When the dinosaurs disappeared, the cockroaches probably missed all the commotion that went along with it. Today, another mass extinction is underway and those of us at the top of the food chain are also amiss of the situation. But we don't have the same luxury of ignorance as we may think we do when it comes to our own perceived preeminence.
Nearly one third of the 6,500 amphibian species of frogs around the world are threatened with extinction, said Hoboken resident Susan Newman. Spreading the word on the implications of this development is the mission that she has undertaken with fellow New Jersey environmentalist Mary Jo Rhodes. Through their website, "Frogs are Green," and a display window at City Hall that opened Thursday, they hope to bring as much attention as they can to this global problem.
Maybe not such a concern among urban dwellers in a city like Hoboken, Newman said she receives mail from people from all over the world about the issue. It may help us sleep better now but the glaring gap in the food chain will do more than keep it's varied array of predators up at night.
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In turn, we might not be that far behind on the endangered species list, said Newman, who runs her own graphic design firm. "People just don't realize what a crisis this situation is," she said, "and the role we play in it."
Of course, deforestation is always a concern but it's what we are putting into the environment that really is the main cause of the problem. Washing our dishes, doing laundry or even shampooing our hair.
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"It comes down to our daily habits," she said, "and the chemicals we put into the water."
In the meantime, as we reside at our supposed peak over nature, frogs serve as an important benchmark in regards to what we are doing to ourselves. With their highly permeable skin, their ill health mirrors the toxicity of the environment we are creating.
"Frogs are a really important indicator that the planet is in trouble," Newman said.
Frogs also help eradicate parasitic bearing insects from our midst. As a result, the incidence of diseases such as malaria, encephalitis and meningitis will go on the rise with the decline of the frog.
And if that's not bad enough, frogs are also facing a virus that is currently impacting over 500 species of frogs around the globe. "Chytridiomycosis is the worst case in recorded history of a disease driving a vertebrate species to extinction," according to the Frogs Are Green Web site.
Digging further into their blog, "A Frog Love Shack," details The Bristol Zoo's attempt to breed two endangered frog species in a climate controlled Amphipod and takes us to Sundance for "Cane Toads: The Conquest," which recounts the problems Australia is having with an imported species of toads.
Newman said she is making an effort to reach out to school aged children with this campaign.
So far, they have a cub scout troop in Texas and a school from Washington State that has shown interest, but they lack a real vehicle to raise awareness in the local schools. A display in Hoboken City Hall is the first step.
As for the rest of us: People need to take a look at the products they use, Newman said, and keep informed on what can be done to help in the future.
For more info http://frogsaregreen.com
