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Archives for December 2012

Sarayaku: A Crucial Case for Indigenous Rights

Kichwa people of Sarayaku testifying at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

www.pachamama.org | “For 15 years, the Kichwa people of Sarayaku have sought justice for violations of their human rights made in the name of oil development. A July 2012 ruling could mark a bright new chapter in their story.”

Sarayaku: A Crucial Victory for Indigenous Rights vs Oil Exploitation:
For 15 years, the Kichwa people of Sarayaku have sought justice for violations of their human rights made in the name of oil development. A July 2012 ruling could mark a bright new chapter in their story.
Bob Hughes, Siouxee Angel Campbell, Michele Grady Scherer, Rita Jacinto, Judith Green, Kevin Patrick Brady, Diana Hartel, and Becky Kehl like this
Dec 31, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Earth Ceremonies, Native Peoples, Native Peoples, Land

Apple’s New Wind Tech Design Generates and Stores Heat

December 31, 2012,  www.treehugger.com | “Apple doesn’t just confine itself to innovation in computer and mobile technology, but also pursues ideas in other areas, such as renewable energy. A patent for a design for “On-Demand Generation of Electricity from Stored Wind Energy” was filed by the company in June 2011, and if it pans out, the new technology could help to even out the supply and demand disparities in wind power.”

Apple addresses one of the major challenges with renewable energy with patent for on-demand generation of electricity from stored wind energy.
COMMENTS:
Robert Brothers ~ It’s good to see evidence that we have the ability to develop the green technology needed to make the change.
Dec 31, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Buildings, Business Policy, Climate, Energy, Energy - Renewable, Retrofitting, Wind

Kansas City-owned farm turns human waste into revenue

December 30, 2012, www.kansascity.com | “Every city produces tons of sewer sludge, and every city tries to figure out what to do with it.  Kansas City’s solution: Use it as fertilizer on 1,340 acres it owns along the Missouri River next to the Birmingham wastewater treatment plant.”

“SEWAGE SLUDGE -> “Last year, 9,982 tons of fertilizer were spread on the farm, and only 2,044 tons were incinerated.”
Kansas City-owned farm turns human waste into revenue – KansasCity.com
www.kansascity.com
Don’t be surprised that you didn’t know Kansas City owns a farm — and a cutting-edge farm at that. The farm puts Kansas City in the forefront of other large cities nationwide. And it’s all because of sewer sludge.”
  • Joy N. Hope and Sally Broome like this.
Dec 30, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Buildings, Business Policy, Energy - Renewable, Farms & Gardens, People, Profiles, Retrofitting, Urban Agriculture

The Next Buffalo Commons: In Germany

Photo: BUFFALO ROAMING GERMANY"In the coming days, the first herd of eight European bison, or wisent, will be set free to roam in woodlands belonging to Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, one of the most important forest owners in Europe. It will be the first time this has happened in a German forest since 1746. Europe's largest land animal almost went extinct in 1927. The 3,000 wisent living today were bred from zoo animals. The largest population is located inside Poland's Bialowieza National Park." Via der Spiegel website.

December 29, 2012, blogs.the-american-interest.com | “For the first time since 1746, a herd of wild European bison, close cousins of the American variety, will be roaming free in a German forest owned by Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.”

BUFFALO ROAMING GERMANY
“In the coming days, the first herd of eight European bison, or wisent, will be set free to roam in woodlands belonging to Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, one of the most important forest owners in Europe. It will be the first time this has happened in a German forest since 1746. Europe’s largest land animal almost went extinct in 1927. The 3,000 wisent living today were bred from zoo animals. The largest population is located inside Poland’s Bialowieza National Park.” Via der Spiegel website.
Dec 29, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Animals, Animals & Plants, Endangered Species, Native Peoples

EPA Chief To Step Down, Reportedly Over Keystone XL Pipeline Fight

December 28, 2012, www.nationalmemo.com | “”Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced Thursday that she will resign from her post, reportedly over her split with President Obama on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.”

“~ A Political Victory against Tar Sands
EPA Chief To Step Down, Reportedly Over Keystone XL Pipeline Fight
www.nationalmemo.com
12/28/12 – Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced Thursday that she will resign from her post, reportedly over her split with President Obama over Keystone XL”
COMMENTS:
Luz Engelbrecht “to clarify, ms. jackson was against the extended xl pipeline and cited environmental threats. the white house/president disagreed and supported the approval of the pipeline extension.”
Robert Brothers ~ “Good comments! The downside is the she won’t be there to stand up for the Earth, and her replacement will likely be weaker. So maybe, in a way, this more of a moral victory than a political one.

But when someone acts on their conscience, in favor of the Earth, then I feel that this moral victory also becomes a political victory. One person’s refusal to support mistakes encourages others to do the same.

Here’s some key comments from the article: Jeff Tittel, the director of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club and a friend of Jackson’s, told BuzzFeed that the EPA administrator “left as a matter of conscience,” adding that she “has too much principle to support [the pipeline], between the climate impacts of it and the water quality impacts of it.”

“If the president comes out for it, she would be expected to support it,” Tittel said. “Whether they told her or not, that’s how it works. She was the person who pushed the hardest for the moratorium on the pipeline and now she’s leaving.”

Jackson had other differences with the president during her four years running the EPA, most notably over Obama’s refusal to tighten the national standards for smog.

She tried hard to change things, she failed, so she quit. Knowing how hard she tried, her quitting sends a clear message — We need to gain more political power before things can be significantly changed!
This is what folks like 350.org, Center for Biological Diversity, and many others are trying to do right now.”
Dec 28, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
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Lemur Meat? No thank you, I’ll have insects

December 26, 2012, kids.mongabay.com | “In a new Lion King-fashioned twist the people of Madagascar may begin replacing lemur meat with insects.  This could be a cost effective and nutritious step into a more environmental future for Madagascar.”

Judith Green shared a link.
Lemur Meat? No thank you, I’ll have insects « Eco Facts
kids.mongabay.com
In a new Lion King-fashioned twist the people of Madagascar may begin replacing lemur meat with insects. This could be a cost effective and nutritious step into a more environmental future for Madagascar.”
  • Robert Brothers likes this.
Dec 26, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Animals, Animals & Plants, Compassionate Actions, Endangered Species, Forests, Protection

Defiant Attawapiskat Chief won’t give up hunger strike

Defiant Attawapiskat Chief won’t give up hunger strike

December 23, 2012, www.ottawacitizen.com | “Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence remains steadfast in her resolve to starve herself to death unless Prime Minister Stephen Harper agrees to sit down and talk.”

BIG NEWS ~ Canada: First Nations People Rally Against Gutting Environmental Laws and Laws Protecting Indigenous Rights.
This is a huge story. An unexpected burst of energy. Listen to the talk in the first 2 minutes of this video to feel the depth behind the intensity of the 9 minutes of spiraling round dance that follow. “IDLE NO MORE!” is the name of the campaign. For more info, see http://www.idlenomore.ca/
See this link for news on the hunger strike of Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and the protests thousands of people all across Canada.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Defiant+Attawapiskat+Chief+give+hunger+strike/7738886/story.html
YOU Need to speak for Chief Theresa Spence! She has gone without food, she is too weak to speak for herself, so YOU must do it.

  • Karolina O’Donoghue and Suzanne Hartman like this.

Dec 23, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Earth Ceremonies, Native Peoples, Native Peoples, Land

President Obama’s Ocean Legacy Continues to Grow as NOAA Proposes Expanding Marine Protected Areas off California

December 21, 2012, www.enn.com | “On December 20, 2012, the Obama Administration’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and several members of Congress announced a process to more than double the size of two national marine sanctuaries–Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank–off the coast of north-central California.”

President Obama’s Ocean Legacy Grows as NOAA Proposes Expanding Marine Protected Areas
www.enn.com
ENN.com: Environmental News Network — Know Your Environment
  • COMMENTS:
  • Luz Engelbrecht “do you suppose his admin is trading off protecting marine areas for expanding the pipeline? hmmmmm. sincerely wondering what the intentions are because i’m confused about what is going on.”
  • Robert Brothers ~ all of this is bargaining and and tradeoffs, just like poker. Intentions are hard to figure out, hard to distinguish between what someone truly wants to do, in their heart, and what they decide to do because it is politically expedient … and therefore might help them to do what they really want to do later.
  • But whatever the intention may be, our job is to up the political pressure!
  • Luz Engelbrecht exactly! i’m on my legislators like a crazed dog on a pantleg…
Dec 21, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Ocean Fish, Oceans, Protection

Southeast Wood Storks double in population since 1984

Photo: ~ ENDANGERED SPECIES RECOVERY!Southeast Wood Storks double in population since 1984: no longer endangered, but still threatened, says the US Fish Wildlife Service.http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/united-states/wood-storks-thrive-327186.html Photo by Yuri Cortez-AFP-Getty Images

December 20, 2012, www.theepochtimes.com | “The Wood Stork is breeding so well that it is ready to come off the endangered species list, according to an announcement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”

~ ENDANGERED SPECIES RECOVERY!
Southeast Wood Storks double in population since 1984: no longer endangered, but still threatened, says the US Fish Wildlife Service.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/united-states/wood-storks-thrive-327186.html

 

 

Dec 20, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Animals, Animals & Plants, Endangered Species

Animal Angels: The Mouse That Saved a Life

Animal Angels: The Mouse That Saved a Life

December 20, 2012, www.care2.com | “There have been many stories about mice. They fill the shelves of children’s literature. What is so extraordinary about this story besides the fact that it actually happened, is the friendship that emerged between a man and a mouse. This is more the story of an amazing friendship. A real friendship that saved a life.”

Animal Angels: The Mouse That Saved a Life
www.care2.com
“Many of us have heard remarkable stories about how animals have saved humans. Often they are pets who perform heroic and even seemingly impossible feats to save their owners. In this true story submitted by Care2 member Andrew Quilliam, his friend’s life was saved by a friendship forged with one of …”
  • Robert Brothers ~”Appreciation of animals is always good news for the Earth!”
Dec 20, 2012 GoodNews FortheEarth on Facebook Leave a Comment
Filed under: Animals, Animals & Plants, Compassionate Actions, Uncategorized