Sharks Need Love Too

I tend to have a different reaction to sharks than most people. I feel a deep affection for sharks and even seeing a photo of one makes me want to jump in the water and give it a hug.

Not only do many species of shark help regulate the ocean and ensure that humankind's oxygen supply is steady and balanced, but most divers will argue that they aren't the ferocious monsters that the media depicts them as.

Many people can tell you that an estimated 75,000,000-100,000,000 sharksare pulled out of our oceans every year to feed a growing demand for shark fin soup.

But a lesser known aspect of this problem is how current fishing methods used all over the world are putting not just sharks but our oceans in peril. You'd probably be surprised to discouver that something like our love for tuna is causing sharks to die. Common unsustainable fishing methods like bottom trawling mean that when fishing boats are looking for tuna they're catching sharks and lots of other species too.

Sharks and tuna often share the same space and when a large net is dragged along the bottom floor, it isn't able to discriminate between tuna or anything else. The result is bycatch and lots of it. Bycatch is any untargeted species that is caught. Many times the bycatch is thrown back in the water (of course almost everything is dead at this point).

Bottom trawling is only one of many common unsustainable fishing methods that result in large amounts of bycatch. Long line fishing and Muraomi nets are other examples. Bycatch has become a major concern for scientists, ocean lovers, and of course shark huggers and many feel that bycatch and modern fishing practices is one of the biggest threats facing our oceans.

'Saving Sharks' is complicated and it's not as simple as getting people to stop eating soup (although it would help sharks dramatically). Legislation, improved conservation, less shark fin soup, and dramatic changes in fishing regulations are all needed to keep sharks in the water.

But where do we begin? Well if you ask me, it's by getting people to love sharks.



(find out more information at www.wakeproject.net)

China- Environmental Leader?

China gets a lot of flack, as the most populated country on the planet it frequently comes under fire for human rights violations, environmental degradation, and questionable ethical behavior.

But as the world's likely next super power China has begun to show some promise. Taking a cue from Bolivia, China recently banned animals in circus' and restricted animals in zoos. Wow. This is huge. Can you image anything like that happening in North America? Barnes and Bailey wouldn't let that happen without a fight.

China has also organized an annual tree planting drive that has seen over 12 billion trees planted in the last 32 years that has resulted in forested areas increasing and in 2001, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) listed China among the top 15 countries with the most "closed forest" ....um what?

The surprises don't stop there, China is also invests the most worldwide in 'clean technology' and made free plastic bags illegal in 2008.

Sorry, am I the only one surprised by this? Who is doing China's PR? I get that despite these efforts China is still one of the worst pollutors on the planet but how does China have such a bad rap when we have the TAR SANDS??

Keep updated on China's environmental efforts here.

Obama's Report Card

Interesting Review of Obama's environmental record this far. Click Here.

The Last Mass Extinction

I've mentioned before that our oceans take unimaginable abuse and for the most part it's out of sight out of mind. I've also mentioned that it won't be long before we realize just how vital the ocean is to our survival.

If history has taught us anything, it's that it can repeat itself.

Approximately 250 million years ago, the world's oceans ran out of oxygen. One theory is that this was brought on by asteroid filled with "soccer ball-shaped molecules called "fullerenes" (or "buckyballs") with traces of helium and argon gas trapped inside" and about 9K wide colliding with the planet which then changed the climate of the earth.

To continue to quote the article referenced about, not all scientists agree on the details of the cause of the climate change but the general consensus is that the Great Dying was caused by the buildup of carbon dioxide both in the sea and on land.

Most people are familiar with the extinction of dinosaurs a mere 65 million years ago, however this is different. The Great Dying resulted in 90% of all species on the planet dying. That means 90% of all plants, animals, fish, insects, and life on this planet went extinct....forever (just thought I'd drive that home)

We are once again at a point where carbon dioxide is building up in our oceans and air at a rapid pace only this time it's done consciously by human beings.

Even if humans were to survive another great extinction, life would be drastically different for us and would take millions of years for an ecosystem to stabalize.

The point is that even though we're making a real effort to protect our oceans and eat sustainably, it's not enough. We need drastic change and we need it now. We simply cannot allow our leaders to continue to refuse to curb emissions not only because we want to protect their environment but because it is critical to our own survial.

Sharks: Helping Us Breathe Easy

I've been neglecting this blog lately but you can check out a piece I did on sharks here.

Earthlings

"The Stages of Truth:

1. Ridicule

2. Violent Opposition

3. Acceptance"

-Earthlings

That is how the documentary "Earthlings" begins, a film that looks at the ways animals are expolited by human beings and is directed by Joaquin Pheonix.

This film was released in 2007 and although I had heard alot about it, I had never seen it. Here's the thing, I knew it would be filled with some graphic images and I feel that I don't have to see them. I don't eat meat or animal products, wear leather, buy products tested on animals, wear silk, wool, don't donate to charities that test on animals, visit zoos or aquariums, or support any other establishment that expolits animals. Do I sound holier than thou? Yes. But that means that I don't have to watch undercover video of a slaughterhouse. In my opinion I've earned it.

But I went to see it nonetheless, and if you want to hate humankind this is the film for you. I'm still losing sleep over the footage of a dog being thrown in a trashcompactor as it looks on helplessly and will never forget how the screams of a cow or pig sound like a human.

The sad part is that the people that need to see this film won't. The theatre was filled with tree-hugging hippies like me. Except one person came in with a cheese pizza, I'm guessing they felt bad about their choices real quick.

I only stayed half way through, my friend and I were so shaken that we had to leave. I think the most disturbing aspect of the entire experience was that it wasn't footage from a faraway country or another century. All of it had to do with very common industries and very very common products.

Most friends that I've told about the film have said that they couldn't handle it and wouldn't be able to see it. I can't handle it either, how long are we going to pretend that inconvenient truths don't exhist? Or even accept the reality of where our food and clothing comes from?

Are we all just Sociopaths?

Very interesting article passed on to me by Michelle (thank you!) about the psychology that plays a part in how we've arrived at the current situation we're in.

Read: World Gone Mad here.

Today's Water Crisis (and tomorrow's)

I once read that this planet doesn't have a food shortage problem, it has a food distribution problem. If you've read any of my other posts you'll know that one of the distribution problems is that the majority of grains and soy grown on this planet goes to feeding livestock that we ultimately consume. We could create much more meals with the grains and soy itself than the meat we produce.

The same can be said for water. Although the inevitable water crisis hasn't achieved the same sort of social relevance yet as global warming, it is just as important and just as scary.

The world's population is expected to increase up to 50% in the next 50 years and we aren't able to offer clean drinking water to those that currently inhabit the planet. In addition, the world's clean water supply continues to become privatized at an alarming rate.

Water is expected to be seen much like oil is today, with shortages and crisis affecting our economies and our health except unlike oil there are no alternatives to clean water. Today's corporate superpowers are currently battling it out to purchase and privatize what will inevitably become our most important scarce resource.

The effects can already be seen today as one report found "you pay more for water in a slum in Manila than in a flat in London."

How did this happen? When did water become a product that can be owned and not a natural resource that is entitled to everyone? It reminds me of Monsanto, who was able to copyright and own 'life'. The blame can be shared by our complacency, citizens sold out by their governments, or corporations with unstoppable greed that have taken advantage or our laws. The blame is likely shared by everyone but the fact remains that life on this planet (ourselves included) absolutely depends on clean water- and you'll have to be able to afford this privilege.

So what are the solutions? An obvious one is for us in more developed countries to be less wasteful with our water and to invest in more sustainable technologies (capturing rainwater). We need to seriously question who will be benefiting from the privatizing of water and sooner or later we are going to have to address the population problem. We can argue our basic human rights about procreating but the science doesn't change-there are too many of us and we're using up resources faster than we can replace them. But I'll leave that for another blog post...




FLOW is a great documentary that examines this issue and offers some eye opening facts here.

You can find out more about water and the effects of privatization here.

Biomass Burning

Burning Biomass to meet energy needs and reduction standards in North America has become quite popular in recent years.

For a quick refresher, burning of biomass is different than biomass. Biomass involves obtaining energy from a living or formerly living thing (plants, gas or fuels) which includes obtaining energy while the living organism is alive.

Burning of biomass is exactly what it sounds like- obtaining energy by burning formerly living things. Most commonly wood.

A quick google will show that burning of biomass has grown in popularity in the last 20 years, with many organizations and governments advocating this 'environmentally friendly' method of energy production.

However my issue with biomass burning is the same with corn ethanol fuel or nuclear energy. I feel that people who advocate it fail to encompass the entire process when labeling it as 'green'.

Treehugger has a great article on the plans for increasing biomass burning in North America and the many effects it will have on us environmentally- 120 new plants are planned in the US which means 46,000 square feet of forest will have to clear cut. The piece also goes into detail as to why the method is being embraced by power plants, small capital investments but enough to meet emissions reductions requirements.

Yes burning of biomass will reduce emissions... but that is one benefit to an entire process.

I do think that biomass burning is an improvement but it's really just a small improvement to an industry that needs drastic changes and soon.

Last Chance to Save the Tigers?

Sorry another youtube link today, but these animals are so freaking majestic and beautiful I couldn't resist;

Friends of Davie Bay

My boyfriend spent his summers in Texada growing up, a small town in the Gulf Islands of BC. A small mining town of 1,100 residents that boasts a spectacular and diverse environment.

Upon arriving in Texada the first sight you will see is an enormous gravel pit from the island's Limestone mine.

Getting past that it's almost impossible not to spot eagles, deers, hawks, and vultures as you drive across the island. It's a pretty pristine place that feels like it's yet to be discovered.

There have been certain benefits from the mining industry, including an old gravel pit that has been filled with water and is now a stunning water hole to swim in:



I've been lucky enough to go to Texada a number of times now and I can see how it would be difficult for residents to balance mining activity while trying to perserve the ecological gem that it is.

It's a balance that not everyone agrees on. Lehigh Cement Company has applied to the Integrated Land Management Bureau to build a barge facility in Davie Bay in Texada.

Having visited Davie Bay myself I can say that it is easily one of the most beautiful, clean, and environmentally diverse areas of the entire island. Which is why the island is divided as to whether mining should be allowed in the area, which would likely devestate the ecosystems there.

A map of the proposed plans can be found here.

As the facebook group 'Davie Bay Think Tank...I think they should leave it alone' describes it:

'They will be loading the raw material near the forestry road at the land formerly known as terrace park. there will be a conveyor bringing the material over the cliff at the south end of the bay, just past the spit where the cabin* was.'

*The cabin can be found on the map.

The site also goes on to point out that the area is a Rockfish Conservation Area and that it's home to the rare prickly pear cactus.

The residents of Texada and opponents of the plan are even more concerned about the project since the BC Government decided not to have an environmental review of the area.

Why? Projects that are only considered 'large' are subject to review. In this case it means more than 250,000 tonnes per year. The proposed plan is for 240,000 tonnes a year. But the proposed infrastructure is capable of supporting a much larger mine...

Luckily there is some hope as the 'Friends of Davie Bay' non profit organization was formed to halt the project and West Coast Environmental Law have taken up the cause. On July 26 a petition was filed challenging the BC government’s failure to conduct an environmental assessment.

For more information on Friends of Davie Bay, check out their facebook page. For more information on the effects of the project and West Coast Environmental Law's case, click here.

The FODB are a David challenging a Goliath and welcome any financial contributions, whcih can be done here.

Stay tuned for more...

Environmentalists Need to Give Up

Really interesting article on how environmentalists need to give up hope and doing so is the only way we will be successful.

Check it out here.

Today's Fishing Technologies Pt l

Despite what I have claimed in the past, I now believe the biggest threat to the environment right now is today's common fishing practices.

Technologies developed in the past 30 years are far too destructive, wasteful, and unselective.

Because I don't want to overwhelm you my dear readers (all two of you), I've broken this up into an exciting 3 part series.

Today's subject is bottom trawling, a fishing technique which involves dragging a fishing net across the sea floor. To be able to give you an idea of just how ridiculous this common technique is, the equivalent would be to bulldoze an entire rainforest in the search for meat. Yes, you would catch some deer, moose, and bear... but you would have entire forests, swamps, and rivers decimated in the process.

Greenpeace has a really great video demonstrating how bottom trawling works:




Greenpeace International describes bottom trawling on their website:

"Bottom trawling involves dragging huge, heavy nets along the sea floor. Large metal plates and rubber wheels attached to these nets move along the bottom and crush nearly everything in their path. All evidence indicates that deep water life forms are very slow to recover from such damage, taking decades to hundreds of years - if they recover at all."

In addition to being disastrous to the ecosystems and fish populations, the Gulf Coast Preservation Society estimates that up to 50% of what is caught from bycatch is thrown back into the waters. This has resulted in the decline of many species who end up caught in fishing nets....for example up to 90% of sharks are caught as bycatch from tuna nets.

The good news is that some countries are moving towards banning bottom trawling, the bad news is that countries like Spain, Russia, and Iceland continue to bottom trawl. And those are the countries we know about. The Wake Project Society explains why its hard to know who's really doing what in international waters here.

The reasons for these fishing techniques and lack of regulation aren't definite, some believe that it's simply ignorance, others use the 'economic' argument (the fishing industry employees millions of people), and some believe that many fishing companies owe their governments millions of dollars for their boats and equipment that they have no choice but to pillage the seas.

But that's not really the point, because the result is going to be the same and none of those reasons hold any water (pun intended).

As mentioned before, the real crisis with our oceans is that we really don't know that much about them. We obtain up to 70% of our oxygen supply from our oceans and it's really anyone's guess as to what will happen if we completely empty our waters (which is slated to happen soon). Well, it isn't really anyone's guess... there are differing theories but ultimately no consensus.

History of Oil Spills

Unfortunately the oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico is dominating headlines lately (not unfortunate that it's getting coverage but rather that it happened).

It's sad that this is how we need to be reminded that offshore drilling is far from fool-proof and spills aren't a question of if but rather when. The haunting images of animals drenched oil and unable to move should be enough for us to take a stand against our dependence on oil.

However, history has shown this won't change anything. The recent oil spill doesn't even make the top ten worst oil spills in history. Even America's latest president who campaigned for change and promised absolutely no drilling has approved more offshore drilling. Canada isn't much better with our government pushing to install a massive pipeline to carry oil from the Tar Sands right to Vancouver's coast near tourist destination Stanley Park.

The Gulf of Mexico is getting the attention it rightly should, including the usual celebrity telethons, massive government funding, investigations to reveal the obvious, and hollow promises from the oil company.

However the spotlight should be shared with all oil companies and the governments with lax regulations. Why aren't the front pages including investigations into other operations? Why aren't we demanding a halt to all other approvals to offshore drilling?

Our focus is on recovery when we should also be thinking of preventing it because it absolutely will happen again.

As Good as Our Word

When was the last time you signed a contract and then never bothered to fulfill your obligations without any sort of implications?

How often does the government forgive you for not paying your taxes? Although taxes are more of a suggestion anyways.

My point is how absolutely mind boggling it is that our government (others too) doesn’t bother to live up to its contractually signed obligations. I know this isn’t the most articulate statement but it seems most appropriate: WTF?

We certainly aren’t forgiving third world debt, so why are our prior commitments utterly worthless?

Since pledging to reduce greenhouse gases 6% from the amount emitted in 1990 by 2012 (this works out to be a 5.2% reduction per year) with the Kyoto Accord. Yet Canada’s emissions continue to grow (a big shout out goes to Alberta’s tar sands for helping with this one), with Harper insisting that cutting emissions would be seriously detrimental to our economy.

Personally I think not being able to breathe would hurt our economy more.
Although we have signed Kyoto, we’ve decided to now set our own levels of reductions…due to begin around 2020.

Canada is also among 7 other industrialized nations that participate in annual summits and other meetings as a member of G8. This committee discusses world events such as the economy, health, the environment, and law enforcement. Among the goals that these countries have committed to is aid for Africa. Unsurprisingly there are now rumors that among other countries Canada is trying to back out of this commitment as well:

http://www.one.org/international/g8/

Canada prides itself on being a first world country that boasts seemingly endless natural beauty, so how come we look like complete tools on the world stage? It doesn’t matter if the Liberal party signed the Kyoto accord; the conservatives are still obligated to fulfill their responsibilities.

Our government is making us look like an insolent child that keeps promising to clean their room ‘tomorrow’.

Where will Santa live?

Apparently the North Pole could very well be melted by the end of this summer:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/weather/06/27/north.pole.melting/index.html

This is one of those rare occasions where I don't have anything to say. I mean, is anyone surprised? We are constantly reminded of the dooms-day consequences of our actions and the actions of generations before us, so is this a shock?

Japan Needs a PR Agent

You know that feeling you get when you discover something that is a complete outrage and you’re not the least bit surprised? Well, the honor of that feeling today goes to the Japanese government (not unfamiliar with causing these emotions).

Japan is notorious for its whaling laws and moratoriums that they don’t bother to enforce, claiming that the thousands of whales they kill annually are for ‘scientific research’. If this is true then Japanese scientists are the biggest tools in the shed. Researchers reporting on an animal species don’t usually decimate them in the process, but hey, I’m no scientist.

Well, Japan has repeatedly tried to defend itself by insisting that they are not exceeding the yearly whaling quota despite various reports and evidence that the industry has just gone underground. However Greenpeace recently provided indisputable proof that the government was lying while using tax payer’s dollars to support an unsustainable and corrupt industry.

Now, if Japan were a celebrity a PR expert would step in and give some image advice to the country. First we would hear a heartfelt apologize which would be followed by a stint in rehab, a promise to make amends by community service and then maybe a picture of Japan kissing a baby at rally against global warming.

However Japan doesn’t have a PR person giving them good advice, which is why they proceeded to arrest the Greenpeace activists that exposed them. So if you have a minute I encourage you to follow this link and send a letter to Japanese officials letting them know that their bonehead decisions aren’t going unnoticed:
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/outrage-greenpeace-whale-meat

Governments in Secret

One thing that pisses me off the most about our current Canadian government is the secrecy. I’d rather have them flaunt their corruption and broken promises in my face….like an honest person.

A government is supposed to be FOR THE PEOPLE! We elect these inadequate officials to represent us and our needs so it is a complete paradox to have a government make decisions in private.

Besides, making changes quietly admits guilt (at least that’s what it says to me). Take this article for instance:
http://technology.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/news/contentposting?newsitemid=lakes-mining&feedname=cbc-tech-science-v3&show=false&number=0&showbyline=true&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=t&pagenumber=1

The conservatives defend their choice and although it’s completely short-sighted, they appear to have done some (one-sided) research. So why not make this public and stand by your decision?
This solution of dumping toxic waste in Canadian lakes reminds me of small children sweeping all their toys under the bed when they can’t watch TV until their room is clean.

This article comes out the same day that it has been publicized that our government has also ‘quietly’ committed $420 billion towards our military. Now whether I agree with the lakes solution or if this money is well spent is beside the point, it’s that these decisions are being announced in a way to avoid public reaction or input.

Not only is this trend beyond annoying, it’s scary. If we aren’t allowed to be the watchdog of our own government, we could eventually be ‘quietly’ updated on what our rights are and aren’t.

My Problem with Plastic

Plastic. Where do I begin? I could honestly write a novel titled ‘My Problem with Plastic’ but then my editor would probably force me to include a romantic sub-story and call it my memoir which would eventually be exposed as a ‘novel based on true events’ and then I would have to apologize to Canadians while being interviewed by Don Cherry, so I’ll just keep this topic to a blog.

Anyways, I’ll begin my gripe with plastics at the beginning. Ironically Alexander Parkes invented plastic in 1862 to help save the elephants. That’s right people, plastic was invented to help the wildlife. Before plastic, ivory from elephant tusks was used in everything from billiard balls to toothpicks.

It took a while for the invention to catch on, as plastic only became commonly used in the last few decades but when it did, it caught on like wildfire.

For instance, plastic bags were only introduced in the 1970’s and although an entire generation hasn’t even passed, they’re already the #1 item found in landfills (we go through about 1.2 trillion a year). And why are we using plastic, something that will take almost forever to go away for products that we use for less than an hour? The estimated half-life for a plastic bag is 500 years, but then again no one knows for sure because plastic doesn’t break down like other matters. Plastic is never broken down by bacteria, instead it keeps breaking into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic that eventually find its way into our air and food.

So problem #1 with plastic is that it is made to last forever but is used for a nano second.
In addition, when plastic is recycled it’s just a bull***t process that eases people’s conscious. Now I’m not saying we stop recycling immediately but we can’t assume that it’s the answer to all of our plastic woes. For instance, when plastic is recycled (which is more complicated than recycling glass or metals) it is melted down and releases toxic chemicals into the air.

So although recycling plastic is essential, it doesn’t justify our extensive use of the material.
Thus problem #2 with plastic is that even when plastic is recycled our air and health is put in jeopardy.

Plastics have been making the news quite frequently lately, it seems that we’re constantly being alerted to different plastics that children shouldn’t be playing with or that we shouldn’t be heating up or that shouldn’t be used to carry our drinking water.

Today plastic has never been more prevalent and it has a history of being linked to cancers and other illness which have also never been more prevalent (Don’t believe me? Check out www.cancer.ca).

Problem #3 is that plastics are likely harmful to our health and the reason I say likely is because the material is relatively new and widely used, we haven’t been able to judge its effects on an entire generation yet.

Finally, my last gripe (#4) with plastic is that it’s made from petroleum!! Now, the oil companies claim that plastic is made from a by-product from drilling oil that would otherwise be discarded and wasted. However I have two questions: Would the waste that is discarded bio-degrade like a natural material? And aren’t we trying to lesson our dependency on oil anyways? By buying plastic and continuing to have it in our everyday lives we are supporting a shady oil industry which is another blog in itself.

Plastic Island

One of my biggest grips about humanity is our 'out of sight, out of mind’ mentality, once something is put in the garbage and taken away by the garbage man (or woman no discrimination here!) it’s gone forever. We hear statistics on how much waste is accumulated annually but our cities our so clean and we never see any of it so how bad can it be?
The answer is it’s bad, and a lot of it ends up in our water.

Greenpeace estimates that 10% of ALL plastic ends up in the ocean. Just think of how much plastic you go through in a week, from packaging on a chocolate bar to empty pens to old toys to appliances to WHATEVER. 10% ends up in the water (or approximately 10 million tons annually).

Well we don’t see that much plastic at the beach so where is it? The answer is Plastic Island or the Plastic Vortex and the reason we don’t see photos of it everywhere is because it’s all underwater. But it’s there in the Pacific Ocean and it’s said to between the size of Texas and the size of the U.S.A.

I think that the detrimental effects of this are obvious (highly toxic pollutants in our water from the plastic which ends up concentrated in the fish that most people eat, destroying wild life and ecosystems….etc) , but for those who need a visual:
http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ocean/Sea-Plastic-LN-PG5oct05a.jpg

Essentially after garbage and debris make their way into our beaches (from wind, litter, or from ships) it is picked up by the current and the ocean’s vortexes until it gets stuck in the ones between North America and Asia. I’ve heard people ask “Why don’t we remove it?”. Well, again it’s under water, it’s the size of Texas, and where do we put it? And like all issues, governments usually don’t tackle these things on their own until a huge public outcry (even then they drag their feet).

So what do we do? I usually don’t recommend solutions on this blog because for the most part I think these solutions are usually pretty obvious but aren’t used because they are considered inconvenient: Banning plastic bags are a good step but I think we shold ban plastic, examine our outlandish consumption, habits, and force ourselves to really be responsible for our garbage which is more than just putting it in the garbage can.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with why plastic is public enemy #1, that will be tomorrow’s topic.