In our lifetimes, we have seen the term "endangered species" and "extinction" more than we have seen the term "flourish." Unless you're talking about humans, deer, and squirrels. Which are not "flourishing" because that implies balance and harmony with Mother Nature. Humans, deer, and squirrels are simply overpopulated. We don't even know what to do with them all so we cut down all of the trees we can to make space for extravagant office buildings and large homes. And we ruin someone else's home in the process.

Tigers, our very own mascot at Towson University, fall into in the "endangered" category. The beautiful, majestic, fierce creatures have been declining in number since the 1900s due to forest destruction and poaching. Once again, corporate greed and our intense consuming addiction have destroyed some of the most amazing, lush places in the world. And their inhabitants. For what? Some paper? Office buildings that sell paper? That's only okay when it's "Dunder Mifflin." Anyone else is contributing to the destruction of ecosystems, endangerment of the world's most treasured creatures, and plowing down the trees that ensure our survival by the most basic of necessities - oxygen. And you thought you would never have to think about photosynthesis again after 9th-grade biology.

If we aren't mindful of the toll our daily demands take, soon enough we won't even have amazing creatures like Tigers to symbolize our proud university. Our children's children will attend Towson University, home of the "Paper Airplanes" because Tigers will have been extinct for decades by then. And you'll see more man-made items than nature's own. We'll have more paper than we know what to do with and so few trees, that we start to face an oxygen deficiency. At least we'll have our Paper Airplanes.

Fortunately for our school's brand and tiger's themselves, some of the greatest environmentalist's and tree huggers have gathered together to conserve the areas where the tigers naturally reside. Tigers roam in many Asian countries; the earliest count of them was in the 1900s at around 100,000. In 2010, the population hit an ultimate low of 3,200.

However, good news has surfaced from the WWF and Global Tiger Forum that numbers have currently hit 3,890. The Tiger population is on the rise for the first time in decades.

Several data analysts are slightly uncertain if this is due to new tracking technology that allows for a more accurate count of the population, or if conservation efforts are paying off. Regardless, the more that number goes up, the better. Thirteen Asian countries that are home to tigers have come together to make a plan that could double the tiger count by 2022.

In the meantime, let's be mindful of the toll our daily actions take on the environment. Recycle. Save water. Eat fewer animal products. Walk. Support and endorse conservation efforts. Donate to the WWF.

Let's save the tigers, save the trees, and save ourselves.

#TigersforTigers