Get Clean Air With No Work

Humans (and animals) need clear air to survive. And while we work with bureaucracies to stop burning coal and polluting the air, we can do something very simple to purify the air in our homes. Are you ready for this?

Houseplants! We know trees give us breathable oxygen by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through its leaves. No need to buy expensive and energy wasting air purifying machines, when all you need is a little green and TLC (tender loving care, that is).

According to NASA, here's a list of plants that best filter the air in your home.

·       English ivy (Hedera helix)

·       Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

·       Golden pothos or Devil's ivy (Scindapsus aures or Epipremnum aureum)

·       Peace lily (Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa')

·       Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)

·       Bamboo palm or reed palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii)

·       Snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata'Laurentii')

·       Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron oxycardium, syn.Philodendron cordatum)

·       Selloum philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum, syn.Philodendron selloum)

·       Elephant ear philodendron (Philodendron domesticum)

·       Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata)

·       Cornstalk dracaena (Dracaena fragans 'Massangeana')

·       Janet Craig dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig')

·       Warneck dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Warneckii')

·       Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)

·       Gerbera daisy or Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

·       Pot mum or florist's chrysanthemum (Chrysantheium morifolium)

·       Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)

How cool is this? Little Critterz know it's important to have greenery in your home because of the tranquility and peace it brings, but we also love sustainability so these plants win in our book!

Did You Know?: Elephant Edition

I'm sure you've noticed how some elephants look different. Sometimes they are very large, with wide flowing ears and a dominating back, whereas others are slender with small features. No, this can't be chalked up to diet, millions of years of environmental conditions shaping these species into their modern form, yes.

But you're right. Elephants can look very different because African and Asian elephants are very different. In fact, their genetic differences are so great they cannot interbreed. A successful birth has only happened once, and unfortunately Motty died just two weeks after it's birth despite intensive care.

African elephants weight 4,000-7,000 kg (8,800-15,400 lbs) where Asian elephants weight 3,000-6,000 kg (6,600-13,200 lbs). African elephants are generally taller 3-4 meters (10-13 feet), have more wrinkled skin, bigger ears that reach up over the neck, have a concave back and have two fingers on their trunks. Asian elephants are 2-3.5 meters tall (6.5-11 feet), smoother skin, smaller ears and convex back, and females have rudimentary tusks or no tusks at all!

Orangutan Adoption Follow Up

Hi all! We wanted to update you about which adorable orangutan we decided to adopt! You weighed in and we listened, we chose Gunung because of that great smile and his struggle. We are so happy to be able to provide food, care, and support in his journey to rehabilitation and reintroduction into the wild.

Thanks for being apart of this experience with us. We look forward to sponsoring more amazing people, animals and organizations. If you have suggestions, write to us in the comments below.

Check back as we add more organizations to our 'Who We Support' page so you can learn more about these courageous and passionate people helping animals.

We love the world, and know you do too. Let's make a difference together.

Happy Wednesday everyone!