The earth supports at least 1.5 million species. But the planet's biodiversity is decreasing. In the oceans, an estimated 90 percent of large fish have disappeared since the 1950s, and in the African and Asian forests, 114 of the world's 394 primate species are threatened with extinction. In the United States, we've seen bird numbers decline and honeybee populations collapse. A recent UN report found that current biodiversity changes are the fastest in human history. In fact, of the vertebrate species that have been well studied, 23 percent of mammals, 12 percent of birds, and more than 30 percent of amphibians are endangered.
Humans have a strong track record of pulling endangered species back from the brink - just look at the bald eagle. Join the effort by supporting the World Wildlife Fund (wwf.org) or Conservation International (conservation.org), where your donation helps protect disappearing bee habitats (and your food supply - the little stingers pollinate about a third of all the fruits and veggies you eat).
In the past century, the planet's average temperature has risen from 57 degrees Fahrenheit to 58.3 degrees Fahrenheit. That's like a human is running a constant fever of 99.9. A recent report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the group of 3,750 climate scientists who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, predicts that the temperature wil rise an additional 3.2 to 7.2 degrees by the year 2100, largely because of carbon dioxide emissions. On the low end, that's like your having a 103 degree fever.Adjusting your home thermostat by just three degrees - a bit cooler in the winter and a bit warmer in the summer - can reduce CO2 emissions by half a ton per year!!! A programmable thermostat (look for one with the Energy Star label) reduces emissions even more by automatically adjusting the temp while you're asleep or away.
Cat fight on stools