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Sunday, December 20, 2009

Reforestation Efforts in China [Si Cuan] & Africa [Rwanda]

Share 2 good BBC documentary on Reforestation in China & Afrcia, Rwanda .

Part 1 of BBC Documentary: Reforestation in China
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjGYFhMRjfE

Overgazing & overfarming in Lus plateau [near Si Cuan], have caused servere land degradation. When the land is stripped of vegetation, water washes away top soil which further degrades the land till the land becamea barren area.

Restoration Effort :
1. Stop animal-grazing / Stop farming on the land.
2. Plant vegetation. Build terrance to retain water.
3. Vegetation will slow down water flow.
When enough vegetation grows, streams will form.
More water encourage more vegetation which retains more water [positive cycle]
In 3 to 5 years the land would be restored.

The local community would benefit as they can then farm the land and gain food security. :>

Part 2 of BBC documentary: Reforestation in Afrcia Rwanda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDQisEP7hjw

Reforestation in Africa Rwanda restored barren land to one full of vegetation.These protects the wetlands which ensures that enough water can flow to drive the hydro power-station downstream.

The documentary ends with a meaningful question: "Since we can restore the degraded land in China & Africa, which brings vegetation back to the land, and secures the future of the local people [as they can then farm on these lands], Why don't we reforest ALL the degraded land in the world? "

Surely we can do that :>:):>

The restored land can also sequece much CO2 in the soil.
That will be a BIG help in the fight against Climate change.
:) :>

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Fishing and the State of our oceans

A documentary on Ocean and fishing “The End of the Line” was released on Jun 2009.

The film showcased the dire state of the ocean and the problem of overfishing.
Here’s the trailer of the movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWB8KJ1aIJ4

Directors of “End of the line” discuss about the Crisis in the Ocean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhUOAm9Lx0o&NR=1

Below are some Facts on Fishing:
http://endoftheline.com/campaign/fish_facts/

According to the UNFAO [United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization], about 70 per cent of our global fisheries are now being fished close to, already at, or beyond their capacity. - The Earth's Carrying Capacity - Bruce Sundquist

As many as 90 per cent of all the ocean's large fish have been fished out.
- WWF [World Wildlife fund]
…..

Here are some News report on Overfishing and recent measures to protect the ocean:

1. From Deep Pacific, Ugly and tasty, with a Catch
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/science/10fish.html?_r=2&no_interstitial
‘The world’s insatiable appetite for fish, with its disastrous effects on populations of favorites like red snapper, monkfish and tuna, has driven commercial fleets to deeper waters in search of creatures unlikely to star on the Food Network.’
Unsustainable deep sea fishing depletes ocean of red snapper, monkfish, Tuna & Hoki


2. Scientist backed Blue-fin tuna trade ban:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091029/ts_afp/citesspeciestuna_20091029144739

MADRID (AFP) - – Scientists who advise fisheries regulators support a ban on trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna, a sushi staple, to protect the species from over-fishing, environmental groups WWF and Greenpeace said Thursday.
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas scientists concluded that the species' "current spawning biomass is less than 15 percent of what it once was before fishing began, meaning Atlantic bluefin tuna meets the criteria for a CITES Appendix I listing," they said in a statement.
……….

Some people think that Fish farming [Aquaculture] is a solution to help the Ocean.

That is NOT so.
The World’s current practice of Fish farming [Aqua-culture] is NOT a solution to
the Ocean.

In fact, it is contributing to the problem:
“End of the Line: Fish Farming”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B77bs2aploI

40% of the world’s fish catch is grounded into fish meal to feed farmed fishes [such as Salmon] and the livestock industries. [chickens and pigs]

The more fish farms the world has, the less fishes in the oceans.

Huge demand for omega-3 fatty acids depleting oceans worldwide for aquaculture:
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0909-hance-aquaculture.html
‘It takes typically 5 pounds of ‘wild’ fish to produce 1pound of farmed fish’.

Using fish as livestock feed threatens global fisheries:
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/1118-hance_fishmeal.html
‘Thirty million tons – or 36 per cent – of the world's total fisheries catch each year is currently ground up into fishmeal and oil to feed farmed fish, chickens and pigs," world-renowned fishery researcher and co-author, Daniel Pauly, told the University of British Colombia (UBC).

Globally, pigs and chickens alone consume six times the amount of seafood as US consumers and twice that of Japan," lead author Jennifer Jacquet told UBC.
………

To solve our environmental crisis, we need to restore health to the Oceans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QU89xabmrg

Massive commercial fishing has to be stopped, Deep sea Trawling has to be stopped. More areas of the ocean should be protected from fishing. [Currently, only 1% of the world’s ocean is protected from fishing.]

One practical way to limit the fishing industry is to reduce support for the fishing industry.

Reduce our fish intake [especially Tuna, salmons etc], or stop eating fish, to protect the oceans. :>

“Be Veg, Go Green, Save the planet.”
Low ck


P.S. To get the a Safe form of Omega-3, try ‘flaxseed, nuts, seeds’ etc as recommended by US Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine [PCRM]
http://www.pcrm.org/health/reports/fish_report.html

Safer Source of Omega-3 acids

Fishes contains mercury, heavy metals and other contaminants.[PCBs, Dioxin, Chlorane & DDT] These are harmful to humans and causes many disease such as cancer, heart disease and liver disease.

Alpha-linolenic acid, the only essential omega-3 fatty acid, is found in many vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and fruits. It is concentrated in flaxseeds and flaxseed oil and also found in oils such as canola, soybean, walnut, and wheat germ. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in nuts, seeds, and soy products, as well as beans, vegetables, and whole grains.28,29 Corn, safflower, sunflower, and cottonseed oils are generally low in omega-3s. Fish consumption is by no means the only way to ensure adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Global Warming Seminar at Upper Changi Area on 10 Dec [Thurs] 7:30 pm



Do you wish to know how climate change is affecting the planet?

Have you wondered how Deforestation, factory farming, industries and transport contribute to climate change?

Do you wonder why the world is facing food and water shortages?

What will happen to the planet if the world’s temperature increases by 1,2,3 or 5 to 6 degrees?

How much time does leading scientists think the world has before we reach a point where climate change becomes irreversible?

How much time do we have to act on this issue?

Do you wish to know what effective measures prominent scientists such as NASA’s director Dr James Hansen and UN IPCC Chairman Dr Rajendra Pachauri recommend to curb global warming?

What are the latest findings of climate scientists in the recent March 2009 Copenhagen conference in Denmark?

If you are concern about these questions, you are welcome to attend a Seminar on “Global Warming ^ Solutions to Climate change” to be held on Thursday [10 Dec] evening at Our Home SOS, Upper Changi Road North.

The session is held free-of-charge as a service to planet Earth and mankind.

Event Details:
Presentation and Q & A
Title: “Global Warming & Solutions to Climate Change”
Speaker: Mr Low Chip Khoon

Date: 10 Dec 2009, Thursday
Time: 7:30pm to 9:00pm
Cost: FREE
Venue: 967C Upper Changi Road North, Changi Garden Singapore 507666
From :Bedok MRT (Bus No.2) & Simei MRT (Bus No.5)
Alight at Bus stop opposite to Women's Changi Prison.

Organized by : Our Home SOS
CEO : Polin (Dion Khoo)
Call : Our Home SOS
Tel. No : 1800-OURHOME
1800-6874663

The session consists of a 1 hr presentation and a 30 mins Question & Answer discussion.

To register for this event, please call Our Home SOS center at 1800-6874663
Alternatively, you may send a mail to cklowck@yahoo.com.sg.
You may also register on-site :>