Wild and free

I've decided to share this email that I sent to the Chief Executive Officer of the International Airlines Group on Monday 29 December 2014, in response to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation's campaign against British Airways endorsing SeaWorld.  I believe it's a strong statement and a global issue that everyone needs to acknowledge and respect.

Hi Willie,

I am aware of the issue with selling trips/packages to SeaWorld.

I understand the business of selling leisure and travel to people for joy and your company needs to make money and grow.

But ask yourself, are animals here for pure entertainment? Would you, your children and other family/friends like to see animals in an enclosure and not showing their true wildness?  Or would you like to see animals run wild and free showing their unique personalities?  As humans we want others to be true to themselves, but why not animals?  While some enclosures offer positives for breeding programmes, rehabilitation etc.  It's still not right.

You have the power to show other travel operators that through education, you could offer reasonable prices for people to see animals in the wild.  Where they should be seen.  Then there would be no reason for pseudo enclosures and environments.

Please do think about how you could change your thinking and not purely on financial greed as that is only short-term.  Think long-term and how you could revolutionise the industry and the world.  This issue won't go away, it will only get stronger.  So try to think about moving with it.

Thank you.

}-wh^ale>

EDIT: In March 2021 after watching Seaspiracy, I took to social media to comment;

I haven't enough space to begin talking about my anger/frustration.  Same issue with land-based industry with red meat...  A key message; nothing is really sustainable/unlimited - deal with it, take responsibility!  We all share the same world, take care of it.  P.S. you'll need a strong stomach to get through this.  I teared up a couple times.  Traumatising stuff.

EDIT:  April 2023, I was thinking about how people need to be more educated on their recycling habits.  One way I think could help, that is not just about social media campaigns, but prime time TV advertising and YouTube advertising.  If global governments are behind protecting and conserving our planet, then why are the majority of adverts about selling products and overall consumerism?  It's high time that people need to connect with the planet they live on and it can start by being literally pushed in peoples faces as with product advertising.  Make it an issue, make it a priority, create action in people.