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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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SUSTAINABILITY
tip
of the week:
What lesson is just as
important as the 3 Rs?
Recycling, of course! Teaching children greener ways is
just as important as the traditional fundamentals. Making recycling a
regular part
of their lives is great practice for a lifelong environ-mentality - and
saves landfill
space and resources (using recycled aluminum, for example, uses
95% less energy
than making cans from new ore). Check out this website one-stop
shop for kids
to learn about recycling. http://www.kidsrecyclingzone.com
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Polar
Bears and Global Warming
- Polar
Bear population worldwide is 20,000-25,000. 12,000-15,000 are in
Canada.
In Western Hudson Bay, Canada, populations have dropped 22% since
1980
Without large frozen landscapes, Polar Bears cannot reach their food
supply
Because ice is freezing later in the fall and melting earlier in the
Spring, Polar Bears
are going hungry because they have such a short season to hunt.
In Alaska Polar Bear cub survival rates are dropping and weight and
skull size
of adult males are decreasing and only 43% of cubs are
surviving their first year.
Floating ice floes are drifting further and further apart forcing
Polar Bears to
swim greater distances to reach them.
Scientists predict a mostly ice free Arctic summer by 2040.
Increasingly Polar Bears are the appearing on land inhabited
by humans as the
ice packs continue to disappear.
Because they are a predator at the top of the arctic ecosystem's
food chain,
a decrease in Polar Bear numbers would have a drastic effect on the
entire
ecosystem.
On May 14, 2008, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed Polar Bears
as
"threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.
If
drastic measures aren't taken to reduce global warming, two-thirds of
the world's
Polar Bear population will disappear by the year 2-50. They will
disappear forever.
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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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For
information on Bees and their importance and decline click here.
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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
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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.
Click
here for more suggestions. |
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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 |
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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
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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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