Finding Balance

Posts Tagged ‘rain forest’

 The Pink Dolphin, also known as botos is a friendly animal whose only enemy is human. They live in the rivers of the Amazon. Their brain capacity is more than 40% greater than humans, but they still get hurt and killed by them and are now an endangered species because of this. Their pink color comes from the water it lives in, the food it eats and capillaries close to the surface of the skin. The rain forests where the Pink Dolphins live are endangered because of human destruction and chemical dumping in rivers. Pink Dolphins are also caught in fishing nets. To try and help stop the decline in their numbers, many captive breeding programs have been started.

The dolphins have a long beak to get prey and small eyes which help them see well in the water. Pink Dolphins can swim at a speed of up to 20 mph. They have very little to protect themselves. They might use their flippers (also used for mating) and their long beaks. Their best protection is staying in a pod or group. When in danger, the dolphins can make squeaking sounds to call to it’s pod. Pink Dolphins eat large quantities of food every day. Not liking to eat alone, they’ll make a loud sound to call the rest of their pod. They enjoy crustaceans, catfish and small water fish. At night, they search for zooplankton.

The dolphins are similar to grey dolphins but have some differences. It doesn’t have a dorsal fin. Instead it has a hump on it’s back. The Pink Dolphin’s tail is bigger and it has two flippers that look like leaves. The neck is long and there is a little hump in the forehead and it has the ability to turn it’s head 180 degrees.

Water is something that’s been taken for granted ever since the time of the first man. We all assumed it would be there whenever we wanted. Not True. The use of rain barrels or water tanks is one the easiest ways to conserve water.

We need to be aware of the issue of the shrinking rain forests. They used to cover 14% of the earth’s surface and now only cover 6%. This is a scary fact as information like this has only been tracked for the last few decades. Many aspects of our lives are dependant of the activity of the rain forests.

The issue of composting should also be at the head of the line for conservation. This is one of the easiest ways to help the environment. It used to be a very messy and smelly process years ago. Today, there are pieces of equipment that can be purchased very inexpensively to assist in having a more sanitary composting process.

Leonardo DiCaprio made a commitment to the “go green” movement years ago and includes living green in as many phases of life that he can. He has been an avid supporter of the “green movement” and the environment for many years and practices what he preaches. He recently moved into a $9M environmentally correct apartment in New York City. His apartment has rotating solar panels that provide 10% of his power. Leonardo says that he lives in the “green manner” and has released a feature length documentary “11th Hour” which focuses on the problems facing the planet’s life systems. This film was done with the help of over 50 of the most prominent thinkers and activists including Mikhail Gorbachev and physicist Stephen Hawking. Global warming, deforestation, species extinction and depletion of ocean habitats are addressed. The feature offers hope and solutions. The “11th Hour” calls for a healthier future.

I remember visiting my grandparents when I was little. They made use of rain barrels decades ago. Part of the reason they saved water was due the hard economic times they grew up in and part was due to the fact that clothes washed in rain water kept them very soft. My grandmother also used the rain water to wash her hair. It always smelled good and was very soft to the touch. Her barrel was very different from the ones that are out today. She had the old wooden barrel with the metal staves. It was very tall and always covered to keep debris out.