Have you ever disagreed with a decision, practice, or solution that someone else, an entire group, or government has made? It's ok to disagree. Conflict can be healthy and bring about positive change.

I have become increasingly dismayed and alarmed, to say the least, by the growing use of culling as a wildlife management tool. In many cases, this does not simply involve removing animals from a particular ecosystem or relocating them to another area. Instead, it involves deliberately reducing populations through annihilation of a species using lethal and inhumane means.

That hurts me deeply, and I am strongly opposed to the practice of culling.  To me, this represents a profound ethical failure of our responsibility toward both wildlife, future generations and the ecosystems upon which all life depends.

These precious souls being annihilated are often part of complex ecological systems that we are still striving to understand.​

Our understanding of ecosystems remains incomplete. Ecological systems are complex, interconnected, and often characterized by delayed responses that may not become apparent for years or decades. Because of this uncertainty, management decisions that permanently remove animals should be approached with extreme caution before deciding a species' continued existence is negotiable.

​Wild Horses, Ecological Function, and Our Responsibility as Guardians

I believe humans are guardians of the Earth, nature, and animals. Culling is not what I believe guardianship should look like. As caretakers, we have both a moral, ethical and ecological responsibility to ensure we are doing everything we can to preserve animal populations and fully understand their ecological roles.

There are often multiple management options available, and in my view, large-scale culling should not be an option. There are many alternatives to culling, and a thorough evaluation of the ecological roles these animals play should consider both the positive and negative impacts they have on ecosystems.​

While I deeply love all of God's creatures, I have spent considerable time around horses and have come to appreciate their unique connection to the land, to people, and to one another. 

​Horses are intelligent, social, compassionate, conscious animals that have shared a relationship with humans for thousands of years. As such, they deserve thoughtful, transparent, and evidence-based consideration in wildlife management decisions. Any assessment of horse populations and their impacts should draw upon a broad range of knowledge, expertise, and community perspectives to ensure balanced and informed decision-making.

Horses can serve as a flagship species, inspiring public engagement with nature and fostering appreciation for the landscapes they inhabit. By encouraging people to experience and value the natural world, horses can help cultivate the stewardship and conservation ethic needed to protect ecosystems for future generations.​

This process should consider ecological, environmental, cultural, historical, social, economic, animal welfare, and mental health factors. By incorporating multidisciplinary expertise and meaningful public participation, management decisions can better reflect both scientific evidence and the values of the communities affected by those decisions.
​
Recommended assessment participants and information sources should include a variety of resources, including, but not limited to:

• Peer-reviewed research and scientific literature
• Ecologists and conservation biologists
• Environmental specialists and habitat experts
• Wildlife management professionals
• Veterinarians and equine health specialists
• Horse behavior and training specialists
• Youth representatives and future generations advocates
• Equine-assisted therapy practitioners
• Mental health professionals (psychologists, counselors, social workers) and advocates
• Ethical and Animal welfare organizations and advocates and experts
• Indigenous knowledge holders and Elders
• Rangeland and land-use specialists
• Environmental impact assessment specialists
• Universities and academic researchers
• Local communities and residents
• Public consultation and citizen input
• Recreational land users (hikers, campers, photographers, hunters, etc.)
• Tourism and recreation operators
• Agricultural and livestock stakeholders
• Non-profit conservation organizations
• Community wellness organizations
• Sociologists and human-animal relationship researchers
• Economists assessing environmental and community impacts
• Government agencies responsible for wildlife, environment, and public lands​
​
Ecological Role of Horses
​
From a scientific perspective, wild horses are best understood as large mobile herbivores whose ecological roles depend on context, population density, and landscape sensitivity.

Ecologically, horses perform several well-documented functions:
​

• They graze vegetation and create grazing mosaics consisting of patches of short and tall vegetation.
• They redistribute nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon, through movement, dung, and urine.
• They disperse seeds internally and externally, contributing to plant distribution across landscapes.
• They act as ecosystem modifiers, influencing plant community structure, habitat openness, and vegetation dynamics.
• They are interconnected with other species and ecosystems. (Polegatto, 2020). ​

These roles are consistent with broader ecological research demonstrating that large animals function as nutrient transporters and ecosystem engineers (Roman, 2023; Doughty et al., 2016).

Horses provide value that extends beyond ecological considerations alone. For many people, they contribute to cultural heritage, community identity, education, recreation, healing, emotional well-being, and a deeper connection to the natural world. Research examining equine-assisted interventions suggests potential benefits related to emotional regulation, social connection, anxiety reduction, trauma recovery, and psychological well-being among some participants, although outcomes vary and additional research is warranted (Kendall et al., 2015; Lentini & Knox, 2015). These findings suggest that horses may contribute to community wellness in ways that extend beyond ecological and economic considerations.​

Their presence can inspire people to spend time in nature, fostering appreciation, respect, and a sense of stewardship for the environment. Meaningful experiences with nature often help cultivate the passion and commitment needed to protect it. As a result, assessments and management decisions should consider not only ecological impacts but also the social, cultural, educational, and wellness benefits horses provide to communities.​

Large Animals as Ecosystem Connectors

Research across terrestrial and marine ecosystems demonstrates that large animals often play ecological roles that extend far beyond their immediate habitat.

In marine systems, whales transport nutrients vertically through the water column and horizontally across ocean ecosystems, contributing to productivity and nutrient cycling. This concept of large-animal nutrient redistribution is well documented in marine ecology.

On land, similar processes occur through large herbivores. Ecosystems are not isolated compartments—they are interconnected networks.

Introduced megafauna are rewilding the Anthropocene and may restore ecological functions lost after megafaunal declines (Lundgren, et al, 2020). Large herbivores contribute significantly to ecosystem processes (Svenning, et al, 2016).
​
My research on ocean systems, Deep Dive into the Ocean Ecosystem With the Giants, explores this ecological connectivity and the importance of nutrient movement across environments (Polegatto, 2020). What happens in one part of an ecosystem often affects another. Nutrients move. Species interact. Ecosystems are linked through physical and biological processes.

Rewilding and Functional Replacement

The idea that large herbivores may restore ecological function is also present in rewilding science.

Some researchers argue that modern large herbivores, including horses, may partially restore ecological processes once performed by extinct or greatly reduced megafauna, particularly in terms of grazing pressure, vegetation dynamics, and ecosystem heterogeneity (Donlan et al., 2006; Svenning et al., 2016; Bakker et al., 2016).

This does not mean modern horses are identical to extinct species, or that they function the same way in every ecosystem. Rather, they may serve as partial ecological analogs in some contexts, contributing to lost or reduced ecological processes. 

Site-Dependent Ecological Impacts

Ecological research also demonstrates that horse impacts are highly site-dependent.

In some environments, high-density horse populations may contribute to soil compaction, erosion, streambank disturbance, and shifts in native vegetation. Effects on biodiversity can be positive in some grassland systems while negative in fragile alpine, wetland, or riparian ecosystems. Outcomes depend heavily on population size, available forage, climate, and ecosystem resilience (Beever & Herrick, 2006).
Because of this complexity, the scientific question is not whether horses are inherently "good" or "bad" for ecosystems.

Rather, the question should be:

What ecological functions do horses provide, what impacts do they cause, and what management approaches best balance ecosystem health and animal welfare?

Management Options

Importantly, ecological management does not reduce to a single method.
​
Available management options may include:

• Fertility control (immunocontraception)
• Relocation 
• Adoption 
• Spatial management to protect sensitive habitats
• Fencing and rotating areas to ensure the ecological benefits of wildlife is not lost

While some wildlife management frameworks include lethal population reduction, I believe non-lethal approaches should be fully exhausted, rigorously evaluated, and demonstrated to be ineffective before lethal methods are ever considered.

New ways of being are always available. Innovation needs to be forefront instead of decisions that intentionally reduce populations.

Horses are living, breathing, thinking souls like humans. They are intelligent, compassionate and healing. Because species other than humans can not speak human language does not mean they are disposable. 

A Complete Ecological Assessment

A key scientific takeaway is that wild horses are ecologically active large herbivores that provide real ecosystem functions. Their overall ecological impact depends on context, population density, and environmental conditions.

Science does not support a universal conclusion that horses are either wholly beneficial or wholly harmful. 

An important point often missing from discussions of wild horses is that large herbivores are not merely consumers of ecosystems—they are also contributors to ecosystem processes.

An additional concern is that ecological assessments often focus heavily on documenting potential harms while giving comparatively less attention to ecological functions.

If managers are going to claim that horses cause ecological harm, they should also evaluate the ecological functions horses positively provide. A complete ecological assessment should measure both harm and benefits.

The burden of scientific evidence should apply equally to both sides of the equation. Negative impacts  should be quantified, but so should positive contributions.
​
Sound ecological management requires a full accounting of ecosystem effects rather than an assessment based solely on potential damage.

The loss of large animals may result in the loss of ecological functions that are often difficult to measure immediately and are not always fully considered in traditional management assessments. Once a species is destroyed, it is gone forever. There is no chance then to return their specific specialties they provide. 

Again, just as humans have knowledge and skills, so do animals. 

Stewardship and Responsibility

The question should not simply be how to reduce horse populations. The question should be whether we have fully accounted for the ecological functions they perform, the cultural and social value they provide, and the ethical implications of removing them.

Science demonstrates that horses, like other large herbivores, are active participants in ecosystem processes. Their impacts—both positive and negative—vary by landscape and circumstance. Because of that complexity, management decisions should be based on comprehensive assessments that measure ecological benefits as carefully as ecological harms.
​
Before lethal management is ever considered, we should be confident alternatives have been thoroughly explored and available evidence has been fairly evaluated and understood.

I believe our responsibility is not merely to manage wildlife, but to understand it. Compassion, scientific inquiry, public participation, and respect for life should guide our decisions. In my view, culling should never be the default response to ecological uncertainty.

I stand firm.
Horses beside me.
Left and right.
Herd behind me.
To protect them.
Always.


References: 

Albert, A., Auffret, A. G., Cosyns, E., Cousins, S. A. O., D'hondt, B., Eichberg, C., Eycott, A. E., Heinken, T., Hoffmann, M., Jaroszewicz, B., Malo, J. E., Marell, A., Mouissie, M., Pakeman, R. J., Picard, M., Plue, J., Poschlod, P., Provoost, S., Schulze, K. A., ... Ozinga, W. A. (2015). Seed dispersal by ungulates as an ecological filter: A trait-based meta-analysis. Oikos, 124(9), 1109–1120. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.02512

Bakker, E. S., Gill, J. L., Johnson, C. N., Vera, F. W. M., Sandom, C. J., Asner, G. P., & Svenning, J.-C. (2016).

​Combining paleo-data and modern exclosure experiments to assess the impact of megafauna extinctions on woody vegetation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(4), 847–855. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1502545112

Beever, E. A., & Herrick, J. E. (2006). Effects of feral horses in Great Basin landscapes on soils and ants: Direct and indirect mechanisms. Journal of Arid Environments, 66(1), 96–112.

Donlan, J. C., et al. (2006). Pleistocene rewilding: An optimistic agenda for twenty-first century conservation. The American Naturalist, 168(5), 660–681.

Doughty, C. E., Roman, J., Faurby, S., Wolf, A., Haque, A., Bakker, E. S., Malhi, Y., Dunning, J. B., & Svenning, J.-C. (2016). Global nutrient transport in a world of giants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(4), 868–873.

International Union for Conservation of Nature. (2013). Guidelines for invasive species management. IUCN.

​Lundgren, E. J., Ramp, D., Ripple, W. J., Wallach, A. D., & Lundgren, E. J. (2020). Introduced megafauna are rewilding the Anthropocene. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 375(1794), Article 20190142. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0142

Polegatto, M. L. (2020). Deep dive into the ocean ecosystem. Adobe Express. https://express.adobe.com/page/cpDgtpT3qInrL/

Polegatto, M. L. (2023). Keystone species: Humanity’s dependence on vital biodiversity. Maria Lisa Polegatto. https://www.marialisapolegatto.com/sustainability/keystone-species-humanitys-dependence-on-vital-biodiversity

Roman, J. (2023). Eat, poop, die: How animals make our world. HarperOne.

Svenning, J.-C., Pedersen, P. B. M., Donlan, C. J., Ejrnæs, R., Faurby, S., Galetti, M., Hansen, D. M., Sandel, B., Sandom, C. J., Terborgh, J. W., & Vera, F. W. M. (2016). Science for a wilder Anthropocene: Synthesis and future directions for trophic rewilding research. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(4), 898–906. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1502556112

While not intentionally, humanity has and continues to be a predator. Not all at once. But rather piece by piece.

A plastic fragment. A bag caught in the current moves long distances ingested by species who starve as a result of its blockage. A rope drifting unseen entangles a tail, a fin, a whole species.

Waste that began somewhere far from the ocean—on a street, in a ditch, beside a fence, a hedge, or left behind where it didn’t belong (Polegatto, 2020)..  What doesn’t get properly managed doesn’t disappear. It travels. Blowing in the wind - it become dangerous.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (2021), marine pollution now impacts hundreds of species through ingestion, entanglement, and habitat disruption. Whales, feeding by filtering massive volumes of water, are especially vulnerable. What we discard enters the water and eventually  enters species - turtles, whales, fish, and species (Polegatto, 2020)., not familiar with it, assuming its purpose. And it doesn’t stop there or end well.

Water sources absorb what we ignore. Drinking water is affected by contaminants linked to waste and pollution, raising growing health concerns for human populations (World Health Organization, 2019).  We also eat from the ocean the species we poison with pollution which can create sickness, disease and death (Polegatto, 2020).
​
We see signs more often now. Even global events like the Olympic Games have faced scrutiny when water quality becomes a risk to athletes (Reuters, 2024). If we must question the safety of water, what does that say about systems we rely on every day?

Closer to  Home

Closer to home, the issue becomes more personal.
​
When waste systems become harder to access—more expensive, less frequent, or further away—people are faced with decisions. Research suggests increasing barriers to proper disposal can lead to unintended consequences, including illegal dumping in cities or nature or improper handling of waste (Kinnaman, 2006; Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2022) This leads away from the feeling of home and instead brings the issue closer to home. 

Not necessarily because people don’t care. But because systems shape behavior. If disposal is easy, people use it. If the system is difficult, it becomes broken and some will find other ways.

And the “other ways” don’t stay local. They move through ecosystems, through waterways, air, land, and eventually, into the ocean. Often into the path of a whale, another species, or waterway.

But this is not just a story about harm. It’s also a story about choice. Because the same system that allows waste to travel can also stop it—one decision at a time.

Education matters.
Awareness matters.
Community action matters.

​Programs that support recycling, composting, and accessible disposal have been shown to improve environmental outcomes and participation (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2022).

And then there are the simplest actions of all that we can all do. Picking up one piece of garbage. Choosing not to look away. Showing up to clean a space, even when it’s not yours.

These actions may seem small, but they ripple outward and can:

• protect waterways
• reduce harm to wildlife
• shift community standards
• build healthier environments—for ecosystems and for people.

They also reconnect us. Cleaning a shoreline, a trail, or a roadside isn’t just environmental work—it’s physical movement, fresh air, shared purpose, revitalization. It’s a reminder that we are part of the environment that surrounds us. It can help us feel thankful. 

A whale doesn’t necessarily know where pollution comes from. Although I feel they are smarter than we give them credit for. ​It doesn’t know about policies, budgets, or service changes. it has no need of them. It only needs freedom - freedom to live, to swim freely, to enjoy their family, to survive,  A whale only experiences the outcome of what we leave behind. And that experience is not always pleasant.

The Question

What kind of outcome are we willing to create?

Cleaner cities are not just about appearance. They are about:

• Protection.
• Responsibility.
• Connection.

And it starts long before the ocean. It starts with one decision. one system, one piece of garbage.

🌊 Call to Action

This is not just a global issue. It is a local one. It is a personal one. And it is something we can act on—right now.
​
Start small where you are.

• Pick up one piece of garbage each time you go outside
• Use proper waste disposal systems 
• Support recycling and composting in your community
• Speak up for accessible, responsible waste services
• Participate in or start a local clean-up effort

Be a Part of the Change

​Healthy oceans begin far from the shoreline. What we do on our streets, in our yards, and in our communities flows outward—into rivers, into ecosystems, into the ocean.

Every action matters. Every piece removed makes a difference for:

• nature
• species
• water
• future generations.

Take the First Step

• Start with one piece
• Protect one place
• Be a part of something bigger.

#DeepDiveWithWhales
#OceanEcosystem
#WhaleConservation
#OceanAwareness
#PlasticPollution
#EnvironmentalAction
#SustainableLiving
#CleanOceans
#ClimateChange
#ProtectWhatYouLove
#OceanAwareness
#SaveTheOcean
#ClimateAction
#ProtectOurPlanet
#SustainableLiving
#NatureMatters

I’ve always loved learning. In fact, I was helping my brother with his book reports when I was still in elementary school, and I genuinely enjoyed doing them. Learning felt natural when it was connected to curiosity, stories, and understanding how things fit together. I am a life long learner and I still take courses today. I love to learn. 

What I remember most from school, however, are not worksheets or tests—but some of the teachers who made learning come alive.

One teacher would act out historical events as if we were there. Another used humour to keep us engaged while still challenging us. Another encouraged critical thinking—asking questions and encouraging replies instead of simply providing answers.
​
Those moments stayed with me far more than any exam.

Learning that doesn’t fit one mold

When I went to high school, there was one subject I struggled with—physics. I still remember that class today. I don’t fully know why, but it just wasn’t something that clicked for me at the time. I still remember that physics class even today, I can still see the teacher in my mind, not the work we did but listening and not connecting. It didn’t challenge me in a meaningful way—it left me almost baffled. I tried, I did learn but I didn't connect the way I usually did with learning.

​The teacher suggested I should have come for extra help at the end of the course - but I lived in a rural area. Once the bus left, there was no way home. Was I suppose to walk 40kms? Was I supposed to ask my parent to come pick me up after school - which I know my Mom would have.  That suggestion, while well-intended, wasn’t actually accessible to me in a way that made sense. There was also little in-class support offered to anyone at the time with judgment about performance or offer to help at lunch break. I wasn't the only one in that class that struggled as I heard others verbalize their frustrations also.  So, it wasn't just me.​

​What I do still remember is how strange it felt at the time. I was always an honor student, earned a bursary for University, and continuing on as an honor student in University, took my BACS and am doing my Masters now.​ But, I can say, I never took another physics course and actually changed my career focus going forward as I would have needed to take more physics!

​Looking back at that experience taught me something important -  we cannot assume we understand what students need just by looking at statistics or teaching the same course the same way year after year.  Not everyone learns the same way - some are visual learners, some prefer to read to learn, some prefer to hear and some prefer a combination. 

It reinforced for me that struggle in a subject doesn’t always reflect ability—it often reflects how the learning environment is structured, and whether a student is being met in a way that makes sense to them. Realizing I was not alone in the struggle brought comfort, but it did not translate into meaningful learning.​ 

I was also very shy and didn't speak up - unlike me now! The teachers I remember used a variety of techniques. I still remember the Mesopotamians from history class, for instance. 

What actually makes learning work

We often focus on what is being taught, but just as important is how it is being taught.
​
Research consistently shows that student engagement increases when learning is:

• meaningful and relevant
• interactive and participatory
• supportive of different learning styles
• connected to real-world application (Hattie, 2009; OECD, 2019).

To truly engage students, we need to:

• make learning relevant to real life
• encourage conversation, not just instruction
• avoid assumptions or judgments about students
• offer support during class time, not only outside of it or ensure the class understands before moving on
• present different ways to understand the same problem

Not everyone thinks the same way. Not everyone learns the same way. If we only teach in one mode, we unintentionally limit who can succeed.

Offering more than one way of learning

Instead of waiting for students to ask for help, we can build support directly into the learning experience by offering:

• visual explanations
• spoken discussion
• written breakdowns
• hands-on learning
• collaborative problem-solving

​This aligns with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which emphasizes providing multiple ways for students to engage with content, understand information, and demonstrate learning (CAST, 2024).

​When students are given different entry points into a subject, more of them are able to connect meaningfully.

Learning connected to the real world

​Education becomes powerful when it connects to life outside the classroom.

We can bring in:

• climate awareness and sustainability
• community issues
• real-world problem solving
• present-day applications of what is being taught

When students see relevance, motivation becomes more natural and lasting.

A shift in approach

The recent radio discussion on The Current, highlighted challenges in student engagement and learning motivation (CBC Radio One, 2026).
​
It reinforced something simple but important: motivation is not just about discipline—it is about connection, access, and feeling understood in the learning process.

Conclusion

Education is not just about delivering content—it is about creating conditions where learning can actually happen for different kinds of learners.

We need to stop assuming and start noticing.

Not everyone learns the same way. Not everyone needs the same thing. And not every struggle is visible in the classroom.
​
I’m still learning, and I really value the ability to choose the subjects I take courses in​.  My advice, let your passions lead you to learn more. Whether in school, work or daily life as your job, a hobby or volunteering.
​
Let’s design learning that meets students where they are—and gives them more than one way in.

References
​

• CAST (2024). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org
• Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. Routledge
• OECD (2019). How Learning Happens: The Science of Learning and Development
• CBC Radio One, The Current (education and student engagement discussion, 2026)

​
​Hashtags#EducationMatters #StudentEngagement #InclusiveLearning #UniversalDesignForLearning #TeachingAndLearning #CriticalThinking #RealWorldLearning #ClimateEducation #SustainableEducation #LifelongLearning #MakeLearningMatter

References ​

​
​#Wendys #WendysCanada @Wendys #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #ReuseAndRepurpose 
#WasteReduction #OutdoorAwareness #TrailThinking #FieldReady #DesignForReuse
#EnvironmentalResponsibility

​​#Sustainability #CostOfLiving #FoodWaste #FoodSecurity #CommunityMatters #CollectiveChange #ChangeStartsWithYou #SmallActionsBigImpact @KitKat ​

Many of these impacts are not widely understood, and in some cases are not treated as direct legal violations, even though they result in significant ecological harm, including vessel strikes and death of marine species (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, n.d.).

This article explores whale protection through the lens of environmental justice and green criminology, giving a voice to those without human voices.

Green Criminology

Green Criminology is a field of study that examines harm to the environment, wildlife, and ecosystems, including harms that are not always fully addressed by traditional criminal law (South & Brisman, 2013; White, 2013).
​
Rather than focusing only on individual actions, green criminology highlights:

• Systemic environmental harm
• Corporate and industrial responsibility
• Weak or inconsistent enforcement of environmental laws
• Unequal protection of ecosystems and species

From this perspective, environmental damage is not only a scientific issue but also a matter of justice and accountability (White, 2013).

Key Threats to Whales

1. Ship Strikes and Vessel Traffic: Large commercial vessels frequently travel through whale habitats and migration routes. Collisions can cause serious injury or death. While some protective measures exist, enforcement is often inconsistent and not strong enough to ensure whale safety is paramount to save whale lives  (International Whaling Commission, n.d.; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, n.d.).
2. Ocean Noise Pollution: Industrial shipping, naval sonar, and offshore development generates underwater noise that can interfere with whale communication, navigation, and feeding. These disruptions can have long-term biological impacts on whales, including stress, disorientation, and reduced reproductive success (World Wildlife Fund, n.d.).
3. Plastic and Chemical Pollution: Whales are exposed to micro plastics and toxic chemicals that enter marine ecosystems through water courses, waste systems and industrial runoff. These substances accumulate through the food chain and impact health over time, including broader ecosystem and human health (United Nations Environment Programme, 2021).

Systemic Responsibility

Environmental harm to whales is rarely the result of a single cause. Instead, it is shaped by interconnected systems including:

• Global shipping industries
• Waste management systems
• Environmental policy gaps
• Uneven enforcement of regulations

Green criminology emphasizes these structural factors are central to understanding environmental harm (White, 2013; South & Brisman, 2013).

Why This Matters

Understanding whale threats through the lens of green criminology shifts the focus from individual behaviour to broader systems of responsibility and encourages:

• Stronger environmental protections
• Better enforcement of existing laws
• Increased public awareness
• More sustainable industrial practices

Protecting whales is not only a conservation issue—it is also an issue of environmental justice.

Conclusion

Whales play a vital role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems as noted in my previous research. The threats they face highlight the importance of understanding environmental harm as a systemic issue that requires both awareness and action.

While humans were appointed as guardians and protectors of earth, present day pressures and lack of knowledge have led us astray with nature and non humans suffering and dying unnaturally. Despite this, it is still possible to help those without voices flourish and keep the earth healthy. Forgive them Father.
​
Each one of us can make a positive difference in the world. Once we are aware of the issues, we can take action to become positive change-makers for the benefit of nature and non-human life that supports healthy ecosystems and in doing so, benefits human health.

References

• International Whaling Commission. (n.d.). Threats to cetaceans. https://www.iwc.int
  
• ​National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. (n.d.). Vessel strikes and marine mammals. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov
  
• Polegatto, M. L. (n.d.). Research. In Maria Lisa Polegatto. https://www.marialisapolegatto.com/research.html
  
• ​South, N., & Brisman, A. (2013). Routledge international handbook of green criminology. Routledge.
  
• United Nations Environment Programme. (2021). From pollution to solution: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution. https://www.unep.org
  
• White, R. (2013). Environmental harm: An eco-justice perspective. Policy Press.
  
• World Wildlife Fund. (n.d.). Whales and dolphins: threats and conservation. https://www.worldwildlife.org
  
• Wyatt, T. (2013). Wildlife trafficking: The deconstruction of a global crime problem. Palgrave Macmillan.
  

#greencriminology #environment #ecosystem #wildlife #earth #conservation

​Every day junk ends up in landfills, making its way to all ecosystems, including wild areas (Polegatto, 2020). This junk can travel to rivers, streams, and marine environments due to inadequate recycling techniques, floods, and natural disasters (United Nations Environment Programme, 2021). This is detrimental to nature and species (Environment, 2025), which includes humanity.
​
Each year “19-23 million tonnes” of plastic pollution ends up contaminating water sources altering habitats, nature, ability of adaption of ecosystems to respond to climate change, affecting humanity’s livelihood, food production and societies well being (Environment, 2025). In terms of “municipal solid waste” humanity “generates between 2.1… and 2.3 billion tonnes” per year (UN Environment Programme, n.d.).

In 2020, earth’s tipping points were crossed where “the total mass of all human-made objects – totaling 1.2 trillion metric tons – surpassed the total biomass of all living things on Earth” of which the plastic portion was only made in the last 100 years (The Pew Charitable Trusts, 2025).

Junk is made by a variety of sources. Even when it is made, it is then used by a variety of businesses in their business spreading the use of junk around globally. 

Junk is generated by multiple sources and, once created, is distributed and used by businesses globally, expanding its environmental footprint far beyond its point of origin. Sources of junk from source → user → environment, includes:

• Food and beverage industry
• Retail and consumer goods
• Household waste
• Office & workplace settings
• Travel & hospitality
• Events & celebrations
• Industrial & commercial sources

​

Junk Sources, Creativity and Uses
​
There are a variety of uses for junk to enter our lives instead of being buried or floating in our environment.  Some sources you can be creative with:

• Old Book covers or pages
• Envelopes – existing or used
• Crosswords and puzzles
• Junk mail
• Fabric scraps and textiles for binding and decoration
• Toilet paper rolls
• Packing paper, plastic, or foil
• Magazines and flyers
• Receipts and ticket stubs
• Brown paper bags
• Restaurant packaging, ie: wrappers, bags, packaging, promotions
• Hotels flyers, postcards, note pads
• Cereal or cookie boxes
• Wrappers, labels and cups
• Cardboard for journal covers
• Napkins - unused of course :)
• Wendy's Thin Mints Frosty Activity Book (Wendy's, 2025) for decoration
• Plastic cups - to hold water or paint - that's what I use them for
• Plastic containers to hold items in your shed or garage or craft items
• Plastic bubble tops of Frosty's used as windows on journal covers
• Bubble wrap 
• Tissue paper and wrapping paper

You can add your own creative flair to your journals or art so the overlooked is instead unique:

• Drawing and doodling
• Painting, watercolor, color pencils
• ​DIY collage pages
• Spirograph and stencils
• Yarns and string
• Stamps with eco ink
• Glue sticks instead of toxic glue
• DIY notebooks with scrap paper

Uses of junk in junk journaling includes making creative items, such as:

• Pockets - transform paper into envelops or areas to put things in your journal.
• Tags - these are great removable items to put in journal pockets.
• Notes - Add them to your journal to write on - can be the paper bag cut into a small note book tucked into a journal pocket.
• DIY Collage - gather up the small pieces, paste them all on a sheet, for a DIY collage design.
• Pages - use the paper bags as pages in a journal to decorate on.
• Zines - DIY mini magazines to decorate with junk.
• Journal - make a cover with a box you reuse to create a journal from scratch. 
• Design- use the junk designs, words, letters, quotes, to decorate your journal. 

​
​The idea is to reuse existing junk creatively instead of adding more junk into the environment. Look at your junk - are there words, designs, letters, colors on them you can creatively use?

Corporate packaging is designed with a great deal of time and creativity - ​why waste it? It's not junk, it's creative supplies.

Wendy's Junk Journal (YouTube credit: Maria Lisa Polegatto). If video does not load - use this Link.

CommunityVotes. (n.d.). Fast Food – Food and drink. CommunityVotes Cape Breton 2025. https://capebreton.communityvotes.com/2025/03/food-and-drink/fast-food

Environment, U. (2025). Plastic pollution. UNEP. https://www.unep.org/plastic-pollution?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Esposito, L. M. (2019, February 26). Environmental sustainability: The Wendy’s way. Wendy’s. https://www.wendys.com/blog/environmental-sustainability-wendys-way-squarely-sustainable

Polegatto, M. L. (2020). Deep dive into the ocean ecosystem with the Giants. Adobe Express. https://express.adobe.com/page/cpDgtpT3qInrL/

Polegatto, M. L. (2024, March). Genius hour project: The interconnectedness of acorns, ecosystems and humanity. MARIA LISA POLEGATTO. https://www.marialisapolegatto.com/sustainability/genius-hour-project-the-interconnectedness-of-acorns-ecosystems-and-humanity

Polegatto, M. L. (2025). Wendy's Junk Journal. [Handmade journal using Wendy's packaging]. Personal Collection.

Teixeira da Silva J. A. (2022). Junk Science, Junk Journals, and Junk Publishing Management: Risk to Science's Credibility. Philosophia (Ramat-Gan, Israel), 1–4. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11406-022-00590-0

The Pew Charitable Trusts. (2025, December 3). Breaking the plastic wave 2025. https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2025/12/breaking-the-plastic-wave-2025?utm_source=chatgpt.com

United Nations. (n.d.). The 17 goals | sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals#icons

​United Nations Environment Programme. (2021). From pollution to solution: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution. https://www.unep.org/resources/report/pollution-solution-global-assessment-marine-litter-and-plastic-pollution
​
Wendy’s 2024 corporate responsibility report. Wendy’s. (2024). https://s1.q4cdn.com/202642389/files/doc_downloads/2025/Wendys-2024-Corporate-Responsibility-Report.pdf

Wendy's. (2025). Packaging Material [Physical Observation. Wendy's, 300 Welton Street, Sydney, Nova Scotia].

Wendy’s. (2025, February 14). Wendy’s Thin Mints frosty activity book. Wendy’s. https://www.wendys.com/blog/wendys-thin-mints-frosty

Wendy’s. (2025b, April 24). Advancing good done right: Wendy’s releases 2024 corporate responsibility report with progress across food, footprint and people pillars. Wendy’s. https://www.wendys.com/index.php/blog/wendys-2024-corporate-responsibility-report?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Wendy's. (n.d.). Reducing our environmental footprint: Wendy’s® CSR. Reducing Our Environmental Footprint https://www.wendys.com/csr-what-we-value/footprint?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Wendy’s. (n.d.). Wendy’s 300 Welton Street: Fast food, burgers, chicken, chicken sandwiches, salads, Frosty®, open late, drive thru, meal deals in Sydney, NS. Wendy’s 300 Welton Street: fast food, burgers, chicken, chicken sandwiches, salads, Frosty®, open late, drive thru, meal deals in Sydney, NS. https://locations.wendys.com/canada/ns/sydney/300-welton-street

#Wendys #WendysCanada #WendysPackaging #SustainableLiving #EcoFriendly #EcoArt #ZeroWaste #WasteNot #ReduceReuseRecycle #EnvironmentalAwareness #PlanetOverPlastic #GreenCreativity #SustainableCreativity #UpcycledArt #JunkJournal #JunkJournaling #JunkJournalCommunity #JunkJournalIdeas #JunkJournalInspiration #CraftingWithRecycledMaterials #CraftingWithTrash #CreativeReuse #MixedMediaArt #ScrapCrafting #RecycledArt #MindfulCreativity #CreativeHealing #WellbeingThroughArt  #UpcycledPackaging #FromTrashToTreasure #PackagingArt #ArtJournal #ArtJournalingCommunity #JournalInspiration #CreativeJournaling #DailyJournaling #MemoryKeeping
#DIYCrafts #DIYArt #Handmade #Repurposed #ThriftyCrafting #EcoCrafts #NovaScotialifestyle
#NovaScotia #NSCommunity #CapeBreton #CapeBretonIsland #LoveNS #NovaScotiaLife #NovaScotiaLiving #NovaScotiaLocal #MadeInNovaScotia #NatureNS #NatureNovaScotia #NovaScotiaNature #WildlifeNS #NovaScotiaArt #NovaScotiaArtist #CapeBretonArt #CapeBretonArtists #MadeInCB #NSCraft #NSArtist #AtlanticCanadaArt #MaritimeArtists #SustainableNovaScotia #GreenNS
#EcoNS #NovaScotiaEnvironment #CleanNS #ZeroWasteNS #NovaScotiaWellness
#CapeBretonWellness #MindfulNS #WellnessNovaScotia #Sustainability #Environment #ocean #beachbums #nature #recycle @Wendy's @Wendy'sCanada

Sustainable Gardens. Growing a sustainable garden can give back to your ecosystem instead of taking from it and help it be more self-sustaining (Crow, 2022). I use one rain barrel I purchased to hook a hose to and then made others that are garbage cans with the lids turned upside down with a hole in the top to catch the rain and filter into the can. Gardening does not need to be fancy or expensive. It is exciting when it rains and fills the rain barrels when they are near empty. Nature is amazing and under rated.

I also love to compost by adding food scraps of fruits and vegetables, eggshells, banana peelings, leaves, grass cuttings, paper, and cardboard to add extra nutrients and form to the soil. My compost bins are five pallets that make up 3 bins: soil to use now, soil in process of composting and one for sticks and logs I can use in the bottom of garden beds. I painted them green to blend in with the foliage.

Composting also cuts down on the garbage in landfills that eventually finds it way into water sources that pollute water ecosystems and eventually ends up in our food sources (Polegatto, 2020).  Have you ever had trash blow into your yard?  Did you clean it up? I do.

​I reduce, recycle, reuse to help clean up environments I am in. You can also join your local non-profit organizations that clean up areas and you can use apps to count the amount of trash you have picked up in your area.

You can save your seeds as your plants grow so you don’t need to buy new seeds, use the companion planting method so your plants grow well together, and plant with native plants as a few examples of sustainable practices (Crow, 2022). 

​I have wild thyme that grows on my front lawn, so I leave it grow and enjoy the wonderful smell it produces. Did you know you can eat violets? I had planted a small violet plant that spread through my lawn on its own. My lawn sprouts with violets in the spring so I let it naturally grow and have a delicious snack while seeing their beauty. I also let the dandelions grow until they turn to fluff which blows away into the wind to spread their seeds for more dandelions for another year.

Garden twigs and sticks can be used to fill in planter boxes that are too big for containers inside of them. This also acts as an insulator during the winter to protect the plant roots from frost. My Hosta plants are grown in large planters that I put inside a wood planter I made. I used sticks on the bottom of the planter to lift up the Hosta’s plant and then secure around it with sticks and twigs I pick up around the yard so I do not mow over them.

​Any grass clippings are added to the compost pile. I also mow over the clippings to mulch them into the grass instead of racking them up.
​
When moving to a new home, you can let the garden grow naturally to see what pops up before you cut what you may think is weeds. There are apps where you scan a plant on your phone to see what it is. One of my neighbors is doing that and finding many plants she did not plant herself. I have even had plants sprout up that I did not plant that turned into beautiful rose bushes and flowering plants that feed the birds in the fall when berries are not plentiful. I also have a maple tree that has small maple trees sprouting around it, so I replant them in pots to grow in nature in other areas instead of mowing them.

​A garden with leaves that are not raked up is not a mess. It is an ecosystem for the wellbeing of all species. ​

Odd as I am sure it will appear to some, I can think of no better form of personal involvement in the cure of the environment than that of gardening. A person who is growing a garden, if he is growing it organically, is improving a piece of the world. He is producing something to eat, which makes him somewhat independent of the grocery business, but he is also enlarging, for himself, the meaning of food and the pleasure of eating. Wendell Berry (Harris, 2024). 

What to plant. What you choose to plant may be different than what I plant based on your food preferences and location. I like to plant food that is easy to grow, is tasty and grows well in my environment. 

​With climate change we are learning to adapt to heat waves and flooding that can affect your garden season. Keeping an eye on the weather is helpful to know if watering the garden is necessary if rain is imminent or you need to cover your plants with frost warnings.

This year I am growing:

• Roma tomatoes
• cherry tomatoes
• cucumbers
• squash
• asparagus
• green and yellow string beans
• carrots
• carrot tops for seeds for next year
• green peppers
• chives
• strawberries
• blueberries
• sunflowers
• two apple trees
• prune tree
• rhubarb
• five-variety fruit tree
• companion plants
• wildflowers and flowering plants.

The first year I grew sweet million tomatoes they grew 7 feet tall, so I had to stake them higher and higher but had a delicious snack everyday in my backyard.

Be careful growing crops that can take over your garden space. I grew raspberries one year and they destroyed the rest of my garden by over taking and dwarfing everything. I did have a delicious summer eating them but had to remove them from that area.

​Not everything produces an abundance of food as a garden is a learning experience and the weather can affect where and what you plant. Researching plant information and planting zones can help you decide which plants to grow, when to start them, their growing season and days to maturity, whether they grow annually or every year (perennials).

There are natural ways you can add nutrients to your plants without using chemical fertilizers. Companion plants and essential oils can help your plants grow better such as a basil plant or a drop of basil essential oil in a large jug of water to feed your tomatoes, peppermint to ward off ants and aphids, white fir for slugs, TerraShield for beetles, deep blue for sore muscles after a day in the garden and lavender for the insect bites (doTERRA, 2020).

While your body may be sore after a long garden weeding session your mind and soul will be in joyous wellbeing for spending time with nature. I find gardening so therapeutic and rewarding. 

Garden DIY Projects. You can make your own garden projects instead of buying them to save cost. Make sure you practice safety measures when using power tools.

I have made things to add to my garden area to help wildlife, grow vertically, and make gardening easier such as:

• bird houses
• bird feeders
• pergola to grow hanging planter strawberries and hold a mason bee house
• patio pergola for a hammock area to enjoy reading in nature,
• potting bench
• trellis’
• window boxes.

Think up too when gardening for vertical spaces so less room is required. I even use my clothesline to hang planters on and bird feeders. My maple tree houses a base with flowers and upside-down pots and insect houses, clay saucers for water, and bird houses in the branches.

​While some people deter squirrels from their garden, I love to see them scamper in the tree branches, so I put out nuts for them in an easy to reach feeder just for them.

​I also have several water sources for wildlife – hummingbird feeder, water saucers filled with rocks and pebbles, so wildlife has a landing pad, bird bath with rock to land on.

​Last year there was an owl in the area that hooted at night.  I never saw the owl but the hoot was such a blessing to hear.

All species need to be loved and fed and protected. In this day of reckoning we need to leave no species behind. All are vital for the web of life on our natural planet.  

Conclusion. We need to get back to growing our own food to learn how to survive. The forces of nature are getting fiercer with climate change such as hurricanes and natural disasters.

There is nothing like having your hands in the soil to connect with nature and build mental, physical, and spiritual well being. A great environment to learn while gaining wellbeing from nature is in your own garden. It helps you survive; other species survive and provides wellbeing for all involved.

Sharing our garden practices and skills with others is a great way to build a community of wellbeing.

What plants and food are you growing in your garden?

Do you have skills you can share to help others grow food?  

Is there a senior in your neighborhood you can invite into your garden? 

Feel free to share this article with others to encourage others to add nature benefiting aspects to their garden.

Grow up, grow out, grow long beds, short beds, let roots grow down, nurture yourself with nature, be nature that we are, be you, be well!

​Whatever you do – grow a survival garden :)

chezlin. (2019, March 29). How to make a Bee House for your garden - DIY. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYn6Py9OeX8&t=144s

Crow, R. (2022, May 6). Sustainable garden ideas – 28 ways to create an eco-friendly garden.
homesandgardens.com. https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/create-an-eco-friendly-garden-220348

dk builds. (2019b, September 9). Easiest DIY birdhouse with minimal tools, every step explained. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSBDCHREseE&t=303s

doTERRA. (2020, July 24). DoTERRA gardeners’ Journal: DōTERRA Essential Oils. doTERRA. https://www.doterra.com/NZ/en_NZ/brochures-magazines-doterra-living-spring-2015-doterra-gardeners-journal

Epic Gardening. (2016, October 18). How to build cheap, DIY raised garden beds in under 30 minutes. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIyi95Umebk

Ferry, N. (2014, May 2). Ⓕ making a bird feeder (EP1). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FopieaH02wc

Foley, J. (2024, July 12). Fixing Food’s big climate problem. Project Drawdown. https://drawdown.org/news/insights/fixing-foods-big-climate-problem

Gardening Canada History. (n.d.). Gardening Canada history. The History of Gardening in Canada. https://canadian-gardening.ca/garden-content/the-history-of-gardening-in-canada.html

Garden Habitat Certification. Canadian Wildlife Federation. (n.d.). https://cwf-fcf.org/en/explore/gardening-for-wildlife/action/get-certified/

​Harris, K. (2024, June 9). 37 inspirational gardening quotes. Treehugger. https://www.treehugger.com/inspirational-gardening-quotes-4868813

Kong, C., & Chen, J. (2024). School garden and instructional interventions foster children’s
 interest in nature. People and Nature, 6(2), 712–732. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10597

Mizejewski, D. (2022, April 4). 10 ways to save pollinators. The National Wildlife Federation Blog. https://blog.nwf.org/2021/06/10-ways-to-save-pollinators/

O’Brien, C., & Howard, P. (Eds). (2020). Living Schools: Transforming education. Education for
Sustainable Well-Being Press, University of Manitoba.

Polegatto, M. L. (2020). Deep dive into the ocean ecosystem with the Giants. Adobe Express. https://express.adobe.com/page/cpDgtpT3qInrL/

​Polegatto, M. L. (2024c, July 14). Garden Tour. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae4WB01WDZ8

Polegatto, M. L. (2024a). Genius hour project: The interconnectedness of acorns, ecosystems and humanity. MARIA LISA POLEGATTO. https://www.marialisapolegatto.com/sustainability/genius-hour-project-the-interconnectedness-of-acorns-ecosystems-and-humanity

Prigioni, J. (2024, March 9). Homemade potting mix, cheap and Easy DIY Gardening. The Gardening Channel With James Prigioni. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q2x-UkaUNk

Prigioni, J. (2024, March 16). How to fill raised garden beds cheap and Easy. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvCJ_Wim7To&t=2s

Prigioni, J. (2017, March 28). How to: Raised bed garden (easy way) planter wall blocks!!. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QKSMh1E_GI

Stearns History Museum. (2020, July 22). A brief history of the victory garden. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEfGVzTEV04&t=108s

​United Nations. (n.d.). Goal 15 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal15

Xerces Society. (n.d.). Endangered pollinators. Xerces Society. https://xerces.org/endangered-species/pollinators

​YouTube. (n.d.). The rehab life. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@TheRehabLife 

#gardening #gardens #compost #sustainability #bees #wildlife #butterflies #survival #food #plants #learning #education #environment #nutrients #grow

"Nature connectedness comprises three elements:
a cognitive component (how one feels integrated with nature), an affective component (one's sense of care for nature), and
​a behavioural component (one's commitment to protecting the natural environment)" (Kong & Chen, 2024).​

Childhood disposition for nature is:

• central for “biodiversity conservation and individual development” to cultivate “pro-environmental citizens” as adults
• substantial psychological and cognitive development benefits
• exposure to “sensory stimuli” to improve “mental and physical health” and “cognitive performance”
• provide “stress-relieving effects”
• high “subjective well-being”
• fostering of “long-term intrinsic motivation” for essential satisfaction instead of external reward
• a “sense of autonomy” central for positive development (Kong & Chen, 2024).

​
“Primary school age” is of significance to create an interest in nature which decreases from “childhood to adolescence” with the increase of “emotional and social needs” (Kong & Chen, 2024).

Before adolescence, development can integrate nature “into their identity” and advance it throughout their life (Kong & Chen, 2024).

​Ages 7–9 have the best interposition due to the “concrete operational stage”, depicted by fast “cognitive and motor development”, for a desire to explore the environment (Kong & Chen, 2024).

The critical period to grow awareness of nature is ages of 6 and 12 (Kong & Chen, 2024).
​

#education #learning #knowledge #gardening #garden #plants #growing #environment #homeschool 

Living schools are part of a community, eco-system, school network and are governed, upholding stakeholders, and giving voice and agency to all involved; students, teachers, parents, caregivers, and community (O’Brien & Howard, 2020).   Their “superpower” is the integration of sustainability with well being and happiness to support the premise of “well-being for all”.
 
Living schools can be enriched with habits such as "mindfulness, meditation and yoga” along with “Indigenous knowledge and other ways of knowing” with framework and structure that meets the needs of the school (O’Brien & Howard, 2020).  There are many ways practices are revealed such as school gardens, nutrition programs, cardboard challenge, and Treaty education (O’Brien & Howard, 2020).  

Sustainability in living schools is initiated by programs such as

• “recycling
• composting
• school gardens”
• education on environment
• energy audits
• pollinator gardens
• garbage audit
• bee boxes
• insect hotels
• sensory garden (O’Brien & Howard, 2020).  

 
Active learning provides for outside activities developing “physical well-being, socialization, and citizenship” such as Genius Hour projects, to increase student motivation, learning, “concerns, interests, cultures, identities, and issues (O’Brien & Howard, 2020).  Schools should teach how to have well being, positive social values for community, self confidence, compassion, and connection with nature as Earth “custodians” (O’Brien & Howard, 2020). The Earth is deeply connected in living schools in how we are part of nature; the “web of life”, and part of the “dynamic, life-giving systems” (O’Brien & Howard, 2020). 

Living Schools: Transforming Education
:
Global Living Schools
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#livingschool #learning #education #knowledge #sustainability #environment #ecosystems #school #teaching #twoeyedseeding #nature #outside