CATHEDRALS OF THE FOREST
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
FOR THE NEXT 7 GENERATIONS
In 2004, thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers from all four corners, moved by their concern for our planet, came together at a historic gathering, where they decided to form an alliance: The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers.
In 2004, thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers from all four corners, moved by their concern for our planet, came together at a historic gathering, where they decided to form an alliance: The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers.
We've been following the 13 Grandmothers largely through our dear friend Agnes Baker Pilgrim. Now, the film documenting their collective story has been released.
Through the years, they've become teachers and icons who are galvanizing and uniting a rapidly emerging global movement. They are awakening people to the urgent need for change if we are to survive on this planet.
Please go here for more information on the film and links about the Grandmothers.
Friday, September 25, 2009
WALMART'S GREEN INTELLIGENCE: REALLY?
Daniel Goleman says, "Wal-Mart’s push to develop a sustainability index for the products it carries could prove to be a pivotal moment...."
Green Intelligence: Toward
Two months ago, Wal-Mart made an announcement that could set off an ecological earthquake: The giant retailer disclosed it was cooperating with an academic consortium to develop a sustainability index for rating its hundreds of thousands of products.
Just weeks after Wal-Mart’s announcement, the Harvard Business Review featured a cover story proclaiming that sustainability has become the key to successful corporate strategy. The article, co-authored by the University of Michigan-based strategy maven C.K. Prahalad, proclaimed that the next business model must be green and touted ecological innovation as the coming driver of economic growth.
Wal-Mart has handed the environmental movement a new tool for ameliorating the human footprint: using an emerging generation of information systems to create market pressures to upgrade the ecological performance of commerce and industry. This strategy entails making life-cycle-assessment data for products transparent — that is, labeling them with a sound, independent rating so shoppers can easily take the ecological impacts into account as they decide what to buy.
Indeed, the Wal-Mart announcement has thrust what once seemed merely an intriguing idea into a market reality companies will have to deal with — not just in tomorrow’s strategic plans, but in today’s logistics and operations. Wal-Mart’s 100,000-plus suppliers (and the likes of Procter & Gamble counts as just one) will be required to reveal their products’ ecological impacts or have them dropped from the retailer’s stores worldwide.
continue reading at Yale's, "environment360".
Daniel Goleman says, "Wal-Mart’s push to develop a sustainability index for the products it carries could prove to be a pivotal moment...."
15 Sep 2009: Analysis
Green Intelligence: Toward
True Ecological Transparency
Wal-Mart’s push to develop a sustainability index for the products it carries could prove to be a pivotal moment in the effort to make consumers aware of the environmental impacts of what they buy.
Two months ago, Wal-Mart made an announcement that could set off an ecological earthquake: The giant retailer disclosed it was cooperating with an academic consortium to develop a sustainability index for rating its hundreds of thousands of products.
Just weeks after Wal-Mart’s announcement, the Harvard Business Review featured a cover story proclaiming that sustainability has become the key to successful corporate strategy. The article, co-authored by the University of Michigan-based strategy maven C.K. Prahalad, proclaimed that the next business model must be green and touted ecological innovation as the coming driver of economic growth.
Wal-Mart has handed the environmental movement a new tool for ameliorating the human footprint: using an emerging generation of information systems to create market pressures to upgrade the ecological performance of commerce and industry. This strategy entails making life-cycle-assessment data for products transparent — that is, labeling them with a sound, independent rating so shoppers can easily take the ecological impacts into account as they decide what to buy.
Indeed, the Wal-Mart announcement has thrust what once seemed merely an intriguing idea into a market reality companies will have to deal with — not just in tomorrow’s strategic plans, but in today’s logistics and operations. Wal-Mart’s 100,000-plus suppliers (and the likes of Procter & Gamble counts as just one) will be required to reveal their products’ ecological impacts or have them dropped from the retailer’s stores worldwide.
continue reading at Yale's, "environment360".
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
UMA GRANDE FESTA
A GREAT PARTY
That is certainly what we had last Sunday in São Paulo as the Santo Daime church Reino do Sol (Kingdom of the Sun) celebrated its 7th birthday with the singing of the hymnal Reinado do Sol of Gê Marques, many new fardados (initiates), the wedding of Sonia and Elias, a couple of baptisms, and seemingly endless joy. PARABÉNS!
There are about one dozen Santo Daime churches in greater São Paulo. Each has its own special energy. At Reino do Sol the specialty is a mixture of the traditions of Santo Daime and Umbanda.
The best headline for the day would be "Reino Really Rocks". Many more videos and photos follow. It is no exaggeration to say that the energy just keeps building and building. I hope you have time to check them out.
Here are some photos,
and there are more photos here.
A GREAT PARTY
That is certainly what we had last Sunday in São Paulo as the Santo Daime church Reino do Sol (Kingdom of the Sun) celebrated its 7th birthday with the singing of the hymnal Reinado do Sol of Gê Marques, many new fardados (initiates), the wedding of Sonia and Elias, a couple of baptisms, and seemingly endless joy. PARABÉNS!
There are about one dozen Santo Daime churches in greater São Paulo. Each has its own special energy. At Reino do Sol the specialty is a mixture of the traditions of Santo Daime and Umbanda.
The best headline for the day would be "Reino Really Rocks". Many more videos and photos follow. It is no exaggeration to say that the energy just keeps building and building. I hope you have time to check them out.
Here are some photos,
and there are more photos here.
"SPECIAL EDITION" NEW YORK POST from The Yes Men on Vimeo.
See more fine coverage at
Don’t Engineer Climate, Engineer Yourself?
By Andrew C. RevkinDuring 2005 talks over the climate treaty in Montreal, for example, the National Center for Public Policy Research, a group opposing emissions restrictions, tried to illustrate its view of carbon markets by handing out mock emissions credits. These are the chits created under a cap-and-trade system for controlling pollution that allow businesses that make cuts beyond requirements to sell the extra tons to others. In this case, the mock credits were printed in five languages on rolls of toilet paper. Environmental groups responded in kind. The National Environmental Trust distributed custom-printed noise-making rubber whoopee cushions printed with a caricature of President George W. Bush and the words “ Emissions Accomplished.”
Now comes Survivaball. Until now, I was too busy covering the United Nations climate summit meeting and related activities to track the latest unconventional efforts to make points related to global warming, undertaken by the Yes Men, a clever group that started by passing out thousands of free copies of a fake edition of The New York Post blaring “We’re Screwed” in huge type. Then they followed up with the rollout (almost literally) of a new survival technology, Survivaball, intended to give residents of planet Earth everything needed to endure global warming. An arrest was involved. The video above says it all.
Some are trying climate art, some climate-related ceramics, some green music. Can you think of other ways to avoid the “ blah, blah, blah, bang” response to slow-drip issues like accumulating greenhouse gases?
"FAILURE IS INCONCEIVABLE"
That's how Prince Charles describes the all-important effort to save the global rainforests. Mongabay has a an interview with Tony Juniper, environmentalist, author, and special adviser to the Prince's Rainforest Project.
Go to original article.
Prince Charles of Great Britain has emerged as one of the world’s highest-profile promoters of a scheme that could finally put an end to destruction of tropical rainforests.
The Prince’s Rainforest Project, launched in 2007, is promoting awareness of the role deforestation plays in climate change—it accounts for nearly a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions. The project also publicizes the multitude of benefits tropical forests provide, including maintenance of rainfall, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods for millions of people. But the initiative goes beyond merely raising awareness. Prince Charles is using his considerable influence to bring political and business leaders together to devise and support a plan to provide emergency funding to save rainforests. The money would provide a financing bridge for tropical countries to begin taking steps necessary to reduce deforestation— a prelude to a broader U.N.-backed mechanism (known as REDD for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation), which would compensate developing countries for their progress in protecting their forests.
“If deforestation can be stopped in its tracks, then we will be able to buy ourselves some much-needed time to build the low carbon economies on which our futures depend,” Prince Charles states on his web site. “I have endeavored to create a global public, private and NGO partnership to discover an innovative means of halting tropical deforestation. Success would literally transform the situation for our children and grandchildren and for every species on the planet.”
Continue reading at Mongabay.
That's how Prince Charles describes the all-important effort to save the global rainforests. Mongabay has a an interview with Tony Juniper, environmentalist, author, and special adviser to the Prince's Rainforest Project.
Go to original article.
Prince Charles of Great Britain has emerged as one of the world’s highest-profile promoters of a scheme that could finally put an end to destruction of tropical rainforests.
The Prince’s Rainforest Project, launched in 2007, is promoting awareness of the role deforestation plays in climate change—it accounts for nearly a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions. The project also publicizes the multitude of benefits tropical forests provide, including maintenance of rainfall, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods for millions of people. But the initiative goes beyond merely raising awareness. Prince Charles is using his considerable influence to bring political and business leaders together to devise and support a plan to provide emergency funding to save rainforests. The money would provide a financing bridge for tropical countries to begin taking steps necessary to reduce deforestation— a prelude to a broader U.N.-backed mechanism (known as REDD for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation), which would compensate developing countries for their progress in protecting their forests.
“If deforestation can be stopped in its tracks, then we will be able to buy ourselves some much-needed time to build the low carbon economies on which our futures depend,” Prince Charles states on his web site. “I have endeavored to create a global public, private and NGO partnership to discover an innovative means of halting tropical deforestation. Success would literally transform the situation for our children and grandchildren and for every species on the planet.”
Continue reading at Mongabay.
Monday, September 21, 2009
THE AGE OF STUPID
"Tonight is the global premiere of “ The Age of Stupid.” The film is a scorching appeal for humans to avoid knowingly up-ending the earth’s climate, delivered from the vantage-point of 2055, when the giant London Eye ferris wheel looks more like a waterwheel, with its bottom immersed in the Thames, along with much of central London."
DotEarth has a description and an excellent set of links to reviews and more information. Please check it out HERE.
"Tonight is the global premiere of “ The Age of Stupid.” The film is a scorching appeal for humans to avoid knowingly up-ending the earth’s climate, delivered from the vantage-point of 2055, when the giant London Eye ferris wheel looks more like a waterwheel, with its bottom immersed in the Thames, along with much of central London."
DotEarth has a description and an excellent set of links to reviews and more information. Please check it out HERE.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
TODAY IN IRAN
Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish is loaded with reports and clips arriving from Tehran. Here's one that sums it up:
The Revolution Lives!
Today's Qods rally has been a huge blow to the regime. While Ahmadinejad delivers one of the most unhinged and despicable anti-Semitic rants he has ever uttered, trying to rally Iranians with the usual Jew-baiting, the crowds display contempt. Here is a video with a government bus chanting the slogan "Down with the USA!" The crowd chants: "Down with Russia!"
What's particularly encouraging is that the crowds are waving green again - despite strict warnings that such displays would be punished viciously. The regime is done. It has lost the people. But its death throes remain extremely dangerous.
Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish is loaded with reports and clips arriving from Tehran. Here's one that sums it up:
The Revolution Lives!
Today's Qods rally has been a huge blow to the regime. While Ahmadinejad delivers one of the most unhinged and despicable anti-Semitic rants he has ever uttered, trying to rally Iranians with the usual Jew-baiting, the crowds display contempt. Here is a video with a government bus chanting the slogan "Down with the USA!" The crowd chants: "Down with Russia!"
What's particularly encouraging is that the crowds are waving green again - despite strict warnings that such displays would be punished viciously. The regime is done. It has lost the people. But its death throes remain extremely dangerous.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
CONCRETE CITY AND CONCRETE ART
São Paulo City is BIG, the biggest city in South America and home to more high-rise buildings than I have seen anywhere else. Of course, there's a lot of concrete and it naturally became the substrate for a great deal of the city's art -- both human made and made by nature.
It's been quite a visual adjustment to be so "concretized". In the forest I roamed almost always with my camera and never failed to find photographic beauty. But I have largely ignored the city, at least camera-wise. Indeed, missing home in Acre, I was starting to develop an "attitude". So I decided to spend some time exploring what kind of photos might be captured from the concrete.
Just about every one who visits comments on the graffiti. Yesterday, Dave (who was visiting from NY) and I took a stroll through the neighborhood to check it out. I think this was my favorite:
Here's a slideshow of more graffiti and Dave getting into its mood.
Again, in this morning's soft light, I got intrigued by the concrete surfaces of the neighborhood -- especially by the patinas built up by weathering and many layers of paint, and the way they contrasted with things natural and human-made. It turned out to be like opening a a treasure chest.
Here's one
and, another slideshow:
São Paulo City is BIG, the biggest city in South America and home to more high-rise buildings than I have seen anywhere else. Of course, there's a lot of concrete and it naturally became the substrate for a great deal of the city's art -- both human made and made by nature.
It's been quite a visual adjustment to be so "concretized". In the forest I roamed almost always with my camera and never failed to find photographic beauty. But I have largely ignored the city, at least camera-wise. Indeed, missing home in Acre, I was starting to develop an "attitude". So I decided to spend some time exploring what kind of photos might be captured from the concrete.
Just about every one who visits comments on the graffiti. Yesterday, Dave (who was visiting from NY) and I took a stroll through the neighborhood to check it out. I think this was my favorite:
Here's a slideshow of more graffiti and Dave getting into its mood.
Again, in this morning's soft light, I got intrigued by the concrete surfaces of the neighborhood -- especially by the patinas built up by weathering and many layers of paint, and the way they contrasted with things natural and human-made. It turned out to be like opening a a treasure chest.
Here's one
and, another slideshow:
GOOD NEWS
UPDATE: My 88 year old uncle who recently fell from a ladder while pruning a tree and suffered a spinal compression fracture came through surgery VERY well and is now liberated from pain. He sends thanks for your prayers and he promises to climb no more ladders.
UPDATE: My 88 year old uncle who recently fell from a ladder while pruning a tree and suffered a spinal compression fracture came through surgery VERY well and is now liberated from pain. He sends thanks for your prayers and he promises to climb no more ladders.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
SPAWN TILL YOU DIE
That's what the wild salmon of Idaho's Snake River want to do. They want to do it in the pools where they were born before migrating to sea to grow to adults and return when they "get the urge to merge" -- that is if they can get past the 4 dams that block all but a small percent who get up the fish ladders and around the obstacles.
Environmental groups and local activists have tried for years to get the antiquated dams removed and were hoping the the Obama administration might depart from 8 years of avoidance and denial under Bush to be the one to take action. But not so. Instead, the government is following the Bush approach with some new mitigation measures and will remove the dams only as a "last resort" after more "careful scientific studies".
In other words, instead of letting the salmon spawn until they die, they propose to study them to death.
Citizens have been appealing to Massachusetts Senator Kerry, who occupies a powerful position in the US Senate, to intervene as he has done on important issues in Alaska.
Last, but not least, here's the best Youtube clip that I could find. A superb vision of the wildness we seek to preserve in the few remnant places where it can still exist.
Yes, enough of the Salmon can get past the bears but they need our help to get past the dams.
Take action here.
See more of Ray Toll's art here.
That's what the wild salmon of Idaho's Snake River want to do. They want to do it in the pools where they were born before migrating to sea to grow to adults and return when they "get the urge to merge" -- that is if they can get past the 4 dams that block all but a small percent who get up the fish ladders and around the obstacles.
Environmental groups and local activists have tried for years to get the antiquated dams removed and were hoping the the Obama administration might depart from 8 years of avoidance and denial under Bush to be the one to take action. But not so. Instead, the government is following the Bush approach with some new mitigation measures and will remove the dams only as a "last resort" after more "careful scientific studies".
In other words, instead of letting the salmon spawn until they die, they propose to study them to death.
Citizens have been appealing to Massachusetts Senator Kerry, who occupies a powerful position in the US Senate, to intervene as he has done on important issues in Alaska.
Last, but not least, here's the best Youtube clip that I could find. A superb vision of the wildness we seek to preserve in the few remnant places where it can still exist.
Yes, enough of the Salmon can get past the bears but they need our help to get past the dams.
Take action here.
See more of Ray Toll's art here.
BACKING DOWN ON CLIMATE CHANGE?
US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has begun to send strong signals that there will not be any climate legislation this year and U.S. Energy Secretary Stephen Chu is urging the Copenhagen negotiators to "avoid unrealistic goals".
How should we feel about this? I think Tom Petty has the right answer...
Global warming is not a spectator sport.
It is the job of the people to hold their leaders' toes to the fire.
Looking for the action?
Find many ways to act at 350.org.
US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has begun to send strong signals that there will not be any climate legislation this year and U.S. Energy Secretary Stephen Chu is urging the Copenhagen negotiators to "avoid unrealistic goals".
How should we feel about this? I think Tom Petty has the right answer...
Global warming is not a spectator sport.
It is the job of the people to hold their leaders' toes to the fire.
Looking for the action?
24 October 2009
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION
Find many ways to act at 350.org.
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