Take pictures with Dolphin and let him to die

 A group of tourists take some pictures with a dolphin on the beach in Sanya, Hainan province (China). So far so good, because many of us would like to have a photo with one of the most beautiful and amiable animals of our planet, the thing to consider in this situation is that the animal is found injured and eventually died without any help, this greats masters of photography that are above in the picture didnt find or try to find any help for the animal and let him to die with tail wound

  These attitudes must be condemned and have heavy hand in sentencing, in order to create some kind of example out off this.

http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/internacional/mundo/turistas-posam-com-golfinho-e-deixam-no-morrer

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-06/18/content_16632939.htm

East Rennell declared World Heritage in danger

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 19 June 2013 (IUCN) – East Rennell in the Solomon Islands has been added to the List of World Heritage in Danger, following the advice of IUCN, the official World Heritage advisory body on nature. Lake Turkana National Parks in Kenya and Virgin Komi Forests in Russia were not added to the Danger List, against IUCN’s advice.

According to IUCN’s report, the ongoing logging on the western part of Rennell island – only 12 km from the World Heritage site –threatens major damage to the forest’s ecology. The introduction of invasive species by logging and container ships also constitutes a serious danger to endemic wildlife. Black Ship Rat (Rattus rattus) has already been observed on the western part of the island. IUCN has advised for an emergency action plan and the government of Solomon Islands has committed to deliver an urgent study on the impacts of logging on Rennell Island.

East Rennell, declared a World Heritage site in 1998, is the largest raised coral atoll in the world and its dense forest has a canopy averaging 20 metres in height. The World Heritage site makes up the south-eastern half of Rennell Island, the southernmost island in the Solomon Islands in the western Pacific.

The Virgin Komi Forests, Russia’s first natural site added to the World Heritage List in 1995, has not been inscribed on the ‘danger list’ by the World Heritage Committee, currently meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. IUCN had been recommending danger listing for the area since 2011, after a joint IUCN/World Heritage Centre mission identified plans for gold mining.

The World Heritage Committee decided also not to add Lake Turkana National Parks to the List of World Heritage in Danger, for second year in a row. The site is threatened by a dam construction on the Omo River in Ethiopia, which provides 80% of lake’s freshwater.

Last year, IUCN’s recommendation was overruled to allow more time for a monitoring mission to visit Ethiopia. Although necessary action was not taken as requested in 2012, both Kenya and Ethiopia expressed their willingness to address international concerns.

“Adding East Rennell to the list of World Heritage in Danger is a positive step in the face of major challenges to this site and IUCN sees it as a chance to marshal international support and join forces with the Solomons on a clear action plan to conserve the island’s unique values” says Peter Shadie, Deputy Head of IUCN’s delegation to the Committee.

With the inscription of East Rennell on the danger list, the total number of threatened natural World Heritage sites climbs to 18, almost 9% of all natural World Heritage sites.

This year’s Committee also discussed action required to prevent danger listing the Great Barrier Reef in 2014. An IUCN/World Heritage Centre report revealed that coastal development, port infrastructure and poor water quality pose serious threats to the reef ecosystem, its plants and species such as sea grass, the green turtle and the dugong. Australia was asked to increase its commitment to reef protection and the site will be re-examined by the Committee in 2014. 

For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:
Borjana Pervan, IUCN Media Relations Officer, m +41 79 857 4072, eborjana.pervan@iucn.org

Retrive from: http://www.iucn.org/?13166/East-Rennell-declared-World-Heritage-in-danger

Macaulay Library

The Macaulay Library is the world's largest archive of animal sounds. The archive includes more than 175,000 audio recordings covering 75 percent of the world's bird species, with an ever increasing numbers of insect, fish, frog, and mammal recordings as well. The more recently established video archive includes over 50,000 clips, representing over 3,500 species.

Visite the Libary in: http://macaulaylibrary.org/

Bank of genetic agroforestry

Vine cloned.

A farmer when thinking about the safety of their products, quickly turns to service an insurance company. And if you could also have a bank to save their species and reproduce them quickly needed? Already exists, to answer this question this bank was born within the University of Coimbra (UC).

Elisa and Monica Figueiredo Zuzarte, founders of QualityPlant - Research and Production in Plant Biotechnology, company spin-off UC, dedicated to culture in vitro (cloning techniques) national agroforestry species. It is intended to "preserve and propagate plants, a much faster and more efficient than conventional methods," says Elisa Figueiredo.
And by "cloning techniques" should not be generated "fears", Elisa Figueiredo explains that, for example, "in our garden we prune a rose bush and decided to plant a stakes. What we just did was cloning. We planted two genetically identical ". This is what, in a way, it makes the QualityPlant without genetic manipulation, ie, introduction of information from an individual's genes in another.

Farmers can provide the meristem of their species, ie the plant tissue with cells in vitro and allow the firm to ensure its continuity. "One of the features of this technique is that in a short time succeeded in producing a large number of plants, because they are conditioned to weather conditions. We artificially controlled conditions. The entire process is done under sterile conditions, ie no presence of bacteria, viruses. There are beings that can negatively influence plant ", detailing Elisa Figueiredo.

The interviewee also emphasizes that this process "not only ensures the production of high quality plant plants, but essentially ensures the reduction of production costs for nursery / farmers associated with the elimination of pests or diseases, and improves your productivity , valuing domestic and stimulating Portuguese economy more competitive products, also worldwide. "

Simultaneously, the two entrepreneurs will create a germplasm bank, designated GermplasmBank, ie go to the conservation of plant genetic heritage. This bank presents itself as a "life insurance" plants where producers can "keep" the germplasm of its most promising varieties, ensuring their preservation and future use. The reproduction of a species in bulk can occur within six months, unlike conventional techniques in which playback is time consuming.

Elisa and Monica have their incubation in the Pedro Nunes Institute in Coimbra, and are already devoted to species of vine and olive, "because they are the two agricultural sectors more competitive," but says Elisa, "the technique applies to any production. "

Retrieved from CiênciaHoje - http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=57925&op=all the 06/18/2013

Evaluation pioneer in Portugal shows positive impact on the environment

"Corticeira Amorim commissioned a study which includes the calculation and independent verification of their carbon footprint, according to ISO 14064, which shows that the company activity benefits the planet in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, sequestering more CO2 than that it emits. The calculation performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers to all Business Units (BU) Company, with independent verification by Deloitte concluded that the activity of Corticeira Amorim results in an annual carbon sequestration of more than 2 million tons of CO2, which exceeds more than 15 times the emissions of greenhouse gases from across the value chain.

According to Nuno Barroca, Amorim Corticeira administrator with responsibility for Sustainability, "The findings of this study position - unsurprisingly - the cork and its applications as excellent green alternatives to non-renewable materials, high-impact, present in many products and applications and Corticeira Amorim as a company that contributes positively to this challenge that the planet is global warming that results from the high concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. "
The cork oak, made possible by extracting the cork, the cork industry that leads the world Corticeira Amorim, plays a key role in carbon sequestration, estimating a capacity retention of CO2 by 14 million tons / year.
In this sense, the carbon footprint of Corticeira Amorim and its products have to be seen in a life cycle perspective, covering the entire value chain and hence impacts the amount of materials used in their processes.
As regards the cork and the company's activity, thus becomes imperative to consider the effect of the cork oak, made possible - in large part - by the action of Corticeira Amorim. Note that in 2011 the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) recognized that the impacts of the use of cork stoppers should be considered holistically, considering the effects of the cork oak.
In this context, reference was taken as the international standard-ISO 14064, considering the direct emissions of greenhouse gases that are controlled by the company - resulting from the activity of the UN - the indirect emissions of greenhouse gases not controlled by the company - related to the purchase of electricity - and other indirect GHG emissions resulting from the company's activity (upstream and downstream).
The calculation performed in all UN and considering the effect of sink mounted, it appears that the activity of Corticeira Amorim enables a kidnapping annual 2,028,415 ton CO2.
The total emissions of the value chain Corticeira Amorim thus represents less than 6.6% of the value of kidnapping. As regards the origin of the emissions are indirect emissions associated with the value chain that are more important (69%), followed by emissions associated with electricity consumption (27%) and fuel used in the activity (4%) .
Given the computations performed by PwC, thus results a footprint negative (-1.9 Mio Ton CO2), ie the activity of Corticeira Amorim also benefits the planet in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, sequestering more CO2 than that which emits .
The findings of the study can be found in the seventh Sustainability Report Corticeira Amorim, now released, the first company to be awarded level A, in accordance with the G3 guidelines of the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)."

Retrieved from http://www.sustentabilidade.amorim.com/iniciativas/noticias/Actividade-da-Corticeira-Amorim-viabiliza-sequestro-de-carbono-superior-a-2-milhoes-de-toneladas-de/182/  in 13.06.2013

 I've had the opportunity to visit one of the factories of the company and was surprised by environmental concerns taken by their officers, and especially with the use of biomass obtained by production waste to be reused for operation of boilers.
 This is a project in which we can associate a word like Sustainability.

World Environment Day

On June 5 is celebrated the World Environment Day. It is an event created by the United Nations to mark positive attitudes and actions of sustainability, protection and preservation of the environment and to warn the people and governments of the need to build a sustainable environment in order to recover from the mistakes made ​​in the past.

World Environment Day was established in 1972 and 5 June was chosen because this is the day that began the debate on the environment in the United Nations.

The issue presented to this year of 2013 will be Think.Eat.Save is a campaign about waste and food loss that encourages us to reduce our foodprint. According to the United Nations and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted. This is equivalent to the same amount produced in all of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, one in seven people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under 5 die every day from hunger.

That is why this campaign will make us think before wasting.

Ribeiro Frio - Balcões

Beginning in Ribeiro Frio, this little tour follows the Levada da Serra do Faial, giving access to the viewpoint of the Balcões.

 This little tour begins and ends in the regional road ER103 in Ribeiro Frio a total length of 3 km (split between 1.5 and 1.5 for one side to another side), with a duration of about 30-45 minutes (each way) . The course is made following the Levada da Ribeira do Faial which feeds the surrounding farmland and a hydraulic station.

 In this path we can see a great diversity of indigenous forest and some exotic species introduced too, so before performing the way it should be borne in mind the following species: Til Vinhático, Loureiro, Folhado, Uveira Serra, Urze vassouras, Urze Molar , Orquidea da Serra (which you can find two different colors), and may also find some wildlife species such as Tentilhão, Lavadeira, Melro Preto, Papinho, the Manta, the fiPombo Trocaz latter two are rarer species but can be spotted with some regularity.

 Upon arriving to the viewpoint will have a breathtaking view of the hydroelectric power plant Faja da Nogueira and will have a great view that in days open can see from the Porto da Cruz to Pico do Ariero.

  It should be some time in the gazebo because it is often flown by Mantas or Francelhos.

(FALCO Tinnunculus canariensis)

(Manta Buteo buteo buteo)