Use Canvas Bags: The Anthem

Tim Minchin's Environmental Anthem film clip recorded for BBC3's Comedy Shuffle.

Now this would be a wake-up call!

Coral reefs need protection

WWF report says last marine wilderness area on the planet must be protected!

Coral Sea sharks could be wiped out
Uploaded by therealnews

Protect the Polar Bears of Chukchi Sea!

Less than a month after listing polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided to give oil companies legal protection to potentially harm the bears as they move forward with oil and gas exploration and development in Alaska's Chukchi Sea.

Head over to the National Wildlife Federation and copy the e-mail they've prepared for people to use as a way to open up their representatives' eyes.

They want you to edit and send the message to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director H. Dale Hall, urging him to protect the Chukchi Sea polar bears, not big oil profits. I say send it to any political figure, Democrat or Republican, you can think of!

News Flash: small Canadian pond to become trash bin

Armed with nothing more than a rod and reel, Andy Murphy is an unlikely environmental warrior, waging a fight against a plan to dump thousands of tonnes of mining waste into a trout pond in southeastern Newfoundland.

The battleground is Sandy Pond, a small tranquil lake not far from Long Harbour on the Avalon Peninsula, about 100 kilometres west of St. John's.

It is at the center of a simmering dispute that pits environmental concerns against the hope for jobs in a region that desperately needs them. ...(read more at Yahoo! Canada)

Bee-boys drop dead

One of the most interesting Public Service Announcements (PSA) I have come across in a very long while. And the message is an important one: SAVE THE BEES!

Bee-Boy dance crew drops dead
Uploaded by helpthehoneybees

Then check out the site that goes along with this PSA. It was created by Haagen-Dazs (yeap, the ice cream makers) but the message is an important one. AND you can download a great little pdf file of a booklet explaining what you can do to attract more bees into your neighborhood. Check it out at helpthehoneybees.com!

A better car ...

Is what we drive now as good as it gets? Check out the two-minute cartoon at http://www.bettah.org

Five Simple Ways to Save Trees

Trees do more than serve as beautiful scenery and boost our home values; they also filter the air, produce the oxygen we breathe and contribute to water quality. Trees are an important natural resource that we consume at an alarming rate through our daily use of the many products made from them. Here we examine five simple steps you can take to save trees while at the same time improving your quality of life:

1.Stop getting junk mail. Not only does junk mail pile up on the counter, much of it is unread and represents a needless waste of trees. With a small investment of time, you can eliminate or significantly reduce the quantity of unwanted paper advertisements delivered to your mailbox. There are a few ways to go about this, but a good way to start is through the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service, which allows you to remove your name from the mailing lists of individual organizations. If you receive unwanted credit or insurance offers, you can request that the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies not share your information at www.optoutprescreen.com or by calling 1–888–567–8688.

Taking these actions should eliminate a majority of the unsolicited advertisements you receive. Junk mail you still receive may call for individual action. To stop receiving unwanted catalogs, have a catalog in hand and call the company to request that your name and address be removed from the company’s mailing list and that it not be sold or traded. With a little time and effort, you can save trees while enjoying a less cluttered home.

2.Pay bills online. Many banks, utility companies, cellular phone providers and other companies have begun offering the option of paperless billing. This means that rather than receiving a bill in the mail, you can receive a bill via e-mail and make payments online. Paying bills online is convenient and reduces needless paper waste at the same time. If you already pay bills online but still receive paper bills, check with your service providers about paperless billing.

3.Nourish the trees on your property. Yes, the trees in your yard are important too. Trees have a cooling effect on the environment and absorb carbon dioxide while emitting the oxygen we require, and can also help control your home’s energy consumption. Trees on private property are threatened by human carelessness as well as diseases and insects. To protect the trees on your property, be aware that lawnmowers, nearby sidewalks and buildings can harm trees and cause them to become hazardous or die. Proper tree care is imperative to protecting these valuable natural resources. To maintain healthy trees on your property, have your trees inspected periodically by a certified arborist who can detect early signs of tree failure or disease.

4.Make a conscious effort based on your consumption habits. You do not have to massively overhaul your life to reduce the amount of paper waste you produce. The best actions to take to reduce paper waste vary from person to person, depending on individual consumption habits. Simply being aware of how you most often produce unnecessary waste can help you determine where to cut back. For example, if you order a coffee to-go from the local coffee shop every day, try bringing your own mug rather than using the paper cups. Use the air dryer to dry your hands rather than paper towels. Take only the number of napkins you will use when at a restaurant. And of course, recycle everything you can.

5.Donate to the cause. If you want to get more involved, there is a plethora of organizations with the goal of saving or replenishing harvested trees. The organization with which you choose to get involved is a personal choice. Be sure to do your homework and donate wisely to an organization whose cause you genuinely want to support.

About the Author: Andrew Johnson is the owner of Central Texas Tree Care, a leading tree service provider in Central Texas (Travis County and surrounding areas) offering services such as pruning and removals, cabling and bracing as well as arborist reports, diagnostics, pest management, fertilization and tree trimming Austin trusts. For more information please visit http://www.centraltexastreecare.com.

Everyone Can Save the Planet

Climate change is a global problem, and yet each one of us has the power to make a difference. Even small changes in our daily behaviour can help prevent greenhouse gas emissions without affecting our quality of life. In fact, they can help save us money.

Music: If A Tree Falls In the Forest

Must see: Sharkwater

I saw Sharkwater the other week and I swear I haven`t been the same since. If any movie can persuade people to take action to protect this world (and that means protecting one of the most misunderstood animals in the world) it is this one.

Having garnered 21 awards at film festivals around the world, filmmaker Rob Stewart’s epic journey Sharkwater puts him on the front lines to save the planet. Part biologist, part investigative reporter, Stewart follows the trail of the multi-billion dollar shark fin trade and sets off a chain of events that has to be seen to be believed. His adventure becomes a dangerous mission involving espionage, corrupt governments, mafia rings, his arrest and a glimpse at his own mortality.

In an effort to protect sharks, Stewart teams up with renegade conservationist Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. A confrontation between the Sea Shepherd and shark poachers in Guatemala results in a dramatic confrontation with a pirate Guatemalan fishing boat. But that’s just the beginning. As they become involved in a gunboat chase, face corrupt court systems and attempted murder charges, they are forced to flee for their lives.

Filmed in 15 countries in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes you to the most shark-rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world’s shark populations. What one comes away with is a story about the beauty of life on earth and our role in protecting its amazing balance.

Purchase the book: Sharkwater: The Photographs.
Purchase the movie: Sharkwater.
Visit the official website: here.

Eco-Bunnies save Earth ... Day

The Eco-Bunnies are back! And this time they save the EARTH...day festivities.

Climate change: the ugly truth

The World Wildlife Fund has revealed the ugly face of Climate Change. Looks a little like Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper if you ask us!

Eco-bunnies know how it's done

Being a bunny isn't all about hopping around and eating carrots. Well mostly, but we do other stuff too. We are spreading the word about the effects of carbon emissions on the environment and encourage everybody to offset those emissions whenever they can. We recommend zeroing out emissions through The Conservation Fund's Go Zero program. It's kinda funny when you think about it: decreasing your impact on the environment actually impacts the environment!

National Clean Beaches Week July 1-7

Summer is here and everyone is heading to picnics, parties, pools, parks, and beaches, but it is important to remember to put trash and recyclable materials in their proper place to help protect oceans and coasts from marine debris.

EPA recommends five simple actions that can prevent trash from becoming marine debris:

• Never put anything down a storm drain;
• Use reusable bags instead of disposable bags;
• Choose products with less packaging when possible;
• Replace disposable items with reusable ones such as bottles, plates, and cups; and
• Recycle! Keep recyclables and trash in covered and secured containers.

When trash is not properly thrown away or recycled, it can wash down storm drains or get blown into streams, rivers, and oceans becoming marine debris. Marine debris, including plastic grocery bags and bottles, ropes, soda rings, fishing lines and other items, can threaten public safety, hurt the economy with costly cleanups and deterred tourism, and harm or kill marine life like seals, sea turtles, and birds.