Comments on: Earth Weekend Vancouver Aquarium and Fresh Start Recycling http://hummingbird604.com/2009/04/23/earth-weekend-vancouver-aquarium-and-fresh-start-recycling/ The personal blog of a Vancouver-based educator in environmental issues Thu, 24 May 2012 04:44:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Glenn http://hummingbird604.com/2009/04/23/earth-weekend-vancouver-aquarium-and-fresh-start-recycling/comment-page-1/#comment-4205 Glenn Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:29:15 +0000 http://hummingbird604.com/?p=2869#comment-4205 It's too bad that the rest of the animals that the aquarium keeps in tanks weren't allowed to have their freedom as well. It is horrible that Vancouver still has this water zoo in the city after Vancouver residents voted to not allow zoos in the city. Animals languish for their whole lifetimes in tanks barely a fraction of their natural range. Just because a company (yes, I know the aquarium is officially a "charity") does some work to pretend to care about the earth does not mean that they deserve commendation for the cruelty that they exhibit everyday. What does the aquarium teach our children? That these amazing wild animals belong behind glass walls for us to go look at and poke at. They are taught that animals exist for our entertainment. As a child I learned far more about the natural world and respect for its inhabitants by seeing animals in their natural habitat. Aquariums just made me sad. It’s too bad that the rest of the animals that the aquarium keeps in tanks weren’t allowed to have their freedom as well. It is horrible that Vancouver still has this water zoo in the city after Vancouver residents voted to not allow zoos in the city. Animals languish for their whole lifetimes in tanks barely a fraction of their natural range. Just because a company (yes, I know the aquarium is officially a “charity”) does some work to pretend to care about the earth does not mean that they deserve commendation for the cruelty that they exhibit everyday.

What does the aquarium teach our children? That these amazing wild animals belong behind glass walls for us to go look at and poke at. They are taught that animals exist for our entertainment. As a child I learned far more about the natural world and respect for its inhabitants by seeing animals in their natural habitat. Aquariums just made me sad.

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