Are we getting less greedy.....

Are we getting less greedy or are things unchanged at the expense of our wonderful gift of wildlife?

Saw a movie last night which (imo) can be enjoyed by young and "old" alike. It shows how the weak become strong, the strong becomes weak (of two brothers). It also drove home a reminder of how greed runs the world and that we should be protectors rather than predators.

If we don't consciously make the effort to protect our wildlife, then the enjoyment of generations after us of some endangered species from the wild will be limited to seeing them in Zoos. (Grumbles, I think you may have started something with your "warm and fuzzy" movies. )

The movie was called "Two Brothers" here's a trailer:

http://www.twobrothersmovie.net/viral/index.php?dl=epk/video/trailer

Personally I found the movie one that can make you laugh, put a lump in your throat and make you think of how much power we have in exercising our wills as human beings.

Are we getting less greedy or are things unchanged?

 

No we are getting greedier.
Very good film - making a strong point. Another one like this is Brother Bear by disney.
Where there is money to be made by poaching,medicinal remedies,sport or entertainment; sadly the animals will suffer.

 

I'm greedy. And mean too. I eat wildlife for breakfast lunch AND dinner because I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain just to eat vegetables... But I only eat domesticated raised for my consumption wildlife and I keep myself in a small contained space and recycle. So... Hopefully it helps the big picture just a little bit.

 

Uh Huhrolleyes .....pull the other leg (teeth never worried me because my teeth and claws are pretty sharp too)LOL

 

wenchie you rock.

 

I forgot to add that this post is about endangered species...not food consumption...

Cheers

LS

 

Looks like a good family flick there. Thanks for the heads up, L.S.

Notwithstanding that we in developed nations still need to address much more closely pollution, environment reduction and destruction, etc., most of the major issues are in third world and developing nations. Pretty hard to convince people about saving wildlife for future generations (or even our own), whose only morality is survival. The messages are getting through slowly, but not nearly as much as needed. Then there are always the ones that couldn't care less, as long as there is short term gain in it.

All I can say, is that in my lifetime, public opinion and interest has shifted from hardly anyone caring about conservation (in the sixties), to most people caring to some extent. A good start, I guess.

The ironic thing is - given sufficient planning, most industry can get along with nature to some extent, at least. Now deliberate decimation is another thing.

 

Sadly there will other people whose definition of wild spaces seems to be parks. If we don't keep our guards up then there will eventually be nothing but parks.

Truth, I LOVE a nice juicy steak, and the grassland those cattle use came from somewhere. Guess I owe mother nature something...

 

Abstracts from:

Sadly true Grumbles.

Abstracts from:

You've made some great points Phantom. And survival (as you mentioned) in third world countries is a contributing factor to those points made by Grumbles.

 

Here's a quote from Hammerskjoeld Simwinga of Zambia (Sustainable Development) who recently received one of the most prestigious awards in the world, The 2007 Goldman Environmental Prize.

"Conservation of wildlife communities is not possible in the long term without simultaneously meeting the basic needs of the local human communities." Africa 2007

http://goldmanprize.org/node/604

This guy is also Delia and Mark Owens'* protege in North Luangwa (* of Owens Foundation for Wildlife Conservation):

http://www.owens-foundation.org/docs/goldman2.htm

Anyone who knows of the Owen Foundation, (or watched National Geographic), would know of their good works towards animals and community alike.

 

Thanks for the interesting links and info. I did my tour of duties in Rhodesia, (Zimbabwe), and surrounding areas many years back, with British Special Operations Peacekeeping Forces, so I saw a lot the regional problems first hand. A lot of good work in the right direction has been done, but sadly, a lot more needs to be done. But at least it's a few steps in the right direction.

It's encouraging in some areas, but quiet disparaging in others. As with any major reconstructive effort, it has to start and continue with community attitude. The average person is now beginning to realize that a better way of life can be made legally, than illegally. All that is needed is some direct, tangible assistance, in a practical way, besides just throwing money in their general direction and hoping some it actually gets to where it is intended.

The trend is hopeful, but the goals in some areas remain distant.

 

At least there is some movement...the tact taken by Simwinga of Zambia towards sustainable development (as shown on the video in:
http://goldmanprize.org/node/604 ) imho is brilliant.

Your Special Forces experience certainly would have given you first hand insight of people's survival in third world countries. imo outside greed uses this to their advantage - hence poachers supply greed's need while providing a means for their own survival.

Ultimately, the affect we have on animals (ie those endangered or affected by deliberate decimation) affects us...it's all in the balance of life imo.