Join us in the Buffalo Zoo’s “Bundle Up For Polar Bears” Initiative! February 27 – March 16, 2012

Buffalo, NY – The Buffalo Zoo, in conjunction with the conservation group Polar Bears International (PBI), invites the Western New York community to participate in this year’s national “Bundle Up For Polar Bears” initiative!

Beginning on International Polar Bear Day (February 27), the Zoo is asking schools, organizations, businesses and families to turn down the thermostat by two degrees on one or more dates between February 27 and March 16 to lower carbon emissions and help save polar bears. Participants are invited to “bundle up” in their favorite warm clothing to help raise awareness on this worldwide conservation issue.

Reducing our carbon footprint can slow and even reverse climate changes, which cause sea ice to melt. Sea ice is a necessity for polar bears as they use it for hunting.

“Bundle Up For Polar Bears” was launched by the Buffalo Zoo in 2011. Schools in multiple Districts registered to participate in last year’s event. The event was so popular that Polar Bears International is helping the event go national in 2012!

Help us make this year’s project even bigger and better! Schools, organizations, businesses and families can register to participate by sending an email to tvanderwerf@buffalozoo.org. In the email, please state the name of your organization/school/family, the number of people participating and the date of participation. After you participate, you are also invited to upload your Bundle Up photos to http://www.flickr.com/photos/buffalozoo so others across the country can see the involvement of Western New Yorkers in this program.

The Buffalo Zoo and Polar Bears International thank you for doing your part in helping to save polar bears!

Reflections

Reflections (Monday, October 17, 2011)

I’ve barely been back in Buffalo, NY for 24 hours. Already, I miss the sounds of the waves rolling along the rocky shores of the Hudson Bay, the Arctic winds blowing across my face and the delight of catching glimpses of some of the most uniquely beautiful wildlife species I have ever seen. 

I have been asked about my experiences, and for the most part, I’ve received positive reactions. I have also already heard someone say he doesn’t know what good it will be to reduce his carbon footprint when it will result in forcing a bear to be held in captivity when it should be in the wild. 

I realize that the length of my postings may have possibly overwhelmed people, especially since all of us have busy lives and can’t always dedicate as much time as we would like to reading about this issue. For what it’s worth, this was just a chance to share what I experienced and what I learned. It gave me the opportunity to further delve into detail about the issues facing the Arctic.  

To make it simple, these are the points that stuck out most to me throughout this experience:

-          It is incorrect to discredit climate change on the basis that there is a random cold snap in a normally warm area. Climate change isn’t measured in rare occurrences. The definition of climate change is that it is an AVERAGE of climate fluctuations that occur over LONG PERIODS OF TIME. (The term “weather” refers to conditions in short periods of time.)

-          The controversy over climate change isn’t really a scientific debate—it has become more of a political issue in recent years in terms of how to address it.

-          The Canadian government is turning to accredited U.S. zoos that meet the required Manitoba Standards for help in saving their polar bears.

-          The natural habitat for polar bears (sea ice) is disappearing or forming late. It is becoming harder for polar bears to have enough time to hunt seals. If they are unable to bulk up enough, the polar bears are not surviving throughout the months during which they’re forced to fast.

-          There are ways that we, as individuals, can help make a difference. Also, by working TOGETHER (instead of against each other), we’ll have a bigger impact.

Here are some simple things that I have either already done or am planning to do to help reduce my carbon footprint:

-          Recycle in any way I can (plastics, glass, reuse items when possible, etc.)

-          Purchase recycled products (to complete the circle and help increase the demand for these products)

-          Purchase local products (food, etc.)

-          Shop with recyclable/reusable totes (instead of acquiring more plastic bags)

-          Purchase Energy Star appliances

-          Install eco-friendly showerheads

-          Use energy efficient lightbulbs such as compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)

-          No idling in cars, trucks, etc.

-          Wash laundry in cold water

-          Adjust my thermostat accordingly to the season—when possible, I won’t blast the air conditioner in the summer or the heat in the winter

-          Unplug electronics not in use—this includes unplugging my cell phone cord from the wall when my phone isn’t charging

I will do my best to help share these ideas with others, and I will be sure to continue to add more actions to my list. This is just a start! Please be sure to continue to visit the Buffalo Zoo to see what we’re doing to be more eco-friendly. We’re continuing to build on our efforts as we move forward, too!

From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of you for reading my postings. While I don’t expect everyone to agree with everything I stated, I hope this at least serves as a new beginning for ALL of us. I learned so much from this experience, and you know what? I still have a long way to go. Right now, there doesn’t seem to be a perfect solution. I view our earth as a precious gift, and I’m only trying my best as an individual to do what I can to help make a difference. 

I hope you will join me in some of these actions, and I certainly encourage you to come up with your own ideas that may better suit you and your family. 

On behalf of my fellow Arctic Ambassadors, we thank you for your support!

Days 6 & 7

Days 6 and 7 (Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16, 2011)

Yes, that’s right—I’m combining two days of daily postings...and that’s because most of us received one extra day in Canada! Unfortunately, the circumstances that enabled this to happen weren’t really that fun. We were scheduled to fly from Churchill to Winnipeg on Friday. However, flights were cancelled due to the dense fog in the area. Because we were unable to make it to Winnipeg Friday night, most of us missed our flights home on Saturday. I have to admit, though, that this was a mixed blessing because of what we got to experience instead!

Before we were scheduled to depart for the Churchill airport on Friday, PBI had arranged for us to have some time in the town of Churchill itself. We started at Parks Canada Visitor Centre, which taught us more about the area’s archaeological and natural history. We were also able to view some artifacts from the Hudson Bay Trading Company, as well as from some of the First Nations. Afterward, we were permitted to do a little shopping. It was a great chance to talk to some of the locals and see some of the artwork that was created in the area. I was also fascinated by the Eskimo Museum, which houses one of the world’s largest collections of Inuit carvings. 

While we walked through town, we also made sure we stopped at the large complex that houses an indoor playground, gymnasium, ice rink, pool, school, library, movie theatre and a couple of restaurants. It was amazing to see how much was actually contained inside the complex, which was designed to be a huge community center that provided a place for people to gather. The complex serves its purpose—it offers relief from the cold winters…and helps to keep people safe from polar bears!

We made our way to the airport and then waited for a few hours. There was a glimmer of hope that we would be able to depart to Winnipeg because our plane had already arrived. However, we needed a full flight crew in order to depart. The flight attendant who was scheduled to be on our plane was on a flight that ended up being diverted because they couldn’t land in Churchill. We were going to spend the night!

I have to give PBI all the credit in the world for scrambling to find places for 25 people to stay. Because of PBI’s great reputation in the area, some people were willing to offer up places for us to stay. PBI also recently purchased a home, but work was still being completed on it. Instead, the teens stayed with their chaperones in one home and had a big slumber party! PBI staff members called all over town for hotel rooms for the adults. Most rooms were booked since other groups visiting Churchill weren’t able to catch their flights either. However, the found a few available rooms, and all of us divided up in teams to go stay in the hotels around town. You know what this meant, of course—we got to take showers!!!  I feel asleep pretty quickly after that!

Everything about our trip suddenly began coming around full circle. At 5:30 a.m., my fellow Arctic Ambassadors heard cracker shots and a horn honking. Officer Bob Windsor was on duty, and he was chasing a polar bear out of town. The Polar Alert System was in place…and it worked. (Unfortunately, yours truly was out cold during all of the excitement.) 

We made it to the airport and boarded our flight to Winnipeg where some of us would have to stay overnight since we missed our early morning flights home. Of course, nothing was going to keep us down after the amazing experience we just had in Churchill! We ended up going to the Assiniboine Park Zoo…and once again saw how things we learned during our PBI Leadership Camp were coming together.

It is the Assiniboine Park Zoo that is currently constructing the Journey to Churchill habitat. This exhibit also includes the $6 million International Polar Bear Conservation Centre that will provide opportunities for academic research on the Arctic environment and polar bear conservation. Public education programs will also be offered. Of even more significance to the Arctic Ambassadors…this will serve as the polar bear rescue and relocation network for orphaned or injured animals. Opening in 2013, this is the facility from which accredited U.S. zoos that meet the required Manitoba Standards will receive their bears. When one stops to think about why it has to be constructed in the first place, it was a little sad to see. However, it was also exciting to see that construction of the facility is underway because it is already serving as a symbol of the conservation efforts being made.

BUFFALO ZOO AND POLAR BEARS INTERNATIONAL GIVE FIRST LOCAL PAW OF APPROVAL AWARD TO NICHOLS SCHOOL

Buffalo, N.Y. – The Buffalo Zoo, in conjunction with Polar Bears International (PBI), has awarded its first annual “Paw of Approval” Award to Nichols School. On April 27, Buffalo Zoo President and CEO, Dr. Donna M. Fernandes, and Polar Bears International (PBI) President and CEO, Robert W. Buchanan presented the Paw of Approval Award to Head of School, Rick Bryan, who accepted the Award on behalf of Nichols during a presentation that also included one of the School’s fifth-grade classes.

PBI launched the Paw of Approval Award program in 2010. This honor recognizes businesses and organizations that make a conscious effort to reduce their carbon footprint by introducing initiatives to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This year, PBI expanded the program by reaching out to its Arctic Ambassador Centers, like the Buffalo Zoo, to acknowledge local organizations who are putting conservation measures at the forefront of their plans.

Nichols School was selected as the recipient of the Award for taking great strides in reducing its carbon footprint through the Big Green Initiative, a wide-ranging approach to campus sustainability, focusing on campus energy, materials, land and water use. Projects resulting from this initiative include conserving resources, composting food scraps, natural landscaping and incorporating sustainability education into its curriculum. The initiative promotes environmental literacy and sustainability education by involving all aspects of the School community.

Nichols also opened the Class of 1963 Center for Mathematics and Science in January 2010. The 24,000 square-foot facility boasts a sustainable design and numerous eco-friendly features. Among these are: a green roof, tinted window glass, south facing hallways, energy efficient lighting, concrete floors, reused desks and tables, a rain garden, energy saving sinks and toilets, hand dryers and sensor lighting.

The Award given to Nichols consists of a framed, limited-edition polar bear photograph by Daniel J. Cox of Natural Exposures.

“The PBI Paw of Approval Award recognizes environmental leadership within our community,” said Fernandes. “We’re very proud to announce Nichols School as our first recipient.”

“We are honored to be recognized for our environmental sustainability efforts with the Big Green Initiative,” said Bryan. “We weave this consciousness into daily life and curriculum at Nichols – from our Upper School students who study environmental science and lead projects such as composting – to our fifth-grade students who visit the Zoo annually and work on projects applying what they experienced during that trip.”

The Buffalo Zoo was also a recipient of an award during the presentation. Buchanan presented the Zoo with PBI’s inaugural Champion of Polar Bear Award in recognition of the Zoo’s excellence in polar bear conservation.

“The Buffalo Zoo’s community outreach has been invaluable in informing, empowering and motivating the public to take action to reduce their carbon footprint,” Buchanan said.

Buchanan said that sea-ice losses in the Arctic threaten polar bear survival. Polar bears rely on the sea ice to hunt, breed, and, in some cases, to den. According to PBI’s Senior Scientist Steven C. Amstrup, however, it’s not too late save polar bears and their sea-ice habitat by significantly reducing CO₂.

“The research shows that hope remains,” Buchanan said, “but it also shows that we must act quickly. Zoos like the Buffalo Zoo can play an important role in informing and inspiring the public. That’s why we’re pleased and proud to recognize the Buffalo Zoo’s achievements.”

The Buffalo Zoo is part of PBI’s network of Arctic Ambassador Center Zoos. These centers focus on animal well-being and enrichment, take a leadership role in stewardship and carbon reduction efforts in their communities, and participate in PBI polar bear research efforts. They also take part in PBI outreach programs including:

· Leadership Camps on the tundra for teens, zookeepers, and zoo educators that focus on polar bears and a warming Arctic

· Tundra Connections broadcasts, which link scientists and educators in the field during the polar bear migration with students in remote classrooms

“We have been very proud to partner with PBI on a number of projects, including most recently ‘Bundle Up For Polar Bears’ in the public schools and ‘The Bear Minimums’ for area families,” Fernandes said. “Our relationship with PBI has enabled us to have even more resources to help us spread the message of polar bear conservation.”

During his stay in Buffalo, Buchanan also met with Fernandes, the Zoo’s Board of Directors and other Zoo staff members, which include alumni from these programs.

“Our ongoing relationship with the Buffalo Zoo is important to us—and to the polar bears,” Buchanan said. “Zoos like the Buffalo Zoo have the ability to reach hundreds of thousands of people with their conservation message.”

About Nichols School

Nichols School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school serving grades 5 through 12. Located in Buffalo, N.Y., Nichols is non-denominational, with 558 students from across Western New York and Southern Ontario, as well as several international students. The dedicated faculty is focused on preparing students to thrive in the global community of the 21^st century. Students develop strong work ethic, integrity and responsibility in their academic, social and personal lives. Founded in 1892, Nichols is accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools. Visit www.nicholsschool.org.

About the Buffalo Zoo

Founded in 1875, the Buffalo Zoo is the third oldest zoo in the United States. Each year, the Buffalo Zoo welcomes more than 400,000 visitors and is the most visited cultural attraction in Western New York. Located on 23.5 acres of Olmsted's beautiful Delaware Park, the Buffalo Zoo houses approximately 1,200 endangered and domestic animals and offers visitors a variety of events and educational programs year-round. The Buffalo Zoo’s philosophy is to exhibit animals and plants in naturalistic settings that represent their native habitats. The Zoo is dedicated to providing visitors with a better understanding of nature, including how animals relate to each other, their environment and to humankind. For more information, visit www.buffalozoo.org.

About Polar Bears International

Polar Bears International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the worldwide conservation of the polar bear and its habitat through research, stewardship, and education. Visit their web site to learn more about their programs at www.polarbearsinternational.org.