Forever Expanding Awareness In Liberation

Climate Change Blog tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1 2008-11-17T23:15:15Z Movable Type Enterprise 4.2-en ALERT! Stop Bush's Midnight Raid Upon Oregon's Wild Forests and Rivers tag:forests.org,2008:/blog//12.2023 2008-11-17T23:08:13Z 2008-11-17T23:15:15Z Like his Presidency, it is time for President Bush's looting, plundering, and pillaging of America’s natural beauty, ecological treasures and vital ecosystems to end TAKE ACTION! The Bush Administration is rushing out long-term plans that would convert over 2 million acres of Oregon's national forests, with their towering trees, rushing rivers, and superb wildlife habitat, to empty clearcuts. Much of the forests under siege are in the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion [search] nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Crest, which contains some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the continent. There are some 20,000 miles of rivers, where wild Pacific... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><strong>Like his Presidency, it is time for President Bush's looting, plundering, and pillaging of America’s natural beauty, ecological treasures and vital ecosystems to end</strong></p> <p><!--start--><img alt="President Bush tries to do more harm before leaving office" src="http://forests.org/blog/img/siskiyou_wild_rivers.jpg" width="80" height="80" class="floatLeft" /><a href="/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=oregon_midnight_raid"><strong>TAKE ACTION!</strong></a> The Bush Administration is rushing out long-term plans that would convert over 2 million acres of Oregon's national forests, with their towering trees, rushing rivers, and superb wildlife habitat, to empty clearcuts. Much of the forests under siege are in the <a href="http://forests.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=Klamath-Siskiyou%20ecoregion">Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion [search]</a> nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Crest, which contains some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the continent. There are some 20,000 miles of rivers, where wild Pacific salmon thrive. Ancient old-growth forests are abundant -- home to huge Douglas fir, western hemlock and western red cedar trees -- some well over 400 years old. </p> <p>The plan increases logging by 400% and would target 100,000 acres of old-growth forests for destruction. Oregon Governor Kulongoski is the only elected official standing between the Bush Administration and western Oregon's forests, rivers and salmon. He is allowed a 60-day "consistency review" period to propose recommendations for changes to land use plans. Please encourage the governor to propose significant amendments, pushing this decision to the Obama administration. <a href="/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=oregon_midnight_raid"><strong>TAKE ACTION!</strong></a><br /> </p> Coal Plants Face New Obstacles in U.S. tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1.2022 2008-11-14T16:36:03Z 2008-11-14T19:25:11Z A coal plant permit in Utah was rejected [ark] yesterday by the E.P.A on the basis of lack of control of carbon dioxide [search]. The ruling puts in question permits for as many as 100 new plants [search], and should aid lawsuits against them as well. This comes as the International Energy Agency confirms that coal will continue being the leading source of energy globally until at least 2030 [ark]. A week earlier in their annual report that had warned that the world's energy use was "patently unsustainable" [ark] and warned of 6°C rise in average global temperatures [ark]. As... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="Coal will kill us all" src="http://www.ecoearth.info/blog/img/smoke_stacks.jpg" width="80" height="80" class="floatRight" />A <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2008/11/14/coal_plants_jeopardized_over_climate/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Latest+news">coal plant permit in Utah was rejected</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=110590">ark</a>] yesterday by the E.P.A on the basis of lack of <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=coal%20carbon%20control">control of carbon dioxide [search]</a>. The ruling puts in question permits for as many as <a href="/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=new%20coal%20plants">100 new plants [search]</a>, and should aid lawsuits against them as well. </p> <p>This comes as the International Energy Agency confirms that <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4AD3CQ20081114?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews">coal will continue being the leading source of energ</a>y globally until at least 2030 [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=110573">ark</a>]. A week earlier in their annual report that had warned that the <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10094825-54.html">world's energy use was "patently unsustainable"</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=110418&keybold=IEA">ark</a>] and warned of <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn15144-energy-agency-warns-of-6c-rise-in-temperatures.html?feedId=climate-change_rss20">6°C rise in average global temperatures</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109945&keybold=IEA">ark</a>]. As long as coal is burned to produce electricity, dumping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, there is zero chance of maintaining historically reliable climatic patterns or a habitable Earth. </p> SHARED SURVIVAL 2008: Ecological Internet's Vital End-of-Year Fund-Raiser tag:www.ecoearth.info,2008:/blog//2.2020 2008-11-12T04:40:14Z 2008-11-15T00:31:23Z The No Ecology, No Economic Recovery Ever -- K or Bust – Keeping Green Hope Alive, Funding Appeal. Dear Fellow Earth-Lovers, It is time for Ecological Internet's (EI) annual end-of-year fund-raiser, which provides well over half of our modest yearly budget. We absolutely must raise ,000 before the end of the year, or our 15 year effort on behalf of the Earth using the Internet comes to an end. With the past year of innovation and success, and with your help, we expect to do so. As a key network participant, I would like to ask YOU to make a... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="Ecological Internet depends upon user support" src="http://www.ecoearth.info/img/eilogo85.gif" width="95" height="85" class="floatLeft" /><strong>The No Ecology, No Economic Recovery Ever -- K or Bust – Keeping Green Hope Alive, Funding Appeal.</strong></p> <p>Dear Fellow Earth-Lovers,</p> <p>It is time for Ecological Internet's (EI) annual <a href="/shared/donate/">end-of-year fund-raiser</a>, which provides well over half of our modest yearly budget. We absolutely must raise ,000 before the end of the year, or our 15 year effort on behalf of the Earth using the Internet comes to an end. With the past year of innovation and success, and with your help, we expect to do so. As a key network participant, I would like to ask YOU to make a donation to support EI's vital non-profit work on behalf of the Earth. Please <a href="/shared/donate/">donate NOW.</a></p> <p>Ecological Internet (EI) -- guided by ecological science and using advanced IT networking -- promotes ambitious, sufficient ecological policies necessary to achieve global ecological sustainability. Our email network of tens of thousands of people -- including you, and millions of web users -- from virtually every country, seeks to bring about a higher level of consciousness regarding humanity's dependence upon the Earth for our shared survival. No one else is taking this approach at near the scale or level of success anywhere in the world.</p> <p>There is every reason to be hopeful EI will continue to be part of global ecological solutions. A major donor will match all individual gifts up to the goal by 50% -- you give 0, EI gets 0! You can make tax-deductible gifts using Google Payments, Paypal and find information to MAIL donations at <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/donate/">http://www.climateark.org/shared/donate/</a> . You can also establish a regular monthly donation, or tithe, very important to EI for maintaining a regular cash flow. Please, please if you intend to donate, make your gift as soon as possible. We need a vote of confidence.</p> <p>Ecological Internet is a different, new breed of environmental organization. Two primary things set us apart: our biocentric message, and our use of technology. We provide services for free that are not provided anywhere else -- including ecologically rigorous news tracking, search engines, commentary and alerts. We are the only global action network committed to using the latest ecological science to devise and implement sufficient policies to save being and ensure humanity's shared survival. This week we launched New Earth Rising at <a href="http://www.newearthrising.org/">http://www.newearthrising.org/</a> -- a new e-zine to rigorously examine these issues.</p> <p>Together, we must continue doing our ecological duty. Biocentric ecological advocacy must continue and expand during these times of economic crisis. Now more than ever, global green citizenry must support an ecological sufficiency agenda adequate to solve the variety of global ecological crises including climate change, forest diminishment, water scarcity and ocean dead zones. Bright green thought provides the answer to both economic and ecological sustainability -- and if we let down our efforts now, the global ecological bubble will be the next to burst.</p> <p>Simply, we need you. Coming off of two successful years of web development, a full Earth advocacy system is now in place. We deeply want to continue wielding these completed, one-of-a-kind technological campaign tools, with your help, to continue pursuing what is necessary to achieve global ecological sustainability. Please stick with us over coming weeks, whether you donate or not, as this "public broadcasting" type of funding appeal is what sustains us. </p> <p>We suggest a donation of by all that can afford to do so, and more if you can. Smaller gifts are welcome, as are new major donors. The point is it all adds up and many small donations help EI maintain our exempt tax status. Please help get the ball rolling (the sums will grow quickly with the match) by <a href="/shared/donate/"><strong>making a donation</strong></a> NOW.</p> <p>This really is quite important. Meeting the goal is a requirement to keep Ecological Internet -- a critical embodiment of green hope for the Earth -- alive and kicking. Give now, you and the Earth will be glad you did.</p> <p>Warmest regards,<br /> Dr. Glen Barry</p> RELEASE: New Earth Rising -- a New Biocentric E-zine -- Launches as Time to Achieve Global Ecological Sustainability Grows Short tag:www.ecoearth.info,2008:/blog//2.2019 2008-11-09T21:32:32Z 2008-11-11T17:48:38Z PRESS/SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASE Ecological Internet's latest offering focuses upon truthfully knowing global ecological crises in order to effectively develop and implement ecologically sufficient solutions By Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org (Seattle, WA) -- Ecological Internet, the world's leading provider of on-line environmental portals and action opportunities, is pleased to announce New Earth Rising, a new fiercely biocentric online magazine (e-zine), committed to thought and action to achieve global ecological sustainability. The green publication launches today at http://www.newearthrising.org/ and free subscriptions can be made at http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/subscribe/ . The inaugural issue, entitled Ecological Truth and... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><strong>PRESS/SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASE </strong></p> <p><em>Ecological Internet's latest offering focuses upon truthfully knowing global ecological crises in order to effectively develop and implement ecologically sufficient solutions</em></p> <p>By <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/newsdesk/">Earth's Newsdesk</a>, a project of Ecological Internet<br /> CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, <a href="mailto:glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org">glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org</a></p> <p><!--start--><img alt="New Earth Rising" src="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/img/new_earth_rising_logo.jpg" width="85" height="85" class="floatRight" />(Seattle, WA) -- <a href="http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/">Ecological Internet</a>, the world's leading provider of on-line environmental portals and <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/alerts/">action opportunities</a>, is pleased to announce <a href="http://www.newearthrising.org/"><em>New Earth Rising,</em></a> a new fiercely biocentric online magazine (e-zine), committed to thought and action to achieve global ecological sustainability. The green publication launches today at <a href="http://www.newearthrising.org/">http://www.newearthrising.org/</a> and free subscriptions can be made at <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/subscribe/">http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/subscribe/</a> .</p> <p>The inaugural issue, entitled <a href="http://www.newearthrising.org/current/">Ecological Truth and Transformative Action</a>, features original and diverse green essays that seek to more fully know Earth's crises -- including climate change, water scarcity and forest diminishment -- in order to achieve ecologically sufficient solutions. <em>New Earth Rising</em> links what is known regarding global ecological crises with specific personal and social transformations necessary for shared survival and to sustain being.<br /> </p> <p><a href="http://www.climateark.org/staff/glen.asp">Dr. Glen Barry</a> notes in the <a href="http://www.newearthrising.org/2008/11/ecological-truth-exists-and-matters.asp">opening editorial</a> that "the environment movement is failing because of a dearth of truth telling and a profound lack of ambition... humanity is burning and cutting the natural ecosystems that are the foundation and provide habitat for all life." If we "can simply stop cutting and burning -- and begin an era of ecological protection and restoration -- we have a real chance... of surviving as a species, with other life, on a living Earth."</p> <p><em>New Earth Rising</em> is grounded in the ethics of biocentrism, deep ecology and political ecology. The first issue is a bit of a hodge-podge -- examining entropy in relation to solar energy, while promoting the eating of peaches; revealing the lure of big plantation schemes, while showcasing innovative water management schemes; and with ancient memories and cartoons thrown in the mix. The e-zine will initially publish bi-monthly. Original submissions are welcome.</p> <p>###ENDS###<br /> Dr. Glen Barry is a global spokesperson on behalf of environmental sustainability policy. Ecological Internet provides the world's leading climate and environment portals at <a href="http://www.climateark.org/">http://www.climateark.org/</a> and <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/">http://www.ecoearth.info/</a>. Dr. Barry frequently conducts interviews on the latest climate, forest and water policy developments and can be reached at: <a href="mailto:glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org">glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org</a></p> <p>Note Ecological Internet's NEW address:</p> <p>Dr. Glen Barry<br /> Ecological Internet, Inc.<br /> PO Box 9704<br /> Seattle, WA 98109<br /> USA</p> Greenpeace Reaffirms Support for Ancient Forest Logging tag:www.rainforestportal.org,2008:/issues//4.2002 2008-11-03T16:01:20Z 2008-11-03T16:32:36Z PRESS/SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASE Cursory review of FSC's controversial certifications completely fails to question false premise that primary and old-growth forest logging is ever "well-managed", instead calling for better training manuals for ancient forest destruction By Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org (Seattle, WA) -- Today Greenpeace International released a report entitled "Holding the Line with FSC"[1] which reaffirms Greenpeace's unflinching support for the Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC) [search] past and on-ongoing industrial first-time logging of hundreds of millions of hectares of primary and old-growth forests. Greenpeace and other "forest protection" groups like the Rainforest... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><strong>PRESS/SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASE </p> <p>Cursory review of FSC's controversial certifications completely fails to question false premise that primary and old-growth forest logging is ever "well-managed", instead calling for better training manuals for ancient forest destruction</strong></p> <p>By <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/newsdesk/">Earth's Newsdesk</a>, a project of <a href="http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/">Ecological Internet</a><br /> CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, <a href="mailto:glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org">glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org</a></p> <p><!--start--><img alt="FSC logging destroys ancient forests" src="http://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/img/fsc_logs.jpg" width="75" height="75" class="floatLeft" />(Seattle, WA) -- Today Greenpeace International released a report entitled "<a href="http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/files/pdfs/forests/HoldingtheLine_LR_ENG.pdf">Holding the Line with FSC</a>"[1] which reaffirms Greenpeace's unflinching support for the <a href="http://www.rainforestportal.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=forest%20stewardship%20council">Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC) [search]</a> past and on-ongoing industrial first-time logging of hundreds of millions of hectares of primary and old-growth forests. Greenpeace and other "forest protection" groups like the Rainforest Action Network and WWF continue to provide crucial <a href="http://www.rainforestportal.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=ancient%20forest%20logging%20greenwash">greenwash for the false premise that ancient forest logging [search]</a> is desirable and can ever be considered "well-managed".</p> <p><a href="/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=greenpeace_supports_logging">Greenpeace was the target </a>of a series of protests in 2007 led by Ecological Internet, as Greenpeace held FSC's international chairmanship, regarding their continued support for ancient forest logging given widespread irregularities. At that time they agreed to review problematic FSC certifications, and to respond to criticism regarding FSC's dependence upon ancient forest logging. Their new report fails miserably on both counts. <br /> </p> <p>"Greenpeace today released a one page report, with no mention by name of any specific failed FSC certification (of which there are many); and a 12 page, 80 item laundry list of bureaucratic measures to try, yet again, to make acceptable destroying millions of year old primeval forests for throw away consumer products," notes Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet's President. </p> <p>"The review's only reference to primary forests is that better training manuals are needed for their destruction[2]. All primary forests are of high conservation value, and it is pathetic and tragic that Greenpeace continues to greenwash ancient forest logging."</p> <p>###MORE###</p> <p>In light of abrupt climate change and emerging science further highlighting the importance of primary and old-growth forests, the report continues Greenpeace's obstinate and undemocratic stonewalling of any meaningful self-reflection or discussion of embracing a campaign to end industrial ancient forest logging as a keystone response to the biodiversity and climate crises. RAN has also promised to review their FSC support, and is cautioned to avoid continued greenwash of the sort demonstrated by Greenpeace.</p> <p>"As the world is faced with spiraling abrupt climate change and ecosystem collapse, Greenpeace and friends have failed the biosphere. The mainstream environmental movement has shown themselves to be unfit and unable to pursue the full range of ecologically sufficient policies -- including working to end ancient forest logging -- to achieve global ecological sustainability. If you support Greenpeace, RAN or WWF -- you might as well be holding the chainsaw cutting down ancient forests to make your lawn furniture," concludes Dr. Glen Barry. </p> <p>[1] http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/files/pdfs/forests/HoldingtheLine_LR_ENG.pdf</p> <p>[2] From the poor quality data FSC provides to the public, Ecological Internet estimates that 60% of FSC's timber comes from ancient forests. Yet the only mention of this issue in Greenpeace's review is a cursory mention on page 7, that "FSC should produce guidance materials and training in relation to auditing, managing and planning for... HCVF" (High Conservation Value Forests).</p> <p>###ENDS###<br /> Dr. Glen Barry is a global spokesperson on behalf of environmental sustainability policy. Ecological Internet provides the world's leading climate and environment portals at http://www.climateark.org/ and http://www.ecoearth.info/ . Dr. Barry frequently conducts interviews on the latest climate, forest and water policy developments and can be reached at: glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org.</p> <p>Note Ecological Internet's NEW address:</p> <p>Dr. Glen Barry<br /> Ecological Internet, Inc.<br /> PO Box 9704<br /> Seattle, WA 98109<br /> glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org</p> Climate Crisis Quickens, Dramatic Action Warranted tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1.2001 2008-11-02T14:12:17Z 2008-11-02T17:00:18Z Arctic melting leading to methane release [ark | more\ark] -- a major climate change feedback -- has kicked in again after an eight year hiatus, indicating a major quickening of the climate crisis. A global study in Geophysical Research Letters found a major increase in methane levels of about 28 million tonnes since mid-2006 due to release of gas in and near the Arctic. Methane is responsible for some 20% of global warming -- and Arctic warming is melting permafrost, leading to increased bacterial emissions from wetland areas. Indications are frozen methane clathrates found on the ocean floors [search] are... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="The Earth needs a revolutionary spirit of action" src="http://www.climateark.org/blog/img/eco-protest.jpg" width="80" height="80" class="floatRight" /><a href="http://www.theage.com.au/national/fears-mount-as-arctic-melt-prompts-historic-methane-rise-20081102-5gat.html">Arctic melting leading to methane release</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109590">ark</a> | <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081029141043.htm">more</a>\<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109414">ark</a>] -- a major climate change feedback -- has kicked in again after an eight year hiatus, indicating a major quickening of the climate crisis. A global study in <em>Geophysical Research Letters</em> found a major increase in methane levels of about 28 million tonnes since mid-2006 due to release of gas in and near the Arctic. Methane is responsible for some 20% of global warming -- and Arctic warming is melting permafrost, leading to increased bacterial emissions from wetland areas. Indications are <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=methane%20clathrates%20melt">frozen methane clathrates found on the ocean floors [search]</a> are also melting .The finding comes as research published in <em>Nature Geoscience </em> found solid evidence that <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/climate-change-at-the-poles-uisu-manmade-980256.html">temperatures are rising in Antarctica</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109448">ark</a>] as well, and that climate change there and in the Arctic was conclusively caused by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gas.</p> <p>Humanity is at a dramatic juncture. We can continue careening wildly towards global ecological collapse including <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/02/climate-change-desertification-water-drought">abandoning collapsed ecosystems</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109582">ark</a>], with token feel-good efforts to appear like we are doing something, or we can commit immediately to dramatic ecologically sufficient policy responses. These include rigorous voluntary incentives to <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=reduce%20human%20population">reduce human population [search]</a> and <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=reduce%20consumption">consumption [search]</a>, immediately <a href="http://forests.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=end%20ancient%20forest%20logging">ending ancient forest logging [search]</a> and <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=end%20coal%20use">coal use [search]</a>, urgently embracing <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=energy%20efficiency">energy efficiency [search]</a>, <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=energy%20conservation">conservation [search]</a> and <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=renewable%20energy">renewable energy [search]</a>, and fully protecting remaining intact ecosystems while beginning the <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=regional%20ecological%20restoration">ecological restoration of entire regions [search]</a>. </p> <p>Less rigorous ecological proposals acquiesce to the inevitability of global ecological collapse and are just as guilty as the industrial growth machine's destroyers in ensuring the demise of being. It is well past time for each of us to embrace both a personal and social revolutionary spirit of action -- as we both reduce our own environmental impact, and join with those <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4A009520081101?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews">intensifying global ecological protest</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109518">ark</a>]. Shared survival depends upon successfully demanding these and other ecologically sufficient measures are swiftly adopted.</p> Ancient Forests Found to Be Climate Air Conditioners tag:forests.org,2008:/blog//12.2000 2008-10-31T18:10:51Z 2008-10-31T19:45:27Z New research in Royal Society journal Philosophical Transactions A "suggests that chopping down forests could accelerate global warming [ark] more than was thought, and that protecting existing trees could be one of the best ways to tackle the problem." The report quantifies how the release of the chemical terpene from forest canopies [search] leads to cloud formation that cools the climate. Given ancient forests' massive canopies, the findings further clarify intact forest wildernesses' critical role in maintaining an operable atmosphere. Much remains to be learned regarding Gaia's workings, forests' interaction with climate, and the need for ecologically sufficient policy-making, yet... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="Ancient forests are climate air conditioner" src="http://forests.org/blog/img/amazon_rainforest_canopy.jpg" width="75" height="75" class="floatLeft" />New research in Royal Society journal <em>Philosophical Transactions A</em> "suggests that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/oct/31/forests-climatechange">chopping down forests could accelerate global warming</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109494">ark</a>] more than was thought, and that protecting existing trees could be one of the best ways to tackle the problem." The report quantifies how the release of the chemical <a href="http://forests.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=tree%20canopies%20terpene">terpene from forest canopies [search]</a> leads to cloud formation that cools the climate. Given ancient forests' massive canopies, the findings further clarify intact forest wildernesses' critical role in maintaining an operable atmosphere.</p> <p>Much remains to be learned regarding Gaia's workings, forests' interaction with climate, and the need for ecologically sufficient policy-making, yet it is gratifying to see formal science continue to catch up with <a href="/campaigns/">Ecological Internet's biocentric campaigns</a>. Given additional recent scientific findings that old-growth forests continue to remove atmospheric carbon indefinitely, and primary forests lose much of their carbon permanently when first logged, there is no longer any justification for destruction of ancient forests. And presenting "sustainable" logging of such sacred and life-giving primeval treasures as having environmental benefits is ecologically bereft and criminally negligent (you know who you are, and we are coming for you).</p> <p>Through a combination of ecological science and intuition, Ecological Internet and predecessors have long known that loss of intact forest habitats is the key cause of climate change, as well as general biodiversity, ecosystem and biosphere collapse. We know that ending humanity's cutting and burning of itself to death is key to our shared survival. In particular, global ecological sustainability is going to require giving up timbers accessed from ancient forests, and restoring old-growth forests worldwide. Ecological Internet is going to keep on saying this, confronting those that say otherwise, whatever the costs, because it is the ecological truth necessary to sustain being.</p> UK, Home of the Industrial Revolution, to Limit Climate Pollutants tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1.1999 2008-10-29T14:27:26Z 2008-10-31T19:44:02Z The UK is poised to pass a Climate Change Bill [search] that has been described as "radical" [ark], making it the first country to enact legally binding national targets for reducing the emissions [search] which lead to climate change. Yesterday it passed the British Commons. The legislation includes first of its kind demanding targets for emission reduction (including by aviation [ark]) of 80% by 2050. Further, the bill would require the government to publish carbon budgets every five years and to set up carbon trading schemes. Yet as we know, governments and particularly the UK have had much more luck... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="UK to limit climate pollutants" src="http://www.ecoearth.info/blog/img/smoke_stacks.jpg" width="80" height="80" class="floatRight" />The UK is poised to pass a <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=uk%20climate%20bill">Climate Change Bill [search]</a> that has been described as <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/29/climatechange-greenpolitics">"radical"</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109309">ark</a>], making it the first country to enact <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=legally%20binding%20national%20emissions%20targets">legally binding national targets for reducing the emissions [search]</a> which lead to climate change. Yesterday it passed the British Commons. The legislation includes first of its kind demanding targets for emission reduction (<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7693875.stm">including by aviation</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109239">ark</a>]) of 80% by 2050. Further, the bill would require the government to publish carbon budgets every five years and to set up carbon trading schemes. Yet as we know, governments and particularly the UK have had much more luck setting targets than actually achieving them -- as China is correct that <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE49S0GB20081029?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews">reducing greenhouse gases is quite difficult</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109308">ark</a>].</p> <p>For a moment lets forgive the fact that 2050 is much too long of time window, and commitments of these sorts need to be global to really matter. Now let's cherish the occasion of the nation and peoples that unleashed the industrial revolution upon the Earth taking responsibility for the industrial pollutants they pioneered and which are destroying the Earth.</p> <p>The UK government comes to the game late as even reactionary WWF, in their report of the day, highlights we are using 30% more resources than the Earth can provide and that such <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE49S02X20081029?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews">reckless consumption must be dramatically reduced</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109310">ark]</a>. Yet in typical bureaucratic fashion, on the same day another arm of <a href="http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/forests/news/index.cfm?uNewsID=149061">WWF was trying to increase demand for African rainforest timbers</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109318">ark</a>]. Both developments illustrate yet again the fact that mainstream environmentalists and reformist governments are more of an obstacle than catalyst to policies of the type and scale -- such as ending coal, stopping old growth forest logging, reducing population, heavily taxing greenhouse gases and ecologically restoring native habitats -- necessary to save the Earth from climate change and other global ecological crises.</p> Global Ecological Restoration: Yes We Did It, and We Can (will and must immediately begin to) Undo It tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1.1998 2008-10-27T20:51:08Z 2008-10-28T06:28:21Z Two wonderful commentaries today are worthy of merit for communicating well the urgency of climate and global ecological change, while proposing sufficient solutions (both to which Ecological Internet is committed). The Yale Environment360 site notes the "urgency of the current situation cannot be overemphasized" and thus urges the next President of the United States to immediately wield powers under the clean air act [ark] to regulate carbon dioxide [search]. And environment heavy-hitters including Thomas E. Lovejoy and Tim Flannery note that while atmospheric carbon levels at 387 are already past the dangerous level [ark] of 350, that tremendous potential exists... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="We did it, we can undo it" src="http://www.climateark.org/blog/img/smoke.jpg" width="50" height="90" class="floatLeft" />Two wonderful commentaries today are worthy of merit for communicating well the urgency of climate and global ecological change, while proposing sufficient solutions (both to which Ecological Internet is committed). The <a href="http://www.climateark.org/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=28302">Yale Environment360</a> site notes the "urgency of the current situation cannot be overemphasized" and thus urges the next President of the United States to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/oct/27/network">immediately wield powers under the clean air act</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109182">ark</a>] to <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=clean%20air%20act%20regulate%20carbon%20dioxide">regulate carbon dioxide [search]</a>. </p> <p>And environment heavy-hitters including Thomas E. Lovejoy and Tim Flannery note that while atmospheric carbon levels at 387 are already <a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/27/opinion/edlovejoy.php">past the dangerous level</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=109183">ark</a>] of 350, that tremendous potential exists to <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=ecologically%20restore%20degraded%20lands">ecologically restore degraded lands [search]</a>, returning carbon to safe levels while staunching hemorrhaging of biodiversity. There is much more work to be done on the social incentives and policies necessary to make it equitable and just, but it is a global ecological necessity that we strongly and immediately commit to an era of ecological restoration.</p> <p>Indeed, we did it -- destroyed the Earth's life giving ecosystems -- and we can (will and must) undo it or being ends. Finally leading scientists and institutions are thinking big and proposing ecologically based policy prescriptions that matter and provide some measure of hope when implemented. Now we need nations, leaders and global citizens to lead. It is up to all of us -- global citizens committed to global ecological sustainability, loosely coordinated through the Internet -- to make it happen no matter what. Global ecological restoration is the ultimate truth for all remaining time.</p> ALERT! Paraguay's Devastation by Genetically Modified Soya Monocultures tag:forests.org,2008:/blog//12.1997 2008-10-27T00:34:53Z 2008-10-27T01:10:41Z Deforestation, eviction, drought and murder are too high of price to pay for toxic soybeans TAKE ACTION! In Paraguay, genetically modified (GM) soya plantations [search], planted in vast toxic monocultures, are the main cause of deforestation, destruction and pollution of other ecosystems, and violence and eviction of small farmers and indigenous peoples. Paraguay has nearly 2.6 million hectares of soy plantations for animal feed exports and, more recently, for agrofuel. The remnants of Paraguay's Atlantic Forest [search] and of the Alto Parana forest [search], as well as wetlands, grasslands and rivers are being destroyed and polluted by the expansion of... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><strong>Deforestation, eviction, drought and murder are too high of price to pay for toxic soybeans</strong></p> <p><!--start--><img alt="Paraguay's GM Soya is toxic, causes deforestation and destroys local communities" src="http://forests.org/blog/img/soy_sa_deforestation.jpg" width="80" height="80" class="floatRight" /><strong><a href="/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=paraguay_soya">TAKE ACTION!</a></strong> In Paraguay, <a href="http://forests.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=GM%20soya%20plantations">genetically modified (GM) soya plantations [search]</a>, planted in vast toxic monocultures, are the main cause of deforestation, destruction and pollution of other ecosystems, and violence and eviction of small farmers and indigenous peoples. Paraguay has nearly 2.6 million hectares of soy plantations for animal feed exports and, more recently, for agrofuel. The remnants of <a href="http://forests.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=Paraguay%20Atlantic%20Forest">Paraguay's Atlantic Forest [search]</a> and of the <a href="http://forests.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=Paraguay%20Alto%20Parana%20forest">Alto Parana forest [search]</a>, as well as wetlands, grasslands and rivers are being destroyed and polluted by the expansion of immense soya fields. Deforestation is worsening global warming and also causing severe regional warming and droughts. </p> <p>Local peoples are resisting ecocide bravely, and against long odds, and need our support. Please write to the authorities in Paraguay and urge them to fully support small farmers and their demands for protection from pesticide spraying, unlawful evictions, environmental destruction and pollution; while supporting their demands for food sovereignty and land reform. <strong><a href="/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=paraguay_soya">TAKE ACTION!</a></strong> </p> Potent Greenhouse Gas from Manufacture of Solar Cells and TVs Underestimated tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1.1996 2008-10-24T14:43:58Z 2008-10-25T00:47:39Z A powerful greenhouse gas [search] produced largely through the manufacture of flat-screen TVs and solar cells has been found to be four times more prevalent in the atmosphere [ark | more\ark] than previously thought. Nitrogen trifluoride [search] warms the atmosphere 17,000 times more effectively than an equal mass of carbon dioxide. Though not changing climate much yet, we now know there are 5,400 metric tons rather than 1,200 of this anthropogenic super-climate changer in the atmosphere, and with the solar and electronics boom, to be growing at 11% a year. Here is yet another example of unintended consequences associated with... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="Producing solar cells causes climate change" src="http://www.climateark.org/blog/img/solar_install.jpg" width="80" height="80" class="floatLeft" />A powerful <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=108924">greenhouse gas [search]</a> produced largely through the manufacture of flat-screen TVs and solar cells has been found to be <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081023120230.htm">four times more prevalent in the atmosphere</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=108924">ark | <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE49M8WP20081023?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews">more</a>\<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=108865">ark</a>]</a> than previously thought. <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=Nitrogen%20trifluoride">Nitrogen trifluoride [search]</a> warms the atmosphere 17,000 times more effectively than an equal mass of carbon dioxide. Though not changing climate much yet, we now know there are 5,400 metric tons rather than 1,200 of this anthropogenic super-climate changer in the atmosphere, and with the solar and electronics boom, to be growing at 11% a year.</p> <p>Here is yet another example of unintended consequences associated with <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=technological%20solutions%20climate%20change">technological solutions to climate change [search]</a> and unfettered consumption. At some point the answer to the world's ecological crises has to be less of everything -- people, consumption and technology -- rather than dangerously thinking we can manage the ecological impacts of billions of super-consumers upon global ecosystems. Both personal and societal sacrifice and transformation are required to achieve just and equitable global ecological sustainability. We need to return to nature's fold, not falsely think we can manufacture a biosphere.<br /> </p> WWF's Inconsistent Climate and Forest Messages tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1.1995 2008-10-20T15:41:17Z 2008-10-20T18:54:37Z WWF has released a new report entitled "Climate Change: faster, stronger, sooner", which concludes what many of us have known for some time, that "global warming is accelerating [ark] at a faster rate than climate change experts had previously predicted". Ever since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [search] (IPCC) released their Fourth Assessment Report in 2007, the latest science shows the Arctic Ocean is losing sea ice 30 years earlier than expected, sea level rise is double the previous maximum estimates, and temperature increases are already leading to a reduction in global yields of wheat, maize and barley. WWF... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="Primary forests are needed to hold carbon, WWF wants them logged" src="http://forests.org/blog/img/amazon_rainforest_canopy.jpg" width="75" height="75" class="floatRight" />WWF has released a new report entitled "<a href="http://assets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_science_paper_october_2008.pdf">Climate Change: faster, stronger, sooner</a>", which concludes what many of us have known for some time, that "<a href="http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/news/index.cfm?uNewsID=148141">global warming is accelerating</a> [<a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=108582">ark</a>] at a faster rate than climate change experts had previously predicted". </p> <p>Ever since the <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=Intergovernmental%20Panel%20on%20Climate%20Change">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [search]</a> (IPCC) released their <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf">Fourth Assessment Report</a> in 2007, the latest science shows the Arctic Ocean is losing sea ice 30 years earlier than expected, sea level rise is double the previous maximum estimates, and temperature increases are already leading to a reduction in global yields of wheat, maize and barley. WWF notes that "even with a 2°C target, the IPCC says that emission reductions between 25 and 40% compared to 1990 are needed by 2020 from developed countries." Abrupt climate change is happening now and the world is no where near these short and mid-term targets. </p> <p>Incredibly, WWF sounds the alarm on abrupt, run-away climate change while actively supporting FSC's stamp of approval for ancient forest logging. First time logging of primary forests accounts for at least 20% of atmospheric carbon releases. New science finds old-growth forests are "carbon sinks" and when logged release 40 percent of their carbon. This discredits decades of thought strongly advocated by WWF that primary forests can or should be "sustainably" logged.</p> <p>Given WWF's new found sense of urgency, it is astoundingly reckless for them to continue their <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=WWF%20FSC">support for Forest Stewardship Council's [search]</a> logging of ancient forests. It is long past due for WWF to join Greenpeace, Rainforest Action Network and Friends of the Earth in reviewing and/or ending their greenwashing of FSC's ancient forest logging. Meanwhile, we are left to ponder whether WWF's failure to work to stop carbon releases from ancient forest logging is because of corporate corruption or just ignorance? </p> Bailing Out the Biosphere tag:www.ecoearth.info,2008:/blog//2.1994 2008-10-18T21:50:47Z 2008-10-19T14:35:54Z Global ecological sustainability is threatened [action] by a massive ecological bubble [search] -- whereby there are not enough intact global terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems to maintain life. Now this -- the destruction of our very being -- is a crisis worthy of some serious emergency funding. The Guardian shows what the -4 trillion financial bailout could achieve if invested for the environment [ark] . It notes funding on this "scale to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect nature would... be repaid up to 100 times over." Bailing out the biosphere would support up to 8 years of needed greenhouse... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="The biosphere and global ecological systems deserve to be bailed out" src="http://www.ecoearth.info/blog/img/smoke_stacks.jpg" width="80" height="80" class="floatLeft" /><a href="/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=ecological_bubble">Global ecological sustainability is threatened [action]</a> by a massive <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=ecological%20bubble">ecological bubble [search]</a> -- whereby there are not enough intact global terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems to maintain life. Now this -- the destruction of our very being -- is a crisis worthy of some serious emergency funding. The Guardian shows what the -4 trillion financial bailout could achieve if <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/oct/17/marketturmoil-climatechange">invested for the environment</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=108383">ark</a>] . It notes funding on this "scale to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect nature would... be repaid up to 100 times over."</p> <p>Bailing out the biosphere would support up to 8 years of needed <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=greenhouse%20gas%20emission%20reduction">greenhouse gas emission reductions [search]</a>, going a long way towards averting abrupt and deadly climate change. Alternatively it could pay for 80 years of <a href="http://forests.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=forest%20biodiversity%20protection">forest and biodiversity protection [search]</a>, would be 2-3 times what is necessary to <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=protect%20global%20ecosystems">fully protect global ecosystems [search]</a>, or could entirely transition the U.S. away from coal and oil for electricity generation. For "only" a one time billion investment, <a href="http://www.waterconserve.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=access%20safe%20drinking%20water">access to safe drinking water [search]</a> could be given to the 2.5 billion living without, and for billion a year all future threats of conflicts over food could be averted.</p> <p>I suppose something had to be done to stop a global bank collapse, however deserved through decades of conspicuous consumption at the expense of the biosphere. But rescuing troubled bankers when the Earth and her life is dying is a bit like redecorating the Titanic as it sinks. Yet the speed and extent of the financial sector's massive bailout shows what is possible when society perceives a calamitous problem and rises swiftly to the challenge. If fat cat bankers are deserving, the biosphere and global ecological systems are much more worthy and in need of a bailout. </p> <p>The ginormous task of our generation's environmental movement is to demand action and expenditures commiserate to the threats posed. It remains to be seen whether growth obsessed capitalism is redeemable; yet interestingly, prudent and <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/oct/18/savings-ethicalmoney">ethical banks</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=108401">ark</a> | <a href="/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=ethical banking">search</a>] have largely been untroubled.</p> RELEASE: Ecological Internet Moves to Seattle tag:www.ecoearth.info,2008:/blog//2.1993 2008-10-18T15:56:05Z 2008-10-18T16:19:18Z PRESS/SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASE World's leading non-profit provider of environmental portals and "ecologically sufficient" action opportunities relocates By Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org (Seattle, WA) -- Ecological Internet (EI), a long-time pioneer in the use of the Internet to facilitate environmental conservation, has relocated to downtown Seattle, Washington. From there, EI will continue their highly effective brand of ecological science based Earth advocacy -- based upon ready access to comprehensive information, biocentric knowledge and analysis, and an "ecologically sufficient" advocacy agenda. "After over a decade and a half in Wisconsin, it was time to... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><strong>PRESS/SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASE</strong></p> <p><strong>World's leading non-profit provider of environmental portals and "ecologically sufficient" action opportunities relocates</strong></p> <p>By <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/newsdesk/">Earth's Newsdesk</a>, a project of <a href="http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/">Ecological Internet</a></p> <p>CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, <a href="mailto:glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org">glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org</a></p> <p><!--start--><img alt="Ecological Internet Moves to Seattle" src="http://www.ecoearth.info/img/eilogo85.gif" width="95" height="85" class="floatRight" />(Seattle, WA) -- <a href="http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/">Ecological Internet</a> (EI), a long-time pioneer in the use of the Internet to facilitate environmental conservation, has relocated to downtown Seattle, Washington. From there, EI will continue their highly effective brand of ecological science based Earth advocacy -- based upon ready access to comprehensive information, biocentric knowledge and analysis, and an "ecologically sufficient" advocacy agenda.</p> <p>"After over a decade and a half in Wisconsin, it was time to relocate to an area with more networking, fund-raising and technology resources. Seattle offers us both proximity to North America's last great ancient forests, and access to larger environmental and technology communities," explains Ecological Internet's President, Dr. Glen Barry.</p> <p>"From Seattle we will be well placed to continue empowering the movement for global ecological sustainability. We look forward to meeting and working with like-minded folks in our new community, and welcome both collaboration and volunteers."</p> <p>EI provides information retrieval tools, portal services, expert analysis and action opportunities that aid in the protection of global ecosystems. EI and successors have a long-time history of innovation on the Internet, having established the world's first web blog in 1993, the first environmental search engines in 1999, and maintaining the world's largest and most used environmental portals since. And the innovation and conservation victories continue (see <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/kudos/">http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/kudos/</a> ).</p> <p>In coming weeks, Ecological Internet will launch "New Earth Rising", an e-zine dedicated to knowing global ecological crises and implementing sufficient solutions. Over the next year EI will be building both their West and East coast protest capabilities, initially confronting those that greenwash ancient forest logging, and working to end coal. During the move, news tracking, blogging and other activities were diminished, but will now be returning to normal volume.</p> <p>###ENDS###<br /> Dr. Glen Barry is a global spokesperson on behalf of environmental sustainability policy. Ecological Internet provides the world's leading climate and environment portals at <a href="http://www.climateark.org/">http://www.climateark.org/</a> and <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/">http://www.ecoearth.info/</a> <br /> Dr. Barry frequently conducts interviews on the latest climate, forest and water policy developments and can be reached at: glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org.</p> <p>Note Ecological Internet's NEW address:</p> <p>Dr. Glen Barry<br /> Ecological Internet, Inc.<br /> PO Box 9704<br /> Seattle, WA 98109<br /> glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org</p> RELEASE: Ancient Forest Victory, as Rainforest Action Network Yields, Commits to Review FSC Support tag:www.rainforestportal.org,2008:/issues//4.1992 2008-10-16T06:57:40Z 2008-10-16T13:01:00Z In a major victory for Ecological Internet and the world's ancient forests, RAN acknowledges concerns regarding FSC and commits to campaign to end all primary and old-growth logging By Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org (Earth) -- Bowing to a global pressure campaign spearheaded by Ecological Internet (EI), the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has publicly announced they are reviewing their support for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), over concerns regarding FSC's greenwashing of ancient forest logging. In a statement to Ecological Internet, and on their web site, RAN announced they find "certification of logging... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><strong>In a major victory for Ecological Internet and the world's ancient forests, RAN acknowledges concerns regarding FSC and commits to campaign to end all primary and old-growth logging</strong></p> <p>By <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/newsdesk/">Earth's Newsdesk</a>, a project of <a href="http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/">Ecological Internet</a><br /> CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, <a href="mailto:glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org">glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org</a></p> <p><!--start--><img alt="FSC logging destroys ancient forests" src="http://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/img/fsc_logs.jpg" width="75" height="75" class="floatLeft" />(Earth) -- Bowing to a <a href="http://www.rainforestportal.org/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=ran_ancient_forest_logging">global pressure campaign</a> spearheaded by Ecological Internet (EI), the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has <a href="http://understory.ran.org/2008/10/14/ran-writes-to-the-fsc/">publicly announced</a> they are <a href="http://understory.ran.org/2008/10/06/rainforest-action-network%E2%80%99s-old-growth-campaign-is-entering-a-new-phase/">reviewing their support for the Forest Stewardship Council</a> (FSC), over concerns regarding FSC's greenwashing of ancient forest logging. In a statement to Ecological Internet, and on their web site, RAN announced they find "certification of logging in such forests extremely problematic" and have "raised the matter with the FSC". </p> <p>RAN has embraced EI's goal of working to <a href="http://www.rainforestportal.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=end%20ancient%20forest%20logging">end ancient forest logging [search]</a>, written to FSC with their concerns and to request more data, and indicated that FSC's continued certification of ancient forest logging is problematic and threatens their membership. Based upon this progress, Ecological Internet has temporarily suspended the protest campaign. If RAN fails in its commitment to work within FSC in coming months to end its certification of ancient forest logging, and refuses to resign from FSC at that time, EI's campaign will resume immediately.</p> <p>"Global ecological sustainability depends critically upon protecting and restoring large, unfragmented, and intact forest and other terrestrial ecosystems across the globe to maintain all species, climatic processes, human habitat and the biosphere's functioning. To this end, Ecological Internet's demands to RAN, and other long-time appeasers of FSC's ancient forest destruction, remain simple: either use your membership to get FSC to eliminate their sourcing of certified timbers from old-growth and primary forests, or resign immediately from FSC in protest and to end your complicity in ancient forest greenwash," explains EI President Dr. Glen Barry.</p> <p>### MORE ###</p> <p>This is a huge victory for Ecological Internet's Earth Action Network -- who in the past year has been ridiculed and rebuffed by RAN, Greenpeace, WWF and other unquestioning FSC supporters. EI is the only global ecological campaign network committed to an "ecological sufficiency" agenda, including stopping all ancient forest logging, 'certified' or otherwise, to maintain an operable climate and global ecosystems. </p> <p>Ending FSC's greenwashing, falsely suggesting ancient forest logging can be environmentally beneficial, is an essential first step in the forest protection movement's campaign to end ancient forest logging globally. This is an increasingly accessible goal given overwhelming evidence of abrupt climate change, extinction spasms and general ecosystem collapse. Following successes with RAN and Friends of the Earth, the campaign will be extended to other FSC supporters.</p> <p>RAN's review must not only access FSC's official data regarding how much of their timber is from ancient forests, but also must look at trends over time and by forest type. Regardless of whether 35% or 80% of FSC's timber comes from ancient forests, it is certainly much higher in primary rainforests, and to be increasing to meet growing demand for "green" timber. RAN's review should be informed by the best science currently available regarding minimum global requirements for terrestrial ecosystem protection and restoration to maintain biodiversity, the climate, and biosphere. After Revel, the hard work begins.</p> <p>###ENDS###<br /> Dr. Glen Barry is a global spokesperson on behalf of environmental sustainability policy. Ecological Internet provides the world's leading climate and rainforest portals at <a href="http://www.climateark.org/">http://www.climateark.org/</a> and <a href="http://www.rainforestportal.org/">http://www.rainforestportal.org/</a> <br /> Dr. Barry frequently conducts interviews on the latest climate, forest and water policy developments and can be reached at: <a href="mailto:glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org">glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org</a>.<br /> </p> RELEASE: Ancient Forest Logging is deRANged tag:www.rainforestportal.org,2008:/issues//4.1991 2008-10-13T15:07:19Z 2008-10-15T13:18:32Z Rainforest Action Network, and Cambodia and DRC, feel the heat of intensifying campaign to end all ancient forest destruction By Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet http://www.ecoearth.info/newsdesk/ CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org (Earth) -- Last week forest defenders from the New York Climate Action Group (NYCAG) rallied at New York's Bluestocking Bookstore to denounce the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) for their support of industrial logging of primary forests. RAN is the focus of a global campaign to end ancient forest logging, starting with getting the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), of which they are a founding and leading member, to... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><strong>Rainforest Action Network, and Cambodia and DRC, feel the heat of intensifying campaign to end all ancient forest destruction<br /> </strong></p> <p>By <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/newsdesk/">Earth's Newsdesk</a>, a project of <a href="http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/">Ecological Internet</a><br /> http://www.ecoearth.info/newsdesk/<br /> CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, <a href="mailto:glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org">glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org</a></p> <p><!--start--><a href="http://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/img/deranged_big.jpg"><img alt="RAN supports ancient forest logging" src="http://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/img/deranged.jpg" width="225" height="76" class="floatRight" /></a>(Earth) -- Last week forest defenders from the New York Climate Action Group (NYCAG) rallied at New York's Bluestocking Bookstore to denounce the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) for their support of industrial logging of primary forests. RAN is the focus of a <a href="/campaigns/">global campaign to end ancient forest logging</a>, starting with getting the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), of which they are a founding and leading member, to stop falsely certifying first time industrial primary forest logging as being environmentally beneficial. </p> <p>When questioned, Mike Brune, RAN's Executive Director, stated again that RAN does not support industrial logging of old growth forests, but does support FSC. This transparent doublespeak was met by laughter from the audience. Due to Ecological Internet's campaign, forest conservationists are increasingly aware FSC's existence depends upon ancient forest logging. Further protest actions are expected, and the <a href="http://www.rainforestportal.org/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=ran_ancient_forest_logging">email protest continues</a>.</p> <p>Some progress has been made, as RAN recently stated in their blog that they "have begun undertaking a strategic review of the Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC's) benefits and costs..." and whether "...RAN can continue supporting the FSC." However, no firm, time-bound commitments were made. The campaign continues until RAN makes written promises to use their FSC membership to get FSC to stop certifying old-growth, and if this fails, to resign from the organization.</p> <p>This impasse comes as a new study finds forest loss costs some -5 trillion a year in terms of lost services provided by healthy ecosystems, many times the cost of the current financial crisis. The benefits to be realized by a few, including RAN and FSC in terms of undeserved goodwill, from cutting down ancient forests are no match for the long term ecosystem services that are gone forever.</p> <p>###MORE###</p> <p>Ecological Internet's President, Dr. Glen Barry, notes "RAN has wasted over a year ignoring our concerns, and now they bury in a short blog entry their intention to review FSC. Meanwhile FSC continues with plans to certify hundreds of millions of hectares of new ancient forest logging. Failure to end this matter now and make explicit commitments will show RAN is more concerned with throwing lavish parties and Amazon cruises, than quickly ending FSC's enabling of ancient forest logging."</p> <p>"It is simply unacceptable that an organization called the RAINFOREST Action Network is greenwashing the ongoing destruction of hundreds of millions of hectares of ancient forests. For shared survival, our environmental movement must unite behind a simple message: END ANCIENT FOREST LOGGING. Campaigning for anything less than what is necessary is inadequate and dangerous greenwash and will be confronted."</p> <p>EI's campaigns have recently achieved two other tentative victories. The DR of Congo has canceled two-thirds of its timber logging contracts after a World Bank review. Cambodia's plans to destroy rainforests with the Stung Cheay Areng Dam are reported to have been quietly shelved. EI's Earth Action Network has tirelessly led protests on both matters, and it shows what can be achieved in terms of preventing old growth logging.</p> <p>Ecological Internet calls upon all organizations including governments, companies and most particularly NGOs -- starting with RAN and FSC -- to stop their support for ancient forest logging to address converging global climate, biodiversity and economic crises. Failure to do so will lead to intensifying protest including targeting these organizations' funders.</p> <p>###ENDS###<br /> Dr. Glen Barry is a global spokesperson on behalf of environmental sustainability policy. Ecological Internet provides the world's leading climate and rainforest portals at <a href="http://www.climateark.org/">http://www.climateark.org/</a> and <a href="http://www.rainforestportal.org/">http://www.rainforestportal.org/</a>. Dr. Barry frequently conducts interviews on the latest climate, forest and water policy developments and can be reached at: glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org.</p> ALERT! Tell World Leaders Urgent Climate Change Action Cannot Wait for a Return to Hyper-Economic Growth tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1.1990 2008-10-05T19:08:45Z 2008-10-05T19:29:19Z Climate change and the bad economy are both symptoms of the same growth-based "ecological bubble". Tell governments to urgently address climate change despite the economic downturn, as both Wall Street and Main Street must realize that without ecosystems there can be no economy TAKE ACTION! Wall Street's sickness of growth at any cost, and its damage to both the world economy and global ecosystems, is bad news for already faltering efforts to craft a new international climate change treaty [search]. Tighter budgets and worries about jobs will surely be used at upcoming UN talks as excuses by governments hesitant to... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><em><strong>Climate change and the bad economy are both symptoms of the same growth-based "ecological bubble". Tell governments to urgently address climate change despite the economic downturn, as both Wall Street and Main Street must realize that without ecosystems there can be no economy</strong></em></p> <p><!--start--><img alt="Climate change will not wait for economic growth" src="http://www.climateark.org/blog/img/bali_banner.jpg" width="50" height="90" class="floatRight" /><a href="/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=ecological_bubble"><strong>TAKE ACTION!</strong></a> Wall Street's sickness of growth at any cost, and its damage to both the world economy and global ecosystems, is bad news for already faltering efforts to craft a <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=new%20international%20climate%20change%20treaty">new international climate change treaty [search]</a>. Tighter budgets and worries about jobs will surely be used at upcoming UN talks as excuses by governments hesitant to make the sacrifices necessary to avoid looming abrupt and run-away climate change. Current global economic difficulties must not stop urgent ecological measures -- like dramatic emissions reduction and natural habitat protection and restoration -- necessary to maintain a habitable Earth. The <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=global%20growth%20machine">global growth machine [search]</a> is seizing up because it is hitting ecological and economic limits, and because of its own greed. </p> <p>We must demand world leaders not ignore looming apocalyptic <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=global%20ecosystem%20collapse">global ecosystem collapse [search]</a>, in a vain effort to return to unsustainable and inequitable economic growth which caused the problems in the first place. This is a last warning, after which all men and women of good conscience and clear minds must commit to escalating "people power" resistance to bring about the necessary changes to ensure a continuation to being and a livable Earth. Tell world government below that climate change is a deadly fact, action cannot be delayed and its solution will help, not harm the economy. <a href="/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=ecological_bubble"><strong>TAKE ACTION!</strong></a><br /> </p> GUEST: Hansen's Proposal to Replace Coal with Wood Is Ecologically Misguided tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1.1989 2008-10-03T12:07:26Z 2008-11-05T22:57:21Z Amongst scientists, James Hansen [search] has long been one of the clearest voices for strong action against climate change including ending the use of coal [ark | search]. Yet now he advocates replacing coal with wood from vast tree plantations [ark | more\ark], burning the wood and capturing and sequestering the carbon dioxide. It is saddening that such an ecologically short-sighted proposal comes from the man who rightly warns that we are already 'beyond safe levels' of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. It is understandable that he and other scientists are looking at ways of reducing the fast increasing... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="Is there really enough wood to power the world?" src="http://www.climateark.org/blog/img/wood_burning.jpg" width="80" height="80" class="floatLeft" />Amongst scientists, <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=James%20Hansen%20climate%20science">James Hansen [search]</a> has long been one of the clearest voices for strong action against climate change including <a href="http://www.medindia.net/news/Fight-Global-Warming-by-Phasing-Out-Coal-Emissions-41828-1.htm">ending the use of coal</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=106557">ark</a> | <a href="http://www.climateark.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=James%20Hansen%20end%20coal">search</a>]. Yet now he advocates <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/phase-out-coal-and-burn-trees-instead-urges-leading-scientist-929889.html">replacing coal with wood from vast tree plantations</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=106499">ark</a> | <a href="http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200838/2023/Veteran-climate-scientist-calls-for-wood-burning-in-place-of-coal">more</a>\<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=106552">ark</a>], burning the wood and capturing and sequestering the carbon dioxide. It is saddening that such an ecologically short-sighted proposal comes from the man who rightly warns that we are already 'beyond safe levels' of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. It is understandable that he and other scientists are looking at ways of reducing the fast increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. Unfortunately, most of the proposals put forward for 'cooling the planet' involve either using vast amounts of energy for still unproven technologies (air capture of CO2) or, even more worryingly, sacrificing biodiversity and ecosystems. </p> <p>Scientists who have developed the idea of using biomass power plants with carbon capture and storage in order to reduce atmospheric CO2 levels have made it clear that at least 500 million hectares of plantations would be required, which is over one and a half times the size of India. Replacing all coal burnt today with wood would require far more land and would almost certainly be impossible, although that may go beyond Hansen's proposal.</p> <p>This month's <a href="http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN354442.html">unprecedented plantation forest fires across South Africa</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=107625">ark</a>] provide a glimpse of a possible future where vast industrial tree plantations combine with global warming: whilst monoculture plantations dry up the land and are prone to fires, climate change fans the flames by exacerbating droughts and heatwaves. This appears to be yet another instance where biofuel proposals are hastily being made that "reshape the Earth's landscape in a significant way" without reference to <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002172438.htm">long-term unintended consequences</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=107616">ark</a>].</p> <p>Hansen's proposals would increase the scale of today's monocultures for biofuels 20-25 fold. Small farmers, indigenous peoples and forest communities, who are already suffering most from the impacts of climate change, would undoubtedly be the first to pay the price for 'carbon negative' bioenergy through the loss of their land and livelihoods. Ironically the experience with biofuels should already have taught us that expanding monocultures is one of the quickest ways of making climate change worse. </p> <p><a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=industrial%20monocultures">Industrial monocultures [search]</a> (crops and trees) are the main cause of tropical deforestation and emit further vast amounts of greenhouse gases through agro-chemical use and soil erosion. Already, there are 100 million hectares of industrial tree plantations, largely serving the pulp and paper industry, which have replaced natural ecosystems, including old growth forests as well as fertile farmland and pastures. They have decimated biodiversity, depleted groundwater, polluted large areas of land through agrichemical use, and eroded soil and destroyed the livelihoods of large numbers of people. <br /> <br /> Clearly there is not enough wood globally to power the world, and further <a href="http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/134/viewpoint.html">expansion of tree monocultures</a> will ensure there is both no stable climate and no habitable planet. Rural communities in many parts of the world have found ways of growing, harvesting and using biomass sustainably to meet their own energy needs, but if we try to replace a significant proportion of fossil fuel use with biomass we risk greatly accelerating climate change and triggering ecosystem collapse. Large-scale bioenergy plantations are therefore not an alternative to coal burning and will not remove excess atmospheric CO2. </p> <p>What we need is massive demand reduction by the wealthy together with truly sustainable wind and solar and other types of renewable energy. Throughout the planet's history, biodiverse ecosystems have stabilised the planet's climate. Rather than sacrificing them for bioenergy, truly effective protection and regeneration of ecosystems offers our only hope of survival. </p> <p><em>Almuth Ernsting works with <a href="http://www.climateark.org/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=7831">Biofuel Watch</a> in the UK. <a href="http://www.climateark.org/writing/">Ecological Internet is actively seeking writers</a> of blogs, essays, releases and alerts; who are committed to knowing the depth of global ecological crises and working for implementation of ecologically sufficient solutions.</em></p> Get with the FLOW: No Water, No Life tag:www.waterconserve.org,2008:/blog//3.1988 2008-10-02T15:13:08Z 2008-10-04T13:43:19Z Wake up to the World's greatest crisis! No, it is not financial; rather, the global water crisis [search] is both the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century. An important new documentary entitled "Flow - For the Love of Water" was released earlier in the year and sounds an urgent alarm, water resources are severely stressed globally and without massive societal and personal change, water necessary to sustain life will simply run out. You can live without a loan, but not water. The water crisis perfectly integrates and amplifies related climate change, terrestrial ecosystem loss, and over-population... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="No Water, No Life" src="http://www.waterconserve.org/blog/img/drought.jpg" width="70" height="70" class="floatRight" />Wake up to the World's greatest crisis! No, it is not financial; rather, the <a href="http://www.waterconserve.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=global%20water%20crisis">global water crisis [search]</a> is both the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century. An important new documentary entitled "<a href="http://www.flowthefilm.com/">Flow - For the Love of Water</a>" was released earlier in the year and sounds an urgent alarm, water resources are severely stressed globally and without massive societal and personal change, water necessary to sustain life will simply run out. You can live without a loan, but not water. The water crisis perfectly integrates and amplifies related climate change, terrestrial ecosystem loss, and over-population and consumption.</p> <p>Ecological Internet has long predicted that global <a href="http://www.waterconserve.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=global%20water%20shortages">water shortages [search]</a> may be the first wide-spread ecological calamity that occurs. Try living a few days without water and you will be swiftly brought back into touch with the fundamentally ecological nature of being. This provides the basis for our <a href="http://www.waterconserve.org/">Water Conserve Portal</a> and <a href="http://www.waterconserve.org/campaigns/">Water for All Always</a> campaign. Solutions? <a href="http://forests.org/">Protect and restore old forests</a> and their watersheds, <a href="http://www.climateark.org/">dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions</a> now, and strictly limits births and excessive conspicuous consumption. Anything less means a thirsty death for most if not all of humanity and our sister species as <a href="http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=global%20ecosystem%20collapse">global ecosystems collapse [search]</a>. </p> Shared Survival Demands Global Citizens' Protest Action tag:www.climateark.org,2008:/blog//1.1987 2008-09-28T14:00:20Z 2008-09-28T15:26:42Z Al Gore this week called for young people to engage in civil disobedience to stop new coal plants [ark | more\ark]. As is typical with the Goracle, you never really get the full truth and ecologically sufficient solutions, even when he tries to be radical. To achieve shared survival we ALL need to physically protest coal, ancient forest logging AND elite rule -- the young and old, poor and middle class, educated and not -- to end both, and ensure a livable world. We agree that increasingly the economic and ecological crises are converging [ark]. It is the elite that... Dr. Glen Barry http://www.ecologicalinternet.org/ <p><img alt="Coal use must end or we all die" src="http://www.climateark.org/blog/img/smoke.jpg" width="50" height="90" class="floatLeft" />Al Gore this week called for young people to engage in <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE48N7AA20080924?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews">civil disobedience to stop new coal plants</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=107202&keybold=Gore">ark</a> | <a href="http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2008/2008-09-27-01.asp">more</a>\<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=107355">ark</a>]. As is typical with the Goracle, you never really get the full truth and ecologically sufficient solutions, even when he tries to be radical. To achieve shared survival we ALL need to physically protest coal, <a href="/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=ran_ancient_forest_logging">ancient forest logging</a> AND elite rule -- the <a href="http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/09/25/does-al-gore-think-hes-too-old-for-civil-disobedience/">young and old</a>, poor and middle class, educated and not -- to end both, and ensure a livable world. </p> <p>We agree that increasingly the <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10577439">economic and ecological crises are converging</a> [<a href="/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=107324">ark</a>]. It is the elite that have liquidated habitats for their leveraged financial thievery, leaving barren ecosystems and feeble markets in their wake. Given the failure of the ruling elites to play fair, share and maintain an operable biosphere and economy; it just may be time for a global citizens' revolution to pull the whole stinking system down. Just an idea to equitably and justly solve both the ecological and economic crises plaguing us all and threatening our shared survival.</p>