Petitions are a viable way of influencing decision-making powers through 'strength in numbers', as popular sites like CARE2 prove. Here are a couple of my latest projects - with links for you to access - on CARE2.com:
STOP THE ENBRIDGE TAR SANDS PIPELINE IN CANADA
(http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/787/589/822/)
# 31,414 Nov 11, Ms. Sarah Chesterman, BC
Today @ Broadway & Cambie a sweet young guy with pen & clipboard was approaching people, offering a petition to sign - & mostly being ignored. Hearing him say "pipeline" stopped me, & i didn't have to wait for the expected "Enbridge" to impatiently sign my name - with a pang of shame @ being 1st on the page... PEOPLE: WAKE UP - & APPRECIATE EACH CHANCE YOU GET TO VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION! (Doesn't our PM's approval of this pipeline PROVE this protest's worth?) How about proving YOUR worth as a citizen of BC - i.e. the province that's counting on YOU to protect its precious coast... [PLEASE: don't let BC down, as the old-school FOOLs reporting our supposed "News" have clearly done -- blaming them for your own ignorance won't reverse the oil spills which WILL --NOT "COULD" or "MIGHT"-- result from its approval…] ENBRIDGE PIPELINE = DEATH OF BC'S COAST.
DECADE TO SAVE TREES & SAVE THE WORLD(http://www.thepetitionsite.com/24/decade-to-save-trees-save-the-world/)
# 174 May 25, Sarah Chesterman, Canada
The bottom line is, do we want to change our ways to be Earth-aware/ Nature-friendly... OR do we want to continue with same-old (i.e. feeding corporate profits while destroying what makes Earth liveable/ sustainable)?? If you aren't being responsible and/or vigilant RE. environmental quality & our state of health on Earth, then you're part of the problem: i.e. you're assisting - by your actions/inaction, purchases etc. - the continued rape of Mother Nature. Which is UNACCEPTABLE - as well as stupid, since nature iS THE provider/supplier/sustainer of life on Earth...
Instead of killing animals, we could learn from them: NOT as experimental lab subjects (from which we learn nothing but our willingness to be duped by rapacious pharmaceutical co's) but as sustainable users of Earth's resources & integral elements of their wild ecosystems - habitats which humans have gradually but persistently diminished by deforestation, development etc. Our natural tendency toward improvement would have led to global sustainability in action, not just in theory, if it weren't for humans' less admirable tendencies (selfishness, short-sightedness & greed) perpetuated by over-emphasis on material realities. When we open our hearts & minds to our spiritual link with the universe, a world of possibilities is freed up - along with practical solutions. With such freedom, fortified by success, comes the desire to reach out to others - as you were reached, to help become the enlightened vegan you are today?
[For me, being vegetarian came naturally. After high school graduation, i took the opportunity to go abroad to be an 'au pair' (nanny). Close to my departure date, i was told my 'family' was strictly vegetarian and 'Would i be OK with that?' I was in fact super OK with it, since i'd always loved animals and hated the thought of eating 'my friends'. That was before i knew anything about the cruelty of dairy production, or what happens on fur farms, or the harm to Earth's environment caused by the beef industry... Like most people, my knowledge of the world - & our part in it - has expanded gradually over time and is an ongoing process, rather than some 'all-or-nothing' miracle of osmosis. Each new piece added to the puzzle has led to the unflinching finding-out of many more, along with the resolve to share with others what i've learned...]
UPDATE CANADA'S ANIMAL CRUELTY LAWS (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/next_action.html?pId=965702026)
Sarah Chesterman, Canada
Legislation simply sets in writing our society's rules of personal conduct & expectations of others', based on our values... And Canada's laws do not accurately or adequately reflect Canadians' conduct, expectations or values vis-a-vis non-human species - having changed dramatically due to gains in knowledge/ understanding thereof. Thus our government's failure to incorporate these changes into new, updated laws is glaringly remiss, if not tantamount to criminal negligence in allowing undesirable conduct & disrespect for our fundamental values to go unnoticed/unpunished. Most Canadians care deeply about this issue, and would be shocked at the amount of animal cruelty that goes on unchecked behind closed doors in their own country. Canada's lack of transparency & its outdated animal-welfare laws/ practices are shameful, and hold us back from necessary progress toward sustainability & an improved harm-free (i.e. stress-free) outlook...
Amending laws to properly align with expectations & future aspirations, updated with modern scientific knowledge/research, MUST include respectful treatment of Earth's environment, nature and all living beings if we are to continue thriving...
CDN. PEOPLE ASKING U.S. TO BOYCOTT OUR FISH (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/canadian-people-asking-us-to-boycott-our-fish/)
# 6 13:38, Apr 03, Sarah Chesterman, Canada
To be clear: i don't WANT to support cutting off Canadians' livelihoods. But i CAN'T stand by & do nothing as long as this disgrace to the human race keeps taking place in my country - against Canadian, European & global demands to STOP this sickening slaughter of thousands of baby seals each year. WHY, when such sadistic cruelty against animals is no longer necessary for survival, let alone acceptable by any standards of conduct, is MY government not taking a leadership role as a 'developed' nation & SHUTTING DOWN "Canada's shame"? Its failure to do so forces me to ask that you boycott the sealers' main income source: Canadian.seafood. Thank you very much.
.
June 4, 2011
Saving LiVES, 1 PETiTiON @ a Time...
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
April 30, 2011
Vote to STOP THE SEAL HUNT
________________________________________
ELECTION 2011 (Canada-wide)
________________________________________
The Green Party is the only political party with a full and comprehensive vision for Canada's future, and the ONLY political entity opposing Canada's sadistic commercial Seal 'Hunt' - in which seal nurseries are invaded by hakapik-wielding half-humans called sealers, who turn the ice floes into an unforgiveable, bloody carnage by bashing baby seals to death in front of their frantic mothers...
This makes voting easy – for me AND for the seals. Because Canada needs to stop the seal hunt: NOW
This shameful, UNSUSTAINABLE slaughter is not only barbarically cruel but a gross violation of our constitutional duties as wildlife stewards – supported by our federal government's DFO via false claims that seals need "culling" because they "destroy" juvenile cod populations thus "jeopardizing" Canada's fishing industry. YET SEALS EAT MAINLY HALIBUT, MACKEREL AND OTHER PREDATORS OF JUVENILE COD (i.e. FEWER SEALS = FEWER COD)!! In other words, "sealing" is a senseless violent crime committed against a harmless wildlife species.
The plain facts expose our government's ignorance, lies and willingness to deceive the people of Canada - FOR WHAT? THE SEALING INDUSTRY - WHICH YIELDS LESS THAN 0.1% OF SEALERS' INCOMES - SERVES ONE PURPOSE: PROVIDING PELTS FOR MANUFACTURE OF FASHION APPAREL (which is why, horrrendously, up to 42% of the baby seals targeted are STRIPPED OF THEIR PELTS WHILE STILL CONSCIOUS, their carcasses discarded onto the ice floes to rot).
Increasingly and repeatedly, most Canadians have denounced this disgrace in countless petitions, polls and protests. The United States outlawed all trade in seal products years ago, and recently the European Union caught up with a Europe-wide ban on all seal-pelt trade. Other countries, eg. New Zealand and Scotland, have legislated protection of their seals (see http://www.seashepherd.org/get-involved/rewards.html).
So why is Gail Shea, Canada's DFO Minister, appealing the European ban AT A COST OF $10 MILLION taxpayers' dollars?? And why does our government NOT support non-lethal harvest of seal hair, a viable new industry initiated by SeaShepherd's Paul Watson (which got declarations of support from Canadian fishing industry groups, conservation, animal rights and academic organizations, and the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in 1998)? Scroll to March 1994: http://www.seashepherd.org/who-we-are/our-history.html.
WELL: May 2nd is the day to ask for change – by doing the right thing: VOTING GREEN!! (see http://www.greenparty.ca/)
REMEMBER: Not voting = denying yourself a democratic voice; Voting AGAINST a candidate/party in some odds-based strategy = denying your true values representation. The REAL YOU needs to be heard!
ELECTION 2011 (Canada-wide)
________________________________________
The Green Party is the only political party with a full and comprehensive vision for Canada's future, and the ONLY political entity opposing Canada's sadistic commercial Seal 'Hunt' - in which seal nurseries are invaded by hakapik-wielding half-humans called sealers, who turn the ice floes into an unforgiveable, bloody carnage by bashing baby seals to death in front of their frantic mothers...
This makes voting easy – for me AND for the seals. Because Canada needs to stop the seal hunt: NOW
This shameful, UNSUSTAINABLE slaughter is not only barbarically cruel but a gross violation of our constitutional duties as wildlife stewards – supported by our federal government's DFO via false claims that seals need "culling" because they "destroy" juvenile cod populations thus "jeopardizing" Canada's fishing industry. YET SEALS EAT MAINLY HALIBUT, MACKEREL AND OTHER PREDATORS OF JUVENILE COD (i.e. FEWER SEALS = FEWER COD)!! In other words, "sealing" is a senseless violent crime committed against a harmless wildlife species.
The plain facts expose our government's ignorance, lies and willingness to deceive the people of Canada - FOR WHAT? THE SEALING INDUSTRY - WHICH YIELDS LESS THAN 0.1% OF SEALERS' INCOMES - SERVES ONE PURPOSE: PROVIDING PELTS FOR MANUFACTURE OF FASHION APPAREL (which is why, horrrendously, up to 42% of the baby seals targeted are STRIPPED OF THEIR PELTS WHILE STILL CONSCIOUS, their carcasses discarded onto the ice floes to rot).
Increasingly and repeatedly, most Canadians have denounced this disgrace in countless petitions, polls and protests. The United States outlawed all trade in seal products years ago, and recently the European Union caught up with a Europe-wide ban on all seal-pelt trade. Other countries, eg. New Zealand and Scotland, have legislated protection of their seals (see http://www.seashepherd.org/get-involved/rewards.html).
So why is Gail Shea, Canada's DFO Minister, appealing the European ban AT A COST OF $10 MILLION taxpayers' dollars?? And why does our government NOT support non-lethal harvest of seal hair, a viable new industry initiated by SeaShepherd's Paul Watson (which got declarations of support from Canadian fishing industry groups, conservation, animal rights and academic organizations, and the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in 1998)? Scroll to March 1994: http://www.seashepherd.org/who-we-are/our-history.html.
WELL: May 2nd is the day to ask for change – by doing the right thing: VOTING GREEN!! (see http://www.greenparty.ca/)
REMEMBER: Not voting = denying yourself a democratic voice; Voting AGAINST a candidate/party in some odds-based strategy = denying your true values representation. The REAL YOU needs to be heard!
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
April 4, 2011
Anti-SealHunt Motorcade: MEDIA!
Anthony Marr's blog report of the Anti-SealHunt Motorcade:
http://homosapienssaveyourearth.blogspot.com/2011/03/
See the video of this event here:
http://homosapienssaveyourearth.blogspot.com/2011/03/video
PlanetSedge said...
I felt privileged taking part in this event protesting Canada's commercial Seal 'Hunt', for the sake of the seals. But i'm somewhat shocked to be the first to comment here, more than a week later - since the Seal Hunt's sadly still going strong, with thousands more baby seals set to be slaughtered...
I for one cannot in good conscience allow this senseless, unfair ambush on wildlife habitats (where humans have no business even BEING) in a gruesome bloodbath that defies all decency + degrades our very dignity as Canadians ~BESIDES MAKING A MOCKERY OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AS WILDLIFE STEWARDS...
So our only other option is to try + stop this slaughter, using our solidarity from the Motorcade as a weapon for fighting this 'evil within'...
With this Call to Arms, i hope to see some of those nice people i met last weekend on this blog - where (with Anthony's expert guidance!) we can formulate more strategies + increase our chances of success!?
Here's to you,
SARAH C. (the redhead who held up starting-gate traffic!)
http://homosapienssaveyourearth.blogspot.com/2011/03/
See the video of this event here:
http://homosapienssaveyourearth.blogspot.com/2011/03/video
PlanetSedge said...
I felt privileged taking part in this event protesting Canada's commercial Seal 'Hunt', for the sake of the seals. But i'm somewhat shocked to be the first to comment here, more than a week later - since the Seal Hunt's sadly still going strong, with thousands more baby seals set to be slaughtered...
I for one cannot in good conscience allow this senseless, unfair ambush on wildlife habitats (where humans have no business even BEING) in a gruesome bloodbath that defies all decency + degrades our very dignity as Canadians ~BESIDES MAKING A MOCKERY OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AS WILDLIFE STEWARDS...
So our only other option is to try + stop this slaughter, using our solidarity from the Motorcade as a weapon for fighting this 'evil within'...
With this Call to Arms, i hope to see some of those nice people i met last weekend on this blog - where (with Anthony's expert guidance!) we can formulate more strategies + increase our chances of success!?
Here's to you,
SARAH C. (the redhead who held up starting-gate traffic!)
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
March 20, 2011
MOTORCADE FOR THE SEALS 2011
Organized by CATCA and HOPE-CARE
The Anti-SealHunt Motorcade - March 26th, Saturday at 10:00AM
This year for the Annual Anti-Sealing Day, CATCA is delighted to join forces with HOPE-CARE and its Founder/President, our colleague Anthony Marr, who is well known for his animal advocacy work around the world and who was honoured with the "Best All-Around Activist Award" by Negotiation Is Over (NIH) in January 2010, and the "Henry Spira Grassroots Activist Award" by Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) at the 2010 Animal Rights National Conference in Washington DC.
"Tell someone that 360,000 baby seals are being killed this year, his left brain will shelf it under 'big number', and his right brain doesn't quite see it, his emotion doesn't get involved," says Anthony, "But if you can somehow show his right brain its scale, he'll likely take action."
So, how do we show this vision to the public? Via media, of course. Says Marr, "What media wants is not so much information but drama, something new in the message or the delivery - preferably both..."
The idea of the motorcade was conceived by Marr for his Compassion for Animals Road Expeditions (CARE-tours), which have proven extremely effective as media tools.
Although he has done many motorcades in the US, Marr has yet to have one in his own hometown of Vancouver. Now it's Vancouver's turn!
We ask that media show up around 10:30 AM, when we will be decorating vehicles with posters and ribbons. TV cameras will go around zooming into the posters etc., while reporters will randomly interview participants.
At 11:00 AM, Anthony Marr will lead the procession on his motorcycle from downtown Vancouver via the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler, rain or shine. The event will end at Whistler at 1 PM with a media conference.
We hope you will able to go all the way to Whistler for a good arrival show. Even if not, please join in the departure from Vancouver. After that, you can go as far as you want - Horseshoe Bay, Lions Bay, Brittania Beach, Squamish... Those without cars, please come for the media assembly. See you there!
Ericka
Campaigns Against The Cruelty To Animals
Western Canada Anti Sealing Coalition
http://www.catcahelpanimals.org/
TIMELINE: MOTORCADE for the SEALS - VANCOUVER to WHISTLER
10:00 AM - Meet at the waterfront parking lot @ Beach & Bute
10:30 AM - Vehicle decoration & media reception
11:00 AM - Departure from Vancouver
12:00 PM - Media reception in Squamish
1:00 PM - Media reception in Whistler
1:15 PM – Lunch in Whistler, then return to Vancouver
Co-organizer Ericka Ceballos of CATCA has taken her message to Europe and participated in many large animal-welfare conferences worldwide. Due in large part to her efforts, the EU joined the US in banning the importation of Canadian seal products.
Check out Ericka’s past work @ http://www.catcahelpanimals.org/
MEDIA RELEASE: http://homosapienssaveyourearth.blogspot.com/2011/03/video
The Anti-SealHunt Motorcade - March 26th, Saturday at 10:00AM
This year for the Annual Anti-Sealing Day, CATCA is delighted to join forces with HOPE-CARE and its Founder/President, our colleague Anthony Marr, who is well known for his animal advocacy work around the world and who was honoured with the "Best All-Around Activist Award" by Negotiation Is Over (NIH) in January 2010, and the "Henry Spira Grassroots Activist Award" by Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) at the 2010 Animal Rights National Conference in Washington DC.
"Tell someone that 360,000 baby seals are being killed this year, his left brain will shelf it under 'big number', and his right brain doesn't quite see it, his emotion doesn't get involved," says Anthony, "But if you can somehow show his right brain its scale, he'll likely take action."
So, how do we show this vision to the public? Via media, of course. Says Marr, "What media wants is not so much information but drama, something new in the message or the delivery - preferably both..."
The idea of the motorcade was conceived by Marr for his Compassion for Animals Road Expeditions (CARE-tours), which have proven extremely effective as media tools.
Although he has done many motorcades in the US, Marr has yet to have one in his own hometown of Vancouver. Now it's Vancouver's turn!
We ask that media show up around 10:30 AM, when we will be decorating vehicles with posters and ribbons. TV cameras will go around zooming into the posters etc., while reporters will randomly interview participants.
At 11:00 AM, Anthony Marr will lead the procession on his motorcycle from downtown Vancouver via the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler, rain or shine. The event will end at Whistler at 1 PM with a media conference.
We hope you will able to go all the way to Whistler for a good arrival show. Even if not, please join in the departure from Vancouver. After that, you can go as far as you want - Horseshoe Bay, Lions Bay, Brittania Beach, Squamish... Those without cars, please come for the media assembly. See you there!
Ericka
Campaigns Against The Cruelty To Animals
Western Canada Anti Sealing Coalition
http://www.catcahelpanimals.org/
TIMELINE: MOTORCADE for the SEALS - VANCOUVER to WHISTLER
10:00 AM - Meet at the waterfront parking lot @ Beach & Bute
10:30 AM - Vehicle decoration & media reception
11:00 AM - Departure from Vancouver
12:00 PM - Media reception in Squamish
1:00 PM - Media reception in Whistler
1:15 PM – Lunch in Whistler, then return to Vancouver
Co-organizer Ericka Ceballos of CATCA has taken her message to Europe and participated in many large animal-welfare conferences worldwide. Due in large part to her efforts, the EU joined the US in banning the importation of Canadian seal products.
Check out Ericka’s past work @ http://www.catcahelpanimals.org/
MEDIA RELEASE: http://homosapienssaveyourearth.blogspot.com/2011/03/video
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
March 14, 2011
CATCA helps seals...
(at least, they're trying to!) - and SO SHOULD WE...
My friend Ericka Ceballos of CATCA kindly forwarded me the following link of a blog written by an Anti-Sealing Coalition activist who has witnessed the commercial Seal 'Hunt' firsthand. Here it is, wrenchingly disturbing info and all...
http://antisealingcoalition.ca/blog/category/anti-sealing/
(Oh, i just wish this bloody 'Seal Hunt' would STOP!!) It's animal abuse at its most extreme, + a governmental cover-up that BARS anyone from witnessing, photographing or otherwise observing this disgraceful slaughter (two were prosecuted + sentenced for WITNESSING the seal hunt - i'll find the lnks)... it's a heinous misuse of public funds, used to subsidize an 'industry' that has achieved a Europe-wide ban on its trade - but also, is being used to APPEALING this ban, to the tune of $10 million public funds, by DFO Minister Gail Shea. She violates her duty as a public servant - along with her constitutional duty to wildlife stewardship, which does NOT include mass killings thereof!) - and her lies, posturing and outright propaganda in support of the Seal Hunt are SERIOUS BREACHES of OFFICE - if not crimes against diversity...
This isn't a worthy OR sustainable Canadian "tradition", as Shea claims: it's a shameful legacy of lies, murder, pain, and violence against our country's native wildlife species - WHOSE HABITATS WE ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT...
FIGURE IT OUT, CANADA: VOTE AGAINST THE SEAL HUNT! The Green Party is the only Canadian political party that officially opposes this Seal 'Hunt' sickness, if you can believe it.
YES, that means CONS, LIBERALS + NDP's perpetuate + support corruption, mixhandling taxpayers' money and unsustainable activities/businesses... So you may want to reconsider a party which has the integrity to reject old 'status quo' warhorses for a positive new direction. Check them out:: www.greenparty.ca
I hope all my friends will be attending the Motorcade to Save Seals this Saturday, March 26th. (More info on that to come)
.
....DOES THIS LOOK RIGHT TO YOU?
COME ON, CANADA - VOTE TO STOP THE SEAL HUNT!
.
My friend Ericka Ceballos of CATCA kindly forwarded me the following link of a blog written by an Anti-Sealing Coalition activist who has witnessed the commercial Seal 'Hunt' firsthand. Here it is, wrenchingly disturbing info and all...
http://antisealingcoalition.ca/blog/category/anti-sealing/
(Oh, i just wish this bloody 'Seal Hunt' would STOP!!) It's animal abuse at its most extreme, + a governmental cover-up that BARS anyone from witnessing, photographing or otherwise observing this disgraceful slaughter (two were prosecuted + sentenced for WITNESSING the seal hunt - i'll find the lnks)... it's a heinous misuse of public funds, used to subsidize an 'industry' that has achieved a Europe-wide ban on its trade - but also, is being used to APPEALING this ban, to the tune of $10 million public funds, by DFO Minister Gail Shea. She violates her duty as a public servant - along with her constitutional duty to wildlife stewardship, which does NOT include mass killings thereof!) - and her lies, posturing and outright propaganda in support of the Seal Hunt are SERIOUS BREACHES of OFFICE - if not crimes against diversity...
This isn't a worthy OR sustainable Canadian "tradition", as Shea claims: it's a shameful legacy of lies, murder, pain, and violence against our country's native wildlife species - WHOSE HABITATS WE ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT...
FIGURE IT OUT, CANADA: VOTE AGAINST THE SEAL HUNT! The Green Party is the only Canadian political party that officially opposes this Seal 'Hunt' sickness, if you can believe it.
YES, that means CONS, LIBERALS + NDP's perpetuate + support corruption, mixhandling taxpayers' money and unsustainable activities/businesses... So you may want to reconsider a party which has the integrity to reject old 'status quo' warhorses for a positive new direction. Check them out:: www.greenparty.ca
I hope all my friends will be attending the Motorcade to Save Seals this Saturday, March 26th. (More info on that to come)
.
....DOES THIS LOOK RIGHT TO YOU?
COME ON, CANADA - VOTE TO STOP THE SEAL HUNT!
.
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
March 8, 2011
AgainsT AnimaL TesTing
FACT: Animal research is not only cruel: it's also USELESS...
"There is nothing quite as useless, misleading and harmful as animal experimentation."
-Professor Pietro Croce, M.D.
Dr. Croce is part of a large and growing movement of doctors, scientists & educated public who are opposed to animal-based experimentation on the grounds that:
a) Animals & humans do not get the same diseases;
b) The way a non-human animal responds to treatments does not predict how a human will respond.
Ignoring these fundamental differences has been very costly to human health - as these examples (just a tiny fraction of the thousands) prove:
- PCP is a sedative for chimpanzees;
- Penicillin kills cats & guinea pigs but has saved many human lives;
- Arsenic is not poisonous to rats, mice or sheep;
- Morphine is a sedative for humans but is a stimulant for cats, goats & horses.
In other words, all information documenting reported animal responses in laboratories does NOT determine a product's effectiveness/safety for use by humans. Human medicine cannot be based on veterinary medicine; it is in fact dangerous to apply data from one species to another. So why continue harming/torturing animals with these evil tests?
ANIMAL TESTING IS FUNDED BY PHARMACEUTICAL CO's, TO PROTECT THEIR ASSETS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH LEGAL ALIBIS IN CIVIL SUITS and/or COURT ACTIONS.
Abolishing animal research would mean that the billions of dollars poured into worthless animal experimentation could be redirected into prevention & the kinds of research which actually have a chance of advancing human medicine.
SOURCE: http://caatinfo.org/CAATHOME.htm
"There is nothing quite as useless, misleading and harmful as animal experimentation."
-Professor Pietro Croce, M.D.
Dr. Croce is part of a large and growing movement of doctors, scientists & educated public who are opposed to animal-based experimentation on the grounds that:
a) Animals & humans do not get the same diseases;
b) The way a non-human animal responds to treatments does not predict how a human will respond.
Ignoring these fundamental differences has been very costly to human health - as these examples (just a tiny fraction of the thousands) prove:
- PCP is a sedative for chimpanzees;
- Penicillin kills cats & guinea pigs but has saved many human lives;
- Arsenic is not poisonous to rats, mice or sheep;
- Morphine is a sedative for humans but is a stimulant for cats, goats & horses.
In other words, all information documenting reported animal responses in laboratories does NOT determine a product's effectiveness/safety for use by humans. Human medicine cannot be based on veterinary medicine; it is in fact dangerous to apply data from one species to another. So why continue harming/torturing animals with these evil tests?
ANIMAL TESTING IS FUNDED BY PHARMACEUTICAL CO's, TO PROTECT THEIR ASSETS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH LEGAL ALIBIS IN CIVIL SUITS and/or COURT ACTIONS.
Abolishing animal research would mean that the billions of dollars poured into worthless animal experimentation could be redirected into prevention & the kinds of research which actually have a chance of advancing human medicine.
If you STILL feel testing human products on animals serves the slightest worthy purpose, please read the damning declarations on this topic by experts in the field - i.e. some of the world's top doctors, experimenters & scientists - @ this link:
SOURCE: http://caatinfo.org/CAATHOME.htm
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
February 21, 2011
To OVFA...
[My guestbook comment on Our Voices For Animals website, 01/05/2011]
OVFA, i admire your work very much - Sabrina's writings are particularly moving, and strike a resonant chord. I've loved animals since I was little - as most children do: our natural instinct from day one. Not to belittle, or to eat, or to use for any other selfish human purpose. That the opposite has been encouraged by even those considered “good” people for so long is perplexing, if not upsetting at the deepest level of my being. I too aspire to a world in which animals are respected as fellow creatures, and treated by all humans with compassion and kindness. Only then, as Albert Schweitzer once said, is there any hope of being happy - now or in future...
OVFA, i admire your work very much - Sabrina's writings are particularly moving, and strike a resonant chord. I've loved animals since I was little - as most children do: our natural instinct from day one. Not to belittle, or to eat, or to use for any other selfish human purpose. That the opposite has been encouraged by even those considered “good” people for so long is perplexing, if not upsetting at the deepest level of my being. I too aspire to a world in which animals are respected as fellow creatures, and treated by all humans with compassion and kindness. Only then, as Albert Schweitzer once said, is there any hope of being happy - now or in future...
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
February 18, 2011
Support IS Foundation!
Save the Sled Dogs: Reform BC's Anti-Cruelty to Animals Law
TV's Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhelder's IS Foundation started an important petition on http://www.change.org/ - here's the link:
Being an avid animal-rights advocate, I have signed it (my accompanying comment below) & encourage everyone to do so: updating legislation to reflect British Columbians' needs/opinions/priorities/values is an understood requirement of our provincial government. role of government requirement of of yone ought to) - here's the comment i added, below:
[Sarah Chesterman]
HOW could such a horrible fate be decided for these innocent creatures? in an 'industry' that would, presumably, put animals first + ENFORCE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ANIMAL TREATMENT?? Makes you wonder what goes on in other industries (eg. farming) where animals are considered 'livestock' purely for human consumption (watch the film 'Earthlings' & you too will consider going vegan to save our creature cousins from such cruel fates)...
Those responsible need to be made examples of in court, to show how grossly unacceptable their actions are & to get proper animal-protection laws in place.
I hope this sickening story will stick in people's minds as a sobering-up of how many animals are abused for selfish human purposes, & just how WRONG it is. If people made this tragedy a turning-point for change, at least some goodness could come of all this pain.
Time to put our mouths to good use - tell the govt. we won't allow animals to suffer similar horrible endings as these beautiful sled-dogs did!
Poor doggies (& all non-human creatures forced into lives of serving my uncaring species), i weep for your pure hearts & wish i could undo the terrible endings you are undeservedly made to suffer...
[Sarah Chesterman]
HOW could such a horrible fate be decided for these innocent creatures? in an 'industry' that would, presumably, put animals first + ENFORCE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ANIMAL TREATMENT?? Makes you wonder what goes on in other industries (eg. farming) where animals are considered 'livestock' purely for human consumption (watch the film 'Earthlings' & you too will consider going vegan to save our creature cousins from such cruel fates)...
Those responsible need to be made examples of in court, to show how grossly unacceptable their actions are & to get proper animal-protection laws in place.
I hope this sickening story will stick in people's minds as a sobering-up of how many animals are abused for selfish human purposes, & just how WRONG it is. If people made this tragedy a turning-point for change, at least some goodness could come of all this pain.
Time to put our mouths to good use - tell the govt. we won't allow animals to suffer similar horrible endings as these beautiful sled-dogs did!
Poor doggies (& all non-human creatures forced into lives of serving my uncaring species), i weep for your pure hearts & wish i could undo the terrible endings you are undeservedly made to suffer...
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
February 17, 2011
BE KIND 2 ANIMALS (for F@#K's sake!)
IF humans can be so cruel to their BEST FRIENDS...
WHAT ARE WE COMING TO???
February 1, 2011 : A Whistler, BC man sought financial compensation for 'emotional trauma' after slaughtering - in the most cold-blooded, disgusting manner possible - 100 of his own sled-dogs, afterward horrifying most of the general public by trying to JUSTIFY his decision to 'cull' (= kill) his beautiful hard-working animals saying he couldn't afford them after 2010 Olympics business dropped (huh? who wouldn't anticipate that math? NOT valid...) & that they weren't 'adoptable': a 'cullible', heartlless P.O.S.... Here's my response:
HOW can such a horrible fate be decided for these beautiful, innocent creatures in the first place? by an animal-based outfit - IN AN INDUSTRY THAT, YOU'D THINK, WOULD PUT ANIMALS FIRST & ENFORCE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ANIMAL TREATMENT?? How could anyone who owns/runs a dogsledding outfit NOT be an animal lover??? & how could an animal lover even CONSIDER carrying out this monstrous & merciless act of PuRE EViL?????
I became vegan because these & other equally difficult questions have no happy answers. Most humans suck.
Is 'culling' (= killing) BC's precious wildlife (& now, apparently, its working creatures) so common that those with cruel intent toward them think such brutality is OK? It is NOT. SO, BC Government: I suggest we legislate much stricter laws to protect the innocent - i.e. non-human - animals among us, to afford them the protection they deserve from such potential harmful situations - inflicted on them by humans. Natch.
Those responsible for this sickening slaughter MUST be severely dealt with in court, to be made examples of in underscoring how grossly unacceptable such actions are in our society. Secondly, we need to put proper (i.e. updated) animal-welfare laws in place to protect our most vulnerable members of society.
One wonders, post-trauma, why the SPCA did not conduct an inspection of the sled-dogs' home and place of work, as they had apparently intended? Why did Eileen Dreger (of the SPCA) decide these dogs were 'not adoptable' on one person's (sight-unseen) say-so? Why did the SPCA not at least attempt to provide some sort of help where it was clearly needed? I just don't get it.
As an anti-speciesist & longtime-vegetarian-turning-vegan, lifetime pet owner, I have come to believe that the very best we could do for all the thousands (if not millions) of non-animal species with whom we share the planet is to LEAVE THEM BE to live their lives as their ecosystems/instincts dictate, without human interference - which would of course include keeping their wilderness habitats intact & therefore preserve Earth's precious ecosystems. BUT! THAT ideal doesn't take into account our historic ties with domesticated animals & our self-appointed [arrogant?] positions of responsibility as their 'stewards' (which STILL does not authorize/legitimize 'culling' of any sort)... If we weren't such selfish creatures, as some rare & dedicated souls (eg. Jane Goodall) have discovered we can learn so much more about them (& thus about ourselves) through sensitive hands-off observation of animals in the wild than by killing/owning/using them for selfish purposes. Instead of diminishing, the latter has grown to unsustainable proportions - ( which would be logical, given our increasingly sedentary - i.e. lazy - lifestyles/outlooks & lost connections with Earth/nature). With nature - in particular rainforests - in such a global crisis, going vegan really would -dependance on technology that distance us further from our ties with nature & Earth obviously grown of : this perspective is gaining many followers, because it feels good - AND because its practice helps reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ecological/environmental destruction caused by meat-producing industries... Do yourself a favour and look into Veganism's many benefits - if you haven't already...
[ Related article (click this link) ]
I hope this sickening story - and the justifiable outrage surrounding it - will stick in people's minds as a sobering-up of how so many innocent creatures are abused for selfish human purposes (kept from view and just as undeservedly forgotten).
Eg. The massacre of baby seals on our east coast continues, despite endless petitions and protests, with government subsidies/supprt from fisheries minister Gail Shea – an avid proponent of this unthinkably indecent horror show, who recently filed a formal challenge to the EU ban on trading in these commodities of butchery on behalf of Canada (behind our backs)...
Since Canadians get nowhere telling government (= our public servants!) that we support the EU's and all other (U.S.) widespread bans on all trade resulting from Canada's cruel SealHunt, then we must protest with our actions and - most importantly - our pocketbooks. This involves: (a) BOYCOTTING all Canadian seafood products, which includes fast-food chains such as McDonald's and Red Lobster, (b) BOYCOTTING all fashion designers who market products made from baby-seal fur/skins - such as Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan/DKNY, Gucci, Prada and Versace... [For a highly comprehensive list of answers to questions on the Seal Hunt, go to Paul Watson's Sea Shepherd site @ this link: http://www.seashepherd.org/seals/seals-faq.html ... Don't let our wildlife suffer such horrible endings – if we don't take the initiative to change – who will?
.
.
WHAT ARE WE COMING TO???
February 1, 2011 : A Whistler, BC man sought financial compensation for 'emotional trauma' after slaughtering - in the most cold-blooded, disgusting manner possible - 100 of his own sled-dogs, afterward horrifying most of the general public by trying to JUSTIFY his decision to 'cull' (= kill) his beautiful hard-working animals saying he couldn't afford them after 2010 Olympics business dropped (huh? who wouldn't anticipate that math? NOT valid...) & that they weren't 'adoptable': a 'cullible', heartlless P.O.S.... Here's my response:
HOW can such a horrible fate be decided for these beautiful, innocent creatures in the first place? by an animal-based outfit - IN AN INDUSTRY THAT, YOU'D THINK, WOULD PUT ANIMALS FIRST & ENFORCE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ANIMAL TREATMENT?? How could anyone who owns/runs a dogsledding outfit NOT be an animal lover??? & how could an animal lover even CONSIDER carrying out this monstrous & merciless act of PuRE EViL?????
I became vegan because these & other equally difficult questions have no happy answers. Most humans suck.
Is 'culling' (= killing) BC's precious wildlife (& now, apparently, its working creatures) so common that those with cruel intent toward them think such brutality is OK? It is NOT. SO, BC Government: I suggest we legislate much stricter laws to protect the innocent - i.e. non-human - animals among us, to afford them the protection they deserve from such potential harmful situations - inflicted on them by humans. Natch.
Those responsible for this sickening slaughter MUST be severely dealt with in court, to be made examples of in underscoring how grossly unacceptable such actions are in our society. Secondly, we need to put proper (i.e. updated) animal-welfare laws in place to protect our most vulnerable members of society.
One wonders, post-trauma, why the SPCA did not conduct an inspection of the sled-dogs' home and place of work, as they had apparently intended? Why did Eileen Dreger (of the SPCA) decide these dogs were 'not adoptable' on one person's (sight-unseen) say-so? Why did the SPCA not at least attempt to provide some sort of help where it was clearly needed? I just don't get it.
As an anti-speciesist & longtime-vegetarian-turning-vegan, lifetime pet owner, I have come to believe that the very best we could do for all the thousands (if not millions) of non-animal species with whom we share the planet is to LEAVE THEM BE to live their lives as their ecosystems/instincts dictate, without human interference - which would of course include keeping their wilderness habitats intact & therefore preserve Earth's precious ecosystems. BUT! THAT ideal doesn't take into account our historic ties with domesticated animals & our self-appointed [arrogant?] positions of responsibility as their 'stewards' (which STILL does not authorize/legitimize 'culling' of any sort)... If we weren't such selfish creatures, as some rare & dedicated souls (eg. Jane Goodall) have discovered we can learn so much more about them (& thus about ourselves) through sensitive hands-off observation of animals in the wild than by killing/owning/using them for selfish purposes. Instead of diminishing, the latter has grown to unsustainable proportions - ( which would be logical, given our increasingly sedentary - i.e. lazy - lifestyles/outlooks & lost connections with Earth/nature). With nature - in particular rainforests - in such a global crisis, going vegan really would -dependance on technology that distance us further from our ties with nature & Earth obviously grown of : this perspective is gaining many followers, because it feels good - AND because its practice helps reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ecological/environmental destruction caused by meat-producing industries... Do yourself a favour and look into Veganism's many benefits - if you haven't already...
[ Related article (click this link) ]
I hope this sickening story - and the justifiable outrage surrounding it - will stick in people's minds as a sobering-up of how so many innocent creatures are abused for selfish human purposes (kept from view and just as undeservedly forgotten).
Eg. The massacre of baby seals on our east coast continues, despite endless petitions and protests, with government subsidies/supprt from fisheries minister Gail Shea – an avid proponent of this unthinkably indecent horror show, who recently filed a formal challenge to the EU ban on trading in these commodities of butchery on behalf of Canada (behind our backs)...
Since Canadians get nowhere telling government (= our public servants!) that we support the EU's and all other (U.S.) widespread bans on all trade resulting from Canada's cruel SealHunt, then we must protest with our actions and - most importantly - our pocketbooks. This involves: (a) BOYCOTTING all Canadian seafood products, which includes fast-food chains such as McDonald's and Red Lobster, (b) BOYCOTTING all fashion designers who market products made from baby-seal fur/skins - such as Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan/DKNY, Gucci, Prada and Versace... [For a highly comprehensive list of answers to questions on the Seal Hunt, go to Paul Watson's Sea Shepherd site @ this link: http://www.seashepherd.org/seals/seals-faq.html ... Don't let our wildlife suffer such horrible endings – if we don't take the initiative to change – who will?
.
.
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
February 11, 2011
Auntie Sedge, pleased ta meet ya!
Yes my newborn nephew is terribly sweet! (William Chesterman Hales, I am honoured) Congrats, Cath & Matt - you did it!
b.jpg)
i LUVS!
MWAW... MWAW! MWAW!! MWAW!! MWAWW!! XOXO
b.jpg)
i LUVS!
MWAW... MWAW! MWAW!! MWAW!! MWAWW!! XOXO
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
February 2, 2011
My newborn nephew...
Welcome to the world, William Chesterman Hales!
(Blankie handmade by
Grandma, the beloved Mrs. Marguerite Chesterman)
m.jpg)
(Blankie handmade byGrandma, the beloved Mrs. Marguerite Chesterman)
m.jpg)
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
January 7, 2011
My bro-in-law...
Matt Hales is a woodworking genius, sharing a large East Van studio with other talents such as Christian Woo. He attended the world-renowned Inside Passage School of Woodworking, on BC's Sunshine Coast, when results of his first forays into furniture design received rave reviews - mine included - reflecting a yen that couldn't reasonably be ignored. I'm a lucky girl getting one of his handmade chopping boards as a recent gift - even running my hands over its luxurious surface is a treat... and just having a set of his simple-yet-perfectly-smooth wooden coasters in my home makes me happy. Below is one of his first major creations; check out his website for more: http://www.matthaleswoodwork.com/.
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
January 6, 2011
Eco-friendly Woodworking
[From Hat Factory Furniture, NY]
Expert cabinet builders, skilled at their craft and anxious to please customers, can miss opportunities to execute the same projects in much more environmentally friendly ways. Custom Cabinetry is frequently built of quality hard-wood materials that can last for generations. Of course for the environment, long lasting products are good – they don’t have to be replaced by other manufactured products. Custom cabinet builders at Hat Factory's New York Custom Furniture center use several tactics to stay ‘green.’
Fortunately, the drive for more environmentally-friendly carpentry practices really isn’t that challenging. While lumber is a renewable resource, most carpenters respect forestry and would certainly oppose wood harvesting practices that didn’t allow for rapid regeneration. Additionally, using good quality hardwoods such as cherry or walnut instead of other, less-durable material would ensure many more years of service life for the finished product. Most customers and homeowners very much enjoy the look and beauty of these woods.
Manufacturing industries have been given a ‘black eye’ recently for failing to produce more green or environmentally friendly products. This has changed for cabinetry and woodworkers. There are several effective and easy ways to improve processes to deliver quality work while reducing negative impact to the environment. These ways fall into three main categories: purchasing responsibly grown and harvested wood, using recycled core materials and avoiding materials manufactured with formaldehyde.
Responsibly Farmed Hardwoods – Harvesting good quality hardwoods involves careful selection and manufacturing processes. These processes do not damage surrounding trees or impact forests in such a fashion as to hinder future growth. In fact, selective harvesting can actually increase production over time. Unfortunately, good hardwood trees take a great deal of time to grow into usable size. This partially accounts for their expense relative to other materials. Other woods such as bamboo can offer interesting construction options. When used by skilled craftsmen, these other woods can provide the long life customers seek.
Recycled Core Materials – Manufacturers have developed many different types of composite building materials – some of which contain recycled or reclaimed materials from other processes. Use of these materials reduces waste and improves the production yield for the volume of wood and by products produced. Improving efficiencies is good business practice as well. Including recycled matter in composite materials works for all involved in the manufacture and delivery of quality woodwork.
Formaldehyde-Free Core Materials – Composite materials are widely used in construction of good quality cabinetry. These materials usually consist of resins and composite materials that, when combined with heat and pressure during manufacturing, produce quality stable formaldehyde-free material. These are suitable for all manner of custom woodwork and are widely found in many good quality products.
These three simple practices can make a big environmental difference when applied industry-wide. Fortunately, these are not huge changes to most purchasing or delivery processes – they just require a little deliberation prior to purchasing input materials. In the end, decisions made at every stage can make a big difference...
[Ultimately, choices made by end-user consumers can make the biggest difference of all! To ensure industry-wide adoption of 'green' practices always find out what went into what you buy, before you buy. And when results of your research come up short – i.e. show eco-unfriendly practices, at any stage – always voice the reasons for your choices, pro and con: businesses listen, and word travels fast!]
LINK TO A DECENT BASIC LOWDOWN ON WHICH TYPES OF WOOD TO CHOOSE:
http://www.rosslaird.com/blog/a-guide-to-ethical-wood-use/
Expert cabinet builders, skilled at their craft and anxious to please customers, can miss opportunities to execute the same projects in much more environmentally friendly ways. Custom Cabinetry is frequently built of quality hard-wood materials that can last for generations. Of course for the environment, long lasting products are good – they don’t have to be replaced by other manufactured products. Custom cabinet builders at Hat Factory's New York Custom Furniture center use several tactics to stay ‘green.’
Fortunately, the drive for more environmentally-friendly carpentry practices really isn’t that challenging. While lumber is a renewable resource, most carpenters respect forestry and would certainly oppose wood harvesting practices that didn’t allow for rapid regeneration. Additionally, using good quality hardwoods such as cherry or walnut instead of other, less-durable material would ensure many more years of service life for the finished product. Most customers and homeowners very much enjoy the look and beauty of these woods.
Manufacturing industries have been given a ‘black eye’ recently for failing to produce more green or environmentally friendly products. This has changed for cabinetry and woodworkers. There are several effective and easy ways to improve processes to deliver quality work while reducing negative impact to the environment. These ways fall into three main categories: purchasing responsibly grown and harvested wood, using recycled core materials and avoiding materials manufactured with formaldehyde.
Responsibly Farmed Hardwoods – Harvesting good quality hardwoods involves careful selection and manufacturing processes. These processes do not damage surrounding trees or impact forests in such a fashion as to hinder future growth. In fact, selective harvesting can actually increase production over time. Unfortunately, good hardwood trees take a great deal of time to grow into usable size. This partially accounts for their expense relative to other materials. Other woods such as bamboo can offer interesting construction options. When used by skilled craftsmen, these other woods can provide the long life customers seek.
Recycled Core Materials – Manufacturers have developed many different types of composite building materials – some of which contain recycled or reclaimed materials from other processes. Use of these materials reduces waste and improves the production yield for the volume of wood and by products produced. Improving efficiencies is good business practice as well. Including recycled matter in composite materials works for all involved in the manufacture and delivery of quality woodwork.
Formaldehyde-Free Core Materials – Composite materials are widely used in construction of good quality cabinetry. These materials usually consist of resins and composite materials that, when combined with heat and pressure during manufacturing, produce quality stable formaldehyde-free material. These are suitable for all manner of custom woodwork and are widely found in many good quality products.
These three simple practices can make a big environmental difference when applied industry-wide. Fortunately, these are not huge changes to most purchasing or delivery processes – they just require a little deliberation prior to purchasing input materials. In the end, decisions made at every stage can make a big difference...
[Ultimately, choices made by end-user consumers can make the biggest difference of all! To ensure industry-wide adoption of 'green' practices always find out what went into what you buy, before you buy. And when results of your research come up short – i.e. show eco-unfriendly practices, at any stage – always voice the reasons for your choices, pro and con: businesses listen, and word travels fast!]
LINK TO A DECENT BASIC LOWDOWN ON WHICH TYPES OF WOOD TO CHOOSE:
http://www.rosslaird.com/blog/a-guide-to-ethical-wood-use/
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
January 2, 2011
Some ARTWORKS by ME...
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
December 31, 2010
Memoir by John Murrell, reviewed by SC.
My first encounter with this riveting work was hearing it performed for CBC Radio, directed and produced by my father Robert Chesterman. I was initially convinced to listen because of the play's subject matter (Sarah Bernhardt) - being a drama freak growing up - and because both its lead actors had entranced my youthful heart when introduced by my dad (whose frequent referral to "Teddy" on the one hand and a virtual living goddess of the stage on the other, probably didn't help)...
But all that superficial silliness took its proper place as soon as the play's sparkling dialogue drew me in, and indeed Martha Henry as La Bernhardt and Edward Atienza as her faithful (adorable, lovable...) assistant Georges Pitou came alive, and it seemed as if we were right there with these two quick-witted dynamos, bodies yet a little crippled by time but minds as sharp as that of their creator...
Having already at that early age (tho my darling mother says I taught myself to read at two) read The Memoirs of Sarah Bernhardt – who'd become a legend in her time, if not in my mind, as THE original drama queen of them all – I'd had my girlish qualms allowing these and similar precious perceptions to be trampled - by a man?! Course, such pettiness proved to be exactly that, aggrandized fears to which young girls are prone – since it turned out Dad was RiGHT (was there the slightest doubt? – no, not from him 'at any rate'!): this John Murrell was really quite a genius...
[And so, I'd realized – swept up in a sort of heady delirium, honoured to have such highly grown-up high-jinx shared with ME! - was my dad Robert C, for catalyzing such a sweet performance from this trio of perfection…]
I'm stoked today too, full of my experiences revolving round this rare theatrical event that celebrates the sheer delight of adding flights of fancy to existing history as written while, in the process, gaining unexpected understanding of times past. Those two hours of auditory elevation had me pondering a host of fresh perceptions, not least of which included heightened respect for my father's work.
Writing this review adds yet another layer to the fullness of a well-spent moment, being transported back to giddy times shared, hanging with my dad-bud when the world was our never-boring stage and the rest would melt away, as he and I would relish what we shared as father-daughter and recognize the best of what the other had to offer.…
[Marking this too as a moment to remember, brought to me – and you – by John Murrell, while reflecting on another Eve of Yet Another Year...]
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
View all my reviews
[On http://www.goodreads.com/]
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Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
December 17, 2010
iT's MY pLaneT Too!
... so OF COURSE i care about global warming - & any oTHeR human activity contributing to its abuse! As i used to say when i was little, 'They're wrecking my fun!'
Here's my response to Douglas Todd's Vancouver Sun article "Who Cares Less About Global Warming?" at this link: http://goo.gl/jnA2
Forget conspiracy theories, fears, 'hoaxes' ET AL + pare down to the facts: Global warming or not, human activity has done needless damage to our planet Earth - mostly by rampant consumerism and resulting greed (eg. unethical corporations/humans doing whatever it takes to meet those demands, for selfish gains). Spilling gallons of oil into oceans; clearcutting whole chunks of forest without considering the powerfully regenerative, restorative benefits of trees and replanting accordingly; appropriating whole mountaintops in unsuspecting third-world regions to decimate all vegetation and wildlife for mlies around; further destabling those lands by grinding out endless chunks of rock for tiny bits of gold then chucking the resulting poisonous waste directly into freshwater systems (thus killing whole fish habitats and all other other life forms along the way)... Those are just a few of the countless wake-up calls to which people are responding with more than mere desire to restore nature's balance and establish less harmful ways of doing things.
Some European countries have already implemented changes to become 100% sustainable. Canada needs to step up and protect its Arctic from further development which – conspiracy theorists or not – WILL affect its complex ecosystems, as it has done to so many lush, thriving wilderness regions around the world which have been exploited by humans (many Canadian). That's fact - not theory - based on actual consequences of dangerous, risky activities... such as offshore oil drilling! (Does anyone around here read, or travel, or have a clue what's going on in the world?? Yikes..)
Scientists DO agree that Arctic polar ice (which influences and helps regulate global weather systems) is melting more quickly than expected/predicted, and that even boat travel thru newly-melted Arctic waters - which has picked up as a result - affects the area's ecological quality. People who care want to do something about it, starting with implementing - eg. legislating - positive changes in how we operate vis-a-vis how we treat our environment. Is that so wrong? Only to those who stand to make obscene amounts of $$ gauging out Earth's surface (i.e. those who probably already have)...
Scientists DO agree that Arctic polar ice (which influences and helps regulate global weather systems) is melting more quickly than expected/predicted, and that even boat travel thru newly-melted Arctic waters - which has picked up as a result - affects the area's ecological quality. People who care want to do something about it, starting with implementing - eg. legislating - positive changes in how we operate vis-a-vis how we treat our environment. Is that so wrong? Only to those who stand to make obscene amounts of $$ gauging out Earth's surface (i.e. those who probably already have)...
Wildlife (ya, those polar bears) are our best friends AND educators when it comes to our surroundings. The less we interfere with their habitats and instincts (eg. by 'culling', mass slaughter and other gross indecencies inflicted on them - to our own detriment) the better their ability to inform us of atmospheric/ environmental/ terrestrial changes, impending disasters etc.
Poisoning our lands and waters, killling off other life forms to satisfy our immediate 'needs' (= greeds), dumping mine waste down rivers into once-pristine nature parks, ETC... the iDiOCY of these destructive human activities is obvious. AWARENESS of its rampancy in industry is what's making people speak out and take action, because governments are not. 'Ordinary' people wanting to help: THIS is the humanity that fills me with hope and inspires me to act. Those who simply knock down others or procrastinate with mindless "Lord and Saviour" phrases repeated randomly throughout bible-quoting irrelevancies have no (actual, apparent or intended) benefit or healing/selfless purpose.
Meanwhile, back on Earth - in the here and now, REALIZING THE DAMAGING CONSEQUENCES OF OUR ACTIONS - WANTING TO RIGHT THOSE WRONGS FOR EVERYONE'S BENEFIT is an obviously worthy mission. Anyone who wants to argue with its basic moral principles, let alone its scientific basis, is surely out of touch with what matters - i.e. life itself...
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
November 2, 2010
YESS! GoV'T said 'NO' to Prosperity Mine!
Course, i was (and am) over-the-moon @ the Federal announcement (government’s announcement) that Taseko Mines Ltd. will NOT be allowed to go ahead with its proposed 'Prosperity Mine' - a project which i and many others, including the Council of Canadians, David Suzuki Foundation and Friends of Nemaiah Valley, had vehemently opposed due to the environmental destruction it would cause.
Prosperity Mine would have decimated old-growth forests, wildlife habitat (of grizzly bears, cougars, wolves - even the last of North America's wild horses) as well as the sustainable livelihoods of local First Nations people, guest ranchers etc. Aside from the fact that Nemaiah Valley - a remote wilderness in BC's Chilcotins - is one of my fave places in the world...
Here's the Nemaiah Valley i know and love: 
If the Federal government HAD approved the mine, it would have been the first time they had acted against the recommendations of its Environmental Review panel (CEAA) - which formally denounced the Prosperity proposal for its many adverse environmental effects that would be "irreversible, longterm and impossible to mitigate". So why the announcements - within a day or 2 - of Campbell's resignation as BC's premier, along with Jim Prentice stepping down as Minister of the Environment? If these events ARE related it's no doubt because the BC Liberals, led by Gordon Campbell, had already given Prosperity Mine their provincial seal of approval back in 2008 - which flew in the face of Campbell's pre-Olympics Action Plan 2007 promise to support tourism, particularly small-business entrepreneurs, in every way possible.
Federal approval of this heinous project would also have insulted the First Nations people (Tsilhqot’in) who have lived in this region and managed its wilderness as responsible stewards for centuries: Despite Premier Campbell's promise to prioritize better relations with BC's native people in all future land matters, the Tsilhqot'in were not properly consulted on this matter. Never mind the fact that trout-rich Fish Lake (the location of the proposed gold/copper mine, which would have had to be drained to make way for a mine-waste tailings pond, right at a main watershed to the Fraser River) is situated in an area literally surrounded by protected areas, ecological zones, provincial parks and wildlife habitats (see Google map of Cariboo-Chilcotin). Zoom out of Fish Lake on a map and you can see it's flanked by Big Creek Provincial Park, Nunsti Provincial Park, Tatlayoko Protected Area, Ts'ylos Provincial Park - behind which lies Spruce Lake Protected Area and, beyond that, Churn Creek Protected Area.
As is obvious looking on a map, the Cariboo-Chilcotin is not called BC's 'last frontier' for nothing: just up to the north of Nemaiah Valley and Big Creek Provincial Park you can see the devastating results of BC's forestry industry, with vast treeless chunks or patches testifying decades of clearcutting: the price paid by BC's wilderness.
If Taseko Mines Ltd. (owned by Hunter Dickinson, a company well-known in places like Tibet for its ruthless mining activities) plans to redouble its efforts to make Prosperity Mine a reality, resistance by those who recognize the priceless value of BC's wilderness territories will be - justifiably - even fiercer than ever, gold/copper open-pit mining being one of the most environmentally destructive human activities on the planet...
Here are some further useful links on the topic:
http://www.miningwatch.ca/.
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
September 15, 2010
'Prosperity Mine': Letter to the Editor
TO: sunletters@png.canwest.com, ssimpson@vancouversun.com
RE: "Prosperity Faces Federal Hurdle" by Scott Simpson (Vancouver Sun, Tuesday September 14, 2010)
How insulting of Simpson to rave about "opportunities lost" if a huge gold/copper mine isn't built in the heart of BC's beautiful wilderness (I've been there, so I know), with barely a cursory mention of the "significant adverse environmental effects" reported by the CEAA in their assessment of Taseko's Prosperity Mine proposal.
What many of your readers don't realize is that these "effects" involve total decimation – eg. clearcutting – of a huge area of abundant old-growth forest and wildlife habitat - including a thriving, world-renowned ecotourism industry! It's not just First Nations and grizzly bears whose habitat would be lost, but people's livelihoods drawn from their guest ranches and wilderness tourism resorts – the same "amazing resorts" encouraged by Premier Campbell in his Tourism Action Plan (2007) in which he promised to “make sure communities across B.C. can achieve their full tourism potential” and to "help the tourism industry meet that goal”. He then approved Prosperity Mine being built, which would destroy the lives of the people who now depend upon those businesses for survival.
As for 'lost opportunities', how about researching existing gold/copper mines elsewhere in the world (eg. Grasberg) to find out how locals view the 'benefits' of living with a mine in their midst. Clearly, the losses would be far greater, if not catastrophic, if this destructive project were approved - including BC wilderness (a precious environmental commodity, as is becoming clearer with each report on climate-change, global carbon-counts and percentages of forests remaining on this planet, having been hacked down irresponsibly by greedy mining corporations), First Nations territory and locals' homes/livelihoods...
Shown below are a couple of galling examples of gold/copper mines operating here in B.C. You can see there isn't one tree in sight at either location - nor any sign of life, i.e. the wildlife whose native habitat was destroyed so humans could gauge the land for more insane amounts of money.
As someone who cares about our treatment of the environment, wildlife and each other, I'd rather lose those 'opportunities' you fail to properly outline in your article than the wilderness which makes BC unique (and beneficial if not crucial to the health of animals, humans and planet Earth).
Time to re-think our definition of 'opportunity', and look into the vast reserves of already-mined resources which could readily be recycled and reused...
(Supporting Prosperity Mine = supporting murder)
SARAH CHESTERMAN
Vancouver, BC
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RE: "Prosperity Faces Federal Hurdle" by Scott Simpson (Vancouver Sun, Tuesday September 14, 2010)
How insulting of Simpson to rave about "opportunities lost" if a huge gold/copper mine isn't built in the heart of BC's beautiful wilderness (I've been there, so I know), with barely a cursory mention of the "significant adverse environmental effects" reported by the CEAA in their assessment of Taseko's Prosperity Mine proposal.
What many of your readers don't realize is that these "effects" involve total decimation – eg. clearcutting – of a huge area of abundant old-growth forest and wildlife habitat - including a thriving, world-renowned ecotourism industry! It's not just First Nations and grizzly bears whose habitat would be lost, but people's livelihoods drawn from their guest ranches and wilderness tourism resorts – the same "amazing resorts" encouraged by Premier Campbell in his Tourism Action Plan (2007) in which he promised to “make sure communities across B.C. can achieve their full tourism potential” and to "help the tourism industry meet that goal”. He then approved Prosperity Mine being built, which would destroy the lives of the people who now depend upon those businesses for survival.
As for 'lost opportunities', how about researching existing gold/copper mines elsewhere in the world (eg. Grasberg) to find out how locals view the 'benefits' of living with a mine in their midst. Clearly, the losses would be far greater, if not catastrophic, if this destructive project were approved - including BC wilderness (a precious environmental commodity, as is becoming clearer with each report on climate-change, global carbon-counts and percentages of forests remaining on this planet, having been hacked down irresponsibly by greedy mining corporations), First Nations territory and locals' homes/livelihoods...
Shown below are a couple of galling examples of gold/copper mines operating here in B.C. You can see there isn't one tree in sight at either location - nor any sign of life, i.e. the wildlife whose native habitat was destroyed so humans could gauge the land for more insane amounts of money.
As someone who cares about our treatment of the environment, wildlife and each other, I'd rather lose those 'opportunities' you fail to properly outline in your article than the wilderness which makes BC unique (and beneficial if not crucial to the health of animals, humans and planet Earth).
Time to re-think our definition of 'opportunity', and look into the vast reserves of already-mined resources which could readily be recycled and reused...
(Supporting Prosperity Mine = supporting murder)
SARAH CHESTERMAN
Vancouver, BC
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.jpg)
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
September 9, 2010
Prosperity Mine- LeTTeR #2
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September 8, 2010
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RE: FEDERAL ASSESSMENT OF 'PROSPERITY MINE'
Dear Prime Minister,
To follow up on my letters of June 16th and July 5th regarding the Federal Assessment of Taseko Mines Ltd's proposed "Prosperity Mine" gold-copper project near Williams Lake, BC, I must ask you to reject the company's request based on recommendations submitted by the CEAA in its Summary Review of this project.
The Review concludes that the proposed mine would have ‘significant adverse environmental effects’ and ‘significant adverse cumulative impact’ on fish and bear population and habitat in the South Chilcotin region by creating rock waste and tailing impoundment areas near Williams Lake, BC. The Panel also cites 'high magnitude, long term, irreversible effect on the Tsilqhot'in' and that the 'value of the claim would be reduced substantially due to changes in the landscape'; that Taseko's proposed mitigations are 'not sufficient to compensate for loss of habitat or landscape fragmentation', in addition to negative impacts on local uses of the landscape. Since the actual effects/impacts mentioned in the Review are difficult to fully grasp by such generalized description alone, the following real-life example (below & page 2) of another, existing large gold-copper mine (Grasberg Mine in Papua – @ bottom of pg.) illustrates the shocking magnitude of the decimation Taseko has planned for this B.C. wilderness...
The following excerpts from a NY Times article about Grasberg Mine by JANE PERLEZ and RAYMOND BONNER, published in December 2005, exemplify the devastation of such effects.
[from NY Times]
"By Freeport’s own estimates, Grasberg Mine will generate an estimated six billion tons of waste before it is through - more than twice as much earth as was excavated for the Panama Canal. Much of that waste has already been dumped in the mountains surrounding the mine or down a system of rivers that descends steeply onto the island’s low-lying wetlands, close to Lorentz National Park, a pristine rainforest that has been granted special status by the United Nations…
"A perpetual worry is where to put all the mine’s waste - accumulating at a rate of some 700,000 tons a day… This year Freeport told the Indonesian government that the waste rock in the highlands, 900 feet deep in places, now covers about three square miles. Down below, nearly 90 square miles of wetlands, once one of the richest freshwater habitats in the world, are virtually buried in mine waste, called tailings, with levels of copper and sediment so high that almost all fish have disappeared, according to environment ministry documents.
'The waste, the consistency and color of wet cement, belts down the rivers, and inundates and smothers all in its path,' said Russell Dodt, an Australian civil engineer who managed the waste on the wetlands for 10 years until 2004 for Freeport. About a third of the waste has moved into the coastal estuary, an essential breeding ground for fish, and much of that 'was ripped out to sea by the falling tide that acted like a big vacuum cleaner,' he said.
"A geologist who worked at the mine, who declined to be identified because of fear of jeopardizing future employment, said acids were already flowing into the groundwater. Bright green-colored springs could be seen spouting several miles away, he said - a tell-tale sign that the acids had leached out copper. 'That meant the acid water traveled a long way,' he said… [adding] that acids and copper from the mine were affecting the [Lorentz] park, considered a world treasure for its ecological diversity…
"Freeport says that the tailings are not toxic and that the river it uses for its waste meets Indonesian and American drinking water standards for dissolved metals… The Parametrix report shows copper levels in surface waters high enough to kill sensitive aquatic life in a short time, said Ann Maest, a geochemist who consults on mining issues…
"The amount of sediment presents another problem. Too many suspended solids in water can smother aquatic life. Indonesian law says they should not exceed 400 milligrams per liter. Freeport’s waste contained 37,500 milligrams as the river entered the lowlands, according to an environment ministry’s report in 2004, 7,500 milligrams as the river entered the Arafura Sea.
"By today, almost one billion tons of waste have been sent down the river from the copper and gold mine."
While Grasberg mine is located on an isolated mountaintop in a remote region on the island of New Guinea, Taseko Mines Ltd's proposed location is smack in the middle of a lush, thriving wilderness in British Columbia's South Chilcotin – habitat to numerous indigenous, thriving species such as Grizzly bears, wolves, cougars, salmon and countless others, co-existing with those who live in and draw their livelihood directly from its clean environment and richly diverse ecosystems. Its freshwater lakes and rivers also make up one of the main watersheds leading into the Fraser River.
The far-reaching and irreversible damage of a gold-copper mine – gold-copper open-pit mines being one of the most environmentally devastating activities on the planet – would destroy whole ecysystems and many wildlife habitats, creating an ecological disaster. From the viewpoint of those living there – as well as those of us who spend vacations there, along with those (humans and animals) who depend upon the healthy fish habitats for survival – a worse location for such a monstrosity could not have been chosen.
I would like to add that, respecting the locale of the proposed mine is of great importance to the First Nations (Tsilhqot'in) people who have lived here for hundreds if not thousands of years – a key consideration, since it is their careful stewardship that has ensured continuation of its abundant thriving wildlife. The region is also a world-class vacation spot, highly desired particularly by Europeans attracted to its remoteness and uniquely vast expanses of unspoilt scenery. The wilderness experiences offered by some 15-20 quality guest ranches providing one-of-a-kind authentic holidays 'away from it all' depend for their success upon the untouched nature and continued wildlife habitation of their surrounds.
![]()
Allowing a gold-copper mine to be built in this location (Teztan Biny) would therefore eliminate the livelihoods of several local residents – as well as violate the following tenets pertaining to Canadian wildlife [from Environment Canada's website]:
Excerpts from Environment Canada’s Species at Risk Act (2002, c. 29):
• "Canada’s natural heritage is an integral part of our national identity and history,
• Canadian wildlife species and ecosystems are also part of the world’s heritage…
• the roles of the aboriginal peoples of Canada and of wildlife management boards established under land claims agreements in the conservation of wildlife in this country are essential,
• all Canadians have a role to play in the conservation of wildlife in this country, including the prevention of wildlife species from becoming extirpated or extinct,
• stewardship activities contributing to the conservation of wildlife species and their habitat should be supported to prevent species from becoming at risk,
• the traditional knowledge of the aboriginal peoples of Canada should be considered in the assessment of which species may be at risk and in developing and implementing recovery measures,
• the habitat of species at risk is key to their conservation."
If I may conclude by appealing to your compassion and your fellow-feeling for those Canadians brave enough to become entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, as ambassadors and hosts, with this excerpt from an email I received from one of the guest ranch operators with whom I have been corresponding:
Perhaps most importantly, think of the First Nations (Tsilhqot'in) people who are the oldest inhabitants here, whose stewardship has kept this land pristine. environmentally sound, self-sustaining and teeming with diversity for centuries. Theirs is ultimately the legacy worth leaving here in B.C., a province I am proud to defend from the harm, greed and selfishness which Taseko's 'Prosperity Mine' epitomizes…
Please send us, your British Columbian friends, some of your capital goodwill by rejecting Taseko Mines Ltd.'s hostile proposal to decimate a B.C. wilderness and sacred Tsilhqot'in Nation territory. Gold-copper mining is an ecological disaster; please don't let B.C. become one too! Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Sarah Chesterman
Vancouver, B.C.
September 8, 2010
.
RE: FEDERAL ASSESSMENT OF 'PROSPERITY MINE'
Dear Prime Minister,
To follow up on my letters of June 16th and July 5th regarding the Federal Assessment of Taseko Mines Ltd's proposed "Prosperity Mine" gold-copper project near Williams Lake, BC, I must ask you to reject the company's request based on recommendations submitted by the CEAA in its Summary Review of this project.
The Review concludes that the proposed mine would have ‘significant adverse environmental effects’ and ‘significant adverse cumulative impact’ on fish and bear population and habitat in the South Chilcotin region by creating rock waste and tailing impoundment areas near Williams Lake, BC. The Panel also cites 'high magnitude, long term, irreversible effect on the Tsilqhot'in' and that the 'value of the claim would be reduced substantially due to changes in the landscape'; that Taseko's proposed mitigations are 'not sufficient to compensate for loss of habitat or landscape fragmentation', in addition to negative impacts on local uses of the landscape. Since the actual effects/impacts mentioned in the Review are difficult to fully grasp by such generalized description alone, the following real-life example (below & page 2) of another, existing large gold-copper mine (Grasberg Mine in Papua – @ bottom of pg.) illustrates the shocking magnitude of the decimation Taseko has planned for this B.C. wilderness...
The following excerpts from a NY Times article about Grasberg Mine by JANE PERLEZ and RAYMOND BONNER, published in December 2005, exemplify the devastation of such effects.
[from NY Times]
"By Freeport’s own estimates, Grasberg Mine will generate an estimated six billion tons of waste before it is through - more than twice as much earth as was excavated for the Panama Canal. Much of that waste has already been dumped in the mountains surrounding the mine or down a system of rivers that descends steeply onto the island’s low-lying wetlands, close to Lorentz National Park, a pristine rainforest that has been granted special status by the United Nations…
"A perpetual worry is where to put all the mine’s waste - accumulating at a rate of some 700,000 tons a day… This year Freeport told the Indonesian government that the waste rock in the highlands, 900 feet deep in places, now covers about three square miles. Down below, nearly 90 square miles of wetlands, once one of the richest freshwater habitats in the world, are virtually buried in mine waste, called tailings, with levels of copper and sediment so high that almost all fish have disappeared, according to environment ministry documents.
'The waste, the consistency and color of wet cement, belts down the rivers, and inundates and smothers all in its path,' said Russell Dodt, an Australian civil engineer who managed the waste on the wetlands for 10 years until 2004 for Freeport. About a third of the waste has moved into the coastal estuary, an essential breeding ground for fish, and much of that 'was ripped out to sea by the falling tide that acted like a big vacuum cleaner,' he said.
"A geologist who worked at the mine, who declined to be identified because of fear of jeopardizing future employment, said acids were already flowing into the groundwater. Bright green-colored springs could be seen spouting several miles away, he said - a tell-tale sign that the acids had leached out copper. 'That meant the acid water traveled a long way,' he said… [adding] that acids and copper from the mine were affecting the [Lorentz] park, considered a world treasure for its ecological diversity…
"Freeport says that the tailings are not toxic and that the river it uses for its waste meets Indonesian and American drinking water standards for dissolved metals… The Parametrix report shows copper levels in surface waters high enough to kill sensitive aquatic life in a short time, said Ann Maest, a geochemist who consults on mining issues…
"The amount of sediment presents another problem. Too many suspended solids in water can smother aquatic life. Indonesian law says they should not exceed 400 milligrams per liter. Freeport’s waste contained 37,500 milligrams as the river entered the lowlands, according to an environment ministry’s report in 2004, 7,500 milligrams as the river entered the Arafura Sea.
"By today, almost one billion tons of waste have been sent down the river from the copper and gold mine."
 |
| Grasberg Mine |
The far-reaching and irreversible damage of a gold-copper mine – gold-copper open-pit mines being one of the most environmentally devastating activities on the planet – would destroy whole ecysystems and many wildlife habitats, creating an ecological disaster. From the viewpoint of those living there – as well as those of us who spend vacations there, along with those (humans and animals) who depend upon the healthy fish habitats for survival – a worse location for such a monstrosity could not have been chosen.
I would like to add that, respecting the locale of the proposed mine is of great importance to the First Nations (Tsilhqot'in) people who have lived here for hundreds if not thousands of years – a key consideration, since it is their careful stewardship that has ensured continuation of its abundant thriving wildlife. The region is also a world-class vacation spot, highly desired particularly by Europeans attracted to its remoteness and uniquely vast expanses of unspoilt scenery. The wilderness experiences offered by some 15-20 quality guest ranches providing one-of-a-kind authentic holidays 'away from it all' depend for their success upon the untouched nature and continued wildlife habitation of their surrounds.
Excerpts from Environment Canada’s Species at Risk Act (2002, c. 29):
• "Canada’s natural heritage is an integral part of our national identity and history,
• Canadian wildlife species and ecosystems are also part of the world’s heritage…
• the roles of the aboriginal peoples of Canada and of wildlife management boards established under land claims agreements in the conservation of wildlife in this country are essential,
• all Canadians have a role to play in the conservation of wildlife in this country, including the prevention of wildlife species from becoming extirpated or extinct,
• stewardship activities contributing to the conservation of wildlife species and their habitat should be supported to prevent species from becoming at risk,
• the traditional knowledge of the aboriginal peoples of Canada should be considered in the assessment of which species may be at risk and in developing and implementing recovery measures,
• the habitat of species at risk is key to their conservation."
If I may conclude by appealing to your compassion and your fellow-feeling for those Canadians brave enough to become entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, as ambassadors and hosts, with this excerpt from an email I received from one of the guest ranch operators with whom I have been corresponding:
"Hello Sarah, ...You can certainly add us to the list of lodges, especially since we will be at the closest point about 2.5 km from the claim and operating area of the mine, it will eliminate our prime horse grazing range and tourism trails. Wiped out to say the least. We also have had a lease application over our base camp here at Beece Creek disallowed back in 2004 due to F.N. and fish concerns?! Now yesterday I read in the Tribune (June 15 issue page 4 Titled "Council of Canadian to protest ....") that BC has granted a long term lease to Taseko Mines for a project which is not only 100% against what FN stand for but wiping out an entire ecosystem with lakes creeks and rivers attached. Unbelievable! Sincerely, S.R."Consider the anxiety with which all residents of this area await your final decision re. Taseko Mines' proposal, along with the overwhelming evidence of existing gold-copper mining operations around the world elucidating permanent damage to wildlife habitats, thriving living organisms and salmon populations of the nearby lakes as well as adjoining rivers and waterways…
Perhaps most importantly, think of the First Nations (Tsilhqot'in) people who are the oldest inhabitants here, whose stewardship has kept this land pristine. environmentally sound, self-sustaining and teeming with diversity for centuries. Theirs is ultimately the legacy worth leaving here in B.C., a province I am proud to defend from the harm, greed and selfishness which Taseko's 'Prosperity Mine' epitomizes…
Please send us, your British Columbian friends, some of your capital goodwill by rejecting Taseko Mines Ltd.'s hostile proposal to decimate a B.C. wilderness and sacred Tsilhqot'in Nation territory. Gold-copper mining is an ecological disaster; please don't let B.C. become one too! Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Sarah Chesterman
Vancouver, B.C.
Sedge (a Brit. var.) is me; Planet Sedge denotes both a microcosm within and an interstellar connection to that larger entity.. in whose spheres i set my sights on forging ever-beneficial functions, formulated largely from my frontal lobe (& whatever is most frantic to be freed therefrom) - unconstrained by excesses of organization (ha!) : Mostly this consists of causes/topics closest to my heart (Animal Rights, BC Forests, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, 1stNations, Nature, Non-GMO, Old-Growth, Organics, Reconciliaction, Species At Risk, Veganism ++) via in-depth articles, Calls to Action, Letters to Govt ETC. - including LINKS for OTHERS to GET iNVOLVED: Join the growing movement steering aLL LIFE ON EARTH toward a healthier & happier destiny.. (oh, & i've included a review - of Memoir - so-you-know..) Kay, call me!
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