Author: Olivia Colombo

Fall is here! To dive into an innovative and fun school year, the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program has a unique activity that everyone will love. During these sunny Fall days where we have ample time to adventure and a thirst to make an impact on the world, the Roots & Shoots 4-step formula (shown below) can come in handy for crafting simple and local service projects that are fun and help people, other animals and the environment in your community! Fall for Community Mapping After getting engaged and inspired by Dr. Jane’s story in the R&S formula’s…

Stop! Look at the device you’re reading this on. Have you ever thought about how many people dedicated their lives to creating the computer code and programming that went into the technology you are using?  Fun fact, the first person to ever create a computer program was a woman named Ada Lovelace, a scientist in the 1800s! It’s Women’s History Month, and we want to share with you five women who have changed the course of history with their contributions to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Some of the largest discoveries in STEM today were made by women (Marie Curie &…

The true passion and purpose of Roots & Shoots is ignited when someone utilizes their own unique talents to address an issue they’ve observed in their community. The product of passion for change combined with the arts or music has stunning effects, and author Alan J. Bartels proves in his latest endeavor that writing children’s book can change the world of prairie dogs. Bartels, a friend of Dr. Jane’s, has set out to write a children’s book to raise awareness of the plight of the prairie dog due to urban development with the proceeds of the book going to Roots &…

The enthusiasm and creativity of young people holds a special place in Dr. Jane’s heart.  As one of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots National Youth Leaders, I would love to share the story of a twelve-year old singer who stole all of our hearts.   Meet Ava Willis.  She wrote a song about Dr. Jane for a school assignment and made a beautiful video of her singing it in the first person while strumming along on her ukulele.  Ava is sharing Dr. Jane’s story using her own passion, music. I had the opportunity to chat with the awesome Ava about…

You’re in a forest in the Congo Basin of Africa, but where are all the chimps?  Did you know that chimpanzees oftentimes will reroute their foraging excursions to avoid contact with humans?  These intelligent primates never cease to amaze us at the Jane Goodall Institute, and we’re learning more about them every day.  Here’s a wrap-up of the most recent findings about our jungle-dwelling friends:  Genetic opposites attract when chimpanzees choose a mate Chimpanzees have proven their incredible instincts and dazzling intelligence once again with the breakthrough observation that when it comes time to reproduce, chimpanzees opt for a mate…

On April 22, 2017, science-enthusiasts of all ages will be taking to the streets to celebrate Earth Day by participating in the March For Science. A gathering of passionate change-makers, the March For Science is all about celebrating the awesome impact science has in our everyday lives. Science is our way of examining the world around us, taking in data, and using that data to help people, animals, and the environment. Scientists are hard at work finding cures to diseases, developing technology for safety, and crafting ways to curb climate change. The March for Science is an event of appreciation and…

In 2016, animal-lovers and activists alike cheered when the U.S. Senate voted to ban the hunting of vulnerable species in Alaska, namely hibernating bears and wolves. Dr. Jane applauded these actions taken to ”sanction barbaric practices.” However, last week the U.S. Senate voted to overturn these sanctions, known as the Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and Public Participation and Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska. Now, under these new laws, it is legal to hunt bear cubs with their mothers, hibernating bears and wolf pups in their dens. The overturning of previous sanctions also allows the use of snares,…

“Every drop counts!” “Save our water. Californians don’t waste.” “Brown is the new green… Join us in fighting the drought.” California is one step closer to a 200-year-long mega-drought, and water conservation messaging may be contributing to the problem, instead of acting as a solution. “If carbon emissions continue to increase, NASA projects a dramatic increase in the likelihood of a mega-drought in the Southwest and Central Plains within the next 35 years,” wrote Dr. Kerk Kee, as he recently co-authored a study from Chapman University that analyzed the effect of current water conservation messages in the state of California.…

Every year, roughly 8.8 million metric tons of plastic — the entire amount of plastic we humans produced in 1961 — is swept into the ocean with the devastating future of strangling sea life and polluting plankton.  Nearly 60% of that plastic littering the seawater comes from a single country: India. Trailing after China and the United States, India is the largest polluter in the world and is home to 13 out of the top 20 most polluted cities. Thus, the city of Delhi has decided to take a strong and bold action by banning all disposable plastic including a…

Do you ever fantasize about farming and growing your own food? Growing up, did you ever plan on living like Laura Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie?  Or have you seen the organic farming and permaculture craze engulf the Internet, and you’ve decided it’s time to hop on board?  There’s no doubt that in the midst of an industrialized, pesticide-filled, and climate change-ravished society, our agricultural industry needs a wake-up call.  As sustainable and organic gardening has become all the rage for environmental and health reasons, school and home gardens are also flourishing. “Many producers, especially new and underserved…