Attention! Stampeding black elephants…

Black Elephant

“Black Elephant”

The New York Times of 22 November 2014 makes us aware of the black elephant phenomenon that has been discussed at the World Parks congress in Sydney recently.

A black elephant is:

“a cross between ‘a black swan’ (an unlikely, unexpected event with enormous ramifications) and the ‘elephant in the room’ (a problem that is visible to everyone, yet no one still wants to address it) even though we know that one day it will have vast, black-swan-like consequences.”

 

Let’s think about the state of our world. Do we (want to) realize what is going on? Do we (want to) act upon it? What can we do? Please find the insightful article of Thomas Friedman via this link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/opinion/sunday/thomas-l-friedman-stampeding-black-elephants.html

Conservation is self-preservation.” (Adrian Steirn)

TEDxLeiden 2014: ABUNDANCE

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TEDxLeiden2014_4

Photos by Rienke Wiersma

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Theme of the day: ABUNDANCE

TED talks are all about “ideas worth sharing”. Or as the moderator of this TED conference in Leiden, Joep Stasse, said: “sharing ideas from the stomach, the heart and the mind”. It was a very inspiring day! It made us realise once again that we live in an abundant world indeed.

 

Some key take aways:

 

* Conservation is not charity. Conservation is business. Restoration industry.

Restoration brings 4 returns:

  1. Inspirational capital
  2. Social capital
  3. Natural capital
  4. Financial capital

(Willem Ferwerda)

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National Geographic Junior

For my Dutch speaking friends:

 

the November 2014 edition of the Dutch National Geographic Junior magazine is out now!

 

With a great “Dare to explore” story on Yaya’s (ranger/guide in Bukima) and Anita’s (as reporter) visit to Virunga’s mountain gorillas.

NGJ NOV2014

NGJ NOV2014

NGJ NOV2014 front page

NGJ NOV2014 front page