This is a Valentine’s Day message to my JGI and R&S family. I am sure some of you know the feeling of wondering, hoping, that on this special day you would receive a gift or a card from someone you care about. It is a day for thinking about those you love. And I think all of us love nature.
As you all know our world is in trouble environmentally. We are plundering the finite natural resources of our beautiful planet in a way that is not sustainable and we are polluting air, earth and water. We are destroying forests and other ecosystems, which is one of the main reasons for the alarming rate of extinction of plant and animal species.
Why am I reminding you of all this on this special day? Because the natural world is desperately hoping for a Valentine’s Day gift from each one of us.
A traditional gift to a loved one is flowers. But let our gift to nature be to protect her flowers that they may provide nectar for bees and other pollinators. Let us give nature the gift of a native tree planted; an animal rescued. On this day make ethical choices in what you buy and what you eat and wear.
Let us give a Valentine’s Day donation to an organization of our choice that is working to protect nature or one that is working to help animals. You could purchase a chimpanzee guardian package from JGI for example.
Let us make this Valentine’s Day truly special by showing how much we love and appreciate the natural world, of which we are a part and on which we depend for our very existence. And, of course, show how much you love that special person, or special people, in your life.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Love,
Jane
