Youth urge for global changes at Power Shift ’09 in Washington, DC, USA
Youth urge for global changes at Power Shift ’09 in Washington, DC, USA. From Friday, February 27 to Monday, March 2, some 12,000 student leaders from all 50 United States, all 13 Canadian provinces and territories, and more than a dozen countries around the world gathered in the United States capital to express their shared concern about climate change. Another group of approximately 2500 citizens arrived on Monday, seeking the government’s support for halting the use of coal, with renowned US climatologist Dr. James Hansen present to lend his voice to the call.

Andy Makem – Power Shift Participant (M): We’re here to get Congress to pass some legislation to dramatically decrease carbon output worldwide.

Haley Fongemean – Power Shift Participant (F): I think we’re also here to show Congress that we need this change now. We’re not going away. We’re making this happen now.

VOICE: The students united as one voice, calling for policy makers to switch to clean alternative energy that would bring brighter opportunities for future generations.

Veronica Hooker Power Shift Participant (F): We want to increase sustainability worldwide on all aspects, from energy to communities to the way we treat people to eating meat.

VOICE: Keynote speakers at the conference included Lisa Jackson, Chief of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Ken Salazar, United States Secretary of the Department of the Interior; United States Congress representatives Donna Edwards and Ed Markey; Jerome Ringo from the National Wildlife Federation; and Van Jones, president of Green for All, among other distinguished speakers. A briefing between the dignitaries and youth leaders was held. Among the many panels and workshops were several on the urgent issue of agriculture’s role in climate change.

Doreen Stabinsky – Greenpeace International (F): How Greenpeace sees agriculture: Agriculture is part of the climate problem, but agriculture is also possibly part of the climate solution.


Meredith Niles – Cool Foods Campaign coordinator, Center for Food Safety, USA (F): How much of our policies are focused on increasing fuel standards for cars or trying to promote driving less, or public transportation. That’s 14%. Meat production is 18%. So there’s a fundamental disconnect here among our policymakers and two, I think the average American people and people around the world, about the role that meat production plays in climate change.

Meredith Niles (F):There are ways that are institutionalized that allow this type of agriculture to continue, to be subsidized and to be perpetuated, at the expense of our climate and our own health. Let's give carbon offsets to organic farmers, who scientifically are proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and put more carbon in the soil.

University student, Power Shift Participant (M): I’m aware that it’s a major issue, and it will be a solution because students can take action. Make their cafeterias vegetarian. It’s a personal choice and it’s one that everybody needs to take.

For more information about Power Shift 2009, please visit powershift09.org

VOICE: Hats off to all the courageous youth, citizens, supportive government leaders and others involved who made Power Shift 2009 a great success. With the younger generations having spoken, let us take heed now by choosing sustainable ways to live for the planet’s survival and wellbeing of all.

Beached whales, dolphins rescued in Australia
Tasmanians work to save beached whales. On Tasmania’s King Island in Australia, 189 pilot whales and 10 dolphins were found stranded on Naracoopa Beach. Tragically, only 54 pilot whales and 7 dolphins were still alive by the end of the day they were discovered. Rescuers kept the marine mammals wet and covered as they used equipment to dig channels for their return to the sea. The rescuers then used boats, jet skis, backhoes, and their own physical strength to guide most of the survivors back into deeper water.

We are deeply saddened by this tragic event that caused the perishing of so many innocent whales and dolphins. Our sincere thanks to the heroic rescuers for their caring and timely endeavors as we pray that humanity quickly turns to more compassionate ways, to ensure the health and comfort of these and all co-inhabitants.



Pakistani president urges nation to go green
Pakistan plants trees to green the nation. As part of the Spring Tree Plantation Campaign and the 2009 National Year of the Environment, the Pakistani government is sponsoring the planting of more than 70 million saplings. President Asif Ali Zardari, who launched the campaign by planting a tree himself at the President’s Secretariat, has encouraged all citizens to participate, with a goal of increasing Pakistan’s forest cover approximately six percent by the year 2015.

A green salute, Your Excellency and contributing fellow citizens of Pakistan! We laud your efforts to revive these verdant beauties that protect the lives of humans and animals alike.

California Wind Farms Providing Energy and Jobs
Sustainable wind energy on the rise in the US. With current wind energy installations almost triple those of a year ago, New York state’s 1,274 megawatts of wind capacity is enough to power over a million homes. On the nation’s west coast, new wind farms in California have helped boost livelihoods as well as a surge in green collared jobs. This growth is also thanks to the generous government tax credits for sustainable energy investments.

What motivating green news, New York and California, USA! May many other states and nations act similarly to offer similar momentum toward fully sustainable living.

 African Mayors Agree to Combat Climate Change
 African mayors call for collective actions to mitigate climate change. Across Africa, 33 major city mayors meeting in Nairobi, Kenya recognized the urgency of their climate change predicament and have pledged to quicken their cities' actions in adapting and mitigating its effects. After citing the various impacts of global warming to their respective cities, the mayors collectively issued the Nairobi Declaration and agreed to integrate its plans into future development. They also affirmed their intention to participate in the upcoming United Nations Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in December.

Our respectful green accolades, all mayoral participants of Africa, on this meaningful accord. Blessed be your noble efforts as members of the international community to help in bringing a golden era of eco-change.

Press conference ahead of Mexico climate change conference
Press conference ahead of Mexico climate change conference. On March 4, a press conference was held in Xalapa City, Veracruz, Mexico regarding the climate change videoconference scheduled for Friday, March 6. The press conference was attended by all main local and regional media groups, along with the two largest television stations in Mexico, TV Azteca and Televisa, the latter of which broadcasts across Latin America. Our Association members organizing the video seminar presented some the issues that would be discussed during the event.

Our Association member (M): Natural sanctuaries, forests and seas, over 25 million climate refugees. Those are statistics from 2007. We need to do something. We have clear evidence that this situation is really urgent.

Nominjin – Internationally renowned pop singer, our Association member (F): We're not here to state the problems of global warming, we're here to offer the solutions that will help us halt this global threat.

VOICE: In a candid question and answer session, media representatives likewise expressed their own deep concerns about climate change and its effects in Mexico and the world, as well as the best solutions at both the community and individual levels.

Our Association member (M): Our individual actions contribute greatly to restoring and preserving the delicate balance of nature.

VOICE: The event’s guest of honor is Supreme Master Ching Hai, who graciously accepted the invitation to share her special insights via videoconference on how we can save the planet.

We appreciate the media members and organizations who have shown their support for this seminar. We are especially thankful to Supreme Master Ching Hai for her time and in-depth wisdom on this urgent matter.

The climate change conference entitled “SOS” Save the Planet is being broadcast live via radio on station Olivaradio at 95.5 FM, and live via satellite and Internet on Supreme Master Television, starting at 6 pm on Friday, March 6 in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, or 1 am Central European Time, on Saturday, March 7.