Dear readers of Earth Echoes blogg,
There has been precious little information posted here lately. That has to do with the fact that I have gotten a new job and moved to Norway. In the process of settling in in a new country, a new job, finding a new place, etc. the blogg has unfortunately suffered. Once I am settled in I will start with regular postings again. So please do not forget EarthEchoes.
Best regards and have a splendid autumn everyone,
Trond Lovdal
Editor
Showing posts with label Editor's Message. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Editor's Message. Show all posts
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
No news is good news!
Dear readers,
The ditor has to apologize for the long absense. Due to unforeseen circumstances the editor had to go on a two week trip on very short notice and has not been able to update the blog. The blog will be updated on a regular basis again now. So please keep reading it and be informed.
The ditor has to apologize for the long absense. Due to unforeseen circumstances the editor had to go on a two week trip on very short notice and has not been able to update the blog. The blog will be updated on a regular basis again now. So please keep reading it and be informed.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
An introduction to the No Impact Man
Now the No Impact Man has become a good friend of mine. He exemplifies what can be done in terms of reducing one's impact on the environment, even when living in a huge metropolis like New york. One does not have to move to the countryside or into a one room flat to live with low or no environmental impact.
Read his wonderful blog and learn about his won experiences in trying to live a NO IMPACT LIFE! It has become one of my favorite blogs.
About the No Impact Man:
No Impact Man is my experiment with researching, developing and adopting a way of life for me and my little family—one wife, one toddler, one dog—to live in the heart of New York City while causing no net environmental impact. To do this, we will decrease the things we do that hurt the earth—make trash, cause carbon dioxide emissions, for example—and increase the things we do that help the earth—clean up the banks of the Hudson River, give money to charity, rescue sea birds, say.
In mathematical terms, in case you are an engineer or just a geek who likes math, we are trying to achieve an equilibrium that looks something like this:
Negative Impact + Positive Impact = Zero.
No net impact. Get it?
Read his wonderful blog and learn about his won experiences in trying to live a NO IMPACT LIFE! It has become one of my favorite blogs.
About the No Impact Man:
No Impact Man is my experiment with researching, developing and adopting a way of life for me and my little family—one wife, one toddler, one dog—to live in the heart of New York City while causing no net environmental impact. To do this, we will decrease the things we do that hurt the earth—make trash, cause carbon dioxide emissions, for example—and increase the things we do that help the earth—clean up the banks of the Hudson River, give money to charity, rescue sea birds, say.
In mathematical terms, in case you are an engineer or just a geek who likes math, we are trying to achieve an equilibrium that looks something like this:
Negative Impact + Positive Impact = Zero.
No net impact. Get it?
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Tiger Farms in China and Animal Abuse
Xiongsen is the world's biggest battery farm for rare animals, including 1,300 tigers. The stock is worth hundreds of millions of dollars in China, where consumers pay high prices for remedies, tonics and aphrodisiacs made from rare animals. Until now there has been a ban on tiger products, but that could be about to change. After a decade of lobbying by Xiongsen, China is preparing to call for a lifting of the ban. Jonathan Watts documents what life is like for the captive-bred animals.See the full photo documentary here: Guardian Limited: Xiongsen Bear and Tiger Mountain Village
There has been a lot of spot light recently on attempts by certain groups in China who wants to lift the ban on trade in tigers and other rare and endangered animal body parts pureley for financial gain. When will humans stop to think about that which is greater than themselves, human dignity, awe for nature and caring for our environment? Never it seems. We treat life, other animal species and whole ecosystems in a fashion that cares nothing about the pain and losses inflicted on them, and in the end on us. Our actions reverbarates and hit us back like a boomerang. Except we don't see it because of our short term sight of profits at all costs.
We must stop this negative spiral and start appreciating our envioronment and fellow species, for our own dignity and survival as much as theirs.
Please also read this story from anothet Chinese Tiger Farm: Metro.co.uk - Tigers feast on live cow in zoo show
On May 11, 2007 EarthEchoes featured the plight of the Tiger with two movie clips. The May Action Alert of the Month was also Tiger related. See the result here: Thousands Ask China to Keep Tiger Trade Ban. It Really helps to take action. Everything you do have an impact.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Earthechoes offline until May 21
On May 12 the Operating System crashed on my computer. I have been trying to get it up on and running myself, but finally had to give up. The Apple Powerbook is now being restored professionally. Earthechoes hope to start posting again within a few days (by May 21 or 22). Then Earthechoes will have some great news and even greater links, so please check back soon.
Friday, May 11, 2007
A plea to help stop the Tiger trade!
Please do what you can to stop the unethical trade in body parts of the endangered tiger:
Help End the Tiger Trade
Please Stop the Tiger Trade
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
What one mum is doing to help improve earth's environment
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Inspired by the San Francisco Compact Becky Sheaves set out to live a non-consumer lifestyl for 4 months, hoping to extend it for a year after the first trial. Excerpts from this store below, and read her full story online here: The Daily Mail - The stopping shopping challenge: Could you survive without buying anything?
All of us can be equally inspired and work for the betterment of our environment. Consumerism is one of society's major ills, but we just don't see it. If we all spent less on silly consumption and paid more attention to what really matters, quality of life, not quantity of consumer articles. We can all do with a lot less. And we are all of us usually far better off for it.
Photo copyrights/credit: The Daily Mail.
The stopping shopping challenge: Could you survive without buying anything?
By BECKY SHEAVES
It's the latest way to save the planet, but could our writer survive for months without buying anything new? Yes, until the ironing board broke, her clothes ripped and - horrors! - her make-up ran out
A new sustainable living experiment has sparked a movement copied around the world. Known as the San Francisco Compact, it requires members to reject consumerism, and re-use, borrow and recycle instead.
They undertake not to buy anything new, ever (except for food, underwear and medicines). So is it possible? We challenged a spendaholic mother to become a Compacter.
Becky Sheaves, 39, who lives in Devon with her husband John, 48, and their six children, describes how her attempt to help save the planet went.
Be isnpired! Read the full story here: The Daily Mail - The stopping shopping challenge: Could you survive without buying anything?
Monday, May 07, 2007
A conservative twist, leaving you with a bad taste in your mouth.
Ok, now that it is finally proven beyond any doubt that global warming is happening, and that human activity plays a huge role in it, what does the climate change doubters do? They continue to play the game of it being a hoax by liberals and saying that it is a scheme by them to destroy the US economy and with it millions of jobs based on pseudoscience. What are these ultra conservatives thinking? Why on earth would any sensible person, not to mention thousands of world respected scientists, risk their reputations and all their good will to purposefully destroy the US economy? Well, give me a good explanation and I will give it a second thought.
Besides, if we look at it carefully, the changes society has to make can be a boon to the economy and not a set back. If we spent the same amount on renewable energy, raw material savings technology, innovations in engine and clean air technology, funding for nature restoration projects, etc. etc. that we do on the oil industry and large energy companies, the US and much of the rest of the world would be on a road of renewed economic growth and vitality. And this road would be a sustainable path, not one of destruction. The only problem is that the loosers would be the big oil corporations and big-energy, and those are the traditional allies of Bush and his cronies and pull far too much political weight through their heavily financed lobbies.
Furthermore, it does not have to cost a fortune to stop global climate change, if we act now. Think Progress recently published an article titled New Climate Change Report Debunks Key Right-Wing Talking Point On Global Warming which outlines briefly the arguments by the far right in the US and how easily these arguments can be overcome.
DeSmogBlog has run a calculation of what is truly needed and concluded that US$ 10 per person is all that it takes! "The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded today that it would cost 0.12% of the world's domestic product to substantially reduce our collective greenhouse gas emissions. GDP of the world economy: US$60 trillion.12% of $60 trillion: $70 billion. Total population of the earth: 6.5 billionCost per person to significantly reduce heat-trapping gas worldwide: $10 a year. Cost of saving the planet from droughts, famine, mass flooding, species extinction and rising sea levels: priceless."
As can be seen the issue of stopping global warming is straight forward, except that we must recognize the fact that the developed nations has a much larger responsibility and thus must be expected to pay a larger % per head of total costs.
US and Australia are now the the only two countries left in the world where there are a few handful of ultra conservatives that denies the facts of science. Sarcozy, the right wing candidate who just won the presidential election in France said that he was friendly towards Bush and would like to work with him, as long as he did not hinder the work to stop global warming. Conservatives elsewhere in the world are waking up, albeit late, but not Bush and Howard. Well, it is ironic that the US has been hit for several years by strange and unsettling weather patterns, and Australia is undergoing its worst and longest drought ever, but climate change? no way! What these countries' leaders try to make you think is that it is just business as usual, nothing strange is happening with the weather, just your usual natural phenomena. Well, they will not be sitting for much longer as leaders, which is a comfort, but will it be too late as people like them have already hampered effective climate change policies, not to speak of the damage caused through lack of leadership on these vital issues, but history always has its own judgement.
Besides, if we look at it carefully, the changes society has to make can be a boon to the economy and not a set back. If we spent the same amount on renewable energy, raw material savings technology, innovations in engine and clean air technology, funding for nature restoration projects, etc. etc. that we do on the oil industry and large energy companies, the US and much of the rest of the world would be on a road of renewed economic growth and vitality. And this road would be a sustainable path, not one of destruction. The only problem is that the loosers would be the big oil corporations and big-energy, and those are the traditional allies of Bush and his cronies and pull far too much political weight through their heavily financed lobbies.
Furthermore, it does not have to cost a fortune to stop global climate change, if we act now. Think Progress recently published an article titled New Climate Change Report Debunks Key Right-Wing Talking Point On Global Warming which outlines briefly the arguments by the far right in the US and how easily these arguments can be overcome.
DeSmogBlog has run a calculation of what is truly needed and concluded that US$ 10 per person is all that it takes! "The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded today that it would cost 0.12% of the world's domestic product to substantially reduce our collective greenhouse gas emissions. GDP of the world economy: US$60 trillion.12% of $60 trillion: $70 billion. Total population of the earth: 6.5 billionCost per person to significantly reduce heat-trapping gas worldwide: $10 a year. Cost of saving the planet from droughts, famine, mass flooding, species extinction and rising sea levels: priceless."
As can be seen the issue of stopping global warming is straight forward, except that we must recognize the fact that the developed nations has a much larger responsibility and thus must be expected to pay a larger % per head of total costs.
US and Australia are now the the only two countries left in the world where there are a few handful of ultra conservatives that denies the facts of science. Sarcozy, the right wing candidate who just won the presidential election in France said that he was friendly towards Bush and would like to work with him, as long as he did not hinder the work to stop global warming. Conservatives elsewhere in the world are waking up, albeit late, but not Bush and Howard. Well, it is ironic that the US has been hit for several years by strange and unsettling weather patterns, and Australia is undergoing its worst and longest drought ever, but climate change? no way! What these countries' leaders try to make you think is that it is just business as usual, nothing strange is happening with the weather, just your usual natural phenomena. Well, they will not be sitting for much longer as leaders, which is a comfort, but will it be too late as people like them have already hampered effective climate change policies, not to speak of the damage caused through lack of leadership on these vital issues, but history always has its own judgement.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Urgency required to fight global climate change, we must act now!
A newspaper article heading by the Guardian reads UN scientists warn time is running out to tackle global warming. "Governments are running out of time to address climate change and to avoid the worst effects of rising temperatures, an influential UN panel warned yesterday. Greater energy efficiency, renewable electricity sources and new technology to dump carbon dioxide underground can all help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the experts said. But there could be as little as eight years left to avoid a dangerous global average rise of 2C or more."
In a related development reported by the San Francisco Chronicle a heading reads Changes in lifestyle can slow warming, scientists say "The worst effects of global warming can be blunted if average people make lifestyle changes that conserve energy and if the world's nations show the political will to address the problem, a panel of international scientists said Friday. The technology to slow climate change exists in the form of renewable-energy sources like solar, wind and hydroelectric power and making cars, homes and factories more energy efficient, but governments must adopt policies that encourage people and businesses to embrace them, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said."
1+1=2 always. The message here is very clear, we are running out of time if we are to successfully tackle climate change and global warming and that with some relatively minor adjustments in our lifestyles we can do a lot to slow global warming. We must act now and make as many adjustments in our lifestyle and consumption as we possibly can. Every little change is helping. At the same we conserve earth's resources. So please do your part to help slow and eventually stop global warming!
In a related development reported by the San Francisco Chronicle a heading reads Changes in lifestyle can slow warming, scientists say "The worst effects of global warming can be blunted if average people make lifestyle changes that conserve energy and if the world's nations show the political will to address the problem, a panel of international scientists said Friday. The technology to slow climate change exists in the form of renewable-energy sources like solar, wind and hydroelectric power and making cars, homes and factories more energy efficient, but governments must adopt policies that encourage people and businesses to embrace them, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said."
1+1=2 always. The message here is very clear, we are running out of time if we are to successfully tackle climate change and global warming and that with some relatively minor adjustments in our lifestyles we can do a lot to slow global warming. We must act now and make as many adjustments in our lifestyle and consumption as we possibly can. Every little change is helping. At the same we conserve earth's resources. So please do your part to help slow and eventually stop global warming!
Friday, May 04, 2007
Now here is an interesting question, one we should all ponder.
Where to count manufacturing emissions: With end-users in the West, or the producers in China?
This is an issue that has been discussed indirectly in several of EarthEchoes earlier postings. Much of the carbon emissions from the developing world, from that of coal burning factories to power Chinese export industries to cutting down large tracts of tropical forests are the result of consumer demands in developed countries for ever cheaper products. If only consumers stopped to think about why they can get such a wealth of products (almost everything produced in China, India or other developing nations) at such low costs I think they would be surprised. Well, the answer is in part because it comes at the expense of the environment in these countries and now at such a rate that it is seriously affecting the global environment. The consumers themselves are demanding it, and thus indirectly (I would venture to say directly) causing huge changes to the global climate. And add to this the cabon emissions resulting from shipping these goods around the world, which alone add significant amounts of carbon emission.
What in effect is happening is that the developed part of the world has "exported" its carbon emissions to the developing world. If the same goods that are consumed in the the developed world were to have been produced where consumed the carbon emissions would have been many times higher in the developed part of the world, and equally lower in the developing world. The same goes for timber. If the same amount of timber that are consumed in the developed part of the world would have come from forests where consumption happens the developed part of the world would not have a single tree left standing. It is too easy to blame developing countries for their bad environmental records when consumers elsewhere are as much to blame. Hence, there is no question that the already industrialized countries must work to help the developing nations tackle their environmental challenges. It is a moral question as much as an environmental one.
We have to: STOP AND THINK ABOUT HOW OUR CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AFFECT THE GLOBAL CLIMATE
Add to this consumers' thirst for ever cheaper air fares, consumers' demand for low gasoline prices, etc. and it is no small wonder that earth's resources are depleted at dangerous levels and that our greenhouse gasses are wrecking havoc with the global climate.
BBC published today an article on their website with the title Paradox of China's emissions. It is a good read and makes you think.
This is an issue that has been discussed indirectly in several of EarthEchoes earlier postings. Much of the carbon emissions from the developing world, from that of coal burning factories to power Chinese export industries to cutting down large tracts of tropical forests are the result of consumer demands in developed countries for ever cheaper products. If only consumers stopped to think about why they can get such a wealth of products (almost everything produced in China, India or other developing nations) at such low costs I think they would be surprised. Well, the answer is in part because it comes at the expense of the environment in these countries and now at such a rate that it is seriously affecting the global environment. The consumers themselves are demanding it, and thus indirectly (I would venture to say directly) causing huge changes to the global climate. And add to this the cabon emissions resulting from shipping these goods around the world, which alone add significant amounts of carbon emission.
What in effect is happening is that the developed part of the world has "exported" its carbon emissions to the developing world. If the same goods that are consumed in the the developed world were to have been produced where consumed the carbon emissions would have been many times higher in the developed part of the world, and equally lower in the developing world. The same goes for timber. If the same amount of timber that are consumed in the developed part of the world would have come from forests where consumption happens the developed part of the world would not have a single tree left standing. It is too easy to blame developing countries for their bad environmental records when consumers elsewhere are as much to blame. Hence, there is no question that the already industrialized countries must work to help the developing nations tackle their environmental challenges. It is a moral question as much as an environmental one.
We have to: STOP AND THINK ABOUT HOW OUR CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AFFECT THE GLOBAL CLIMATE
Add to this consumers' thirst for ever cheaper air fares, consumers' demand for low gasoline prices, etc. and it is no small wonder that earth's resources are depleted at dangerous levels and that our greenhouse gasses are wrecking havoc with the global climate.
BBC published today an article on their website with the title Paradox of China's emissions. It is a good read and makes you think.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Action Alert of the Month: Help End Trade in Tiger Parts
China represents the largest market for illegal trade in animal parts, and in particular trade in Tiger parts. In 1993 the Chinese government took decisive action to help save the species by outlawing all domestic trade of tiger products. At the same time public awareness campaigns have helped curbed a demand that once supported a burgeoning trade in tiger parts. Now there are new pressures on the Chinese government, by so-called tiger farm operators, to relax these regulations and to make the trade in tiger parts legal again. This must at all costs be stopped because once trade is legalized it opens up opportunities for criminals to white wash money from trade in illegally poached animals of the wild tiger. Besides, years of public awareness campaigning and education on the issue may be at risk. Please help save the tiger from this fate. If we do not stop all trade in tiger parts we may soon only be able to see these wonderful animals in zoos and tiger farms, where they certainly do not belong. Therefore, EarthEchoes asks you to visit Help End the Tiger Trade and sign up to ask China to keep its tiger trade ban in place.
Photo Copyright: © John Goodrich, WCS. The photo is of male tiger Lyutia.
Here is Save the Tiger Fund's press release on the campaign: Conservationists Call on China to Support Law Over Tiger Farms
For obvious reasons this campaign is very close to EarthEchoes' heart since the editor, Trond Lovdal, works for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Russia Far East as the Tiger Friendly Certification Manager. This campaign on WWF's website is sponsored by 28 organizations involved in tiger conservation, including WCS, Save the Tiger Fund, Conservation International, IFAW, TRAFFIC, Care for the Wild International, The Corbett Foundation, etc.
Please do your part to help save this wonderful cat from extinction. Visit Help End the Tiger Trade and sign up to ask China to keep its tiger trade ban in place. Your views will be personally conveyed to China's leaders.
Arctic ice cap possibly melting 30 years ahead of IPCC predictions
Recent reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) paints a grim picture of global warming, and especially for the arctic areas predicting that the Arctic ice cap will completely disappear during the summer months by the year 2050. A new study conducted by an American glaciological team move this date up 30 years to 2020. Their findings strongly indicate that the Arctic ice cap as a result of human created global warming is disappearing a lot faster than even the grim prediction of the IPCC. Read the full report here: Reuters: Arctic ice cap melting 30 years ahead of forecast
Photo Credit: Reuters.
These are very serious findings and it again illustrates how little time we have and how much remain to be done to put a halt to global warming. The world leaders do not at all understand the urgency as they are bickering and arguing over minor measures while the planet is on high fever. If we do not act now, it will be too late.
The simulation below of the summer artic ice coverage of the north pole from present to 2040 is produced by UCAR and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Now think of the time span as half of this again, with the final year 2020 instead of 2040. Now that is a lot of water that will be freed to flood low laying areas such as Bangladesh, Florida, Holland, etc. And we are all so complacent about it.
The alarm bells are ringing as loud as ever. Wake up world!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Asian consumer threatens rare and endagered shark species
In a previous posting (April 14, 2007)EarthEchoes alerted its readers to the fate of three shark species and the need to get them on the CITES Appendix I list. I know that many of you have signed the petition. This time other sharks are endangered by ignorant consumers in Asian markets (mainly China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore) to whom the sharks represents an expensive status symbol as shark fin soup is one of the most expensive dishes one can order in Asian restaurants. Sadly, as a result many species such as the hammerheads, silkies, oceanics, white fins, black fins, fox shark and reef shark are getting nearer to extinction. It is about time to actually have a worldwide ban on all trade in shark fins, or else there will for sure be no shark fin on the tables any longer anyway. We are seeing a similar story to that of the trade in tiger bones and other body parts. We must act before it is too late. EarthEchoes asks all its readers to boycott restaurants and shops selling shark fins. And when attending meals at restaurants where shark fin is served please alert the host to the fact that their order is contributing towards the extinction of shark species. Many people are simply not aware about how their actions are influencing the Web of Life.
Here is a very informative article about how Asian consumption is a major contributor towards the decline of shark populations off the coast of Columbia:
Yahoo News: Asian demand for shark fins threatens Colombian species
Photo Credit: http://zoo.ogresnet.com. Close up shot of a hammerhead shark.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
A MUST sign petition: Pledge to Live a One Planet Life!
This has to be one the best of any petitions regarding sustainable living that is online. Thanks a bunch Anbarasi for alerting EarthEchoes to this petition. We must all do our part to live within our earth limits. We do not have five planets, only one. This is reality and our living should reflect this reality. We must take responsibility and live accoprdingly. A One Planet Life is Possible. To learn more about the petition and to sign up follow this link:
Pledge to Live a One Planet Life
It is brought to you by CARE 2 Make a Difference
EarthEchoes strongly challenge all its readers to sign the pledge and follow up with action: LIVE A ONE PLANET LIFE!
And Always remember:
One life - Live it!
One earth - Protect it!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
A BIG Earth Day greeting to all the readers of the EarthEchoes Blog
Dear readers,
I want to wish you all a splendid and happy EARTH DAY today. Today is the day we should care especially for our home: the EARTH. Our earth is now facing challenges and obstacles never before experienced in our human history. These challenges and obstacles are a result of our own degradation and lack of care for our environment. We must stop this degradation and EarthEchoes therefore recommend that we henceforth must make every single day Earth Day. We must slow our consumption, we must think green, we must spend more effort and resources on caring for our environment, we must reduce green house gas emitting activities and we must act more responsibly towards our environment. We no longer have any other alternative than a sustainable development path, a path that all nations and all peoples must take in order to halt current climate changes and other environmental calamaties. Therefore, I strongly appeal to all readers of EarthEchoes to make every single day an Earth Day! We cannot afford not to as we no longer have the luxury of time nor that of ignorance as we all know only too well the nature and cause of the threats to our global climate and environment.
Earth Day greetings,
Trond Lovdal
Blog Editor
One life - Live it! One earth - Protect it!
I want to wish you all a splendid and happy EARTH DAY today. Today is the day we should care especially for our home: the EARTH. Our earth is now facing challenges and obstacles never before experienced in our human history. These challenges and obstacles are a result of our own degradation and lack of care for our environment. We must stop this degradation and EarthEchoes therefore recommend that we henceforth must make every single day Earth Day. We must slow our consumption, we must think green, we must spend more effort and resources on caring for our environment, we must reduce green house gas emitting activities and we must act more responsibly towards our environment. We no longer have any other alternative than a sustainable development path, a path that all nations and all peoples must take in order to halt current climate changes and other environmental calamaties. Therefore, I strongly appeal to all readers of EarthEchoes to make every single day an Earth Day! We cannot afford not to as we no longer have the luxury of time nor that of ignorance as we all know only too well the nature and cause of the threats to our global climate and environment.
Earth Day greetings,
Trond Lovdal
Blog Editor
One life - Live it! One earth - Protect it!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Norway to host the World Environment Day 2007
Every year on June 5 the world is celebrating the World Environment Day (WED). This year's theme is: Melting ice - a hot topic? And what a more fitting place to kick it of than Norway, which is a leading nation in arctic research and a nation that has Svalbard and large territories in Antarctica.The topic is indeed a HOT one (no need for the question mark) as has been demonstrated the world over by all the attention given to the world's glaciers melting and the Arctic's ice cap melting at a dangerous pace posing threats to the local biodiversity and indigenous peoples' livelihoods and culture. It is a symptom of how hot the earth has become. Earth is now like a patient with a fever, and the ice caps that are normally cooling it down is melting, further aggravating global warming, climate change and biodiversity loss.
We should all celebrate this day, but celebrate it while thinking about what we as individuals can do to improve on our environment. Thinking about how we as individuals can help spread this message, how we as individuals can pressure our governments to act faster and more resolute to stop global warming. This must be foremost in our minds on June 5 this year.
One life - Live it! One Earth - Protect it!
To learn more about the "World Environment Day 2007" check out these links:
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Urgent Action Needed: Help get endangered species of sharks on the CITES Appendix I list
Anbarasi has just informed me about this urgent action alert by Ocean Conservancy to help protect three endangered shark species by getting them on the CITES listing (Appendix I) making it illegal to trade in these species. The more signatures they get all the more pressure on the government to act in the interest of nature. And remember environmental problems are GLOBAL hence all of us are stakeholders, therefore, write to the US government whether you are an American or not and tell them to help save these endangered shark species. ACT to keep the Web of Life intact!
"Your help is needed to support sound proposals limiting unsustainable trade in imperiled species of sharks and rays. Proposals to protect sawfish, spiny dogfish and porbeagle sharks under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) will be considered in June by 170 CITES member countries. These proposals are vital to reducing extinction risk for these vulnerable and depleted species, but they face an uphill battle and need strong public support, particularly in the United States.
Your voice is needed during this CITES comment period to balance industry pressure to oppose CITES action for sharks. Please write to the Fish and Wildlife Service before April 23 to express your strong support for passage of all three shark and ray proposals".
Go here to take action: International Trade Endangers Sharks - Take Action to Help
"Your help is needed to support sound proposals limiting unsustainable trade in imperiled species of sharks and rays. Proposals to protect sawfish, spiny dogfish and porbeagle sharks under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) will be considered in June by 170 CITES member countries. These proposals are vital to reducing extinction risk for these vulnerable and depleted species, but they face an uphill battle and need strong public support, particularly in the United States.
Your voice is needed during this CITES comment period to balance industry pressure to oppose CITES action for sharks. Please write to the Fish and Wildlife Service before April 23 to express your strong support for passage of all three shark and ray proposals".
Go here to take action: International Trade Endangers Sharks - Take Action to Help
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Why are we here?
Watch it and think carefully about the message:
Produced by: Earth Communications Office and narrated by Morgan Freeman.
Produced by: Earth Communications Office and narrated by Morgan Freeman.
Name change for 1-earth.blogspot.com
Dear blog readers,
The name of my blog has as of today been changed from 1-Earth to EarthEchoes. The new blog name EarthEchoes reflects better the recent changes in the nature and development of my blog. It also reflects better the new "editorial" direction of the blog whereby more global environmental news, other stories and video clips have recently been incorporated to a much higher degree than before. The name also reflects better the new dynamic nature of the blog. I hope that the readers will find this "new" blog as interesting if not even more interesting than my "previous" blog.
This name itself also reflects the fact that our earth communicates indirectly to us what is going on by sending us signals via climate changes and extreme weather patterns. Earth's web of life does the same thing as we see one species after another falling prey to human ignorance, over-consumption and greed. These earth echoes reverbarates back to us and we need to listen before it is too late. Hence the name EarthEchoes.
The name of my blog has as of today been changed from 1-Earth to EarthEchoes. The new blog name EarthEchoes reflects better the recent changes in the nature and development of my blog. It also reflects better the new "editorial" direction of the blog whereby more global environmental news, other stories and video clips have recently been incorporated to a much higher degree than before. The name also reflects better the new dynamic nature of the blog. I hope that the readers will find this "new" blog as interesting if not even more interesting than my "previous" blog.
This name itself also reflects the fact that our earth communicates indirectly to us what is going on by sending us signals via climate changes and extreme weather patterns. Earth's web of life does the same thing as we see one species after another falling prey to human ignorance, over-consumption and greed. These earth echoes reverbarates back to us and we need to listen before it is too late. Hence the name EarthEchoes.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
The REAL dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms
Independent research has shown that GMOs are potentially very dangerous to your health. But that is not all. GMOs also have some large societal concerns and have caused damage to crops, not only in the developed world, but also in the developing world. This is an evil circle causing the developing world to be increasingly dependent on large multinationals whose only interest is profit (at all costs).
Furthermore, GMOs are possibly the world's biggest threat to Biodiversity next to Global Warming. Multinationals are destroying biodiversity's integrity and with it the world's biodiversity heritage. As earth citizens we have a moral duty and responsibility to protect earth's biodiversity heritage. Earth has provided us with rich resources of nutrition and sustenance in the past, what makes these corporations believe that they can improve on nature's own creations? They are creating Frankensteins and expecting consumers to purchase and eat them. Therefore think more than twice before you buy products made from GMO crops. The best thing you can do for your health and the health of the earth is to boycott all GMO products and tell your friends and family to do the same.
This is a must see video series to better understand how large multinational corporations are out to dominate the world's food basket through the promotion of GMOs and thus control the sources of nutrition. The intended (to destroy competition) or unintended side effect is destruction of much of earth's biodiversity. Dr. Vandana Shiva in India (see a previous posting February 17, 2006) is one of the most successful and outspoken campaigners against GMOs. She leads the Navdanya organization and its fight against GMOs and multinationals domination in the developing world.
The full video CD can be bought online. To learn more about GMOs and to buy the CD visit:
Take charge of what you eat and thus your health. Avoid GMOs!
PART 1.
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
Furthermore, GMOs are possibly the world's biggest threat to Biodiversity next to Global Warming. Multinationals are destroying biodiversity's integrity and with it the world's biodiversity heritage. As earth citizens we have a moral duty and responsibility to protect earth's biodiversity heritage. Earth has provided us with rich resources of nutrition and sustenance in the past, what makes these corporations believe that they can improve on nature's own creations? They are creating Frankensteins and expecting consumers to purchase and eat them. Therefore think more than twice before you buy products made from GMO crops. The best thing you can do for your health and the health of the earth is to boycott all GMO products and tell your friends and family to do the same.
This is a must see video series to better understand how large multinational corporations are out to dominate the world's food basket through the promotion of GMOs and thus control the sources of nutrition. The intended (to destroy competition) or unintended side effect is destruction of much of earth's biodiversity. Dr. Vandana Shiva in India (see a previous posting February 17, 2006) is one of the most successful and outspoken campaigners against GMOs. She leads the Navdanya organization and its fight against GMOs and multinationals domination in the developing world.
The full video CD can be bought online. To learn more about GMOs and to buy the CD visit:
Take charge of what you eat and thus your health. Avoid GMOs!
PART 1.
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
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