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1. World Leaders, Protect Half our Planet - Please sign this petition

   Posted on 9:00am Thursday 4th Apr 2019

   There’s a new Petition on Avaaz which is called World Leaders, Protect Half our Planet. The petition is calling for world leaders to forge a new agreement such that at least 50% of our lands and oceans must be protected and restored.   A global study has just found that every insect on the planet is on track to be wiped out – causing life on Earth to collapse – and that includes humans.   The petition says: To world leaders: "We global citizens are deeply concerned by scientists warning that ecosystems critical to sustaining life on Earth could collapse in our lifetimes. We call on you to meet existing targets to protect biodiversity, forge a new agreement so that at least 50% of our lands and oceans are protected and restored, and ensure our planet is completely sustainably managed. This must take into consideration the needs of human development and have the active support of indigenous peoples. This long-term goal for nature can restore harmony with our home." Nature has never needed such a strong voice and scientists are offering a way to defend nature and people too – put half the planet under protection.  At the moment, France, Germany, Canada and other countries are about to hold talks to look at the idea before a global summit on extinction.  This is all happening at the time Sir David Attenborough’s programme Our Planet streams on Netflix, hoping for an audience in 190 countries.  It could be over ONE BILLION people watch it – that’s one in seven (give or take a few) on the planet.  The petition calls on these leaders to back protection for half the earth.  Sign here

2. Will Wilmar put its plan into action and save rainforest?

   Posted on 9:00pm Thursday 20th Dec 2018

   There’s news from Wilmar International.   They are important, because the Singapore based company supplies 40% of the world’s palm oil. They say (which is different to actually doing) that they will commit to map its suppliers’ entire landbank by the end of 2019. Wilmar is going to use satellite monitoring to check for deforestation.   If they catch companies cutting virgin forest for plantations, those companies will immediately be suspended from doing business with Wilmar. Greenpeace say they will be watching this development carefully and its activists have been busy in the last few months.  If Wilmar does what it says, it means that by 2019 it will be almost impossible for its suppliers to get away with forest destruction. The problem with palm oil is that it’s cheap – so used in a major way in cosmetics, toiletries and food products. Huge areas of rainforest have been destroyed to allow for palm oil plantations. Wildlife species have been badly hit, most notably the orangutan.  Wilmar’s decision comes about because people are showing a backlash against companies that use unsustainable and unverified palm oil.  We must all watch this development and see what Wilmar International actually does.   As I said at the start, making these plans is different to actually carrying them out and DOING them.  But it’s a start and could be a useful benchmark with which to see what progress they make by the end of 2019. Make a Difference NOW to Rainforest Conservation An Indonesian oil palm plantation is up for sale and the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) has a golden opportunity to buy this land and restore the lush forest that once stood there.  They need to raise £870,000 by February 2019 to do this and help save the habitat for orangutans.  As I write, over £512,000 has been donated already.   Find out more and donate here. Lots of people are giving £5 or £10 or whatever they can to this appeal.   What matters is that lots of us take action and give something to make a difference and get this land to protect it for wildlife.  I donated for my aunt’s birthday present as she adores orangutans.  Every £1 or $1 helps.   Donate here

    

3. Help rainforest conservation and sign this petition

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 8th Nov 2018

   There’s a very great danger to rainforests and consequently to all our wellbeing.  We all need rainforests in good conditions in order for every one of us to survive and thrive and be well.   Rainforest Rescue report that business groups and politicians want to meet to discuss worldwide demand for energy and raw materials.  These groups want to boost economic growth with a new “bioeconomy”.    The idea is that vast amounts of land will produce wood and other agricultural goods.   Rainforest Rescue says:   Burning our forests in power plants and setting up huge industrial plantations to grow biomass for supposedly renewable energy and bioplastics is anything but clean or green.     These plants threaten natural ecosystems, the global climate, human health and human rights.  One example is the Brazilian “Biofuture Platform”. This is a Brazilian initiative supported by 20 countries. Rainforest Rescue is asking us to speak out against these plans by signing their petition.   80 environmental organisations worldwide are against then plans.  Personally, I think far too many business leaders and politicians around the world have lost touch with nature to such an extent that they think it’s now a “nice to have” thing, or something which isn’t relevant to them and doesn’t apply to them.  Their arrogance is breathtaking.    Look after the earth and the earth will look after us.     I don't think we are looking after the earth and she is rapidly coming to a point where will she cannot look after us because she isn’t in good health herself.  And that’s our fault.     Please sign Rainforest Rescue's petition.

4. Apathy kills, action inspires

   Posted on 8:00am Wednesday 31st Oct 2018

   It’s very motivating to browse the internet and come across something which really strikes into your heart. The sort of thing I’m thinking of spurs you to take action – not just to want to take action, but to actually do it. How often do we come away having read something, thinking," That’s terrible," and then go on as if we had read nothing or not been affected at all? The key to successful wildlife conservation is to moving people literally to take action, to do something, in whatever way we all can, to do something to save this wildlife on this planet and most particularly, to save and protect their habitats.  Number of actions for wildlife... ___________________________________________________________ 0              1             2              3              4              5              6              7                                          1 action                 is better than                 no action at all The good thing about taking one action is that we tend to feel good about doing it.  And often we may think, "That was easy!  What else can I do?"  Sometimes it’s just the getting started and doing something however little time it takes. The one thing wildlife cannot afford at all is for us all to sit at the zero action position.  We need a total army of people who will move from the zero point to doing stuff.  And if each of us already do stuff, we need to do more. E.O.Wilson is a scientist.  In his book Half-Earth: Our Planet's Fight for Life , (which inspires us to set aside half of the earth’s surface for nature), Mr Wilson writes: “To those who are steering the growth of reserves worldwide, let me make an earnest request:  don’t stop, just aim a lot higher.” We all need to act for the sake of wildlife and this beautiful planet of ours. Please take an action to help wildlife today.  One way is to support those already working to grow and protect reserves around the world or protecting the wildlife already there.

    

5. Will you Pledge a Patch for wildlife?

   Posted on 9:00am Thursday 16th Aug 2018

   Worcestershire Wildlife Trust have come up with a great initiative, asking people to Pledge a Patch for wildlife.   Although they are asking people in Worcestershire to do this, I thought, what a brilliant idea - and so I wanted to let everyone know about it in the hope more people would follow suit wherever they are and pledge a patch for wildlife! There are 46 Wildlife Trusts around the UK - you can find your local here. The Worcestershire Wildlife Trust is celebrating its 50th birthday and it now has 75+ nature reserves across Worcestershire.  They describe them as "stepping stones in the landscape" - I love that description.  And they are asking people to join the dogs so that wildlife can move through safely.  Wildlife all over the world need wildlife corridors to help them move from one place to another and these are vital to help them reach everything they need to survive and thrive.  Ideas of how you can pledge a patch are... (and no, you don't need a garden)... Fill a window box with nectar and pollen rich plants Attach a bug box to the wall of your house Leave a 1m by 1m square of grass longer so that daisies can grow for the bees Put up a nest box for birds Plant a pollinator patch in an area of land - businesses could easily do that Bring your neighbours together and ensure that hedgehogs can get from one garden to another easily Join up with locals to turn an unused patch of land into an areas for butterflies Create a small pond for frogs and toads Offer to manage a local verge and fill it with wild flowers - just sow wildflowers around it and don't mow it so often So there's plenty everyone can do wherever you are.  80 peole have already signed up to the Pledge a Patch initiative and you can find out more from their website here.