Have
you recently made a donation to a conservation project or charity? If
so, you've probably noticed that your email is now chock-a-block with
demands for money from every single conservation organisation on the
planet. Sign up to the World Rescue Fund for the conservation of
poodles and before you know it you are being asked to save the
whales, save the donkeys, save the pandas, the rain forests, the
badgers, the flatulent gibbons of Patagonia and Donald Trump's hair.
All of
which of course are noble and valid causes, with exception of the
flatulent gibbons. We just made that up.
Anyway.
Farting monkeys aside. We all know that even the most committed of
conservationists can become a bit jaded by the endless stream of
charities , projects and societies, making ever more hysterical
pitches for cash.
Which
is why we are a little reluctant to bring to your attention another
project that needs a little of your hard earned cash. The trouble is
that this particular project is, we feel, one of the most important
of its kind and it really does need your help.
Back
in 2006, filmmaker Rob Stewart brought the horrific problem of shark
finning to a global audience in his ground breaking documentary
Sharkwater.
Teaming
up with Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Organisation, Rob exposed
the horror, greed and criminality at the heart of the trade in shark
fins and in the process became involved in sea battles with shark
poachers, gun boat chases, Mafia gangs. Espionage and attempted
murder charges.
The
documentary went on to win twenty three international film awards and
brought the plight of sharks into the cinemas and living rooms of
communities around the world. The resulting public outcry led
directly to the banning of shark fining throughout much of the world
and spawned a movement to protect sharks Now however Rob is trying
to raise more funds via kickstarter to gain support for a new film
due for release in 2017. Sharkwater Extinction is described as “a
quest to find 80 million
missing sharks, revealing a multi billion-dollar scandal that
implicates us all in the greatest wildlife massacre ever known.”
It
is a story of how our fear of sharks and complacency as consumers has
let sharks be slaughtered and turned into lipstick, moisturiser, pet
food, livestock feed, fertiliser and even fast food sandwiches. With
a major focus of the film being the cosmetics industry — people
will be shocked to learn they’ve been smearing sharks on their
faces!
The
film has the backing and support of Sea Shepherd and a great many
others but sadly with just a few days left of Rob's Kickstarter
campaign, he is still short of the required goal of $150,000
So if
you can help, please visit the kickstarter page by clicking here and
make a pledge. If you can't help and we understand that not all of us
can, please spread the word so that others that "can" might be made
aware of the opportunity.
If on
the other hand you are more worried about the lack of pungent air
in Patagonia or Donkeys and badgers etc. We apologise for taking up
your precious time and wish you the best of luck in saving whatever
it is you're saving.
Thanks.
Update July 20th 2016 - Thanks to all those who pledged your support, Rob has now surpassed the $150,000. As of 15:45 GMT the total pledged has reached over $173,000.... Excellent effort guys!
