While you wouldn’t actually want to put this shark in your pocket, it would fit there. But that’s not how it got its name – it was so-named because it actually has pocket-like glands near the pectoral fins. And, it squirts a bio-luminescent liquid from them to attract prey!

This shark is remarkable not only because of its size (5.5 inches long) or the glow-in-the-dark liquid it produces, but also because it is so rare. In fact, only two have ever been found. In separate oceans. The findings highlight the amazing biodiversity of Earth and how much more there is to learn. And, how much there is to protect.

“…the climate crisis has already been solved. We already have all the facts and solutions. All we have to do is to wake up and change.” (Greta Thunberg, November 2018)

Last Friday was the day of the global climate strike. I was both thrilled and dismayed by the events of the day. First and foremost, I was awed as I watched the news feeds that morning. MILLIONS of people all over the world gathered, marched, and made their voices heard. Streets were packed with strikers. Voices were heard. The movement is growing.

But. It still has a long way to go. Many people I talked to that day didn’t know about the climate strike. The strike I attended only had about 300 people. The vibe was strong and the message clear, but there simply weren’t that many people there. Then I watched the national news. The story about the NFL football player who doesn’t know how to treat people was three stories ahead of the news about the GLOBAL climate strike. On the local news the climate strike was buried five stories in, like it was a passing human interest story they felt obligated to cover. Don’t get me wrong. The movement IS growing. But Friday’s strike wasn’t, and shouldn’t be, a one time thing. It was one step on a long journey. Want to get involved? Check out these organizations:

The younger generation has not so subtly pointed out that past generations have done nothing to end the climate crisis. They are right.  Among the many things that youth around the world are doing to incite change is this week’s climate strike. You do not have to be young to strike – these are inter-generational protests.There strikes organized all over the United States and the world. In Boulder there are two. There is a march in Denver. And, there’s a march starting at the gates of the White House in Washington D.C. If ever there were a time for action, it is now. Go to one of these sites to find a strike or march near you: strikewithus.org, National Children’s Campaign, 350.org, Zero Hour, Fridays for the Future, Global Climate Strike, or the Sunrise Movement.

To again cite Greta Thunberg, “The one thing we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere.”

When I saw the TED Talk by 16 year-old Greta Thunberg, I was awestruck, amazed, inspired, and grateful. This young Swede has become the face of climate activism, rallying youth and adults around the world. When she first heard about the climate crisis, she didn’t understand why it wasn’t on the front page of every newspaper and the headline for every news program. To her, if we were truly in a crisis situation, then we should be acting. That if our way of living is threatening the planet, then we should change our way of living and not carry on as always.

TRUTH.

She also points out that we, as human beings don’t need to solve the climate crisis. We already have all of the solutions. We know what to do. What we do need is action. And in her words, “It has to start today.”

This is the last of my wildflower series, a nod to summer season that is all too quickly coming to an end. Even though Colorado is a great place to be outdoors in any season, the end of summer is always a little sad for me. Hikes to high alpine lakes are one of my favorite things to do. And then there are the flowers. One in particular I look for every year – it’s called an elephant head. Look closely and you’ll see why. That’s what I love about the flowers. While they are certainly beautiful from a distance, the closer you look, the more amazing they are. There’s a lesson in there.