Biodiversity is much in the news this week as the Encylopedia of Life launches on the web [ark] and the Doomsday Vault [ark] opens its global seed bank [search] in Norway. Biodiversity databases [search] are fine, we must know species to understand and save them; as are efforts to conserve crop seeds [search] for an emergency that given continued inaction on climate and ecosystem loss seems increasingly probable.

But what of policies and actions necessary to protect that diversity? What of equal efforts to avoid the catastrophe of a homogenized Earth collapsing for lack of key species? There are far too few efforts to finance the building of knowledge bases of required policies and action plans sufficient to protect biodiversity, as that gets into politics, social change and personal sacrifice. Try eating a biodiversity database, and seed banks don't feed many soon. This is what Ecological Internet does -- acting upon the best ecological science to promote policies adequate to avoid global ecological collapse and achieve global ecological sustainability.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 4:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Ecological Internet has very much appreciated the opportunity to participate in a recent string of rainforest and climate victories. Given our deep attachment to Papua New Guinea, perhaps none has been as satisfying as mobilizing international pressure that helped protect precious Woodlark Island from near total rainforest clearance for oil palm [search]. This madness is the epitome of ecological evil, and together local peoples and the world expressed outrage, and for now have cancelled the plans.

We have carried out similar campaigns for over fifteen years, with many, many victories. Mongabay -- the fantastic alternative rainforest media source -- has for the first time carried out a post-conservation analysis of how local and international Internet-based protest stopped Woodlark's rich biodiversity from becoming a toxic oil palm monoculture [ark]. It makes for a good read, demonstrating conservation campaign methods that could be widely replicated. Humanity's eco-future depends upon collaborative north-south protest of ecologically destructive activities wherever found.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 8:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

TAKE ACTION! Only soy products that do not directly or indirectly destroy ancient rainforests, or intensify climate change and other problems inherent with large-scale industrial monocultures, will be tolerated in international markets.

The greatest emerging threat to Amazon rainforests and communities is industrial soy plantations. Huge mechanized, soy monocultures destroy tropical ecosystems, accelerate climate change and cause human rights abuses primarily to produce agrofuel and livestock feed. The soya industry wipes out biodiversity, destroys soil fertility, pollutes freshwater and displaces communities. Soybean production expands the agricultural frontier not only through fire and deforestation to clear ancient rainforests, but more importantly by pushing cattle ranches and displacing forest peoples further into natural rainforest ecosystems.

With rising soy and other agricultural commodity prices, there has been a marked increase in fires and Amazonian deforestation to clear new agricultural lands from primary rainforests. In reaction Brazil has again announced increased agricultural deforestation enforcement. Amazon rainforest sustainability critically depends upon new soybean production being kept out of ancient primary rainforest ecosystems. Let's continue the commitment of Ecological Internet's Earth Action Network to strongly speak ecological truth to intransigent power. TAKE ACTION!

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

Plant based biofuels are no climate change solution [ark | more\ark] because as farmers clear natural ecosystems huge amounts of carbon dioxide are released. A study in the journal Science takes a comprehensive look [ark] at emissions from land clearance to grow biofuels. The study finds that the production of most biofuels globally results in land clearing [ark], directly or indirectly, intentionally or not; and the cost/benefit in terms of carbon emissions saved is not subtle.

Clearing grassland for corn ethanol [search] releases 93 times the greenhouse gas (its carbon debt) that would be saved by the fuel made annually on that land. Clearing rainforest habitats for biofuel production [search] generally has a carbon debt of 86 years, but peatland of the sort cleared for oil palm in SE Asia [search] has a whopping carbon debt of 423 years, and soybeans in the Amazon [search] 319 years. Some biofuels such as sugar cane in Brazil [search] are efficient and only have a carbon debt of 17 years. Only biofuels that do not destroy natural habitats should be allowed.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 1:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)