Let Your Inspiration Lead The Way. a.k.a. How Film Score Can Help Animals

UPDATE: I've since gathered my thoughts more coherently on this topic for Hello Giggles. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Here are a couple of truly magnificent bits of score from Disney's "The Rescuers Down Under". I'm not ashamed to admit that flight, especially, makes me cry. It's okay to stay sensitive about the things that matter to you. Please let the art you love lead to actions, but let's start with the art...

I've been thinking of that scene so much lately. Something about it inspires me and reconnects me to my childhood self who wanted so desperately to help animals. I blame my wonderful parents and Star Trek IV.

If you followed your geeky passions to their through line, where would they lead? What do you love and why and how can you use that to impact the world around you? (I've done some more brain work on this one too.)

Here's a little secret. When humans work together to help animals, the humans benefit as well. We're sometimes told a false narrative that we need to help humans before animals, when the truth is, we can do both simultaneously! Working together to make a healthier eco-system for animals has massive benefits for nearby communities, affecting everything from water supply to food availability to jobs.

I feel such a strong connection to animals and I always have. As a kid, I started an activist "company" (those are air quotes, in case you were wondering) in my basement for dolphin safe tuna. My mom let me talk to managers at grocery stores if they didn't sell dolphin safe tuna, I made posters and wrote whaling companies about dolphin safe nets and even got the neighbor kids involved! It's time to find that spirit again. I deeply regret ever losing it.

First, check out this astounding video about how a pack of wolves changed the course of a river...trophic cascades are active in every part of the world. If we can work together to restore that balance, everyone wins! After that, I'll talk a little bit more about the human part.

There are so many organizations that need your help right now as protections for animals, the environment and humans are being eradicated day after day. We, as citizens, are not powerless. We can pour into existing organizations that already have a working knowledge of how to help.

The Sierra Club

The World Wildlife Foundation

And there are always local rescues who desperately need your help. Google animal shelters in your area. One of my favorites in Orlando is A Better Life Pet Rescue.

Poaching is one way impoverished people can provide for their families. Very often, they don't want to poach, there is simply a lack of alternatives. In places all over the world, on top of anti-poaching laws, there are also programs that work to help transform poachers into guardians. This helps the impoverished take care of their families and protects the animals. 

This video is so important and I want to encourage you to watch it. It begins with a heartening rescue of a baby elephant, by ex-poachers. After that, there is some disturbing material, so if you're sensitive like me and already informed, you may want to turn it off. If you're still not convinced that changes can be made to benefit humans and animals simultaneously, I beg you to watch this. Afterward, you'll be rewarded with more Disney!

But seriously, remember when we were kids and the whole world was telling us that it was okay to care? Well, it still is. Find the part of you that watched this as a kid and felt something. Just try...

And stay educated. PBS, in particular, has some really wonderful programming. Nature is my fave! They're doing a series right now called "Spy In The Wild" that sheds new light on animal behavior.

What do you watch, listen to or read to remember your heart? What are some of the best nature programs on TV right now? What organizations do you partner with? Please share in the comments!