Jane Goodall Celebrates Her 90th Birthday By Sharing Her Greatest Wish

Crossing the threshold into her 90th birthday, activist Jane Goodall has accomplished much over the decades. But in celebration of this remarkable occasion, Goodall has spoken about her latest project supporting sustainability – the work never ends – as well as her biggest wish for the world and how people should honor her.

Goodall was born on April 3, 1934, in London, England, but hers would quickly become a household name as Goodall rose to prominence as a leading primatologist. With her platform, she became an eminent voice promoting conservation and environmentalism. In the spirit of her life’s work, Goodall bids for all the world to not let hopelessness rule them or their choices, asserting that giving in to despair is the only way to lose the future.

Jane Goodall spends her 90th birthday explaining the importance of continuing to care and hope

According to Vogue, 300 days out of the year are spent traveling for work, for Jane Goodall, and her 90th birthday hasn’t seen her slow down one bit. She wants to make sure the rest of the world – everyone, but especially the younger generation – doesn’t slow down too. That’s because Goodall says she sees a lot of apathy, as people feel the world is doomed beyond repair, so what is the point, anyway?

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“Of course they’re quite right, too,” she acknowledged. “We have really destroyed the planet. And we’re getting to a point of no return, but we still have a window of time. Why do you think I’m rushing around the world? Because if people lose hope, then you take no action. And then we’re doomed.” In other words, inaction out of grief becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

When it comes to choices like elections, Goodall asks only that people participate in the election process and go with whoever wants a better tomorrow. “A lot of people can’t be bothered to vote,” she noted. “They may not care about either candidates, but your vote counts. Vote for the person most likely to care about your future. It will make a difference.”

Goodall reminds everyone beyond any doubt that any one person is enough to make a difference

Today, we see Goodall at the endpoint of her long journey to becoming an international spokesperson for conservation and environmental protection. But she too started somewhere, a little girl whose father gave her a toy chimpanzee all the other parents were sure would frighten her. To this day, that toy, which Goodall named Jubilee, still sits on her dresser.

So, in the face of many who feel too small to enact the kind of momentum Goodall has, she has a reply ready. “I say, ‘Well, what do you care about?’ You find you make a difference. That makes you feel good, so you want to do more. And then when you realize there are people all around the world, feeling just like you, starting up the same programs, that builds up hope.”

Goodall is still set on making a difference as old issues persist and new ones arise. One of her most recent trips took her to Brazil, where she learned about the unethical use of mercury in gold mining. “In Brazil, there are laws against it, but during Bolsonaro’s reign, he actually encouraged the miners to come into the indigenous forest, which was illegal,” she explained. This ended up having a huge impact because, as Goodall outlined, “They destroyed miles of beautiful rivers. The indigenous people living along the rivers are very often dying because they rely on the fish, and the fish are dying of mercury contamination.”

This inspired Goodall’s partnership with Brilliant Earth, a sustainable, ethically sourced brand of jewelry. They put together a collaboration campaign that features limited-edition jewelry with recycled gold, with funds going towards conservation projects through both the Jane Goodall Institute and Brilliant Earth Foundation.

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