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One aspect of ecology is
exploring our interrelationship as human beings with our
environment.
We
humans are relative newcomers in the history of the universe.
Of all the other beings on planet Earth, we have
evolved into the most creative and the most destructive species that
exists.
Somewhere in our evolution, we lost our relationship with our mother planet and saw ourselves not as one part
of an interconnected living earth community, but as
masters of the earth and all its beings. We viewed the richness of the earth as ours to be used at will for our own benefit. One result of splitting
from the living earth community is the
ecological chaos we are now experiencing.
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Our
Sister Earth Is Speaking to Us
And
God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds
fly
above the earth across the expanse of the sky."
Genesis 1:20
The Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) wants to spend $220
million of your tax dollars on a project that could drain and damage up
to 200,000 wetlands in the heart of the Mississippi River flyway—an
area that contains some of the richest natural resources in the nation.
 Submit
a citizen comment today to tell Environmental Protection
Agency to VETO this wasteful and destructive project. Comments are due
Monday, May 5.
This project is not about protecting people from flooding, but about
planting a few more acres of row crops, at great expense to birds,
bears, other wildlife, and their habitats. The Corps would build the
world's largest hydraulic pumping plant in one of the most sparsely
populated regions in the state of Mississippi. In a throwback to another
era—and contrary to federal policy—the Yazoo Pumps would be used to
drain wetlands so agribusiness can intensify production to reap more
farm subsidy payments. More wetland acreage would be affected by
this single project than associated with all the 86,000 projects
authorized by the Corps to destroy wetlands each year across the nation.
In prepared testimony during a recent public hearing, Audubon's Paul
Kemp and Bruce Reid said: "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is our
Nation's engineer. The recent failures around New Orleans—and the high
level of the River today—remind us that it is in everyone's interest
to modernize and improve reliability by returning management, where
possible, to a more natural and sustainable condition, by beginning to
make better use of wetlands and other natural features for floodwater
storage. These same improvements, whether on the river or the coast,
will pay handsome dividends in water-quality protection, groundwater
recharge, and, yes, in expanded and improved habitat for birds and other
wildlife."
Habitat on as many as six Important Bird Areas, including the nation's
only bottomland hardwood national forest, would be affected.
Birds of conservation concern at these sites include Little Blue
Heron, Mississippi Kite, Wood Stork,
Prothonotary Warbler, Swainson's Warbler,
and Painted Bunting.
The Corps has released its final recommendation in favor of building the
Yazoo Pumps, and now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to
put a stop to this project once and for all.
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Ocelots in Danger of Extinction
There are fewer than 100 wild ocelots left in
the United States – and
these 30-pound wild cats, small cousins of the leopard, are making a
last stand. Environmental Defense is working on an ambitious and
creative plan to bring them back from the brink.
The remaining few ocelots in the United States live in the thorny
scrublands of south Texas, with a small number also barely hanging on in
Mexico.
Farms, ranches and suburban sprawl have chipped away ocelot habitat to
almost nothing, leaving the
surviving cats – and many other endangered creatures – stranded on a
handful of private lands Environmental Defense is working with farmers
and ranchers to restore native thornscrub by planting
seedlings, the first step in ocelot recovery efforts. The near-term goal
is to bring back about 5,000
acres of native vegetation so surviving cats have new habitat to raise
future generations, offering new
hope for ocelots. We have restored 800 acres so far, but there is still
much more to be done. Make a gift to the Environmental Defense Fund to
help save the Ocelot.
www.environmentaldefense.org |
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Take
Action to Save Wolves
A
mere 30 days after the Bush Administration stripped Yellowstone's
wolves of their Endangered Species protection, the
Northern Rockies
have been turned into a killing field.
Thirty-seven wolves are already dead. Hundreds
more are being
targeted by Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, which have waited
years
for this chance to put their plans for extermination into action
But today there is reason for hope: America's best
wildlife legal team is riding to the rescue.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) -- and 11 other
groups -- filed suit this week in federal court to
stop the killing
and restore the wolf's desperately needed
Endangered
Species protection.
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Abuse of Circus Elephants
The abuse of Ringling Bros. circus elephants -- well documented by
animal welfare organizations, state humane agencies,
and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors -- violates both
the federal Endangered Species Act and the Animal
Welfare Act, which prohibit the abuse of endangered animals used
in entertainment.
Many have witnessed routine violent abuse and cruelty toward the
elephants, including frequently hitting the elephants with
bull hooks, rubbing dirt into sores of elephants to conceal their
wounds and routinely chaining the elephants on
concrete or in cramped rail cars for many hours of every
day and night.
This kind of cruelty is not entertainment -- contact
TNT and urge them to cancel the "Greatest Show on Earth"
series
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Abuse of Circus Elephants
The abuse of Ringling Bros. circus elephants -- well documented by
animal welfare organizations, state humane agencies,
and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors -- violates both
the federal Endangered Species Act and the Animal
Welfare Act, which prohibit the abuse of endangered animals used
in entertainment.
Many have witnessed routine violent abuse and cruelty toward the
elephants, including frequently hitting the elephants with
bull hooks, rubbing dirt into sores of elephants to conceal their
wounds and routinely chaining the elephants on
concrete or in cramped rail cars for many hours of every
day and night.
This kind of cruelty is not entertainment -- contact
TNT and urge them to cancel the "Greatest Show on Earth"
series
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 Scientists
Make Dire Forecast for Polar Bears
ANCHORAGE,
Alaska - An analysis of 20 years' worth of real-life
observations supports recent U.N. computer predictions that by 2050,
summer sea ice off Alaska's north coast will probably shrink to nearly
half the area it covered in the 1980s, federal scientists say.
Such
a loss could have profound effects on mammals dependent on the sea ice,
such as polar bears, now being considered for threatened species status
because of changes in habitat due to global
warming . It could also threaten the catch of fishermen.
Fact: A recent US Geological Survey study predicts that more than
half
of the world's polar bear population will be extinct in 40 -50
years.
Fact:
The effects of global warming are being felt most dramatically in
the Arctic where temperatures are rising roughly twice the global
pace.
Fact: Spring ice break-up is occurring earlier each year cutting
short the polar bear hunting season.
As a result bears are experiencing a decline in average body size,
fertility and survival among young
bears and cubs- a fact that scientists have linked directly to
global warming.
Fact:
Warming and melting trends have the potential to severely affect the
food chain that supports
the polar bear. Polar bears are beginning to face starvation.
Fact:
If Endangered Species protection is granted to the polar bear it would
mark the first time that global warming is cited as a primary threat to
a species.
Fact:
if oil and gas drilling is allowed to occur in polar bear habitats, it
would disturb feeding patterns, cause mothers to abandon their dens
leaving the cubs to die of starvation and exposure.
Earth Justice
Tell your Representative to put
polar bear protection first ... and stop the sale of new oil leases
in Alaska’s prime polar bear habitat
May 6--
Alaska's
polar bears have moved one big step closer to receiving protection
under the Endangered Species Act.
A
federal judge just ordered the Bush Administration to stop dragging its
feet and decide by May 15 whether it will
safeguard America's polar bears from the threat of extinction due to
rising temperatures and rapidly melting
sea ice.
It took a lawsuit by NRDC, the
Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace to force this latest
breakthrough.
The court ruled that the Bush Administration had violated the law by
missing its January deadline and then
proceeding to delay for months more.
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Yellowstone/Greater Rockies
When the American buffalo rebounded from
near-extinction and gray wolves returned to the wild,
they found their refuge in the tawny grasslands and
pine-covered ridges of Yellowstone National Park. When
grizzly bears lost most of their habitat to logging
and development, the northern Rockies provided them
with the thousands of square miles of wild forests and
meadows they needed to survive. Without the vast
stretches of Rockies wilderness, where will the next
species go to be replenished?
Despite these questions, the Bush administration is
set on sacrificing more of the country's most
cherished wild places to satisfy energy corporations.
These wildlands include vital habitat for many of our
nation's most beloved wildlife species: threatened
grizzly bears, wolves and thriving herds of pronghorn,
elk and bison. And the area's superb recreational
resources are contributing to new and burgeoning
economies across the region.
In Wyoming, the administration is planning to drill
as many as 1,400 coalbed methane wells in the
123,000-acre Fortification Creek region, threatening
the survival of a rare, 200-member high-desert elk
herd, as well as antelope, peregrine falcons,
songbirds and the region's rich archeological
treasures.
Tell
the Bush administration to halt its drilling plan
until it has studied its full potential impacts on Fortification Creek's outstanding natural values.
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Yellowstone's wild, free-roaming buffalo herd is under siege.Stop
the Brutal Slaughter of Yellowstone's Wild Buffalo
 !
Right now, wild buffalo are being rounded up
in Yellowstone National Park and shipped to the slaughterhouse. In
the spring, their baby calves will also be killed. Speak
out now to put an immediate stop to this government-sponsored
massacre.
The Bush Administration is turning America's greatest national park
into a killing ground for hundreds of mighty bison --
better known as American buffalo.
We must speak
out against this cold-blooded cruelty NOW -- because every week,
more of these noble creatures are being herded into cattle trucks to be
slaughtered.
This winter alone, more than 1,000 wild bison have been brutally killed
by the National Park Service and the Montana Department of Livestock --
or shipped to slaughterhouses.
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TAKE ACTION
To take action by e-mail to preserve the environment and speak on
behalf of endangered species
go to:
www. NRDCActionFund.org
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Help
Stop the Killing of Protected Raptors
 Last spring, citizens across the country were appalled to learn that
thousands of protected raptors such as Cooper's Hawks, Peregrine
Falcons, and Red-tailed Hawks had been killed in Oregon, California and
Texas.
The raptors were killed by hobbyists who breed pigeons to carry a
genetic trait that causes them to stop flying and tumble in the air
before righting themselves and carrying on. These "roller
pigeons" are flown in competitions and scored by judges who rate
the birds on the quality of the "roll" and other factors. Of
course, the pigeon rolling through the air looks like crippled and
vulnerable prey to a hawk, falcon, or other bird of prey. Many of these
pigeon enthusiasts have been routinely killing raptors in an attempt to
protect their roller pigeons.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that as many as 2,000
to 3,000 raptors were being killed on the West Coast each year using
methods including poisoning, beating birds to death with clubs, and
suffocation in plastic bags. Even more troubling is the fact
that the thirteen men charged with these crimes received little more
than a slap on the wrist after pleading guilty. Currently, killing a
protected bird is a Class B Misdemeanor under the Migratory Bird Treaty
Act, which puts suffocating a Peregrine Falcon in the same category as
unauthorized use of the image of Smokey Bear.
Please
ask your U.S. Representative to co-sponsor HR 4093, the Migratory Bird
Treaty Act Penalty and Enforcement Act of 2007 to ensure raptors and
other migratory birds are given adequate protection.
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| Speak
Out for Idaho's Wild Forests! |
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The days of
the Bush Administration are numbered, but that makes the
Administration all the more eager to open our beloved public lands
to industry access.
In Idaho,
the Bush Administration is seeking to remove the protections of
the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which has kept nine million
acres of wild forest protected for the past decade.
One minute of your time can make a difference today - send
a quick message to the U.S. Forest Service and help protect the
wild places of Idaho!
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Bee
Keeping at the Organic Garden
Mary
Lou Buser, CSJ
I
had a wonderful learning experience last Thursday.
I actually worked with the bee keeper.
It was time to inspect the hives. With great interest, I had
watched Ernie, the bee keeper, check the hives several times. Thursday,
however, Ernie said he would inspect the first hive and I would inspect
the second. Needless to say,
I watched every detail of what he did!
It was very interesting and quite exciting.
At honey season most man made hives consist of three boxes or
“supers” as they’re called: one for the brood, one for food and
one for honey. Each super
consists of nine frames on which the bees construct about 7,000 cells
(perfect hexagons) per frame! As
I gently removed each frame, my task was to examine it to be sure some
cells contained pollen, some contained water or nectar and some
contained eggs laid by the queen. The queen lays about 1500 eggs a day.
I found a healthy mix of all three in addition to some honey.
Most of the honey should be in the hives by mid July.
I also needed to check for varroa mites which sometimes infest
bee hives. The outcome of
the inspection was that the hives are healthy and should produce a good
amount of delicious honey.
In time, I was able to spot the queen bee quite easily and distinguish
between drones and workers – not too easily.
As I became more comfortable working with the bees, I removed my
gloves because they seemed so cumbersome.
I’m happy to report that I did not receive one sting after
working several hours with five bee hives.
It truly was a wonderful experience for me.
Bee
Keeping at the Organic Garden -
continued
As
we projected, the bees did produce an abundance of honey this year.
In mid July Ernie, the bee keeper, and I, a would be bee keeper,
removed the frames from the hives, took them to the barn, closed the
barn doors and extracted the honey from the frames.
We needed to close the doors quickly so as not to allow the bees
to swarm us in an effort to take as much honey as they could back to the
hive! The bees will continue
to gather nectar to provide
the hive with sufficient food for the winter.
Though it took me but a few seconds to put the process in
writing; it took us from early morning until four in the afternoon to
actually transfer the honey from the hives to several honey buckets.
The next step was mine alone; I was to pour the honey from the
buckets into jars. It’s
all time consuming, hard work and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Working with bees has given me and continues to give me much to reflect
on. The beauty of the bee hive itself, the division of labor involved
among the workers, drones and queen as well as the care with which each
duty is performed are fascinating and inspirational for me.
I need to reflect also on the often forgotten reality that we are
dependent on these seemingly insignificant creatures we sometimes
consider pests.
If
you wish to purchase a 9 ounce jar of raw wildflower honey produced by
our very own bees contact me at 631-265-9331.
The cost is $6.00 a jar.
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Ten Things You
Can Do To Fight Global Warming
- Recycle and but minimally packed goods
as much as possible
- Wash clothes in cold or warm water not
hot
- Install low flow shower heads to use
less water
- Run the dishwasher only when full and
don't use heat to dry clothes
- Replace standard light bulbs with
compact fluorescent bulbs
- Plug air leaks in windows and doors to
increase energy efficiency
- Replace old appliances with
energy-efficient models
- Walk, bike, carpool or use public
transportation whenever possible
- Adjust your thermostat - lower in
winter, higher in summer
-
Share these simple steps
with friends and family and increase awareness.
Environmental Defense
www.environmentaldefense.org
Some simple things you can do to help improve the
environment and conserve energy are:
- Turn
off lights and electronics when you leave the room. Unplug
your cell phone charger from the wall when not using it.
Turn off energy strips and surge protectors when not in use
(especially overnight).
- Turn your car off if
you’re going to be idle for more than one minute.
- Limit the length of your
showers
- Don’t run the water when
brushing your teeth
- Drive
your car at the speed limit.
Speeding
causes extra air resistance on the vehicle and speeds above
60 mph can especially be a drag. The U.S. Department of
Energy estimates that for the every 5 mph above 60, the
decreased fuel efficiency is the equivalent of paying a
$0.20 surcharge on each gallon. The costs can quickly add
up.
Let’s
take a look at the numbers…
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Avg.
MPG:
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19.6
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Avg.
MPG above the speed limit:
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15.1
- 18.2
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Avg.
miles/yr. above speed limit (est.):
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2,000
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Increased
gallons of gasoline used:
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7.8
- 30.4
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$
saved by not speeding:
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$17
- 67
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CO2
saved by not speeding:
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152
- 590 lbs
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Click
here for more suggestions. |
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Help
Stop Canada's Slaughter of Baby Seals
Today the news from Canada remains bleak, as
Canadian fishermen prepare to club and shoot hundreds of thousands of
baby seals over the next few months. Tell Canada's Minister of
International Trade, David
Emerson, that the seal hunt damages
Canada's international reputation, and remind him that it has resulted
in ongoing global boycotts of Canadian seafood and tourism. Tell him
it’s time to end the commercial seal hunt for good and that a
hunt opposed by most Canadian citizens shouldn't be allowed to harm
Canada's economy. Click
here to contact Canada’s Minister of International Trade now
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Environmental Facts
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Nearly
one in four mammal species is in serious decline,
mainly due to human activities
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An
estimated half of the world’s wetlands have been lost since
1900, and destruction continues apace
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Global
forest cover stands at approximately half the original extent of
8,000 years ago
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A
2000 World Bank study projected that on average 1.8 million people would
die prematurely each year between 2001 and 2020 because of air pollution.
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Global
ice melt has led to hunger and weight loss among polar bears, and
has altered the habitats as
well as feeding and breeding patterns of penguins and seals.
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The
U.N. Environment Program projects 50 million environmental refugees
worldwide by 2010
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| Resources:
www.earthaction.org
www.earthcharter.org
www.takeaction.worldwildlife.org
www.earthfuture.com
www.simpleliving.net
www.thegreatstory.org
www.savenationalforests.org
www.globaleduc.org/
www.peta.org
www.sierraclub.org
www.nwf.org
www.earthjustice.org
www.nrpe.org
www.wilderness.org.
www.greenpeaceusa.org
www.ucsusa.org
www.environmentaldefense.org
www.envirosagainstwar.org
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God's Beloved
Creation, Elizabeth Johnson, America, 184:13,
April 16,2001.
The Universe Story, Brian Swimme &
Thomas Berry, Harper Collins, New York, 1994
To Care for the Earth, Sean McDonough, Bear &
Co., Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1986.
Our Origin Story : Foundations for Ecological Responsibility by Mary C.
McGuinness & Miriam Therese MacGillis, Impact Series, Renew International, 1999.
The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos, Brian Swimme,
Orbis, New York, 2001
Radical Amazement, Judy Cannato,Sorin
Books,Notre Dame, Ind, 2006
Jesus in the New Universe Story. Cletus
Wessels, Orbis, New York, 2004. |
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Grizzly
Bear Habitat in Peril
The Cline Mining Corporation wants to gouge a heavily
polluting coal mine out of the Flathead River Valley, a thriving Rocky
Mountain habitat for grizzly bears that straddles the border of Montana
and British Columbia.
We need your immediate action to block this dangerous open-pitmining
scheme, which would poison the headwaters of the FlatheadRiver and
jeopardize the survival of downstream populations of imperiled grizzly
bears, wolves, cutthroat trout and other wildlife.
Please go to http://www.savebiogems.org/bears/takeaction
and urge the British Columbia government to protect the spectacular
wildlands and wildlife of the Flathead basin by rejecting the Cline
Mining Corporation's reckless plan.
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Protect Your Pet in Case of
Disaster
Animal Welfare Organizations helped to rescue
thousands of pets after hurricane Katrina. Private
groups took charge because government agencies had
no rescue or transportation plans to help
animals. Many people remained in dangerous
settings because they couldn't bear to leave their
pets.
The Pets Evacuation and Transportation
Standards Act ( Act-S.2548) by Senators Stevens
and Lautenberg and H>R> 3858 by Rep. Lantos
and Shays would require that local and state
governments develop disaster plans for animals.
Call the congressional switchboard at
202-224-3121 and ask your federal lawmakers to
support the PETS ACT or take action by
going
to: www.hsus.org/petsact |
ORGANIC
GARDEN
Consistent with reverence for the Earth is allowing it to remain in its
pristine state without the addition of pesticides and pollutants.
To
learn and teach how to grow crops organically, the Sisters of St. Joseph
have established an Organic Garden on the grounds of Saint Joseph Convent in Brentwood.
Click here |
Our
Brentwood Garden
Mary
Lou Buser, CSJ
Our
little garden in Brentwood provides just what more
and more people long for: food that’s grown
“close to home” and food that’s grown
without the use of chemical fertilizers and
pesticides. |
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Organic
Garden Diary April
2008
Our
garden is off to a slow but good start this year.
We were reluctant to do much gardening
because
of the chilly weather.
However, we started in earnest on April 3rd
and much has been accomplished.
The gardeners, Joan, Charlene,
Kathy, Ernie and I have successfully raked and
shredded all the
leaves and other winter debris and have it
ready to be used as mulch on the beds as the young
plants emerge.
We’ve already planted several varieties
of peas, lettuce and some spinach.
A variety
of tomatoes have been planted in flats and
Ernie is working on the drip irrigation system.
All of us
have been working very hard on the never ending
task of weeding.
This year we have a very
"pesty"
chickweed that is keeping us very busy.
Ernie
has been very cooperative in helping to rid the
area around the garden of a very invasive alien
tree commonly called the
“tree-of-heaven”.
The scientific name is Ailanthus altissima
and you’ve all
seen the tree somewhere on Long Island or
possibly in Manhattan.
The tree is a native of China
brought here in the late 1700s.
At that time it was considered a beautiful,
fast growing garden
specimen.
Today it is considered a noxious, invasive
species because it quickly colonizes and
suppresses native competition.
Eradication is difficult so we must keep
vigilant by removing it
whenever we see it at the garden.
More information can be found by googling
Ailanthus altissima.
We
continue to look for volunteers.
Not only is gardening a good way to
exercise (to your ability for there are diverse
tasks), it is also very reflective and
inspirational.
Please join us.
Call Mary Lou Buser,CSJ at 631-265-9331 or e-mail
mlbpt@aol.com
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A Prayer for Global Restoration
Good and Gracious God,
Source of all life, all
creation is charged with your Divine energy.
Ignite your spark within us, that we know ourselves to be human and holy,
Irrevocably part of
he web of life.
All Creation
- each star and every
flower
- each drop of water and
every person
- each and every atom,
down to its very electrons,
explodes with
the revelation of your Sacred Mystery.
Our minds alone cannot fathom such splendor.
Our hearts can only respond with gratitude.
Forgive us we pray, our ignorance and insecurities which
- blind us to your thumbprint
writ large,
- deafen us to the sacred space
between two heartbeats,
- prompt us in arrogance to
demand and dominate,
- numb us to the destruction we
have caused,
- hold us hostage to
"either-or" thinking and living.
May we always walk gently upon this earth, in right relationship,
- nurtured by your Love,
- taking only what we need,
- giving back to the earth in
gratitude,
- sharing what we have,
- honoring all with reverence,
- mindful of those who will
come after us,
- recognizing our proper place
is as part of, not apart from, your creation.
Grant us the strength and courage, we pray, for such radical
transformation.
Then we , too, with the very stones shall shout - Hosanna!
Michelle Balek ,OSF, Pax Christi USA |
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