Posts Tagged ‘action’
Look after our oceans..
Monday, May 17th, 2010 Coral reefs and climate change
Monday, December 21st, 2009Why weren’t they listening?
Belize is named as one of the most ethical destinations in the world
Monday, December 7th, 2009“Ethical Traveler’s new report, “The World’s Best Ethical Destinations,” identifies the 10 countries in the developing world that are best protecting their natural environments, promoting responsible travel, and building a tourism industry which provides real benefits to local communities. “There’s no doubt that worldwide interest in mindful, responsible travel is growing – not only among travelers, but within the countries that host us,” says Jeff Greenwald, executive director of Ethical Traveler and co-author of the report. “Now is the perfect time for savvy travelers and well-intentioned governments to evolve together, each encouraging the other. This is especially true in the developing world, where travel and tourism can be developed as lucrative, low-impact alternatives to forestry, mining, and the destruction of ocean habitats.” In alphabetical order, the best ethical travel destinations for 2010 are:
- Argentina
- Belize
- Chile
- Ghana
- Lithuania
- Namibia
- Poland
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Suriname
“In drafting our report, we use scores of information sources — including publicly available data — to rate each country’s genuine commitment to environmental protection, social welfare and human rights,” says Christy Hoover, co-author of the report. “Data sources include the United Nations Development Program, Human Rights Watch, Columbia University, Reporters Without Borders, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and many others. Private interviews with NGO leaders are part of the process, as well.” The full report can be viewed at http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/destinations Ethical Traveler is an international alliance of travelers who believe that travel is a powerful tool for international goodwill and cultural understanding. The group seeks to harness the political and economic clout of tourism to support human rights and the environment. Ethical Traveler is a project of the Earth Island Institute. For more information, please visit http://www.ethicaltraveler.org . Note to Editors: Stunning high-resolution photos and follow-up interviews available upon request. Media Hotline: Michael McColl +1 510 451 0267 This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com. SOURCE Ethical Traveler © 2009 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved”
International Day of Climate Action
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009The following is taken directly from www.350.org
So, what is global warming and what’s the problem anyway?
The science is clear: global warming is happening faster than ever and humans are responsible. Global warming is caused by releasing what are called greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The most common greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. Many of the activities we do every day like turn the lights on, cook food, or heat or cool our homes rely on energy sources like coal and oil that emit carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases. This is a major problem because global warming destabilizes the delicate balance that makes life on this planet possible. Just a few degrees in temperature can completely change the world as we know it, and threaten the lives of millions of people around the world. But don’t give up hope! You can help stop global warming by taking action here at 350.org.
Either way you slice it, in terms of CO2 or CO2-e, 350 is the mark of a completely new direction—and the movement that will get us there.
These considerations have led 350.org to see the 350 ppm target not only in terms of CO2, but CO2e. On a technical level, this becomes a more ambitious target, incorporating other greenhouse gases. On a practical level, it signifies the same priorities 350 has embodied all along. Any climate target lower than where we are right now (more…)
Stop polluting Belize’s tropical rivers and stop the smokescreen, Probe International tells Fortis Inc.
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009“International aid and trade watchdog, Probe International, is asking Stanley Marshall, President and CEO of the Newfoundland-based power company Fortis Inc., to start accounting to the people of Belize and its shareholders about contamination of the Macal and Belize Rivers in Belize by the company’s Chalillo dam.
Aerial photographs released in early August show that the dam is discharging sediment-laced water and contaminating the downstream river with turbidity levels hundreds, if not thousands, of times higher than the standards set by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The contamination has now reached the Caribbean Sea.
Turbidity contaminants are especially worrying, says Patricia Adams, the author of the letter and Executive Director of Probe International, because (more…)
Is it time to take tuna off the menu?
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
(BBC)
“Bluefin tuna – the staple of sushi boxes the world over – is on the brink of extinction, with its plight highlighted in a new film. Sandwich seller Pret A Manger is changing its stance on tuna, but should the rest of us follow suit?
The bluefin tuna is one of the world’s most impressive fish – a predatory cruiser of the open ocean that can zoom through the sea at the rate of 40mph and grow to the size of a small car….”
Read the rest of this BBC article
BBC Report “Key Coral Reefs could disappear”
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
BBC Article
“The world’s most important coral region is in danger of being wiped out by the end of this century unless fast action is taken, says a new report.
The international conservation group WWF warns that 40% of reefs in the Coral Triangle have already been lost.
The area is shared between Indonesia and five other South East Asian nations and is thought to contain 75% of the world’s coral species.
It is likened to the Amazon rainforest….”
Read the rest of their article
Whale sharks in captivity – they have to be stopped – please read and sign the petition
Sunday, May 17th, 2009
From Whale petition website
(Nadine Pedoe)
A planned marine park in Singapore in considering putting the majestic whale sharks on display. Not from huge video screens as you would expect, but they are going to build a tank and put captured whale sharks in it. They will die!
Whale sharks are the largest and gentlest fish in the sea. They got their name as they are technically sharks but live off plankton as do most whales. They are very majestic and live in the deep. They cover thousands of kilometers, and are already an endangered species. Whale sharks visit Belize as part of their annual migrations around the world.
We’ve had the very lucky privilege to see them in the wild, one of the most exciting experiences of our lives. The sea was so deep there that all you could see was blue, it can actually cause vertigo to some people. There is no way that those conditions could be replicated.
The fact is if you put these wonderful creatures into a tank, they will die. It will also further reduce the numbers of them as they will not breed. It is not humanly possible to build a tank large enough to accommodate their needs. We certainly will never visit Singapore if this project goes ahead, and know many other travellers who will refuse too. And yet the project claims to be conservation minded!
Please visit the following website and add your name to the protest to stop this inhumane idea.
http://www.whalesharkpetition.com/Default.aspx
The world’s private transport needs to go electric
Thursday, May 14th, 2009(Nadine Pedoe)
There are some bold plans afoot to get everyone into electric cars (at least those who aren’t already on public transport or using their own power to travel). At least 30% of the world’s carbon emissions come from using fossil fuels in our vehicles. With carbon emissions contributing daily to global warming and the destruction of our reefs among so many other living things, we need to do something to stop this immediately. On Caye Caulker, we only have a short distance to travel on land, and almost everyone is foot, pedal or electric powered. We have the clean, breathable air to prove it. Red Mangrove uses low-emission, low fuel consumption boat engines too. Sadly not all the boats here are similarly equipped.
Of course there are problems with electric cars (and golf carts). (more…)
Destruction of the oceans is a life and death issue for humanity
Thursday, May 14th, 2009“Dying oceans ‘life and death issue’: Indonesia
MANADO, Indonesia (AFP) — The destruction of the world’s oceans due to climate change and overuse is a “life and death issue” for humanity, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Thursday.
“We must come to the rescue of the oceans. We must save them from the ravages of abuse and over-exploitation by humankind, from the havoc due to pollution and dire effects of climate change,” Yudhoyono said at a global conference on oceans….”
