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In the first podcast of 2025, we look at the essay by Loren Eiseley, “The Star Thrower”, first published in his book The Unexpected Universe (1969). This essay has been paraphrased in numerous ways over the years, telling a simple story of a man encountering another person throwing Sea Stars into the ocean after they’d been heaved onto a beach by a storm. The man usually says something to the effect of “but there are so many, your efforts won’t matter.” No matter how the essay is paraphrased, it ends with the thrower telling the man that “it mattered to this one!”

While many fond the little story thus paraphrased useful, the essay is so much more than that – in fact the phrase “it mattered to this one” isn’t even in the orirginal text. Rather the essay is about the natural and proper work of beating back against the odds and loving the world. Eiseley writes of coming to realize that compassion, which in his time was considered anti-science, is as much a part of human nature as the fierce competitive aspect of living in the actual world which has been the presumption since Darwin. It’s a magnificent and deeply reasoned piece of writing. You can listen to it here, in the latest edition of New Wild Review.

As always, thank you for your support! Your donations are what make our work possible. Thank you!

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We are very happy to say that Humboldt Wildlife Care Center/bird ally x is one of the non-profits chosen by voting members of the North Coast Co-op for Seeds for Change, the monthly round-up program. Our appreciation for this honor is huge! Thanks to the co-op members for choosing our work. We will be featured this month.

How does it work? Simple! For the entire month of January you can round up the cost of your purchase at either location and that loose change, from a penny to 99¢ will go to HWCC/bax. If you want to give more, you can!

I love this program. Having been chosen in the past, I can say that the support it provides is very significant. It’s allowed us to meet many iof the regular difficult challenges we face, but has also helped during unexpected emrgencies (Like our big move that began in 2023 and is still underway.) As a regular customer of the co-op, I can say that I’m a perma-yes when asked if want to round-up. It;s such an easy way to make a very big difference.

Thank you co-op for being such an important part of our community and thank you co-op members for making sure we have the support we need!

And if you want to donate now, here while hope-scrolling click on the big …

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