News

Thursday, July 7, 2011

WWF and Kimberly-Clark Commit to Responsible Forestry

Kimberly-Clark and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced the expansion of Kimberly-Clark's membership in the Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN), a WWF initiative to eliminate illegal logging and conserve the world's most valuable and threatened forests. Kimberly-Clark will now include its worldwide operations in the initiative, building on its existing GFTN membership in select countries. The participation scope now includes all wood fibers sourced for all of the company's products sold globally in the Personal Care, Consumer Tissue and Kimberly-Clark Professional businesses.. The announcement was made at the GFTN's 20th Anniversary Reception at the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) General Assembly meeting in Sabah, Malaysia. "Given its breadth of product offerings and market influence, we commend Kimberly-Clark's leadership in pushing the pulp and paper industry toward more responsible sourcing practices," said Kerry Cesareo, WWF's Managing Director of Forests. "Our collaboration will improve forest management, reduce impacts from production, and help protect the forests and habitats at the core of our mission. And Kimberly-Clark can offer consumers responsible alternatives for tissue and personal care products. This shows the true power of collaboration." "At Kimberly-Clark, we believe what is good for business must also be good for the planet," said Suhas Apte, Vice President, Global Sustainability, for Kimberly-Clark. "As the largest tissue manufacturer in the world, we are committed to responsible fiber sourcing. Expanding our work globally with WWF and the GFTN is an important way K-C can be part of the solution to the sustainability challenges our world faces." As part of its participation in GFTN, WWF and Kimberly-Clark will collaborate to realize Kimberly-Clark's commitment to have 100 percent of its virgin wood fiber sourced from certified suppliers by 2015. This commitment includes a preference for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, which best meets WWF key requirements for protecting environmental, social and economic values essential to maintaining priority forests. Through its Market Transformation Initiative, WWF collaborates with top brands like Kimberly-Clark to spur adoption of sustainable practices in key commodity markets. Participants in GFTN make commitments to avoid illegal wood sources, phase out purchases of wood from unknown and controversial sources, and to increase their purchase of wood that originates from well managed forests and independently certified sources. By the end of 2011, Kimberly-Clark has committed to achieving a combined FSC/recycled content target of 50 percent for all its products that are covered within their GFTN participation. Together WWF and Kimberly-Clark will train and educate staff and suppliers on responsible fiber sourcing, encourage certification of small, non-industrial private landowners, pursue FSC Chain-of-Custody certification for all Kimberly-Clark facilities, and promote FSC-labeled products in key markets. "Deforestation and forest degradation contribute up to 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the leading contributor to climate change, and decimate critical habitat for several species, notably primates, tigers and elephants," said Cesareo. "WWF's Living Planet Report estimates that more than one billion people living in poverty rely directly on forests for their livelihoods, while about 32 million acres have been lost globally each year between 2000 and 2010, an area that is equal in size to the state of Mississippi. To address these issues, we need companies to follow Kimberly-Clark's lead."

Melvin Wylie

Sunday, July 3, 2011

11th Episode of GreenNews4U Podcast & Video-cast

Welcome to the 11th Episode of Green News 4U Weekly Roundup. It's now up and ready for your listening or downloading pleasure. In this episode I go over the Sustainability in Colleges, World MRSA Day, Maryland's Environmental Literacy, Republicans call for action and much, much more! I now have two ways you can enjoy "GreenNews4U's Weekly Round-up". You can listen or view the podcast. Both can be download.

11th episode by greennews4u


Melvin Wylie

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Guy Harvey, Giving Sharks a Fighting Change in Shark Tournaments

With shark populations around the world continuing to spiral downward, the result of devastating commercial fishing techniques and an exotic taste for 'shark-fin soup', marine scientists such as Dr. Guy Harvey, are working around the clock to give these magnificent animals a fighting chance for survival. In his latest mission, Dr. Harvey—better known throughout the world as a celebrated and award-winning marine wildlife artist—has brought his cause into the epicenter of one of the nation's oldest and largest shark fishing tournaments in Ocean City, Maryland on June 15-19. Thanks in part to Dr. Harvey's efforts and a willingness to continue to adapt by the tournament founders and organizers, The Ocean City Shark Tournament's cash and prize package payment in the catch and release division has increased to over $15,000. Last month, the Second Annual Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, a catch and release only tournament, was held on the West Coast of Florida in Punta Gorda. The tournament—created as a model for catch and release only shark tournament formats—drew some 3,000 competitors and spectators and paid out over $15,000 in cash and prizes. The Ocean City Shark Tournament will continue to feature two divisions that allow anglers to bring sharks to the scales. However, knowing that competitors tend to pursue whatever division has the biggest payout, tournament directors are looking to make the release division cash and prizes so attractive that, by their own choosing, fishermen will voluntarily opt to release more sharks. In 30 years, the Ocean City Shark Tournament has evolved from a small "club" event to one of the largest shark tournaments along the East Coast. In the early years, only trophies and new rods and reels were given out to winners. Last year, more than $142,000 was awarded to the top anglers in the tournament. Dr. Harvey, founder of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University and the internationally regarded Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF), in recent years has joined the growing ranks of individuals and organizations calling for strict regulations to ban the commercial fishing of all sharks in The Bahamas. Scientists with the International Union for Conservation of Nature have estimated that 30 percent of shark and ray species around the world are threatened or near threatened with extinction. The loss of these animals could cause irreversible damage to the ocean's ecosystem and result in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in the tourist trade. Dr. Harvey's message regarding shark protection initiatives is heard loud and clear in the recently released documentary "This is Your Ocean: Sharks", co-staring fellow artist Wyland and photographer Jim Abernathy. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPdZVnkoMCM[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn6kCzgurCA[/youtube]

Melvin Wylie

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Huatulco in Southern Mexico EarthCheck's Gold Certification

HUATULCO, Mexico, June 3 - The coastal paradise, Huatulco in southern Mexico, became the first destination in the Americas to receive EarthCheck's Gold certification today, in yet another display of Mexico's sustainable tourism credentials. Huatulco received the prestigious certification for meeting the rigorous sustainable tourism requirements of EarthCheck across a range of aspects such as environmental legislation, energy usage, water conservation, wastewater management, biodiversity, and waste reduction. Speaking at the EarthCheck Sustainable Tourism Forum, also held this year in Huatulco, Adriana Perez Quesnel, director of the Fondo Nacional del Fomento al Turismo (FONATUR), said, "We are immensely proud to receive this certification and even more so to be the first destination in the Americas to do so. This achievement is a clear demonstration of how government, the private sector and local communities can work together to deliver significant benefits to the world in which we live." "FONATUR has driven sustainable practice in the Mexican tourism industry and has forged a vision of respect for nature conservation in Integrally Planned Resorts, to promote tourism, help strengthen the local economy and promote local traditions and culture." Huatulco has gained EarthCheck certification for the previous five consecutive years. As a result of the certification, Huatulco will be one of 13 global destinations featured on a new program on the Discovery Channel in 2012. The documentary will be broadcast to over 200 million people over the next two years. "In Mexico alone, EarthCheck member organizations have saved a combined total of 26,349,880 kg of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) since data started being collected in 2003," explained EarthCheck Ambassador, Gustavo Ramos Fumagalli. "They have also reduced water consumption by 2,196, 674,635L of water, dramatically reducing pressure on natural resources in a country that is familiar with the unforgiving effects of drought." To meet Earth Check's strict requirements, Huatulco constructed new water management infrastructure including:
  • 17 km of storm protection channels,
  • 23 re-lift stations for sewage treatment and management and
  • Harvesting structures which collect storm water runoff.
In May 2011, Mexico was also recognized by the Rainforest Alliance in New York for its achievements in sustainable tourism in the Mayakoba region and the forestry practices of the Mexican government.

Melvin Wylie

Friday, June 3, 2011

Canadian Geese Feces Can Equal 94% E. Coli in the Summer

ARVADA, Colo., June 2, 2011 - United States Wildlife Service demonstrated the presence of human pathogenic E. Coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter bacteria in geese feces. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/researchreports/report06.pdf According to the Center for Disease Control, Campylobacter, E. Coli, Cryptosporidium and Salmonella are just a few of the many health issues. http://www.cdc.gov/search.do?q=geese+feces&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&ud=1&site=default_collection Majestic and full grown the Canadian Geese eat 2.5 lbs of grass a day, leaving frequent deposits at the rate of 2 lbs a day. Ed Tomlinson of Arvada, Colorado says, "The Canadian geese population is doubling every 5 years or so and is a public health hazard. It's a controversial subject but in overpopulated golf courses, airports, parks, businesses, HOAs, and playgrounds the Department of Wildlife must allow more permits to fill local food banks nationwide." Best results? Lasers at night that disturb their sleep. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/9/pdf/goose%20conflicts/gooseconflict-11.pdf Water ropes work for months, and then the ropes deteriorate.
  1. Many localities are oiling the eggs with vegetable oil. That keeps the egg from gaining oxygen through the shell.
  2. There are food type chemicals that can be spread around on grassy areas and this inhibits reproduction.
  3. Native American Indians in Washington D.C. are harvesting them yearly, having them tested, dressing them and giving them to local food banks. They can only be rounded up during their molting season during the summer when they can't fly. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/about_aphis/programs_offices/anawg/downloads/ANAWG_newsletter_September_2009.pdf
  4. There are lots of devices available. Some of these are hazing, using dogs, falcons, cardboard alligators, electronic-predator calls/eyes at night/geese warnings, fake predator signs, all kinds of noise makers, and different varieties of grass. Testing results are mixed or are short-lived as the geese get used to it.
  5. Trapping is generally illegal. Killing is prohibited unless you get a United States Department of Wildlife permit.
  Background State and federal laws generally protect Canadian Geese. They were an endangered species in the 50's and reintroduced to the United States. The geese used to pass through the United States each year, but many are now staying year-round.

Melvin Wylie