Species are going extinct at an alarming rate - approximately one every 20 minutes. And global warming is a big part of the problem. It’s changing the climate and ecosystems, forcing species to move, adapt - or die out.

Today I’d like to share a special opportunity to help protect species by taking action with Conservation International. CI’s projects are closely aligned with Environmental Defense Fund’s own work fighting global warming and protecting our planet.

Read on to see how CI is saving species from extinction, and learn how you can help.

Sincerely,

Sam Parry

Dear  People,

Ensuring the survival of all species is a cornerstone of Conservation International’s work. But it’s no small task.

Every 20 minutes, another species on our planet is pushed to extinction.

In that same time, more than 1,200 acres of forest are destroyed, releasing climate change-causing pollution into the atmosphere. That means fewer acres of habitat and more CO2 in the air, which further threatens species’ survival by altering the climate and ecosystems on which they rely.

It’s a catastrophe on a global scale - perhaps the Earth’s next major extinction event - but it’s solvable. And you can be a part of the solution. Sign CI’s petition to save forests and stop the clock on species extinction.

By signing the petition, you are telling government leaders to incorporate forest protection into their national policies on climate change - for the good of our species, our climate, and ourselves.

Take a moment right now and sign our petition to government leaders and help stop the clock on species extinction.

Your signature will bring us one step closer to protecting life on earth, and will help ensure that rare and threatened species survive. Please sign the petition today.

Sincerely,

Beth Wallace
Conservation International

Monkey © CI/Photo by John Martin
Children © CI/Photo by Critano Nogueira

Written by Darci Palmquist
Published on December 8th, 2009 in Animals, Asia Pacific, Climate Change, Cool Green Morning, Copenhagen, Forests, Green Living, Policy, Sustainable Livelihoods, United States

Copenhagen, EPA, Copenhagen, EPA… sound like a broken record? Don’t worry, we’ve got more news than just those two biggies for you today: palm oil and orangutans, the green movement and a few photos from COP 15 thrown in for good measure. Enjoy your daily dose of Cool Green Morning!

1. Yesterday’s ruling by the EPA that greenhouse gas emissions are dangerous to people – a decision that empowers the agency to regulate emissions — has everyone a-buzz. Could this be the push that gets the U.S. into the game at Copenhagen?
2. And more buzz: a report issued by Lord Nicholas Stern and the UN Environment Programme last week says there is hope for Copenhagen to succeed — at least, there’s a “50-50″ chance of avoiding change of more than 2 degrees Celsius.
3. Check out what you’ve been missing at Copenhagen with this slideshow of photos from day one of COP 15 from Treehugger.
4. And now for some non-Copenhagen news… what’s the link between Indonesia’s 40 richest men and the decline of orangutans in that country? Palm oil. The growing demand globally for palm oil is bringing wealth to a few and major habitat loss to orangutans.
5. We’re big fans of doing all we can to green our livelihoods here at Cool Green Morning, so this piece telling people to stop going green raised some ire. What do you think — is going green just a “distraction” as the author says, or does it help create some kind of change?

And that’s a problem in a warming world.

Billions of people get their fresh water from mountain glacier meltwater flows. The trouble is the planet’s glaciers are receding at alarming rates.

Nowhere is this threat more acute than in China and India where huge populations rely on meltwater from rapidly thinning Himalayan glaciers.

Environmental Defense Fund is partnering with the Asia Society to highlight this threat in a full-page ad in tomorrow’s New York Times.

The ad is timed to coincide with President Obama’s trip to Asia, during which he is scheduled to meet with China’s President Hu Jintoa to discuss climate change, among other topics.

You can be one of the first to see the ad, which displays dramatic photos showing the extent of snow cap loss in the Himalayas:

Here are some sobering facts about climate and water to inspire you to take action:

7: Number of great rivers in Asia fed by meltwater from Himalayan glaciers (Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra, Salween, Mekong, Yangtze and Huang He).

2 billion: Number of people, mostly in India and China, who rely on meltwater from Himalayan glaciers for their fresh water.

2035: Date by which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and India’s Energy and Resources Institute predict that much of the Himalayas could be glacier free.

66%: Amount by which the July-September flows would be reduced in the Ganga River if we lose the Himalayan glaciers.

37%: Amount of India’s irrigated land is located in the Ganga region.

1 and 2: Respective rank of China and India as the world’s producers of wheat and rice, food staples for all of humanity.

You can help by emailing your Senators and urging them to support a climate bill.

Sources for the climate and water facts:

• http://assets.panda.org/downloads/glacierspaper.pdf
• http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081111/main5.htm
• http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/10/05/himalayas.glacier.conflict/index.html
• http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/global-warming-melting-glaciers-shrinking-harvests.php

http://www.coalcountrythemovie.com/ check out this web site

This, from the Sierra Club

		There is a new film that speaks to an issue close to my heart—mountaintop-removal coal mining. Once you see this film, it will be close to your heart, too. Mountaintop-removal coal mining has destroyed close to 2,000 miles of Appalachian streams by blowing off the tops of mountains and filling the surrounding valleys and waterways with mining waste. Coal Country is a moving documentary that profiles the concerned residents and coal miners of Appalachia who are so deeply affected by the destruction from mountaintop-removal coal mining—people who must deal with polluted local water sources; the threat of asthma, cancer, and other health effects in their families; and the division of their communities on how to address the crisis. We need your help to ensure that as many people as possible see this powerful film. Hosting a Coal Country viewing party in your community is an easy and effective way to contribute to this growing national movement to end mountaintop-removal coal mining. Sign up to host today and we’ll send you your very own free sneak-peek DVD and a special host packet with everything you need to organize a successful event. As a party host, you and your guests are invited to join national call-ins with actress Ashley Judd, coalfield residents featured in the film, and leaders of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign as they talk about mountaintop-removal coal mining and how we can take action in our own communities. Sierra Club members and supporters have already planned more than 300 parties between November 10th and 14th—host or join one today!

How did these pesky critters cause thousands in damaged appliances to some very unlucky homeowners?

By BRAD WATSON / WFAA-TV

CARROLLTON - The summer ant invasion is upon us and they can do more than hurt your yard, pets or children.

Some Carrollton homeowners found how ants can damage houses and appliances.

John Meadows spent the past two weeks buying new appliances and trying to get existing ones to work again. “The other components, the TV are all working, and for some reason I just turne

d this on and the receiver is not working. I found it had a blown fuse,” he said.

He’s spent $1,200 so far, from getting a new garage door opener and

microwave, to trying to fix the dishwasher, because of a power surge.

The surge hit nine other nearby homeowners who get their power through the same Oncor transformer.

MICHAEL AINSWORTH/DMN

Oncor says customers should use surge protectors.

Oncor says the problem was caused by fire ants.

They built a huge nest in the transformer knocking it out and the utility says it’s not responsible for any damage.

Spokeswoman Megan Wright says, “It’s not a good thing to have to replace items that can be expensive but we cannot control wildlife - this is an act of God.”

Oncor says customers should use surge protectors.

Meadows says he did, but some items still fried.

Neighbor Don Davis lost $2,000 in equipment and thinks Oncor needs t

o be

responsible for its equipment.

“This was something beyond our control this was their control,” he said.  The homeowners say they

are talking to an attorney and will file a complaint with the Public Utility Commission.

Below is the best answer to these type of problems……Thousand of dollars could have been saved while at the same time saving energy….An Immediate Solution.

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Hey Everybody,  The Environmental Defense Fund has recently sent an email out on this new report, and I am sharing it with you.

If you aren’t sure why global warming is a top priority, please read this.

Moments ago, the White House released a detailed scientific report forecasting devastating impacts of global warming in the United States if we don’t take dramatic steps now to cut our global warming emissions.

The report, Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, breaks down climate impacts region-by-region

The Northeast:

• Hartford and Philadelphia could average 30 days of 100+ temperatures per year while Boston could see more than 20 100-degree days per year;
• Native maple, beech, birch, spruce and fir forests could be almost entirely lost;
• The climate of New Hampshire could resemble the climate of North Carolina.

The Southeast:

• Much of Florida and southeast Texas could see more than 180 days in the 90s per year while other southeastern states could see more than 100 90-degree days per year;
• Spring and summer drought has already increased by 12 percent and 14 respectively over the last 30 years. The frequency, intensity and duration of droughts in the region are likely to increase;
• Sea level rise and stronger storm surges could inundate and ultimately flood coastal communities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

The Midwest:

• The climate of Michigan could resemble the climate of Oklahoma and the climate of Illinois could resemble the climate of Texas;
• Deadly heat waves like the one that killed more than 700 people in Chicago in 1995, will become more frequent. Under higher emission scenarios, Chicago could experience up to three such heat waves every year;
• Higher emissions scenarios would cause a water level drop of 1-2 feet in the Great Lakes, threatening shipping, infrastructure, beaches and ecosystems.

The Great Plains:

• Hotter, drier summers will threaten the already overused High Plains aquifer, which irrigates 13 million acres and provides water to 80% of the people in the region;
• Increased temperatures and higher carbon dioxide levels will threaten farming activities with more drought, pest infestations, and faster weed growth;
• Under higher emission scenarios, North and South Dakota, which currently see only a handful of 100-degree days, could see 50 or more days of 100+ temperatures per year.

The Southwest:

• Under higher emission scenarios, the southern half of Arizona, southeastern California and Las Vegas could see more than 120 days with 100+ temperatures;
• Most of the region could see precipitation levels decline by more than 40%, pushing already water-strained areas over the edge;
• Southwestern forests will be decimated with less water, more wildfires and more invasive pests. Under higher emissions scenarios, California’s mountain forests could decline by 60-90%.

The Northwest:

• Mountain snowpack runoff, critical water needs, could run 20-40 days earlier, threatening water resources in summer months;
• Declining summer streamflows and warmer water temperatures could push salmon and other cold water fish species, already stressed by human activities, over the brink;
• 100-degree days are rare today in the Northwest. Under higher emission scenarios, much of the region could see 30-40 days of 110+ temperatures per year.

Without action, this is the future that awaits our children. We can’t let it happen.

The good news? The U.S. House could vote on a landmark energy and global warming bill as soon as next week. The Environmental Defense Fund (and others) is doing everything they can to pass this bill and keep the pressure on the Senate to move a bill of its own.

Here are three things you can do now to help:

1. Take action to urge passage of the bill in the House.
2. Forward this email to all your friends and family.
3. Share facts about your region on Facebook or Twitter. Please include a link to their action alert: http://support.edf.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=118

Thanks for all you do,

P.S. In addition to the human toll, this report reinforces the dire threat American wildlife face in a warming world. Go to our Warming and Wildlife campaign to meet and see seven “ambassador” species that face a bleak future in a warmer world.

Let’s take the story back in time.  We had gone thousands of years on this earth just as it was in its perfect condition.  It providing us well everything we needed with little to worry about.

Then suddenly not so long ago most of the world took quite a turn.  Was it the discovery of electricity or perhaps the invention of the engine or both that catapulted inventions so that it would today bring us to the brink of possible extinction or some type of disaster to the Human Species.

The Industrial Revolution has no doubt changed just about everything we do on a daily basis.  So far removed in such a short period of time are we that we cannot even comprehend a daily life like that of only 3 to 4 generations ago; That of our great grandparents, or to the newest generation of maturity of our great-great grands.

To face such a catastrophe of the human species while living on such a forgiving and resource[full] Earth seems like a completely ridiculous idea.

However the facts presented to us can’t just simply be ignored—and is it really so outlandish to be all that unbelievable.  Some would say YES—others would say, open up your eyes.  The facts do seem quite overwhelming.  We have to admit that the population of people on the earth has reached outrageous proportions.

Think for a moment of what we know about the disappearance of whole groups of people such as the Maya.  The Mayan people had built incredibly large cities in a very large area of what we now call North and South America.  Archaeologists and Anthropologists have looked for clues to what happened to such a large and powerful group of people.  Seemingly, suddenly walking away from all they had built.  It has been concluded by some that they had simply over-used their resources—leaving themselves so depleted—life as they knew it changed so dramatically that it pretty much came to an end.  Could that be all there was to it, that even in a time without the industrial revolution, such a thing could happen.  Well there was also the thing that happened to all the Native Nations of the Northern and Southern Continents of the Americas–the Spanish Conquistadors.

Of course it is also true of the over-use of resources,as we have discovered in other areas of the world where whole groups of people just seemed to become extinct.

Easter Island is one of those places.  Today we face something similar but far more outreaching.  We have not used up only local resources that make it so we can’t live in just one area of the earth, but instead we are now facing a complete change of our entire planet, yes a complete GLOBAL CHANGE.  The earth is changing—is going to change—and so are we.  Whether by force or by Nature—Change is inevitable.  The question right now is whether Humans will be able to weather it out, or will be become like the Dinosaurs that once lived grandly on the earth, that are now extinct from it.

What do I mean when I say by force when you think, truly it would be by the force of Nature wouldn’t it?  Well yes but, I am talking about a different kind of force.  One that we would choose, to avoid the necessary forces of nature, that would be far more unpleasant.  To now choose to make the changes necessary to alleviate or who knows, perhaps even reverse altogether the destructive forces that are right now in action, would certainly have a far better outcome.  Another words we are now being ‘forced’ to take action on this ‘choice’, that we can only hope will have a positive effect to what is now a drastically disastrous effect on the earth with the ever increasing speed climate change is taking.  For example if only 500,000 homes reduced their electricity usage by 15-20% annually, this would mean a reduction of literally millions of pounds of carbon emissions each year.  Wow, now just imagine if millions of homes did that same thing.  Then just imagine if we began to reduce in other areas as well, such as travel.  In fact a 15-20% reduction in electricity usage is actually very little, it is easily doable to reduce as much as 90% or even eliminate altogether.  It really is not difficult, nor does it need to be expensive for each home to create it’s own electricity.  Just imagine what a difference these small changes can make.  I will be pointing out some facts about alternative energies and Conservation in a later chapter, since I truly believe that a little education goes a long way.  When one understands more what the numbers actually add up to, then it becomes easier to put them into action because they really are amazing.  It is so do-able, I find it amazing that we continue to ignore it as though it were not an emergency.  We have done that for too long already, now we can only hope that drastic action will actually make a difference.  We do not even know if we have not already gone too far for even a drastic change to make a difference, but of course we must try.

At the last entry I left you with the thoughtful question of why are we here?   I shared that I have a thought on it.  It is hard for Humans to consider such things unless it puts us at the top.  The human ego has a hard time grasping concepts of equality of even lesser.  However, my thought does just that.  I look at life, all life that is, as an altogether thing.  All life has it’s own thing, not one above the other necessarily, just different.  We each (all living things that is) have our own tasks, purposes, etc.  It’s accepting those differences for what they are that seems to be so difficult for the Human Mind.  Not a fault necessarily, it’s the way we are as humans, and I suppose that needs to be accepted as well.  There are some things that come about as a result of it though that I believe we have a better ability to change, and that is the destructiveness that can come from over egotistical thinking.  I have actually heard people say that human life is the only important life on earth.  What does that even mean?  Perhaps they are so ignorant that they do not know that so much of the life on earth actually provides life for humans.  That in fact, were it not for nearly all other life, there would be no human life.  Maybe that’s why all other life came before human life, well of course.  Now I have thought this through pretty well and conclude that in fact it is only human life that really does not have any real purpose to the earth.  Well, here it comes, and I must first tell you that I am a creation believer, so I believe that we were created simply for the purpose of enjoying all the life on earth in all it’s magnificence.  If we are truly able to enjoy it as it was meant to be enjoyed, we then too develop a great appreciation and even understanding of and for all life on earth.

Perhaps that is why Humans have the ability of the “Higher Thinking” capacity than other life on earth–in order to have a “better” understanding or concept of the wonderful sphere of Earth and our Universe–and just how absolutely amazing it and life on it is. Once again I must re-state that all life comes from the earth, we are all the earth.  Well, that’s about it for today.  Please share with me your thoughts and opinions, join me in this discussion.