Natural Environment Blog

Prince Charles has today launched the official website for his Rainforest Project. As I mentioned earlier, today is World Environment Day, so it’s a perfect day for launching a website aimed at saving the rainforests.

The main aim of the project, which launched on October 25 last year, is to make the rainforests “more valuable alive than dead”. Today, in many developing countries, rainforests are worth more dead than alive. This is mainly due to demand from developed countries for beef, palm oil, and soya.

When launching the Rainforest Project at a WWF dinner in October last year, Prince Charles said that rainforest destruction is responsible for around 20 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases, second only to the energy sector. Further to this, both the Stern review and the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change report believe tackling deforestation may be one of the quickest and most cost effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the short term.

Prince Charles also said the following about the deforestation issue:

It seems to me that the central issue in this whole debate is how we put a true value on standing rainforests to the world community – we simply have to find ways of putting a price on them which makes them more valuable alive than dead.

Elaborating on this, Prince Charles says the project’s objective is:

To find innovative ways of paying the countries that are the custodians of the tropical rainforests an appropriate price for the eco-system services they provide and so out-compete the drivers of deforestation.

In today’s money driven society, this makes a lot of sense. After all, if countries are paid more for their eco-systems services than they are for the drivers of deforestation, then they will no longer allow their own rainforests to be destroyed. Furthermore, not only will they see value in keeping their existing rainforests, they will also see value in increasing the size of their rainforests - after all, more rainforest means more money.

How Will The Project Achieve Its Objective?

The project is engaging with rainforest nations, governments, businesses and non-governmental organizations to find the solutions to deforestation.

The project is also backed by 13 major global companies: Shell, Rio Tinto Zinc, McDonald’s, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Sun Media, Sky, Deutsche Bank, Man Group, KPMG, Barclays Bank, Finsbury and the European Climate Exchange.

Furthermore, the project is being advised by experts including: Lord Stern; Steve Howard, Chief Executive of the Climate Group; Kevin Conrad, the Executive Director of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations; Andrew Mitchell of the Global Canopy Programme; Kristalina Georgieva, Vice President of the World Bank; Reijo Kempinnen, head of the European Commission Representation in the UK; and Barry Gardiner MP.

How You Can Help

You can pledge your support on the Prince’s Rainforest Project website.

Video of Prince Charles Introducing the Rainforest Project

Here’s a video of Prince Charles introducing the Rainforest Project, as well as explaining why he feels this is such an important cause.

As I mentioned the other day, the Australian government, in its 2008 federal budget, announced increased spending on environmental issues.

This includes $200 million to go towards protecting the Great Barrier Reef. The package is being called “Reef Rescue” and aims to tackle climate change and improve water quality around the Great Barrier Reef. Given the Great Barrier Reef is one of the natural wonders of the world, this is welcome news.

A large part of the funding will go towards grants to landowners and managers. The main aim with this is to reduce sediment from entering the waters around the Great Barrier Reef. Currently, water quality around the reef is being affected by this pollution from the land.

Reef Rescue Allocation

Reef Rescue is divided up into 5 different parts:

• Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Grants ($146 million)
• Healthy Reef Partnerships program ($12 million)
• Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Research and Development program ($10 million)
• Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting program ($22 million)
• Land and Sea Country Indigenous Partnerships program ($10 million)

Here’s an explanation of each of these parts (taken from the official budget website):

Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Grants ($146 million)

The majority of these funds will be provided in the form of matching grants (with matching funding) to landowners and managers who commit to implementing proven practices that reduce loss of nutrients and sediments, while improving farm productivity. This will be delivered in partnership with peak industry groups and existing regional Natural Resource Management groups.

Healthy Reef Partnerships program ($12 million)

A program to build partnerships between peak industry organisations and non-government organisations that support landowners with increased local expertise and extension staff. It will build on existing programs in rural industry bodies and regional NRM groups.

Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Research and Development program ($10 million)

To improve our understanding of the link between land management practices and environmental impacts. Research priorities will be determined in consultation with the Queensland Government, universities and research organisations, and other stakeholders.

Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting program ($22 million)

This funding will allow further development and implementation of a coordinated catchment-wide water quality monitoring and measurement program with established criteria and targets. The funding will also provide for the annual publication of a Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Report Card.

Land and Sea Country Indigenous Partnerships program ($10 million)

This program will build the capacity of traditional owner groups in sea country management. The funds will be used to strengthen communications between local communities, managers and reef stakeholders and build a better understanding of Traditional Owner issues about the management of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Funding will also be available for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) to allow for the expansion of the Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreements across the Great Barrier Reef catchment.

Reef Rescue will play an important role in the survival of the Great Barrier Reef. Let’s hope it’s not too late.

Glaciologists at Massey University have confirmed that the Tasman Glacier, in New Zealand’s South Island, is retreating at its fastest rate in recent history.

Since the 1990s, the glacier has been retreating at an average rate of 180 meters per year. This rate will likely increase to between 477 and 822 meters per year over the next 10 to 19 years.

Dr Martin Brook, lecturer in physical geography in the School of People, Environment and Planning says that the glacier’s faster retreat rate is mainly due to the fact that there is now a lake sitting right in front of the glacier.

This lake didn’t even exist back in 1973. And even as recent as 1990, the lake was very small.

The lake was formed by the glacier’s melting ice. And now, as the glacier melts, the lake becomes higher. And as the lake gets higher, it melts the glacier ice.

This will continue until the lake cannot expand any further (because of the surrounding mountains). This will take between 10 and 19 years based on current calculations.

According to Dr Brook:

The glacier followed a slow retreat phase for a while, in that a thermo-erosional notch in the ice cliff face would develop at the water line, melt back into the glacier undercutting the ice above, causing the ice to collapse into the lake.

But what is happening now is that a short foot of ice is extending out into the lake away from the ice cliff, and the glacier is now in a period of fast retreat. This is because as the water depth increases so does the speed of retreat – simply, a much larger part of the glacier is submerged and the water, even at only two degrees celcius, is still able to melt the glacier ice

Having seen Tasman Glacier with my own eyes, I find this news quite sad. OK, it may not be the most spectacular looking glacier in New Zealand but it is the largest. Although most of the world’s glaciers are retreating, not many are retreating at this rate.

The above photo is one that I took during a walk to Tasman Glacier. You can see a small part of the lake at the top of the river. If I understand correctly, the place where I took this photo may be submerged within a few years…

The above photo is one taken from the track to Mueller Hut (opposite Tasman Glacier). You can see that the glacier is covered in rock and debris. You can also see the 7 kilometer long lake that has formed in front of the glacier. This lake will be 16 kilometers long within 10 to 19 years…

The Reef Check Foundation is an international non-profit organization dedicated to conservation of two ecosystems: tropical coral reefs and California rocky reefs. According to its website, Reef Check aims to:

• Educate the public and governments about the value of coral reefs and rocky reef ecosystems and the crisis facing them
• Create a global network of volunteer teams, trained and led by scientists, that regularly monitor and report on reef health using a standard method
• Facilitate collaborative use of reef health information by community groups, governments, universities and businesses to design and implement ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions
• Stimulate local action to protect remaining pristine reefs and rehabilitate damaged reefs worldwide especially through the creation of Marine Protected Areas.

Reef Check includes 3 major programs:

1. EcoAction Program – an education and certification program for kids to adults who want to learn more about the ocean and take part in protecting reef ecosystems.
2. Coral Reef Management Program – a coral reef monitoring and management system that focuses on establishing Marine Protected Areas to conserve coral reefs while encouraging sustainable use of surrounding reefs by local residents.
3. Reef Check California – a volunteer monitoring program for California rocky reefs designed to provide data for managers and to build a conservation constituency among California divers.

Reef Check works with volunteers in more than 80 countries to help protect and rehabilitate the world’s coral reefs. Much of this work involves monitoring reefs and their marine life, as well as formulating ways to manage their protection and/or rehabilitation.

If you’ve ever been snorkelling or scuba diving, you’ll appreciate the beauty of coral reefs. You might also be aware of the fact that many of the world’s coral reefs are actually dying. In my article on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, I mentioned that factors such as global warming, overfishing, and land pollution are causing major issues for coral reefs. This is where Reef Check hopes to make a difference.

If you’re like most people I know, you’ve got scores of unused plastic bags stuffed away in a kitchen drawer or cupboard. Wouldn’t it be great if you could somehow turn these into reusable bags?

Well, depending on where you live, that’s exactly what you can do. Many local governments around the world have created a plastic bag exchange program.

A plastic bag exchange program is where you take all your unused plastic bags and exchange them for a reusable bag, usually made from a natural fiber such as jute or calico. Most programs involve community members swapping either 10 or 20 plastic bags for one reusable bag.

Here are some examples of local governments around the world who have initiated a plastic bag exchange program:

• Sydney City Council (Australia) - In 2004, the City of Sydney undertook a 2 month plastic bag exchange to coincide with World Environment Day 2004. Residents could exchange 20 plastic bags for one calico bag.
• Hobsons Bay City Council (Australia) - The Hobsons Bay City Council gave residents one reusable bag for every 10 plastic bags.
• Brimbank City Council (Australia) - Council gave residents one reusable bag for every 10 plastic bags during the exchange period.
• Westchester County (US) - Department of Environmental Facilities are holding a two day plastic bag exchange program as I write this! Residents will receive a free reusable bag for every 20 plastic bags they bring in.
• Plano (US) - As part of Plano’s “citywide cleanup”, residents can exchange plastic bags for free reusable bags.

And, it’s not only governments that are initiating plastic bag exchange programs. According to this article, Grass Shoots intend to set up a “plastic bag amnesty” where residents can get a free reusable bag made from jute or cotton.

Many of these programs run for short periods of time, so keep an eye out to see if your local council intends to run a plastic bag exchange program. Or even better, suggest it to your council!

You may have heard about the global warming campaign that WAYN founders set up on the website. The campaign includes a global warming profile, which allows members to make a pledge to combat global warming. Well to date, there have been over 400,000 pledges!

I first found out about this via an email from Peter and Jerome (the WAYN founders). The email, sent on 23 March, indicated that over 300,000 pledges had been made by Easter weekend. This works out to be over 10,000 pledges a day. By the time I read the email and checked the site, there were over 400,000 pledges. As I write this 401,710 pledges have been made.

I think this is a great result. At the very least, people are becoming aware of the issue and are thinking about things they can do to help combat global warming.

Also, Peter and Jerome are continuing to look for new ways to help. Here’s what they said in their most recent email:

We will continue to engage with organisations and governments to find out other ways in which our members can make a difference, and will keep you informed of our progress.

WAYN, which stands for “Where Are You Now?” is a social networking site for travelers and has over 10 million members worldwide.

With the success of WAYN’s global warming campaign, it would be good to see other social networking sites taking similar steps to help raise awareness of environmental issues such as global warming.

Many of the world’s most famous landmarks will be participating in Earth Hour this weekend. Here’s a list of the famous landmarks that are officially participating in Earth Hour 2008:

Australia

• Sydney:
  • Harbour Bridge
  • Opera House
  • Centrepoint Tower
  • Big Coke sign on William St (Kings Cross)
  • NSW Parliament
  • Town Hall
  • Kirribilli House
  • Luna Park
  • Buildings facing Circular Quay
  • Blues Point Tower
• Melbourne
  • The Arts Centre
  • Rialto Towers
  • Luna Park (St Kilda)
  • Melbourne Aquarium
  • The Jam Factory
  • Federation Square
  • Melbourne Town Hall
  • Melbourne Zoo
• Adelaide
  • Adelaide Town Hall
  • Adelaide Central Markets
  • Victoria Square Fountain
  • The Advertiser building
  • Hilton Adelaide.
• Brisbane
  • Casino
  • Story Bridge
  • City Hall
  • Victoria Bridge
  • William Jolly Bridge
  • Brisbane Square
  • A number of State Government parliamentary buildings
• Perth
  • The WACA (WA Cricket Ground)

United States

• Atlanta
  • Coca Cola Headquarters
  • Georgia Aquarium (world’s largest aquarium)
• Chicago
  • Sears Tower
  • John Hancock Building
  • Soldier Field (home of Chicago Bears football)
  • Boeing Headquarters Building
  • Merchandise Mart
  • Drake Hotel
  • Chicago City Hall
  • C N A Building
  • Blue Cross/Blue Shield Building
  • Chicago Theater Marquees in downtown
  • Hard Rock Cafe
  • Marquee at Wrigley Field (home of the Chicago Cubs).
• San Francisco
  • San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge
  • San Francisco Bay Bridge
  • San Francisco Town Hall
  • Head offices of USA IT partner Hewlett-Packard Company (Palo Alto, CA).
• Phoenix
  • City government buildings

Canada

• Toronto
  • All City of Toronto Buildings
  • CN Tower
  • Ontario Science centre
  • Ontario Place
  • Honest Ed’s
  • Toronto Eaton Centre

Ireland

• Dublin
  • Office of Public Works
  • Non-essential lights of Government buildings
  • Customs House
  • Dublin City buildings

Israel

• Tel Aviv
  • Azrieali Tower
  • City Hall building and all hotels

Update 29 March 2008: After I posted this list, the final list came to 26.

There are now 24 cities around the world officially participating in Earth Hour next weekend (29 March at 8pm).

The cities participating in Earth Hour are:

Australia

• Sydney
• Perth
• Melbourne
• Canberra
• Brisbane
• Adelaide

United States

• Atlanta
• Chicago
• San Francisco
• Phoenix

Thailand

• Bangkok

Canada

• Montreal
• Ottawa
• Toronto
• Vancouver

Ireland

• Dublin

Denmark

• Aarhus
• Aalborg
• Copenhagen
• Odense

Philippines

• Manila

Fiji

• Suva

Israel

• Tel Aviv

New Zealand

• Christchurch

Hey, if your city isn’t on the official list it doesn’t mean you can’t participate! According to the Earth Hour website:

While there are 24 official cities taking part in Earth Hour, there are many more cities expected to turn off the lights all over the world, and WWF-Australia estimates that more than 30 million people will take part. To date, 58,615 people have signed up to Earth Hour but that number is set to soar.

In any case, regardless of whether your city is participating, you can still participate. All you need to do is switch your lights off between 8pm and 9pm on Saturday, March 29. Yes, it’s that easy!

The team members at Scott Base in the Antarctic will be participating in Earth Hour next weekend.

They will switch off as many lights as they can, although they will need to keep some safety lighting on. They will be switching off all computers, radios, and TVs. They won’t be able to switch off their heating, as temperatures are around minus 30 degrees these days in Scott Base.

Scott Base winter mechanic Grant Hill says:

We are keen in whatever way to do whatever we can as far as energy conservation goes. The base runs very energy efficiently anyway, but we thought it would be a good thing to get on board with.

Source: Stuff.co.nz

So you’re going to participate in Earth Hour? Excellent! So, what are you going to do during Earth Hour?

What I did during last year’s Earth Hour

During the very first Earth Hour last year, I turned off all lights and the TV. I also decided to take the time to turn unnecessary appliances off. I actually spent most of Earth Hour looking around at my neighbors apartments to see how many were participating!

My apartment had a view straight into the city, so I could see that the city was much darker than usual. My apartment also had a (very close) view to Telstra Stadium - the stadium from the 2000 Olympic Games. Unfortunately, there was a game on that night (I guess the organizers decided against staging the game in complete darkness!).

What the Canadians are going to do

According to a survey by Angus Reid Strategies, almost 70% of Canadians plan to take part in Earth Hour. Here’s what survey participants have said they will do during Earth Hour:

• 25% will take the time to check out the stars
• 21% will sit in the dark
• 12% will take the opportunity to have quality time with their partner
• 7% will be sleeping (hopefully with the lights off)
• 5% will be at work
• 4% will attend an Earth Hour event
• 3% will party
• 23% will do, um… “other”

The survey was an online poll, covering all of Canada, and was answered by 1,023 adults. The poll is considered accurate within plus or minus 3 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

So, what will you be doing during this year’s Earth Hour?