Category: RT Newswire

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“Urgent remedial action is essential because
species loss and ecosystem degradation are
inextricably linked to human well-being,” said
Pavan Sukhdev, a banker at Deutsche Bank and the
main author of the report.

“This is crunch time,” said WWF Director General
Jim Leape. “We’re gathered here under urgent
circumstances.”
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REUTERS
May 29, 2008

U.N. experts warn of economic cost of species loss
By Madeline Chambers

BONN, Germany (Reuters) – Mankind is causing 50
billion euros ($78 billion) of damage to the
planet’s land areas every year, making it
imperative governments act to save plants and
animals, a Deutsche Bank official told a U.N.
conference.

A study, presented to delegates from 191
countries in the U.N.’s Convention on Biological
Diversity on Thursday, said recent pressure on
commodity and food prices highlighted the effects
of the loss of biodiversity to society.

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Rainwater-harvesting expert Brad Lancaster says community and conservation are keys to desert living

By MARI HERRERAS email the Weekly
Sustainably Yours-Brad Lancaster

Brad Lancaster is not wild about the word “green.”

“The term ‘green’ doesn’t cut it, especially the way it is being marketed,” Lancaster says as he drives back to Tucson after teaching several weeks of rainwater-harvesting workshops in New Mexico while also promoting the two volumes of Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. “This idea that we can buy our way green is bogus. We need to be asking ourselves: What are we trying to do, and how are we trying to live?”

Lancaster answers these questions in his books; the most recent volume focuses on how to use earthworks to harvest rainwater. A third volume is due out next year. Overall, Lancaster’s books teach desert-dwellers new ways to look at conserving water, while at the same time growing food-producing gardens, using solar energy and taking advantage of gray water from the shower or washing machine.

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Interesting to note how much foreign journalists address ecosystem health/biodiversity as well as water/food security-sovereignty issues-vs. how little U.S. journalists say about them.

ASW

… 85 percent of the land area in Turkey is
“highly vulnerable to desertification.”

“We should assume our responsibility to reduce
our carbon footprint and kick the habit. It is
the only way out.”
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This person-like many foreign journalists-says alot about food security & ecosystem
protectection…unlike U.S. journalists-who generally say very little about those subjects
Today’s Zaman
June 5, 2008

Op-Ed

Kick the CO2 habit: toward a low- carbon economy
by MAHMOOD AYUB*
<http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=143867&bolum=109>

It has already begun. The chain reaction of
events related to climate change affects us all.
More than ever, extreme weather conditions are
causing severe natural disasters.

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No joke folx…want to survive & mitigate climate change? Then PROTECT
WILDERNESS AND WILDLIFE!! No exceptions…

ASW

—————————- Original Message —————————-
Subject: BACA NWR MAKES PEER LIST OF AMERICA’S TEN MOST IMPERILED WILDLIFE
REFUGES
From:    “winter ross” <winterross@yahoo.com>
Date:    Wed, June 4, 2008 7:36 pm
To:      “Storm Waters” <stormf5@riseup.net>
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Christine Canaly <slvwater@fairpoint.net> wrote: Date: Sun, 25 May 2008
18:03:20 -0600
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
From: Christine Canaly <slvwater@fairpoint.net>
Subject:
Fwd: BACA NWR MAKES PEER LIST OF AMERICA’S
TEN MOST IMPERILED WILDLIFE REFUGES

Hi folks,

The Baca was recognized by PEER as one of the Nation’s top 10 imperiled
wildlife refuges (see story below).  While this reaffirms the important
work we still have ahead of us, the listing will help us get important
national attention.

Watch for an update on the results of our latest FOIA request in the June
Crestone Eagle.

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