Covergirl is Cruelty-Free Now

One of the things I'm grateful for today is that more companies are becoming cruelty-free and environmentally-conscious. It's always broken my heart that the majority of our major industries--beauty, housekeeping, etc.--aren't kind to our animal friends, and when I learned this morning that Covergirl had officially been Leaping Bunny certified, I was so excited. My mum and I have been writing to makeup companies for a long time asking them to eliminate animal testing from their production processes, and Covergirl is now the biggest cruelty-free makeup brand. I hope other brands follow in their footsteps. No animal should ever have to suffer in the name of beauty.

boredpanda.com 

petponder.com 

<3 <3 <3

Bunnies: Making the World a Better Place

I had a soul-changing experience the other day, and I'm not saying that lightly. We were taking the recycling out, and when we got to the top of the hill, we saw the world's smallest, cutest, and most innocent bunny.

Seriously. This bunny was so small that he wasn't even aware that there were humans everywhere. We of course pose zero threat to any animal life, but this bunny felt no fear. And immediately I realized that perhaps my highest calling in life is to just grow up and raise a bunch of bunnies/rabbits named after famous literary figures.

Has anyone else had a life-altering moment with a cute baby animal? I think part of my affection for rabbits is due to the fact that my mum raised me on Watership Down, Beatrix Potter, and Max & Ruby. 

This is not the bunny I saw, but it's adorable.

And speaking of bunnies, "bunny yoga" is apparently a thing! 

I hope that this was able to bring a little sunshine to your day :). Bunnies make the world a better place, and we need all the love and cuteness we can get right now because there's a lot out there that's really quite tragic.

<3 <3 <3 

Friday: Groundhogs, Dresses, and Humanitarianism

Yesterday was Groundhog Day, dears!  And little Phil saw his shadow, which supposedly means six more weeks of winter, but I'm not so much interested in his forecast as I am in his adorableness.  That said, often times I wish Phil were able to have the life of an everyday groundhog with a family and a little burrow of baby groundhogs instead of being subjected to flashing cameras and newscasters.  If only Beatrix Potter's world were real . . .
This video gets us pretty close, though.  My mum sent it to me the other day while I was studying, and it really did increase my productivity!  Cute baby animals have a way of doing that ;).

The SAG Awards were Sunday night.  I didn't even realize that until I heard people talking about the dresses and winners on Monday.  We don't watch our television much, but I liked getting to see everything recapped in the news, and some of our favorite looks are featured below (pics from POPSUGAR).  Fashion news is a nice break from all the sadness that's been everywhere lately.  Speaking of which--if you're reading this, I highly suggest you look into the International Rescue Committee or the Sierra Club or any of the other organizations that support humanitarianism and the environment.  It's so important that people take individual action to make the world a better, safer place for everyone!!

What were some of your favorite looks from the night?  

Are there any organizations you think need some extra support right now?  What about causes?

Now, watch those baby groundhogs one more time ;).

<3 Frances

Good News for Animals

Getting up at 5:55 AM instead of 5:15 AM makes such a difference.  It's not something I'll be able to do again in the near future during the work week, but I'm grateful for the extra sleep today because of so. many. tests.  Something else I'm grateful for?  Fake skin!  Okay, that sounds odd, but what I'm talking about is the fake skin being produced as a substitute for animals in product testing. 

MatTek grows its own human skin, and then sells it to companies that want it—companies that make laundry detergent, makeup, toilet bowl cleaner, anti-aging creams, tanning lotion.  Without lab-grown skin, these companies would be testing products on animals, usually rabbits, shaved to expose patches of naked skin. This practice is straight-up illegal for cosmetics in Europe now, and increasingly ethically dubious everywhere else.  (Sarah Zang)

Isn't it awesome that science is being used to save animals now instead of to hurt them?  While my favorite products are the ones that are natural and don't need intensive testing, I'm excited about the possibility of all companies being able to abandon animal testing practices and use synthetic skin instead.  Science for the win this time!

That's our happy news for the day.

<3 Frances

Meet Cholita

A few weeks ago, I posted about bears and the abuse so many of them endure in the wildlife trade, in entertainment, and in the bear bile industry.  Well, today I want to introduce you to Cholita.  Cholita is an Andean bear (like Paddington!) who spent much of her youth in a circus where she underwent such severe trauma that all her fur fell out. Her teeth were broken claws and fingers were removed, too, and by the time Peruvian authorities took her from the circus to place her in a zoo, she was so scarred and hurt that finding a safe forever home for her was impossible for ten years.  Animal Defenders International rescued her early last year and, after several months of rehab, she journeyed to Taricaya Ecological Reserve.  Lush and full of wildlife, Taricaya is worlds apart from the five-foot-by-five-foot cage in which Cholita used to live.

Watching Cholita, my heart breaks because it's clear that, even though she's in such a sweet home now, it's clear that she's still in a lot of pain just because of the scars of her past.  She still doesn't have the toes of her front paws, and she'll never be able to reclaim the years of her childhood that were stolen from her.  I imagine her as a baby being taken from her mum and from her natural habitat, and it's almost too horrible to think about. There are animals just like Cholita all over the world--animals who could've grown up with families and rain and sunshine and trees but who instead end up confined to metal bars and cold, hard floors.  But the good thing is that it doesn't have to be this way for them!  Cholita was rescued.  All it takes to save the animals like her is action by people who really truly care.

<3 Frances

For the Love of Bears

It's Monday again, and I'm breaking away from homework (and the morning rush to work) to share about something that not a lot of people know about: Europe's "saddest bears."  I didn't learn about them till just last week, but since learning about them, I've felt devastated.  In Albania, there are 50 bears living in small cages (like in the photo by Hazir Reka shown above) by entertainment sites--restaurant, fairs, etc.--and they're shackled and exploited.  These bears are deprived of nature and friendship and any opportunities for happiness, and they make up part of the global population of bears that are horribly mistreated. My brother is reading Search for the Golden Moon Bear by Sy Montgomery right now, and what he's learned about the "bear bile industry" is frightening.  Bears in Vietnam are kept on farms where their bile is extracted so it can be sold, and many of them have even had their paws cut off.  It's difficult to go into more detail without breaking down and crying.

A former bile bear. Photo by Bogdan Baraghin. 

If you're moved by the bears, too, please sign this petition from the Four Paws animal protection organization. It urges the Albanian government to enforce protections on wildlife and put more restrictions on bear captivity. Albania recently announced it will begin building a bear sanctuary next year, and this petition aims to convince the Albanian government to do even more for bears. 

<3 Frances

Talking About Elephants

In the midst of last week's craziness, I somehow missed the fact that August 12tth was World Elephant Day.  But elephants should be celebrated every day, right?  So let's make today World Elephant Day Part II, for those of us who couldn't make it to Part I.
When I was little, elephants were right up there with dinosaurs and Peter Pan as a favorite subject, and I still remember reading Lizzie the Elephant over and over again with my grandmother and lining up my plastic elephant figurines along the side of the bathtub.  Elephants represented all that I held most dear to me--love, family, empathy, sticking together--and the selfless, unwavering compassion and strength of female elephants reminded me of my mum and grandmother.  But I also knew that the elephant world was full of tragedy. I have fuzzy memories of a documentary movie, watched late one Friday night after my mum got home from another six-to-six shift, in which a baby elephant got separated from his mother and couldn't find her before the poachers got to her.  And then there was Dumbo, that tearjerker of a child's film that made me cry every time I watched it.


From National Geographic's Michael Nichols: an elephant mother, her babies, and
the orphans she's caring for

 

Not my meme. Just my feelings.

Dumbo, of course, is an animated Disney film, but elephants in the real world are being abused in circuses, and in the wild, they're facing habitat destruction and hunting. (The whole ivory industry and everything it's willing to do for money is a nightmare....read this.)  I did a project this year on elephants as a species/threats to their survival/etc., and, even though I knew a lot of the stuff already just from the news and living with my former-environmental lawyer mum, it was still disturbing to see just how dire the situation is for so many elephants--especially because their situation closely reflects the situations of thousands of other animals (like rhinos...and pandas....and polar bears).  The truth is that, despite all our efforts to help them, animals are really struggling, and their lives won't get better unless we make major changes.  I know you've heard this before, but I can't help but to reiterate it because it is *so* important that things get better before it's too late.  Right now, the trend is for animals on the IUCN Red List to become increasingly endangered and then eventually extinct. Numerous species had this happen to them recently: the passenger pigeon, the Caribbean monk seal, the Pyrebean ibex . . . it's a list that's way too long.  But what if we could REVERSE the trend? What if, instead of animals becoming more endangered over time, they actually became less endangered?  Wouldn't that be AWESOME?  Easy answer: yes.  Yes, it would.  Habitat destruction, pollution, and overhunting are all major threats to Earth's little loved ones, but the human race, as it is unfortunately behind these threats, has the power to put an end to them and actually change the world for the better.  Our individual actions and voices may seem insignificant sometimes, but, when it comes to these sorts of issues, doing anything is better than doing nothing.  If we ignore what's going on, we're going to open our eyes one day and realize elephants (etc.) are gone and that it's too late to save them.  If we open our eyes TODAY, though, we can prevent that future from happening.


<3 Frances

Sloth Sanctuary Sunday

Oh, my goodness, guys, this is SO ADORABLE!  The Costa Rica Sloth Sanctuary is one of the best places on the planet, and it's the focus of today's happiness break.  There's a lot of stuff going on in the world right now (like this scary news about global warming), but the Sloth Sanctuary is, as its name suggests, a reminder that there are still things to be happy about.  I mean, how can you not feel happy looking at these baby sloths?  There's just too much cuteness.

Copyright R Richardson

The Sloth Sanctuary was founded in 1992 to help the injured and orphaned sloths of Costa Rica. Threatened by habitat destruction, their lives depend on people recognizing just how important it is to protect them and preserve their homes.  Aside from being really cute, they're also key members of their rainforest biomes, and their fur even acts as its own ecosystem.  Can't get enough of them?  Check out this video about a little sloth named Velcro:

 

 

I hope this little happiness break was able to nourish your soul in some way today <3.  It's important to feed yourself positive things.  They're what we need to make the world a better place because they give us goals.  Instead of just acknowledging climate change and deforestation, we need to know what we can do to fix it, and it's crucial that we visualize a positive outcome to work towards.  Having more places like the Sloth Sanctuary would be a good place to start.

<3 Frances



 







Keeping Squirrels Safe

This post has a somewhat random title, I know, but its message is really quite relevant. Every day, I see animals that have been run over and hit in the road, and it breaks my heart to know that people have just left them there to die.  It's particularly traumatizing in neighborhoods, where people should be driving cautiously but somehow have managed to hit everything from squirrels to kittens. Driving safely is incredibly important not only for us humans but also for those around us.  So many animals could be saved if we were more conscious while driving.  And those that have been hit could be saved if people took the time to learn about wildlife rescue resources.  My mum witnessed a very upsetting incident yesterday that involved a squirrel being injured by a minivan, and it's so important that people be aware of wildlife rescue services in their area so that injured animals can get help and be rehabilitated.  Keep your local wildlife rescue service's phone number in your wallet so you can use it whenever you need to, and check out PETA's guide to helping animals hit by cars:

If you ever see an animal lying on the side of the road, don’t assume that he or she is dead! Here’s what you should do:

Remain calm. Be sure to note your exact location, including the closest mile marker if you’re on a highway.

If it’s safe to do so, immediately and carefully pull over and put your hazard lights on. Be extremely cautious and aware of the traffic around you.

Always be cautious when stopping to check on an animal lying on or near the road.

Determine if the animal is dead or alive.

Is the animal stiff? This would mean that he or she has been dead for some time.

Is the animal breathing? With furry animals, the wind can fool you, so look carefully. Observe the animal’s chest and abdominal area for movement. If an animal is still warm to the touch but you can’t see him or her breathing or any other movement,  gently pinch a back toe to see if the animal pulls away. If safe to do so, you can also gently position your finger against the corner of the animal’s eye to see if he or she blinks.

Do not attempt to move injured animals without assistance from a trained individual. Some animals could be rabid, putting you in danger—and many animals, including dogs and cats, are more likely to bite if they’re in pain or frightened.

An animal control officer picked up this dog after she was hit by a car and injured.

If you think an animal might still be alive or if you see an animal run away after being hit, call your local animal-control agency or police dispatch. If you can’t reach a live person, call 911. Calmly state your emergency:

I’ve just found an injured animal who has been hit (state your location) and is still alive. This animal is suffering badly and needs help. Can you please send an animal-control officer right away? I’m pulled over in a (describe the make and model of the car you’re in) and will stay with the animal until help arrives.

Most importantly, do not leave the animal. What if the officer can’t find him or her? Or what if the officer never shows up, and the animal is left to suffer? Stay with the animal until a professional arrives. 

Foxes, raccoons, deer, and other wild animals deserve to be free from suffering, just as the animals we share our homes with do. If you couldn’t imagine your injured dog or cat lying helpless on the side of the road, please show compassion to other animals by stopping to check on them.

Obviously, it's important to stay safe, so remember not to touch animals because they may be rabid.  But don't just leave them there, either. Do your best to get them the help they need.  It'll make the world a better place!

<3 Frances

Sustainable Style

Hi, everyone!  Welcome to another week. Sometimes I look at the date and wonder, "Where is time going?" But then when I'm sitting with my textbook open doing a homework assignment, time feels to be going rather slowly, so I suppose it's all relative, isn't it? 
I'm excited today to be writing about sustainability and how it relates to (wait for it) fashion!  Yes, this subject is a lot lighter than the melting polar ice caps and global poverty--two very major issues that deserve significant attention but can also be rather depressing. One of the biggest "traps" that can prevent people from taking action against global issues like climate change is full-out gloomy pessimism, and it's important to look at inspirational things to get the "let's save the world" juices flowing.  I know a lot of these brands are expensive and that I myself probably couldn't afford many purchases, but they're nevertheless inspiring and represent a positive movement in the stylesphere.

Awamaki
Founded in 2009, Awamaki helps to empower women living in the Peruvian Andes by providing them with economic opportunities based on the beautiful textiles that they make.  Because of the sustainable materials used and the emphasis on local art over big industrial production, Awamaki is good for the environment and for the artisans involved/their communities.  Plus, the clothes and textiles (which are sold under the "Awamaki Lab" brand) are gorgeous.

 

 

Auralis Herrerro

When she was just starting out in the fashion industry, Auralis Herrerro decided it was time to make a change.  "The fashion industry is responsible for so much of the pollution in the world," she said. Inspired by this sentiment, the 28 year-old started her own green company.  She uses materials that are organic and recycled and not processed with chemicals, and many of her designs are inspired by life in her homeland of Puerto Rico. 

 

Noonan for NY Daily News

 

Vaute Couture

With a "V" for vegan, Vaute Couture was founded by lifelong animal-lover Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, and it was the first vegan brand to be included in New York Fashion Week.  With one of its initial goals being to make a warm winter coat free of animal cruelty, Vaute has exceeded expectations and truly made a name for itself in the fashion industry as a leader not only in the style world but also in the anti-animal cruelty world.  Yay!

 

 

 

 

Interested in seeing more eco-style brands?  Check out the list from EcoSalon.

 

  

<3 Frances

 



 





Happy Spring!

Spring is officially here!  Yay!  It may be cold and rainy this morning, but I'm excited just thinking about the warmer days and pretty flowers ahead.  I love winter and autumn, but after the holidays things can get a little bleak, and the sunshine is always welcome.  To get the season started off on the right foot, here are some rather generic pictures of baby animals in nature.  As always, photo creds to their respective photographers.

<3 Frances

Happy Leap Day

Happy Leap Day!  It's amazing to think that "February 29th" didn't exist last year, but, given that it's here this year, why don't we try to make the most of it?  I spent yesterday studying like crazy for the SAT (with a short Oscars break thrown in around dinnertime), and, while the studying continues today, it's also very pretty outside, so I'm trying to focus on more than just school/work/work/work and to reduce stress. I know I've posted about this before, but cortisol isn't something you want to be living on. Cortisol shouldn't be your primary energy source!  It's a backup reserve saved for situations that demand it--not for round-the-clock pick-me-ups.  Fortunately, if you've been running on cortisol, today is a great day to try to get grounded again.

“According to numerology the number 11 possesses the qualities of patience, honesty, spirituality, sensitivity, intuition and is idealistic and compassionate. Those people who are drawn to 11, operate on a different level of energy than most, and when two people come together who both have this type of energy it’s almost combustible. 11:11 is the universe’s way of urging us to pay attention to our heart, our soul and our inner intuition. It’s serving as a wake-up call to us so that opportunities are not missed in this lifetime.”

 ~ Kate Rose, Elephant Journal

See?  View today as a day to connect with yourself and your intuition and inner creativity so you can find JOY in things again as opposed to just going through the daily motions.  And if you're looking for something to make you smile, here's a video of Mobula Rays belly flopping:

<3 Frances 

P.S.  Today is the last day for donations to Smile Train to have 5x the impact!  That means a $10.00 donation becomes $50.00!  www.smiletrain.org

Super Sweet Story: Girl Befriends Crows

I have always loved crows. They hold a somewhat spiritually significant place in my heart, and whenever I see them, I think of my grandmother.  When my mum found this story, then, I was incredibly moved by it.  Eight year-old Gabi Mann lives in Seattle and used to drop food on the ground when she was little, which drew the attention of local crows.  Noticing this, she eventually began leaving food intentionally, and over time she developed a relationship with the birds.  They even started giving her gifts!  Anyone who knows about crows knows that they cherish all the little trinkets they collect, so the fact that they've started sharing with Gabi is amazingly sweet, and so far they've given her everything from beads to bolts.  It's adorable that they have this friendship. Reading about it is a good way to start a Friday.  For more, see this BBC article.

<3 Frances 

Cuteness to Make You Feel Better

There are a lot of difficult things going on in the world, but in order to help make the planet a better place for everyone, it's important that we not forget about the good things, like fennec foxes and babies laughing hysterically at ripping paper.  Here's some cuteness to bring a little light to your Friday. 

That baby doll's expression just makes me so happy!

<3 Frances

Cuteness Break!

There is something about looking at pictures of cute little animals that makes the world seem like a much better place.  It's like you can connect so deeply with the image of a baby albino koala that whatever else is going on in your life can't hurt you.  All there is anymore are you and that baby albino koala, together, sharing a moment.

<3 Frances 

Cute Animals to Improve Your Life

There is a lot of sadness in the world, but baby animal pictures can give us hope for a better future.  They also increase productivity, and the color green in nature is supposed to make you feel happier and more peaceful.  I know looking at green in the real world is the best way to experience its benefits, but seeing it in an image can work, too, especially when that image includes a smiling hedgehog (is that a toy or is it a real hedgehog?) and jumping kittens.

 

 

 

 

 

<3 Frances