Banking on the Future!

Banking A dirty word this weekend with the run on Northern Rock and now Alan Greenspan predicting doom and gloom for the UK property market is around the corner.

Well, I want to expose a different type of bank. One that uses the latest technology for the good of mankind and the planet.

Bio-Resource Banks

Go to the website of the San Diego Zoo and read about their amazing projects to preserve the species of flora and fauna that are endangered through global warming and mankind's greedy exploitation of every natural resource this planet offers.

http://cres.sandiegozoo.org/index.html

Cres or Conservation and Research for Endangered Species and similar projects are the Noah's Ark of the future. CRES covers 6 key areas;

1.Sustainable Populations
Uniting field and laboratory studies to ensure the long-term viability of captive and wild populations

2.Bioresource Banking
Preserving the legacy of life on Earth by maintaining, utilizing, and sharing genetic resources in support of conservation

3.Wildlife Health
Enhancing the health and well being of captive and wild populations through innovative diagnostics and research

4.Habitat Conservation
Protecting, studying, and managing the natural areas that support plant and animal communities

5.Restoration Biology
Revitalizing functional ecosystems by restoring species to the wild

6.Conservation Education
Inspiring change by educating and motivating people to take action that will protect and nurture the natural world

I was reading on the BBC website about the murder of 9 mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo (1% of the remaining animals worldwide) and how the real reason behind it was deforestation for charcoal. A vicious circle of course, Deforestation - Carbon Dioxide increase - Global Warming - Climate Change - and the people seeking the charcoal experiencing drought and flood on unprecedented scale!

This raises the question of how we can change lifestyles outside of the Internet world, where life is savage and hard? I am afraid I doubt we can in time to save the gorillas and so the work of projects like CRES present the greatest opportunity for these animal's long term survival - when they can be re-introduced into a world inhabited by more educated human beings than this generation.

Tip of the Day: Get a dishwasher - and reduce co2 35% less co2 emission if used full and on a low temperature setting than washing dishes by hand. Hooray !

Denny