I went to see the movie RACING EXTINCTION last night at the Boulder Film Festival by the Academy Award winning filmmakers of THE COVE, and woke up feeling inspired and determined to take action today, to do SOMETHING meaningful to help save the planet. So here I am doing what I know how to do: communicate through my photographs and words.

First of all I need to say that if you haven't already seen this film, you must. It is a thoroughly provocative documentary about the inevitable extinction of thousands of species, including our own, if we don't do something NOW.

The trickle down effect of climate change is altering the state of our oceans which support all life on earth. It's not just about protecting the endangered species list which is growing by record numbers. It's also about our interdependency on all forms of life and how critical it is for us to embrace this concept, and start doing something beyond our limited view of our lives as separate from all creatures.

WAKE UP PEOPLE! We're in trouble. Not only are we losing wildlife at an unprecedented rate that on aesthetic terms alone is hard to imagine, but the interconnectedness of all life is real.

According to the Smithsonian's Ocean Portal, ocean acidification, "sometimes called climate change's evil twin, is a significant and harmful consequence of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.." Levels are so high that shells from oysters and other mollusks are dissolving at an alarming rate, faster than they can grow and produce food. The carbon spike has caused ocean acidification to rise by 30% in the last 200 years alone, faster than any known change in ocean chemistry in the last 50 million years! The results are staggering including the death of 19% of the world's reefs.

According to Dr. J.E.N. "Charlie" Veron, "Coral reefs support 25% of the world's marine life. When the oceans start dying like that, the planet can't function like it used to function. That is mass extinction."

The major threat to our oceans health is CO2, however, the additional threat to marine life comes from overfishing, as well as the fishing of exotic and endangered mammals (whales and dolphins), rays and sharks for food. The horrific way in which shark fins are cut off with the remaining carcass tossed back into the ocean to drown is cruel and inhumane.

What can you do?

BE AWARE. Report any illegal activities such as restaurants serving whale or other suspicious seafood.
CONSIDER BECOMING VEGETARIAN. According to a 2006 report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), livestock are responsible for about 18% of human-caused greenhouse gases. Additionally, cattle and wildlife compete for grazing space. The wild mustang population has been decimated by roundups that cruelly separate mothers from their young, euthanize or worse, and sterilize the males. The FAO said, "Ranching-induced deforestation is one of the main causes of loss of some unique plant and animal species in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America as well as carbon release in the atmosphere." In comparison with grazing, intensive livestock production requires large quantities of harvested feed, which also requires substantial areas of land. If you want to know more about the impact of cattle on the environment, click here.
BUY A HYBRID OR ELECTRIC CAR
INSTALL SOLAR PANELS IN YOUR HOME
RECYCLE and purchase recycled products.
COMPOST. Initiate a program through your community's sanitation department if this is not yet available.
CONSERVE WATER
CONSERVE ENERGY. Turn your thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer, and turn lights off when not in use.
USE YOUR OWN GROCERY BAGS
BOYCOTT PRODUCTS WITH PALM OIL. Palm oil plantations are replacing tropical rainforests illegally in countries like Borneo in Southeast Asia.
USE MASS TRANSIT, carpool, walk, or ride your bike whenever possible. We are such a culture of convenience. Consciously thinking about driving alternatives, whenever possible, can help reduce the impact of carbon emissions.
BUY ORGANIC. Not only is it healthier for you, but it also sends a message to the farming industry that using toxins in our environment to grow food is self-destructive.
DON'T BUY IVORY, TORTOISE SHELL OR OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES PRODUCTS. It’s estimated that 30,000-35,000 African elephants are illegally killed by poachers each year and that these elephants face extinction within a decade if this illegal poaching isn’t stopped. The wildlife trade is second only to the drug trade. China is far and away the biggest market for illegal ivory followed by the state of New York and the state of California.