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POPSPepsiCo Chooses to Continue Using GE Ingredients Despite Evidence of Harm
The list of evil corporations grows longer. What else would you label a corporation that continues to use ingredients proven to cause toxicity in the kidney and liver? They sure as hell cannot be considered beneficial or benevolent. US law does not require GE foods be tested for toxicity so PepsiCo will continue to use the material without conscience. To quote Pepsi's response to the proposal: "We believe that genetically-modified products can play a role in generating positive economic, social and environmental contributions to societies around the world; particularly in times of food shortages." PepsiCo’s belief system (making money no matter what) doesn’t fit in with lab test results therefore disregard the tests. Incredibly, Monsanto had this to say: "Monsanto should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech food. Our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is the FDA's job." That’s my definition of an evil corporation.
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POPSGreenpeace to sink boulders to stem trawling off Sweden The boulders are to be sunk in zones classified as Natura 2000 in the Lilla Middelgrund (179 square kilometres, 70 square miles) and Flauden (104 square kilometres, 40 square miles) areas. Both sites lie about 20 kilometres (15 miles) from Varberg port, off Sweden's southwest coast. Natura 2000 is a network of sites around the European Union protected by EU directives aimed at protecting wildlife and their habitats. Carrying out Monday's mission will be two Greenpeace vessels -- the Beluga II and the Fehn Coast -- with about 30 people on board. "This is a conservation measure in order to protect habitats, which is what governments are supposed to do," Danielsson said. A similiar initiative was taken last year off Germany, and according to Greenepace it has proven effective in discouraging fishing.
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POPSCenter for Biological Diversity Declares Legal War on Global Warming That program will be replaced by the new institute, which will expand and direct climate change work across all of the Center's programs to protect biodiversity, oceans, public lands and urban wildlands. Siegel authored the scientific petition and argued the legal case that won Endangered Species Act protection for the polar bear due to global warming in 2008. Siegel was named California Lawyer of the Year for successfully arguing a 2007 case that overturned inadequate federal fuel-economy standards for failing to consider their contribution to global warming. She shared this award with the Climate Law Institute advisory board member Deborah Sivas, who serves as director of the Stanford Environmental Law Clinic.
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POPSECOCITY Builders An ecocity is a human settlement that enables its residents to live a good quality of life while using minimal natural resources. Its buildings make best use of sun, wind and rainfall to help supply the energy and water needs of occupants. Generally multistory to maximize the land available for greenspace. It is threaded with natural habitat corridors, to foster biodiversity and to give residents access to nature for recreation. Its food and other goods are sourced from within its borders or from nearby, in order to cut down on transport costs. The majority of its residents live within walking or cycling distance of their workplace, to minimise the need for motorised transport. Frequent public transport connects local centres for people who need to travel further. Local car sharing allows people to use a car only when needed. Ecocity Builders PO Box 697 Oakland, CA 94604 Phone/Fax 510-444-4508
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POPSGoners We've all heard that coral reefs are in trouble, but this is one of the first major studies showing just how much trouble.
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POPSThe Mountain That Lost Its Top
The devastation being wrought on Appalachia is best appreciated from the air. An organisation called Southwinds offers people an eagle-eye view of the carnage, not readily appreciated from the road. Another way to see what’s going on behind the ridge-line is to take a Google Earth virtual tour of an online memorial to the 470 mountains blown up and levelled in recent years. The act of destroying a million-year-old mountain has several distinct stages. First it is earmarked for removal and the hardwood forest cover, containing over 500 species of tree per acre in this region, is bulldozed away. The trees are typically burnt rather than logged, because mining companies are not in the lumber business. Then topsoil is scraped away and high explosives laid in the sandstone. Thousands of blasts go off across the region every day, blowing up what the mining industry calls “overburden”. The rubble is then tipped into the valleys - more than 7,000 have already been filled - and more than
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POPSPlant diversity being wrecked in China The insatiable appetite for raw materials sees China fast becoming the World's biggest vandal. China is on a quest to feed its industry at a huge cost to our natural environment. This can't persist!
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POPSCity of Ottawa approves Biodiversity Task Force This task force will be composed of members of the Environmental Advisory Committee, a staff person from the Environmental Sustainability Division, and representatives from the community, the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee, the Rural Issues Advisory Committee and the Conservation Authorities. While the City does not yet have a Biodiversity Strategy document, staff is already implementing policies to protect natural features and habitat. Currently, work is ongoing in the areas of climate change and stormwater management.
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POPSLinguistic superpowers The book Limits of Language by Swedish linguist Mikael Parkvall is a sort of languages-only Guinness Book of Records, listing everything that’s large, small and otherwise interesting about the manifold manners of human speech and associated forms of communication. One item deals with the world’s most linguistically diverse countries, and is illustrated with this map, of the world’s ‘linguistic superpowers’.
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POPSEcological Paradise Being Destroyed Greed For years Costa Rica has allowed hotels, golf courses, and resorts to get away with illegal and dangerous waste disposal by simply dumping it into the ocean instead of forcing environmental impact planning and inspection and proper sanitation control. Some of Costa Rica's most beautiful and popular nature reserves and beaches have begun becoming so polluted that bathers are beginning to avoid certain areas of the beach because of the stench.
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POPSSave the languages, save the world Linguistic integrity is as important to our survival as a species as environmentalism. Check out the source to see why. Many resources and information at www.terralingua.org.
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POPSMarginals want investment in biodiversity infrastructure
Eight in ten Australian voters in marginal seats believe the way to fortify against climate change is to strengthen the biodiversity of their natural habitats, according to Galaxy Research. It shows an encouraging sophistication in their understanding of climate change and the future it will bring. This seasons colours are looking decidedly green. The Australian Newspaper: "Experts estimate that about $4 a year for five years is needed for every taxpayer to achieve the biodiversity protection targets agreed to by governments in 2005," WWF spokesman Dr MartinTaylor said. These targets were agreed to by agreed to in 2005 by the Australian, state and territory governments. "The Galaxy poll revealed that most Australians were willing to invest a lot more in safeguarding Australia's unique biodiversity against the effects of climate change by creating new national parks and nature reserves, with the average amount being $16.20 per taxpayer per year." On the subject of clima