Anthropomorphism is a term I hear a lot around biologists. It describes a thing we all do, attributing human characteristics to non-human things. Whether giving voices to our favorite stuffed animals as children to dressing our pets in clothing (disclaimer, our dog is snoring at my feet as I write this in an adorable Christmas sweater), we can’t seem to resist applying the human experience to everything around us. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing, our pooch likes the extra warmth and her sweater is straight up adorbs, but in the world of environmental conservation, it can work for and against you.