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Can 2022 be the 'Year of the Tiger' if the Tigers are all Gone?

Cat Lincoln — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:02:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Plants and Wildlife

Sad but true: there are lots of endangered animals out there. Climate change, deforestation and habitat destruction are all powerful forces working against wild populations of, well, most wild animals.

So you know it has to be pretty bad when the World Wildlife Fund singles out a species for particular attention. This week the conservation organization called for urgent action to save the tigers. In addition to surviving the three challenges above, these regal striped beasts have been brought to their collective knees by poaching and "parts trafficking".

Yep. A whole species brought down by the Tiger Penis Trade.

According to the WWF, there are only 3,200 tigers left in the wild. Since 2010 is the Year of the Tiger, they're trying to draw attention to this frighteningly low number. Their goal is to use conservation to double this figure by the next Year of the Tiger, in 2022.

In the interest of having tigers around for the next twelve years, last week the Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop 2009 was held in Nepal. The workshop made several recommendations, including the creation of a specific tiger resolution in the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), and withholding financial support from development projects in tiger habitats.

Logical idea, right? Don't build anything where tigers live. It's not like there are so many tigers left in the world that this eliminates a lot of key commercial real estate opportunities. Let's go for this low hanging conservation fruit!

The workshop also called for better protection against poachers, who make a killing, literally and figuratively, selling "medicinally powerful" tiger parts on the black market.

In addition to several conservation groups, the 13 "tiger range" countries participated in the Global Tiger Initiative meeting, the first in a series of leading up to the Heads of State Tiger Summit in September 2010. With enough cooperation, they just may be able to meet their goals, which include protecting habitats, reducing demand and wildlife crime enforcement.

And, of course, having wild tigers around in 2022.

Can 2022 be the 'Year of the Tiger' if the Tigers are all Gone? originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do You Like Frogs and Have an SOS for the Rainforest?

Cat Lincoln — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, Activism, Climate Change

Have you always dreamed of costarring in a film or video with an animated partner, like Paula Abdul and that dancing cat in "Opposites Attract"? And do you have a message for the world about saving the rainforest? If so, The Prince's Rainforest can help you achieve both of these dreams.

HRH Charles, the Prince of Wales, created The Prince's Rainforest Project to simply raise awareness of the connection between deforestation and climate change. The campaign has a frog mascot who appeared in a video with Prince Charles, as well as Princes William and Harry, Daniel Craig, Pele, Harrison Ford, and perhaps inevitably, Robin Williams.

One of the coolest things about the campaign is that you can make your own video, with the frog, urging world leaders to take bold action to address climate change at Copenhagen. It's hard to imagine that world leaders haven't heard this message yet, with all of the activism going on practically every day, but if anything will catch the attention of the last few resisters, I'm betting the frog is it.
Several celebrities have shown their support by making their own videos. The Vivienne Westwood video is worth watching, just because she's so crazy she seems normal dressed up as a frog princess (or maybe that's just what she was wearing that day -- it's possible). Also fun are Stephen Fry, ("ballerina ... retired"). And who can resist the spiky-haired yet sensual appeal of Rod Stewart and his lovely (third?) wife Penny, who both flirt with the frog?

For my money, the creepy-but-compelling Blue Men in the video above do the best bit with the frog, but you can check the over 200 celebrity videos, plus ones made by regular folks who care a lot, on the video page of The Prince's Rainforest site -- there are hundreds posted, and more added every day,

Do You Like Frogs and Have an SOS for the Rainforest? originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'The Yes Men Fix the World': Movie Review

Cat Lincoln — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:02:00 EST

Filed under: Movies, TV and Books, News, Activism

I'm sure a few of you will agree with me that the Eco/Green Movement can be a bit lacking in the sense of humor department. But two men -- two Yes Men -- have made it their mission to remedy both corporate wrong doings, and the dearth of laughs in the discussion.

Mike Bonnano and Andy Bichlbaum are the Yes Men -- or at least, those are their stage names. The two activists/performers/pranksters/identity thieves -- although they call it "identity correction" -- star in the new documentary "The Yes Men Fix the World," which showcases some of the big "Borat"-style hoaxes they've played on corporate world, all in the name of drawing attention to the way things should be.

The film opens with Andy Bichlbaum preparing to appear on the BBC as "Jude Finisterra", a representative of Dow Chemical. He is endearingly, and understandably, nervous, because he's about to tell a whopper of lie to the entire world: that Dow accepts all responsibility for the Bhopal chemical accident and ragedy, and plan to sell off subsidiary Union Carbide to finance $12 billion in reparations.

Although the announcement was unmasked as a hoax within a few hours, Dow stock took a $2 billion hit, and the Yes Men learned that the corporate world punishes, rather than rewards, good behavior.

The film follows the pair as they perpetrate several outrageous direct actions that seemingly fail to elicit a reaction from their audiences, including:

appearing at a gas and oil conference in Canada as representative of Exxon to present a new energy source called "Vivoleum," made from humans
presenting the Halliburton "Survivaball", an expensive, inflatable suit that can protect you from climate change calamities -- "good for Cabinet Members", as one audience member says
telling a group of contractors in New Orleans that HUD plans to reopen public housing that had been scheduled to be demolished following Hurricane Katrina.

The last group actually did react, cheering the decision even though it meant less work for them. Of course it didn't change the real HUD's demolition plans, so you be the judge of the success of the stunt.

"The Yes Men Fix the World" has several laugh-out-loud moments, an equal number of "They didn't just say that, did they?"gasps, and dozens of "Oh my, they're definitely getting sued for that!" scenes.

Surprisingly, The Yes Men have escaped legal attention, until their recent fake press conference for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in which they declared that the organization was reversing its stand on climate change and supporting the Boxer/Kerry Climate Bill.

It was a fairly mundane press conference until the real spokesperson for the U.S. Chamber of commerce showed up and started yelling. Then it became entertaining enough to include in the next Yes Men movie!

'The Yes Men Fix the World': Movie Review originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Edward Norton Running NYC Marathon for a Cause

Kristen Seymour — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, Activism

Photo: Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust

You already know Edward Norton is a darn cool guy. After all, who else could have made "The Hulk" even greener? But now, he's doing more than just speaking out. He's even going beyond putting his money where his mouth is. Norton is running a marathon!

Though he might have occasional super powers on-screen, it turns out that, when it comes to running, he's just like everybody else and is experiencing common running ailments. But there's no way he'll quit -- he's running for a cause.

Norton is running the New York Marathon to benefit Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, an organization that seeks to protect the ecosystem in the area with which he became acquainted with 10 years ago on a trip to Kenya. His 30-person team is an eclectic mix of celebrities (Alanis Morrisette, David Blaine) and Maasai warriors (some of whom are still deciding whether to run in shoes or sandals.

To learn more about the cause and Norton's commitment to the race, check out the exclusive interview at AOL Health!

Edward Norton Running NYC Marathon for a Cause originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Jordan Photographs Plastic Inside Dead Birds

Cat Lincoln — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Plants and Wildlife

Photojournalist Chris Jordan's latest stunning/sobering project, called "Midway, Message from the Gyre," is a series of photos of dead birds, stuffed full of plastic trash.

No, it's not some kind of post-modern statement about man's relationship with nature and consumption, although it does deliver a pretty strong message on that topic.

The Midway Journey is a project Jordan undertook with four other media artists to document the effect of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on the birds of the Midway Atoll in the Pacific, 2,000 miles away from the nearest continent.

As a subject to show how pervasive and invasive plastic has become, Jordan and his team photographed the decomposing bodies of baby albatrosses on the atoll. As the flesh and feathers decayed, huge quantities of brightly colored plastic are revealed in the stomach cavities of the birds.

The team did not add or arrange any of the plastic, so when you look at the pictures and see orange and blue bottle caps, a tangled mass of luminescent green fishing line, or in one sickening case, a vividly red lighter, you are observing exactly what was inside the baby albatross when it died.

The images seem too dramatic to be real, and Jordan wisely addressed this issue in advance, preparing a code of ethics and rules that he and his team followed. (He was a lawyer, in a past life. Smart guy.)

For more info on the project, check out the Midway Journey site.

Chris Jordan Photographs Plastic Inside Dead Birds originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's Finally Almost International Day of Climate Action!

Cat Lincoln — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:02:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Climate Change

Tomorrow is the big day! International Day of Climate Action Day, when activists around the world are staging major protests to send a message to world leaders about climate change.

What do we want? Less CO2! When do want it? ASAP, preferably before the glaciers melt, the rain forests burn down and civilization as we know it collapses!

Greenpeace and 350.org are helping to organize the protests, demonstrations and "actions," which will probably involve at least two out of the following list of protest activities:

nudity
building scaling
vegan snacks from Trader Joe's
a counter demonstration protesting Trader Joe's because of the unsustainable seafood thing
(naked) bicycles and earnest signs
carrotmobs and "joycotting"

I think you can guess that a "joycott" is the opposite of a "boycott". And yes, a carrotmob is a real thing.

It's when you organize a bunch of people who are going to buy something anyway -- like beer -- and all go to a single store that commits to spending the highest percentage of the proceeds on environmentally-friendly improvements, like solar panels. Want to see a carrotmob in action? Check out the video of a carrotmob that 350.org conducted in San Francisco. It's actually very cool!

If you want to participate and don't have plans yet, check the 350.org "Map of Actions" to find one near you.

It's Finally Almost International Day of Climate Action! originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbucks: What Were You Thinking With That Via Packaging?

Cat Lincoln — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Activism

Starbucks.com

An Open Letter to Starbucks:

Dear Starbucks,

We have our love-hate relationship. Sure, the pumpkin spice latte is hard to resist. But your inability to put compostable -- or even recyclable -- cups in stores until 2012* makes me see red. If I can buy compostable hot cups at the supermarket, then you can order them in bulk with your logo printed on them!

Even giving you credit for the "cup summit" in May, when you brought together recycling experts to talk about The Cup, it's despicable for you, the largest specialty coffee company in the world to be so bad, and so late to the game, at managing your waste stream.

Besides the cup issue, many of your stores don't even offer recycling. Just last month, you launched a pilot recycling program in Manhattan with Global Green USA's Coalition for Resource Recovery. That's definitely the right thing to do, but you don't deserve praise for it. More like, "Hello, it's 2009! It's about time you dealt with recycling the literally billions of cups your customers produce each year. WTH took you so long?"

And now you've launched Via, a single serving instant coffee product. Each serving comes in a little plastic/foil package. Consumers can buy it in packs of three or twelve, which are packaged up in (plastic coated?) cardboard boxes.

As the Fresh Start Recycling blog asks, how in the world can all of this packaging, which doesn't even appear to be recycleable, fit in with your stated goal of reducing waste wherever possible?

Look, I'm fine with instant coffee. I think it's great that people can get their S'bux fix at home, using their own mug. Especially since it's so hard to convince people to bring their mug to the stores -- people act like I have ten heads when I bring it up!

I understand that you're trying to find a way to make money in a down economy, and that Americans love their on-the-go convenience. Sell the product, make money, get the economy back on track! But did you have to make the packaging (which is beautifully designed from an aesthetic perspective) so very un-eco-friendly?

You keep bragging that it took years to perfect this blend so it tastes better than any instant coffee ever created. So it sounds like you also had plenty of time to do R&D to find a sustainable, waste-responsible way to package it.

But you didn't.

If you're taking suggestions for the next iteration of this product, how about putting multiple servings, like a hundred, in a glass jar? Sure, it might remind some of us of the Maxwell House in our grandma's kitchen. On the other hand, that's better than having us think that you don't care about how your business practices impact the environment, which is how it looks right now.

I would love to hear back from you on this topic. It would make my day to be wrong about this. Really.

Thanks,
Cat Lincoln
Irritated & Reluctant Customer

*Note: that's a recent improvement from the previous goal of 2015, gee, thanks, way to set a "stretch goal", snort.

Starbucks: What Were You Thinking With That Via Packaging? originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get Green For Snow!

Cat Lincoln — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Climate Change, Fitness

No, no, I'm not talking about some crazy global warming version of yellow snow. I mean it's time to start thinking about eco-friendly ways to enjoy outdoor winter activities!

This is on my mind for a couple of reasons: a big freak storm in San Francisco this week reportedly dropped a foot of snow on the Sierras, which was thrilling for all of my shredding-starved friends. Then I got my favorite eco-newsletter, Smart 2 Be Green, which was all about green winter vacations and Eco-Snowboarding. Finally, someone named Jesse Huffman left very a detailed comment on my surfing post this week, telling us about Protect Our Winters, a non-profit group dedicated toward collective action by the "winter sports community" to reverse climate change.

It was like a sign from the pagan gods of snow and ice saying, "Do a post about Eco-friendly winter stuff!" Who am I to refuse a pagan god?
Smart 2 Be Green shares some cool eco-friendly sporting goods resources, like Arbor Sports which has bamboo snowboards. Yes, sustainable! The Venice-based company is candid about the challenges of balancing green priorities and still providing high-performance gear. They are a great example of how businesses must manage these two goals, and how important it is for us to support the ones that make this effort!

Remember, when you support green businesses, you make it economically viable and desirable for all businesses to go green!

Another reminder for skiers, snowboarders and even those of us who prefer to watch from the cozy (and hot toddy-filled) comfort of the lodge, is that it's important to respect the environment by staying on trails and packing our litter. They also recommend staying at green lodges. From my work writing for travel site Uptake.com, I can recommend that athletes heading west should check out the Ski Area Citizen's Coalition Top Ten green ski resorts.

Are you disturbed by the dramatic changes in the weather, which now limit winter sports? Feel like doing something proative about it? Check out Protect Our Winters. Started in 2007 by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones, the group is based on the idea that the people who "use" the snow most -- winter athletes -- have a vested interest, and responsibility, to take a leadership role in working toward solutions. How refreshing!

It's been a very activity-focused/climate change kind of week, so it seems fitting to add a post about green-snow activities to the posts about climate change, surfing, green gyms and naked, fur-free dancing.

Okay, maybe the naked, fur-free dancing thing doesn't fit in, but you know you wouldn't want me to stop writing about that stuff, either! Happy Friday!

Get Green For Snow! originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blog Action Day: Climate Change

Cat Lincoln — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: News, Activism, Climate Change

Today is "Blog Action Day", an annual event held every October 15th, where blogs around the world all talk about the same topic. This year the topic is Climate Change, and can I just say, I'm so excited to see everyone writing about this!

Sometimes I feel like I'm harping on this topic again and again and again, but hey, it's real, important and relevant to every single one of us. From the way the weather is changing around the world, to the causes of these changes, to the things you can do right now to reduce your carbon footprint and slow down the changes, all of us need to have a voice in the climate change discussion.

Since I've already written a lot of posts on the topic, today I'd like to go back and share my 10 favorite posts I've written on climate change:

The Copenhage Climate Conference Simplified -- All eyes will be on the leaders of the world when they meet in Denmark this December to establish an agreement to reduce global carbon emissions. As the successor to the Kyoto Protocol, it's serious global politics, and can be confusing, but this post spells out the basic goals of the conference.

October 24th International Day of Climate Change Action -- Coming up in just over a week, it's another day dedicated to Climate Change, this time action in real life. Sponsored by 350.org, the group that advocates getting the CO2 in the atmosphere down to 350 parts per million, the goal of the day is to send a message to the politicians of the world that we want them to get it right in Copenhagen. And btw, 350.org is supported by the top NASA climate scientist James Hansen -- this is real science.

Earth Days - a Film by Robert Stone - The first ever "environmental day of action" was April 22, 1970, the very first Earth Day. Documentary filmmaker Robert Stone shows us the history and circumstances that led up to the big day, and what's happened in the 30 years since then. It gives you a whole new perspective on the environmental movement!

Colin Beavan, No Impact Man, Talks to GreenDaily -- It's easy to get distracted by the high drama elements of Colin Beavan's year-long experiment in reducing his impact on the environment. No electricity in NYC? No toilet paper? But far more important -- and relevant -- is his message that you can live a good life without Starbucks and "three jet-skis in the garage". Check out his No Impact Project site to see how easy and pleasant it can be to live lightly on the earth.

Five Places to See Before Global Warming Destroys Them -- You know, in case we don't get this climate change thing figured out, it's important to know which issues of National Geographic will become collector's items.

Got a Big Pawprint? Curb it! -- Everyone in the family needs to pitch in to reduce carbon foot -- or paw -- prints, including Fido and Mr. Whiskers. Number one thing to do? Spay or neuter your pet!

The Coen Brothers Take on Clean Coal -- It was a toss up between this one and my post on the Clean Coal Unicorn (Which BTW Doesn't Exist). In the end I'm including both because I can't say it enough: clean coal will not solve our CO2 problems because it's an imaginary energy source. All coal = dirty.

Start Planning for Earth Hour 2009 -- Yes, it's done and past, but there will be another Earth Hour in 2010. In fact they're holding a special one in December in Copenhagen, again to give those world leaders at COP 15 a message. Plus the video always gives me the chills. It's an uplifting message to hear that our individual efforts which can feel small, collectively add up to something great.

Al Gore Asked Me To Help Repower America -- When Big A.G. (that can also stand for Alpha Green) asks you to do something, how can anyone refuse? He sent a "personalized" email asking me to spread the word about the most convincing, down-to-earth video argument for U.S.-sourced clean energy ever. Here you go, again, Mr. Vice President.

Friends of the Earth Go Naked to Protest Fraud -- I had to include at least one naked activist post. After all, nothing says "society's gotta change this now!" like a naked 19 year old vegan, kept warm by the strength of her convictions, shaking a sign in the face of an evil conservative in a suit. Thank you, naked protesters, for keeping the environmental movement from taking itself too seriously.

The common theme in all of these posts is action. We all have it within our power to stop and reverse climate change. We just need to make the commitment to act decisively and quickly.

Here's my favorite metaphor for urgency around climate change, courtesy of Colin Beavan: If you hold a match to something, it will get hotter and hotter, until it catches fire. When that happens, you can blow out the match, but you can't undo the fire, or the damage it caused.

We're getting close to that point with CO2 levels and the climate. So keep the image of that flame in your head next time you're tempted to buy a bottle of water, or want to drive four blocks instead of walking. Shut off lights, buy from companies that advertise their sustainable practices, and let your politicians know that you want decisive action in Copenhagen.

If we all make every day "climate change day" then we'll reach our goal (which is a biggie: saving the planet and civilization) that much faster!

Blog Action Day: Climate Change originally appeared on Green Daily on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Surfing Big Green Waves

Cat Lincoln — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:10:00 EST

Filed under: Travel and Vacation, Activism, Fitness

C. Lincon/Lucky Cat Photography

Surfers are one of the greenest and most environmentally-active groups of athletes. It probably has something to do with all of the time they spend hanging out in the water, on their self-propelled boards, waiting for waves and contemplating the environment around them. Looking out for sharks really sharpens your awareness of your surroundings!

Surfrider Foundation is the best known of the surfing environmental groups. Their strategic initiatives (yes, these surfers have strategic initiatives, so much for stereotypes) includes clean water, beach access, beach preservation and protecting special places. They celebrated their 25th anniversary this year with several events, including a beach clean-up followed by a concert, sponsored by Barefoot wines.

A lot of people still think of surfing as male sport, but Smart Girls Who Surf would like to remind us that women are awesome on the board, too. They are a small natural skincare company in California that make environmentally friendly sun protection, soaps, lotions and conditioners. They also sponsor an inspiring team of young women surfers, including world-traveler Liz Clark.

Do you ever think about the carbon footprint produced by surfing? Most of us don't, but GreenSurf.org is a non-profit dedicated to "sustainable surfing" to protect the oceans. From using environmentally friendly products (like Smart Girls Who Surf!) to offsetting the drive or flight to the waves with Carbonfree Surfing, Greensurf encourages surfers to be conscious of how their choices impact the environment. Oh, and they support Liz Clark, too!

You don't have to be a surfer to support these organizations. Just someone who loves the ocean and beaches, and wants them to be around so we can enjoy them. Which is pretty much all of us, right?

Surfing Big Green Waves originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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January Jones: Shark Protectress

Cat Lincoln — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, Activism, Plants and Wildlife

January Jones, Shark Savior Credit: Jason Merritt, Getty Images

Shark conservation is an urgent issue. Last month during "Shark Week" I mentioned the efforts of the Ocean Conservancy and the Monterey Bay Aquarium to support the Shark Conservation Act of 2009.

Oceana is another organization working hard to save sharks. They're also supporting the legislation and working with "Mad Men's" January Jones, one of the faces of a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of protecting and restoring the shark populations.

January's catch phrase is "We should be afraid for sharks, not of them." To prove her point, she and Oceana made a PSA of her swimming with sharks.
Oceana also has another interesting short clip posted of the research the organization is doing at the Bimini Biological Field Station in the Bahamas. They hope that understanding sharks better will improve their ability to help these ancient creatures.

As trippy as it is to see January Jones in scuba gear, it's even more impressive to see that the actress isn't scared to mess up her hair to help a great cause.

Actually, her hair doesn't get messed up. She looks flawless and amazing, even when she's underwater wearing goggles.

It's still a great cause. Save the Sharks!

January Jones: Shark Protectress originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'CRUDE': A Documentary by Joe Berlinger

Cat Lincoln — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, Movies, TV and Books, Activism

Sometimes it's easy to forget just what a dirty, messy, polluting process it is to get crude oil out of the ground so we can turn it into fuel. That's because most of the pollution takes place "somewhere else" -- in another country, in another part of the world.

The indigenous people of the Ecuadorian Amazon don't have that luxury. As we see in "CRUDE", a new documentary from award-winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger, the rainforest where they live has been polluted across an area the size of Rhode Island in an effort to extract black gold. It's an environmental disaster referred to in the film as being thirty times more devastating than the Exxon Valdez spill.

"CRUDE" is the story of the $27 billion-dollar, multi-year environmental lawsuit brought against Texaco -- now owned by Chevron -- on behalf of 30,000 rainforest dwellers. Berlinger shows both sides of the story, which is by turns sad, outrageous and inspiring, but never preachy. The filmmaker leaves conclusions up to you.
(That said, OMG, it's so obvious that Chevron-Texaco needs to admit responsibility, and fix this mess. I mean, come on, failing to clean up ponds of sludge? Just covering them with dirt and letting people build homes on top of them? Fouling drinking water sources that now shimmer with the rainbow slick of oil? And responding to a twenty-day old baby, covered with sores from bathing in that polluted water, by blaming it all on "poor sanitation" -- lame.)

In many ways, "CRUDE" is a classic David and Goliath story. We meet lead attorney Pablo Fajardo, the young Ecuadorean trial lawyer who put himself through law school -- this is his first case. Ever. You can't help rooting for this hero who has sacrificed so much to help his country.

By comparison, the Chevron executives seem like cold, corrupted corporate shills, particularly when juxtaposed with footage of a brave but helpless mother of a teenage girl dying of cancer. There is also an impressive appearance by Sting's wife, Trudie Styler, who has been instrumental in helping get clean water to the people of the region.

"CRUDE" is about of human rights, environmental stewardship, and the question of international corporate responsibility. It's also a well-constructed story that Sundance (and seemingly every other festivals) deemed worthy of seeing. It's even being touted as an Oscar-contender. Add my voice to the flood of accolades!

'CRUDE': A Documentary by Joe Berlinger originally appeared on Green Daily on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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October 24: International Day of Climate Action

Cat Lincoln — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:02:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Climate Change

Creative climate activist coalition 350.org has issued an invitation to everyone in the world for October 24th, "The International Day of Climate Action".

On that day they plan to conduct the "most widespread day of environmental action in the planet's history" with rallies, banners on the Easter Island statues, underwater demonstrations, bike rides -- you name it, somewhere in the world someone is probably doing it on October 24th to raise awareness that we must act urgently to address the climate crisis.

The message of 350.org is that we must find ways to get the CO2 in the atmosphere down to 350 parts per million. We're hovering around 390 ppm, and scientists -- including the top NASA climate scientist James Hansen -- say that we have very little time to reduce this number.
The activity on October 24th is meant to send a message to politicians who will be participating in the climate talks in Copehagen (COP15) in December. The Climate Actions will be literally global -- there are registered events in hundreds of countries around the world, with more being added daily. The day was picked deliberately to be close enough to the talks to be influential, and far enough out to give politicians time to respond as a result of the actions.

350.org calls itself a platform rather than an organization, and they have an impressive list of over 200 "friends and allies" around the world, and you can read their website in 12 languages. It definitely demonstrates the idea that the atmosphere doesn't recognize national boundaries. We're all in this together!

Do you want to find an event, or organize one locally? Check out the FAQs on the 350.org site, including their 9 Step Organizing Plan.

October 24: International Day of Climate Action originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Earth Days' - A Film by Robert Stone

Cat Lincoln — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:02:00 EST

Filed under: Movies, TV and Books, Activism

I was born in 1969, so the environmental movement has always been a part of my life. Over the years I've absorbed bits and pieces of the way it started: that "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson inspired a generation of activists; that the first Earth Day was organized as a teach-in by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, on April 22, 1970, and that 20 million people participated in it.

But in general, my attention, along with most of the world, has been trained on the future of the movement, not the past.

Award-winning documentary film maker Robert Stone believes that it's also important for us to understand the history of the environmental movement. In his new film, "Earth Days", he combines archival footage and present-day interviews with nine eco-pioneers, to construct the first Genesis tale for the green movement.
The "Earth Days" narrators are:

Former Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall
Biologist/"Population Bomb" author Paul Ehrlich
Whole Earth Catalog founder Stewart Brand
Apollo Nine astronaut Rusty Schweickart
Renewable energy activist Hunter Lovins
Earth Day organizer Denis Hayes
Republican-turned-Democrat Congressman Pete McCloskey
Growth expert/"Limits to Growth" author Dennis Meadows
Radical population-control activist Stefanie Mills

Some of the archival footage is jaw-dropping. From the 50s, you see clouds of DDT being sprayed on cheerful picnickers, nine-foot wide refrigerators filled with processed food, and cars that are so big. And then there is the footage from the 70s of devastating pollution. Crushed cars piled-up alongside rivers, skies filled with smog, and the famous "Keep America Beautiful" anti-littering/pollution ad with the crying Native American.

It's especially effective when Stone has his narrators talk about their activities in the 70s while showing clips from the era, turning his film into a personal testimony of their participation in this chapter of cultural history.

"Earth Days", which was chosen as the closing night film at Sundance Film Festival, ends on a cautionary yet optimistic note. It shows that we've been able to address big problems before -- air pollution was so bad that some predicted we'd need to abandon U.S. cities by the 1980s! -- but it also warns us that time is running out for the serious changes required to save the environment.

Earth Day 2010 (April 22nd) will be the 40th anniversary of this amazing grassroots demonstration. Plans are already in the works to make the celebration/demonstration have an even bigger impact than the first one. See the film "Earth Days" and you will understand what that means -- and be inspired to take part!

'Earth Days' - A Film by Robert Stone originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clinton Global Initiative Starts Today

Cat Lincoln — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:06:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, Activism

Former President Clinton and President Obama. Credit: Jim Watson for Getty Images

It's a big week in New York City! Yesterday we had Hugh Jackman kicking off Climate Week NY°C. Today marks the start of the fifth annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting, which will focus on urgent global issues. Finance and climate will be at the top of the focus list, which also includes education and health.

The meeting is a who's-who of global leaders. President Obama is addressing the opening session, and more than 60 current and former Heads of State will attend alongside Hilary Clinton, Kofi Annan and Al Gore. The CEOs of major corporations like General Electric, Dow Chemical, ExxonMobil, and JP Morgan Chase will also be there.

And what green-global-minded gathering is complete without celebrities like Demi Moore, Matt Damon and Barbra Streisand? Oddly enough, Pam Anderson and PETA are not on the invitee list, but you know Angelina Jolie totally plans to crash -- she wouldn't miss an event like this!
The interesting thing about the Clinton Global Initiative is that these are active working sessions. Attendees work together to formulate an action plan to create change, and each attendee is required to make a "commitment," i.e. pledge to accomplish certain goals. There are follow-up tools and ongoing contact throughout the year to monitor and support the commitment.

And these aren't just "be a better person" pledges -- CGI members get real stuff done! The accomplishments listed on the site include:

Cut CO2 emissions by 60 million metric tons
Protected or restored 33 million acres of forest
Given 48 million people access to better health care
Funded 270 microfinance institutions, assisting 3 million micro-entrepreneurs

Want to be a part of the CGI team? Sorry, the only way to become a member is by invitation, and then it costs $20,000. (Of course, for most of the attendees, that's chump change, and $19,000 of it is tax deductible.) If you're determined to get involved, and you're an undergrad or graduate student, there is CGI University, a training institute for young activists.

For us older, less illustrious activists, we can make our personal commitment to donate goods, pledge dollars, or volunteer time on CGI project site MyCommitment.org. Not as glamorous, but free!

Clinton Global Initiative Starts Today originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hugh Jackman Kicks off Climate Week in NYC

Cat Lincoln — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:04:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, Activism, Climate Change

Hugh Jackman, Sexiest Man Alive. Credit: Junko Kimura for Getty Images

The UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) is less than three months away. This week in New York City, government and business leaders from around the world are gathering for meetings and events to demonstrate their support for strong action on climate change at COP15: Climate Week NY°C.

2008 Sexiest Man Alive and Global Ambassador for humanitarian organization World Vision Hugh Jackman will be in attendance to kick off Climate Week NY°C and "speak on behalf of the billion people in developing countries who will be the hardest hit by changing weather patterns, by the droughts and floods that destroy their crops and threaten their food security."

I think seeing Hugh Jackman is reason enough to show up, but for the more strictly climate-issue-minded, there will be a dizzying array of NY°C events from which to choose, including:

Harrison Ford (Sexiest Man Alive alum, Class of '98) and Team Earth event on the importance of protecting tropical forests
a panel discussion on carbon neutral media plans
a roundtable on electric vehicles
the Global Premier of the film, "The Age of Stupid"
a demonstration of New York's first solar powered electric vehicle charging station
the Head of UN Climate Chage Dr. Yvo de Boer, is speaking at the NYC Bar Association
"Food and Climate Change," a discussion about animal agriculture
Several religious services

Climate Week NY°C is presented by a partnership that includes The Climate Group, the United Nations, the UN Foundation, the City of New York, the Government of Denmark, Tck Tck Tck Campaign and Carbon Disclosure Project.

Hugh Jackman Kicks off Climate Week in NYC originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colin Beavan, No Impact Man, Talks to GreenDaily

Cat Lincoln — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:04:00 EST

Filed under: Movies, TV and Books, Activism, Climate Change

Colin Beavan, No Impact Man. Credit: Cat Lincoln

Last week I encouraged you to go see "No Impact Man", the documentary about environmentalist Colin Beavan's efforts, with his family, to live for a year impact-free, in New York City. In the film and companion book, "No Impact Man," Colin shares the story of the experiment that he, his wife Michelle and their two-year-old daughter, Isabella, conducted over the course of a year.

They reduced their trash to zero, ate only food grown within 250 miles of their home, (which meant giving up coffee -- eek!), and stopped using electricity, which meant dealing with nine flights of stairs to get in or out of their 9th floor apartment every day (double eek!). Their story is funny, and thought-provoking, and manages to make the idea of giving up toilet paper and electricity, in the middle of New York City, see accessible -- even possible.

I had a chance to meet Colin on the press tour for "No Impact Man," along with Beth Terry from Fake Plastic Fish. We got to ask some follow up questions about the No Impact Man experiment, plus get Colin's first-hand advice on living impact-free.

It Turns Out the Personal Is the Political
One of the first things we discussed was the role of personal change versus political change.

Colin had an interesting perspective, offering the idea that the two are inextricably linked. "Personal change and individual action gives people skin in the game," he explained. "Habit change creates value change. Then you insist that your politician enable you to live the way you want to live."

To illustrate this point, Colin shared the story he'd heard recently of a stalwart republican who is voting in favor of gay marriage. The reason for this seemingly uncharacteristic political move is that a member of his family is a lesbian, and he apparently has several connections with people who are gay. His personal experience changed his politics.

"Personal change is a way of crossing the political aisle," Colin said. "It's a low barrier, less challenging entry point into politics-with-a-small-p, non-partisan politics."

We Need to Change our Culture
Colin also pointed out (actually this totally shocked me!) that Americans emit five times the carbon of the average Chinese person. So even if we find a way to switch to renewable sources of energy, we still use too much!

"It requires a cultural change," Colin said. "We don't all get to have three jet skis in our garage, it's not going to work."

He explained, "You can't change the culture through a regulation; you change it by the way you live, one person at a time. But that's not to say it's individual action instead of collective action -- in fact if you can do both, then you have a model of completely engaged citizenship."

As appealing as this sounds - how great would it be to live in a world of engaged citizens? - it also seems like a daunting challenge. How can we possibly change the entrenched habits of so many people?

The natural next question to ask Colin was, "Do you ever get overwhelmed by the immensity of the shift that needs to happen?"

"It's important to feel that sense of being overwhelmed," he replied, "because then we can see more clearly that the tiny steps we're taking aren't enough.

"Of course I feel overwhelmed, but you have to let the feelings in, feel them, and then keep putting one foot in front of each other."

The First Step of Many
Colin has advice for people who want take a first step, and emulate him by reducing their environmental impact.

"There's a meme that goes like this: if we all just do one little bit, it will be okay. And that's not true. We all have to do more."

Colin continued, "We actually have to look at substantial change. It's not to say that everyone needs to become No Impact Man over night, but the changes should be meaningful."

Because he's been asked this question before, Colin posted a list of Top Ten Eco-Lifestyle Changes for individuals on the No Impact Man blog.

Number one on that list? Stop eating beef, because beef production is the second largest cause of climate change -- it even beats transportation!

BTW, 350.org Totally Rocks
Colin also offered a recommendation for collective action: "On October 24th, join 350.org on the International Day of Action, and demonstrate to our leader that we care. The special interests have money on their side, but if we can show the politicians that they have the people behind them, they'll fight the special interests."

Definitely check out 350.org, a global organization dedicated to raising awareness of the "safe" target number of 350 parts per million of CO2 in our atmosphere. They have an fantastic animated short on the "Mission" page of their site that gets the message across wonderfully in every language because it uses images instead of words.

Inspiration From the UPS Guy
I was stuck on feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. So I asked, "How do you find something to get you from being overwhelmed to being able to take those first steps, and then turn them into many steps?"

Colin's answer was really encouraging.

"The problems have to do with our institutions. If you look around you, you'll see that most people are doing the right things. They hold doors for each other, help each other.

"I always say, watch the UPS man, watch what goes on out on the street, where people are laughing and joking with each other. People are lovely. Unfortunately for us, that loveliness isn't reflected in our institutions. That's where we get overwhelmed. But never forget that people are lovely."

One of the things that you get from Colin is his sense of positivity. He told us that some of his heroes are people like Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Betty Friedan, as well as Tolstoy. He admires them because of the combination of leading popular, grassroots movements, and working with the principle of non-violence.

"The idea is not to get angry. You love people into change, don't beat people into change," Colin explained.

You Are the Heroes
Colin continued on the theme of heroes, "But I also say, maybe the heroes are the people who read my blog. They have changed their lives, and we never hear their names.

"Sometimes we talk about the straw that breaks the camel's back. But no one talks about the ten thousand other straws that also had to be there. Yes, the final one gets the attention, but remember the other ones on there weighed just as much, contributed just as much."

It was great to hear his respect for the people who follow his journey and participate outside of the spotlight. It also reminded me that we all share the responsibility for making changes in our lives, even if no one is watching.

The No Impact Year Becomes No Impact Lifestyle
Colin's original plan was to go for a year, progressively moving toward the goal of having zero environmental impact. As the experiment progressed, they gave up electricity, which included shutting off their refrigerator, and doing laundry by hand (and foot - see the movie, you'll understand) in the bathtub.

Of course, now that the year is over everyone wants to know what he kept avoiding, and what he happily went back to.

"You know, we kept the things that made us happy and healthy," Colin said. "We eat food that is fresh and local. We enjoy getting our daily exercise without going to gym, so we continue to bike and walk."

He did concede that there are some things, like washing machines, that he's glad to have back in his life.

"There was a low point in the experiment. One night Isabella got sick all over her sheets. As we changed them, I was thinking, oh my God, how am I going to deal with these sheets? And then she threw up all over the second set of sheets, and I was like, that's it. I put them in the washing machine.

"I admit it, we need laundry machines. And you know, that's not trivial. Laundry machines give us the freedom to live a better life in the pursuit of higher human goals."

Bring No Impact Man Home With You
One point that Colin made over and over is that people don't have to go to the extremes that he did, but major cultural changes are important and necessary. He also reiterated that living low-impact actually enriched their lives in many ways, which runs counter to popular notion of conservation equals deprivation.

Now that he's "finished" his experiment, Colin is turning his attention to The No Impact Project, a non-profit organization he started, dedicated to helping people make choices that "lower their environmental impact through lifestyle change, community action, and participation in environmental politics."

Ready to give it a try? Visit the Change Yourself page of the No Impact Project and to check out ideas, share tips and get inspired!

And admit it -- you're totally wondering how much money they saved by following this way of life. Get all your questions answered in WalletPop's video interview with Colin below.

Colin Beavan, No Impact Man, Talks to GreenDaily originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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International Coastal Clean Up Day: Sept 19

Cat Lincoln — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:11:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Plants and Wildlife

Every year on the third Saturday of September, all the best people have the same social engagement: Get together and clean up the beaches around the world. The event is the International Coastal Cleanup, and this year that date is September 19th. Make a note on your calendar!

The annual International Coastal Cleanup is the largest volunteer day of its kind. The Ocean Conservancy leads this event, with several sponsoring partners including Coca-Cola and Bank of America.

Last year 400,000 volunteers in 100 countries and 42 US states collected more than 6.8 million pounds of trash. This year they hope to see more volunteers in even more locations.

Just as important as removing the trash, people are encouraged to look for the source of the debris, and help think of solutions to help people change the behaviors that create the trash in the first place. Avoiding the pollution is infinitely preferable to cleaning it up!

Want to get in there and help? You can sign up to clean up on the Ocean Conservancy site. Are you a local leader who wants to get your community involved by organizing your own clean up? They have great guidelines to get you started! Already signed up? Send an ecard to invite friends and family to join you on this important volunteering day!

International Coastal Clean Up Day: Sept 19 originally appeared on Green Daily on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We Can All Work on the 4th R: "Respond"

Cat Lincoln — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:09:00 EST

Filed under: Home, Activism

Recycling on the streets of San Francisco. Credit: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Everyone knows the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Of course the truly green also practice the fourth R: "Respond".

I'm going to give all of you GreenDaily readers the benefit of the doubt, and take it as a given that you all Recycle -- the blue bins are ubiquitous in most cities, and if you really want one, you can even find it in rural areas. Heck, in San Francisco, where I live, we're even required to compost.

In these days of economic uncertainty (also known as "we're all broke anyway") Reducing is common because it makes good financial sense. No one needs to prompt me to turn out the lights when I leave a room, PG&E sends me a monthly reminder!

By the same token, Reusing is just another word for "I'm going to bust a gut if I don't shop for something, so maybe I'll hit the thrift store" and "I'll just fix up the bike that's already in the basement, thanks!"

So that gets us to the fourth R, "Respond" -- just how does one go about practicing it?

It would probably help to start by explaining what I mean. Back in July, I was reading a Smart 2 Be Green newsletter which describes Responding this way:

o. Educate others on the "Three R's."
o. Make your preferences known to merchants, manufacturers, and community leaders.
o. Create your own new ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

As far as that first bullet goes, I know I'll talk to anyone about this stuff -- heck I'll tell it to a telephone pole if there aren't any people around. It's much better to call that "educating" instead of "droning on and on endlessly".

But I have to admit I'm a little more shy when it comes to pulling aside the store manager or demanding that a waiter tell me where my ~~veal~~ beef was raised. And I can't remember the last time I dropped by Gavin "Mayor McHottie" Newsom's office to discuss the recycling policy -- although as I just mentioned, the city is doing just fine finding the cutting edge on recycling practices without my help.

In fact, these days my eco-practices are pretty vanilla. Sure, I bring my bags to the store, shop at the farmer's market, use organic beauty products. But I haven't challenged myself to find new ways to reduce my impact on the planet, or lower my carbon footprint.

Instead of getting down about this, I decided it really means that we all have room to grow when it comes to our relationship with the environment, the earth and world around us. The important thing is to stay aware of how things are changing, and keep pushing yourself to change, too.

(PS - that veal reference was a joke! I would never eat veal! Do they even make it in the U.S. anymore?)

We Can All Work on the 4th R: "Respond" originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Madagascar's Politcal Problems Lead to Lemur on the Menu

Cat Lincoln — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Activism, Plants and Wildlife

The island nation of Madagascar is a refuge for several species of endangered animals. An amazing 5% of the world's biodiversity can be found on the world's fourth largest island, located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Africa.

International funding and support for conservation programs have helped preserve many of these unique species, including the iconic lemur. But this year the political climate became so volatile that Madagascar was suspended from the African Union, and a great deal of international conservation support was forced to withdraw.

Now that those pesky eco-watchdogs are out of the way, 60 Second Extinction Countdown at Scientific American reports that poachers are having a field day with the natural resources of Madagascar, harvesting timber and -- this really awful -- selling endangered lemurs to restaurants as a luxury food delicacy.
Environmental group Conservation International is encouraging the international donor community to return to Madagascar as soon as possible, and try to stop the criminal activity before it's too late.

In addition to the scientific value of the biodiversity of the island, and the economic potential that eco-tourism provides to the country, research indicates that it's also important to preserve the eco-systems of the island in the fight to stop climate change.

Plus, lemurs are so incredibly cute. How could anyone be blood thirsty and evil enough to eat them? I don't usually like to encourage extreme environmentalists, but we need a battalion of them to get over to Madagascar and stop the poaching mafia!

We could even make a movie of it and call it Madagascar 3!

Madagascar's Politcal Problems Lead to Lemur on the Menu originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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