Give Cougar XOEarth Awards to eco friends and others to thank them for their past or pledged environmental actions.
Lovers of our Earth's biosphere are invited to copy and share, or print and give, these Cougar XOEarth Awards that have been dedicated to the Cougar, 350 Colorado [350Colorado.org] and 350.org.
With its vast range across the length of the Americas, the cougar (Puma concolor) has dozens of names and various references in the mythology of the indigenous Americans and in contemporary culture.
The cougar, is also commonly known as the mountain lion, puma, panther or catamount, and is a large felid of the subfamily Felinae native to the Americas. Its range, from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes of South America, is the greatest of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. An adaptable, generalist species, the cougar is found in most American habitat types. It is the second-heaviest cat in the New World, after the jaguar. Secretive and largely solitary by nature, the cougar is properly considered both nocturnal and crepuscular, although there are daytime sightings.
Cougars have large paws and proportionally the largest hind legs in the cat family. This physique allows it great leaping and short-sprint ability. The cougar's top running speed ranges between 64 and 80 km/h (40 and 50 mph), but is best adapted for short, powerful sprints rather than long chases. It is adept at climbing, which allows it to evade canine competitors. Although it is not strongly associated with water, it can swim.
Cougars are the fourth-largest cat; adults stand about 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35 in) tall at the shoulders. Adults range between 1.5 to 2.75 m (4.9 to 9.0 ft) nose to tail. Males average weight is 62 kg (137 lb). Females average weight is 42 kg (93 lb).
The cougar is an ambush predator and pursues a wide variety of prey. Primary food sources are ungulates, particularly deer. It also hunts species as small as insects and rodents. This cat prefers habitats with dense underbrush and rocky areas for stalking, but can also live in open areas. The cougar is territorial and survives at low population densities. Individual territory sizes depend on terrain, vegetation, and abundance of prey. While large, it is not always the apex predator in its range, yielding to the jaguar, gray wolf, American black bear, and grizzly bear. Puma concolor is reclusive and mostly avoids people.
Carl Linnaeus placed the cougar in Felis (Felis concolor), the genus which includes the domestic cat. The cougar and jaguarundi are now placed in Puma, and are most closely related to the modern cheetah of Africa and western Asia, but the relationship is unresolved. The cheetah lineage is suggested by some studies to have diverged from the Puma lineage in the Americas (see American cheetah) and migrated back to Asia and Africa, while other research suggests the cheetah diverged in the Old World itself.
In recognition of the 350 Colorado's crucial climate protection work that is helping save our biosphere's climate - and therefore humankind, the cougar and other species - we are honored to dedicate these Cougar XOEarth Awards to 350 Colorado.
We love the 350 Colorado's motto, "350 Colorado is working locally to help build the global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis and transition to a sustainable future."
As 350 Colorado says, "350.org’s Go Fossil Free campaign was launched with Bill McKibben’s Do The Math Tour in 2012. Its simple math: we can emit 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide and stay below 2°C of warming — anything more than that risks catastrophe for life on earth. The only problem? Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2,795 gigatons of carbon dioxide — five times the safe amount.
Fossil fuel companies are planning to burn it all — unless we rise up to stop them."
It is our take that 350 Colorado activists are doing some of the best work at getting Colorado to keep that carbon in the ground.
As 350 Colorado states via their Breaking Free events in Colorado:
"The goal is to break free from an industry that’s driving the climate crisis and throwing our seasons out of whack. We’re breaking free from an industry that poisons our air and water. We’re breaking free from an industry that doesn’t respect our right to keep dangerous industrial processes away from homes and schools."
We also support 350 Colorado work on the Go Fossil Free project that calls on us all to take the Divest-Invest Pledge:
Stele Ely, XOEarth.org's founder, has taken this pledge because, as 350 Colorado says, "We can have a huge impact collectively when we move our money from fossil fuels to climate solutions. With renewable energy becoming more competitive every day, we can promote a healthy planet and economic security by divesting from fossil fuels and reinvesting in solutions."
** Divest-Invest Pledge **
Where I have direct control over the individual companies I invest in, I will:
1.Make no new investments in oil, gas, and coal companies, especially the top 200 reserve owners.
2.Sell investments in oil, gas, and coal companies, especially the top 200 reserve owners, within 3-5 years.
3.Invest in a sustainable and equitable new renewable energy economy.
4.Strive to make personal choices in everyday life that reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Where I do not have direct control over the individual companies in my investments–such as in an employer 401K, mutual fund, or ETF–I pledge to invest in fossil free alternatives as soon as suitable options become available. I will call on my employer or fund manager and encourage them to provide such options. If I intend to engage in shareholder advocacy, I may retain a small share for that purpose.
Go to 350 Colorado to make your pledge official!!
If you love Colorado, we encourage to join and volunteer with one of the local 350 Colorado teams by signing up via 350colorado.org. As they say, "We’re working hard to build the climate movement in Colorado, and we would love your help!"
For all the life, Stele Ely
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Copy and share, or print and give, these and our other XOEarth environmental awards to honor and encourage eco actions.