Emily Bryson (She/Her)’s Post

Have you heard of the charismatic megafauna effect? Basically, animals and plants that are well-known or perceived to be cuter, cooler, or more like us get a huge majority of our attention...and our conservation efforts. (Think Polar Bears, Elephants, Dolphins). The charisma of an animal determines how likely it is to get conservation funding and research, rather than the level of its value to its environment... ("Level of value" meaning how likely would its ecosystem collapse if the species were removed--many traditionally popular animals are of course important, but don't fall into this category.) The solution here is to use charismatic megafauna as an intro to nature appreciation, not the end game--and to focus on locations rather than individuals: Caring about an ecosystem as a whole (especially your own local one) rather than individual species allows you to discover, learn, and care about new aspects of nature that wouldn't be on your radar otherwise. It gets you paying attention to plants and animals that need conservation efforts, are critical to their environments...and are maybe ugly or scary. I talk a little bit about this in my blog post about underappreciated animals: https://lnkd.in/dByMPqcs Do I mention any species that are in your own local environment?

Some relaxing summer content to celebrate the #InternationalCatDay 🐈 You can guess which cat is mine by the lovely stare in his eyes when he hears people don't know what #bioenergy is (spoiler he's in the second slide😁) Read more below to know why #pellet is a good option also for #cats! 👇

What if feeling warm and fuzzy is the feeling you get when you are connected to your Guides? When you were little did you carry a stuff animal? Did you have a special blanket, ya know a blanky? Why? How did it make you feel? What was that feeling? Can you describe it for me? Did you not feel so alone? Did you feel more brave? Did you find the world not as scary as long as you had your stuffy or blankey? Do you remember that feeling? Do you feel brave now? Do you try new things now? Do you go to new places now? Do you meet new people now? Let me ask you this? What's stopping you? Ahh. . . . Get out of your head. The head has no answers. And if you answered time and money, you'll have to go a little deeper. Seek little one. You're so close.💜It's time for you to learn how to connect with your Guides. Don't you find the world scary enough? P.S. Let me know if you carried a stuff animal or blanket? We are taking an informal survey? #connectedguides #warmfuzzy #innerchild #emotionalconnection #bravery #nostalgia #comfortobject

This birdhouse for bird seed in the winter is decades old. My father has repaired it many times. This season he had to overcome a new challenge. Where ever he put it, mice would come and eat the bird seed. He put it on the floor. Easy for mice. He put it in on a stick. Mice climbed up. He made the stick smooth. They would still climb up. He could have gotten frustrated. He could have doubted himself. He could have asked "why does it always happen to me?". None of that. He knew a simple thing: the system wasn't working. So he needed a new system. Ultimately, the birdhouse needed to be hung from a tree. Now it's safe and the birds merrily find their food. When it comes to us humans, including me, we often dive into our psychology when something doesn't work. "Why always me?", or "This kind of thing is not meant for me." But truly we can just look at it from a systems perspective. What's the system? Is it working? What's a better system? So when you develop some new year's resolutions, think about the systems you can put in place to support your commitment. My life has gotten so much simpler this year when looking at challenges as systems failures. Why don't you give it a try? PS: As usual, thanks go out to Steve Chandler and Trevor Timbeck for their brilliant book "The power of systems". Great read for 2025 if you don't know it yet!

Do you know domestic cockatiels live only 25 to 30 years while wild ones live only 14 to 15 years only. Of course the challenges! that will be your answer but do you know they can never live more than that even if they aren't hunted. Now! curious how this can be true and this might be a joke so that's nature. Learn more about it here: https://lnkd.in/dh83Ykw4

THE TEACHING OF THE DONKEY One day a farmer’s donkey fell into a well. The animal cried loudly for hours, while the farmer tried to find something to do to get him out. Finally, the farmer decided that the donkey was old and the well was already dry and needed to be covered anyway; that it really wasn't worth pulling the donkey out of the well.. He invited all his neighbors to come help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to throw dirt into the well. The donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly loud. Then, to everyone's surprise, he quieted down after a few shovelfuls of dirt. The farmer finally looked down into the well and was amazed at what he saw... with each shovelful of dirt, the donkey was doing something incredible: It was shaking off the dirt and stepping on top of the dirt. Very soon everyone saw surprised how the donkey reached the mouth of the well, went over the edge and trotted out... Life is going to throw dirt at you, all kinds of dirt... the trick to getting out of the hole is to shake it off and use it to step up. Each of our problems is a step up. We can get out of the deepest holes if we don't give up... Use the land they throw you to get ahead!!! Remember the 5 rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hate. 2. Free your Mind of distractions. 3. Simplify your life. 4. Give more and expect less. 5. Love more and... shake the dirt, because in this life you have to be a solution, not the problem! #Wisdom #SolutionOriented #Overcomer #DonkeyWisdom #ConceptToReality #RichardCollymore

What if feeling warm and fuzzy is the feeling you get when you are connected to your Guides? When you were little did you carry a stuff animal? Did you have a special blanket, ya know a blanky? Why? How did it make you feel? What was that feeling? Can you describe it for me? Did you not feel so alone? Did you feel more brave? Did you find the world not as scary as long as you had your stuffy or blankey? Do you remember that feeling? Do you feel brave now? Do you try new things now? Do you go to new places now? Do you meet new people now? Let me ask you this? What's stopping you? Ahh. . . . Get out of your head. The head has no answers. And if you answered time and money, you'll have to go a little deeper. Seek little one. You're so close.💜It's time for you to learn how to connect with your Guides. Don't you find the world scary enough? P.S. Let me know if you carried a stuff animal or blanket? We are taking an informal survey? #connectedguides #warmfuzzy #innerchild #emotionalconnection #bravery #nostalgia #comfortobject

This Happy Cat Month, we’re sharing tips for how to keep your cat happy and healthy. Tip #1: Don’t stress your cat out by introducing them the wrong way. Here’s how to introduce your cat to other animals and people. --> https://lnkd.in/e8hk2j7u

Do you feel like things aren't going so well, that you aren't reaching your potential? Maybe, just maybe, it's not you. Maybe you just aren't in the right environment. The famous blobfish, so aptly named, voted the world's ugliest animal back in 2013, is a victim of being judged in the wrong environment. It's a deep-sea fish that lives at a depth that would crush a human being, but it is adapted perfectly for where it lives. And guess what, down there it just looks like a normal fish, it can hunt, reproduce, thrive, do all the fishy things it wants to do. There's no reason to expect the blobfish to be its majestic self after being dragged up nearly 4,000 feet from its home. Its form, previously held together by the water pressure, collapses, unable to maintain its shape under vastly unfavourable conditions. So, I guess the message is, if you are feeling like a blobfish out of water, finding a place where you can be yourself could make a huge difference to how you perform. Don't underestimate how much impact your work environment can have on your future. Don't get dragged into the wrong environment and end up a gelatinous mess. Find the right fit for you and you will thrive as who you are. Also I really think we need a blobfish emoji. It's a vibe. #Blobfish #JusticeForBlobfish #WorkEnvironment #Thriving #GelatinousMess

Raccoons are some of the most clever and resourceful creatures you'll encounter! Here’s a closer look at these curious critters... 👇 🌟 Master Climbers: Raccoons are excellent climbers and can easily scale fences, trees, and even the exterior of houses to find food or shelter. 🌟 Dexterous Paws: Their nimble paws can open jars, turn doorknobs, and manipulate latches. This dexterity helps them access food in even the most secure trash cans. 🌟 Night Owls: Raccoons are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. They have excellent night vision and rely on their keen sense of touch to navigate in the dark. 🌟 Omnivorous Diet: Raccoons are not picky eaters. They consume a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, insects, small animals, and even human leftovers. 🌟 Curious and Intelligent: Known for their curiosity and problem-solving abilities, raccoons are quick learners and can remember solutions to puzzles for years. Stay informed and wildlife-free! 🏡✨ Critter friend giving you trouble? ☎️224-431-7956 #furbusters #mchenrycountyil #lakecountyil #wildliferemoval #squirrelseason