JELLYFISH: a worrying invasion.

For some years now the jellyfish are causing serious damage to fishing and to industrial activities. This is happening not only in the Mediterranean Sea, but also in the Irish Sea and in the Atlantic Ocean, because of the global warming. 

In 2013 they have killed 20.000 salmons in the plants of Marine Havest, off the coast of the Irish island of Clare. Other similar episodes have occurred along the coasts of Tunisia, Spain, Normandy, Catalonia, Norway and Chile. 

This problem is not so known at the moment, but it can't be underestimated. Jellyfish cause trouble to the fish farms, but also in the open seas, where they can choke the boat motors and pile up in the nets, reducing the fish and making it hard to select it. 

Whose is the blame for all of this? 

Of course global warming is playing a fundamental role: in the Mediterranean Sea there are species that once couldn't be found there, like puffers and barracudas and the man exploiting too much the marine ecosystems reduces the competition for food, so jellyfish thrive more than the fish species. 

Furthermore, they resist well to the effects of pollution and to the acidification of the oceans. 

They threaten to wipe out marine biodiversity. 

FISH AT RISK. Be part of the change.

There are some fish in such deep trouble that need special attention: Greenpeace has listed the most serious ones in a Red List. They are on this list because of several reasons: they reproduce in a way that makes the very vulnerable to overfishing and is little or no data available to show that the stocks are healthy or that they are being fished at a sustainable rate; they are often sources from overfished and depleted stocks, or are being fished at such a high rate that stocks are being depleted rapidly; the fishing methods used to catch the fish are often highly destructive to other oceans creatures and/or habitats. 

Some species which are at particular risk are the anglerfish (or monkfish or goosefish), the Patagonian toothfish (or Chilean seabass), the sharks, the skates and rays. There are lots of other species in danger and you can find them by clicking on this link http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/seafood/red-list-of-species/. 

We all can do something to help the situation change, for example by buying fish from retailers and restaurants that have made a clear public commitment to sourcing and selling better fish. 
We all can be part of the change. 

7 billion workers missing in Europe...

...who are we talking about? BEES!

According to a study of English researchers published in the scientific journal Plos One, in the 41 European countries examined the number of bees that are necessary for pollination of several crops is 5 times higher than the real number present today. 

Furthermore, during the last ten years the crops that need a bee pollination have increased by 38% while the number of bees had dramatically decreased. 

The European country with a lower impollinators rate per cultivated area is Great Britain, where the bees are less than the 25% of the necessary! 

From these dramatic data it's easy to understand how it is urgent that the EU forbids the use of medicines and agricultural pesticides which are deadly for bees. 

In accordance with a French study the value of bees as impollinators in the world is approximately 153 billion Euros. 

(Thanks to Lorenzo S. for helping me writing this post)

PHYTOCHEMICALS: can sprays be safe?

Since the discovery of chemical compounds which can be employed in agriculture, spraying, fumigating and dusting have been the most widely used methods in pest and disease control. The development of more and more effective phytochemicals and their increasingly widespread use are causing concern among biologists and environmentalists because they state that man is altering nature's balance and endangering health and the food supply. 

Organic agriculture does not use artificial fertilizers or pesticides as they are compounds with high biological activity, which tend to have harmful consequences on physiological processes. Moreover, they may stimulate the growth of new pathogens and pests as they kill antagonistic organisms. However, sometimes chemicals must be used in organic production when there is a persistent and recurrent problem, which cannot be solved with completely organic products; so they can be used along with biological control techniques, when proved that they do not harm the rest of the system. 

Whatever their nature is, all sprays must be applied to crops correctly. This is essential both to ensure that they are effective and to minimize the harm to the environment. 

(Thanks to Lorenzo S. for helping me writing this post)

Tree bombs against deforestation.

Reforest large areas of the planet by dropping trees from the sky...?

Yes, it is possible! 
Moshe Alamaro, an engineer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has been carrying out a project which consists in dropping from airplanes or balloons small packed trees with water and fertilizers. 
When they reach the ground (at a speed of 140 miles per hour!) they penetrate the soil. 
The break of the biodegradable containers allows the plants to root easily and freely. 

(Thanks to Lorenzo S. for helping me writing this post)

Swedish Big 5: the Golden Eagle.

In Sweden, there are around 5,000 adult Golden Eagles, declining in the North but increasing in the southern parts of the country. 
The Golden Eagle is the second largest bird of prey in Sweden. They are shy and prefer to live in unpopulated areas, although sometimes they may come closer to inhabited areas to take advantage of carrion found on roads or in gardens. 

The Golden Eagle, also known as "the King's Eagle", preys different animals, from rodents to birds and in winter, when the food is scarce, may also eat carrion. It can also hunt bigger animals, such as young deers and raindeers or foxes. Golden Eagles may live up to 50 years. 

The females normally lay two eggs, with an average success rate of 0.5%, although in the southern part of the country the rate of success is higher due to the abundance of prey. 

The Golden Eagle is under threat for several reasons. Forestry activity, the construction of new forest roads and tracks, snowmobile traffic in breeding areas and the increase recreational use of previously indisturbed zones. Another threat is the recent increase in hunting pressure on the ptarmigan, one of the Golden Eagle's preys. Due to the strict EU regolations, it is not possible to leave out animal carcasses to support local eagle populations. 

Anyway, there is hope that is taken into account the need to protect and conserve these wonderful animals by this generation and the ones to come. 

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF is the biggest organization for the defence and the conservation of the environment and the species at risk. It was born on 29 April 1961 with a declaration called the Morges Manifesto and since 1985 it has been investing over US$ 1 billion in more than 12,000 conservation initiatives. 

WWF's mission is building a future in which humanity can live in harmony with nature. WWF focuses its efforts on two broad areas: biodiversity, to make sure that the earth's web of life remains healthy and vibrant for generations to come, focusing on critical places and critical species which are very important for the conservation of our earth's rich biodiversity; footprint, namely to reduce the negative impacts of human activity, to ensure that the natural resources required for life are managed sustainably and equitably. 

WWF is currently focusing on Amazon, Arctic, China for a Global Shift, Climate and Energy, Coastal East Africa, Coral Triangle, Forest and Climate, Green Heart of Africa, Heart of Borneo, Living Himalayas, Market Transformation, Smart Fishing and Tigers. 

WWF's core values are: 
- Be a global organization, independent, multicultural, political but not partisan
- Make use of the best scientific information available to identify and pursue its own goals 
- Search for dialogue and avoid unnecessary contrasts
- Create concrete solutions for conservation through the combination of field projects, policy initiatives, capacity building and education
- Involve local communities respecting their aspirations and needs
- Tighten appropriate collaborations with other environmental and political organizations and institutions, governments and public opinion to strengthen the effectiveness of WWF
- Critically evalue the adequacy and the efficacy of its efforts to reach the defined goals and to be a careful steward of funds

17th ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL - CINEMAMBIENTE

From the 31st of May to today, the 5th of June takes place, in Turin, the 17th Environmental Film Festival. 
Its aim is to show the best international environmental films and contribute with other activities throughout the year to promote the environmental cinema and culture. 
It is the first festival "zero emission": CO2 emissions produced during the Festival are offset and its products are made with recycled and Ecolabel and FSC certified materials. 

Yesterday, the 4th of June in the evening I went to the Festival with other Greenpeace volunteers from the Turin local group (yes, now I am a volunteer!). We set up a banquet to promote Greenpeace campaigns, so we explained people who stopped there why the bees are in serious danger, why oil drilling in the Arctic must be stopped and so on. 

We were also invited to watch the Italian documentary film "Green Generation" by its director, Sergio Malatesta. It was very interesting and impressive from certain points of view. 
Here you can find the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGWh9u6tXVI .

To keep faith with my passion for bags and clothes, I bought the Festival eco-friendly bag! I find it very nice and practical to use. 

Greenpeace: let's Detox!

In 2011 Greenpeace launched a campaign called "Detox" whose aim was exposing the direct links between global clothing brands, their suppliers and toxic water pollution around the world. 
Since July 2011, this campaign has mobilised hundreds of thousands people to challenge major clothing brands to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals from their supply chains and products. 

19 international fashion companies have been involved: Nike, Adidas, Puma, H&M, M&S, C&A, Li-Ning, Zara, Mango, Esprit, Levi's, Uniqlo, Benetton, Victoria's Secret, G-Star Raw, Valentino, Coop, Canepa, Burberry and Primark. They have been asked to create concrete elimination plans for the most hazardous substances and to provide greater transparency around the chemicals that their suppliers currently release into our shared waterways. 

In October 2013 the Detox Catwalk, organized by Greenpeace, took place. It revealed that while leading names such as H&M, Mango and Uniqlo were matching their words with concrete actions, Nike, Adidas and Li-Ning had failed to walk the talk and follow through on their promises. 
Interational brands can eliminate the negative environmental impacts on their production by the choice of the suppliers to collaborate with, the design of their products and the control they can exert over the chemicals used throughout the production processes. 

What Greenpeace asks of clothing companies is: 
- Zero discharge of all hazardous chemicals 
- Prevention and Precaution 
- Transparency 
- Adopt clear and ambitious deadlines 
- Require their suppliers to disclose the quantities of hazardous chemicals released 
- Publicly demonstrate to others how they are making the transition to non-hazardous chemical use 

What Greenpeace asks of governments: 
Adopt a political commitment to zero discharge of all hazardous chemicals within one generation by...
- Intermidiating short term targets to ban the production and use of well-known hazardous chemicals 
- A dynamic list of priority hazardous substances requiring immediate action 
- A publicly available register of data on discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances

What WE can do (#PeoplePower): 
- Choose to buy more second-hand clothes, where possible
- Influence brands to act responsibly on behalf of the planet and its people
- Demand that governments act to restrict the sales and import of products containing hazardous chemicals 
- Click on this link to discover more about the help you can give http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/toxics/water/what-you-can-do/

M13: (sad) story of a bear.

M13 was a brown bear living in the mountains of Trentino. 

He was broken down on February 2013 by Swiss authorities of Cantone Grigioni as he was thought to be a threat for men. 

The bear used to live in the Italian territory, in Trentino, but unfortunately he didn't know the state borders...

In 2012 his brother, called M12, died in a car crash in Bolzano area. 

At the beginning of winter M13 had been captured by the forest rangers, who examined and measured him and then equipped him with a radio collar to monitor his movements. 

Sadly, during the hibernation the collar came off and when M13 awoke he headed towards Switzerland searching for food. 

He was betrayed by a winter made too short by global warming. As he woke up too early, hunger drove him close to population centers. His lack of fear of humans and the obtuseness of Swiss local governments did the rest...

Greenpeace: greener electronics.

Each year hundreds of thousands of old computers and mobile phones are dumped in landfills or incinerators. Thousands of electronic waste produced in the Europe, US, Japan and other industrialised countries are also exported, often illegally, to Asia and Africa, where (even very young) workers touch with bare hands waste, exposing themselves to a cocktail of toxic compounds and poisons. 

If the producers don't engage in an appropriate manner, the current rate of growth of technological waste will create a crisis of major proportions. It is possible to make products which are durable, which can be improved, free from dangerous substances and that can be recycled or dumped in fairness, so as to grant a life-ending to the products without endangering anyone, even the poorest people. 

From years, Greenpeace has been pressing hi-tech companies to make their production more sustainable thanks to a periodic publication of the Eco-guide to the "green" electronic products. 
In 2009, Greenpeace launched a new campaign to force hi-tech companies to look for technological solutions to fight against climate changes. They have been asked to reduce their ecological footprint and to politically commit to climate action. 
Greenpeace asks them to develop a business model which helps the world to get to real emissions reduction. A victory for this sector, which will become the pioneer of a global changing towards a clean energy economy. 

On November 2012, the guide to Greener Electronics is headed by Wipro, an Indian electronics company (7,1/10), followed by HP (5,7/10), Nokia (5,4/10), Acer (5,1/10), Dell (4,6/10), Apple (4,5/10), Samsung (4,2/10), Sony (4,1/10), Lenovo (3,9/10), Philips (3,8/10) and Panasonic (3,6/10). The absolutely worst ones are LGE (3,5/10), HCL Infosystems (3,1/10), Sharp (3,1/10), Toshiba (2,3/10) and RIM (2,0/10). 

Brown Bear: the situation in the Italian Alps.

In the Italian Alps, there are only 35 brown bears left. 
Reduced to the brink of extinction, the Brown Bear had almost disappeared at the beginning of the last century from the alpine zone, because of poaching and poisonings. 

Today bears are returning but in the Alps people are no more accustomed to their presence and they have lost the precautions for peaceful coexistence. 
Garbage cans, hives and hen houses are devoid of protections and it is clear that they are irresistible temptations for bears. 

Bears are increasingly forced into a fragmented, anthropized habitat and this inevitably leads them more and more in contact with men. 
Damage caused by these animals provokes strong resentment in the local population and this can be eliminated only by an adequate forest policy and by a greater ecological awareness. 

NAU! optics: fashion and environmentally friendly.

Today my eyeglasses have finally arrived! Yes, I have some eye problems...
Anyway, I couldn't buy a pair of glasses which were not sustainable...! So, I bought them from NAU!, which is an Italian optics with a fixed idea: offering their customers eyeglasses which are full of color, design and respect for the environment. 

They create glasses made from up to 96% recycled plastic. Moreover, in their shops they use recycled materials for the furniture and their bags are reusable for the waste separation. 

The mounting of their glasses and the coloring of their lenses are entrusted only to companies performing a proper waste disposal of these processes and operating respecting the environment. 

It is the first italian brand of optics to have earned the environmental certification "UNI EN ISO 14001", which fixes the requisites for a correct environmental management system. This certification defines the adequate business management system to keep under control the environmental impacts of the activities and to search for an improvement in a coherent, effective and sustainable way. 

NAU! minimized all packages, to reduce waste and unnecessary costs. 

NAU! uses energy derived from renewable sources for the lighting of stores and offices, minimizing the environmental impact even in small things. 

These are my new NAU! glasses! 

Overpopulation: environmental damage.

The rapid growth of the world population, now of 7 billion people, and the struggle of the poorest peoples in underdeveloped or developing countries to survive are causing enormous damage to the environment. 
For instance, several countries are burning or cutting down their rainforests merely to get money. 
Furthermore, they are overgrazing grasslands and exploiting croplands in a desperate effort to produce more food. 

What should governments do? 

First of all, the goverments of underdeveloped and developing countries should promote education, especially amongst females, in order to ensure they get married and start having children later. Moreover, an educated mother wants to educate her children too, triggering a positive chain reaction. 

I know a system of birth control such as the Chinese one may seem unfair, but if they hadn't done so, how many people would have lived now on the planet, with all the negative consequences? In my opinion, in some regions of the world, where the birth rate is still extremely high, that would be a good solution. 

Another way to lower the number of births is the transition from a pre-industrial society to an industrial, so that the children are no longer seen as a labor force for agriculture, but as individuals to maintain for a larger number of years. 

If the world population exceeded 12 billion people the consequences, not only for the environment, would be devastating, so it is vital that governments adopt strong policies in this regard as soon as possible. 

This is Greenpeace.

Yesterday night I went to a meeting with some Greenpeace volunteers from Turin. I'm not a volunteer yet, but I would like to, even though in this period I don't have plenty of time because of the exams. 
Anyway, it was interesting: the volunteers explained us how Greenpeace works, their methods, their campaigns, their core values. 
As I said in a previous post, I am an environmentalist, so I'm going to write more than one post on evnvironmental matters. 
Today, I'm going to tell you about Greenpeace in general (oh, I forgot to say that, even if I'm not a volunteer yet, I am a supporter of Greenpeace, which means that each month I donate a sum of money for their causes). 
Greenpeace was born in 1971 in the USA and its first aim was to stop nuclear experiments in an island that, today, is a protect area.
Since that year, Greenpeace has been fighting against the indiscriminate exploitation of our planet with a lot of different campaigns, that I'm going to talk about in the next posts.
I absolutely suggest you to watch the videos that you can find by clicking on these links: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVu9eawb1QY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70RhRIeJVw0
They summarize very well all the things that Greenpeace does to safeguard as much as possible the health of our planet. 

Direct and non-violent action, scientificity and independence. These are the core values of Greenpeace.