This Earth Day binder features a small female green frog with a yellow belly sitting among the grasses at the pond. She seems lonely as if she is waiting for her Prince Charming to appear. The text on the spine reads: Think green. It can be customized or removed.
The natural Green Leaf Yin Yang Poster makes a unique gift for a naturalist or environmentalist for a birthday, holiday or Earth Day. This custom nature themed ying and yang poster features a green symbol of peace and harmony - yin yang - with a leaf print in it.
Spring into spring with this springy and fun design! Add your own text or customize other options.
Green Leaves by Bebops
Sometimes I think Earth Day is the most important holiday of all. If we don't give our planet the love she deserves, everything else will sooner or later go down the drain. We need daily reminders of the fragile beauty we all depend on. So I decided to run this blog to share Earth Day items I have created in my online store , Bebop's Place, using my original photographs and designs.
I am also constantly amazed at the wonderful products available from the rest of the Zazzle community and plan to showcase some of the best! I am hoping others will see this blog and will be moved to purchase some of these lovely items in support of our fragile planet.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
This mug features a lively katydid. Katydids are medium-sized to large insects. They are usually green, sometimes with brown markings, and are camouflaged to blend with the leaves they feed on. Their very long antennae distinguish them from grasshoppers. Seen up close, they seem to be aliens from outer space! The image is repeated on the left, center and right sides. The text reads: Think Green! It can be customized or removed.
Show your environmentally conscious side wearing this dark t-shirt featuring a green world and the words: "GOOD to be GREEN"
A close-up, detail photo of a freshly opened Hosta leaf back-lit by the spring sunshine. Inside, says simply, "Happy Earth Day!" which is a changeable template!
Show your environmentally conscious side wearing this dark t-shirt featuring a green world and the words: "GOOD to be GREEN"
A close-up, detail photo of a freshly opened Hosta leaf back-lit by the spring sunshine. Inside, says simply, "Happy Earth Day!" which is a changeable template!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
This Earth Day Liberty water bottle features an adorable brown cottontail rabbit in the fluffy white snow asking the world to: Please think green! The text can be customized or deleted.
Here's a hat with grass textured Earth Day text and map.
What with global warming, pollution, and other unknown environmental problems, some species are disappearing. Though the disappearance of bees would have more disastrous implications for life on earth than the lack of honey, this funny saying uses humor to remind people that the bees are indeed disappearing.
Here's a hat with grass textured Earth Day text and map.
What with global warming, pollution, and other unknown environmental problems, some species are disappearing. Though the disappearance of bees would have more disastrous implications for life on earth than the lack of honey, this funny saying uses humor to remind people that the bees are indeed disappearing.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
This hat features a brown cottontail rabbit huddled in the snow. Wear it for Earth Day or any time of year. The text reads: Respect the Earth. It can be customized or removed.
A stylized recycle symbol surrounds the planet earth on this beautiful coffee mug. Design ©Shannon Workman
Whitewaves said, "Even if I didn't believe in the green movement I'd use a canvas tote. It makes shopping so much easier and I don't have a dozen plastic bags to recycle when I get home. Easier all around".
A stylized recycle symbol surrounds the planet earth on this beautiful coffee mug. Design ©Shannon Workman
Whitewaves said, "Even if I didn't believe in the green movement I'd use a canvas tote. It makes shopping so much easier and I don't have a dozen plastic bags to recycle when I get home. Easier all around".
Monday, March 5, 2012
This Earth Day tote bag features a Pine Siskin who seems to be talking to a male goldfinch (although he has a sunflower seed in his mouth). His message is: Earth Day - Every Day. The text can be customized or removed.
As with the Polar Bears which prey on them, marine mammals such as the Ringed Seal are threatened by the changes caused by climate change to the Arctic ice pack. Named for the ring-shaped marks on their coats, the Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida) is the most abundant and wide-ranging ice seal in the northern hemisphere: ranging throughout the Arctic Ocean, into the Bering Sea and Okhotsk Sea as far south as the northern coast of Japan in the Pacific, and throughout the North Atlantic coasts of Greenland and Scandinavia as far south as Newfoundland, and include two freshwater subspecies in northern Europe. Ringed seals are one of the primary prey of polar bears and have long been a component of the diet of indigenous people of the Arctic. Marked decreases in Ringed Seal abundance are likely to have cascading effects in Arctic food webs. The Ringed Seal serves an indicator of ecological change in the Arctic, due to its dependence upon annual sea ice. Ringed seals are . They are born from mid-March to mid-April and weaned prior to break-up in June. The distribution of Ringed Seals in the world is shown below : During the lactation period, young seals spend half their time on top of the ice and half underwater, where they are hunted by polar bears. In order to protect themselves from predators and rear their young, ringed seals make snow lairs on the surface of sea ice. Those in the thin snow layers are more susceptible to attack than those in the thick layers. The abundance and the stability of ice is very important for the success of the young seals. If the ice continues to decline due to climate change, young seals will be forced to swim in open water at an early age, causing them to expand more energy and be vulnerable to attack. In addition, the ice is also needed to rest, after the weaning period, which is essential for their development. Sea ice reduction due to climate change can move the ranges of the Ringed seals further north and would affect their feeding seasons, fertility, and survival. Drift ice created by increasing temperatures can also move up the ranges of harp seals and increase hooded seals off West Greenland, affecting the equilibrium already established between the native populations in that area. The decline in the populations of Ringed seals is also affecting the population of their predator – the polar bear. Polar bears prey almost exclusively on ringed seals, and most often kill their pups which depend on sea ice for survival. In addition to polar bears, humans also have been hunting the Ringed seals for centuries. Not only are they a source of food for most coast-dwelling northern people, they are also a source of income. Thousands of Ringed seals are harvested and traded for fur annually by the Inuit and other people of the Arctic Basin. Other Threats Warmer ocean temperatures are also more likely to cause an increase in pathogens that affect the Ringed seals. And a migration of Ringed seals to find more stable habitats can increase the spread of these pathogens, which might even lead to an epidemic of a disease. In addition, as temperatures warm, there will be more human presence in the Arctic region, with shipping, fishing, agriculture, and oil extraction. This will further degrade Ringed seal habitats and reduce the availability of their food, such as fish. In fact, sick and dead ringed seals started showing up in July (2011) on the Beaufort Sea coast near Barrow, the country's northernmost community. Strandings were reported as far west as Point Lay and Wainwright on the Chukchi Sea. The affected animals had lesions on hind flippers and inside their mouths. Some showed patchy hair loss and skin irritation around the nose and eyes. Stricken live seals were lethargic, allowing people to approach. Necropsies on the dead ringed seals found fluid in lungs, white spots on livers and abnormal growth in brains. Symptoms, but no deaths, were also observed in Pacific walrus. At first it was thought that radiation released from the Fukushima nuuclear reactors in Japan might be the cause. That has been shown not to be the case. Immune system diseases, fungi, man-made and bio-toxins, contaminants and stressors related to sea ice change may be the cause. Research has combined scientific observations with Canadian Inuit traditional knowledge to how killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Arctic eat and behave. An increase in hunting territories available to killer whales in the Arctic due to climate change and melting sea ice could “seriously affect the marine ecosystem balance.” Killer whales have recently started colonizing Hudson Bay They are top predators that affect the behavior of their prey, causing them to run away, dive deep or try to hide among sea ice. Orcas eat everything from schools of small fish to large baleen whales, over twice their own size. Smaller mammals seek refuge in shallow waters or on shore, and larger prey run away, dive deep, or attempt to hide among the ice. Even narwhal, will run to shallow waters and wait until the whales give up.
Green Planet Live Green Cup/Mug.
As with the Polar Bears which prey on them, marine mammals such as the Ringed Seal are threatened by the changes caused by climate change to the Arctic ice pack. Named for the ring-shaped marks on their coats, the Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida) is the most abundant and wide-ranging ice seal in the northern hemisphere: ranging throughout the Arctic Ocean, into the Bering Sea and Okhotsk Sea as far south as the northern coast of Japan in the Pacific, and throughout the North Atlantic coasts of Greenland and Scandinavia as far south as Newfoundland, and include two freshwater subspecies in northern Europe. Ringed seals are one of the primary prey of polar bears and have long been a component of the diet of indigenous people of the Arctic. Marked decreases in Ringed Seal abundance are likely to have cascading effects in Arctic food webs. The Ringed Seal serves an indicator of ecological change in the Arctic, due to its dependence upon annual sea ice. Ringed seals are . They are born from mid-March to mid-April and weaned prior to break-up in June. The distribution of Ringed Seals in the world is shown below : During the lactation period, young seals spend half their time on top of the ice and half underwater, where they are hunted by polar bears. In order to protect themselves from predators and rear their young, ringed seals make snow lairs on the surface of sea ice. Those in the thin snow layers are more susceptible to attack than those in the thick layers. The abundance and the stability of ice is very important for the success of the young seals. If the ice continues to decline due to climate change, young seals will be forced to swim in open water at an early age, causing them to expand more energy and be vulnerable to attack. In addition, the ice is also needed to rest, after the weaning period, which is essential for their development. Sea ice reduction due to climate change can move the ranges of the Ringed seals further north and would affect their feeding seasons, fertility, and survival. Drift ice created by increasing temperatures can also move up the ranges of harp seals and increase hooded seals off West Greenland, affecting the equilibrium already established between the native populations in that area. The decline in the populations of Ringed seals is also affecting the population of their predator – the polar bear. Polar bears prey almost exclusively on ringed seals, and most often kill their pups which depend on sea ice for survival. In addition to polar bears, humans also have been hunting the Ringed seals for centuries. Not only are they a source of food for most coast-dwelling northern people, they are also a source of income. Thousands of Ringed seals are harvested and traded for fur annually by the Inuit and other people of the Arctic Basin. Other Threats Warmer ocean temperatures are also more likely to cause an increase in pathogens that affect the Ringed seals. And a migration of Ringed seals to find more stable habitats can increase the spread of these pathogens, which might even lead to an epidemic of a disease. In addition, as temperatures warm, there will be more human presence in the Arctic region, with shipping, fishing, agriculture, and oil extraction. This will further degrade Ringed seal habitats and reduce the availability of their food, such as fish. In fact, sick and dead ringed seals started showing up in July (2011) on the Beaufort Sea coast near Barrow, the country's northernmost community. Strandings were reported as far west as Point Lay and Wainwright on the Chukchi Sea. The affected animals had lesions on hind flippers and inside their mouths. Some showed patchy hair loss and skin irritation around the nose and eyes. Stricken live seals were lethargic, allowing people to approach. Necropsies on the dead ringed seals found fluid in lungs, white spots on livers and abnormal growth in brains. Symptoms, but no deaths, were also observed in Pacific walrus. At first it was thought that radiation released from the Fukushima nuuclear reactors in Japan might be the cause. That has been shown not to be the case. Immune system diseases, fungi, man-made and bio-toxins, contaminants and stressors related to sea ice change may be the cause. Research has combined scientific observations with Canadian Inuit traditional knowledge to how killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Arctic eat and behave. An increase in hunting territories available to killer whales in the Arctic due to climate change and melting sea ice could “seriously affect the marine ecosystem balance.” Killer whales have recently started colonizing Hudson Bay They are top predators that affect the behavior of their prey, causing them to run away, dive deep or try to hide among sea ice. Orcas eat everything from schools of small fish to large baleen whales, over twice their own size. Smaller mammals seek refuge in shallow waters or on shore, and larger prey run away, dive deep, or attempt to hide among the ice. Even narwhal, will run to shallow waters and wait until the whales give up.
Green Planet Live Green Cup/Mug.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
This Earth Day magnet features the incredible luna moth, a lime-green, Nearctic Saturniid moth in the subfamily Saturniinae. With a wingspan of up to four and a half inches, this lovely creature ranks as one of the largest moths in North America. This adult moth has just emerged from the cocoon and is waiting on the bark of a tree trunk to dry and harden. The adults do not eat or have mouths. They live for only one week and emerge as adults only to mate. With lime green color and distinctive eyespots this is a very mysterious, magical looking being.
Caring about our planet is beneficial for all forms of life, and this green shirt supports charity since the artist donates 100% of her profits on this item to support wildlife rescue and rehabiltation, primarily through World Wildlife Fund and Orangutan Foundation International.
This actual NASA photo of Earth shows how global warming has increased the temperature of the planet in recent years. You help get the "save our planet" message out when you display this global warming bumper sticker on your car, laptop, or other usable surface.
Caring about our planet is beneficial for all forms of life, and this green shirt supports charity since the artist donates 100% of her profits on this item to support wildlife rescue and rehabiltation, primarily through World Wildlife Fund and Orangutan Foundation International.
This actual NASA photo of Earth shows how global warming has increased the temperature of the planet in recent years. You help get the "save our planet" message out when you display this global warming bumper sticker on your car, laptop, or other usable surface.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
This Earth Day t-shirt features a Red Eft, the terrestrial juvenile stage of the Eastern Newt (or Red-Spotted Newt). This curious orange fellow with red spots has just emerged from the pond to spend two or three years on land before heading back to the water as a full grown salamander. The text can be customized to suit your needs or removed.
Proud to be Green Frog Large Tote Bag
Proclaim your environmental views with stamps!
Proud to be Green Frog Large Tote Bag
Proclaim your environmental views with stamps!
Friday, March 2, 2012
This Earth Day liberty water bottle features four adorable African Penguins standing on a rocky ledge. They are aquatic, flightless birds whose wings have become flippers. Each has a black stripe and black spots on the chest. The pattern of spots is unique for every penguin, just like human fingerprints. They have pink glands above their eyes and pink and black feet. They are asking us to: Please think green! The text can be customized or removed.
This Earth Day 2012 Logo is imprinted on an organic T-shirt. The logo helps remind us of the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling to create a cleaner world.
Vibrant Indian Paintbrush wildflowers to celebrate Earth Day and keep the earth laughing. A unique mouse pad for celebrating this beautiful earth we live on and to remind us of our responsibility for our environment. Photo used with permission from Steve Janiszewski. Original art and design by Anura Design Studio 2010.
This Earth Day 2012 Logo is imprinted on an organic T-shirt. The logo helps remind us of the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling to create a cleaner world.
Vibrant Indian Paintbrush wildflowers to celebrate Earth Day and keep the earth laughing. A unique mouse pad for celebrating this beautiful earth we live on and to remind us of our responsibility for our environment. Photo used with permission from Steve Janiszewski. Original art and design by Anura Design Studio 2010.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
She is our children's future. Let's treat her with respect!
Share your commitment to reduce consumption of our resources with this durable and sustainably made messenger bag as you tote your sundries. 50% of profits from this design will go to The Nature Conservancy as well to make your impact go even further!
The plight of the polar bear is so dire due to the shrinking of sea ice crucial to its habitat that some scientists are musing about moving them to a "last ice area" in the high Arctic. The belief is that polar bear survival is reaching a tipping point because of the retreating sea ice. What will you do to help save our polar bears?
Share your commitment to reduce consumption of our resources with this durable and sustainably made messenger bag as you tote your sundries. 50% of profits from this design will go to The Nature Conservancy as well to make your impact go even further!
The plight of the polar bear is so dire due to the shrinking of sea ice crucial to its habitat that some scientists are musing about moving them to a "last ice area" in the high Arctic. The belief is that polar bear survival is reaching a tipping point because of the retreating sea ice. What will you do to help save our polar bears?
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
This Earth Day binder invites you to enter a green leafy world of peace and serenity. Dark maple leaves frame the image, leading to a sunny woodland scene with shades of yellow, white and forest green. The text reads: Earth Day. Customize it to suit your needs or delete it for a simple design.
A reminder of why we should tread softly on our earth. There are so many great things happening in this regard, lets keep it going.
Earth Day Shirts, Earth Day T-Shirt, Earth Day Every Day, Retro Tree Organic T-shirts. Celebrate Earth Day with cool Earth Day Shirts and More. Pine tree with rainbow every day Earth Day Shirts.
A reminder of why we should tread softly on our earth. There are so many great things happening in this regard, lets keep it going.
Earth Day Shirts, Earth Day T-Shirt, Earth Day Every Day, Retro Tree Organic T-shirts. Celebrate Earth Day with cool Earth Day Shirts and More. Pine tree with rainbow every day Earth Day Shirts.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
This Earth Day card features a Pine Siskin who seems to be singing to a male goldfinch although he has a sunflower seed in his mouth! They are standing in the snow on a sunny winter day illuminated by a golden light. A smaller image is inside on a pale yellow gradient. All text can be customized for your special occasion.
Green abstract tree with some heart-shaped leaves and caption Live Green.
This stamp features a photo of a Great Blue Heron fishing in a misty morning pond. Text says "Earth Day April 22". Matching cards are available! This particular stamp should be ordered in medium or large size for best results.
Green abstract tree with some heart-shaped leaves and caption Live Green.
This stamp features a photo of a Great Blue Heron fishing in a misty morning pond. Text says "Earth Day April 22". Matching cards are available! This particular stamp should be ordered in medium or large size for best results.
Monday, February 27, 2012
This Earth Day card features a delicate brown white-tailed deer grazing through the grass of an open field. She has stopped and turned her head because she heard a noise. Her big ears are alert. The face has white markings around the eyes and nose. She is surrounded by autumn colors of red, yellow, green, orange and gold. A smaller deer is inside. All text can be customized or removed.
Harp seals: creatures of Nature, children of Snow.
Show your environmentally conscious side wearing this dark t-shirt featuring a big green frog and the words: "GOOD to be GREEN"
Harp seals: creatures of Nature, children of Snow.
Show your environmentally conscious side wearing this dark t-shirt featuring a big green frog and the words: "GOOD to be GREEN"
Sunday, February 26, 2012
This Earth Day shirt features a young ruby-throated hummingbird asking the world to think green. He has not yet developed the ruby coloration on his throat. He is sitting on a metal bar, ready to dive into the nectar from the flowers surrounding him. The background is a soft, lovely palette of pink, red, gold, yellow and green. The text can be customized to suit your needs.
Delightful Johnny Jump-up Viola Wildflowers to celebrate Earth Day and keep the earth laughing design on 1.5 inch journal binder. A unique meaningful gift for Earth Day or any day. Includes information, legends and lore of the Johnny Jump-up wildflower on binder back. All text may be personalized in template provided.
Show your support of local events by wearing this button proclaiming "Earth Day ... April 22". Text is superimposed over graphic of globe viewed from the north pole.
Delightful Johnny Jump-up Viola Wildflowers to celebrate Earth Day and keep the earth laughing design on 1.5 inch journal binder. A unique meaningful gift for Earth Day or any day. Includes information, legends and lore of the Johnny Jump-up wildflower on binder back. All text may be personalized in template provided.
Show your support of local events by wearing this button proclaiming "Earth Day ... April 22". Text is superimposed over graphic of globe viewed from the north pole.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
This Earth Day mug features the incredible luna moth, a lime-green, Nearctic Saturniid moth in the subfamily Saturniinae. With a wingspan of up to four and a half inches, this lovely creature ranks as one of the largest moths in North America. This adult moth has just emerged from the cocoon and is waiting on the bark of a tree trunk to dry and harden. The adults do not eat or have mouths. They live for only one week and emerge as adults only to mate. With lime green color and distinctive eyespots this is a very mysterious, magical looking being. The text reads: Think green. It can be customized to suit your needs.
Artistic stylized egret card, a great card for Earth Day, but you can customize the text and use it for other occasions as well!
This environmental t-shirt reminds us that it takes many helping hands to perserve the earth for future generations! You can share with the world how proud you are of keeping the earth clean when you wear this shirt!
Artistic stylized egret card, a great card for Earth Day, but you can customize the text and use it for other occasions as well!
This environmental t-shirt reminds us that it takes many helping hands to perserve the earth for future generations! You can share with the world how proud you are of keeping the earth clean when you wear this shirt!
Friday, February 24, 2012
This hat features a lively katydid. Katydids are medium-sized to large insects. They are usually green, sometimes with brown markings, and are camouflaged to blend with the leaves they feed on. Their very long antennae distinguish them from grasshoppers. Seen up close, they seem to be aliens from outer space! The text reads: Think Green! It can be customized or removed.
Show your support for the planet and get the pro environment message out with this "Please take care of the planet" postage stamp, featuring a little child saying "Please take care of the planet." Great stamps for Earth Day and every other day. These pro environment stamps make a thoughtful gift for an environmentalist or anyone who cares about the planet.
Turtles for Earth Day send a funny Earth Day message to all for conservation and ecology loving folk. Be Eco - Chic with this cool pro environment shirt.
Show your support for the planet and get the pro environment message out with this "Please take care of the planet" postage stamp, featuring a little child saying "Please take care of the planet." Great stamps for Earth Day and every other day. These pro environment stamps make a thoughtful gift for an environmentalist or anyone who cares about the planet.
Turtles for Earth Day send a funny Earth Day message to all for conservation and ecology loving folk. Be Eco - Chic with this cool pro environment shirt.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
This Earth Day liberty water bottle features four adorable African Penguins standing on a rocky ledge. They are aquatic, flightless birds whose wings have become flippers. Each has a black stripe and black spots on the chest. The pattern of spots is unique for every penguin, just like human fingerprints. They have pink glands above their eyes and pink and black feet. They are asking us to: Please think green! The text can be customized or removed.
Here's a postage stamp with world globe and orbiting grass textures Earth Day text.
This mousepad celebrates a green way to travel. Alma says: "I learnt to ride the bike when I was six. It was my father's bike in fact. He used to hold me from behind until the glorious moment that I managed to keep my balance on that big bike."
Here's a postage stamp with world globe and orbiting grass textures Earth Day text.
This mousepad celebrates a green way to travel. Alma says: "I learnt to ride the bike when I was six. It was my father's bike in fact. He used to hold me from behind until the glorious moment that I managed to keep my balance on that big bike."
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
This poster gives us a message we just can't afford to ignore. She is our children's future. Let's treat her with respect.
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A mother Ringed Seal, her pup; and a plea to be careful with our fragile planet. As with the Polar Bears which prey on them, marine mammals such as the Ringed Seal are threatened by the changes caused by climate change to the Arctic ice pack. Named for the ring-shaped marks on their coats, the Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida) is the most abundant and wide-ranging ice seal in the northern hemisphere: ranging throughout the Arctic Ocean, into the Bering Sea and Okhotsk Sea as far south as the northern coast of Japan in the Pacific, and throughout the North Atlantic coasts of Greenland and Scandinavia as far south as Newfoundland, and include two freshwater subspecies in northern Europe. Ringed seals are one of the primary prey of polar bears and have long been a component of the diet of indigenous people of the Arctic. Marked decreases in Ringed Seal abundance are likely to have cascading effects in Arctic food webs. The Ringed Seal serves an indicator of ecological change in the Arctic, due to its dependence upon annual sea ice. Ringed seals are . They are born from mid-March to mid-April and weaned prior to break-up in June. The distribution of Ringed Seals in the world is shown below : During the lactation period, young seals spend half their time on top of the ice and half underwater, where they are hunted by polar bears. In order to protect themselves from predators and rear their young, ringed seals make snow lairs on the surface of sea ice. Those in the thin snow layers are more susceptible to attack than those in the thick layers. The abundance and the stability of ice is very important for the success of the young seals. If the ice continues to decline due to climate change, young seals will be forced to swim in open water at an early age, causing them to expand more energy and be vulnerable to attack. In addition, the ice is also needed to rest, after the weaning period, which is essential for their development. Sea ice reduction due to climate change can move the ranges of the Ringed seals further north and would affect their feeding seasons, fertility, and survival. Drift ice created by increasing temperatures can also move up the ranges of harp seals and increase hooded seals off West Greenland, affecting the equilibrium already established between the native populations in that area. The decline in the populations of Ringed seals is also affecting the population of their predator – the polar bear. Polar bears prey almost exclusively on ringed seals, and most often kill their pups which depend on sea ice for survival. In addition to polar bears, humans also have been hunting the Ringed seals for centuries. Not only are they a source of food for most coast-dwelling northern people, they are also a source of income. Thousands of Ringed seals are harvested and traded for fur annually by the Inuit and other people of the Arctic Basin. Other Threats Warmer ocean temperatures are also more likely to cause an increase in pathogens that affect the Ringed seals. And a migration of Ringed seals to find more stable habitats can increase the spread of these pathogens, which might even lead to an epidemic of a disease. In addition, as temperatures warm, there will be more human presence in the Arctic region, with shipping, fishing, agriculture, and oil extraction. This will further degrade Ringed seal habitats and reduce the availability of their food, such as fish. In fact, sick and dead ringed seals started showing up in July (2011) on the Beaufort Sea coast near Barrow, the country's northernmost community. Strandings were reported as far west as Point Lay and Wainwright on the Chukchi Sea. The affected animals had lesions on hind flippers and inside their mouths. Some showed patchy hair loss and skin irritation around the nose and eyes. Stricken live seals were lethargic, allowing people to approach. Necropsies on the dead ringed seals found fluid in lungs, white spots on livers and abnormal growth in brains. Symptoms, but no deaths, were also observed in Pacific walrus. At first it was thought that radiation released from the Fukushima nuuclear reactors in Japan might be the cause. That has been shown not to be the case. Immune system diseases, fungi, man-made and bio-toxins, contaminants and stressors related to sea ice change may be the cause. Research has combined scientific observations with Canadian Inuit traditional knowledge to how killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Arctic eat and behave. An increase in hunting territories available to killer whales in the Arctic due to climate change and melting sea ice could “seriously affect the marine ecosystem balance.” Killer whales have recently started colonizing Hudson Bay They are top predators that affect the behavior of their prey, causing them to run away, dive deep or try to hide among sea ice. Orcas eat everything from schools of small fish to large baleen whales, over twice their own size. Smaller mammals seek refuge in shallow waters or on shore, and larger prey run away, dive deep, or attempt to hide among the ice. Even narwhal, will run to shallow waters and wait until the whales give up.
A reproduction of a vintage photograph of a lake and mountain scene with a verse that was read as part of a United Nations Sabbath Program.
*************************************************************************************
A mother Ringed Seal, her pup; and a plea to be careful with our fragile planet. As with the Polar Bears which prey on them, marine mammals such as the Ringed Seal are threatened by the changes caused by climate change to the Arctic ice pack. Named for the ring-shaped marks on their coats, the Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida) is the most abundant and wide-ranging ice seal in the northern hemisphere: ranging throughout the Arctic Ocean, into the Bering Sea and Okhotsk Sea as far south as the northern coast of Japan in the Pacific, and throughout the North Atlantic coasts of Greenland and Scandinavia as far south as Newfoundland, and include two freshwater subspecies in northern Europe. Ringed seals are one of the primary prey of polar bears and have long been a component of the diet of indigenous people of the Arctic. Marked decreases in Ringed Seal abundance are likely to have cascading effects in Arctic food webs. The Ringed Seal serves an indicator of ecological change in the Arctic, due to its dependence upon annual sea ice. Ringed seals are . They are born from mid-March to mid-April and weaned prior to break-up in June. The distribution of Ringed Seals in the world is shown below : During the lactation period, young seals spend half their time on top of the ice and half underwater, where they are hunted by polar bears. In order to protect themselves from predators and rear their young, ringed seals make snow lairs on the surface of sea ice. Those in the thin snow layers are more susceptible to attack than those in the thick layers. The abundance and the stability of ice is very important for the success of the young seals. If the ice continues to decline due to climate change, young seals will be forced to swim in open water at an early age, causing them to expand more energy and be vulnerable to attack. In addition, the ice is also needed to rest, after the weaning period, which is essential for their development. Sea ice reduction due to climate change can move the ranges of the Ringed seals further north and would affect their feeding seasons, fertility, and survival. Drift ice created by increasing temperatures can also move up the ranges of harp seals and increase hooded seals off West Greenland, affecting the equilibrium already established between the native populations in that area. The decline in the populations of Ringed seals is also affecting the population of their predator – the polar bear. Polar bears prey almost exclusively on ringed seals, and most often kill their pups which depend on sea ice for survival. In addition to polar bears, humans also have been hunting the Ringed seals for centuries. Not only are they a source of food for most coast-dwelling northern people, they are also a source of income. Thousands of Ringed seals are harvested and traded for fur annually by the Inuit and other people of the Arctic Basin. Other Threats Warmer ocean temperatures are also more likely to cause an increase in pathogens that affect the Ringed seals. And a migration of Ringed seals to find more stable habitats can increase the spread of these pathogens, which might even lead to an epidemic of a disease. In addition, as temperatures warm, there will be more human presence in the Arctic region, with shipping, fishing, agriculture, and oil extraction. This will further degrade Ringed seal habitats and reduce the availability of their food, such as fish. In fact, sick and dead ringed seals started showing up in July (2011) on the Beaufort Sea coast near Barrow, the country's northernmost community. Strandings were reported as far west as Point Lay and Wainwright on the Chukchi Sea. The affected animals had lesions on hind flippers and inside their mouths. Some showed patchy hair loss and skin irritation around the nose and eyes. Stricken live seals were lethargic, allowing people to approach. Necropsies on the dead ringed seals found fluid in lungs, white spots on livers and abnormal growth in brains. Symptoms, but no deaths, were also observed in Pacific walrus. At first it was thought that radiation released from the Fukushima nuuclear reactors in Japan might be the cause. That has been shown not to be the case. Immune system diseases, fungi, man-made and bio-toxins, contaminants and stressors related to sea ice change may be the cause. Research has combined scientific observations with Canadian Inuit traditional knowledge to how killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Arctic eat and behave. An increase in hunting territories available to killer whales in the Arctic due to climate change and melting sea ice could “seriously affect the marine ecosystem balance.” Killer whales have recently started colonizing Hudson Bay They are top predators that affect the behavior of their prey, causing them to run away, dive deep or try to hide among sea ice. Orcas eat everything from schools of small fish to large baleen whales, over twice their own size. Smaller mammals seek refuge in shallow waters or on shore, and larger prey run away, dive deep, or attempt to hide among the ice. Even narwhal, will run to shallow waters and wait until the whales give up.
A reproduction of a vintage photograph of a lake and mountain scene with a verse that was read as part of a United Nations Sabbath Program.
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