Written by: Mike McCafferty (FarPoint Media Contributor)

There really is something now called “Earth Hour”, the point of which is to turn off your lights for one hour?

C’mon.

I remember that Earth Day thing. In fact, I did a musical waaay back in college about how we need to safe guard our resources and reduce consumption of…well, everything. We did 4 shows to half filled houses and did a great job of shaming everyone there for a good 90 minutes with song. Nothing like paying $15 to feel really bad about yourself!

And the result? Did we win? Anyone? Crying Indian? Captain Planet? McGruff?

Earth Hour feels like a retrenching by the environmentalists. People have grown weary of the Earth Day thing so it’s been recycled and reduced by 1/24th into something that people actually can accomplish and feel good about instead of the usual hydrogen powered guilt trip we all take on Earth Day. Earth hour is like those perky nutritionists on the ’Today’ show that tell you to order the steamed vegetables instead of the French fires to go with your fired chicken covered with mayo and hot fudge. They smile with their large heads on their tiny bodies and let you know that you’ve saved 300 calories while ignoring the fact that the main course and dessert was 65,000 calories. Turning off your lights is steamed vegetables, but Vegas is still that Chocolate Thunder Cake with double icing (note to self: eat food).

I actually tired the Earth hour thing tonight. Partly out of the distant echoes of self-righteous eco-musical numbers still lodged in my head but mostly because I thought it would be cool to walk around with candles for an hour for a ’Colonial Vibe’. Either way it was a half-assed experience.

For starters, we let Kiernan watch “The Backyardigans” on our 50″ DLP HDTV. I had fantasized about drawing him close and telling him stories around the fireplace like a modern day Daniel Boone or Mark Twain. Ran out of time on that one. Also the idea of letting him watch his show (Which is a pre-bath ritual and as any parent will tell you: don’t screw with the routine!) on a laptop under the misguided logic of at least it’s not drawing from the grid for the next hour, flew out the window. Nope, concession number one was the big bright TV telling tales to my son of anthropomorphic animals who pretended to live in medieval time (true dark ages) and sang non ecologically based songs.

Next, I turned off the computer monitor. Not the computer, mind you. Nor the modem. Or the printer, drawing power while idle. In fact all the DVD players, alarm clocks, TiVos, Phones and microwaves somehow eluded my keen, energy saving eye. Those that did not were saved by one simple thing: I didn’t want to set the time on them again.

Finally, after my son’s non-romantic candle lit bath, we hit our hardest snag. I had just finished my own Knights Tale (we have the episodic story of Tiberius, a knight of strength, virtue and occasional friends like the “Throw-up knight”) with Kiernan and he started to get upset. We leave the hall light on for him and tonight it wasn’t on (routine!). I told him we’d turn it back .. we had saved the Earth, but he was all about the here and now. Fearing a melt-down, we officially canceled the “Battle of Britain” bombing raid exercise and turned on the hall light. All clear, Earth doomed, better luck next year with the Earth Minute.

Later tonight as I settled in with my wife to do our part for HBO Hour, it hit me. Like my son, humanity is really all about the here and now. Because the threat is massive but ambiguous (”in the future, we’ll probably run out of fossil fuels and will eventually cause the Earth to heat by an indeterminate amount should all the current projections stay true”) we can’t grasp it and eventually just forget it. Our threat analysis is flawed and can only address a very provincial scope. We’re also a greedy, lazy self-absorbed animal that in the end will weigh the cost/benefit of helping others that are not in our circle of friends/family as a low priority.

So am I saying we should all just throw up our hands and give up? Doesn’t that mean the terrorists win, Mike (trademarked phrase)? What they hell kind of blog is this?

Here’s pretty much what I’m saying: buy the Prius if it makes you feel better, but that’s about the biggest impact it will have. Should we all try to conserve? Sure, why not. But in the long run, conservation won’t save us, science will have to. That’s where I’ve been going with this rapidly-declining-in-popularity blog.

I’m probably not an environmentalists, but I am a futurist. There is a constant race with science to ultimately fix the problems that science creates. It seems like a dog chasing it’s tail, but if you picture that dog chasing it’s tail up a spiral staircase (that I dub PROGRESS!), the analogy holds together a little better. We’re not smart enough to escape our basic programming of consuming resources until they are gone, but we’re smart enough to find smart people to find other resources.

This is not my Pollyanna future, but rather the darkest before the light scenario. We’ll continue to consume whatever we can, as much as we can until we run out and it starts to kill us. Conservation will slow it down, but ultimately really smart, well fed, well rested scientists are going to have to step in and make stuff that will allow us to keep living by preventing us from killing ourselves. Case in point: Cars kill people, scientists make airbags. Scientists are gonna have to make a big airbag for the Earth, cause we’re going too damn fast.

Will we make it in time? Maybe. Like I said, it’s always a race. In the 60’s People predicted widespread food shortages by the 1980’s. Luckily, some really smart scientists figured out how to crossbreed rice that would grow in various climates and resist insects and blight. Bullet == dodged, and millions of Thai children were able to eat, grow up and make us cheap foam globes with the words “Earth Hour” inscribed on them with lead paint.

There’s also a good chance that our children’s children may have to suffer for a while before we right the ship. I hope not. Maybe Earth Hour does have one true benefit: it can fulfill the old saying of “lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness”. Maybe there’s hope that if we put our resources into the scientist and then actually LISTEN to them occasionally, their illumination will show us a less bumpy path.

And no matter what our future holds, we can be glad for one thing: that none of you will ever have to see that crappy musical I did. That, friends, was the true darkness.

FarPoint Media is happy to announce the launching of its YouTube FarPoint Media Video Channel. The channel will highlight video entries and features from several of its groundbreaking podcast shows and websites.

The irreverent Wingin’ It 3D blasted off with its first video last week pondering the many facets of preparing and eating chocolate covered cuttlefish.

Also seeing its premiere was the new weekly show “Slice of SciFi Video Headline News” with your news anchors Michael R. Mennenga and Brian Brown showcasing just some of the hundreds of top news stories featured on the Slice of SciFi website each week.

About FarPoint Media
FarPoint Media (FPM) is a family of independent programmers who retain their creative freedom and content rights. FPM shows cover diverse interests and hot topics that bring together the old staples of radio and television into the new technologies of downloadable media.

A leader in producing and distribution of quality radio, podcast and video entertainment, FarPoint Media has scifi media and genre literature shows featuring news and interviews with the actors, producers and writers creating your favorite TV programs and books, and has discussion shows that true fan geeks can immerse themselves in.

FPM also showcases quality audio dramas to fire the imagination of its listeners, specialized sports news and information shows that take the enthusiasts beyond the box scores, comedy and variety shows that will have fans laughing out loud, and shows with experienced advice that can help improve listeners and viewers tech skills, or sharpen their writing skills.

FarPoint Media is online entertainment. See what The Indie Podcast/Vidcast Network has to offer you.

The second season of Sundance Channel’s groundbreaking “The Green” series will be starting April 1st and will kick off with a pre-season advance New York screening of some of the brand new episodes. Please visit http://www.sundancechannel.com/thegreen to see what it’s all about and simple tips for how everyone can painlessly “go green.”

“The Green” is television’s first regularly-scheduled programming destination dedicated entirely to the environment. Presented by Robert Redford, the destination is hosted by award-winning journalist Simran Sethi and community advocate and MacArthur Fellow Majora Carter, two dynamic leaders who have distinguished themselves with revolutionary ideas in such areas as civic planning and global business practices.

In two stories published on Monday the BBC shows that concern about the downsides of biofuels is growing.

The first brings new that the EU is rethinking it’s policy aim to get 10% of road fuels from plants. After reports warning of rising food prices, and rain forest destruction, because of crops grown for biofuels, the EU now promises new guidelines to ensure no damage is done while reaching its targets.

And - as if to confirm the EU’s decision - a new report from the British Royal Society warns that biofuels may create environmental damage unless produced with care. The report says efficient, environmentally friendly production should be encouraged, and warns of the dangers unbridled production could pose to ecosystems and biological diversity.

Sources:
BBC: EU rethinks biofuels guidelines
BBC: Biofuels ‘are not a magic bullet’

WWF Press Release

London, January 13: WWF and the government of Abu Dhabi today launched a Sustainability Strategy to deliver the world’s greenest city – Masdar City.

Masdar City will be the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city. Through the “One Planet Living™” programme, a global initiative launched by WWF and environmental consultancy BioRegional, WWF will work with Masdar to ensure the city meets standards of sustainability which include specific targets for the city’s ecological footprint.

Masdar City plans to exceed the criteria of the programme, making it a global benchmark for sustainable urban development, based around One Planet Living’s 10 unique principles of sustainability.

The electricity for the six square kilometre city will be generated by photovoltaic panels, while cooling will be provided via concentrated solar power. Water will be provided through a solar-powered desalination plant. Landscaping within the city and crops grown outside the city will be irrigated with grey water and treated waste water produced by the city’s water treatment plant. Ground breaks for the construction of the city in early 2008.

The city is part of the Masdar Initiative, Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted investment in the exploration, development and commercialisation of future energy sources and clean technology solutions. A model of the Masdar City will be unveiled on January 21, at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, Director of WWF International’s One Planet Living initiative, said, ”Today Abu Dhabi is embarking on a journey to become the global capital of the renewable energy revolution. Abu Dhabi is the first hydrocarbon-producing nation to have taken such a significant step towards sustainable living.

“Masdar is an example of the paradigm shift that is needed and the strategic vision of the Abu Dhabi government is a case study in global leadership. We hope that Masdar City will prove that sustainable living can be affordable and attractive in all aspects of human living – from businesses and manufacturing facilities to universities and private homes.”

Dr. Sultan al Jaber, CEO of the Masdar Initiative, said, “Masdar City will question conventional patterns of urban development, and set new benchmarks for sustainability and environmentally friendly design – the students, faculty and businesses located in Masdar City will not only be able to witness innovation first-hand, but they will also participate in its development.”

“We are pleased to be able to work with One Planet Living to make our vision a reality,” he said.

Pooran Desai OBE, co-founder of BioRegional and Technical Director of the One
Planet Living Communities programme, said Masdar would be the largest and one of the most advanced sustainable communities in the world.

“The vision of One Planet Living is a world where people everywhere can lead happy, healthy lives within their fair share of the Earth’s resources. Masdar gives us a breathtaking insight into this positive, alternative future.

“In realising the goal of a sustainable future, Masdar is committed to achieving the One Planet Living Program’s Ten Guiding Principles, covering issues that range from how waste is dealt with to the energy performance of the buildings.”

The One Planet Living programme is based on 10 unique principles of sustainability. Masdar City will meet and exceed each of these, as detailed below.

These targets are to be achieved by the time the Masdar City is completed and fully functioning in 2012.

As the concerns about the polycarbonate bottles mount we have been looking at what we as a company will do. Articles like the one below have fired concerns about what is really happening to our health as we consume liquids from all plastic bottles. I personally believe in what one of my professors in grad school taught - Prudent Avoidance. If there is some question about the safety of something like a plastic bottle…don’t use it. There are plenty of solutions in the stainless steel realm and you can also reuse a glass bottle.

“Worries about hormone-mimicking BPA used in sports bottles led a major Canadian retailer to remove Nalgene and other polycarbonate plastic containers from store shelves in early December. BPA—or bisphenol A—mimics the effects of estrogen in cells and some researchers and environmentalists revealed it can be toxic and cause several types of cancer (breast and prostate) as well as developmental, neural, behavioral, and reproductive harm (miscarriages and other reproductive failures), and obesity and hyperactivity in animals. Fred vom Saal, professor of biology at the University of Missouri and one of the study’s chief authors said the panel reviewed 700 published articles on BPA, practically all published in the last 10 years, yet US health and environmental regulators “are pretending they’re still in the dark.””

Read more>>>

Story Source: Dvice.com

Sure, having an electric car would be great because you’d be able to skip past all those stupid gas stations that you’re loathe to stop at whenever your tank is empty, but what if you could do more? That’s just what some researchers from the University Delaware are trying to create.

They’ve developed a prototype electric car that actually feeds energy back into the grid while not in use. At night, while parked, it can send energy back to the grid, which during the day it can use energy while driving. It has settings so it doesn’t go below, say, a 50% charge at night so you don’t get screwed with a dead battery.

Even with these features, it can reach 60 miles per hour in seven seconds with a top speed of 95 miles per hour. It’s got a range of 120 miles on the highway or 150 miles in the city. Not too shabby. We’ll see if this sort of thing catches on when electric cars become more of the norm.

By Jonathan Wheatley in São Paulo
Published: November 26 2007 22:20

Rabobank, the Dutch bank that is the world’s biggest provider of finance for agriculture, is preparing to launch a carbon credits scheme to encourage replanting of forests illegally cleared in the Xingu region of the Brazilian Amazon.

Read the Entire Article at FT.com

IUCN Press Release

Six out of the world’s eight species of bears are threatened with extinction, according to recent assessments by the IUCN Bear and Polar Bear Specialist Groups. Asia and South America are revealed as the areas most in need of urgent conservation action

Gland, Switzerland, 12 November, 2007 (IUCN) – The world’s smallest species of bear, the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), has been classed as Vulnerable, while the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) remains in the Endangered category on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The sun bear’s new status has been accepted for inclusion in the 2007 IUCN Red List. The sun bear lives in mainland Southeast Asia, Sumatra and Borneo and was previously listed as Data Deficient, meaning that not enough was known about the species to give it a status on the IUCN Red List.

Rob Steinmetz, co-chair of the IUCN Bear Specialist Group’s sun bear expert team, said: “Although we still have lot to learn about the biology and ecology of this species, we are quite certain that it is in trouble. We estimate that sun bears have declined by at least 30% over the past 30 years (three bear generations), and continue to decline at this rate. 

“Deforestation has reduced both the area and quality of their habitat. Where habitat is now protected, commercial poaching remains a significant threat. We are working with governments, protected area managers, conservation groups and local people to prevent extinctions of the many small, isolated sun bear populations that remain in many parts of Southeast Asia.”

The only bear presently considered Endangered is the giant panda. That status remains unchanged despite enormous efforts in China directed towards its conservation, including the establishment of nearly 60 panda reserves, a ban on logging, and widespread reforestation programmes.

Dave Garshelis, co-chair of the IUCN Bear Specialist Group, said: “Quite a bit is now known about the ecology of giant pandas and substantial work and expense has been aimed at trying to estimate total numbers of these animals. However, these estimates are imprecise and prone to significant error. 

“Even though some people have claimed that panda populations are on the rise, we still consider them Endangered because too much uncertainty exists to justify changing their status to Vulnerable. It would be unwise to assume that in less than 10 years under the new habitat improvement policies in China that panda populations could have dramatically increased.”

Although hunting bears is illegal throughout Southern Asia, bears suffer heavy losses from poachers, who risk the small chance of being caught against lucrative gains from selling parts.  Bile from the bear’s gall bladder is used in traditional Chinese medicine and their paws are consumed as a delicacy. Additionally, bears are often killed when they prey on livestock or raid agricultural crops. Bears simply roaming near a village may be killed because they are perceived as a threat to human safety.

Dave Garshelis said: “Although we do not have any reliable population estimates for the sun bear, or any of the other Asian bears for that matter, we fear that bears in Southeast Asia are declining at a particularly rapid rate due to extensive loss of forest habitat combined with rampant poaching.” 

The Bear Specialist Group concluded a meeting in Monterrey, Mexico, on November 10 and has updated the status of the seven species of terrestrial bears.

Vulnerable species include Asiatic black bears and sloth bears, both inhabitants of Asia, and Andean bears (formerly called spectacled bears) from the Andes Mountains of South America.

Sloth bears live on the Indian subcontinent, where habitat loss has been severe. They have found sanctuary mainly in reserves set up to protect tigers. The IUCN Bear Specialist Group indicated that this species might have disappeared entirely from Bangladesh during the past decade.

Brown bears, the most widespread ursid, are not listed as threatened globally because large numbers still inhabit Russia, Canada, Alaska and some parts of Europe. Nevertheless, very small, isolated, and highly vulnerable populations exist in southern Europe and central and southern Asia. Several brown bear populations are protected under national or provincial laws.  Grizzly bears – brown bears living in interior North America – are considered Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act outside of Alaska.

In 2006, the polar bear was listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Technically a marine mammal, the polar bear is distinct from the other seven terrestrial bears and has a different specialist group.

Among the eight species of bears, only the American black bear is secure throughout its range, which encompasses Canada, the United States and Mexico. At 900,000 strong, there are more than twice as many American black bears than all the other species of bears combined. They are legally hunted in most parts of their range.

Bruce McLellan, co-chair of the IUCN Bear Specialist Group, said: “An enormous amount of effort and funding for conservation and management continue to be directed at bears in North America where their status is relatively favorable. It is unfortunate that so little is directed at bears in Asia and South America where the need is extreme. We are trying to change this situation but success is slow.”

UK Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has announced tougher legislation to help tackle climate change. He made the announcement shortly after members of parliament had called for a special climate change minister to be appointed.

The bill aims to spread carbon trading further, will create an independent committee to look, among other things, at controlling greenhouse gases other than CO₂. While some have been critical of the new legislation, saying it still doesn’t do enough, the general reception appears to be cautiously optimistic.

Read more from the BBC

According to a study by the German-based Energy Watch Group (EWG) global oil production reached its peak in 2006. The report also predicts that oil production will now fall by 7% per year, meaning it will fall by half as soon as 2030. The report’s author has described the steep fall after the peak as particularly worrying.

The report contrasts sharply with other projections, most notably those of the International Energy Agency. This is because the EWG report is based on actual production data which, according to EWG, makes it more reliable than other reports based on industry estimates of remaining oil reserves.

The authors of the report warn that a steep decline in oil production could lead to massive global unrest. They predict that falling supplies of fossil fuels will trigger a structural change to the world’s economic system, which will influence almost all aspects of human life.

Read more from The Guardian

by Heather O’Neill, CNN

ILULISSAT, Greenland (CNN) — From the air, Greenland’s ice sheet, the second largest on Earth, appears to be perfectly still.

But below the surface, the ice sheet is in constant motion, as ice built up in the interior pushes toward the coast in the form of massive glaciers. During warmer months, ice from these glaciers melts into the ocean.

It’s an age-old process that scientists say has speeded up in recent decades because of global warming.

The fear is that melting ice from Greenland and other Arctic areas could cause sea levels to rise enough to flood low-lying cities, such as Shanghai, China, and New York City, displacing millions of people in the process.

article highlights:

* Greenland’s ice melt area increased 30% in 30 years, one scientist says
* The island is now losing more ice each year than it gains from new snow
* This melting ice is causing sea levels to rise around the world
* Scientists fear low-lying areas could be flooded if seas continue to rise

Read the entire article at CNN

PARIS, France (AP) — Stamping camembert with a “carbon footprint” rating. Charging Parisians for the empty Bordeaux bottles they discard. Banning high speeds through the pasture-lined highways of the Loire Valley.

France is trying to clean up its act, readying measures this week aimed at reversing its image as environmental laggard and making it a pioneer in the fight against global warming and other threats to the Earth’s well-being.

Yet environmental groups fear the measures, to be finalized at a conference Wednesday and Thursday, will be too watered down to make a difference in France’s carbon emissions and have little impact on worldwide efforts to reduce the pollution that is warming the planet.

Read more at CNN

A pilot project in Costa Rica has been converting sawdust and other residues from wood industries into wood pellets, which can be used as an energy source and replace fossil fuels.

The project actually eliminates greenhouse gas emissions in two ways. It reduces fossil fuel consumption, and it keeps the wood residues from decaying on their own. When the residues do decay on their own they release methane, a more agressive greenhouse gas than CO₂.

The project came about through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. CDM schemes give carbon credits to those who invest in them, whether they are public or private entities, and are part of the global trade in carbon credits.

Read more from the FAO here

The shrinking of the arctic icecap appears to be leading to a mass migration of walruses. Thousands of them have appeared on the northwest coast of Alaska. Normally the walruses are mainly found on the arctic ice in summer and autumn.

This year however the ice has retreated quickly and left the shallow seas over the continental shelf. Outside of this area the walruses’ nearly 200 (over 600 feet) diving range doesn’t suffice to allow them to feed sufficiently.

However it also remains to be seen whether the coastal waters they’ve now moved to will offer walruses sufficient nutrition. And their new coastal habitat brings with it new risks for young to be killed in stampedes.

Read more from the International Herald Tribune

WWF Press Release

Tripura, India – A new method to grow rice could save hundreds of billions of cubic metres of water while increasing food security, according to a study by WWF published today.

With a focus on India – a country which faces a major water crisis, yet has the world’s largest rice cultivated area – the study found that the system of rice intensification (SRI) method has helped increase yields by over 30% — four to five tonnes per hectare instead of three tonnes per hectare, while using 40% less water than conventional methods.

The system is based on eight principles which are different to conventional rice cultivation. They include developing nutrient-rich and un-flooded nurseries instead of flooded ones; ensuring wider spacing between rice seedlings; preferring composts or manure to synthetic fertilizers; and managing water carefully to avoid that the plants’ roots are not saturated.

The method was initially developed in the 1980s in Madagascar and has been demonstrated to be effective in 28 countries.

“Although the system of rice intensification has shown its advantages, the scale of its use leaves much to be desired,” said Dr Biksham Gujja, Senior Policy Adviser at WWF International.

“It is time to start large-scale programmes to support a method that could make a lasting global impact with far-reaching benefits to people and nature.”

The report suggests that major rice-producing countries — such as India, China and Indonesia — convert at least 25% of their current rice cultivation to the new system by 2025. This would not only massively reduce the use of water but also help ensure food security. In addition, this will reduce significant amount of methane emissions. SRI fields do not emit methane as is the case with the more conventional system of growing rice.

For example, if the SRI method was applied to 20 million hectares of land under rice cultivation in India, the country could meet its food grain objectives of 220 million tonnes of grain by 2012 instead of 2050.

Authorities in the Indian state of Tripura have already committed to move in that direction.

“Our farmers proved that the system of rice intensification improves productivity and we will convert at least 40% of our rice cultivation using this method over the next five years,” said Manik Sarkar, Chief Minister of Tripura State.

“We urge this as a model for rice cultivation elsewhere as it represents one hope for the water crisis affecting so many billions of people.”

Demand for a water-intensive crop such as rice is expected to increase by 38% by 2040, deepening the water crisis during the same time. However, less than 6% of rice is traded internationally and savings in water have potential for mitigating domestic water conflicts, especially in poor, rural areas where water is scarce.

Already 1.2 billion people have no access to adequate water for drinking and hygiene.

WWF is focusing on sustainable agriculture efforts for cotton, sugar and rice, some of the most consuming crops for which alternative techniques can result in a strong yield and water savings.

Submitted by: John Lambert (FG Staff Journalist)

Newswise.com reported that plastic pipes can affect the odor and taste on the water we drink. At the 234th meeting of the American Chemical Society, Andrea Dietrich, Ph.D. reported her findings that plastic pipes can affect the taste and smell to water. Dietrich reported that her panel stated the water had a “fruity plastic” taste. Dietrich noted, “Although water is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic chemicals, most people expect their drinking water to have little or no flavor.”

Dietrich used two methods to test for odors. She had a “Sensory Panel” smell the water that has been sitting in plastic pipes. The panelists described the water of having a “waxy plastic citrus” or “burning plastic” odors. Second, Dietrich had the water tested chemically for metals and other organic materials.

Dietrich did report to the ACS that various styles of plastic piping had different effects. “We found that cPVC has a low odor potential and it doesn’t seem to release many organic chemicals,” Dietrich said. “HPDE actually had the highest odor production, although it didn’t release very many organic materials. The PEX-b pipe had a moderate amount of odors and also a moderate amount of organic chemicals that were released into the air. PEX-a had fewer odors and organics release than the PEX-b pipe.”

When asked about any potential heath affect, Dietrich just answered that is still under investigation and she doesn’t have any answers at this point.

More of this story can be found from Newswise.com

Christal Films is proud to announce that “The Green Chain” has been selected to compete for the Vancouver International Film Festival’s new $25,000 “Climate for Change Award” — one of the largest cash awards at any film festival in North America.

The series includes dramatic features and documentaries and “The Green Chain” is the only Canadian film in competition and one of only two dramatic entries. “The Green Chain,” which deals with the people behind the issues in today’s forests, is written and directed by Mark Leiren-Young. The movie stars Tricia Helfer and Tahmoh Penikett (from TV’s Battlestar Galactica), Genie and Gemini award winner and recent Emmy nominee August Schellenberg (Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, The New World, Black Robe), Genie and Gemini award winner Brendan Fletcher (The Pacific, RV), Gemini Award winner Babz Chula, and Vancouver actors Jillian Fargey (Mount Pleasant) and Scott McNeil (Sleeping With Strangers). The new annual award is and is sponsored by Kyoto Planet, “a new eco-conscious company with three distinct but interrelated parts: a financial vehicle to support and facilitate investment in, and management of, business opportunities in the green sector, a foundation to award grants and manage the non-profit portion of the company’s business, and a consumer company grounded by a broad portal to serve as the preeminent marketplace for knowledge, ideas, discussion and goods and services in the environmental space.” VIFF Director Alan Franey says, “This is a major and very important development for our festival. Although it is true that we have featured many films on environmental issues over the years, the generous and enlightened support of Kyoto Planet encourages us to put environmentally themed films front and centre in our program.”

The production of The Green Chain was financed in participation with Telefilm Canada, TMN - The Movie Network and Movie Central and will be distributed by Christal Films across Canada in 2008.

For more on the Climate for Change Award visit KyotoPlanet.  Information on the film can be had at “The Green Chain” Official Website.

The European Union has banned bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean  by its memberstates for the rest of 2007. The year’s permitted catch quota for the threatened fish species has already been reached. The EU hopes to prevent overfishing and underreporting by moving to a complete ban right away.

In recent years overfishing and underreporting have been two of the main causes of bluefin tuna stocks dwindling in the Mediterranean. Because of this the species is now in danger of collapse.

Read more on this story from the BBC

IUCN Press Release

20 September 2007

As the rate of biodiversity loss accelerates worldwide, civil society organizations and governments are joining forces to fight the global extinction crisis.  On September 7 in Beijing, twenty Chinese and international organizations signed the Countdown 2010 declaration, committing themselves to additional efforts to reduce biodiversity loss by the year 2010.

According to the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, China has a “particularly large number” of species in danger of extinction.  China is also one of the world’s biologically richest countries.  At the Countdown 2010 Launch, organizations ranging from local Chinese NGOs to international organizations active in China to government-affiliated institutions joined together to declare their commitment to saving biodiversity in China.  With this decision, they honor the global 2010 biodiversity target, a commitment made by state representatives at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 to significantly reduce biodiversity loss by 2010.

Countdown 2010 is a network of active partners working together towards the 2010 biodiversity target.  Each partner commits to additional efforts to tackle the causes of biodiversity loss. The secretariat – hosted by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) – facilitates and encourages action, promotes the importance of the 2010 biodiversity target and assesses progress towards 2010.  Countdown 2010 now has hubs in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, and the establishment of a Countdown 2010 hub in China has been spearheaded by the IUCN China Program.
“We’re excited to be bringing Countdown 2010 to China, one of the world’s greatest storehouses of biodiversity,” said Wiebke Herding, of the Countdown 2010 secretariat.  “Countdown 2010 is starting with an impressive array of organizations here.  I’m sure that by 2010 we’ll see the positive impact of this network on China’s biodiversity.”

Prior to the Launch, a consultation was held with key partners to discuss how best to promote the 2010 biodiversity target in China. IUCN Chief Scientist Jeffrey A. McNeely led discussion on monitoring progress towards the 2010 biodiversity target, while others discussed communications challenges, civil society capacity needs, and the necessity of effective information exchange, offering concrete suggestions for potential actions to be taken by Countdown 2010 and partners.

At the Launch ceremony, McNeely underscored the global importance of China’s unique natural heritage, calling on the audience to consider a number of potential responses to the challenge of conserving this natural heritage on the road to 2010.  The Countdown 2010 in China website, a bilingual platform for sharing information on China’s biodiversity and partners’ conservation efforts, was also made public.