International: In Defense of Animal (IDA) Action Alerts. Please ACT 🙏

----- Forwarded message ----
From: In Defense of Animals (IDA) <idainfo@idausa.org>
Date: Fri, Jan 7, 2022, 2:02 PM
Subject: URGENT: Octopus Factory Farm Greenlighted in Spain
To: 

Don't let it happen.

URGENT: Block Abusive Octopus Farming Before It Is Too Late The announcement that the Spanish multinational corporation Nueva Pescanova plans to launch the world's first octopus farm has rightly been met with outrage among scientists, conservationists, and caring people the world over. The European Food Safety Authority and the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition must ban octopus farming before it is too late. ACT NOW   Memphis Zoo: Love Doesn't Live In Captivity Gina, Asali, Daisy, and Bambi are stunning African elephants who have known lives of tragedy. Bonding between elephants is an integral part of their nature, but they have all known the loss of makeshift family members and lifelong friends through transfer abuse as they've been uprooted and relocated many times. Gina, Asali, Daisy, and Bambi must be sent to an accredited elephant sanctuary where their bonds will never again be unnaturally broken. ACT NOW   U.S. Appeals Court Affirms Ban on Cockfighting in U.S. Territories In a victory for birds used in cockfights, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit just affirmed a ruling that Congress has the authority to ban animal fighting in U.S. territories, where this cruel bloodsport is still common. LEARN MORE   More Than 5,000 Cranes Die in Israel as Victims of Animal Agriculture As we continue to face the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, birds are suffering from a similar scenario amid the spread of avian flu as outbreaks continue to be reported around the world. This virus has caused the deaths of thousands upon thousands of birds, including more than 5,000 migratory cranes who have just died in Israel, and points to the urgent need to end animal agriculture before it gets worse. LEARN MORE   15 New Puppies at Our Sanctuary Highlight Need to Spay and Neuter We recently took in 15 puppies at our Hope Animal Sanctuary in Mississippi, and while they'll soon be on their way to forever homes, their story highlights the need to increase spay and neuter efforts. LEARN MORE   IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 🏈 LAST OF THE "Vicktory dogs" 🦌 NPS KILLS half of the animals in its care 🐶 DUMPED IN GUTTER... now safe! 🐮 HOW'S YOUR RESOLVE? ⛓️ SET THEM FREE! Become an Animal Advocate for just $20 a month! Make In Defense of Animals part of your estate plans. 3010 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael, CA 94901 | Tel: 415.448.0048 In Defense of Animals © 2021 All rights reserved.  Donate

Bellingham WA: Shoreline management

 

Dec 17, 2021 

Cornwall Avenue at sea level has been a messy road for a long time. People park vehicles in the stretch from the beach to West Laurel Street and live in them. I am in favor of authorized motor camps for homeless people (don't know if any exist), but I doubt this street is such a place. 

Some years back I spoke with a couple there who was apparently residing in their RV; they told me they've observed mean people commonly feed #gulls and then run over them on purpose. One time the couple had called the wildlife division of the city shelter about a gull who had been struck by a motorist and were pleased that the rescuers promptly drove from Everson to tend to it. Another unfortunate common occurence on this road is nuisance hot rodders without mufflers speeding and joy riding all hours of the day but primarily in the middle of the night or very early morning. Speed bumps would be a nice addition.

This is an important road for various business interests so you'd think the City of Bellingham and other dynamic entities would take better care of it.  I emailed City Council early summer asking them why not clean it up. I was elated to learn there would be a cleanup June 10, 2021. There was indeed some action June 10th, but the street remained occupied and polluted. December 6th, upon my repeat inquiry to the appropriate official, I was told there was another cleanup December 3rd (and future cleanup activity was implied). Great, I thought! I read a community comment on social media that there had been a stabbing there recently, implying that it probably caused a little police cleanup. One could go through the online police log to try to locate the stabbing incident.

On December 26th during the Arctic cold and snow, a Youtuber streamed a live video of road conditions in Bellingham that included a drive by of this part of Cornwall Avenue. I counted approximately 20 junk rigs. I believe the earlier police actions included having the people cease living in junk vehicles, therefore not an issue of people freezing to death, thank goodness. But if snow plowers wanted to manage that stretch they certainly couldn't do it easily or efficiently. The timeline for cleanups of this perpetually degraded, unsafe area is offensively slow vis-a-vis businesses and other community members.

The mayor of #Bellingham has said he wants the city to be a model of environmentalism, an example for other cities. This is less than synchronized with the city's management priorities and practises. Several government and lobbying groups tout #tourism and build things to support their touristy aims, so why do they condone litter and other contaminants, dangerous conditions, and eyesores?




  

#USA : GOOD NEWS from American Wild Horse Campaign

----- Forwarded message ----
From: Suzanne Roy, Executive Director <contact@americanwildhorsecampaign.org>
Date: Sat, Jan 1, 2022 at 8:26 AM
Subject: Wow!
To: 

Thank you, Liz

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Wow! Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we are SO excited to share that we reached our $125,000 Year-End fundraising goal and UNLOCKED the $100,000 gift from our matching donor!! From each and every one of us at the American Wild Horse Campaign — thank you so much for your part in helping us reach this goal! Please know that your support will make such an enormous difference for America's wild horses and burros in 2022 as we continue our fight to keep these cherished animals wild.  While we begin to tackle our 2022 agenda, we wanted to share with you the victories that AWHC supporters helped us to accomplish over the past year. Please read on for a recap of our 2021 accomplishments and a preview of what's to come this year! Exposed the Adoption Incentive Program  After a months-long investigation, our team uncovered a slaughter pipeline that had been created by the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program (AIP). In partnership with The New York Times, we exposed the disastrous program in a front-page report. Uncovering this pipeline was only the first of several milestones in this fight. Shortly after the New York Times exposé, we garnered an overwhelming amount of support from the public, and dozens of members of Congress took action on Capitol Hill to reform the failed program. At the same time, AWHC filed suit against the BLM to challenge the AIP. Recently, government attorneys informed us that the BLM will be revealing a "new" Adoption Incentive Program in early 2022. We will be watching closely to ensure that the program is meaningfully reformed by ending the cash incentives that are fueling fraud and abuse.  Made Strides on Capitol Hill Our government relations team worked tirelessly with members of the House and Senate to pass historic legislation during the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations process allocating $11 million in funding toward humane wild horse and burro management. This $11 million was reallocated away from the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) roundup funds toward implementing "a robust and humane fertility control strategy of reversible immunocontraceptive vaccines" for America's wild horses. This breakthrough language marks the first time that Congress is requiring the BLM to implement alternatives to the cruel roundup and removal of wild horses and burros from their homes on our public lands. It's a huge step toward responsible wild horse and burro management that will help keep these iconic animals in the wild, where they belong!  Helped Rescue Over 100 Wild Horses & Burros from Slaughter Thanks to the help of generous supporters like you, we were able to help fund the rescues of over 100 slaughter-bound wild horses and burros this year. In collaboration with our rescue partners, we were able to identify and rescue wild horses and burros from kill pens across the country — in imminent danger of being shipped to Mexico or Canada for brutal slaughter. The vast majority of these horses and burros were sent into the slaughter pipeline through the BLM's Adoption Incentive Program by adopters who pocketed the cash incentives then dumped "their" animals at kill pens.  Proved Humane Management Works  AWHC operates the world's largest humane fertility control program for wild horses on Nevada's Virginia Range — and this Spring we will celebrate the three-year anniversary of this groundbreaking program! On the range, we use Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) immunocontraception — a scientifically-proven fertility control vaccine given to female horses through an injection via remote darting with an air rifle. The vaccine creates an immune response that prevents fertilization without impacting the horses' hormonal systems, thus preserving their natural behaviors. This year our program reduced the foaling rate on the Virginia Range by 44%! This achievement has been critical in demonstrating to lawmakers and the BLM that fertility control is an effective tool for reducing population growth and a viable alternative to costly and cruel helicopter roundups for the management of America's wild herds.   Protected Nevada's Wild Horses Earlier this year, a resolution was introduced in the Nevada State Senate that called on Congress to fund brutal helicopter roundups of at least 40,000 of Nevada's wild horses and burros — that's nearly every wild horse and burro living in Nevada today!  We quickly mobilized political and environmental opposition to the resolution, SJR 3, and were successful in killing it in the Natural Resources Committee. The outcome was an important show of support by this key legislative committee for humane wild horse management and a significant defeat for the coalition of livestock operators, hunters, and commercial wildlife trappers behind the mass roundup resolution.  Amplified Our Voice Our movement to save America's wild horses and burros grew by leaps and bounds this year. Public outrage over the plight of these iconic animals grew, and so did the number of lawmakers on Capitol Hill demanding reform. So many of you joined the fight to preserve the freedom of our wild horses and burros on the public lands they call home, and for that, we are so grateful.  We have much progress to make in 2022, but we know we can always count on supporters like you to lobby your elected officials, support our critical legal work, and raise awareness across the country about the threats America's wild horses and burros continue to face. This fight is a marathon, not a sprint, and we know that we can count on you to stand with us all along the way. Together, we will make real progress for our cherished wild horses and burros in 2022.  So stay ready and stay tuned! We wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy New Year! With Gratitude, Suzanne Roy Executive Director American Wild Horse Campaign

DONATE     This message was sent to you because you've shown interest in protecting America's wild horses and burros... You can help wild horses in more ways than one! Check out all of the different things you can do to help further wild horse and burro protection.    American Wild Horse Campaign P.O. Box 1733 Davis, CA 95617 United States

Global: Not every ecosystem is the same

----- Forwarded message ----
From: Rob Moir <rob@globalwarmingproblemsolvers.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 30, 2021, 9:47 AM
Subject: Not every ecosystem is the same.
To: 

We often talk about reducing fossil fuel pollution as the number one way we can fight climate change. But focusing on only one solution won't solve the global problem we face. We must practice responsible stewardship for the entire planet as if it were one living ecosystem. Climate impacts are local, so the solutions must be local too. We have to target our efforts based on the region itself, and its ecosystems. Not every ecosystem is the same. After all, what's good for Greenland may not be best for Manhattan. The atmospheric rise of carbon dioxide, measured in parts per million, makes for a compelling hockey stick graph that matches the rise of the industrial revolution, and the tarmacking and desertification of the land. But carbon dioxide isn't the only greenhouse gas wreaking havoc on our planet. Water vapor is a much larger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, by one thousand times. While the focus has largely been on fossil fuel burning, we could better meet the global challenge against climate change if we match our focus on restoring the hydrologic water cycles in the Ocean. Make no mistake: The climate crisis worsens the more we destroy and separate from nature. As we head into the new year, let's recommit ourselves to restoring life to both land and sea, to the watersheds, and to the freshwater and saltwater continuum. Only then can we experience less extremes in the weather and improvements to the climate. The learning curve is steep given the complexity of each ecosystem. If we act locally to improve the global wellness of the planet, we can help stem the tide of climate change. Rob P.S. We are approaching our critical end-of-year fundraising deadline. Chip in $22 to support our work in 2022! Express Donate: If you've stored your info with ActBlue Express, we'll process your contribution instantly: $5 $15 $25 $50       Paid for and authorized by Global Warming Solutions IE PAC   This email was sent by Global Warming Solutions Email is an important way for Global Warming Solutions to keep supporters like you informed about critical issues and to build a winning grassroots campaign....Questions or concerns? Contact us here. Global Warming Solutions P.O. Box 380349 Cambridge, MA 02238 United States

#Europe & beyond: Fatal Blow to #Bees 🐝 ?

----- Forwarded message ----
From: Yasmin Aslam, SumOfUs <us@sumofus.org>
Date: Tue, Dec 21, 2021, 2:46 AM
Subject: Fatal blow to bees?
To: 

The EU just reapproved this bee-killer for another 7 years! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

Billions of bees are dying -- and the EU just reapproved a bee-killing pesticide for another 7 years...even though it pledged to phase it out! Over 20% of bee species threatened with extinction are native to Europe -- and it's frightening to imagine the devastation another 7 years of this pesticide would cause. But thanks to a new law, people like you and me and NGOs can now challenge pesticide approvals in the EU's supreme court. If we win, we could force the EU to ban this pesticide for good. Our partners at PAN Europe are ready to go to court -- but they need money to fund the case. If we all chip in just a small amount, we can power their case and keep campaigning to save the bees, before it's too late. Can you chip in to save the bees? If you've saved your payment information with SumOfUs, your donation will go through immediately. Donate $4 nowDonate another amount Endocrine disrupting pesticides like the newly reapproved #Cypermethrin are no joke. They're not only toxic to bees, but they can disrupt human hormones too, creating significant health risks. And by getting into the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe, they can also impact unborn fetuses! The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) couldn't have been clearer about the danger of Cypermethrin. They went so far as to say that NO mitigation measures could make it safe to bees. But instead of taking that advice, EU Member States listened to the mighty pesticide lobby and voted to reapprove this poison. Our case is simple. The EFSA made a clear recommendation that the EU Commission wanted to follow, but Member States -- and the pesticide lobby! -- forced the hand of the Commission to do something illegal. And now thanks to a new law, we can file a suit with the EU's highest courts and do something about it. PAN Europe knows how to win cases like this, and have time and time again. But they need cash to file the lawsuit and cover legal fees for the long battle ahead. Can we count on you to chip in to help save the bees? If you've saved your payment information with SumOfUs, your donation will go through immediately. Donate $4 nowDonate another amount[ Together we've gone toe-to-toe against pesticide giants in court before -- and won. Let's do it again. Thanks for all that you do, Yasmin, Allison and the team at SumOfUs More information: Disregarding the European Green Deal, Two Endocrine Disrupting Pesticides Reapproved: Will the Court of Justice Fix This? PAN. 10 November 2021.   European Red List. EU Commission.   Bees may take generations to recover from one exposure to insecticides. The Guardian. 22 November 2021.   Toxic impact of pesticides on bees has doubled, study shows. The Guardian. 01 April 2021.

SumOfUs is a worldwide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy.