Three Elephants Freed, One solitary to go -- in Canada

I wrote the following today to the Mayor and concillors of Edmondton, Canada where they have a solitary elephant Lucy. Toronto just consented to send their three elephants to a better environment in California.

Dear Mayor Mandel -- Thank you in advance for your thoughtful leadership in helping the Edmondton Zoo to do the best thing for Lucy the Elephant. Please consider the distress being caused her as she is kept alone as the sole member of her kind. I'm sure you know that elephants are among the most intelligent, social, and emotionally-sensitive mammals on earth. And think of the example being provided for children and adults -- they will know sooner or later that keeping Lucy in a kind of solitary confinement is not that far from doing it to a human being. The idea of imprisoning animals such as elephants so people can stare at them is outdated -- more and more it is seen as cruelty.

Now that we know, we can connect ourselves to the most forward-looking crest of thought, emerging ideas that tell us, unless we change our attitude to our co-inhabitants on earth, we will lose not just our souls but the future of humanity and that of the planet. We are in a transition of thought -- being "good" to animals is no longer just a random idea -- it's an issue that is becoming planetary.

I was so happy to hear about Toronto's enlightened action in agreeing to send the three elephants to a healthier and more appropriate life at PAWS. A new consciousness is arising as it becomes clear that humanity's role must be that of stewards of the web of life and of the earth. Thank you for reading this. China Altman

Defenders Oppose Big Oil

Defenders of Wildlife asked for voices and donations to join their stalwart opposition to Big Oil in the Arctic. I said:

"The non-destroyed parts of the earth are irreplaceable. It's an easy matter for humans to gauge, drill, set afire, flood, damage, violently extract from anywhere materials they wish to sell in order to make fortunes for themselves.

It is not easy -- and mostly is impossible -- for the earth to recover. While the destruction usually happens in a short time the recovery -- if possible -- would need eons.

There is a vision beyond that of individual men who wish to make themselves as rich as kings and emperors of former days.

No matter how much money they have it is unlikely that they or their descendants will be able to flee to another planet if this one is irrevocably ruined.

A new consciousness is arising. To continue to live -- and for our descendants to live -- humanity needs to reconsider the ideas of domination and endless "conquering" and begin to see the sense of another idea: taking care and become actual rather than sham stewards of the earth and of the web of life.

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2295&autologin=true&s_src=3WDE1201A1B11&s_subsrc=enews_donors&JServSessionIdr004=qlefb0to24.app226a