ecology – Page 55

humans: 7000m+.. silky sifakas: about 500

While we humans have topped 7000 million there may be less than 500 left of our fellow primate, the Silky Sifaka.

Q&A with Erik Patel

About how many Silky Sifakas do you estimate remain in the wild?

Patel: Silky sifakas are one of the rarest animals on earth and it is shocking to consider how few remain.

Over the past few years, our team has found 31 groups (131 total individuals) of silky sifakas in Marojejy National Park which contains the majority of their remaining population.

None at all are found in captivity because they have never survived in zoos anywhere.

Democratic Womanism: By Alice Walker

from her official website: http://alicewalkersgarden.com/2012/01/
Wangari Maathai: who remembered the beautiful bountifulness of her land before the colonial invaders laid waste to it and resolved to bring it back to health by planting trees. Rest in Well Done; beloved sister of our clan.
“Traditionally capable, as in: ’Mama, I’m walking to Canada, and I’m taking you and a bunch of other slaves with me’. Reply: ”It wouldn’t be the first time.” ___from the definition of “Womanist” in In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens, Womanist Prose, 1983, by the author.

Democratic Womanism

You ask me why I smile
when you tell me you intend
in the coming national elections
to hold your nose
and vote for the lesser of two evils.
There are more than two evils out there,
is one reason I smile.
Another is that our old buddy Nostradamus
comes to mind, with his dreadful
400 year old prophecy: that our world
and theirs too
(our “enemies” – lots of kids included here)
will end (by nuclear nakba or holocaust)
in our lifetime. Which makes the idea of elections
and the billions of dollars wasted on them
somewhat fatuous.
A Southerner of Color,
my people held the vote
very dear
while others, for centuries,
merely appeared to play
with it.
One thing I can assure
you of is this:
I will never betray such pure hearts
by voting for evil
even if it were microscopic
which, as you can see in any newscast
no matter the slant,
it is not.
I want something else;
a different system
entirely.
One not seen
on this earth
for thousands of years. If ever.
Democratic Womanism.
Notice how this word has “man” right in the middle of it?
That’s one reason I like it. He is there, front and center. But he is surrounded.
I want to vote and work for a way of life
that honors the feminine;
a way that acknowledges
the theft of the wisdom
female and dark Mother leadership
might have provided our spaceship
all along.
I am not thinking
of a talking head
kind of gal:
happy to be mixing
it up
with the baddest
bad boys
on the planet
her eyes a slit
her mouth a zipper.
No, I am speaking of true
regime change.
Where women rise
to take their place
en masse
at the helm
of earth’s frail and failing ship;
where each thousand years
of our silence
is examined
with regret,
and the cruel manner in which our values
of compassion and kindness
have been ridiculed
and suppressed
brought to bear on the disaster
of the present time.
The past must be examined closely, I believe, before we can leave
it there.
I am thinking of Democratic, and, perhaps
Socialist, Womanism.
For who else knows so deeply
how to share but Mothers
and Grandmothers? Big sisters
and Aunts?
To love
and adore
both female and male?
Not to mention those in between.
To work at keeping
the entire community
fed, educated
and safe?
Democratic womanism,
Democratic Socialist
Womanism,
would have as its icons
such fierce warriors
for good as
Vandana Shiva
Aung San Suu Kyi,
Wangari Maathai
Harriet Tubman
Yoko Ono
Frida Kahlo
Angela Davis
& Barbara Lee:
With new ones always rising, wherever you look. Recent writers for instance:
Michelle Alexander, Isabel Wilkerson, and Nancy Turner Banks, M.D.* Whose books, read together, go a long way toward bringing us up to speed on how our declining country got this way.
You are also on this list, but it is so long (Isis would appear midway) that I must stop or be unable to finish the poem!) So just know I’ve stood you in a circle that includes Marian Wright Edelman, Amy Goodman, Sojourner Truth, Gloria Steinem and Mary McLeod Bethune. John Brown, Frederick Douglass, John Lennon and Howard Zinn are there too. Happy to be surrounded!
There is no system
now in place
that can change
the disastrous course
Earth is on.
Who can doubt this?
The male leaders
of Earth
appear to have abandoned
their very senses
though most appear
to live now
entirely
in their heads.
They murder humans and other
animals
forests and rivers and mountains
every day
they are in office
and never seem
to notice it.
They eat and drink devastation.
Women of the world,
Is this devastation Us?
Would we kill whole continents for oil
(or anything else)
rather than limit
the number of consumer offspring we produce
and learn how to make our own fire?
Democratic Womanism.
Democratic Socialist Womanism.
A system of governance
we can dream and imagine and build together. One that recognizes
at least six thousand years
of brutally enforced complicity
in the assassination
of Mother Earth, but foresees six thousand years
ahead of us when we will not submit.
What will we need? A hundred years
at least to plan: (five hundred will be handed us
gladly
when the planet is scared enough)
in which circles of women meet,
organize ourselves, and,
allied with men
brave enough to stand with women,
nurture our planet to a degree of health.
And without apology –
(impossible to make
a bigger mess than has been made)-
devote ourselves, heedless of opposition,
to tirelessly serving and resuscitating Our Mother ship
and with gratitude
for Her care of us
worshipfully commit
to
rehabilitating it.
Copyright©2012 by Alice Walker
Brought to our attention by Malia, WHealthy Human Village

reblogged with thanks from http://wammtoday.wordpress.com

Occupying bankrupt lands for Community Gardens

VIDEO,A pharaonic real estate, known as Plan Caufec, evicted families a few years ago, destroyed houses and urbanized part of the mountain Collserola , Barcelona…

VIDEO, Un muntatge immobiliari faraònic, conegut com el Pla Caufec, desallotjà fa uns anys famílies, destruí masies i va urbanitzar una part de la muntanya de Collserola d’Esplugues de LLobregat .

Encara avui, varis joves s’enfronten a la judicialització de les accions de protesta que van realitzar per defensar els espais.
Avui, Sacresa, l’empresa promotora està en fallida.
Un centenar d’indignades d’Hospitalet i Esplugues van decidir, el 25 de febrer de 2012, recuperar el solar per obrir horts comunitaris.

Even today, several young people face the judicialization of the protests that were made to defend the space. Today, Sacresa, the sponsoring company is bankrupt. One hundred outraged people from Esplugues decided on 25 February 2012, to OCCUPY the lands for community vegetable gardens.

Dediquem aquest video als companys de la dilatada campanya contra el Pla Caufec, que encara enfronten la criminalització de la protesta.ç

We dedicate this video to friends of the long campaign against the plan Caufec, still facing the criminalization of protest.

VEURE VIDEO:“Recuperem el solar!”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCq-w4imFGU

”If Unit 4 pool cracks..Tokyo is Finished”.. expert

Most Important Video of the Year? Asahi TV: “Unbelievable”

View the video and transcript here Published: March 10th, 2012 at 3:47 am ET By ENENews

— If Unit 4 pool gets a crack from quake and leaks, it would be end for Tokyo -Expert — Doesn’t have to be large tremor, already shaken many times

Most discussion of the No. 4 spent fuel pool has focused on an earthquake causing the pool to collapse. This video is different because it reveals: A crack, rather than the collapse of the pool itself, can be the end of Tokyo The quake that could put a crack in the pool and be the end of Tokyo does not have to be a large one….

They are talking about resuming the operation of nuclear plants. […] But is the accident over? Is it really over? For example, Unit 4. In fact, Dr. Koide of Kyoto University is worried about it most. The present conditions of Unit 4 are like this. You see, almost no walls. They were blown off, and honestly speaking, the Unit 4 is a wreck. A wreck. […]

Now, what if an earthquake occurred right now and the water in the pool started to leak? I asked this question to Dr. Koide. Please watch this video. […] If a large aftershock occurred and the wall here collapsed, the water in the pool would leak out and the spent fuel would not be cooled any more. Then, they would start to melt, probably completely. And huge amount of radiation contained in the spend fuel would be released outside, with no walls to block it. We’ll never know when an earthquake comes. […] the fuel rods, which are probably damaged to some degree […]

What if a destructive earthquake occurred during those years? That would be the end. The end? Yes. You see, that would be the end. Unbelievable…unbelievable. This is a serious problem. TEPCO knows dealing with this problem is most important for now. […]

So if a large earthquake should occur from now until that January… No, it doesn’t have to be large. Unit 4 has been shaken many times already. If the pool got cracks after another earthquake and the water started to leak out, Dr. Koide said that would be the end. The end for a wide area including Tokyo. Oh my, and they are talking about resuming nuclear plant operation.

I think resuming the operation is out of the question at least until the results from the investigation by NAIIC come out. […] I want them to let us vote again. They talk about resuming the operation after gaining understanding from local communities. But for this issue, I think the whole country of Japan, or the whole area including the neighboring countries, is a “local community” that would be affected. We should keep in mind that it’s not only the sites of the plants that should be considered as “local communities.” We should recognize the accident is far from over and the crisis is still ongoing. Yes.

And excuse me, I have a correction to make. Retrieving the fuel rods is planned to start not from January, but from…when? December next year? (Yes.) December next year? No kidding! Sorry, I took a too-favorable view. The members of the Diet who want to resume, I want them to resign. We need to reconsider this issue.

I want to know the exact names of the members of the Diet who want to resume, and ask them for their opinions. […]

Why Fukushima Is a Greater Disaster than Chernobyl and a Warning Sign for the U.S. (alethonews.wordpress.com)

ocupado y colectivizado,Somonte Finca, occupied and collectivized

Hoy domingo 4 de Marzo a las 11 de la mañana unos 500 miembros del Sindicato de Obreros del Campo – Sindicato Andaluz de Trabajadores hemos ocupado la finca Somonte en el término municipal de Palma del Río. Esta finca propiedad de la Junta de Andalucía sale mañana a subasta. Privatizan la tierra mientras la gente del pueblo sufre un paro extremo de 1.700 personas en Palma del Río y más de 4.000 personas paradas en los pueblos de alrededor. Están vendiendo más de 20000 hectáreas en Andalucía quedando aún unas 8.000 sin subastar. Ante este atropello el SOC-SAT se va movilizar durante estos días y el próximo jueves a las 11 de la mañana hará una manifestación en la Consejería de Agricultura de Sevilla pidiendo que se paralice esta venta de tierras y que en lugar de pasar a banqueros y terratenientes sean trabajadas por cooperativas de jornaler@s en paro.

Sunday March 4 at 11 am about 500 members of the Laborers Union City – Union Workers Andalusian Somonte have occupied the farm in the town of Palma del Río. This property owned by the Junta de Andalucía leaves tomorrow for auction. Privatize the land while the common people suffer extreme arrest 1,700 people in Palma del Rio and more than 4,000 people standing in the surrounding villages. They are selling more than 20000 hectares in Andalusia leaving about 8,000 still without offers. Before this attack the SOC-SAT will mobilize these days and on Thursday at 11 am will be a demonstration at the Ministry of Agriculture asking Sevilla to a standstill this sale of land and instead of going to bankers and landowners are farmed by cooperatives of agricultural laborers s unemployed.

A partir de esta ocupación unas 30 personas de Posadas, Palma del Río y otros pueblos se han quedado en esta finca con el objetivo de permanecer en ella y comenzar a trabajarla. Pensamos que esta es la única forma de llevar a cabo nuestras ideas consecuentemente ya que la tierra tiene que ser autogestionada por los propios trabajadores y trabajadoras para crear el máximo número de empleo y favorecer el desarrollo de la economía local y comarcal. El terreno de Somonte tiene 359 has. de secano y 41 has. de regadío. La parte de regadío podría dar en una primera etapa unos 50 puestos de trabajo mediante el cultivo de espárragos, cebollas y otras hortalizas. A medio plazo se podría generar mucho más empleo a través del cultivo social de todo el terreno, de agroindustrias y comercialización de los productos por medio de las inversiones necesarias

From this occupation about 30 people from Posadas, Palma del Rio and other peoples have been on this farm in order to stay there and begin to work it. We think this is the only way to carry out our ideas accordingly as the land has to be self-managed by workers themselves to create the maximum number of jobs and helping to develop local and regional economy. The field has 359 Somonte you. rainfed and 41 hectares. irrigated. The share of irrigation could result in an early stage about 50 jobs through the cultivation of asparagus, onions and other vegetables. In the medium term it could generate more employment through the social culture of the whole land, agribusiness and marketing of products through the necessary investments.

Desde el SOC-SAT hacemos un llamamiento urgente a la solidaridad de Palma del Río y los pueblos de alrededor y a todos los compañer@s de la provincia de Córdoba y de Andalucía para que apoyen estacausa viniendo a sumarse a la lucha y el trabajo en la finca de Somonte presionando a los órganos de poder, difundiendo la noticia y apoyándonos materialmente: comida, semillas, plantas, materiales, dinero y lo que se vea posible.

Esta acción debe ser el comienzo de la revolución agraria que en este momento de paro, penurias y estafa neoliberal tanta falta nos hace. Hoy en día cualquier alternativa para sobrevivir con dignidad debe pasar por la lucha por la tierra, la agricultura campesina, la soberanía alimentaria y el desarrollo que genera como ha pasado y vemos cada día en Marinaleda y otros pueblos de Andalucía.

Animamos a tod@s los trabajadores y parad@s de Andalucía a que luchen por la tierra pública o privada para su colectivización por parte del pueblo.

SI EL PRESENTE ES LUCHA, EL FUTURO ES NUESTRO

¡VIVA ANDALUCÍA LIBRE!

From the SOC-SAT we urgently appeal to the solidarity of Palma del Rio and the surrounding villages and all the comrades’ s the province of Cordoba and Andalusia to support this cause coming to join the fight and work in the estate of Somonte pressing the organs of power, spreading the word and supporting us materially food, seeds, plants, materials, money and see what is possible.

This action must be the beginning of the agrarian revolution in this time of unemployment, hardship and neoliberal scam we need so badly. Today any alternative to survive with dignity must go through the struggle for land, farming, food sovereignty and development that generates as has happened and see every day in Marinaleda and other towns of Andalusia.

We encourage tod @ s workers and parad Andalusia ‘s fight for public or private land for collectivisation by the people.

IF THIS IS FIGHT, THE FUTURE IS OURS

ANDALUSIA LIVE FREE!

veta La Palma. Aqua-permaculture in Andalucia (thefreeonline.wordpress.com)

ZAD cops tear gas themselves

WHEN PIGS CRY

The vache (that’s the French cops to you and me) scored a hilarious own goal last week at la ZAD protest site near Nantes: They tear-gassed themselves.

Around 100-150 cops had turned up to police a protest on Tuesday (14th) of around 40 ZAD occupiers and some local farmers whose fields were being valued. As the state and corporation Vinci press ahead with the long-awaited, and much-opposed, plan for a new international airport to be built on over 6km2 of the southern France countryside, the valuing of land for compensation agreements is one of the last remaining steps before imminent destruction.

Deciding the presence of the site riff raff (who may or may not have been planning on blocking the land valuers access to the fields…) justified riot control policing, one butterfingered cop pulled out a tear gas canister which, seconds later, inexplicably exploded behind the police line. Activists proceeded to piss themselves laughing at the sight of floundering, crying robocops while the bosses behind hogged the eye-drops. Their faces were even redder later as they struggled through muddy fields as nimble protesters gave them the run around.

The episode was the latest in the saga of the Notre-Dame des Landes airport. The airport is just one part of the meglomaniac ‘Grand Ouest’ project incorporating a new road system and the expansion of the Saint Nazaire port (“What’s climate change?”). Most land-owners have already sold their land to the government but a handful still resist, either wholeheartedly rejecting the devastating plans or just holding out for more dolla: the current offers stand at a meagre 16cents per square meter, while Vinci stands to siphon millions in public money to concrete the lot.

Some of the land expropriated by the state, meanwhile, has been re-appropriated by squatters occupying empty farm buildings and treehouses. Although a couple of squats, including the hub Les Planchettes, have been on eviction alert for several weeks ZAD inhabitants are busy with a timetable of workshops, building, riding the airwaves with the ZAD’s Radio Klaxton and planning for the upcoming True Substances week of demonstration, skill shares and action (5th – 10th March).

See zad.nadir.org, or get yer ass down to France for March 5th.

Occupy Monsanto Demo and Arrests

Protesters Occupying Monsanto Corp. Arrested

Anthony Gucciardi Activist Post

Taking a stand against the agricultural takeover of the United States and worldwide, a group of Occupy DC members began to protest outside the offices of Monsanto. Taking part in an attempt to help raise awareness over the atrocities committed by mega corporations like Monsanto, Occupy members as far away as Portland helped to organize the national protest.

In the call to action statement provided by Occupy Portland, the movement stated that the protest was to highlight the fact that “corporations buy off legislators and craft legislation that serves the interests of corporations and not people.” According to Occupy DC, about 12 members were arrested.

Protesters were told by D.C. police officers to remove themselves from the Monsanto office, where they formed a line around the building. One police officer, William Farr, said that around 50 protesters gathered around the building.
Police threatened protesters with arrest if they did not move away from the doors, and 12 were ultimately arrested.
According to the report, 10 were arrested for ‘blocking the entrance’ and 2 were arrested for crossing a police line. One of the individuals arrested was an American University student doing a report on police brutality.
During their protest at Monsanto corporation, protesters chanted things like ”Monsanto and ALEC, corporations are making us sick.”
Protesters were even quoted as saying that Monsanto ”is doing more to make a sustainable world impossible than almost any corporation on the planet.”
Monsanto was declared worst company of 2011 for their numerous acts against nature and public health.
In addition to running slave rings and controlling U.S. diplomats behind the scenes to push their agenda, Monsanto is also ensuring that you have no idea whether or not you are eating their genetically modified foods. Squashing labeling initiatives all over the nation through admitted influence, Monsanto wants to make sure you’re in the dark about their latest GMO creations.