Update on World's Vertebrate Loss

My sense that we are in trouble - big trouble - solidified when I read a report in 2014 that since 1970, humans had wiped out just over 50 percent of all of Earth's non-human vertebrate creatures. 

Intuition tells me (and I am confident I am not wrong) that humans cannot survive on Earth once we have lost all (or virtually all) other vertebrate life, because the life-sustaining functions of our biosphere depend upon ecosystems mostly intact, even if not healthful.

We (some humans) might be able to survive that loss, but it would be just that: survival. My sense is that most will question whether there remains any value in living in a world in that condition. Aside from the sheer physical and health challenges that would result, we would also be reckoning with the moral dilemma of having destroyed so large an amount of living beings. When we consider that all Life is truly One, we will find ourselves living out the final breaths of global suicide.

My "Doomsday Dharma" (my proposal that we ought to begin to stop trying to "save" the world and begin to learn to love and care for one another as we find ourselves in this hospice situation together) was predicated on this group’s 2014 report about the loss of 1/2 of the earth’s vertebrates. Today's update predicts a much more rapid die-off than I had envisioned just two years ago. 

This October 2016 report suggests that we will lose fully 2/3 of all vertebrate life as soon as only 3 years from now! That is much more rapid than even my own most dismal assessments, where I had calculated maybe 30 to 40 years for total vertebrate loss. Based upon this new report (assuming current trend in rate of loss), the most generous projection for a habitable Earth may be down to 25 or fewer years.

Shocking. Sad. 

And a wake-up call to begin learning to love and care for one another now more than at any other time in human history.

May all beings be well and free of suffering and the causes of suffering.

Make McDonald's Make Meatless

Sign this petition to encourage McDonald's to make a meatless burger, in part to accommodate Millennials, 12% of which are vegetarian: https://www.change.org/p/mcdonald-s-it-s-time-for-a-healthy-meatless-option

May all beings be happy and free!

Racing Extinction and SAM

Racing Extinction: A powerful new website and film: http://racingextinction.com/

And SAM - Social Action Machine: https://socialactionmachine.com/

Join me in signing up and participating in more actions to help save our beloved, divine Biosphere!

May all beings be well and happy.

Oct 4: Feast of St Francis and World Animal Day

Two celebrations of animals happen on October 4th: World Animal Day and the Feast of St Francis, a day in which some churches offer blessings for animals and pets and animal welfare, rescue and education are highlighted.

Let's hope that any "feasting" that happens on this day is fully vegetarian!

World Animal Day: http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/about_us
Feast of St. Francis: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/st-francis-assisi-feast

Here are some things you can do:

Read this article about a Buddhist who liberated rabbits (click here).

Make a donation to World Animal Protection by Oct 6 and your donation will be matched, dollar for dollar! https://www.worldanimalprotection.us.org/donate-today

May all beings be well and happy!

Anthropocene Anthropodenialism

I've thought this for years: we are intently looking for "aliens" while myriads of species have yet to be discovered here on Earth.

Recently, we discovered a new species and it went immediately onto the Endangered Species list. There are surely, and will be many more, entire species that we wipe out before we ever discover them.

This comes in part because of our misunderstanding of our place on this animal planet, and therefore our relationship and responsibility toward others.

Of course, animals have every right to be here as we have. I don't like the insistence of those who continue to say that we are the pinnacle of conscious evolution, nor ideas that we are the only beings who can "understand" our divinity. We may be the ones who have most forgotten it, based on how we behave toward others.

Here's an enjoyable article worth the read. It includes numerous links to other important and moving reports, articles and videos.

"Even Charles Darwin was ridiculed for claiming the lowly earthworm showed intelligence. Darwin pointed out that humans are animals over a century ago, but today he'd still face the same anthropodenialism.

"This outdated notion is based on a fundamental fallacy that assumes our unique form of intelligence makes us this planet's only true beings.

"The more we actively observe altruism and justice and pain and love and fear and play and politics and romance and commitment all around us, the harder it is to maintain a destructive distinction between us and them. And the more we click, the more clearly we see the fundamental problems of the Anthropocene Era and its rising seas, poisoned waters and mounting extinction.

"At long last, science is finally proving something millions of humans who live with 'pets' have known for years -- that animals are 'people,' too."

Read more....

May all beings be well and happy.

Fasting For Farm Animals

There is a movement and you can sign to pledge you will fast on Oct 2 in protest of the slaughter and treatment of farm animals! 

http://www.dayforanimals.org/unite

May all beings be well and happy, free of suffering and the causes of suffering.