Category: Ecology

Ecology is the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

Environmental Armageddon

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ENVIRONMENTAL ARMAGEDDON:

THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE

By Trevor McNeil

Opposition

Conservatives and Liberals rarely agree. Which only stands to reason given the nature of the partisan system.  Candidates will often speak on the same issues, but this is usually because the issue is one that has identified as being of concern to voters. As the old joke goes, if you want to know a politician’s principles, look at the polls. One issue in which Conservatives and Liberals disagree is that of the environment, and by extension, environmental policy, particularly in terms of carbon emissions and CO2.

Attack And Discount

A primary mode of attack Conservatives use when going after Liberals is to say that Liberals are elitists with no idea how “normal” people live. A notion which all but discounts the existence of Eco-Futurists.

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5 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP SAVE THE BEES

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5 Ways To Help Save The Bees

By D. S. Mitchell

Environmental Movement

In September 1962 Rachel Carson published one of the most important books on the environment ever published. Certainly, it can be described as the foundation of the mid-20th century environmental movement. Fundamentally, Ms Carson documented the harmful effects of the “indiscriminate” use of pesticides.

Future Generations Will Not Forgive Our Failures

In her ground breaking nonfiction book, Silent Spring she  said: “It is not my contention that chemical insecticides must never be used. I do contend that we have put poisonous and biologically potent chemicals indiscriminately into the hands of persons largely or wholly ignorant of their potentials for harm. …we have allowed these chemicals to be used with little or no advance investigation of their effect on soil, water, wildlife, and man himself. Future generations are unlikely to condone our lack of prudent concern for the integrity of the natural world that supports all life.”

Field Work

Ms Carson graduated from John Hopkins University in 1932 with a Master’s Degree in Zoology.  Ms Carson worked as a field scientist for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for fifteen years. After World War II, the government touted the value of many toxic chemicals that had been developed during the war. The prime reason behind the government support of these chemicals was the hope to maximize farm production.

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GRETA THUNBERG: Climate Change Crusader

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GRETA THUNBERG:

Climate Change Crusader

By Trevor K. McNeil

The “Aggressive” Approach of Greta Thunberg: Greta was born 1/3/03. She said in a recent interview, “I was diagnosed with Asberger’s Syndrome, COD, and selective mutism. That basically means I only speak when I think its necessary. Now is one of those times.”

Climate Activism

Climate change news generally brings a mixed response.  Climate activists are either saints or lunatics, largely depending on one’s alignment on the political compass. Those on the political Left trend towards the first descriptor, those on the political Right the other. Such is the case with Greta Thunberg. Conservatives dismissing her as a stupid, emotional, misguided child and Liberals, for the most part, embracing her as the best hope for the future.

In A Teenager’s Brain

The Conservatives, as usual, are wrong. For a teenager to be emotional means nothing. All teenagers are more emotional, at least more so than adults. It is in their brain chemistry, the process of maturation causing the brain to physically change. The brains of teenagers are literally different from those of adults. One of the results of this difference is that teenagers can have a drive unseen in adults.

Symptoms Of Her Diagnosis

In addition to her teenage brain, Greta exhibits a commonality with people diagnosed with Asberger’s Syndrome. Most particularly the development of an all-consuming interest in a specific subject.  These factors are positives when it comes to being an international climate activist. Beginning when she was 8 Greta became obsessed with climate change and climate change news. She began at home, literally forcing her parents to change their activities to cut the family’s carbon foot print.

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Last Chance To Save Amazon Rain Forest

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EDITORIAL:

By Trevor McNeil

Fashionable Worries

The American journalist and satirist P.J. O’Rourke long ago identified what he termed, ‘fashionable worries.’ Ones which he laid out in detail in his 1994  book, All The Trouble In the World. It is doubtful that O’Rourke really meant to dismiss the listed issues as not being issues. I liken it to how people will take on new styles in clothing because they think they should. He seems a rather reasonable sort; and among his list of ‘fashionable worries’ is over population, and other such crises, that not even a Republican – which O’Rourke really isn’t – would argue are not really issues.

On Balance

What is far more likely, on balance of evidence, is that O’Rourke was being honest when he explained himself and why he wrote the book.  He emphasized he was not making fun of the issues, but rather those who adopt them with no real idea of what those issues are really about, or any of the other major issues going on, for that matter. One of those identified was the depletion of the Amazon rain forest. An eco-system few understand; in a part of the world few Americans have ever visited.

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Senseless Killing: Trophy Hunting

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SENSELESS KILLING                               

By Anna Hessel

The Senseless Death of One Lion

In the summer of 2015, Minnesota dentist Dr. Walter Palmer, having reportedly paid $50,000 in US dollars to hunter-guide Theo Bronkhorst as the price for an innocent lion’s head, shot and killed a majestic creature named Cecil.  Palmer first shot Cecil with bow and arrow, then tracked the wounded king of the jungle for about a 40-hour period, finally killing him with a rifle on July 1st near Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.

A Song Too Late

Public outrage at this prompted many celebrities and politicians, among others, to publicly condemn the murder of this animal.  Musicians composed songs of tribute in Cecil’s honor, while artists worldwide such as Aaron Blaise, a former animator for Disney, created works to celebrate his life and mourn his death.

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Great Blue Heron

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A Great Blue Heron just hanging out.

I have a friend who lives in a houseboat moored at Sauvie’s Island. Fortunate one. Sauvie’s Island is a beautiful rural island in a channel of the Columbia River.  The rapidly gentrifying little farming enclave is just a few miles outside of Portland, Oregon. Blue Heron’s and other waterfowl can be seen just hanging out enjoying the day.

10 Small Changes For You, Provide Big Wins For Earth

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10 SMALL CHANGES FOR YOU:

PROVIDE BIG WINS FOR THE EARTH

D. S. Mitchell

**Suggestions taken directly from World Wildlife Fund (flyer), 1250 24th St, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-1175. www.worldwildlife.org

10 Easy Changes to make today:

CLEAN, naturally. You can make effective, non-toxic cleaning products using baking soda, vinegar, lemon and soap as ingredients.

TURN it off. Running your faucet for five minutes uses as much energy as a 60 watt light bulb in 14 hours, so shut it down when you brush your teeth.

GET efficient. Refrigerators and freezer units account for 1/6 of a home’s energy use. Select energy-efficient models when buying replacements.

SWITCH to e-bills. In the United States, paper bills generate almost 2 million tons of CO2.

SHOWER up.  A full bathtub uses about 70 gallons of water, but a five-minute shower takes only 10-25 gallons.

BUY LOCAL and fresh. In North America, fruits and vegetables travel an average of 1500 miles before reaching your plate.

PULL the plug. Many idle electronics use energy even when switched off, so unplug devices when you’re not using them.

CHANGE a bulb. Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light can cut 150 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

POWER down. Screensavers don’t use less energy, so use “sleep mode” and turn off your computer at the end of the day.

GO solar. It’s easier than you think! Powering your home with solar panels not only shrinks your carbon footprint but it helps lower electric bills and increase home value.

I decided to add an 11th,

Donate. 84% of all WWF donations go directly to projects that protect wildlife. World Wildlife Fund has been serving our environment for over 50 years. Donate to help protect Mother Earth and all her children.

Deadly Effects of Deforestation

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People cut down trees and never replace them.

People cut down trees and never replace them. Deforestation is directly related to climate change.

Deadly Effect of Deforestation

By D. S. Mitchell & Michael Leonard Douglas

“Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make land available for other uses”-Wikipedia-“Deforestation causes extinction, changes climate, creates deserts, and displaces indigenous populations”-Wikipedia.

From Then Until Now

Of the over 6 million original square miles of rain forest earth has lost over 4.5 million square miles. This incredible loss is due to human activity and naturally occurring deforestation events. In addition to human activity millions of trees are lost to wildfires and those losses are not effectively replaced. The pressures of constant logging make it impossible to preserve forests within a reasonable time frame. Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s leading producers of palm oil. This fact makes them two of the world’s greatest deforestation culprits.

Deforestation

For a well-balanced relationship of organisms in the ecosystem, there must not be any interference with the natural processes. However, man has entered the picture and his activities are negatively influencing the natural balance. Over the last two decades the rate of deforestation has increased exponentially. The increased demand for timber products and the clearing of rain forests for developing palm oil plantations are two leading drivers of deforestation. Human beings are creating a dramatic imbalance in the eco-system that may be irreversible.

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Save The Orangutan Project

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Orangutans will most likely only be found in zoos within the next decade.

Orangutans will most likely only be found in zoos within the next decade

THE ORANGUTAN PROJECT: DEFORESTATION HURTS

Deadly Effects

We @calamitypolitics are deeply concerned about deforestation and the deadly effects it is having on the planet. Rain forests are important because they are home to thousands of unique animal species, some not even identified yet. Calamity Politics contributor, Michael Leonard Douglas, has written a compelling article explaining the hazards of deforestation. Please watch for it.

Palm Oil

One of the worst offending industries in the deforestation calamity is the palm oil industry  “Deforestation, habitat degradation, climate change, animal cruelty, and indigenous rights abuses in countries where it is produced, because land must be cleared for development and planting of the palm oil plantations,” The Orangutan Project.

Video

Please take the 3-4 minutes to watch this video from the Orangutan Project. The loss of habitat is leaving many of our close cousins homeless and afraid. Deforestation hurts. Join the effort to stop palm oil atrocities and other devastators of our precious and rapidly disappearing rain forests-Darlene