Humane Edge E-News April 2009

• SEAL OR NO SEAL? THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT THE CANADIAN SEAL HUNT
  
• TAKE OUR NEW ONLINE COURSE FOR TEACHERS FOR A SPECIAL PRICE
  
• TAKE CALCULATED STEPS TO REDUCE YOUR FOOTPRINT
  
• SPECIAL FREE EDUCATION MEMBERSHIP AND CONFERENCE DISCOUNT OFFERS FOR IHE FRIENDS
• HUMANE EDUCATION IN ACTION: BRINGING HUMANE ISSUES CENTER STAGE
  
• FEATURED ACTIVITY: LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS
  
• FEATURED RESOURCE: CLIMATE CHALLENGE ONLINE GAME
  
• FEATURED STUDENT: ROBIN HENDERSON WILLIAMS
  

SEAL OR NO SEAL?: THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT THE CANADIAN SEAL HUNT

Every year in the spring, animal protection groups bring out the photos and video of adorable, precious, fuzzy seals…and pair them with gruesome images and video of men with clubs and of bloody seal bodies covering the ice in order to protest Canada’s annual seal hunt. Hundreds of thousands of seals are killed and skinned (sometimes alive) each year, mainly for their fur, which is usually shipped to markets in places like Norway, Russian and China. The annual hunt is the “largest slaughter of marine mammals”; this year the Canadian government has set a limit at 338,000 seals, many of whom are only a few weeks old.

According to an AFP story, “Harp seals are hunted commercially off the coasts of Greenland, Norway, the United States, Namibia, Britain, Finland and Sweden. But Canada is home to the world's largest annual commercial seal hunt.”

Animal lovers call the Canadian hunt barbaric, destructive and unnecessary; sealers call it an important part of their livelihood. It seems like an intractable problem…and thus can be a great topic for exploring with students (in age appropriate ways, of course).

Those against the seal hunt say:

• It’s cruel and barbaric. The seals are killed in gruesome ways (either clubbed or shot), and are often skinned alive.
• Most of the seals killed are young ones.
• The seal hunt is difficult to monitor, so there’s no good way to tell whether any regulations are being followed.
• The hunt doesn’t provide a lot of money for the sealers (in 2008, the slaughter of seals brought in about US$6 million), so stopping it wouldn’t hurt them too much, and they can be trained to make their livelihood in other ways that don’t require killing innocent animals.
• The seals are mainly hunted for fur, which is an unnecessary fashion item.
• Hunting so many young animals will harm the future of the seal population.

Those supporting the seal hunt say:

• The hunt is humane (especially with the new regulation introduced this year that says that, if clubbing doesn’t kill the animal, the hunter is to bleed the seal out until the seal is dead by severing the arteries under the flippers, so that no seals will be skinned while alive).
• The hunt is well-managed and a necessary source of income for hunters.
• There are other countries that have seal hunts, including Greenland, Norway, Russia, Namibia, and Finland.
• Some seal hunters are from indigenous populations who live in the Artic, where conditions don’t allow other ways of earning a living, so what else are they supposed to do?
• It’s a proud tradition for some indigenous cultures.
  
  

As you can imagine, the news media is full of stories about the annual hunt, some opposing, some supporting, and some just reporting.

Some ways of exploring this topic might include to:

• Lead a discussion to find out how much students know about the seal hunt and the various stakeholders and issues involved.
• Have students conduct a media browse to find out the details of the viewpoints of the various stakeholders.
• Encourage students to investigate questions such as: How many people support the seal hunt? How many oppose it? What various groups/stakeholders are the supporters/opposers from?
• Have students explore the impact of the seal hunt on humans, animals (both as individuals and as species), the environment, and culture. What might be the most good/least harm choices for each? What are the most good/least harm choices when looking at the needs of all as a whole?
• Have students take on different roles of stakeholders (indigenous hunter, “regular” hunter, fur industry representative, anti-hunt advocate, scientist, citizen, seal, etc.), learn about the positions of their “roles” and role-play a conference at which everyone shares their views and works to develop positive solutions for all.
• Encourage students to explore important questions, such as:

• Is killing seals a humane choice? Is there an alternative? If it is determined that seals “must” be killed, what is the most humane way to do so? (Is there a humane way to kill another being that doesn’t want to be killed?)
• Should killing seals for fur for fashion and killing seals for subsistence living be considered separately?
• Is “tradition” reason enough to continue a practice that some consider cruel? Can the traditions and needs of an indigenous culture be honored and respected in a way that doesn’t require harming other beings? (Students may want to write to indigenous seal hunters and ask for their input.)
• How much do seal hunters rely on the annual hunts for their livelihood? Are there humane, sustainable alternatives for the seal hunters to gain a livelihood that doesn’t involve killing seals?
• When there are other countries that also conduct seal hunts, why is so much attention given to Canada’s hunt?
• What happens to the fur, blubber and meat? How much of each is used for what purposes? Who benefits? What happens to what’s left over?
• Some entities, including the Canadian government, subsidize the hunt. What does that mean? Who benefits?

• Invite students to examine what positive actions they can take, both in their own lives and on a systemic level, to address this issue.
  
  

There’s certainly no easy answer to Canada’s seal hunt. But exploring all the issues involved in-depth and learning more about the perspectives of the various stakeholders can help students think critically about a complex and controversial topic and encourage them to develop potential solutions that would do the most good/least harm for all.

Image courtesy of lilone2 via Creative Commons.   

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TAKE OUR NEW ONLINE COURSE FOR TEACHERS FOR A SPECIAL PRICE

Educators, Sowing Seeds Online is just what you’ve been waiting for. And now, for a special limited price, you can enliven your teaching, enrich your courses, and help your students become more engaged citizens.

Register for Sowing Seeds Online (May 1-30, 2009) by April 15 for only $69 ($20 OFF!)

Register with others from your school for only $50 each!

Sowing Seeds Online is especially for middle and high school educators. This month-long online course offers reflection and opportunities for creativity, critical thinking, learning and connecting with other inspired educators. You'll develop new techniques and ideas to make your classes even more rewarding, interesting, and meaningful.

In the Sowing Seeds Online course, you'll:

• Learn new strategies, tools and ideas for teaching about the most important issues of our time, including human rights, animal protection, environmental preservation and media and consumerism.
• Reflect on your teaching and explore new information that makes a difference in the lives of your students while improving your own life at the same time.
• Interact virtually with other educators through the course Online Commons.
• Receive inspiring and meaningful input from the course advisors (IHE President Zoe Weil, and Christopher Greenslate, an IHE M.Ed. graduate and an innovative high school teacher).

You'll also receive a free copy of Zoe’s book, The Power and Promise of Humane Education.

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 TAKE CALCULATED STEPS TO REDUCE YOUR FOOTPRINT

You've probably read tons of tips about living lighter on the planet, but have you ever taken the time to calculate your ecological footprint -- the amount of land, water and other resources it takes to support you, and the amount of waste that you generate? There are a slew of "eco" calculators, and of course, they can only give you a general idea of how your choices affect the environment and its inhabitants, but they're still a helpful and fun tool that you can use yourself and share with others. Here are 4 of the most popular ones we've found:

• Calculate Your Ecological Footprint (from Redefining Progress)
• Calculate Your Carbon Footprint (from The Nature Conservancy)
• Calculate Your Household Emissions Footprint (from the EPA)
• Calculate Your Water Footprint (from H2O Conserve)

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SPECIAL FREE EDUCATION MEMBERSHIP AND CONFERENCE DISCOUNT OFFERS FOR IHE FRIENDS

Take advantage of a couple of special offers to friends of IHE from the Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO). First, for a limited time, AERO is offering a free PDF subscription to their publication, Education Revolution magazine, and a free AERO membership.  For more information, please visit: http://www.edrev.org/teacheroffer.html. You don’t need to currently be a teacher or educator to qualify.  To take advantage of the offer, be sure to mention that you’re a friend of IHE when you complete the subscription process. IHE’s Executive Director, Khalif Williams, was a keynote speaker at AERO’s conference last year and will be again this year.  

Additionally, AERO is offering a special invitation to friends of the Institute for Humane Education to attend the 6th Annual AERO Conference for 50% off the usual cost:

2009 AERO Conference
"Educational Alternatives: Past, Present, & Future"
June 25-28th, 2009 - Crowne Plaza Hotel - Albany, NY

Speakers include Patch Adams, Khalif Williams, and Ira Shore.

Activities include dozens of workshops, documentaries, music and entertainment, free child care, and much more!

Additional scholarship and volunteer opportunities are available.

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HUMANE EDUCATION IN ACTION: BRINGING HUMANE ISSUES CENTER STAGE

With her sweetness, vibrancy and quirky sense of humor, Amy Morley lights up the IHE office, where she works as our Operations and Events Manager. But Amy also has a second life bringing wit, intelligence and kindness to humane issues via the theater stage. Read our interview with Amy:

Quick Facts About Amy:

Current hometown: Lamoine, Maine
IHE fan since: 2006
Current job: Operations and Events Manager, Institute for Humane Education
Your hero: Rachel Carson (just one of them)
Book/movie that changed your life: World As Lover, World As Self by Joanna Macy
Guilty pleasure: fair-trade coffee
Inspired by: love of people, this planet and animals
Love about yourself: I am optimistic and my motivations are positive.
One of your strengths: Creativity and ability to see connections
Desired epitaph or tagline: "Expressed her love interpersonally and in her actions to benefit the world, and motivated others to change through her enthusiasm, non-judgmental expression of ideas, and acceptance of others."

IHE: What led you to the path of humane education?

AM: I have been interested in human rights and keeping the planet healthy for a long time; for example, I was active in recycling, politics, river clean-ups, and supporting displaced Tibetan monks.  I have also been engaged in Buddhist philosophy study since 1990.  Since attending Hampshire College, I have been very interested in socially-engaged Buddhism and in the intersections of social change, compassion and non-violence in finding creative and healthy solutions to global problems like human rights abuses and environmental waste. But it was the Institute for Humane Education (IHE) that introduced me to the field of humane education; I learned about it when I saw my current job advertised.  Something immediately spoke to me when I read the description.  IHE has really enlightened me, in that it brings all of these issues together, and it has broadened my interests to include animal protection.  Humane education is an amazing intersection of social change and education, motivated by compassionate concern.

IHE: In addition to your work managing workshops and courses for IHE, you’ve been integrating humane education into your work as an actress. How did that come about and how exactly have you been integrating humane education on the stage?

AM: With some background in performance, I started performing in a local political and social satire troupe called Aunt Mae’s Cabaret.  We perform in Blue Hill, Maine, about twice a year. The material is very funny and speaks about what is happening currently in our politics and culture.  At first I just performed in other people’s skits. The cabaret group is composed of people who are interested in social change, and many of them are activists, journalists, and engaged citizens.  The group is very collaborative and creative, and it was easy to decide to write a few skits and share them with the group.  I think what I wrote was just naturally influenced by the work I was engaged in with IHE.  IHE’s president, Zoe Weil, attended our performances, and it was she who really brought to my attention that my skits had a humane education slant –- not just in the content, but in their presentation and objective.


IHE: Tell us about some of your specific projects.

AM: I have written two skits that I am proud of.  One is a fanciful skit entitled “Dr. T. Mobile,” an interview between a news anchor and a surgeon, named Dr. T. Mobile, who specializes in surgery related to the health effects of cell phones; specifically, he removes brain tumors and corrects the crippling effects of text messaging.  There are references to animal testing, corporate influence and power, consumerism, advertising and marketing, the state of health care, and our current cultural practice of constant communication.  The other skit is about marriage and social convention.  It’s a bit less social change-oriented, but it takes a look at the stereotype of a woman determined to get married and what she will go through to do so.  For that skit, I wore a wedding dress on stage, and got married in the first act, and then divorced in the second; it was a reflection of interpersonal relationships and gender stereotypes.


IHE: What has been the reaction to your integration of humane education themes into your work by your fellow actors and by the audience?

AM: People have expressed lots of enthusiasm over my skits –- but I am not sure yet if it is “making people think” or if it is just entertainment. Although the “Dr. T. Mobile” skit doesn't point fingers at people for using cell phones, I did find that people seemed to have an apologetic tone in speaking with me after seeing the skit.  They perhaps felt remorseful about something that seeing the skit brought up for them.  I think that’s normal, and many people react that way at first when they are considering their actions. These skits are an outlet to help me and the audience consider what is going on in the world.


IHE: What have been some of your biggest challenges?

AM: My biggest challenge is finding time to fully live the lifestyle that I want.  But, I think this is just making it a priority.  If I want to live without a lot of plastic in my life, for instance, then I can; I just need time to make other provisions.  My other biggest challenge is that I can see that many people view concerns of any magnitude over the suffering of animals to be a fanatical concern, unlike many other global problems.  This will probably change over time, but it sometimes makes it more difficult to talk about issues related to animals.  It just requires more refined interpersonal skills, because some people put up barriers with this subject right away!


IHE: Share a success story. What has helped encourage you?

AM: Just last weekend, I was at a dinner party, and because I was asked what I do for work, I talked a little about IHE.  An interesting conversation ensued, and I was inundated with a lot of questions.  Before we moved on to the next conversation, my new acquaintances told me that they liked that I seemed non-judgmental and open about expressing my ideas.  They volunteered this opinion on their own, and expressed it ardently.  It made me aware of just how effective good communication can be in sharing ideas.  I credit this ability in part to IHE because it has helped provide for me both a foundation of knowledge that I am building on and a feeling of calmness about the issues.  This calmness comes from realizing that the people I am speaking to are as important as the issues I am speaking about.  I do not feel the least bit fanatical about any issue of concern.  I feel unafraid to talk to people about difficult topics, and I get a good response very often.  This to me is encouraging, because the first step to solving global problems is people letting down their guards and not feeling aggressive or attacked. 


IHE: What are your thoughts about the power of humane education to positively transform the world?

AM: IF people are doing humane education, it does have the power to transform the world (I say “if” because people have to engage in it for it to work!).  I feel sure of it.  Why?  Because education in its truest and simplest form is learning and inquiring, but it’s also about being open to new knowledge.  Nothing will change in our habits and actions if we are mentally closed.  We cannot get everyone to recycle, or consume less, or care about another human being in another part of the world who is enslaved if people are not open to what is happening.  Also, humane education is not dogmatic about a certain agenda.  Its primary objective is critical thinking, which we use to make sense of complex problems.  What could be better than critical thinking and openness to solving the world’s problems?


IHE: Any future plans, dreams or projects?

AM: Through my work with IHE, I want to find effective ways to reach out to teachers to further humane education through our workshops and courses.  In terms of performance, I want to do more humane education skits that are funny and really inform at the same time. Specifically, I would like to create a skit that aims to amuse the audience while scaring the pants off of them about ever using a plastic bag again!  Additionally, I would love to create a documentary about marriage that addresses both my questions about the conventions of marriage -- from the perspective of heterosexual women -- and delves into the issue of the right to marry in a way that would perhaps educate people and help break down prejudices that stand in the way of allowing full rights for gay and lesbian couples.

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FEATURED ACTIVITY: LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS

It can be difficult for people to grasp the enormity of how their daily choices affect the planet and its inhabitants. "Leave Only Footprints" is a visual and visceral demonstration for grades 6 and up of our ecological footprint and its impacts. Participants use sheets of colored paper with footprints on them to simulate the impact of their choices. This is a great activity for sparking discussion about the power of our choices to do good or harm. Download Leave Only Footprints.

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FEATURED RESOURCE: CLIMATE CHALLENGE ONLINE GAME

As the President of the European Nations, you must “tackle climate change and stay popular enough with the voters to remain in office.” Players must determine which policies to choose for national, industry, trade, local and household categories, negotiate with representatives from other countries, while reducing climate change and maintaining relevant resources. This game was created by the BBC. Play Climate Challenge.

Check out other "games for change" in our Online Games resources section.

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FEATURED STUDENT: ROBIN HENDERSON WILLIAMS

"I started taking [humane education] courses as soon as I graduated college, and since then have realized the larger picture and connections across the globe.  We have so many roles to play from day to day: the conservationist, the protector, the teacher. I take on these challenges with more ease and confidence, thanks to the seamless connections I have found through IHE." 

IHE M.Ed. student Robin Henderson Williams grew up with a passionate love for animals (and not such a liking for people) and found her way into animal rights activism. A tip from a friend led Robin to IHE and a change of heart about people. Now Robin works on behalf of all the earth's inhabitants.

Read Robin's profile.

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