fishinginspirations:

ablorg:

Over the next few months thousands of humpback whales are expected to pass along Australia’s east coast during their annual migration, and although they are a curiosity, efforts are being taken again this year to protect them from human activities.

After a successful campaign last…

(Source: care2.com)

ablorg:

Researchers at Northwestern University have figured out a way to make a solar cell that is inexpensive to make, has a good operating efficiency, doesn’t rely on toxic or scarce materials and lasts longer than typical dye-sensitized solar cells.

A previous solar cell design that promised to…

ablorg:

Conservation groups including the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and the Grand Canyon Wildland Council have notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) of their intent to file a lawsuit over the agency’s failure to protect endangered California…

ablorg:

After a decade of promise, advanced biofuels makers are entering a crucial make-or-break period with the first of a new generation of production facilities about to come on line.

The new facilities are designed to take biofuels beyond corn-based ethanol and begin to shift the industry to…

(Source: )

ablorg:

As The New York Times pointed out last year, organic cotton isn’t the up-and-coming fabric for denim that it once seemed to be — but that doesn’t mean your eco jean options have disappeared.

Here are 10 denim options that take sustainability beyond organic by looking at the entire process from start to finish.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW SLIDESHOW

motherjones:

Bayer’s neonicotinoid pesticides, which now coat upwards of 90 percent of US corn seeds and seeds of increasing portions of other major crops like soy, have emerged as a likely trigger for colony collapse disorder. 

(Source: jumping-in-puddles)

birdtalkmagazine:

In honor of Endangered Species Day, here is a picture of the Spix’s macaws from Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation in Qatar from their Facebook page. Read more about the most endangered parrot in the world here.

avianawareness:

This children’s book — based on a true story — tells the story of Lucky, a parrot who is captured in the wild and eventually regains his freedom with the help of a young boy.

The story helps encourage children to be kind to animals without being didactic and gently awakens readers to the plight of captive birds.

Written in 2004, this much-awaited story is finally available to the public in this beautifully illustrated 32 page softcover book that is printed on recycled, chlorine-free paper to protect the environment and the world’s forests. What’s more, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this book benefit avian welfare, rescue, and conservation – to help birds like Lucky.

The story is also a perfect fit for a wider educational curriculum including geography and culture of Indonesia, the natural history, behavior, and physical characteristics of parrots and tropical forest ecosystems, as well as real-life conservation efforts.

Endorsements:

“Lucky, Monica Engebretson’s beautiful, moving book is a story that children will adore. Lucky is a not-so-lucky Lorikeet captured for the pet trade and sold as a gift to a little boy. But the boy’s compassion, kindness, and perseverance bring back the bird’s luck, and teach us all how what real love is – wanting what is best for others. I loved this book, and you and your children will, too.”

- Zoe Weil, President of Institute for Humane Education and author of Above All, Be Kind, Most Good, Least Harm, and the children’s books, Claude and Medea and So, You Love Animals. Institute for Humane Education

“Wild parrots are no different than other wild birds. They love freedom. They are not meant to live in captivity. Unfortunately, many people have trouble grasping this fact. Monica Engebretson’s wonderful story Lucky should go a long way toward changing this misperception among young people. She clearly knows wild parrots. I can see and feel their familiar, magical ways throughout her story. Highly recommended.”

- Mark Bittner, author of The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

“Often a story about an individual animal can make a difference in the lives of the humans who read it and the animals with whom they interact. Lucky is one such tale, about a bird - a beautiful rainbow lorikeet - named Lucky who was captured, taken care of by a young boy named Kersen, and then released because Kersen came to realize that keeping Lucky as a pet and depriving him of his freedom was wrong. As Lucky flew away with a flock other lorikeets Kersen shouted, “I love you Lucky and I understand.” Kersen continued taking care of other unfortunate captive birds until they could fly to freedom. Lucky presents an inspirational win-win situation for all the beings involved, human and nonhuman. Thanks to Monica Engebretson for sharing this story with us.”

- Marc Bekoff, University of Colorado; author of The Emotional Lives of Animals, Animals Matter, and How Animals Play: Rules of the Game and editor of the Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare and the Encyclopedia of Human-Animal Relationships; http://literati.net/Bekoff and www.ethologicalethics.org 

ablorg:

Many communities have passed bans on single-use plastic bags, but there are plenty of single-use plastic items that are still in use including plastic straws. As John Metcalfe writes in Atlantic Cities, we toss out a shockingly high mountain of straws on a daily basis.

Straw…

ablorg:

This weekend, the eight most powerful leaders in the world will meet at the G8 summit and could agree to a plan that could literally stop climate change!

It’s crazy, but right now, our governments give nearly $1 trillion a year of our taxpayer money to Big Oil and coal to destroy our…

(Source: avaaz.org)

ablorg:

How far the Potomac River come since its most-polluted years, when President Johnson called it a “disgrace.” It looks so majestic now, rolling past the iconic buildings of Washington, D.C. Yet the thought of touching its water with bare skin remains troubling. And D.C.’s tap water still…

(Source: GOOD)

ablorg:

Some more updates on the status of Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson, under arrest in Germany: It appears that Watson will indeed be extradited to Costa Rica.

Sea Shepherd has put out a call to action, asking supporters to contact the German Ministry of Justice and urge them to …

ablorg:

While it looks like the planet’s surface is covered mostly in water, the fact is there is very little water on this planet when you compare it to the size of the planet as a whole. The USGS created this image to give us a little perspective.

USGS states, “About 70 percent of the…

(Source: treehugger.com)