Posted on February 3, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Target: Cayman Islands Department of Environment Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie
Goal: Ensure man whose megayacht chain allegedly damaged most of a coral reef is properly punished for his negligence.
Billionaire Paul Allen is reportedly responsible for the destruction of a coral reef due to the fact that he anchored his ridiculously massive yacht in the middle of it.
The huge chain wrecked havoc upon the Cayman Islands reef, damaging around 80 percent of it. Almost 14,000 square feet of it was entirely destroyed, leaving untold numbers of marine organisms without food and shelter.
Paul Allen is the co-founder of Microsoft, and as such he is incredibly wealthy. His yacht is the 49th largest in the world according to Boat International. Something this massive was bound to disrupt the ocean, but this destruction of such an important aspect of the marine ecosystem is completely unacceptable.
Allen is blaming the local port authority for the destruction of this reef, but his completely unnecessary yacht never should have been near the coral reef in the first place. Due to the fact that he has so much money, it’s possible that the authorities may be reluctant to try and prosecute him for this destruction. We cannot allow that to happen as it will send the message that billionaires can get away with anything.
Coral reefs cannot be repaired once destroyed. However, justice can be done and things like this can be prevented. Sign our petition to demand that Paul Allen be punished for damaging this coral reef.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director Ebanks-Petrie,
Recently, 80 percent of the West Bay coral reef was reportedly damaged by the anchor chain of Paul Allen’s massive megayacht. This is an incredible amount of destruction, as I’m sure you know, and will have a devastating effect on the marine ecosystem in the area. All of this is because of the greed of a rich man who apparently thinks that he can get away with anything.
This coral reef lies in a protected area and its destruction warrants much more than a simple fine that wouldn’t put a dent in his huge fortune. This is also not the first time that billionaire yachts have come along to damage these fragile habitats.
We can’t let this man get away with effectively destroying this coral reef and leaving untold numbers of marine animals without their home. Please do not let him off easy, as nothing can bring back a coral reef like this which took hundreds of years to develop. Ensure that your government presses charges against Paul Allen and makes him pay for his greedy negligence.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere ! | Leave a comment »
Posted on February 3, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
A Probable Carcinogen Is Now the Most Heavily Used Weed Killer in History
But don’t expect a new analysis of glyphosate use to derail Monsanto’s plans for its next-generation herbicides.
Jason Best is a regular contributor to TakePart who has worked for Gourmet and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Bio
One of the promises made at the beginning of Monsanto’s biotech revolution some 20 years ago was that planting crops genetically engineered to withstand weed killer applications would dramatically reduce the amount of chemicals farmers used. So why are we virtually drowning in herbicide today?
An analysis published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe finds that, rather than herald a bright future where farmers had to rely less on chemical herbicides, broad adoption of Monsanto GMO crops designed to withstand the herbicide glyphosate appears to have instead led to a chemical deluge. Today, glyphosate, which Monsanto markets under the brand name Roundup, stands as “the most widely and heavily applied weed-killer in the history of chemical agriculture in both the U.S. and globally,” according to a statement released by the Environmental Working Group in response to the findings.
Indeed, the analysis finds that use of glyphosate has skyrocketed 15-fold since Monsanto introduced its line of Roundup Ready crops in 1996. Although the chemical herbicide has been around since the mid-1970s, some 75 percent of all glyphosate applied to crops during the history of its use has been sprayed in the last 10 years. That equates to 2.4 billion pounds sprayed in just the U.S. from 2004 to 2014, the equivalent of 436 million gallons of Monsanto’s Roundup PowerMax formula.
Put in another, more Web-savvy way, the Environmental Working Group translates that mind-boggling amount as enough to fill some 3 million kiddie pools a foot deep—which, put end to end, would span the country.
It wasn’t supposed to turn out this way—at least not according to the vision Monsanto sold farmers a generation ago. The problem with glyphosate was that it had a nasty tendency to kill crops along with weeds, but Monsanto said it had neatly solved that problem with its line of patented GMO crops. Because those Roundup Ready crops were engineered to thrive even when doused with glyphosate, farmers could use the potent herbicide to kill pesky weeds, in less amounts than they might with other types of herbicides.
That’s what happened—at first. But within a decade, something “unexpected” occurred—or rather, it was unexpected only if you believe it never dawned on the experts in life sciences at Monsanto that it might happen. Farmers began reporting that certain weeds appeared to have developed a resistance to glyphosate. Instead of using less herbicide, now some farmers were being forced to use much more to combat a growing epidemic of “monster weeds.”
Why does all this matter today, even beyond the staggering amount of glyphosate that’s being applied to American cropland and the broken promises of the agrochemical industry that the deluge represents?
For starters, last year the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an arm of the World Health Organization, made big news when it classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen, raising significant concerns about the safety for the farmworkers around the world who are charged with applying massive amounts of the herbicide to fields, as well as the health of agricultural communities where use is heaviest.
Second, rather than take a long, hard look at what’s happened in the 20 years since Monsanto sold farmers on the company’s trademarked crop “system,” the big agrochemical giants are instead rolling out a new generation of GMO crops coupled with newly formulated chemical combos.
Despite the withdrawal of the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency late last year, Dow remains committed to getting its Enlist Duo system to market, while Monsanto is developing Xtend, or what might be dubbed “Roundup Ready 2.0.” In an effort to combat the scourge of super weeds, both companies have developed powerful herbicides that pair more chemicals with—you guessed it—more glyphosate.
Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »
Posted on February 3, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Petition Link:
Target: Yahoo Inc. CEO Marissa Mayer
Goal: Stop allowing ivory sales on Yahoo Japan that threaten the endangered elephant and rhino populations.
Internet company Yahoo is still a participant in the ivory trade that’s devastating populations of endangered animals, including elephants. While Google and Amazon have committed themselves against allowing any sale of ivory through their websites, Yahoo Japan is making millions from it. These sales increased from two million to seven million in the span of just four years.
The ivory market continues to thrive as the material becomes more rare and precious due to the shrinking populations of the animals that grow in on themselves. The western black rhino has been driven to extinction, and the white rhino only has three remaining individuals left, all in captivity. Due to poaching for ivory and habitat shrinkage, elephants could be extinct in just one or two decades.
The more Yahoo Japan fuels the ivory trade, the more they put the last remaining rhinos and elephants in danger. Multiple companies and governments have already been pressured to end their roles in this brutal and devastating market, and we can do the same with Yahoo. Sign our petition to the CEO of Yahoo to demand that she prohibits all sale of ivory through her website.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Ms. Mayer,
Your company, Yahoo, is currently participating in a brutal market that’s responsible for the endangerment and extinction of multiple animal species, including the western black rhino and the African elephant. Yahoo Japan recently saw $7 million in ivory sales, up from $2 million just four years prior. This cannot be allowed to continue.
Poaching for ivory has caused the loss of so many magnificent animals, and participation in the trade of this material is what drives poachers to continue slaughtering them in incredible numbers. Experts estimate that African elephants could be extinct in as little as 10 years, largely due to this practice. The only way to stop poaching entirely is to eliminate the market for ivory. There is no other reason to poach elephants.
Companies like Google and Amazon have already committed themselves against the ivory trade. Consumers across the world are becoming more aware of the realities and consequences of this market and will not stand for your participation in the slaughter of rhinos and elephants. If you want to protect your already faltering profits, you must immediately prohibit all sale of ivory through Yahoo Japan and any affiliated sites.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere ! | Leave a comment »
Posted on February 1, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
The Dog Who Grew A New Face!
Video link –
Another very moving video which shows the superb work of all the team at Animal Aid Unlimited in India, rescuing a dog on the brink of a terrible death. See his recovery in the video above !
Have a look at our recent post showing what the team do and view some of their other (before and after) amazing videos.
Hats off to all the team saving lives.
Past SAV post link –
If you wish to give a donation, then you can give here by clicking on this link – Thank You.
Animal Aid Unlimited, India.
Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SHELTER - Information, VIDEOS | Leave a comment »
Posted on January 31, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Posted on January 31, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Check out loads more regarding the excellent work of SPANA (London) bringing help and support to working animals of the world at the following website – includes video:
At SAV we have worked with, and supported SPANA for many years – we are proud to be a SPANA ‘Stablemate’.
Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on January 30, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Japanese activist start their own protests about the Taiji dolphin slaughter.
Tokyo says no to dolphin hunts:
On January 29, several Japanese activists assembled outside the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Tokyo to protest the killing and capture of dolphins. The demonstration was intentionally timed to coincide with staff getting off work for the day. (See photo above – SAV)
Despite plummeting temperatures, for about 90 minutes, people called for an end to the dolphin hunts. Some held up signs, calling for the release of Ric O’Barry.
Dolphins urgently need protection from further devastation caused by the dolphin drive hunting in Taiji Japan, dolphin slaughter and captive trade. President, CEO and Councillors of Broome Shire, your country is a member of the United Nations; The UN condemns Taiji Japan’s dolphin hunts. Australia also supports local and international efforts to protect dolphins and whales. It is unacceptable to continue as sister city to Taiji. Suspend the relationship and help save dolphins from future hunting seasons. Send Taiji a strong message so the people understand how their cruel business of dolphin drive hunting, slaughter and live capture is unacceptable and must stop now.
While we acknowledge Broome’s historic and emotional ties with Taiji, these cannot hold precedence over such atrocities against these intelligent, bonded and social mammals, who are not only loved by millions of people around the world but extremely vital to healthy ocean biodiversity.
Taiji’s overall business and financial security is not contingent on the continuation of the dolphin slaughter; while approximately 50 hunters participate in the drive hunts, there are approximately 300 fishermen who catch only fish. It is 100% viable for the dolphin hunters to change their activity, attract visitors to see dolphins by tourist boat all year round.
During the hunts, entire dolphin pods (sometimes more than one pod at a time), are driven beyond their limits to exhaustion, and captured in Taiji Cove. Weather permitting, the hunters set out in the boats every day, from September through to March each year. They decimate whole pods, discarding young dolphins, babies at sea with no hope of survival. Doing so reduces the hunters’ quota count, allowing them to later count larger dolphins during captures.
The captured dolphins experience unimaginable horror and heartbreaking ends, witnessing one another’s fate as all are brutally slaughtered. Those poor dolphins selected for a short life-time in captivity, by dolphin trainers in the cove, witness all of this. Researchers are forbidden from recording the dolphins’ screams. Agonizing death can take more than ten minutes.
Dolphins are kept captive in small sea-pens in Taiji and immediately must learn to eat dead fish by hand or starve. Trained for months there they are later sold for large sums to marine parks, resorts and other places keeping dolphins captive around the world for display to paying public, US$150,000 – US $200,000 and more. These closely bonded, empathetic, social and incredibly intelligent dolphins are either some, kept for the captive industry, or most, brutally slaughtered in the most horrific way. This whole business is driven by the pursuit of money made from entertaining paying crowds who are largely unaware of the ongoing tragedy behind the dolphin shows.
Given what we know of the high intelligence of dolphins, this slaughter is comparable to murder and to keep them in captivity is utterly cruel. The Indian Government recently acknowledged dolphins as non-human persons; there it is now forbidden to keep them in captivity or interfere at all. In Taiji Japan’s Whale Museum, dolphins are kept in abhorrent conditions, including Angel a beautiful albino dolphin torn from her mother, captured in the hunts while her family was killed.
Dolphins need and deserve the right to protection from human harm and interference. It is unacceptable for Broome Australia to have a sister city relationship with Taiji Japan, as long as the dolphin drive hunts continue. Suspend your sister city relationship with Taiji. Send Taiji a strong message so the people understand how their cruel business of dolphin drive hunting, slaughter and live capture is unacceptable and must stop now.
Further reading:
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere ! | Leave a comment »
