After the August 2022 announcement of the Dugong as “functionally extinct” in China, due to habitat loss, collisions, and hunting, I was deeply affected. I wondered about how many more species are now extinct in recent years. The number of extinct animals in the past ten years is overwhelming, and most people never knew these animals existed. I decided to paint “They Became the Stars” as an homage to recently extinct species including the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Spix’s Macaw, the Baiji Chinese River Dolphin, Western Black Rhino, and the Pinta Giant Tortoise. Human activity including overfishing, destructive fishing, pollution, poaching, and global warming caused these animals to disappear and continue to contribute to the cycle of extinction.

Promoting a sustainable food system is one way consumers can support a better future. Because the agriculture industry takes a tremendous environmental toll, switching to a plant-based diet can cut greenhouse gasses in half. Consumer choices are number one in creating change, so opting for plant based alternatives, buying sustainable products, and supporting conservation organizations are the steps necessary to create change.