Author Archives: Michael White

About Michael White

Marine Zoologist specialising in endangered species and remote atoll research. I use modern science and Ethnozoology to provide culturally meaningful conservation projects, with a special focus on the sustainable use of natural resources and food sovereignty. "Tread gently on the Earth"

Gallery of Earth

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A nice collection of images. A couple lack clear data on historical context (Lake Chad was known to vary in size: from 4000 square-miles, to 8000 ; and even to 20,000 square-miles) but you get the picture. The glacier is interesting (my old Prof had visted Franz Josef glacier after 20 years and he was shocked at how much had gone). Many of us will be familiar with the Colorado River situation that it now longer reaches the sea.

Independent gallery

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Cash free

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I agree strongly with this. I live in a mainly subsistence-based society, where money is peripheral rather than central to our way of life (basically paying power & phone bills; and ordering a small amount of foreign cargo). You quickly understand that nature takes time to grow and reproduce, and we must look after our world if we desire to survive. Plant something every day, and clear away the weeds or parasites that are impacting what is already growing. Use everything sustainably. Waste nothing. Give more than you take.

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Poisoning Hawai’i

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This one seems pretty dire, and all the usual suspects involved. 🙁 I noticed too that this is one more aspect of colonial behaviour. Hawai’i and Puerto Rico are supposedly states of US, but neither has the rights allowed to full states. Puerto Rico is crashing right now. Hawai’i is talking yet again of independence.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/23/hawaii-birth-defects-pesticides-gmo

 

 

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David Cameron: the bee killer!

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In the latest disaster from Westminster, Cameron’s government declares that previously banned pesticides can now be used in Britain; this U-turn was sneaked out just before the House of Commons began its very long summer holiday.

The article by Tony Juniper ~ a well respected environmental advocate and activist ~ also considers several other Tory policies churned out in the first 70 days of government. The one I found abyssmal was removing the subsidies from renewable energy enterprises, while giving very large tax breaks to the fossil fuel industry.

When you read the article please also click on ‘Tony Juniper’ at the top and you will find a remarkable set of stories: my favourite was about Environment versus Greed. Thinking about what Tony has written gave me an idea: we’ve had Millennium Development Goals and now Sustainable Development Goals … but what we most need are a global set of SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT GOALS.

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Wildlife Justice Commission

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Came across this today, seems like a good step and reflects well on our perceived need for an International Environmental Criminal Court (IECC). Its intent to go after the higher levels of organised crime are indeed risky, and will open the operatives up to attack. Note that the WJC will have no powers ~ either to compel or to prosecute ~ and hopes to use ‘public outrage’ to shame governments into acting! The article’s final three paragraphs explain much … and are the same issues as for the IECC. The need to have such court is right now ~ otherwise biodiversity loss will just continue unabated ~ but the process of establishing one will be furiously resisted on many levels.

Finally, I wonder if there is a link between Mozambique and Macau ~ both former Portuguese colonies ~ with the former providing the export gateway, and Macau as the import route to Asia? Should be one for us to watch 🙂

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