Ecolog and Pew:
(Note: I probably will not be able to answer responses for a month or so.)
More good work from Pew!
I presume that this particular effort is part of a larger, more
comprehensive one, and I am looking forward to it results. Certainly
connecting self-interest to biodiversity preservation is an important part
of a sound strategy, but other considerations can perhaps add to its potency
and effectiveness. The fact that Nature provides medicine has been
emphasized in the past, and each effort has increased public consciousness
to some degree. Each additional step in that direction will further
illuminate this important aspect of biodiversity for those who already have
some appreciation for the importance of natural compounds to disease
control, and will alert additional people to the crucial need to avoid
needlessly destroying the sources of beneficial elements of the natural
world. And, using a case-history approach is an excellent way to make the
"message" more personal and closer to the individual as well as bring the
consequences of wasting living resources to public attention.
But the medium continues to be the message, in net effect. People do hear
the message--or at least they are affected by the medium, but they are so
assaulted by the avalanche of babble that the net effect is often as much a
sense of impotent futility and resignation as it is enlightenment and
movement to action. To compound the effects of such studies, this phenomenon
must first be neutralized. One way of doing that is a new kind of
communications/action medium.
WT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nadine Lymn" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 6:22 AM
Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Pew request re biodiversity and human health
Dear Ecologers,
Most policymakers and members of the media are not aware of the importance
of biodiversity to human health and welfare. The Pew Charitable Trusts is
taking the next step in this education process by working to give global
biodiversity conservation a compelling human dimension.
Pew is working to identify individuals across the country who have
benefited from medicines that were wholly or partially derived from
natural compounds. This could include Vincristine (childhood leukemia);
Vinblastine (Hodgkin's disease); Captopril (hypertention and heart
failure); Topotecan (various cancers); Irinotecan, Camptosar or CPT-11
(various cancers); Taxol (cancers); Rapamycin (antirejection therapy and
cancers); AZT (HIV); Neostigmine (glaucoma); or Protoveratrines
(hypertension).
If you or someone you know has benefited from one these drugs and are
willing to sign a group statement or speak either to the media or to
policymakers about the importance of protecting biodiversity, please
contact Julie Sherman at Pew (202-887-8820, [email protected]).
Help give the imperative of biodiversity conservation a human face.
Thanks,
Jeffrey Wise
Director, Global Conservation Initiative
Pew Environment Group | The Pew Charitable Trusts
202-887-8827 | [email protected]
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