Perhaps there is still hope…

July 24, 2008 at 8:42 pm (ecology, nature, philosophy)
Tags: , ,

This week I read an article concerning the crisis on the loss of biodiversity.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=7638&page=0

What makes this different from the many on the doom and gloom scenario, is that it shows a ray of hope for the future. I need to keep this ray of hope alive; sometimes I feel the flame is almost gone, and then something comes along again to fan it back to life.

Enter http://www.dancingstarfoundation.org/mission.php , an organisation which states:

“ The goal of Dancing Star Foundation is to help sensitize people throughout the world to the critical importance of biodiversity, animal protection and conservation; and to instill a respect for all life, which can be demonstrated by even the most modest gestures of kindness, compassion and love in our everyday lives.”

Simple isn’t it? My hope is that sooner rather than later, organisations such as this are no longer required. That all peoples on this earth do become sensitive and respectful for all life. Before it is too late.

Comments

The Silence of Omission

July 6, 2008 at 9:52 pm (Aboriginal, courage, ecology, genetic engineering, multinationals, nuclear dangers, philosophy, politics)
Tags:

“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men”

Abraham Lincoln

Comments

Biosecurity

June 9, 2008 at 11:09 pm (ecology)
Tags: ,

Further to my other posting on weeds, I just came across this article on biosecurity. For decades now, through various changes in governments, the funding for the Australian Quarantine Service has dried up to a dribble. Too few people are expected to do too much work, and despite previous calls to address this by the concerned staff the situation has continued. Not only that, but the emphasis has been placed in the wrong direction. Now, more than 200 submissions have been received from diverse groups by a federal government inquiry.

Let’s hope that this is not yet another inquiry that gets hidden in the archives.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/06/02/2262713.htm?site=science&topic=enviro

Comments

The Genetic Bill of Rights

June 7, 2008 at 11:32 pm (ecology)
Tags: ,

I mentioned in an earlier post, about the power-full-ness of art from the heart, and I urge you to visit this site and take time to read, and to absorb the messages……time is running out…..we must make changes…….we must stop what is happening…..

http://www.gene-watch.org/genewatch/articles/20-4GBR.html

Comments

Biopiracy

June 3, 2008 at 8:04 am (ecology, philosophy)
Tags: , ,

The ways of the world baffle and dismay me at times. This modern society has much to learn from indigenous peoples from all parts of the world, but why does this knowledge need to be continually taken in such a greedy manner? I refer in this instance to biopiracy, the commercialization of traditional medicines: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioprospecting

There are organisations and people who are outraged by this behaviour, and in their different ways, endeavour to raise awareness and to change the approach.

Alex Steffen is one such person, who wrote an article back in 2004 http://www.worldchanging.com/archives//000941.html

and more recently, Regine Debatty http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/008013.html looking at it from an art perspective, with works by Ines Doujak.

Art has a way of bypassing our conditioned minds, and getting a new message through to the heart of the matter. Long live Art.

Comments

Weeds

June 2, 2008 at 8:03 am (ecology, weeds, wildlife)
Tags: , ,

There comes a time when a task can no longer be delayed. So it was for me, when last week I removed a vine from the front garden. As soon as I moved to this place, the vine was doomed, as I recognised its weed potential and knew it had to go. Throughout the long hot summer, against a hot tin fence and receiving no watering, it continued to grow. Tough all right. Probably why someone planted it. It may have been given to them by a “helpful” person, many plants are spread this way. But there is a dark side to this sharing of plants. They can become invasive.

http://www.weeds.org.au/ is a site with a great deal of information in an easy to follow format.

The World Wildlife Fund http://wwf.org.au/ourwork/invasives/ is also very concerned about weeds and their effect on Australian species :

“Weeds, Pests and Diseases

The threat posed to Australian native species by invasive weeds and pest animals is growing. It is now second only to land clearing as the biggest threat to Australia’s biodiversity.”

I am not a lone flag waver on this. There are many concerned people who are doing great work in undoing the damage. Regenerating the bush.

http://www.aabr.org.au/ is one such organisation. They have a REPORT: PAYING THE PRICE OF GARDEN ESCAPES. Click here to download the Report.

While not everyone can get out into the bush and remove the weeds, we can all behave in a responsible manner when it comes to putting plants in our gardens. No longer can we use the excuse “I didn’t know” - we must make it our business to know. The information is now readily available from many sources, and the nursery industry has come on board with a great range of information and alternatives.

Unfortunately, many of the exotic plants I have grown up with, and consider my friends, are on the invasive list. Others may not be on the list, but their potential still exists. And just because a plant is a “native” does not preclude it from problems. Many natives grown outside of their original habitat have become weeds.

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/

Their site states:

“What are invasive species?

An invasive species is a species occurring, as a result of human activities, beyond its accepted normal distribution and which threatens valued environmental, agricultural or other social resources by the damage it causes.”

  • CRC for Weed Management Systems is a Cooperative Research Centre.
  • Environmental Weeds in Australia lists environmental weeds in Australia and their impact. Some photos available.
  • Invasive Plant Species in Australia covers what work is being done at present and what needs to be done in the future.
  • Weed Science has information about weeds from the Western Australia Agriculture Department.
  • Weedbuster Week is a national awareness event that highlights the impact of weeds on primary industries, the environment and human and animal health, and encourages governments, industry, private and community organisations to work together.
  • Weeds Australia National Weeds Strategy - a strategic approach to weed problems of national significance.

Remember: a weed is a plant in the wrong place.

Please take care of the land, where-ever you live.

Comments

A Marvellous Misty Morn

May 18, 2008 at 2:20 am (ecology, nature, philosophy)
Tags: , ,

Two days ago the rain came, and to date nearly 40mls has been gratefully received. This morning at dawn, I was met with a drizzly mist covering all. A sight for sore eyes. A mist softens the air, the land; it provides another perspective. And now thankfully, an end to the dust, for a while at least….

Mornings such as this remind me of the times I would be galloping cross-country on a horse, with other like-minded riders. The horse’s hot steamy breaths, contrasting with the damp wind on my cheeks, bringing a tingle of exhilaration like no other.

Or, as a child, of mushrooming in the paddocks with my father, gathering the field mushrooms, some as large as dinner plates. The excitement of seeking and finding their snowy white caps was as good as actually eating them. Their rich earthy aroma, so unlike the soul-less supermarket ones of today.

Mushrooms like those may not ever be seen again. The use of superphosphate has killed off the micro-organisms in the ground, leaving it lifeless. The so-called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution was in fact, the biggest con let loose on an unsuspecting public. Simply a ploy by the chemical giants to suck as much money from farmers as possible.

http://www.truthout.org/environment.shtml does a wonderful job of informing people of what is taking place in this fading world, this Earth.

How many children in the future will be privileged as I was, to go out mushrooming; to enjoy the freshness of nature and gather their own food for the table? Very few unless action is taken to cease this exploitation of the land, and to reconnect the people with their origins.

“We are creatures of the Earth, created out of stardust, energized by the sun, carrying with us fragments of the first life-forms - evidence of our kinship with every other creature on the planet.”

David Suzuki - ‘The Sacred Balance’

Comments

Ecotage

May 10, 2008 at 5:16 am (ecology, philosophy)
Tags: ,

There is a particular section of my local roadside that has been of concern to me, due to the erosion taking place. It is on the last steep drop down to the river, and so when it rains, the soil races down and adds to the environmental damage to the river. At times, people riding motor bikes or driving off-road vehicles use this section to “test their skills”, and this further adds to the damage.

Not much indigenous roadside vegetation exists, anywhere around here, but occasionally there will be a patch of Eremophila alternatifolia, or Acacia victoriae. Tough survivors.
An Acacia just happens to be growing on the edge of this eroded section, and two small seedlings have grown right in the middle of the path taken by the vehicles - thus lessening their chances of survival.

So one day I placed small and larger rocks around the plants, and used branches from a nearby felled dead tree to further impede the removal of the precious soil from around the plants. It is a windy area, and the branches will catch debris which all helps to build the soil back up again. I also intended it as discouragement to the vehicle users.

Only a small action, but one which may aid the survival of this Earth - as the Paul Kelly song goes - “From Little Things, Big Things Grow”

Now this act of mine could be classified as Ecotage as defined by Earth First! Journal, as I have sabotaged the movements of those off-road vehicles. And according to an article by SteveLendman, GlobalResearch.ca - Centre for Research on Globalization, April 28, 2008, many people in the US are being convicted for similar offenses under the Anti-terrorist Laws introduced since 9/11 and not forgetting the October 2001 USA Patriot Act (written well before 9/11) which created the federal crime of “domestic terrorism” that broadened the definition and applied it to US citizens as well as aliens.

Yes, it seems a long bow to draw, but think about it. In effect, I am protecting the trees using the means available to me. I have not hurt any persons by my actions, yet many people are serving sentences commited under the same terms.

As Stephen says

“Post-9/11, future prospects look grim with fear prevailing over reason, a bipartisan effort exploiting it, and convictions more important than justice. If friends of the earth and animal rights champions are targeted, so can anyone.”

and

“It means hard times ahead when the law won’t protect us, dissent is a crime, and the greater good is sacrificed to benefit the privileged.”

When should one commit a ‘crime’ that is in fact, an ethical act?
Rushworth Kidder the founder of the Institute for Global Ethics offers guidance in his book “How Good People Make Tough Choices”.

I believe that more and more we are being called upon to consider our values and act on them in the face of what is taking place in this troubled world.

I am glad I do not live in a US state - or do I? Many people believe that Australia is the 51st US state. The signs are there….

1 Comments

Seeds

April 10, 2008 at 3:06 pm (ecology, insects, multinationals, seeds)
Tags: , , ,

The summer has passed, and even though there is no consistent soaking rain, it is time for the autumn plantings in the vegetable garden. Of course, the question always is this - should I sow seeds while the ground is warm, or wait until the rains come? If I wait too long, the ground will be cold, and the seedlings will not grow as well. I may hedge my bets and try a bit each way.

With this in mind, I purchased some seeds this week. Now there are some very glossy seed catalogues, and plenty of seed stands in supermarket and similar multinational stores. I ignored them. I purchased my seeds from an Australian company that sells “The finest organic seed of the old traditional varieties. Our Food Heritage.”

These are seeds that I will be able to grow, then save the seeds from those plants for my future use. Over time, those plants will be adapted to my particular local conditions, and I will also be continuing the time-honoured tradition of saving old varieties of seed for future generations.

I am appalled by the consequences of GMO seeds. That is - Genetically Modified Organisms. Here’s what Brit Amos wrote in GlobalResearch.ca - Centre for Research on Globalization, March 25 2008 -

“Genetically modified seeds are produced and distributed by powerful biotech conglomerates. The latter manipulate government agricultural policy with a view to supporting their agenda of dominance in the agricultural industry. American conglomerates such as Monsanto, Pioneer HiBred and others have created seeds that reproduce only under certain conditions, often linked to the use of their own brands of fertilizer and/or insecticide.
The genetic modification of the plant leads to the concurrent genetic modification of the flower pollen. When the flower pollen becomes genetically modified or sterile, the bees will potentially go malnourished and die of illness due to the lack of nutrients and the interruption of the digestive capacity of what they feed on through the summer and over the winter hibernation process.”

And then there is the Doomsday Seed Vault, officially known as Svalbard Global Seed Vault, located on Spitsbergan Island, Norway. Some of the players in this are the Rockefeller Foundation, Monsanto, Syngenta Foundation, and the Government of Norway.

Somehow, I do not feel comforted by the presence of this vault. I do not believe that these investors have spent their money for the ‘public good’.

Thirty years ago my uncle, a commercial seed grower, was concerned about the changes to the industry and how the ordinary person was going to be disadvantaged by these big companies. No one wanted to listen to him then, and not many are listening now. But I remember his words, and I shall save my seeds. I know how to garden, but for me, it is more than simply growing food. It is a political statement. It is part of the journey of regaining personal power. It is saying - I know how to feed myself, I can survive. This you cannot take away from me.

3 Comments

Dust

April 1, 2008 at 9:40 pm (dust, ecology, nature, philosophy)
Tags: , , ,

Before dawn the wind began. Inside the house a thick layer of dust lay over the window mantles, seeping onto the floor, seeping into everything. Outside, the wind was from the east, and by the time I went outside, it was no longer blowing dust, just the normal strong wind for this region. As the early light began, I walked up to the horse paddock to give my mare her morning feed. Often at that early hour she is still out over the hill, but today she was in at the shelter of the yard. She seemed to know that something was up…….

An hour later the wind changed across to the north west, and within moments, I could no longer see more than a 100yards out across the paddocks. A thick blanket of dust obliterated the view. This dust is the soil the farmers were readying themselves to plant into. No longer in the ground, it is in the sky. Gone. There will be more stones in the paddocks. How much longer can this continue? This depletion of our soil, of our lifeblood? No wonder more and more people are losing their health, no wonder that less people experience true wellness. Our health, our wellness, comes from the Earth.

In their book “Going Native”, Michael Archer and Bob Beale eloquently state:

“This vast and traumatic human assault has left many landscapes wounded and sick. Most of the nation’s arteries - the rivers - are clogged, salted or polluted. Much of its skin - the soil - is festering with erosion, salinity, acidity and other problems. Its immune system - its rich diversity of plants and animals, is struggling to cope with the loss of so many of its component parts and with multiple invasions.”

1 Comments

« Previous entries