Entries Tagged 'planet earth' ↓

Have been trying to make some some moral decisions when buying seafood … it’s not easy and there have been many mishaps along the the way. Came across some info that helps one make the right eco-choice. Based on the zones you live in, here’s one that displays sustainable seafood choices. Also some great buying advice from Henry Lovejoy, president of the sustainable-seafood purveyor EcoFish. And here’s a scorecard of how the top 20 US retailers did when it came to seafood sustainability. Even the winner didn’t make the grade

Neither apparently, as far as being green goes. We  know the best option is to carry a stash of canvas or re-useable bags when we go shopping, but there are times I forget to do this. Having to choose between the two was a grey area for me, and I’ve always wondered what would be the lesser of two evils for the environment. The Washington Post printed an informative diagram some time ago, weighing the costs and consequences of paper or plastic.

Came across a handy search on recycling info at http://earth911.org. Enter what you need to recycle and your zip code; and the search brings up the closest drop-off bins and recycling centers/shops in your area.

Helpful info at www.ecocycle.org to stop unwanted catalogs, credit card solicitations and other such annoying mail from reaching your mail box.

In the early 70′s there were apparently only 1800 tigers left roaming the Indian plains, thanks to merciless poaching and de-forestation. Officials at that time scurried to reverse this alarming decline in this species, launching “Project Tiger” in 1972 at Corbett National Park. Bogged down by non-approval of management plans and poor funding since its launch, it’s good to know that the Indian government just announced that it is considering opening eight more sanctuaries for tigers and three for elephants, as part of its ongoing conservation plan. The increase in allocation for tiger conservation (up by 36%) comes in the wake of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally visiting Ranthambhore National Park last year, following reports that tigers were on the verge of extinction.

However, the protection of pachyderms under Project Elephant, set up in 1992, received a blow to its funding which decreased by 13.7%. It hasn’t had much success to show – there has been no increase in population, and like the tiger, the elephant continues to fall prey to deforestation, poachers and elephant-man conflicts.

My heart aches for what Kashmir has had to go through in nearly three decades. I visited it in 1975, and remember its warm, smiling people and idyllic surroundings. But, according to a recent BBC News article by Binoo Joshi, the insurgency has contributed to one bright spot for wildlife in Kashmir. Native wildlife has apparently seen a 20%-60% rise, thanks to a dramatic drop in poaching and hunting. The authoriities have ordered people to hand firearms and weapons overto them. There is also a general lack of willingness to venture into the forests by local folks lest they fall prey to militant fire or attacks.