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Archives for November 2012

Agency Seeks Protection for 66 Corals Under the Endangered Species Act

Montastraea annularis, or boulder star coral, is one of 66 coral species proposed for protection under the Endangered Species Act by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

November 30, 2012, dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com | “The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, prompted by a lawsuit from an environmental group, has proposed federal protection for 66 species of coral under the Endangered Species Act.”

~ 66 Species of Coral Proposed for Protection Under the Endangered Species Act,
thanks to a lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/agency-seeks-protection-for-66-corals-under-the-endangered-species-list/
Photo shows the Pacific coral Pocillopora elegans in the Gulf of California

  • Spiro Polichronopoulos, Rita Jacinto, Ann Agranoff and Irene Parsons, Valerie Kelly Sandoval, Virginia Bryan, Andrew Wolcott, and Betty Murphy like this.
Nov 30, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Animals, Animals & Plants, Endangered Species, Oceans

New urban farm crops up in Sandtown-Winchester

Photo: The empty lot in West Baltimore is usually a desolate spot, the sort of place people visit to leave an old mattress in the bushes.Now, many of those lots will become part of a 1.5-acre urban farm. http://bsun.md/XbZOy6 (Algerina Perna/Baltimore Sun Photo)

November 30, 2012, www.baltimoresun.com | “The empty lot in West Baltimore is usually a desolate spot, the sort of place people visit to leave an old mattress in the bushes or sneak a drink at night.  But this week, chain saws buzzed, trucks rumbled and residents shoveled compost at North Fulton and Lorman streets in Sandtown-Winchester as workers set up a 3,300-square-foot organic greenhouse, breaking ground on one of the city’s biggest entries in the fast-growing national movement known as urban farming.”

“Urban farming is growing in Baltimore City. Great news. Converting vacant lots to urban farms is a big hit.  Now, many of those lots will become part of a 1.5-acre urban farm.”
  • Robert Brothers and Annie Haven like this.
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Filed under: Community Gardens, Farms & Gardens, Local Food, Organic Farming, Urban Agriculture

Styrofoam recycling free in Baltimore

November 30, 2012, www.wbaltv.com | “If you think styrofoam is something you can’t recycle, think again.  A common misconception is that the foam is not recyclable.  People who live in Baltimore will now be able to recycle Styrofoam for free.”

“More places should do this and advertise that the service is available.
Styrofoam recycling free in Baltimore
on.wbaltv.com
People who live in Baltimore will now be able to recycle Styrofoam for free.”
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Filed under: Recycling & Plastics

Zara hears the global call for toxic-free fashion

November 29, 2012, greenpeaceblogs.org | “Zara, the world’s largest clothing retailer, today announced a commitment to go toxic-free following eight days of intense public pressure. This win belongs to the fashion-lovers, activists, bloggers and denizens of social media. This is people power in action.”

“Awesome news.”
Zara hears the global call for toxic-free fashion | Greenpeace Blogs
greenpeaceblogs.org
Zara hears the global call for toxic-free fashion and commits to Greenpeace’s detox campaign.
  • Robert Brothers and Trisha Springstead like this
Nov 29, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Business Policy, Economics, Green Jobs, Materials

Nature Preserves Our Future

www.youtube.com | “It takes a community to ranch together,” says Shane Daniels. “And if we don’t bring young families back to this rural community, it’s just going to dwindle away and die.” Shane and Kristi Daniels, along with their four daughters, are one of those families. Thanks to the Conservancy’s Beginning Rancher Program, they are now the proud owners of Horse Creek Fen Ranch near Mullen, Nebraska.

EXAMPLE -> CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
Conservation Easements promote ecological management and prevent subdivisions.
Nature Preserves Our Future
“It takes a community to ranch together,” says Shane Daniels. “And if we don’t bring young families back to this rural community, it’s just going to dwindle …
  • Zot Lynn Szurgot likes this.
Nov 26, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Animals, Animals & Plants, Buildings, Business Policy, Children & Youth, Community Gardens, Compassionate Actions, Economics, Education, Farms & Gardens, Outdoor Programs, Retrofitting

Unique program to leave oil beneath Amazonian paradise raises $300 million

Photo: WIN-WIN for Critters and Climate - LEAVE THE OIL IN THE GROUND! Yasuni National Park, Ecuador -- Unique program to leave oil beneath Amazonian paradise raises $300 millionRead more at http://news.mongabay.com/2012/1126-hance-yasuni-300.html#coDFYvF6D7OQGMZh.99Photo: Black caiman (with orange fly near its eye) in an ox-bow lake in Yasuni National Park. Photo by Jeremy Hance.For info on a dynamic campaign to keep ALL the oil in the ground, see http://gofossilfree.org/

November 26, 2012, news.mongabay.com | “The Yasuni-ITT Initiative has been called many things: controversial, ecological blackmail, revolutionary, pioneering, and the best chance to keep oil companies out of Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park. But now, after a number of ups and downs, the program is beginning to make good: the Yasuni-ITT Initiative has raised $300 million, according to the Guardian, or 8 percent of the total amount needed to fully fund the idea.”

 

“WIN-WIN for Critters and Climate – LEAVE THE OIL IN THE GROUND! Yasuni National Park, Ecuador — Unique program to leave oil beneath Amazonian paradise raises $300 million
Photo: Black caiman (with orange fly near its eye) in an ox-bow lake in Yasuni National Park. Photo by Jeremy Hance.
For info on a dynamic campaign to keep ALL the oil in the ground, see http://gofossilfree.org/“
Nov 26, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Business Policy, Economics, Forests, Protection

Longmont, Colorado Bans Fracking, despite over $500,000 in advertising against it by the fracking industry

November 25, 2012, www.nytimes.com | “This month, Longmont became the first town in Colorado to outlaw hydraulic fracturing, the oil-drilling practice commonly known as fracking. The ban has propelled Longmont to the fiercely contested forefront of the nation’s antifracking movement, inspiring other cities to push for similar prohibitions.”

~ Longmont, Colorado Bans Fracking, despite over $500,000 in advertising against it by the fracking industry
With Ban on Drilling Practice, Town Lands in Thick of Dispute
www.nytimes.com
Longmont’s ban on hydraulic fracturing has inspired other cities to push for similar prohibitions. But it has also set the city head-to-head with oil companies and the state of Colorado.
  • Luz Engelbrecht, Antonio Ferreira, Shalahnia Riversong, Holly Dawn DeLeon, and Martita Rivera like this.
Nov 25, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Climate, Economics, Energy - Polluting, Local Policy, Oil, Protests

Kenya: Importation of GMOs Banned

November 21, 2012, allafrica.com | “The Kenyan government has banned the importation of GMOS citing insufficient scientific evidence on the safety of the food.”

“Public Health minister Beth Mugo, see video linked to below
Kenya: Importation of GMOs Banned
allafrica.com
allAfrica: African news and information for a global audience”
Nov 21, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: GMO Bans, GMO set backs, GMOs

Colorado River Flow Returns to Natural Course Through Mexico

November 21, 2012,  indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com | “For some tribal members living alongside the Colorado River, a new plan to reconnect the river to the sea remedies a long-time spiritual wrong. For others, it underscores the urgency of finalizing claims on the over-allocated river, since everyone else appears to be getting a share.”

“Agreement Reached to Return Colorado River Flows to Natural Course Through Mexico
indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com
Conservation groups in the United States and Mexico have helped broker a bilateral agreement between the countries to re-water the Colorado’s course b…”
  • Luz Engelbrecht, and Shalahnia Riversong like this.
Nov 21, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Native Peoples, Native Peoples, Land, Restoration, Rivers & Wetlands

These Islands Are The First To Be Powered By Solar Energy Alone

Tokelau Island Solar Power

November 20, 2012, www.businessinsider.com | “The Tokelau islands are the first nation to be run completely on solar power, they announced on November 5. Tokelau is a New Zealand territory made up of three coral atolls — coral reef based islands — in the Pacific.”

The Tokelau Islands Are The First Nation To Be Powered By Solar Energy Alone
www.businessinsider.com
Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand, is the world’s first nation to be fully powered by solar energy.
Bradley Rendon, Luz Engelbrecht, Jeffree Matthews, Andy Sehic, Timothy Donald Jeffrey, Jewel Sea, Spiro Polichronopoulos and Cherene Barrett like this.
Nov 20, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Energy - Renewable, Solar