Here at BEDI, we are constantly inspired by the world around us. A quiet moment in nature was the inspiration for our green nylon material, an especially chilly winter day was the inspiration for our coats, and conversations with our community have inspired many of the pieces we offer today. As we draw creative inspiration from these everyday moments, we have also been inspired by many incredible individuals to make the world a better place. By drawing inspiration from both creative sources and individuals advocating for change, we have developed utilitarian apparel that contributes to our planet in an environmental and ethical manner.
To acknowledge those who have paved the way for positive changes in our world, we decided to name our products after those who have inspired us. This week, we will be discussing Dr. Jane Goodall, the individual who we named our Goodall Crossbody Bag after.
Who Is Jane Goodall?
Some may know her as the chimpanzee whisperer, others as an activist, and some for her environmental work with the United Nations. The truth is, she is all of the above, and so much more.
Born on April 3rd, 1934 in England, Jane Goodall grew up with her parents, Margaret Myfanwe Joseph and Mortimer Morris Goodall, along with her sister Judy. From a very young age, she was fascinated by animals. She spent her childhood observing and sketching them. Through books, young Goodall came across the fictional character Tarzan who lived in the jungles of Africa. It became her dream to move to that same continent and live amongst the animals just like Tarzan. Little did she know that dream would someday be a reality.
Over the years, Goodall’s appreciation of animals grew stronger. At the age of 23, after completing secretarial school, she decided to visit a friend living in Kenya, Africa. It was in Africa that she met Dr. Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey who offered her a job working at the nearby Natural History Museum. Soon after, he sent her to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania to study wild chimpanzees. Louis hoped that by studying the behaviour of chimpanzees, he would learn more about the behaviour of early humans.
When Goodall began working with the chimps, she did something that was extremely unusual within the community studying animal behaviour– she decided to name the chimpanzee that she was observing. Although this was frowned upon by her peers, Goodall followed her conscience and continued with naming all the animals she studied, rather than following a numerical system. Over the years, Jane became known for treating animals in a kind and ethical manner. She continued her research with the chimps and eventually received her Ph.D. in ethology (study of animal behaviour) in 1966. She then continued her work with the chimps at Gombe Park for the next twenty years.
After attending a conference about deforestation (destruction of forests for human activity and profits), she was inspired to dig deeper into this issue by flying over deforested landscapes. Stunned by the view of empty lands that were once filled with beautiful trees, she knew she had to act to preserve the forests that were the natural habitat for chimpanzees. Over the years, Dr. Goodall has established several institutions aiming to protect chimpanzees and preserve their natural living environments.
Today, Dr. Goodall travels around 300 days a year, informing people all around the world about the various ways we can help protect the chimpanzees, their natural habitats, and the planet that we’ve all been blessed to live on.
How We Came Up with the GOODALL Bag
One of the factors that came to mind when designing the concept for this bag was how Dr. Goodall used a camera to capture images of the chimpanzees and to document her observations. Inspired by her work with the chimpanzees, as well as her current travel-heavy lifestyle, we wanted to create a versatile bag that could be used as an everyday crossbody bag, but could also comfortably carry a camera and a lens if needed.
In Awe of Jane Goodall
Compassion and respect towards animals are values that are important to us at BEDI. We believe in appreciating all forms of life for their uniqueness and ability to feel emotions. Dr. Jane Goodall’s work with chimpanzees is symbolic of this. Her values and morals of treating the animals she worked with in an ethical way, along with her work for the planet are accomplishments to be in awe of. We are grateful for her good-hearted presence and the incredible work that she has contributed to our Earth. For more information about her cause, please feel free to browse the following website:
Sources:
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/jane-goodall/
