they consume milk if the human population is to continue increasing the way it is; that being said, humans will need to review the quantities of all the foods they eat for the sustainability of the planet’s resources including meats and other animal-based products. In conclusion, when deciding on what milk to drink, consider the nutritional composition of the milk that you want to use, the reasons for consuming milk, along with the ethical implications of supporting the industry and the ethical standards of the company or organization you are purchasing your products from. These factors will help you make the most educated milk choice. ■ Rebecca Meldrum
APRIL 2015
Wildlife Photography Benjamin Bugeja
PROJECT THIRD WORLD
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ANEMIA
ANEMIA Tired of hearing about it?
To this day anemia is still a prevalent world health issue, contrary to what many people may think. According to the World Health Organization, despite both economic and scientific developments in recent decades, roughly a
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quarter of the world’s population is anemic. Of this quarter, iron deficiency is thought to account for half the cases of anemia, though there are other causes of anemia such as: malaria, infections and other nutritional
deficiencies. Due to most cases of anemia being accounted for by iron deficiency it will be the main focus of this article. In particular, some of the causes of iron-deficiency-anemia and its management will be addressed.
PROJECT THIRD WORLD
Anemia is defined as a deficiency in circulating red blood cells. Red blood cells, or commonly known by their scientific name, erythrocytes, play an important role in transporting oxygen through the circulatory system to all the different types of cells that makeup the body in order to allow them to generate sufficient energy to survive. Erythrocytes also play an important
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role in the elimination of carbon dioxide from the body, which is just as important as transporting oxygen around the body. The inside of a red blood cell is rich in a complex protein known as hemoglobin, which contains iron as part of its structure. The iron portion of hemoglobin is responsible for binding to oxygen and giving red blood cells their colour.
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ANEMIA
Z
Z
As the name suggests, iron deficiency anemia occurs when the body is depleted of iron stores, with clinicians further subcategorizing iron-deficiency-anemia into different stages to aid in diagnosis and treatment. In general, the higher the grade, the more severe the deficiency is, which then reflects on the lowered capacity of erythrocytes to carry oxygen around the body.
Z Z Z Z
The symptoms associated with iron deficiency can be more subtle compared to other diseases, and not to mention that they commonly overlap with many other disease states. Common manifestations of iron deficiency anemia are lethargy and fatigue, thus a reduced ability for an individual to do work; not because individuals lack motivation per-se, but simply due to not having enough energy to carry through with any activities. The health consequences are stealthy but devastating, invisibly eroding the development potential of individuals, societies and national economies. Therefore, anemia is not something to take lightly; it is a disease of considerable mortality and morbidity.
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PROJECT THIRD WORLD Statistics taken from Pasricha et al., (2013) suggest the following, iron deficiency anemia (IDA) resulted in 273 000 deaths: 45% in Southeast Asia, 31% in Africa, 9% in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7% in the Americas, 4% in the Western Pacific,
and 3% in Europe, with 97% occurring in low- and middle-income countries. It also caused the loss of 19.7 million disability-adjusted life years, accounting for 1.3% of the global total. Of these lost disability-adjusted life years, 40% were in Southeast Asia,
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25% in Africa, and 17% in the Western Pacific; 97% were lost in low-and middle-income countries. Overall, the poorest and the least educated who are commonly affected by iron deficiency, and it is they who stand to gain the most by its reduction.
3% Europe
9%
Eastern Mediterranean
7%
Americas
31%
45%
South East Asia
Africa
4%
Western Pacific
Having discussed the prevalence and the enormous negative impact that iron deficiency anemia can have on populations, the causes and treatment of iron deficiency anemia will now be discussed. The main causes of iron deficiency anemia can be due to: inadequate dietary intake, blood loss,
increased need of iron, and or an intrinsic inability to absorb iron. The first is due to a lack of intake of dietary iron, which normally comes in two forms, ‘heam’ iron (found in animals) and ‘non-haem’ iron. The body normally absorbs 50 % of heam iron compared to that of non-heam iron There are
many reasons why the dietary intake of iron could be inadequate, including a poorly balanced vegetarian diet, chronic fad dieting or limited access to a wide range of fresh foods –for example, as a result of living in remote areas and or having a low income.
1st
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2nd The second most common cause of iron deficiency anaemia is blood loss, which is more common in females, mainly being accounted for by heavy menstruation, including childbirth, and or other medical condition that can cause chronic blood loss. An increased need for iron, which is commonly seen in adolescents going through a grow spurt, pregnant ladies, and breastfeeding mothers can also result in iron deficiency anaemia if iron demands are not met. Lastly, some individuals intrinsically cannot absorb iron for whatever reason, as not everyone has the same ability to absorb dietary iron in 2015 the first place. APRIL
PROJECT THIRD WORLD Treatment depends on the nature of the problem, and so finding the cause of the resulting iron deficiency anemia is integral. Therefore iron deficiency anemia is not something a person should self-diagnose. Something that is already in motion is the process of fortification. Fortification is a process whereby foods that are consumed on a regular basis, such as: curry powders, rice and maize have iron incorporated into the meal. Fortification does not have to done in a laboratory or factory; it can be done inside the home through simple methods such as sprinkling iron onto foods that are going to be consumed. This is great news for people living in third world countries as it is affordable, convenient, with growing evidence to suggest that this an effective method of fortification. Besides this, the other treatment is supplementation or dietary alterations. Supplementation is easily accessible in a first-world country, and somewhat of a luxury that is taken for granted, for this reason iron deficiency anemia is easily rectified; the converse applies in third world countries. The other mentioned treatment is diet modifications.
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Some of the following are just suggestions as to how to increase the amount of iron that can be obtained from one’s diet to gain dietary iron.
Eat more: - Wholegrain cereals - Meat - Poultry - Fish, - And if possible, Liver
Vegetarians who exclude all animal tissue from their diet may need almost twice as much dietary iron each day as non-vegetarians, accounting for the differences in absorption between heam iron and non-heam iron. Sources include: - Dark green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli - Prunes - Dried apricots - Raisins - Nuts - Seeds - Dried beans and peas - Iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so eat more brightly coloured fruits and vegetables. Cutting back on the amount of tea and coffee you drink may also be beneficial, especially around mealtimes, since the tannins, acidic components in tea and coffee bind to the iron and interfere with absorption. APRIL 2015
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ANEMIA
In conclusion, iron deficiency continues to be a prevalent issue in today’s’ society, affecting the development, health and wellbeing of individuals, with third world countries really feeling the repercussions associated with iron deficiency anemia. However, with some effort and commitment it is something that can be addressed and rectified; which is surely a step in the right direction. ■ Daniel Kocoski
References
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Pasricha, S. R., Drakesmith, H., Black, J., Hipgrave, D., & Biggs, B. A. (2013). Control of iron deficiency anemia in low-and middle-income countries. Blood, 121(14), 2607-2617.
Wildlife Photography Benjamin Bugeja
PROJECT THIRD WORLD
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The Age of the
CAGE
'Egg-laying hens or ‘battery’ hens, live four to a cage which occupies a space of around eighteen square inches'
Factory Farming
Sustainability and Impact
Percentage
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50 68
The growing population and increased demand for meat and dairy products have led to the dominance of ‘factoring farming’ or ‘intensive animal farming’ as a means to supply this demand. According to the Worldwatch Institute, as of 2006, 74 percent of the world's poultry, 43 percent of beef, 50 percent of pork, and 68 percent of eggs were produced this way. Today, factory farming accounts for two-thirds of all animal farming worldwide, but what exactly does this involve?
74 43
There are currently 7.3 billion human mouths to feed. According to the United Nations, this number is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. Global meat production has almost doubled in the period between 1980 and 2004 (Food and Agriculture Organisation 2005). Current rates indicate that by 2050, meat production will again double worldwide.
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‘Meating’ the demand The main products of this industry are meat, milk and eggs for human consumption. A visitor to a factory farm would expect to see large numbers of livestock in confined spaces and large-scale machinery. Automation provides animals with food, water, and an occasional change of air. Common mass production techniques include: storing livestock in battery cages or gestation crates; clipping beaks or tails due to overcrowding, artificial insemination of females for breeding and hormone induced lactation in dairy cows (Zuzworsky 2001).
Egg-laying hens or ‘battery’ hens, live four to a cage which occupies a space of around eighteen square inches. Broiler chickens which are farmed for their flesh are usually not caged but are contained in large sheds lined with wood chips or cornhusks and their own excrement. These descriptions suggest that when we think about factory farming in today’s world, the key word here is ‘factory’.
The conditions of a factory farm will vary depending on location and the type of living product involved. Of all food animals, veal calves and chickens (both egg layers and broilers) fare worst in factory farms. Veal calves are kept in total darkness for most of any given day, and are fed a diet of iron-deficient milk substitute so as to produce a product whose flesh is pale and tender (Zuzworsky 2001).
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THE AGE OF THE CAGE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, the livestock industry is responsible for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This accounts for more emissions than the entire transport sector. In other words, factory farming contributes to climate change more than all trains, planes and automobiles combined. The meat and dairy industries also consume substantial amounts of resources including water, energy, crops and land. FacFood Item
Sugar Crops Vegetables Fruits Cereals Nuts Milk Eggs Chicken Meat Pig Meat Sheep / Goat Meat Beef
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tory farmed livestock are fed imported grain as opposed to traditional methods of free-range grazing. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, animals are fed six kilograms of plant matter in order to produce one kilogram of animal protein. In a world where 1 billion people experience severe hunger and malnutrition, one third of the world’s grain crops are fed to farm animals. The production of animal products is extremely water intensive. Nearly one-third
Water footprint per ton (mÂł/ton) 197 322 962 1,644 9,063 1,020 3,265 4,325 5,988 8,763 15,415
Factory farming also exposes ecosystems to serious risks in terms of immune-compromised animals and pathogens due to confinement and contamination. Contributing to this problem is the common use of nontherapeutic doses of antibiotics in animal feed. Although the European Union banned the practice in 2006, it continues in the United States and
of the total water footprint of agriculture is related to the production of animal products (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2012). Not only does factory farming require such large quantities of grain as an input, but the water required to harvest this grain is also immense. Most of the water use along the supply chain of animal products takes place in the growing of feed. The following table (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2012, p. 409) illustrates the water footprint per ton of various food products. is accompanied by the emergence of increasingly antibiotic-resistant strains of Salmonella, E.coli, and Enterococcus. While the use of antibiotics in animal feed is designed to inhibit pathogens and diseases, this suggests that long-term exposure to such antibiotics has the opposite effect on the safety of animal products (Pluhar 2009).
PROJECT THIRD WORLD What
can
be
done?
It is clear that today’s methods of meeting the global demand for animal products are unsustainable and unethical. How can we go about achieving ethical standards and sustainability in today’s fast-paced consumer society? Pluhar (2009) argues that the best solution to combatting the sustainability issue requires widespread vegetarianism. However, making the switch to a primarily plant-based diet can involve gradual and long-term cultural change. ‘Demi-vegetarianism’ or ‘flexitarianism’ is one suggested approach where people consciously reduce their consumption of animal products. At a basic level, this could involve having one meatless day each week. Other alternatives to mass factory farming include: consuming hybrid look-alikes (burgers or sausages composed of partly meat and partly plant-based ingredients); in-vitro meat production; and humane animal food farming. In order to work towards achieving sustainability in the animal agriculture sector, widespread cultural change is vital. It is to be hoped that knowledge, compassion, and rationality will inform change as much as possible. (Pluhar, 2009) ■ Kellie Vella
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life on
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Editorial
In order to have a strong appreciation for the magnitude and diversity of life, it would help to review some high-school biology and study phylogeny- the history of the evolution of a species or group. Whilst different cultures and different views object the notion that life came from a common ancestor, or common ancestors, it is difficult to dispute the vast differences contradicted by the incredible similarities which life on earth share. Scientists have devised a method of classifying all life on earth to make it easier to compare and contrast different forms of life. The first and most-broad classification of living organisms is ‘Domain’. There are 3 domains: eukaryotes, being-multicellular organisms, which are the majority of life-forms on earth, including animals, plants and some
Classifications APRIL 2015
microscopic organisms; the bacteria, which are single-celled organisms that are microscopic and have many functions and purposes in life; and finally the Archaea, which are very similar to bacteria, but have varying biological structures. The next classification down involves kingdoms. There are four different kingdoms: plants, fungi, bacteria and animals. These 4 kingdoms also have defining biological structures that make them similar to one another. The third classification, phylum or division, is classification that is often based on their body plan or body shape. This divides the animal kingdom into groups such as fish, birds, worms, primates, cattle, starfish, mollusks, insects and more.
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PROJECT THIRD WORLD
From this classification comes the ‘class’ which groups organisms that contain common traits. Again, many of these traits are physical or structural, such as organisms that have a backbone, like a human, or has eight legs, like a spider. The fifth classification known as ‘order’ groups animals in terms of more specific characteristics or functions. Some groups in the orders include carnivores, herbivores and primates. The sixth group is known as the family, and like the kingdom, is a major defining classification of life on earth. The family level is where classification starts to become very distinctive. For example from the order of ‘primates’ a family of ‘apes’ arises and ‘lemurs’, which separates animals of very similar characteristics.
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The seventh classification is genus and is the main ‘grouping’ classification. It is at this level that we group all ‘lions’ and all ‘leopards’ and other animals that you would often consider the same apart from some visual or physical differences. For instance, the Indian Elephant and the African Elephant would belong to the same genus. The final classification, and the favourite of humans as it allows humans to separate themselves from the rest of life-on-earth, is the ‘species’ category. The level of species involves organisms that are capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring but cannot breed with members from another species. All organisms within a species generally look the same. Major distinctions are made between organisms at this level, and even allows scientists to distinguish between species across evolution from one another, such as classifying a bird from the dinosaur era differently to birds from today.
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LIFE ON EARTH
TREE OF LIFE
PROJECT THIRD WORLD
After viewing the ‘Tree Of Life’, it becomes apparent that life comes in many forms, can be found in many environments, and have vastly varying traits and characteristics, whilst also sharing many traits and characteristics too. In 2011, ‘Nature’ Journal reported that there are 8.7 million eukaryotic species on earth, with 80% of the species on earth still undiscovered; 86% of land species and 91% of marine species are predicted to exist without our knowledge. This prediction does not include prokaryotic organisms, which as mentioned above, are single-celled-organisms such as bacteria. Whilst this number seems impossible; when you look at the number of different canine, or dog species alive, the number of different plant species in your local park, and the number of different penguins you might have seen in the movie ‘Happy Feet’, number of spiders you can think off, this number does not seem so ridiculous.
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our water resources, forming soil and nutrients, breaking down of pollution, forming foods, medicines, homes, energy resources, research, education and discovery. The natural world has been an inspiration and a source of hope for humans since the beginning of our time. Aside of the fact that plants produce the oxygen we need to breathe to live, and aside of the fact that both plants and animals give us the nutrients and energy our bodies need to sustain themselves, the kingdoms of the world help us in so many way most would not have realised. For instance, after studying the Cape
Despite how it may appear, most of these species and organisms on the planet tend to live in quite a harmonious balance. This balance of species and integrating in the same environments falls under ‘biodiversity’. Biodiversity is the variety of plants and animal life in the world and is the general term for the variety of life on earth. Millions of species in our ecosystems is important, no matter how large or small that species might be. Maintaining a healthy biodiversity is important for many factors such as: protecting
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LIFE ON EARTH
Vulture’s aerodynamics and structure, scientists have begun to devise submarines which have the potential to also fly. After studying the giraffe’s neck and the way the giraffe’s circulation works, scientists have devised ways for jet pilots to avoid losing consciousness when they go through incredible G-Forces up in the air. To the everyday person, the new Samsung Galaxy S5 phone was notable for its waterproof cover. This also came from the inspirations of the animal world, where a South American butterfly’s wings were studied to see how it was able to withstand water; the same designs of the butterfly’s wings are now used to make other objects waterproof including waterproof clothing which will not stain if food or even paint hits it. The animal and plant worlds are not the only kingdoms that humans benefit from. Bacteria, despite their bad reputation when it comes to making people sick, are actually an essential life-form. In the human digestive system, millions of bacteria
Wing Zoom - South American Butterfly
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live in perfect harmony with humans to help digest and absorb nutrients from our food, but are also internal soldiers for our body- fighting off bacteria from our food sources that might cause harm. Even on our skin, we have millions of good bacteria that fend off other more unpleasant bacteria from making homes on our skin and causing disease. Furthermore, bacteria and fungi have been the source of research for one of our most fundamental groups of medicine: antibiotics. Antibiotics are our key attack against potentially deadly diseases. Lest-we-forget that it was less than 100 years ago that Sir Alexander Fleming discovered the antibiotic group penicillin. Up until its discovery and use, people would die from the common cold and flu, and have their lives at risk from just about any illness which they came across.
A B C D E I G H I J
PROJECT THIRD WORLD The Great Threat To Life On Earth - Humans Biodiversity and a wide variety of life-forms on our planet is not only an incredible gift, but a necessity for optimum life of all animals including humans; but this optimum life is in serious danger. Whilst most of the species on the planet are living harmoniously amongst one another, there is one species causing a lot of trouble for others, and soon themselves: Homo Sapiens, or more commonly known as ‘Humans’. Humans have singlehandedly been the major cause of extinction in this age. Human influences of habitat destruction, pollution, agricultural growth, global warming and hunting or poaching have caused the extinction of thousands, if not millions of species over the years. Extinction is a natural phenomenon that happens over thousands and millions of years, but current rates of extinction are estimated to have reached 1,000 to 10,000 the natural rate of extinction. To put this into perspective, it is estimated that 99% of all species that have ever existed are now extinct.
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What is the issue with extinction and endangerment? This seems like a black mark against humans in an ethical sense, but why is it a serious world issue? To understand this, we have to look back to biodiversity and the huge range of species that live together. In America, the Gray Wolf has had their population greatly reduced over the past 100 years. The high number of wolves that existed before humans decimated their population kept other animal populations at a steady number. After humans killed much of the wolf population, elk, deer, moose, coyotes, racoons and beavers all had their populations go up significantly as the wolves were not there to prey on them. This sounds good, however; increasing elk pop-
ulations fed off many willows and other riparian plants, which meant that songbirds did not have enough food to eat, and the songbird population reduced as a result, which allowed for populations of insects such as mosquitos to increase significantly. With increased numbers of mosquitos, you can imagine what potential issues might arise in terms of health. As you can see, the change in population of one species has had a direct impact on the population and lives of ten other species. Now go back to the number of extinct species that humans have caused and multiply that by the potential impacts that such extinctions could have directly, let alone indirectly.
'Gray wolves were once common throughout all of North America, but were exterminated in most areas of the United States by the mid 1930s'. APRIL 2015
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Where is the problem currently? Unfortunately, once a species has become extinct, there is no bringing that species back, which is why it is critically important to preserve what we currently have. Unfortunately, the human species has lacked behind in this department. From the same reasons which have caused extinction of species, there are currently 16, 938 species listed as threatened with extinction. This includes both plant and animal species. The more notable species that are suffering extinction include: The African and Indian Elephants which are being poached and killed for their ivory tusks. Whilst allegations are constantly being refuted, allegations suggest that black-markettrade from Africa through to China occurs, where ivory is treated like jewellery or a sign of wealth. The same issue is occurring with the African Rhino’s, whose populations have also reached critical point due to the poaching and hunting for their ivory horns. It is estimated by the WWF that Rhino poaching in South Africa alone increased from 13 to 1,004 between 2007 and 2013. This number is staggering when added to the fact that illegal wildlife trade seizures in 2011 captured 23-metric-tons of ivory which represents approximately 2,500 elephants.
release of PTW Magazine, you will be able to see that climate change has been pushed significantly by human activities, and thus, the endangerment of polar-bears is also being indirectly caused by humans. Living very close to the polar bears, seal-cubs are being slaughtered for their fur coats, which are subsequently being turned into shoes. Close to Australia, the dredging and destruction of environment is causing the endangerment and extinction of entire groups of species which live in the Great Barrier Reef. This ecosystem contains over 1,500 species of fish, 411 types of hard coral, 134 species of shark and rays, six of the world’s seven species of threatened marine turtles, and more than 30 species of marine mammals. Pollution is also rapidly destroying such ecosystems; turtles and other marine animals are being found washed-up on our shores chocking, strangling and bleeding to death from beer-bottle-lids, plastic-bags and other waste products. Runoff and spillage is polluting the waters of these animals, causing them to take in toxic and poisonous chemicals, and subsequently killing or significantly damaging them.
The great Polar Bears are being endangered from the causes of climate change more-so than just poaching. Upon reviewing the last
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LIFE ON EARTH
This is just a minute selection of endangered species. Many other species include the Mountain Gorilla, Bengal Tiger, Bonobo, Ganges River Dolphin, Orangutan, Sea Lions, Snow Leopard, Whales, Pandas, Penguins, Tree Kangaroos and many more. If this article alone is not enough to suggest that the other species who share our planet benefit us if we live in harmony with them, then the ethical and moral issues should at least be considered. Animals feel pain, animals are no less inferior to humans and animals are no less respectful than humans can be; nor do animals cause the troubles that humans bestow upon them. These are all living or-
ganisms; almost all of which have been living since the time that humans existed, and some have decedent much further back than us. It is of good fortune that humans have been able to conquer the world around us, but we must also be responsible for such a position. The need for vast, dynamic and diverse life on our planet is essential to human life. As the above example explained, a single reduction in a single species can have direct impact on ten other species alone, let alone indirect species. Losing a single species has the potential to increase disease dramatically, cause food shortages dramatically, or even cause
the death of other species in great numbers. Aside of what we will lose from the loss of our fellow organisms on earth, consider the benefits we will gain from looking after them and living in harmony with them. From our cell-phones, to medicine; from our newage energy sources to our lifestyle gadgets; from our longing to discover to the comfort we gain from seeing and sharing moments with our animal and plant counterparts, humans have far more to gain from looking after life on our planet than any other species on earth.
PROJECT THIRD WORLD
Life is the greatest phenomenon in history and in existence. As the, arguably, most powerful species on this planet, the only planet currently confirmed to have life, it is our responsibility to look after life itself, protect it, and optimise it. Life itself is optimised directly through health of all living organisms, and our abilities to do so will be enhanced directly from education.
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Like many of the great world issues, this is not just about making the world a better place, but ensuring the survival of ourselves too. â– Chirag Lodhia
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r e h s A y a J
turkeys at the Stone 42Amidst PROJECT THIRD WORLD Barns Center For Food and Agriculture, getting better acquainted with where our food comes from.Â
DESIGNER. artist. WRITER. activist.
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Creative conservationist, Asher Jay, uses ground-breaking design, multimedia arts, literature, and lectures to inspire global action to combat illegal wildlife trafficking, advance environmental issues, and promote humanitarian causes. National Geographic heralds her as one of their 2014 emerging explorers for her combination of artistry and advancements in animal rights, sustainable development and humanitarian causes. Whilst her primary mission is to cease the illegal ivory trade, she has had a hand in a range of wildlife and environmental conservation projects, and recently she sat down with PTW magazine to tell us about how she does everything, and why it is so important to her.
As she explains, Asher’s love of wildlife did not grow with age, but rather, was born into her.
I am a creative conservationist. By that title, I use creative methods to conserve wilderness areas, which I think is one of the most pressing humanitarian concerns of our time. I have focused primarily on conservation crimes, which tracks the why, what, where, when and how behind destructive, anthropocentric, consumptive practices. It examines the exploitation of wilderness or wildlife, by people, for myopic monetary gain. This is often done without comprehension of the long haul consequences that will arise from the severance of interdependent bonds between humanity and the wild. Human health is inextrica-
bly dependent on ecosystem health, when the environment suffers, we suffer, it’s as simple as that. I grew up in various places, and one of the experiences I had when I was about three years old involved thinking that I was a ‘bat’ because I had fangs for incisors; something I wouldn't have had my orthodontist fix, had I known Twilight was going to be so huge. I grew up voraciously absorbing David Attenborough’s books and films, amongst other documentaries on BBC, and I went through various phases of thinking I was different animals. As a toddler I thought I was a Tyrannosaur and I would stomp around the
My mum always allowed me to bring animals back home including animals that were wounded or abandoned, so I had a hands-on personal experience with nature. It was important to have such a close connection at such an early age, because if such sensitivity is not cultivated in the formative years, you grow up compartmentalizing the world around you, even though you aren’t separate from anything; so I felt very privileged to grow up conscious of the intricate fabric of life. My mum was against me riding horses without their consent, so I grew up having conversations with pets and asking them for permission to do things. We even had to buy presents at Christmas for all the animals, and why wouldn’t we? They were our siblings after all.
43 house menacingly, ready to chomp my way through furniture; then I thought I was a bat, and finally a Chimp. It wasn’t until my kindergarten teacher explained that I couldn’t bond with my classmates by grooming them, that I realised I was human. I remember going back home and having a conversation about this with my mum. She said “it’s up to you to make the distinction. You decide where you begin and where a chimp ends”. It was interesting for me to consider the world in that way and perceive wildlife as an implicit part of who I am. Other people may have chosen to deny the wild within, but I chose to foster it.
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Whilst nature was second nature to her from a young age, Asher had to work hard to become the wild creative she is today, by constantly trying out new techniques, and persevering beyond the doubts cast by many.
Since I was young, my mother put paintbrushes in the hands of my brother and myself because she herself was quite creatively inclined. My brother was better at art than me, but it’s funny how society plays a role in ‘beating’ those attributes out of boys. By the time he got to school, he was playing soccer like every other boy in his class and he gave
up on his creative hand. With me, I hadn’t inherited the ability to art in the way he had, but I learned to work around my limitations, and what can I say…practice makes for progress! Even when I was a science student, I enjoyed the illustration more than the experimentation. I would spend hours illustrating transverse sections of plants, rather than
focusing on the physiology with plants. This was the same for me in my fashion career, but when I started using surplus materials from reputed Seventh Avenue Fashion Houses to create garments that focused on social and ecological themes, my interest peaked because I could now use these skills to tackle a problem.
Take Pride © Asher Jay 2015 Every species is intrinsically and effortlessly part of the fabric of the larger ecosystem. This work alludes to the lions integral role in managing the Savanna expanse.
tackle a problem. When I created artwork for my fashion exhibitions and fashion displays, I had people asking me for the
original artwork, and so I felt that the universe was asking me to go back to art. It was just a matter of saying yes and going forward
with it. I often get asked to do things that I don’t have the skill-set for, but I just say yes and then learn the skill-set for it later on.
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Asher was brought up to be an outspoken, dynamic woman who stands for active change and positive impact. The values instilled into Asher at a young age have shaped her into a kind, forthcoming person who sees the moment at hand as priceless.
My mum always encouraged me to step up and take action, and be part of every movement that mattered to me. She always said that “your life is as big as you make it, and the more responsibility you assume, the bigger your life will be.” It wasn’t long before it became apparent to me, the more I was willing to stand for and take on, the larger the social footprint of my life was." The other thing she told me, when I went on a youth tree-planting initiative, was:
“if you can’t plant the second seedling with the same amount of energy and enthusiasm you harboured for the first, then you shouldn’t be planting the second. It might not matter to you and it might be routine by then, but it matters to each seedling”. I have carried the philosophy through everything I have done since. I started off in modelling, and then went into fashion design, but none of those things turned out to be my calling; and then cir-
cumstances led me back to a path in wildlife conservation, which is so central to who I am. In retrospect, it’s easy to rationalize, and assign value to all the “stepping stones” but really, my life has come as a constant surprise to me. I just face each day with courage, and flow with the go, in a way you can say, I’ve surrendered to life, it has been around longer than me, and knows a whole lot more.
“your life is as big as you make it, and the more responsibility you assume, the bigger your life will be, because you are willing to stand for and take on, more'
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ASHER JAY
Once Asher kindled her talents for art with her passion for conservation, becoming an active voice on the global stage turned inevitable.
It’s easy to be a passive voice in a failing system, but if you don’t own the problems then you will never take it upon yourself to come up with a solution. I decided to place a ‘stake in the game' and own parts of myself that I had deemed external to me, and be the "someone" that everyone,
including me, hoped would address the various environmental issues in our world. The moment I activated myself, and took ownership of the problems I perceived, I felt compelled to be involved, which led me to Washington DC. My new trajectory proved the path of least resis-
“a picture is worth 1000 words, but your artwork is worth 1000 pictures”
tance, as I wound up meeting all the ocean luminaries within my first week there. I found people were willing to talk to me because I had done all my research and my passion was evident to them. I had never felt that level of commitment to participate in anything up until then. Tiger territory has shrunk dramatically but still covers a lot of ground. That makes poaching very difficult to police—especially when its financial rewards are so high. One way the Global Tiger Initiative is tackling the issue is with attempts to reduce the demand in this multibillion-dollar trade. Curbing demand means raising awareness among a target audience, as well as directed communications campaigns that may change the economic behavior of dead tiger consumers. Images like Jay's can help the effort. “In this image is Zhongguo, or 'China' in Chinese, I wanted to emphasize the country's role in farming and poaching tigers, which has resulted in the direct decline of tiger populations in the wild. It helps for people to connect things visually for themselves, by invoking the epiphany within the viewer, I ensure that the message percolates. This work targets the Chinese consumer market; the campaign was originally conceived entirely in Chinese.
Yellow Stars Shine Right © Asher Jay 2015
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I hope to help bridge the gap between consumer choices, like drinking wine with a “tiger bone” label, and understanding the reality that the product being consumed is coming at the cost of living things. When you go into it with awareness, you can't ignore it, and you can't eat it with the same sort of relish knowing what you know. So I take it upon myself to get people better informed.
PROJECT THIRD WORLD
I returned to New York shortly after and I started to receive lots of requests to be part of some very prominent graphic design exhibitions. From then on, people started to hear about me and I became involved in various campaigns. Her Deepness, Sylvia Earle, truly put me on my path, when she said,
"A picture is worth a 1000 words but an artwork like yours is worth a 1000 pictures." I thought to myself that for the first time in my life, I finally had a voice and that people were finally listening intently to what I had to say about issues I knew our collective welfare hinged on. It dawned on me
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that my work was bringing additional press attention to the issues, and that it had impact on social media where I was reaching a new generation, ultimately bridging the generation gap and addressing the issue of shifting baselines.
I finally had a voice and that people were finally listening intently to what i had to say about issues i knew our collective welfare hinged on.
Creating rhino art on the high line with kids and students.
Web of Death © Asher Jay 2015 created in response to the BP Oil Spill in 2010.
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ASHER JAY Asher has not become the success she is, simply from her exhibitions. For Asher, it comes down to converting degrees of separation into connection with every life she encounters; making friends wherever she goes, and feels at home anywhere in the world.
Whenever I travel to a new destination, I cannot help but feel responsible for the issues facing the landscape and its inhabitants. The issues invariably become my personal problems. I went with my mum for 2 months to Kenya and Tanzania back in 2010. She wanted to have a safari sojourn, but all I did was pick up garbage every day, report it to the local ranger post, and then write to the local wildlife wardens about tourist violations and hotel waste management. Since we were on an off-the-grid adventure, we didn't have access to technology there. So I had to hand write letters, which were often six pages long, which I would then have to make multiple copies of for hotel managers and rangers. Within two weeks the hotels began calling ahead, to inform the next hotel I was planning to stay at that I was a handful, and I was
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coming to inspect their sewage and waste disposal systems. I brought a lot of the rubbish I collected in east Africa back to NYC with me, which made for a fun chat with TSA, but I convinced them, I was just bringing back that which we had outsourced to begin with, such as excessive packaging. I used the waste material to visually document the trash threatening the welfare of African Wildlife, which I show cased at the William Bennett Gallery in Soho, under the curation of New York City Ballet's prima Ballerina, Ashley Bouder. Even when I was in fashion, I was largely using surplus and waste material to make products that were one-off because I wanted to find a way to divert surplus from going into landfills. I’ve always been conscious and zealous of resource management.
Asher’s main concerns have been the ivory trade, but she embraces the broader banner of ‘Wildlife trafficking’ to address numerous other species that are commoditized.
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I feel if you are open to new challenges, things will channel through you, and find fruition; you just need to remain available to the world. The area I most focus on, and am most affected by emotionally is wildlife trafficking, the most heinous conservation crime of our time; whether
that be for the aquarium trade or exotic pets. It’s where you unplug an animal for its wild context and exploit it in the worst ways, whether that be skinning them, or hacking them up for bush meat, or brutally murdering them for their bone, tusk, pelt or tusks.
Recently I took a shot in the dark and tried to address the Ivory Crush Design Challenge, which will determine how Fish and Wildlife Service use the 6 tonnes of Crushed Ivory currently in their custody, and now it has become my new crusade. I would never in have expected all these efforts from me, not in a million years, yet here I am doing the most I can, the best I know how. I learn daily, and I try to innovate every waking minute, so I can do one better.
having supper in the Kenyan bush. Secondly, no matter how hard we try, we can never turn merciless murder into anything insightful or evocative; it is just far too entrenched in bloodshed to be deemed educational. Art can be subjective, but the death of 35,00050,000 elephants each year cannot be taken subjectively. Most importantly, not incinerating it, and allowing the crushed material to be cast into a sculpture or work of any sort will only create yet another loophole for other countries to exploit. Instead of disclosing stockpiles, they can claim the entire stockpile was used to create a visual statement piece that allegedly educates and describes the horrors of the trade, all the while leaking shards back into the black market. It creates a disastrous new narrative trend for tusks worldwide. We cannot control how other countries and existing buyers will interpret “educational use of ivory,” we can only control how we dispose of the remains. Why bother crushing the stockpile, if we are not going to destroy it completely, as they did in Hong Kong and the Philippines? There is no room for interpretation here, just action.
In regards to the Ivory Crush Design Challenge, that neither maintains integrity to the wildlife in question, nor to the creative they are soliciting the idea from, I consistently maintain the need for international collaboration, not competition, in this regard. Even before we begin to discuss the challenge, I firmly believe that the crushed ivory should be cremated. Here's why -- First of all, elephants mourn their dead, and living members of a herd recognize the scent of the remains of poached relatives even 50 years later, from several feet away, when worn as a hand-me-down vintage bracelet by a woman
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The blood Ivory trade is utterly barbaric. It slaughters highly sentient, social beings for their teeth, which are consequently intricately carved into elephants more often than not. Why not just keep the ivory on the live elephants instead? Can we not invest in life instead of investing in death?
dation somehow, and do a whole host of new activities I have never done before, so I can appeal to my own pool of donors to fund activities that rise above politics and gargantuan individual egos. Who knows, maybe I’ll end up being a TV show host instead, or doing a residency
somewhere. The truth is, I don’t know where my life is heading. There are a lot of things I plan for, and then life happens anyway. After all, destiny and free will are two sides of a fractured mind, and both take you to the same destination.
Every time an animal looks at you, they establish an implicit level of trust, and up until the very last moment, they give you the chance to do one better, to step up as a custodian, but we often elect to betray their trust by savagely hunting or butchering them instead. We rob them of their right to live, and we allow for the loss of our own humanity, which further disengages us from the fabric of life. It is a preposterous downward spiral for us all. I don’t understand how people can live with themselves after committing these atrocious acts, especially for traditional Chinese medicine, something we can synthesize substitutes for in a lab, or for exotic pets to assert individuality (work on having a personality), which we can live without. I feel the need to scale up, and make a bigger difference, perhaps start my own founAPRIL 2015
Blood Ivory © Asher Jay 2015 licensed to Wild Aid and Save Our Elephants. The campaign reads: "When the buying stops, the killing will too" and it ran in consumer magazines, as mass transport posters and on billboards.
PROJECT THIRD WORLD
Many Animal Rights activists have been seen as blackand-white in their fight, but Asher address the issues with an air of diplomacy to facilitate inclusive dialogue.
Many people who support wildlife conservation frame the issue as a “for humans” or “against humans” argument. It doesn’t make sense, for it fractures reality into a state of a duality that doesn’t actually exist. For me, it is more about unity.
If you keep making it a “me against them”, you’re never going to have people on board and you’re never going to reach consensus on a way forward. It also comes from extending yourself into the world around and assimilating other life forms as a part of your being; to feel a deep and inherited empathy and compassion for something that might not look like you. In reality, it has to affect a human, either emotionally of physically, in order for the human to care. Not enough people
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communicate the reality of how important wildlife is to us. The science is presented but people don’t connect to it. More often than not, if the animal cannot be turned into a cuddle-toy then the species is a lost cause. There are many species that are essential to terrestrial and marine ecosystems that people don’t care about because those creatures cannot be turned into a cute cuddle-toy, particularly true of phytoplankton, to which you owe one out of two breaths!
Helping install enclosures for acacia saplings, as a field assistant to an experimental field biologist.
A microscopic mite Lorryia formosa
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Asher has completed more at her age than most can do in their entire careers. Much of this is due to Asher’s resilience, dedication and commitment to her life’s work.
I don’t have a difference between work-life and personal-life. Not giving up and not quitting comes from being genuinely invested in what I do and what I am looking to accomplish as an end goal, all of which is bigger than who I am. Lending a voice to ensure a wild future for us all, is not something I choose, rather it is my calling. Every day, I hop out of bed each day, with a skip in my step, imbued with love…love for the privilege of living a life filled with passion, and love for all life on earth. It is intoxicating, to love without boundaries. People often compartmentalize, I let every aspect of my existence bleed into one another. Every day is a brand new canvas, waiting to be expressed through you, the brush. I work Mondays through to Sundays and work all day. I look for ways in which I can make a composition immersive and engaging, such that it seeds a more tangible and visceral connection to what is unfolding in the world around them. Most people choose to embrace denial or ignorance because it is convenient to not hold yourself accountable to another, to the collective. I achieve success with a campaign every time I burst an insular bubble open, by de-
constructing the myriad walls people hide behind through cheeky, unexpected communication efforts, from my artwork to my recent venture into stand-up comedy. People begin to connect the dots in their own head, and develop a deeper, emotionally charged response to the very issues they were once jaded about. When people figure out the connections for themselves, I almost see this animated light-bulb turn on in their head. It has to come from the individual. My father past away five years ago, and that taught me one incredibly valuable lesson - Life goes by in a glimpse, and you only have a short amount of time to do what you want to, rather need to do; so what you do with your time on earth is irreplaceable, which makes now utterly priceless. Once you lose now, it is lost forever. Yet the ‘now’ that you are living in can be so expansive. You could be sitting in a bar having a drink, or sitting at home brainstorming but the next big solution that the world hasn’t seen or heard yet could come from you. You are such a unique decanter, and all the stimulus this world has to offer pours through you, airs out, and finds unique expression through you. So when you, as
an individual take responsibility for the issues plaguing your reality, my reality, our shared global reality, you expand your life to account for my existence, and every other living organism's existence. Every day I can't help but think of the numbers, for they have gotten increasingly ridiculous. We are producing 275 Million Metric tons of plastic annually, that's 36.7 million adult bull Savannah elephants by weight. Out of which we dump anywhere between 640,000 to 1.7 Million adult bull elephants by weight, of plastic into the oceans. Those numbers are still impossible to fathom. Every time I go on a date, I think of the fact that we are losing an elephant every 15 minutes, so by the time I get to ordering dessert, I cannot help but wonder if the guy I’m out with is worth 6 elephants, and invariably he's not! I try to make people cognizant of wildlife trafficking issues in relation to their everyday routines. You have to make the statistics and hard data tangible to the public, by articulating it in layman's vocabulary. It's the only way any one will ever feel compelled to assume ownership of these concerns, much less feel empowered to resolve them.
Whilst science is finding the reasons for conserving wildlife, Asher feels it is art that will rally action to the cause. Asher’s love of science bleeds into her love of art, and equips her with the ability to be a powerful and unique storyteller.
I find art democratizes information that the public seldom has access to. Academic knowledge, unless articulated in simple language becomes selectively available. Science, words, and stats are important, they are the building blocks of conservation, and they help us understand and relate to the world around us. However, visual imagery is the story, which allows for inter and intra-generational information transference. Visual imagery is the oldest form of communication; it’s democratic and universal. It has both advanced our collective interests and instilled us with fear and distrust. Like anything else, it is but a tool and how we use it
brands it with the kind of power it wields on its viewers. Ultimately everybody connects to a well told story, and a comprehensible, articulate picture offers a story in a glimpse. A truly remarkable image can contain multiple narratives within its composition, which can make it unbelievably influential. When people ask me what I do, I always say I create visual PR for the earth and all its inhabitants. I frequently debate pursuing a PhD that will anchor me further in the sciences, because in truth I'm a huge nerd, a science groupie. However, further education would take time out of my schedule that I simply cannot carve out at present.
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Have you ever walked the spiral at the Rose Center Hayden Planetarium, which plots deep time, from the big bang to the Anthropocene? It makes you feel humble and puts things into perspective. It is important for people to comprehend their life in relation to the bigger picture of life on earth. It is a tremendous privilege to be able to tether our lives to such an intricate biological heritage, which is why we need to protect it. The wild is a part of who we are; to destroy it and deprive future generations of such bio-abundance would be a tragic loss and unforgivable of the current generation.
My friend from the Lion Project, Daniel Rosengren, got this picture of me trying to get a close up portrait of a Leopard Tortoise (one of the small five).
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Whilst Asher may have her focus on conservation, Asher is holistic in her approach to making the world a better place. Asher’s approach to tackling conservation can be applied to any other global issue- simply by assuming responsibility for the issue.
There isn't a single issue I don’t feel a visceral reaction to. Every time the best interest of the collective is compromised by the selfish interests of a few, every time myopic, money driven agendas marginalizes a tribe of people, or a species, I perceive a problem. It starts taking for granted the intrinsic value of life, it begins to perpetuate the notion, that one thing doesn’t have a right to live while another does. We start making these grand assumptions that are completely arrogant, ill informed, and exclusive. It is not the way life has worked thus far. The minute a pronounced bias eclipses our humanity, we are in choppy waters, if nothing else, we should grow more aware of when we enter choppy waters. As a conservationist I work to raise awareness for issues I believe to be of catastrophic importance on a global scale. Conservation crimes, marine plastic pollution, loss of biodiversity, climate change etc… But I often come across people who are disempowered, who have resigned to
being victims of a failing system. They believe that many of the realities in our world are wholly beyond their control. Why fight for rhinos or elephants or lions today, they are all the way in Africa? You have never seen an elephant but managed to get on just fine, so why lend a voice to the voiceless? I’d argue compassion, and appeal to your humanity, but it’s more than that. By shirking your responsibility, you are choosing to remove this reality and your role in perpetuating it from your awareness. You choose to disengage because you can get away with it, and you can get away with it because no one is holding you accountable, not even you. I have heard numerous friends say, “I’d rather focus on what I can do in my life — I can’t control anything else.” You can’t control it, but you can be conscious of it, and you can care. You can even care enough to acknowledge your contribution to the problem and choose to be an active participant in discovering a solution. In the 21st century, you just cannot hide from the fact that you are connected to everything that is happening in the global narrative, because you’re biologically and evolutionarily connected to all living things and because your personal habits directly affect all living
things. Irrespective of your awareness of the impact you have, you have impact. You impact the world around you even in your sleep; with every breath you inhale and exhale. Grow conscious of your life, start with your breath. As you familiarize yourself with your sphere of influence, you begin to discern how your consumption habits reshape the world you cohabit with every other living being. The micro-beads in your toothpaste and scrub, that tumbled down the drain with the day’s dirt this morning, the medication you consumed and excreted, your disposable razor blade clicking off into the trash can, tampon applicators and beverage bottles. All of these plastics you use and shed in the name of daily convenience will eventually bio-accumulate in marine ecosystems everywhere from sardines to Blue Fin Tuna. And in a perfect example of karmic design or the boomerang effect, these plastics too end up back at your doorstep every time that delicious sushi is delivered in yet another plastic take out box. Bon appetite.
Every decision you make as a consumer in this globalized world economy results in the erosion and destruction of our home planet’s finite resources. Make no mistake, while
we take the earth’s bounty for granted, it is finite, and it will run out, and since our lives depend on it, it will result in our demise. Are we each intelligent enough to fight for a
healthy future? Can we choose to live a socially, and environmentally conscious life that will allow for a future that isn’t deprived and divisive?
We can all opt for products that are tailored around the cradle-to-cradle paradigm, but people aren’t willing internalize the costs that have been externalized on the deluded premise that natural resources are infinite. This
is categorically untrue. The price of a product should include the impact it has on the local and global environment and health. Our food systems, our technology production, our jet setting vacations: all of these things
are affecting the energy and ecosystems around us, as well as across the world. You can choose to be blind to these truths, but you can’t choose to be immune to them.
Yes, it is easier to leave some of the harsh realities in our world shrouded by a veil of darkness, but that does not mean we escape the ramifications of our poorly thought out choices. What we do, comes back to affect us, within our lifespan, sometimes within a matter of months. Personal responsibility does not end with the impacts that are obvious, and a blind eye can’t erase the damage we have thus far wreaked on our planet through our daily choices. Ultimately all the chain reactions of a badly designed paradigm result in the collapse of the paradigm itself, and since the paradigm is us, we will, as a culture and civilization, collapse under the weight of the problems we propagate. It comes down to your personal sphere of influence, and where you think your sphere
ends, which defines what your sphere encompasses and what it excludes. Your sphere ends where your ignorance begins. For me, that sphere of influence, or sphere of responsibility extends to the entire
world. I am not afraid to face my impact and I am not afraid to expand my sphere to let more life in. To be held accountable, as a guardian, is a privilege, hold yourself accountable.
About to go on three dives off the coast of Cabos, Mexico.
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ASHER JAY Asher’s goals in life are far from simple, and far from being fulfilled; but with her attitude and work ethic, she stands a very good chance at making a big difference. She is doing the most she can and that is all that can be asked of her.
We shape the external world to mirror our internal landscape, so I have realized, in order to truly effect change, I need to start with me. I do a lot of self-work, because I care for personal evolution. Self-work, takes perseverance, as it is often painful and easier to avoid than address. If you are unkind to your 'self' then you will be unkind to others. So it is necessary to be introspective before we turn outwards to help another. Be
compassionate to your ‘self,’ reduce the conflict and violence within your own life, only then will you be able to extend that inner equilibrium to others. There are people who are being abused, enslaved and who have fallen victim to unfortunate circumstances beyond their control. They are so trapped by despair, and so unavailable that they cannot, undo and deliver. Feel compassion and love for these people, and be a guiding light
to them, but more importantly empower them to find a voice and vote in the very system that has failed them. If we continue to turn a blind eye to those in need, those who are suffering, we are going to see a significant decline in our own welfare, because we are not separate from the disenfranchised. We are all part of the same fabric of existence, on one revolving, rotating blue marble.
Learning to listen for, find and identify lions that were being studied by the Lion Project in the Serengeti ecosystem.
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PROJECT THIRD WORLD
We will see the decline happen in phases, so we may not even realize that we are past tipping points, as we speed past them. The truth is, we have a choice. We don't have to inhabit a post-apocalyptic world, but business as usual will ensure a post-apocalyptic world as our only way forward. I’m not an advocate for a socialist paradigm, but we need to draw up a better economic model, one that does account for natural capital erosion. The individual isn't held accountable as the end consumer, the company/brand isn't being held accountable, the government doesn't hold any one accountable and the people don't hold the government accountable. Everyone keeps passing the buck onto the next person and hoping that someone else will pick up the tab. I am sorry to have to inform you that the 'someone' everyone is speaking about is 'you.' A lot of it has to do with the lack of: timely policy change, regulation and vigilant law enforcement, penalties, fines, levies, and military involvement where there is potential
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of a failing state, and diplomatic international intervention when national security is being threatened.  A lot of what I’m working on at present, involves briefing senatorial staff on Capitol Hill and talking to empowered individuals in both the public and private sector, who feel connected to the problems I want to see addressed in the near future. I also empower the public, through awareness campaigns, because public pressure does result in government and corporate action. Tackling it from both ends of the spectrum ensures that the needle on each concern moves forward by at least a hair. If consumers demanded that Coca-Cola change their packaging, then Coca-Cola will change their packaging. If governments put pressure on the people and the private sector to protect resources, and reduce packaging waste, natural resources will be managed better and protected for future generations and there will be less waste in our world.
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ASHER JAY Asher is strongly opposed to the ‘DeExtinction’ movement. She does not see the sense in attempting to reinsert a species that has long been deprived of a holistic context to thrive, back into the matrix of life that has evolved to exist without said species as part of the equation.
Pyrenean ibex A beautiful species that has technically been extinct twice when scientists unsuccessfully cloned the Ibex after its initial extinction in 2000 Jay’s upcoming projects will tackle plastic pollution in the oceans and expose threats to Africa’s remaining big cats. Tackling issue after issue, Jay’s projects have become global sensations. Yet her ultimate goal is to motivate the one person she believes holds the real power to determine nature’s fate. You.
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I take issue with nature becoming a subset of artifice, a disconcerting scenario where wild intelligence is eclipsed by human hubris. Ecosystems, worldwide, are already extensively curated by man and that has resulted in few positive outcomes if any. In trying to control life, we are only compromising our future. When you zoom out to see the larger picture, every human invention and intervention has resulted in unforeseen outcomes that have invariably been to the detriment of life on earth. This process of “regenesis” which is not only expensive but in its highly volatile, inchoate stages has no credibility as a sustainable solution, its potential is solely in one’s vivid imagination.
PROJECT THIRD WORLD Would it not be wiser to acknowledge what damage we have done and attempt to conserve what remains? It is easier to hide away in science fiction than embrace our enormous failings as a species, because the latter would require humility, something we reject more than anonymity and poverty today. In a world devoid of the common sense and compassion it takes to preserve dwindling counts of mega fauna should we really attempt to revive those we have driven to eternal silence through an imperfect procedure that has only resulted in death so far? What value does such a technology place on “life”? What
of the lives lost during trial and error as science experiments? At present naturally conceived, sentient mammals that make for great cuddle toys, are not afforded the right to exist outside the spectrum of commercial exploitation, what duties of justice will the offspring of synthetic biology be granted? We subscribe to economies of scale; we have yet to shed this avaricious mentality of endless ‘take.’ Today, a select few have access to this technology; they are idealistic and intend to harbor long discussions about ethical implementation strategies before they actually set the
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ball in motion but over time this will be replicated by others and the competition will result in some using it for the right reasons and yet others for terribly wrong ones. This will likely diminish the worth of life as demand levels the costs, which would render these living beings as mere replaceable commodities, seeding large scale factory farms for harvest or worse yet as lab rats for other purposes? Or a rise in big cat and rhino farms, so the end consumers can continue drinking Tiger Bone Wine, and powdering Rhino Horn for hangovers and cancer cures, in ignorance.
Nepalese monk with rhinoceros horn at Samye in Tibet, 1938
Packaged rhinoceros horns
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ASHER JAY
Let’s flip the coin for a minute, what if they did succeed at bringing back an animal? So they spend all this money to re-wild a species for which they believe a context still exists and once introduced into its habitat, it chokes on plastic litter, gets fried on power lines, consumes a poisoned pest or falls prey to a poacher’s trap? Or it lacks a vital skill it would have learned only from the time it was meant to live in, from its natural parents, social systems and environment, so it fails to survive anyway? Not to mention the fact they could serve as vectors for pathogens? How much are we willing to gamble to create something with no guarantees, when we haven’t the intelligence to allocate resources to conserve what remains now? The more sensible route would be to fix our broken system and address the underlying causes that have resulted in extinctions during the Anthropocene yes? I think they should use this money to buy up land, build infrastructure for impoverished communities to ameliorate human-animal conflict zones and protect habitat range. They could hire anti-poaching squadrons equip them with weapons, employ drones and trap cams, radio tag critically endangered animals and channel only surplus funds toward this recreational effort.
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Asystole © Asher Jay 2015 alludes to the fact that all life is interdependent, i.e. when we destroy habitat, we destroy the biodiversity it sustains, which ultimately erodes into our (human) welfare. We either keep systems intact or we stand to lose everything.
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We are rather frightening in our ability to linger in denial and expend significant assets towards hyped agendas that have no proven track record to take comfort in; we do this because we are too afraid to admit to our shortcomings and past failures. Instead of being introspective and encouraging spiritual evolution we constantly look to the external and try to realign the physical, which is always out of sync with the pulse of the planet. The Earth has known about life and death since its humble beginnings, to assume we know more and can do one better spells nothing but arrogance in my book.
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ASHER JAY
Whilst there is a need for action, Asher understands that it is often hard for people to know which organisation to support or donate to. It is hard to know who to give money to, much less know where the money is most needed and how it is likely to be allocated.
There should be a way to catalogue priority and maintain transparency, but in a world where every NGO is out there with begging bowls at the same time, sometimes for the same species, worse yet for the same end goal, it's hard for any one entity to bare it all for the world to see. If two non-profits working to protect elephants honestly shared how they each intended to address the issue with one another, then what prevents either from replicating the efforts of the other and going after the same donation channels? That will just dilute all the funds that would have otherwise
The chaos stems from our inability to provide a comprehensible, united front to the general public. Maybe wildlife conservationists care too much to be effective at saving any creature they campaign for? Self-appointment without a strong resume to back up an uncontested position
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been funneled into one organization for one effort wouldn’t it? Why don’t the two coalesce and work together and raise funds together then? Umm because where there are people, there will be egos, a difference of opinion and the consequent inability for two factions to come together for a common end goal that is larger than all the individuals at play. Every cause, from human health to ecosystem management is a race to the finish line, where each organization/brand not only wants to win the dash but also be the sole hero of the day.
has resulted in one too many unqualified people with good intentions taking reign on issues they have no real understanding of, which has set us all back more than helped us all. I feel like there is lack of transparency and accountability that is holding us all back from really accomplishing any
one-end-goal that is actually sustainable and has long-term effects. It’s almost like keeping a cause alive just to market the cause further. The cause becomes the thing that makes the money, so everyone who was trying to resolve the cause, is now keeping the cause alive.
PROJECT THIRD WORLD Asher’s goals in life are far from simple, and far from being fulfilled; but with her attitude and work ethic, she stands a very good chance at making a big difference. She is doing the most she can and that is all that can be asked of her.
I can only hope for the best. There is more talk about wilderness now than ever before, and the digital age makes it easier to mobilize the masses toward a common end goal. We know more than we have ever before, and we are more equipped to act with awareness than we have been in any other period in time. I am confident that we can shift our consciousness toward co-existence. In the end, the reason I do what I do is because I want to influence the one thing that will decide the fate of nature and the fate of humanity, YOU. If you don’t get involved, there is no hope, there is no future to save.
Diving in the "Silent Evolution" Sculpture Garden, at the underwater Museum in Mexico.
If I could have people do one thing to help save Earth's incredible array of biodiversity, it would be this: take a step outside your home, your life, and yourself and spend five minutes observing and listening to any living being that isn't human. It can be a tree, an insect, a bird. Connect to it fully, allow yourself to be a bug, a bird, or a tree in that minute. If you can see a bug in you and you in that bug, you will do something different tomorrow that you haven't done thus far! ■ Asher Jay
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