Could you live without chocolate?

Rainforest are not only being the lungs of the Earth, necessary for life in Earth in the long run, they are also contributing to the immediate preservation of human life. A total 121 prescription drugs are made from plants that can be found in rainforest.
Out of the 3000 plants that has been identified by the US. National Cancer Institute to be active against cancer cells, 2100 are found in rainforest.
One of the major ground breaking medicine, the Vincristine is extracted from the rainforest plant called the periwinkle. This is one of the world's most effective anticancer medication, which has dramatically decreased the number of victims taken by childood leukemia.
While 25% of western medication derived from the rainforest and over 100 pharmaceutical companies are researching new plants for possible new medications, only 1% of the rainforest plants are being researched for this purpose.

Moreover, rainforest are also key for keeping our healthy everyday diet. 80% of the developed world's food originates in the rainforest, including avocados, coconuts, figs, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, bananas, guavas, pineapples, mangos and tomatoes; vegetables including corn, potatoes, rice, winter squash and yams; spices like black pepper, cayenne, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar cane, tumeric, coffee and vanilla and nuts including Brazil nuts and cashews. Yet out of the 3000 fruits that grow in rainforest, the western world cuisine only uses 200, in contrast of the local Indians who use over 2000.

The numbers speak for themselves. The real question remaining is when will the world realize that even our immediate interest is to preserve the rainforest and use them wisely.

JL

Energy Policy and India

The greatest interest of the government of India is to reduce poverty and have a strong economy. This means, that India needs more and more energy. Around 600 million people in India are without electricity, which will mean that the energy consumption will rise further when those people will get access to electricity as well. Also, since poverty is reducing, people buy more energy-consuming articles, e.g. A/Cs or TVs.
The recent annual economic growth is 6%.

Where does the energy come from? 2/3 comes from coal-plants. India has coal resources in the hills of the Himalaya. These have been improved but unfortunately a lot of pollution has come to India from Chinese coal-mines in the Himalayas, e.g. in rivers.
India also uses its own Hydro and Nuclear power stations, as well as oil and natural gas. Natural gas is even used for cars instead of petrol.

But India is trying to become more 'clean'. Many farmers are encouraged to use solar panels. The Electricity Act 2003 states that a certain percentage of produced energy has to come from sustainable resources. India has the 4th largest wind-energy capacity. A law has been passed to introduce energy labels on e.g. washing-machines. Environmental education in school has been introduced.

Though it is still a long way. India does what she can.

VZ

Pollution

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/18/eco.citarum.indonesia/index.html?hpt=C1

A very sad reality about a polluted river in Indonesia.

JL

The Red Wolf

Also known as Canis Rufus, this beautiful, highly endangered animal can be found in the states of Florida, Tennessee, North and South Carolina (mostly in Wildlife Parks). The only other species of wolves found in the world is the Grey Wolf.
The Red Wolf gets its name from the colour of its fur which is reddish behind their ears and on their legs. It weighs around 48-80 pounds with a height of 26 inches and a length of four feet.

Hunting and an expanded agriculture brought this animal nearly to extinction. Currently not more than 300 Red Wolves are believed to exist.


Find the Red Wolf recovery plan here: http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/901026.pdf

VZ

The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is an animal of fable--perhaps still with us, perhaps extinct. James John Audobon knew it as fact; he spotted on the lower Mississippi River, and in the states of the Old South. He thought the bird spectacular. If it still exists, it surely is: it's the largest woodpecker in the United States, some 50cm in length. The male has a bright red crown, and both the male and female have a distinct ivory bill. The most recent alleged spottings of the ivory bill have been in Arkansas (2004) and Florida (2005). Bird-watchers still go to Arkansas, in search of the elusive bird. It may very well, however, already be extent: the American Birding Association lists it as "definitely or probabaly extinct".

The Fish and Wildlife Service have a page dedicated to the bird: http://www.fws.gov/ivorybill/

MA



MA

Greenpeace

Started in 1971 in Canada as a peaceful, green non-governmental organization, Greenpeace has had a great influence in green politics and has been very active in its work to protect the environment.

The are especially known for their active work to stop whaling, where they steer their boat in between the whale hunter's ship and the whale. Often the whale hunters spray water on the Greenpeace volunteers. Many argue, however, that this work by Greenpeace is rather aggressive.

The huge size of Greenpeace today is argued by many to be capitalistic and Greenpeace is often said to have navigated off its original path. On the other hand, the size of Greenpeace and their high resources make it easy for them to pressure governments and companies all over the world, however, their local presence and work seems to be lacking.

Whether Greenpeace is for you or not, the start of this NGO has changed the face of green movements and has opened the path for many other NGOs.

Read more about Greenpeace and their work on http://www.greenpeace.org/international/about/victories or research more on them to hear the other side.

VZ

"Conservation is Conservative"

Republicans for Envirenmental Protection is an NGO which was formed in 1995 by three women, namely: Martha Marks, Kim O'Keefe-Wilkins and Aurie Kryzuda. The NGO formally operates in 10 US states (California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington) and its current headquarters is in New Mexico. Its main purpose is to influence Republican politicians to take stronger steps in order to protect natural resources as well as human and environmental health.

Historically, the NGO advocates a variety of environmental issues, but lately it focuses especially on alternative energy and climate change.

Besides lobbying on both local, state and national level, the REP is also very vocal on endorsing candidates in the primaries who have a stronger background on environmental protection.

I am personally very fond of this NGO, since many people fall into the generalization that only liberals care about the envirenment.

For more information please visit : http://www.rep.org/

JL

Something New Under the Sun in the 21st Century?

J.R. McNeill proposes that the unprecedented environmental changes of the 20th century came principally from unprecedented population and economic growth: many more people, with new technologies, found that they could alter the Earth they live on in a way their ancestors never did. According to McNeill, political and social adjustments made to adapt to this growth often exacerbated environmental destruction, or resulted in it being worse in some regions, and to certain classes of people, than to others.

A question for readers to consider: will environmental change in the 21st be any different than in the 20th century? Will there be different reasons, unknown to the 20th century, for it?

MA