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There might be some people that are interested in the following website:   http://rainforest.care2.com/welcome?w=506917766

This is a free "click to donate" site that raises money for various animal and enviromental groups.

We operate a small copy shop and try and reuse all paper and use recycle paper,Our free flea market on the same property helps people reuse the same material others have disreguarded. This cuts down what goes into our landfields. so much goes there that could be used by others. To stay in business we need $5000 loan can repay at $500 per month for 18 months. i am on ss disability so i can repay even if business should fail. need funds quick for up comming expenses, thanks

rogmar12@msn.com
 

Investors, Partners and Researchers required for a piononeering new conservation project in Tanzania, East Africa.

The first priority of Manyara Carnivore Centre (MCC) is to find an experienced (preferably male) investor-partner who is based in or would be prepared to move to Tanzania and help hands-on in getting the project up and running.  The project is too remote and 'sensitive' to be overseen by a woman alone.

Once this has been achieved, we then require a series of volunteer specialist researchers (flora and fauna) who are prepared to 'rough it' in the bush and who will each spend a year with the project, researching the movements and patterns of the resident and migratory flora and fauna and their relationship (if any) to crop damage. 

Each researcher will be expected to contribute financially towards the project in terms of cash donation or purchase/donation of equipment. 

Major priorities in terms of equipment requirements include :

Satellite link (for internet communications)

Suitable 4 x 4 vehicles (either Land Rover or Toyota Land Cruiser) with necessary accessories such as winches,

A tented camp (including facilities). 

Financial donations will go towards such items as :

The sinking of a borehole

Building of and improvement of current roads

Hiring of armed askaris (guards)

Building of a boma (protective fence around the camp)

Electricity sources (solar, wind power & generators)

Mobile telephones

Foodstuff and supplies for researchers and project managers

Salaries for Project Managers

Accommodation for Volunteers and Project Managers

Building and hosting of a website to attract public donations and researchers

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Once the above research has been completed, then work can begin in earnest on the Carnivore Rescue Centre* itself.  This will entail the writing of funding proposals to major donor organisations for financial assistance for the setting up and maintenance of the following :

Electrified Fencing for carnivore/predator enclosures.

Building and maintenance of an airstrip.

Visitor and Education Centre.

Research Laboratories and equipment.

Food supply for 'resident' carnivores.

Air charter services.

* The nature of this project will evolve over the course of time, depending upon current 'wildlife regulations' in place at time of establishment, however, please see below for overall concept.

Manyara Carnivore Centre (MCC) - Rescue & Rehabilitation for Tanzania's Carnivores

MCC intends to establish a Carnivore Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre in Northern Tanzania. Land - adjoining Tarangire National Park  - has already been negotiated for and acquired. 

The idea behind the project is to rescue so-called 'problem' carnivores (including lion, cheetah, leopard, hyena, wild dog and the smaller carnivores) that have either strayed from protected areas (due to hunting or over-population problems) or are causing villages along protected area borders a 'problem' in some way, e.g. preying on village cattle. The project also aims to rescue orphaned animals and those that, for example have been hit by moving vehicles and/or their progeny.

At present such animals (all now on the endangered list to some degree or other) are merely shot. MCC intends to set up a networking system through which we will be alerted when such accidents or situations occur, in order that we can put into effect the rescuing of these animals, fly or transport them to the centre and either medically treat them or rehabilitate them so that, where possible, these animals can be returned to areas of safety to themselves. 

Unfortunately there will inevitably be a number of rescued animals who will not be able to be returned to the wild and one aim of MCC is to house these animals in a sanctuary which will also serve as an educational centre for Tanzanian school children.  Research on all animals present in the sanctuary will be conducted by qualified wildlife vets and researchers.

In addition to the rehabilitation centre and sanctuary, MCC also plans, later,  to build and maintain eco-lodges on this land.  The needs for such accommodation are multiple: the area is extremely remote and visiting scientists and interested tourists will have to he housed, and the eco-lodges are expected to generate a sustainable income for the carnivore centre. The local community will benefit from the proximity of the centre in terms of employment opportunities and improvement of community social services.

The objectives of Manyara Carnivore Centre are to initiate and participate in wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and release operations through:

i.        Establishment of adequate facilities and the physical infrastructure for the rescue, accommodation and rehabilitation of wildlife,

ii.      Establishment of a centre of excellence for wildlife rehabilitation,

iii.    Provision of fast and effective health care to wild animals,

iv.    Creation of a national wildlife rehabilitation network and dissemination of information on wildlife rehabilitation,

v.      Provision of training in wildlife rehabilitation and wildlife health management,

vi.    Building up veterinary expertise and develop the practice of wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and reintroduction in Tanzania through support, networking, training and information dissemination,

vii.  Education to prevent cruelty to wildlife and other animals and promotion of animal welfare,

viii Networking with similar organisations and experts in the field, sharing knowledge and skills, locally and internationally.

Please email me your interest.

Terry Harnwell (ms)

President & Founder

The African Conservation Foundation

www.africanconservation.org

and

Manyara Carnivore Centre

www.manyaracarnivores.org

terry@africanconservation.org

Eco Explorer offers several exciting wildlife tours. All animals that we watch and study are observed in their natural habitat. We will travel to Thailand's best national parks under the guidance of an English-speaking guide and professional park ranger. We have organized specific trips to see the endangered wild elephant, gibbon, stump-tailed macaque and dusky langur. We can learn about the animals, the ecosystem from the area and see beautiful green tropical forests, which have gorgeous waterfalls and rivers inside. We can also see many species of birds and butterflies on all our tours, which sometimes require some physical exercise, when we hike into the dense forest.

If you would like to check us out our

web site is www.ecoexplorerthailand.com

When Eco-friendly Is Not

By Lisa Kendall

When are products made with environmentally friendly materials bad for the environment?  When they don't last as long as traditional goods.  Stylish, innovative products can be made with less harm to the environment than using traditional methods and materials.  But, quality control often receives too little attention when the focus is creating things without wreaking havoc on the natural world.

Three of my friends bought locally made hemp shoes from an eco-friendly company.  One pair tore across the top of the shoe within a month of its purchase.  My friend took them back and the company replaced them with a new pair, this time black.  The black die came off in the rain and within two weeks they were a blotchy gray and black.  Friend #2 bought waterproof hemp hiking boots.  The first time he wore them hiking, the rain made the glue dissolve in places that let the water inside.  Friend #3 chose a deck-shoe style.  The sides broke down, the glue dissolved, and he complained that the soles were so thin that he often felt like he was walking barefoot.

Environmentally friendly manufacturing is a fledgling industry.  The newness of the field means fewer resources for research and development.  This can lead to inferior products, sending would-be repeat customers back to traditional department stores.  Nike has had decades to experiment with rubber and glue, a big advantage over the local, eco-friendly shoe company that's been around less than 3 years.

The importance of promoting and supporting socially responsible products requires that we address this issue.  Most of the shortcomings reported by customers are due to one tiny component that is inferior. 

Hand beaded earrings with a nickel wire are not very useful to the millions of people sensitive to nickel.  Low toxic paint is not of much value if it doesn't stay on the house.  Organic cotton socks are not good for the environment if they develop holes on the fourth washing.

Environmentally friendly production has additional challenges.  Competing with companies not taking the extra steps to protect the environment is hard enough.  Competing with companies that are big enough to enjoy an economy of scale (i.e., getting lots of stuff, so it's cheaper) is tougher yet.  Add to that the obligation to pay workers something closer to a living wage when the competition is not, the increased difficulty in obtaining loans and subsidies, and it's hard to see how any venture could survive.

Every time I replace a pair of socks I've consumed more land and water for growing the cotton, depleting nutrients from the soil.  I've used more energy for processing the cotton, transporting it to another factory, to manufacture the socks (causing more pollution along the way).  There's more energy consumed in transporting them to a department store, and eventually selling them to you.  Throwing the old socks away fills up our landfills more quickly, necessitating the use of more land for garbage.  Let's avoid the irony of doing more damage to the environment through the purchase of environmentally friendly products.  

Of course, we're not talking about just one pair of socks.  According to Metro, the average U.S. citizen tosses 3.1 pounds of trash each day.  That's millions of socks, mixed in with the plates, mascara tubes, pizza boxes, automobiles, and old underwear.  That adds up to 325 billion pounds of American garbage each year.  Responsibility to the animals whose homes become our "dumps" demands a reduction in what we send out to the curb.  Buying quality products is one way we reduce such waste.  Working together as a community we can make environmentally friendly, socially responsible products.last longer.  Why not shoot for quality that raises the bar for all of the makers of socks, eco-friendly and otherwise.    

I have no doubt that many people have had great experiences with hemp shoes, but the experience of my three friends epitomizes the problems with quality control.  As we all discovered, our responsibility as consumers does not end with making more responsible purchases.  We must aid vendors in their quest for products that are truly good for the environment.

You can help!  Give feedback to the people from whom you buy those pretty barrettes made of all recycled materials.  They might not know that only French clips (the metal parts) last long enough for you to get them home in one piece.  If your hemp shoes start to fall apart before the manufacturer intended, call a local retailer who carries them with a description of the problem.  Better yet, contact the shoemaker through the phone book or on-line.  It is precisely this feedback that has taken the hemp industry so far in a relative nanosecond.  Seen those sexy hemp/ silk blend dresses and mini-skirts lately?  Hemp could not have gone from gunnysack to the runway in less than a decade without strong customer support.

Normally, this sort of feedback is very expensive.  This is what research and development departments are all about.  Vendors using new materials and ideas often don't have access to R & D.  That's where we customers come in.  Any artist, small company, or large corporation would want to know of the rare occasion of a goof or oversight on their part. 

Most of the things sold with the hopes of protecting our environment are well made and by nice people.  Problems with eco-friendly products should nonetheless be addressed.  Ensuring quality is an integral part of supporting the use of products that you can use and still sleep soundly.

To those of you who make and sell things that are easier on the planet, make it easy to get feedback from customers.  Especially with a new, untested product.  Be ready to exchange defective merchandise.  Look to successful mainstream companies for good models in customer service.  Too many times companies that are selling "guilt free" stuff feel that customer support negates any responsibility to stand by their merchandise or work for customer satisfaction.

The vendors, manufacturers, and consumers of eco-friendly goods are on the same team.  Coordinating our efforts would increase our odds of winning the game. 
 

The story of the dodo is a reminder of what will happen if we don't treat our world with some respect.

One day the dodo was happily minding his own business, eating fruit, looking cute and, according to popular opinion, generally being a bit stupid. The next day he was dead. The adorable dodo was no more. No more frolicking in the sunshine, no more playing with his friends, no more bringing joy to the lives of everyone who was lucky enough to meet him.


Through greed, arrogance and ignorance mankind killed the dodo. Perhaps through some people's greed, and the complacency of others, more species will become as dead as the dodo. Maybe even us.

Before this happens, take a stand and spread the word. Don't let the world forget the dodo.

http://www.dofodo.com

 We love nature, we love wildlife, so we pay more attention to their exist status. We dedicate ourselves to the work to protect wildlife and build their eco-habitats all along, With over 30 years` experiences in factual safeguarding work, specially in wild giant pandas` field inspection and safeguarding, we have accumulated many information about this aspect, including photos, videos and many interesting stories. We hope to share them with more and more people.

Thanks for your support.

Welcome to our website.

www.wildgiantpanda.com
 

Instead of using paper napkins, try cloth instead.  You can typically use them more than once, and when ready, throw them in your wash (they don't take up a lot of room).  Most resale stores (like Goodwill) sell old cloth napkins which also helps the environment because you are recycling by buying second-hand. This will help keep paper napkins (and probably plates, cups, etc.) from piling up in landfills, save trees, and eliminate the energy it takes to manufacture them.  Plus, it adds a little touch of class to your dinner table.
 

Gulf of the Farallones
National Marine Sanctuary

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Absolute Adventures-Shark Diver
Environmental Impact Statement 2003
SEFI Emergency Closure-EIS

Dear Shark Divers,

    Over the past few years Absolute Adventures-Shark Diver has advocated very strongly and successfully for self regulated eco use at the Gulf of the Farallons National Marine Sanctuary. Specifically eco-tourism regarding protected Great White Sharks. The thought at the time was that only local shark boat operators would know best how to interact with this protected species on a seasonal basis.

          We sadly report to you today that this sensitive population of Great Whites is now "under siege" by multiple pleasure boats, and eco-tour operators during the months of September through November. Local pleasure boats have learned that deploying surfboards at the SEFI (South East Farallon Islands) elicit spectacular strike/attack responses from huge resident Great Whites. They are also aware that chumming with fish parts and oil are not currently illegal. Most of this unregulated seasonal activity is directed at the small and sensitive populations of Great Whites located between Mirounga Bay and
Fisherman's Cove at the SEFI. Currently there are no eco laws nor regulations directing the practice of attracting Great Whites in any manner. Imagine if you will not one, but nine to 14 boats all trying this activity each day for the critical three months a year when these magnificent Great Whites come to feed on Elephant Seals
(Mirounga Angustirostris) as they have done for the past 10,000 years. This feeding activity is vital to the Great Whites continued success at these islands. The concern is pressure being exerted on them at this critical time is in fact more than this population can bear.

          We were also surprised to note in 2002 the Discovery Channel's Shark Week "Air Jaws Two" show, wherein 20 million viewers in California and the USA were shown how to make and deploy shark decoys for the express purpose of seeing protected Great White Sharks "fly" off the coast of California. This video and a host of shark watching flyers posted by pleasure boat owners in 2001-2002 are partially responsible in our opinion for the sudden and dramatic increase in non-regulated, non-permitted, pleasure boats and eco-tour operators at the sensitive Farallons shark site.

      What we have at this point located within a protected National MarineSanctuary is a powder keg waiting to go off, and the clear loser in this case is in fact the Great White Shark.

Action
         Our company is now calling for a two-year moratorium on all commercial and non-commercial shark watching, shark bating/attraction, and cage diving operations effective this year in the form of a 2003-2004 Emergency Closure. We are not advocating a ban on boating, sport fishing and scuba diving, just any activity related to the specific attraction and harassment of Great Whites by multiple unregulated shark boat operators and pleasure boats. We are also requesting that an Environmental Impact Study is conducted with the
cost of this study being burdened by all local operators seeking to be
permitted after the study is complete in two years. Results from published and unpublished long-term studies on White Sharks from PRBO Conservation Science and its partner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which are well-respected and objective research organizations, will be made available during the moratorium and will be used for evaluation of management options developed under the EIS.
Elsewhere in the world and in the USA it is common for interested parties involved in wildlife use/access issues to pay for the costs of impact studies.
            Absolute Adventures-Shark Diver stands to lose $225,000 this year with a self-regulated pull-out of our operations at the Farallon islands in 2003-2004. It is a pull-out that we hope other shark boat operators will stand up and support rather than treating this protected species as a financial resource only. We seek no competitive advantage, nor any special consideration for our actions. What we are requesting is in the best interests of a protected species located within a National Marine Sanctuary, in US waters, and that is all.
In the big picture eco-tourism operators are morally obligated to balance a fine line between good use and "exploitation". We have a slim chance now to hold everything in place, two years is not a long time for eco-tour companies to wait until rules, regulations and permits come forward.
          Meanwhile our dive site in Isla Guadalupe, Mexico, which remains one of the world's best Great White Shark dive sites, is under no such environmental pressure, and as such we are booking expeditions for 2003-2004 right now and look forward to introducing you to "Los Propietarios" or "The Landlords" this year. We will also keep our divers updated to the ongoing status of this site.

       Please help us save protected Great White Sharks at the Farallons for future generations by sending us an email of support; we will forward these emails to NOAA, the GFNMS, and all other interested parties. One email can make a lot of difference to a protected species!

Thank you for your support.

Cheers,
The Staff
Absolute Adventures-Shark Diver
www.sharkdiver.com
 

Carnivore Rescue & Rehab Centre

A suitable large farm or piece of bushland in either Tanzania or Botswana
is being sought to set up a Carnivore Rescue & Rehab Centre. Further, those
keen on setting up this project will need assistance in terms of
funding/sponsorship. If anyone knows of such a property or has
suggestions/can assist with the financial aspect, please get in touch.

For more information please contact terry@africanconservation.org
 

ACF – BACKING UP ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION GROUPS THROUGHOUT AFRICA

The concept of what is now The African Conservation Foundation (ACF) began just over two years ago when South African bred Terry Harnwell (at that time living in the U.K.) noticed the dearth of information on the internet relating to the subject of conservation efforts in Africa generally.  The 'preciousness' and uniqueness of Africa's flora and fauna has been a passion of Terry's since she was a very young child when the pilot of the Dakota transporting them from the UK flew low over the ground to give his passengers a bird’s eye view of the rich diversity of species and habitats below.

What was then African Conservation was Terry's first tentative effort at making a difference - for the benefit of Africa's flora and fauna.  As a professional web designer, it was only a short hop from an idea to an actuality and she initially began the laborious task of attempting to build up an internet directory of all groups working towards conservation throughout the continent.

Her original aim was to create a hub, a portal, that everyone could access, which would eventually include facilities at no cost in the form of Interactive Knowledgebase Forums, which she hoped would encourage conservationists and environmentalists to share their information for the benefit of all concerned.  She persuaded her partner and IT guru, John Parkin, to purchase and install software on the steadily-growing website which would be easily accessible and not require any great IT skills to use; anyone who can 'cut and paste' can publish their material on the forums ... Press Releases, Articles, Papers, Talks, Job & Volunteer Requirements, Research, etc.

However, quite soon, Terry realised that 'the well had run dry' in terms of contact through the internet and that she was really only touching the tip of the iceberg.  Well over 90% of the groups she managed to source for the directory were either European- or U.S.-based (with the exception of organisations in South Africa).  The international organisations tended to be those with both access to funding and internet facilities whereas the majority of the African-based organisations were almost devoid of either of these resources. It would require a more radical approach to make contact with most of the ground-based initiatives.

During a series of self-funded trips to Kenya and Tanzania, both African Conservation members had their concerns verified repeatedly ... financial support and internet facilities were severely limited.  There are many small, highly dedicated groups of scientists and other specialists (as well as non-specialists) working both minor and major miracles in their particular regions and districts, not managing to acquire any support at all from the outside world; in fact many of these smaller organisations have virtually no technology or resources at all (some even lack a telephone line) by which to bring in vital attention and funding to and for their projects.  Terry vowed to at least make an attempt at trying to improve on this situation and began offering free websites for those groups - even domain names and hosting was provided free of charge.

(More than one group asked for their website to be downloaded onto CD and posted to them as nine months or so after completion of their site, they had still been unable to leave their projects in the bush, travel to town and view their site on the internet!).

In August 2001 the project took on a new dimension and was formed into a UK-registered Not For Profit Education Organisation – The African Conservation Foundation (ACF). This 'change' was partly brought about by a Netherlands GIS and Remote Sensing specialist, Arend de Haas, (Arend is also a Wildlife Ecologist with a great interest in conservation efforts in Africa).   Arend  approached ACF and enquired as to whether the project would be interested in his skills in terms of GIS and Remote Sensing.  The Foundation was now able to offer further assistance to conservation organisations as GIS is an invaluable aid to research for so many on the ground.

ACF seems to have a total momentum of it's own .. the need for the skills offered throughout Africa is phenomenal and is growing and expanding on a daily basis.  They can now boast of a further three GIS / Remote Sensing specialists as part of the organisation and they are inundated with requests for assistance from all corners of the continent but realise that they can no longer fund these efforts themselves – their well has now run dry!  ACF are therefore seeking back-up, partnerships, sponsorship and funding in order to fulfil their aims :

Mission & Aims 

The African Conservation Foundation is dedicated to supporting and linking African conservation initiatives, groups and NGOs, with the aim of strengthening their capacity, building partnerships and promoting effective communication and co-ordination of conservation efforts.

Their Goal :  To help conserve the wildlife and flora of Africa through capacity-building, training and education.            

Specific Aims :

• To bring together access to ALL groups working for conservation in Africa in   one central access area - providing the central resource available to all.

• Public education and dissemination of high quality information about conservation issues and the status of biodiversity, particularly rainforests, wildlife and threatened species, to the (international) conservation community;

• To get the smaller/low funded groups on to the Internet - providing them with   a web presence.

• To 'kick-start' some of the important/prime organisations into using the web  properly - to help them work the Internet technology effectively.

• To provide a vehicle for, and access to, the sharing of research, reports and  other information.

• To promote and/or create 'shared community' areas and channels to build networks.

• To provide advice, training and support for groups (NGO's etc.) on the effective use of the Internet for internal communications, external contact and joint ventures.

• To help develop direct funding channels for groups both internal and external.

ACF's GIS programme mission :      

To compose, develop and disseminate spatial knowledge, data and information to facilitate the work of research and conservation groups in Africa.             

Specific goals:      

• To provide technical assistance and support, including Lab services, for conservation groups and NGO's, particularly grassroots, in Africa.

• To develop a web-enabled, centralized database of reliable geospatial (meta) information relevant to conservation in Africa;

• To provide access to vital conservation research and (natural resource) management information and enable better informed decisions;

• To contribute to research and support the development of affordable and functionally relevant GIS solutions;

• To organize workshops, seminars and meetings for the transfer and exchange of spatial knowledge and information.

 Anyone wanting to assist ACF financially in their efforts, can either visit their website - http://www.africanconservation.org - or can contact Terry directly, terry@africanconservation.org

Footnote.

Terry Harnwell is currently in South Africa ... her personal aim is to open a Carnivore Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in East Africa. If anyone would be interested in this project, please contact her.

Giant Visitors Silence Navy's Guns

My name is Kyle and I have had a question regarding endangered species.  If one is a proponant of the theory of evolution, how is this compatible with a belief in the protection of endangered animals from extinction?  It would seem to me that the theory of survival of the fittest, essential to evolution, would view the extinction of weaker species as a good thing, progress toward whatever end evolution is taking us.  Thus, by trying to preserve species that evolution has deemed unfit, we seem to me to be impeding evolution.  I have heard many unsatisfactory answers to this question.  I was surfing the net trying to find an environmental website that may be able to shed some light on this for me.  A timely response would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you for your time.  

Hi I'm looking for last years left over snow clogs (size 13).  Any idea
where I could find a pair?
       Thanks,  Brooke

My name is Bob Ramey, I am a Manufactures Sales Rep with EarthSafe and
Wellness Technologies, Inc..  We Manufacture and sell products that are safe
for ourselves and the environment.  If you would like to check us out our
web site is www.earthwellness.com . For those ordering at the end of the order it will ask for a rep name.  Please put nontoxic.  

My e-mail address is nontoxic@sc.rr.com
Thank you Bob

The mountain bikers of Bowling Green, KY are building their jumping trail along the Barren River. This is very harmful to the land and a rather essential part of the ecosystem.  If any of you know a biker then you could convince them to give up building the trail in such a sensitive area.

Ecobeetle is looking for submissions, do you have anything to say on the environment? We are looking for articles, reviews and good eco-minded people. contact us

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