Green Wave Eco Festival makes lifestyle greening fun.

UK, Brighton’s first sustainable eco-festival brought together a host of local companies and businesses to help people live a more sustainable lifestyle.

SupremeMasterTV : Halo to all our eco-friendly viewers. We are here in the sunny south coast of England, in Brighton. This is a Green Wave event, organized in conjunction with the Brighton and Hove city councils, to raise the awareness of green and sustainable energy.

Matthew Bird, Lewis Council Sustainability and Energy Officer : We cover areas like climate change and renewable energy, waste recycling. We provide advice to anyone and everyone on every facet of how to achieve a low carbon lifestyle.

SupremeMasterTV : So Matt, do you think that eating less meat has a role to play in reducing global warming?

Matt : Yes, I do. I think it’s pretty fundamental, and I was saying that our climate action plan is very much based on the idea of the ecological footprint. Meat production is responsible for, lands areas that’s needed to rear the meat; there is a lot more energy that goes into producing meat, and also the result in greenhouse gases, including methane. And also the fertilizers, growing the food that feeds the animals.

Frank Jay, Director of the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival : It is mainly vegetarian foods that is attracting the public. So it is another way of learning about the difference to the environment you can make. You know if you have got more vegetables in your diet and you are eating less meat, yes you will bring down CO2 emissions, you definitely will.

VOICE: The local Green Party Member of the European Parliament representing the South-East of England shared her party’s views.

Caroline Lucas, Member of the European Parliament and vegan : Our policies are basically about ensuring that it is possible for everybody to lead a greener lifestyle.

SupremeMasterTV : The consumption of meat has a very big impact on the environment. Are the Green Party helping to spread the message?

Caroline Lucas : We are very concerned about the impact of livestock production on climate change. Very much our message is and always has been that we think people should be eating less meat; that is actually good for people’s health to do that. But it is clear that we need to be eating less meat and so I think the message is to go out there and discover some more vegetables and to really understand that we don’t need to be eating meat 3 times a day. We really do not.

VOICE: We congratulate Green Wave, the Council of Brighton and Hove of England on your successful eco-festival. May your citizens and people worldwide live green, eat more vegetarian and reap the benefits of sustainable living!

Arctic foxes struggle to survive as polar ice melts.

 As global warming continues to erode Arctic sea ice, more native species are affected. Based on a study that followed 14 young Arctic foxes through their first winter in northern Alaska, the only three that survived were noted to wander hundreds of miles across the frozen sea ice to find food. Those that remained on the mainland did not see the winter through. Study lead Nathan Pamperin, scientist at the USA’s University of Alaska in Fairbanks, said, “With reduced access to sea ice, it is possible that, in the years when foxes would normally travel on the ice, they may face tougher conditions on land, and possibly lower survival."

Thank you Mr. Pamperin and other scientists for demonstrating the vital role of sea ice plays in the survival of the Arctic fox. May all nations quickly adopt carbon limiting programs to preserve our magnificent wildlife.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/09/wildlife.poles

Human-induced global warming causing penguin disappearance.
 
Penguin populations worldwide have been deemed in peril, with ten species petitioned in 2006 to be placed on the Endangered Species list. While on a summer expedition in Antarctica, American explorer Jon Bowermaster witnessed through unusual rains in the region, the freezing to death of thousands of penguin chicks. Melting sea ice in other areas is also pushing penguins into the waters, causing the undeveloped chicks to perish.

We pray that the declining conditions of these beloved seabirds make it clear that we must act now as a global community to save their species, as well as ours, from the effects of global warming. May the Providence guide our stewardship to preserve the survival of all beings on our Earth. (*)

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/07/080702-endangered-penguins_2.html


Norway’s future Climate Neutral City heads forward.

In February 2008 the United Nations Environment Program launched an initiative to work with committed economies in becoming carbon neutral. Along with Costa Rica, Iceland and New Zealand, Norway is one of the first countries to commit to the ambitious “Climate Neutral Network.” What’s more, Norway’s southern coastal city of Arendal is one of the first of four participating world cities. Arendal’s Mayor Norge Torill Rolstad Larsen explained:

Torill Rolstad Larsen, Mayor of the City Council of Arendal, Norway (F): We have decided that we are going to be the first climate neutral city in Norway within 2008, and we are already quite close to reaching that goal.  We have some ambitious goals.  Among other things, we shall reduce CO2 emissions with 90% within 10 years.

Svein Tveitdal, Former Director of United Nations Environment Program in Norway : A measures relief plan is now being launched with 20 initiatives, among other things: end all oil-based heating in the buildings belonging to the municipality.

VOICE: Authorities of Arendal are eager to involve all sectors along with the city’s 40,000 inhabitants to participate in the move toward zero emissions. In fact, the United Nations project will eventually organize the growing wave of nations, cities and companies, civil societies and individuals to all help take practical action. Practical actions may also include a shift in our diets.

Svein Tveitdal, Former Director of United Nations Environment Program in Norway: The cow contributes with about 4 tons annually of greenhouse gas emissions. And that is almost the same as the average for a human in the world. That is a lot. Also because of the growing of corn, etc. as food for farm animals. Thus, it’s difficult to think of a future – when more and more people come out of poverty, that we have the possibility to eat as much meat as we do today. 
So I believe that we are walking towards a community where more people have to become vegetarians.

VOICE: Bravo city of Arendal and all determined participants of the United Nations Environment Program’s Climate Neutral Network initiative. We wish you the best of success, and pray that more communities will join in doing whatever it takes to make a livable world for all those to follow!