The Lincoln Log

The lights are dimmed, Orgy is playing in the background, techno music is played all night long, bowling pins glow a faint green under the black light, lights shows are all around…no, this isn’t a rave; it’s a fundraiser for the Center for Ecosystem Survival to help the dry forest of the Guanacaste conservaton Area.

Bowl the Planet was a fundraiser held in Serra Bowl on March 24 that helped to protect rainforests and coral reefs. Many students from Abraham Lincoln High School participated in the event all while having some fun as well. Its rave-like atmosphere made it worthwhile and fun, to the extent where bowlers hardly realized that bowled for a cause. Think of it as a rave in a bowling place for a cause to save the ecosystem.

Roughly 250 people attended for this one-of-a-kind fundraiser. People from all backgrounds came to have fun while saving the planet.

“I came because I thought this would be a good cause to support and I also want to bowl,” junior Heather Leo said.

Although the wellbeing of the ecosystem doesn’t cross an average student’s mind daily, the problem still persists and is one of the major environmental problems today. Habitat loss is impacted by logging, gold mining, poor agricultural practices, population and global climate change. Not only does the beauty of nature give great aesthetic value to the world, it also provides us with medication for ailments and diseases. Over half of the species of plants haven’t been discovered yet, to some extent, this whole world still remains a mystery. These mysterious plants just may be a potential cure for anything. In order to still preserve these hopes of unearthing these plants in hopes of finding a new cure for AIDS, or even cancer, fundraisers are held to help finance programs that help protect our ecosystem.

Bowl the Planet was first held at Rock & Bowl more than 14 years ago. Its goal was to raise funds in order to purchase rainforest habitats in Costa Rica. Over the years, this organization has had many people working behind the scenes, including friends, staff, and students. They have also had underwriting support from corporate partners that are very interested in the work of the Center for Ecosystem Survival. Those partners so far have been Birkenstock, Northern California Microsoft, Hoogasian Flowers, Suite Sleep, PaperTree, The Owen Family Foundation, The Empire Group and many others.

The donations raised from this fundraiser are allocated to carry on the good work of the Center for Ecosystem Survival. Funds will be directed towards the Center’s scholarship program to start up the Insect Discovery Lab to underserved schools, as well as to fund habitat purchase and protection in the tropical rainforest. So far, more than $3.4 million has been raised. However, this saves more than just animals. By virtue of saving these large landscapes, jaguars, toucans, orchids, dolphins, giant river otters and much more are saved.

“We usually do not concentrate on individual species – the key to saving species is to save their habitats! When you concentrate on ecosystems you save hundreds of mammal species, 3000 plant species, 500 bird species, 200 reptile and amphibian species, and thousands of species of insects,” project coordinator Norman Gershenz said.