tagged w/ Rainforest Destruction
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The rapid spread of animal feed plantations across South America is wiping out rainforests and destroying the communities who have lived on the land for centuries. The Killing Fields lifts the lid on the battle to feed our factory farms.The rapid spread of animal feed plantations across South America is wiping out... more
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Brazil's government has granted an environmental licence for the construction of a controversial hydro-electric dam in the Amazon rainforest.
Environmental groups say the Belo Monte dam will cause devastation in a large area of the rainforest and threaten the survival of indigenous groups.
However, the government says whoever is awarded the project will have to pay $800m to protect the environment.
The initial approval was a key step before investors could submit bids.
Resignations
The proposal to build a hydro-electric dam on the Xingu river, a tributary of the Amazon in the northern state of Para, has long been a source of controversy.
The initial project was abandoned in the 1990s amid widespread protests both in Brazil and around the world.
The government says the scheme has been modified to take account of fears that it would threaten the way of life of the indigenous peoples who live in the area.
Brazilian Environment Minister Carlos Minc revealed that those who win the bidding process to build and operate Belo Monte will have to pay millions of dollars to protect the environment and meet 40 other conditions.
However, critics say diverting the flow of the Xingu river will still lead to devastation in a large area of the rainforest and damage fish stocks.
They say the lives of up to 40,000 people could be affected as 500 sq km of land would be flooded.
When it is completed, Belo Monte would be third largest hydro-electric dam in the world, after the Three Gorges in China and Itaipu, which is jointly run by Brazil and Paraguay. It is expected to provide electricity to 23 million Brazilian homes.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8492577.stmBrazil's government has granted an environmental licence for the construction of... more
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Many Orang-utans and gibbons are are kept in zoos in appalling conditions.
Illegal-trade devastates Sumatran orangutan population.
Lack of law enforcement against illegal trade in Indonesia threatens the survival of orangutans and gibbons on Sumatra, a new study by the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC shows.
Despite considerable investment in wildlife conservation, numbers of the critically endangered orangutans captured, mainly for the pet trade, exceeded the levels of the 1970s. A lack of adequate law enforcement is to blame, TRAFFIC says.
Just 7,300 orangutans left on Sumatra -
Records of orangutans and gibbons put into rehabilitation centres serve as an indicator of how many of these animals were illegally held. Meanwhile numbers continue to decline in the wild, with the most recent estimate of just 7,300 Sumatran orangutans surviving.
Orangutans, which can weigh up to around 90 kilograms and reach 1.5 metres in length, end up in such centres after they become too old and big to be held as pets. But owners of the reddish-brown coloured apes do not face any legal consequences.
"Confiscating these animals without prosecuting the owners is futile," said Chris R Shepherd, Acting Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.
"There is no deterrent for those committing these crimes if they go unpunished. Indonesia has adequate laws, but without serious penalties, this illegal trade will continue, and these species will continue to spiral towards extinction."
Other threats -
The report recommends that the root causes of trade be examined and that laws be better implemented for the protection of orangutans, gibbons and the island's other wildlife. Sumatra's wildlife is also threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation, logging, land conversion, encroachment, and forest fires.
WWF is working to reduce the destruction of wildlife habitat in Sumatra by working with industry to ensure High Conservation Value Forests are not converted for agriculture, empowering local communities to manage natural resources in a sustainable way, and providing alternatives.Many Orang-utans and gibbons are are kept in zoos in appalling conditions.... more
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London, November 16 (ANI): Household names such as Olay, Kit-Kat and Dove have been held responsible for the large scale destruction of Asian rain forests for palm oil plantations.
Palm oil even though it is found in nearly half of all cosmetics and processed foods.
Owing to the increasing demands for palm oil plantations millions of acres have already faced the clearance threat, with 20 million acres of rain forest already destroyed in Malaysia while Indonesia uprooted its 25 million acres.
Palm oil, which is favored for its low production costs and resourcefulness, has its vendors in 400 brands such including Olay, Pringles, Unilever - the world's largest buyer of palm oil at about 1.3m tons a year.
However, owing to the consumer's growing awareness about the product they use, manufacturers are believed to fear a strong reaction and are turning to 'sustainable' palm oil as a more eco-friendly option.
Times Online reports, Round-table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in Bali, an industry body controlled by Unilever is set to have its meeting on the matter.
Unilever said: "The RSPO is not moving as fast as we would like, but it is a step in the right direction. We're committed to drawing all our palm oil from sustainable sources by 2015."
(arcticspirit: Doesn't 2015 sound a little late to do something about this problem?)London, November 16 (ANI): Household names such as Olay, Kit-Kat and Dove have been... more
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Satellite imagery released earlier this week provided further evidence that deforestation in Brazil's Amazon region accelerated dramatically this year.
Between August 2007 and July 2008, 8,147 square kilometers of the Brazilian Amazon were cleared, according to the country's National Institute for Space Research (INPE). This is an area more than twice the size of the U.S. state of Rhode Island.
The expanse of deforested land is about 69 percent greater than last year, when 4,820 square kilometers were removed. "We're not content," Brazilian Environment Minister Carlos Minc told The Associated Press. "Deforestation has to fall more and the conditions for sustainable development have to improve."
Last year's deforestation numbers, however, were the lowest since recording began in the 1970s. The amount of forest cleared this year, while still substantial, is also less than previous years.
The diverse Amazon forest contains one in ten of the world's known species and enough vegetation to absorb an estimated 10 percent of atmospheric carbon dioxide, not including oceanic carbon sinks. Since the 1970s, about 20 percent of the Amazon forest has been cut, leaving mainly open fields with little diversity in its place.
Illegal deforestation reached its peak this year between August 2007 and April, when satellite images observed about 84 percent of the year's deforestation.
Landowners often cut deeper into the forest to make room for cattle ranches and soybean farms. Both products are experiencing a boom in demand, as Brazilian beef surges in global popularity and soybean prices rise due to global meat consumption and biofuels production.Satellite imagery released earlier this week provided further evidence that... more
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As an environmentalist, it's impossible to ignore the huge carbon footprint that producing beef requires. On top of huge amounts of feed and water, cows release tons of methane gas, and rainforests are getting chopped down to make room for grazing cattle. All for your 99¢ hamburger!
Growing meat in a lab, while it sounds strange, makes a lot of sense! Scientists have already produced tiny amounts of animal muscle tissue, and with scientific advances, we may be able to get our filet mignon from the lab instead of the fields!
Think about it. It makes sense. Plus, won't it quell some of the PETA animal-rights issues?As an environmentalist, it's impossible to ignore the huge carbon footprint that... more
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Conservation International is one of the best, most effective environmental groups working today. Harrison Ford has been a big supporter of theirs for years now. I have had the pleasure of attending some of their events and meeting Mr. Ford, and can vouch for their huge amount of talent, expertise and passion about protecting our environment. This new PSA is smart, clever, funny and eye-catching. Take a look. Conservation International is one of the best, most effective environmental groups... more
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