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Goodall: Environment Near 'Point of No Return'

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 18, 2009 3:41 PM CDT

(Newser) – The LA Times catches up with chimp guru Jane Goodall, who argues in a new book that that the world is nearly "at the point of no return" on the environment, but that political will can turn things around. Interview excerpts:

On the environment: "When I began there was no need to worry. All the terrible things we started doing to the planet environmentally really started after World War II. Things are very bad now."
Michael Jackson and Bubbles: "Sadly, some people still think (chimps) are cute and charming and (don't) know anything about them in the wild at all, zero, nothing.

On animal feelings: "There's a huge resistance in thinking about animals as having emotions, feelings, by anyone involved in invasive research. ... It's much easier to be nasty to creatures if you feel they don't have proper feelings."
On zoos: "I could say, 'Zoos are bad; I couldn't care less what we do for these chimps because they shouldn't be there'—but that's not terribly helpful if you're a chimp in a zoo."
Favorite pop-culture depiction of herself: A "Far Side" cartoon in which a female chimp finds a blond hair on a male chimp and suspects "'research' with that Jane Goodall tramp."

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

A caged chimp. (AP Photo)

Jane Goodall. (AP Photo)

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It's pretty pointless—anybody spending their life trying to save an animal or its habitat—if we're not at the same time helping new generations to become better stewards than we've been. - Jane Goodall

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

Snarfeh

Jul 20, 2009 1:41 AM CDT

lol@SPH

Suzylnn

Jul 19, 2009 12:39 PM CDT

"THE EARTH WILL NEVER BE DESTROYED!" Who owns the planet? Ans: Psalms 24:1 What will happen to those runining the earth? Ans.Revelation 11:18 Why did God create the earth? Ans.Isaiah 45:18 * How long will the earth remain? Ans.Ecclesiastes 1:4 Then What? Matthew 5:5-Psalms 37:29 When? 2Timothy 3:1-7 How? Daniel 2:44 Let the bible do the talking then you can be sure of the wonderful hope in store for those who love what is right. Beware 1John 4:1

riffran

Jul 19, 2009 11:42 AM CDT

wich John titor are ya...future one come back? or the present one?...lol....sorry "yall" it's a George Norri thing....

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US • Green

environment • Africa • animal cruelty • zoo • chimpanzees • primates • Jane Goodall • primatology

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