Kitten heels, Cubans, sandals, wedges, wingtips, canvas high tops, punk boots, ballet flats, Oxfords, pumps, espadrilles, lace-ups, cut-outs, peep-toes, steel-toes, slip-ons, running shoes, jellies, stilettos… is your heart racing, too? There’s no way around it: shoes do far more than protect our feet from sharp stones: they’re sculptures, works of art with the power to change how we look and feel. They don’t just make the outfit, they make the mood, and what’s more they convey that mood to people around us. Our shoes help us feel confident, sexy, whatever we happen to want, and then display that in bold 36-point high-definition text to everyone who sees us.
Joaquin Phoenix, more than a brilliant actor, he’s an amazing vegan and animal activist!
Excerpted from One Green Planet:
Joaquin Phoenix left the SAG awards on Sunday January 19 to visit pigs in a slaughterhouse. Phoenix went to the Farmer John Cloughtery Packing Company with Los Angeles Animal Save, according to People.
Phoenix, the award winning actor and animal rights activist, went with the group to support pigs at the slaughterhouse. Phoenix was filmed in a video that was posted to Facebook by Jane Velez-Mitchell. In the video he said, “Most people don’t really know of the torture and murder in the meat and dairy industry. I’ve seen it for what it is, so I have to be here.”
Read more at One Green Planet
Quote of the Day
“I thank you, God, for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.”
―
HSI responders saving koalas, kangaroos and other animals in wildfire-ravaged Australia
Before the fires, Kangaroo Island was home to an estimated 46,000 koalas; it is now estimated that only 9,000 remain. Above, HSI’s Kelly Donithan with a rescued koala. Photo by Jo-Anna Robinson/AP Images for HSI
The Humane Society International rescue team’s reports from Australia’s Kangaroo Island describe an “apocalyptic” scene. Once a critical wildlife habitat celebrated the world over for its pristine wilderness, Kangaroo Island has been ravaged by the recent bushfires, with at least 600 square miles of land destroyed. I traveled to the island on assignment with HSI in 2000, and was moved to see the kangaroos and koalas thriving in the wild. Sadly, these memories have now been replaced by images of scorched landscapes and terrible animal suffering and loss. I’m proud of our expert disaster responders who are giving their all to help animals who have survived the catastrophe.
Quote of the Day
“Life is liking riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” ~ Albert Einstein
How to Help the People of Australia from USA Today
If your heart is breaking for the people and animals of Australia, here are some ways you can help the people, and please see earlier post, how to help the animals: excerpted from USA Today.
Business owners stand in front of their shop destroyed by a bushfire in Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia by Sean Davey.
Fire departments: In both Victoria and New South Wales, two of the states hardest hit by the blazes, you can donate directly to the state fire authority or to a local fire brigade, many of which are volunteer-based. “Experience tells us that donation of money is much more effective and provides more flexibility than the donation of material items or pre-loved goods,” the Victorian Country Fire Authority says on its website. For fire departments in Victoria, donate at cfa.vic.gov.au. For departments in New South Wales, donate on the government’s website here.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service has also set up bank accounts to collect donations for the families of volunteer firefighters who have been killed while on duty. Donate at rfs.nsw.gov.au.
Victorian Government: The Victorian Government, in partnership with Bendigo Bank and The Salvation Army, has established a fund for affected families and communities. According to the government’s website, an advisory panel will recommend where funds are distributed. More at vic.gov.au/bushfireappeal.
Australian Red Cross: Since July, the Australian Red Cross has assisted more than 18,600 people affected by the fires, according to its website. The organization says that it is currently supporting thousands of people in evacuation centers and recovery hubs. Learn more about where your money goes and donate at redcross.org.au.
(The American Red Cross is also accepting donations for bushfire relief efforts. More at redcross.org.)
First Nations Communities: Musician and community rights advocate Neil Morris, a Yorta Yorta man, has created a GoFundMe page to provide “culturally sensitive, specific direct support” to First Nations Communities displaced by the fires. Donations – which have reached nearly $600,000 – fund temporary relocation costs, basic amenities, resettling expenses and more. Learn more at au.gofundme.com.
GIVIT: Australian nonprofit GIVIT is collecting donation items requested by people affected by the fires. Items range from dog food to fencing materials. Read about what’s needed and donate at givit.org.au/disasters.
Housing: If you live in Australia, you can offer up your home as emergency housing for people displaced by the bushfires. Learn more at cfa.vic.gov.au.
