Jeffrey Sachs: Love him or Hate him- his new book

Here is a video of him talking about his new book. Some hiss at him others sing his praise. He was instrumental is spreading the "shock therapy" in Bolivia and Russia. You can read about him on Wikipedia. He also is much spoken about in Daniel Yergin's book/PBS series, "Commanding Heights." In layman's terms: Jeffrey Sachs use to promote on a global stage the Milton Friedman, neo-liberal, free markets will solve all problems if left alone by governments doctrine, etc. He was a true believer. I don't know if he still believes parts of this ideology, but he is definitely taking a different stance now and seems to favor a modified approach to solving our world's problems. He now has become an eco-economic advocate for government interventions that will stop us from destroying our habitat and our planet. He is practical, not an alarmist, but looking for solutions.

I just ordered his book from Amazon, so I'm looking forward to reading it, understanding that there are many critics of Mr. Sachs. Should be an interesting read though.

Here are his points in his video: What we need to do as soon as Bush is out of office and he prays McCain will not be elected.

1. Get out of Iraq $200 billion
2. End Bush tax cuts $250 billion dollars
3.Invest in sustainable technology- New National Institute for Sustainable Technology $30 billion: battery, biomass, solar, food supply needs R & D
4. Global Commons: Need a cooperative framework
Ratify: Kyoto reach agreement on post Kyoto framework
Ratify: Convention on Biological Diversity
Ratify: UN Convention of the Law of the Sea
5. Honor: Geneva Convention
6. Stop corn to ethanol program - $6 to $7 billion No corn based ethanol. Corn needs to be used for food. It makes not sense because it still produces green house gases and it drives up food price. It is a profound blunder. $6.5 billion dollars wasted
7. Invite world leaders of Dry-land regions to a world conference and discuss water conservation.
8. Reinstate giving money to United Nations’ population fund to help control world growth.
9. Rebuild competence in Washington: cabinet level-Department for Sustainable Development. Interlink climate, food, water production—Cabinet Level Department
10. The Millennium Development Goals put into practice in policy.

Running the Numbers by Chris Jordan. Eco-Art that will blow you away!

There is no way you can see this exhibit and not be moved by it. Chris Jordan of Seattle took statistics of the United States' current rate of consumption and disposal in our "Throw Away Society" and made art pieces that help to explain the numbers visually so that anyone can understand those numbers in a new way. His work is showing at Von Lintel Gallery in New York from June 14th to the end of July. The show is called: "Running the Numbers." / To see an online version click here. I promise you will be blown away...

Happy Ending for 239 Lucky Tortoises

Thanks to Carissa and David who organized a community effort, 239 lucky gopher tortoises were saved from being buried alive in a new subdivision being developed in Geneva, Florida. One tract of land that was fifty five acres had over 239 tortoises! The developer paid his $100,000 to "take" the tortoises, but Carissa called him up and convinced him to try and rescue as many tortoises as possible. He essentially paid twice for these tortoises because Plan B meant he had to pay for a back-hoe that cost $1,000 a day to rent. It took several weeks to dig 15 feet into each gopher tortoise burrow to rescue each and every one that could be found. This developer generated a whole bunch of good will for his project. There was a tremendous response from the Orlando area and everyone wanted to help. At one point the rescue effort had to turn people away because they had such an overwhelming response to the call for help and were not prepared to train so many people. It just goes to show that people do care.

This new subdivision is just one of hundreds that are being developed all over Central Florida. One developer cared enough to do the right thing. I wonder how many unlucky tortoises are buried alive elsewhere. Carissa and David are local eco-heroes and so are the many people who assisted in the rescue effort.

A gopher tortoise can live for a year in its burrow dying a slow death of starvation and dehydration because it can not get out of the burrow once it is buried. There were 239 luck tortoises thanks to Carissa and David and a community that cared. Her e-mail is attached in the comments. And thanks to all who helped spread the word!

Hundreds of dead seabirds...

July 04, 2007 — By Bruce Smith, Associated PressCHARLESTON, S.C.

Hundreds of dead seabirds that washed up along the Southeast coast in recent weeks apparently starved to death, but experts don't know why.

The deaths of the birds -- similar to gulls and called greater shearwaters -- have wildlife officials worried about possible changes in the ocean that could have affected the fish that the birds usually eat.

Paving Mt Everest

solitude : march to everest 2004, originally uploaded by mojo.d.

I read today that Mt. Everest is in the process of being paved in preparation for the upcoming Beijing 2008 Winter Olympics. It really shocked me. It really shows how things are changing in China. Who woul dhave ever thought that would happen?

Human Survival & the Destruction of Nature

Interesting website