A new United Nations report calls for a more sophisticated approach to developing biofuels as an energy option to ensure that it benefits society, the economy and the environment as a whole.

According to the report, the first by the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, some biofuels, such as ethanol from sugar cane, can have positive impacts on greenhouse gas emissions.

Ethanol can lead to emissions reductions of more than 70 per cent when substituted for petrol, as is being done currently in Brazil. However, the way in which biofuels are produced matters in determining whether they are leading to more or less greenhouse gas emissions, added the report.

“Biofuels are neither a panacea nor a pariah but like all technologies they represent both opportunities and challenges,” said Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director. “Therefore, a more sophisticated debate is urgently needed, which is what this first report by the Panel is intended to provide.

“On one level, it is a debate about which energy crops to grow and where and also about the way different countries and biofuel companies promote and manage the production and conversion of plant materials for energy purposes – some clearly are climate friendly while others are highly questionable,” he noted.

Mr. Steiner added that it is also a choice about how humanity best manages its “finite land bank” and balances a range of competing interests in a world of 6 billion people, which is expected to rise to over 9 billion by 2050.

“The report makes it clear that biofuels have a future role, but also underlines that there may be other options for combating climate change, improving rural livelihoods and achieving sustainable development that may, or may not, involve turning ever more crops and crop wastes into liquid fuels,” he said.

Worldwide land use for biofuel crops was about two per cent of global cropland in 2008, or about 36 million hectares.

The report “Towards Sustainable Production and Use of Resources: Assessing Biofuels” suggested that governments fit biofuels into an overall strategy encompassing energy, climate, land-use, water and agriculture to ensure their use is beneficial to society, the economy and the environment.

Excerpt from UN News Service: http://www.un.org/news/

International Day of Rural Women will be observed at UN headquarters on 15 October, 2008. While World Rural Women’s Day has been celebrated by civil society for more than a decade, this year will mark the first observance of an international day of rural women.

The following is a selection from the UN Secretary-General’s message on the historic observance:

‘This first International Day of Rural Women is especially timely, as it comes in the midst of a world food crisis and global financial turmoil, and on the eve of World Food Day. Rural women produce more than half of the world’s food and provide immeasurable support to local communities. But despite the life-saving role they play, these women are seldom adequately appreciated or compensated.

Our mission is to foster a world where the woman who farms is also a woman with educational opportunities, political access, and a voice at the negotiating table. A woman with a market environment that favours a fair return on her investments of equipment, seeds and labour. A woman who benefits from the land, credit and new technologies that will increase production. We know that when we empower rural women, we enhance the well-being of their children, their families, their communities and, ultimately, their countries.

At the same time, we must recognize that improvements in roads, healthcare, water and sanitation systems and environmental protection will elevate not only women but society as a whole. I urge all countries to seize the opportunity we will have next month at the Conference on Financing for Development in Doha to put the needs of rural women at the top of the global agenda. By making women active partners in addressing the world’s pressing food crisis, we can do much more than solve the immediate problem; we can pave the way for a more secure global future. On this Day, let us commit to that mission.’

The idea of honouring rural women with a special day was put forward by international NGOs at the Fourth UN World Conference on Women in Beijing, in September 1995. The aim of the day is to recognize the critical role and contribution made by rural women including indigenous women, in agriculture and rural development, more specifically their efforts in improving food security and eradicating rural poverty. Since rural women represent more than a quarter of the total world population, their contribution to the well-being of their families, the development of rural economies, as well as food production and food security is substantial. However, rural women own only two per cent of the land, and receive only one per cent of all agricultural credit.

What’s really in our oceans? TRASH

clipped from www.moremarin.com Project Kaisei team talks trash Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of the famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau speaking at a press conference Tuesday, Cousteau was joined by Project Kaisei founders, scientists, environmentalists and ocean lovers who spent a month in the middle of the ocean at a place called the North Pacific Gyre where tons of plastic trash has collected, and is floating in the sea. “We traveled thousands of miles on both vessels and we tested surface samples across that whole distance.  Every single sample we came up with plastic, every single one.” An example of what they found was spread out in front of the audience; ghost fishing nets, chunks of plastic lawn furniture, crates, large containers, a helmet. This is the stuff they found in every sample of water taken. we found a myriad of types of garbage.  In some of the areas that weren’t so congested, maybe we’d see 25 pieces but in other areas we would see three to four hundred pieces of marine debris plastic does not biodegrade

Because the floating garbage pile is constantly in flux, nobody really knows how big it is, but some estimates suggest its mass is double the size of Texas.

clipped from www.moremarin.com Project Kaisei has launched. The group of scientists, environmentalists and ocean lovers left the SF Bay yesterday on an expedition to study a gigantic floating ‘plastic vortex’ of trash that floats in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  The group–led by Marinite Mary Crowley–is trying to figure out what type of trash is there, how it got there and ways to remove and recycle it. The gigantic trash heap has been growing for years–the result of our consumption of non-recyclable materials–and contributes to death of marine life and pollution of the oceans. Because the floating garbage pile is constantly in flux, nobody really knows how big it is, but some estimates suggest its mass is double the size of Texas. You can follow the action on the Project Kaisei website where they’ve set up a special Google Earth link to track the project’s progress. (photo of boat courtesy of Ocean Voyages Institute; photo of trash courtesy of Whole Travel Blog)

The “world food crisis” of 2007-08 was the tip of an iceberg. Hunger and food crises are endemic to the modern world, and the eruption of a rapid increase in food prices provided a fresh window on this cultural fact. Much like Susan George’s well-known observation that famines represent the final stage in an extended process of deepening vulnerability and fracturing of social reproduction mechanisms, this food “crisis” represents the magnification of a long-term crisis of social reproduction stemming from colonialism, and was triggered by neoliberal capitalist development.1

The colonial era set in motion an extractive relation between Europe and the rest of the world, whereby the fruits of empire displaced non-European provisioning systems, as the colonies were converted into supply zones of food and raw materials to fuel European capitalism.

Read more

Two articles on need for action on hunger at forthcoming G8 meeting in Italy.

Global hunger on the rise again: Canadian Newspaper article

World Food Programme calls on G8 for urgent action on hunger

Consumers Urged to Switch to Ethical Alternatives

Sunset of the Swordfish Harpooner, originally uploaded by StarrGazr.

The “Waitrose Supermarket” chain (UK) has announced has announced a ban on swordfish after being unable to find a sustainable source of the controversial species.

According to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) we are being warned that world stocks of Swordfish are too low to ensure future supply. In addition, the Waitrose market is concerned that the hooks commonly used to fish for swordfish pose a deadly threat to sea turtles, which are already at risk in many parts of the world.

For a fish to be termed “sustainable” in Waitrose it must meet the following criteria:

* Be a species that is not regarded as threatened or endangered
* Be caught from a well managed fishery with scientifically based quota’s
* Be caught using responsible fishing methods
* Be fully traceable from catch to consumer

We share the same ideals: Fish, shrimp and seafood should come from sustainable and well-managed fisheries or from responsibly farmed aquaculture operations.

HOW TO EAT ETHICALLY: Until an ethical source of swordfish is found, it is recommended to replace the fish with “mahi-mahi”, a fully sustainable white fish that breeds and matures quickly, enabling stocks to replenish more easily.

Without a doubt the aquaculture industry is going to be effected by many different complex trends over the coming years, all operating together, sometimes in very unexpected ways and producing changes in the industry that may be very rapid indeed.   The ability of the aquaculture industry to foresee and react to these trends and changes is of vital importance to the future development and success of the sector.

Island Bounty understands the mega trends already in place, and is positioned to become the industry leader.

For those of you that subscribe to National Geographic please pay special attention to the the June isssue and the article “The End of Plenty: the Global Food crisis”. It is a very telling report on the state of the world’s food crisis and where we are headed. One fact that sticks out is that the production of ethanol from corn takes food out of the mouths of many. But what is the wisdom behind growing more corn when we can feed many more with healthy food from a sustainable system? Is Permaculture the answer? It is a good start. Yours, Wayne

I think it’s safe to say we live in an era where mankind is searching for and slowly trying to implement alternative solutions for a variety of the world’s concerns. One of the biggest publicized mainstream issues is the need for alternative energy solutions, to fuel our everyday lives and infrastructures. I am not going to touch on that topic too much, since you’ve already read plenty of headlines on this topic from our media outlets over the past year or so. I am not going to talk about oil or gas prices. I am actually going to discuss a pressing topic that is less popular on the mainstream front – the food and medication crisis, resource issues that desperately needs alternative solutions. Food and medicine, like our fuel crisis actually has many existing natural and healthier alternatives that we can all begin to implement in our lives right now. The problem is execution! We probably have solutions for the first topic I mentioned (energy) but execution continues to be delayed. The question I want to pose to you all is not “Shouldn’t we all be driving hybrid vehicles?” But, “How about our bodies? i.e. ourselves?” Shouldn’t we be using more natural remedies and diet routines?

I think we can all agree consistency is the key to a more efficient, alternative healthy lifestyle. Reflexology, aromatherapy, essential oils are great alternative healing and health solutions but you need to commit to natural solutions for your well-being. To illustrate what not to do, a person who drives a hybrid vehicle who neglects to recycle is the epitome of inconsistency. Moreover, we can’t just flip the switch to start a new lifestyle we must do everything in moderation. We also have to de-program ourselves from all the marketing and faux PR messages from companies trying to persuade us that they are advocates for alternative solutions.

I myself am working towards a natural lifestyle. I can tell you it’s not easy, the majority of the foods and medicines offered at stores harm us just as much as they are supposed to help us. Something my husband and I are working on this spring is growing our own vegetable garden. We can easily start a natural diet by going to the store and paying premium for those same veggies, but  alternatively we can spend a few hours with each other, eat healthier and save a couple dollars at the same time. I challenge you to try adopting natural solutions in your everyday routine and work on dropping those inconsistencies. To read more about myself , my practice, At Your Feet, located  in Metro Detroit and my specialties – reflexology instruction, classes and resources, TBM (Total Body Modification, ESM(Environmental Stress Management) see my website.

Third Iraqi Turkmen Media Council Conference

 Istanbul

10-12 April 2009

Merry Fitzgerald’s Speech

I thank the General Secretary and the Members of the Turkmen Media Council for inviting me to the 3rd Turkmen Media Conference and for giving me the opportunity to speak.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

Journalism in Iraq

Journalism in Iraq began with Zawra newspaper in June 1869, it was published in Turkish and later in Turkish and Arabic, its editor in chief was a Turkmen.

The Turkmen media in Kerkuk are almost a century old, their history goes back to even before the creation of the Iraqi state, indeed Havadis Gazetesi was the first newspaper which was published in the Turkish language in Kerkuk (in 1911), it was followed by Maaref Gazetesi in 1913.

After the First Word War, when Iraq came under British occupation,  the Turkmen media were published in two languages: Turkish and Arabic, i.e. Necme in 1918, Teceddüt in 1920, Kerkük Gazetesi, a weekly publication of Kerkük Municipality from 1926-1974, Ileri in 1935, Afak in 1954, Beshir in 1959 and Kardaşlik in 1960.

After the 14^th July 1958 revolution in Iraq which brought down the monarchy and established the republic in Iraq a new constitution was written. In this first republican era constitution the Iraqi people were defined as being composed of Arabs and Kurds.

One can consider that the actual problem of the Turkmens in Iraq has started with this first republican era constitution which has discriminated and marginalised their community by down-grading it to the level of a minority with lesser rights than their Arab and Kurdish compatriots.

The Turkmens were not allowed to be educated in their mother tongue and whilst the Arabic and Kurdish media were able to flourish in Iraq the Turkmens lost the right to publish in their own language, with the consequence that today, Turkmen media have a shortage of professional journalists and are lagging behind.

In the north of Iraq where the majority of the Turkmens live and where the Turkmen region is located Turkmens have suffered from the policy of arabisation in the past and are suffering since April 2003 from the hegemonic policy of the dominant Kurdish parties who are applying the policy of kurdification of the Turkmen region (Turkmeneli) in the north of Iraq.

The Turkmen media can play a very important role in promoting and defending the rights of the Turkmen community, indeed, the media play a crucial role in shaping a healthy democracy; they are the backbone of a democracy. The media can shape people’s opinions and it is not without reason that they are also called the fourth pillar of democracy alongside the executive, legislative and judiciary powers.

Hence, the Turkmen media’s role in the development of the Turkmen society in Iraq should not be under-estimated, the media’s role is to create a social awakening about the cultural heritage, it has to build confidence and instil a sense of responsibility particularly among the youth.

As far as I know, since 2003 up to now, the Turkmens of Iraq do not yet have their own daily newspaper published in their language, this is unfortunate and all the Turkmens with their different political parties and organizations must realize that it neither logical nor acceptable for a community of almost 3 million people which considers itself rightfully as the third main ethnic community in Iraq, not to have a daily paper published in their language.

In these troubled times it is important for Turkmens to be kept informed about the political developments in Iraq, this will enable them to defend their cause and to demand their rights.

With the proliferation of alternative media, websites and blogs the Turkmens also have the opportunity to make the international public opinion aware of their situation and this requires a good knowledge of foreign languages To get people’s attention and to be credible Turkmens should give special attention to the quality of their writings, as sloppy texts are often misunderstood and do not draw the attention of the readers.

Turkmen youth in Iraq should therefore be encouraged to study communication and journalism and they should be given a chance to study abroad in order to learn foreign languages such as English, French, Spanish and German and become familiar with other cultures.  Young Turkmens of the Diaspora should also be encouraged to study communication, as they already have the advantage of being familiar with foreign cultures.

Iraq’s Future

On the subject of Iraq’s future a lot has been said and published in the media, US and EU experts  are giving their opinions and advice, which are mostly patronizing and which do not necessarily represent the interest of the Iraqi people. These “experts” concentrate almost exclusively on the business opportunities in Iraq for their companies and their interest is centred principally on Iraq’s oil, gas and agriculture.

Iraq, as we all know, can be self-sufficient, it has water, wheat and oil. Today, because of the war and occupation, Iraq has to import wheat and even oil and a great number of Iraqis do not have access to water.

The future of Iraq’s oil is being decided under Occupation (by the US through their lackeys in the Iraqi government and by the Kurdish warlords) long term contracts which are giving away Iraq’s oil riches are being signed and these will bind Iraqis for several generations.

What is more, the fate of Iraq’s food sources and agricultural heritage is being looted behind closed doors.

The US-UK’s deliberate bombing of Iraq’s civilian infrastructure of water purification and electrical plants, cattle feed lots, poultry farms, fertilizer warehouses, pumping stations, irrigation systems, fuel depots and pesticide factories – the very infrastructure of Iraqi agriculture – has destroyed the Iraqi Agriculture.

The invasion of Iraq was not only about oil, the US corporate agribusiness is now overseeing the “rehabilitation” of agriculture in Iraq and this means the doom of Iraqi farmers.

Iraqi scientists are ringing the alarm bell, but unfortunately their warnings do not get the attention they deserve in the media.

The Occupation is destroying the economy and the future of Iraq.

Iraq, the Fertile Crescent, is home to the oldest agricultural traditions in the world. It was the centre of domestication for a remarkable range of today’s primary agricultural crops and livestock animals. Wheat, barley, rye, lentils, sheep and goats were all originally brought under human control around 8.000 BCE.  Iraq is where wild wheat was once originated and many of its cereal varieties have been exported and adapted worldwide.

The inhabitants of Mesopotamia have used informal seed supply systems to plant crops, suited to their particular environment.  The saving and sharing of seeds in Iraq has always been a largely informal matter. Local varieties of grain and legumes have been adapted to local conditions over the millennia. Agriculture remains an essential part of Iraq’s heritage.

Despite extreme aridity, characterised by low rainfall and soil salinity, Iraq had a world standard agricultural sector producing good quality food for generations.

According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), 97% of Iraqi farmers in 2002 still used saved seed from their own stocks from last year’s harvest, or purchased from local markets, this despite the criminal sanctions which destroyed Iraq’s agricultural sector.

U.S. Policies – GMOs and the Detrimental Effects of Order 81

When Paul Bremer left Baghdad after the so-called “transfer of sovereignty” in June 2004, he left behind the 100 orders he enacted as head of the occupation authority in Iraq.

Among them is Order 81 which he issued and signed on April 26, 2004 (paragraphs 51-79) on “Patent, Industrial Design, Undisclosed Information, Integrated Circuits and Plant Variety”.  This order amends Iraq’s original patent law of 1970 and unless and until it is revised or repealed it has the status and force of a binding law; with important implications for farmers and the future of agriculture in Iraq, this order is yet another important component in the US attempts to radically transform Iraq’s economy.

While historically the Iraqi constitution prohibited private ownership of biological resources, the new US-imposed patent law introduces a system of monopoly rights over seeds. Inserted into Iraq’s previous patent law is a whole new chapter on Plant Variety Protection (PVP) that provides for the “protection of new varieties of plants”. PVP is an intellectual property right (IPR) or a kind of patent for plant varieties which gives an exclusive monopoly right on planting material to a plant breeder who claims to have discovered or developed a new variety.  So the “protection” in PVP has nothing to do with conservation, but refers to safeguarding of the commercial interests of private breeders (usually large corporations) claiming to have created the new plant.

To qualify for PVP, plant varieties must comply with the standards of the UPOV Convention, (International Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties) which requires them to be new, distinct, uniform and stable. Farmers’ seeds cannot meet these criteria, making PVP-protected seeds the exclusive domain of corporations.  The rights granted to plant breeders in this scheme include the exclusive right to produce, reproduce, sell, export, import and store the protected varieties.  These rights extend to harvested material, including whole plants and parts of plants obtained from the use of a protected variety. This kind of PVP system is often the first step towards allowing the full-fledged patenting of life forms.  Indeed, in this case the rest of the law does not rule out the patenting of plants or animals.

The term of the monopoly is 20 years for crop varieties and 25 for trees and vines.

During this time the protected variety de facto becomes the property of the breeder, and nobody can plant or otherwise use this variety without compensating the breeder.  This new law means that Iraqi farmers can neither freely legally plant nor save for re-planting seeds of any plant variety registered under the plant variety provisions of the new patent law.  This deprives farmers from what they and many others worldwide claim as their inherent right to save and replant seeds.

Corporate control

The new law is presented as being necessary to ensure the supply of good quality seeds in Iraq and to facilitate Iraq’s accession to the WTO (World Trade Organization).  What it will actually do is facilitate the penetration of Iraqi agriculture by the likes of MONSANTO, SYNGENTA, BAYER and DOW CHEMICAL – the corporate giants that control seed trade across the globe.

Eliminating competition from farmers is a prerequisite for these companies to open up operations in Iraq, which the new law has achieved.  Taking over the first step in the food chain is their next move.

Food Sovereignty

Food sovereignty is the right of people to define their own food and agriculture policies, to protect and regulate domestic agricultural production and trade, to decide the way food should be produced, what should be grown locally and what should be imported.

The demand for food sovereignty and the opposition to the patenting of seeds has been central to the small farmers’ struggle all over the world over the past decade. By fundamentally changing the law in Iraq, the US has ensured that Iraq’s agricultural system will remain under “OCCUPATION”.

Unfortunately, the mainstream media hardly cover this important subject and the majority of Iraqis are unaware of this Machiavellian plan which will devastate the future of their country’s agriculture and irremediably change their lives and that of the future generations of Iraqis if it is implemented.

Organizations, activists, farmers and organic food advocates around the world have endorsed and will observe April 26 (day on which Bremer issued and signed this criminal law in 2004) as International Seeds Day (ISD).

A “Greedy, unjust law is meant to be disobeyed”. 

The Iraqi Turkmen media can play a paramount role in informing the Iraqi people and especially the farmers of the implications of Order 81, the future of Iraq’s agriculture depends on it.

According to a recent report drafted for the ministers of the Group of Eight nations the world faces a permanent food crisis and global instability unless countries act now to feed a surging population by doubling agricultural output, it warns that global agriculture production must double by 2050.

I wish the Iraqi Turkmens and all the Iraqi people determination and courage to achieve these goals.

I thank you for your attention.

Merry Fitzgerald

Committee for the Defence of the Iraqi Turkmens’ Rights (Belgium)

Istanbul,  10th April 2009.

Notes:

Patent, Industrial Design, Undisclosed Information, Integrated Circuits and Plant Variety Law of 2004, CPA Order No. 81, 26 April 2004, http://www.iraqcoalition.org/ regulations/20040426_CPAORD_81 _Patents_Law.pdf

UPOV stands for International Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland it is an intergovernmental organisation with 53 members, mostly industrialised countries. The UPOV Convention is a set of standards for the protection of plant varieties, mainly geared toward industrial agriculture and corporate interests. See http://www.upov.org.

WTO : The World Trade Organisation, wherein the Iraqi Government has an observer status. 

  ***

The information contained in this report is very important to modern aquaculture and the Island Bounty SA objective:

Research Project: TROPICAL AQUACULTURE: DEVELOP FEEDS FOR OPTIMUM NUTRITION OF CULTURED SHRIMP AND FINFISH

Location: Tropical Aquaculture Research| 2005 Annual Report
End Date: Jan 25, 2010

Better Feed Means Better Food

Aquaculture feed needs to be consistent with what we are trying to sell the the people; the end consumer. It is a fact:  “we are what we eat.”

Shrimp and other products made in aquaculture raceways will become what we mold them to be. If the live product is fed too much corn meal we see a higher level of Omega 6 fatty acids.

Lower the corn meal in the feed and implement higher quality meal consistent with Omega 3 fatty acid and we see higher levels of the “good cholesterol.”

Feeding with fish meal saturated with the right antioxidants promotes not only good health and growth in shrimp , but a healthier product to the end consumer. This has been proven through research.

The Island Bounty approach is to take the best feed program that exists in the aquaculture  industry (we have it already), then increase certain nutriments and test the animals at harvest.

Traditionally, many aquaculture farmers feed their stock what they can buy locally and at a good price. The farmers are only really concerned with increased weight and not quality of the nutriments you will receive while eating their product.

It is our firm conviction that we can achieve both in a happy medium. Good fast growth and a quality, healthy, consumable product.  A product which contains better levels of nutriments than industry standards.

This will take continued research and quantifiable testing measures. We do believe, after comparing studies, the data can be obtained to assist us in our nutritional marketing, maintaining good health in our product, and passing on the benefits of healthy, clean, aquaculture practices on to our consumers, while aiding the world food crisis.

Aquaculture Research Details:

Start Date: Jan 26, 2005
End Date: Jan 25, 2010

Objective:
Problem to be Addressed: A critical need and unique opportunity to address the feasibility of locally produced feeds for the aquaculture industry.

Develop a cooperative effort towards the goal of establishing long-term sustainability of the aquaculture industry. Objective 1: Define the nutrient requirements of aquaculture species in the state, especially the Pacific threadfin, longfin amberjack, and Pacific white shrimp. Objective 2: Identify and test regionally available plant and animal by-products for their nutritional composition and bioavailability in aquaculture feeds, and produce nutritionally complete diets for evaluation. Objective 3: Test the effectiveness of the produced feeds on commercial scale through collaborations with University and commercial partners.

Research Project: Tropical Aquaculture: Develop Feeds for Optimum Nutrition of Cultured Shrimp and Finfish Project Number: 5320-31000-007-00
Project Type: Appropriated

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This Situation was reviewed on this blog earlier this year. The Food Crisis has not gone away, it has not been alleviated, and it will continue to sweep as a “silent tsunami” as one commentator from the World Food Bank put it. I will be updating my previous posts to have tags for World Food Crisis so be on the look out. Much of what I posted before were videos from Reuters and can be viewed on www.news4themasses.blogspot.com on blogger.

This week, people of all classes, colors and faiths stood together and watched in awe as millions participated in Democracy to elect the next President of the United States.

• How is this important to modern aquaculture today?
  
• What will this mean for the Blue Revolution?
  
• What will the impact of a new US President mean for “Going Green”?
  

Millions of “Green Jobs” Will Boost the World Economy

Green Economy Growth Change is Vital

Island Bounty is dedicated to watching world trends closely. President Elect Obama stated his top priority is “…a building a low-carbon, clean-energy economy” once he gets to the White House.  He has pledged to create 5 million green jobs!

It’s exciting to know that another World Leader is behind the vital mission to infuse the global economy, to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and pledges to encourage the Going Green momentum.

Island Bounty has always stood by these ideals. We passionately support this commitment. It’s long past time for a sincere Green Revolution.

Is a Green Revolution really possible OR is that just an unrealistic dream?

The truth is, “going green” and making good on that promise will not be a easy. According CNN, there is “Big Business” opposition forecasting negativity for the word wide effort to save and protect the Planet. Another argument is “…tackling the climate crisis will result in a net loss of work opportunities for America.”

Great Hopes for Clean Energy, Sustainable Seafood, Modern Aquaculture, and “Going Green”

Clean Energy offers real solutions for Going Green

There are many other reports that give us great hope that going green is not just a dream, but is a viable reality.

“A new report released today shows that the U.S. can create two million jobs by investing in a rapid green economic recovery program, which will strengthen the economy, increase energy independence, and fight global warming.”
- Political Economy Research Institute

At Island Bounty, SA - we will continue to put forth sound proposals to spur “green economy” growth. We will continue to support economic progress and ecological integrity, not just in the US, but worldwide!

• We pledge to continue to connect the people that need and want to work in the field of progressive, modern aquaculture.
• We pledge to never give up on the future of environmental sustainability, the production of  “green,” clean, disease-free seafood to feed the world in a great time of need.

The Future of Aquaculture: Examples of Ethical Issues

Fish Farming and Related Issues

Island Bounty, SA

Without a doubt the aquaculture industry is going to be effected by many different complex trends over the coming years, all operating together, sometimes in very unexpected ways and producing changes in the industry that may be very rapid indeed.

The ability of the aquaculture industry to foresee and react to these trends and changes is of vital importance to the future development and success of the sector.

Island Bounty understands the mega trends already in place, and is positioned to become the industry leader.

Alan Greenspan admitted yesterday that he may have been wrong in some respects in his extreme free market approach to the American economy during his time as chairman of the Federal Reserve.

From Mr. Greenspan’s testimony yesterday before Congress—

“I made a mistake in presuming that the self interest of organizations, specifically banks and others, was such that they were best capable of protecting their own shareholders and the equity in the firms,” Greenspan said. Having run the… central bank from 1987 to 2006 — under…three Republicans and a Democrat — Greenspan acknowledged that views he’s long held are now in question. “The problem here is that something that looked to be a very solid edifice and indeed a critical pillar to market competition and free markets did break down. And that, as I said, shocked me and I don’t fully understand why it happened,” he said. “And to the extent I figure out where it happened and why, I will change my views. And if the facts change, I will change.” Word of Greenspan’s confession spread quickly in Washington, where until recently he was treated as royalty….”After years of confrontation about the role of government regulation, I’m glad to see he now recognizes that his ideas are flawed,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont and frequent Greenspan sparring partner, said in a statement.”

Senator Sanders, the one Socialist in Congress, always took on Mr. Greeenspan when he testified before House committees during Mr. Sander’s time in the House. 

Less noticed yesterday was that former President Bill Clinton criticized his own administration’s handling of issues related to the world food supply—

“Former President Clinton told a U.N. gathering Thursday that the global food crisis shows “we all blew it, including me,” by treating food crops “like color TVs” instead of as a vital commodity for the world’s poor. Addressing a high-level event marking Oct. 16’s World Food Day, Clinton also saluted President Bush — “one thing he got right” — for pushing to change U.S. food aid policy. He scolded the bipartisan coalition in Congress that killed the idea of making some aid donations in cash rather than in food. Clinton criticized decades of policymaking by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and others, encouraged by the U.S., that pressured Africans in particular into dropping government subsidies for fertilizer, improved seed and other farm inputs as a requirement to get aid. Africa’s food self-sufficiency declined and food imports rose.”

Here is a BBC report on the World Food Crisis.

Free market policies, many of them quite extreme, regarding our most basic needs of money to live on and food to eat have failed. (Government oversight of these free market policies failed as well.)

Let’s hope that Senator Obama, if elected, and the newly strengthened Democratic Congress can make again the case for government’s—and by extension the average person’s— role in our economy and society. It’s clear that the old order has abdicated. For the moment at least. Now is the time for policies that favor people over greed in both the United States and the rest of the world.

According to former President Clinton, he and the U.S. blew it on food aid to developing countries.  In the story he also says that President Bush was right in asking that 25% of U.S. aid be in cash rather than commodity crops.

First, let me point out my headline.  I said “Bush was right.”  I could easily have written it as ”Clinton says U.S. blew it on food aid”, but I didn’t.  I credited Bush with being right, even if it pained me a little to do that.  It just shows that journalists can be fair and unbiased.  So there.

And I’d like to take Clinton’s remarks a bit further.  Not only are we wrong for requiring countries to drop crop subsidies from their own government in order to get aid from the U.S., but the global captains of industry are wrong when they encourage farmers in developing nations to quit growing their own native foods they could use to feed themselves in order to plant more crops  they’ll never eat because it will all be sent to the U.S. or other Western Nations to feed our desire for cheap food.

Furthermore, when they do start growing their own food again, it should be with seeds of their own choosing, not GMO terminator seeds manufactured by companies like Monsanto or Cargill and sent as a “gift” by the U.S.  Some gift.  “Here, have some seeds, that will grow crops this year, and this year only.  After that, you’ll have to pay a behemoth U.S. company to get them.” 

Finally, treating food as a commodity isn’t just a problem for developing nations.  The big commodity crops (corn, wheat, rice, soy planted in giant monocultures) are anathema to responsible agriculture and a big reason Americans are so fat.  All these commdoties are pulled apart and reassembled into crap food like cereal straws, Cheetos (which I love), and Oreos (which I also love).  Basically, most of the “food” in the middle of the grocery store is made up of some reformulated commodity crop.  Yet the U.S. government continues to prop up farmers who grow these crops, and even punishes them for trying to grow anything else like tomatoes or carrots.  This is why it’s cheaper to buy a Little Debbie (which I also love) than, say, an apple.

So, certainly, let’s work to make the food aid we provide to other countries more appropriate, but let’s not forget to tend our own gardens while we’re at it.

We are living in such a globalized world that even the most unrelated of issues impact each dramatically. Today I am talking about the war in Afghanistan, the food crisis, and the 2008 US presidential election.

According to a BBC News article, Children in the Bamiyan province are suffering from severe malnutrition and the resources to help them are few. The hospital in Bamiyan receives no money from the Afghan government and must rely on funding from the Aga Khan Foundation. But the money it does receive is not enough to deal with the pressing needs of the malnourished. While $100 million a day is being spent on the war, only $7 million is being spent on the Afghan people. “Across the country a food crisis is looming just as the insurgency is spreading,” says Damian Grammaticas, the BBC News correpsondent.

Both McCain and Obama have stressed their committment to the war in Afghanistan as a top foreign policy priority, claiming they know how to get better results for security. Grammaticas questions whether it is more military security that is needed, or is an approach to “human security” the one that will have the greatest ripple effect?

So what is this human security? As much as I hate to direct anybody to a Wikipedia page as a reference, the page gives a good breakdown of the basic ideas and has a lot of great references. When we talk about threats to human security, we’re talking about threats in seven major areas: economic security, food security, health security, environmental security, personal security, community security, and political security.

The Grammaticas article focuses particularly on food security, which is also closely linked to health and environmental security. Of the impact of drought in the region he says:

To reach one of the parts of Bamiyan worst affected by drought we drove for two and a half hours deep into the central highlands.

The parched Saighan valley should have a river flowing through it

The province is home to 380,000 people spread across 14,000 sq km of mountains, but it has just 3km of tarred road.

Ours was a bone-shaking drive over a high mountain pass. For some of the way a dry riverbed doubled as a rough track.

The Saighan valley should have a river flowing through it. It is barren and parched. The earth is rock-solid and dry. The hills all around are like a moonscape, eroded away so you can see the layers of rock in browns and oranges, and greys and pinks.

Syed Shah, who is 80, and his brother Abdul Mukim showed me their fields. The two men say they have never seen it so bad.

They have 30 members of their family to feed, and they have lost three-quarters of their wheat crop.

“We have seen a little foreign aid here, but nothing very much,” Abdul told me. “Now, because of the drought everyone is just thinking about how they can survive the winter.”

One hand pump to supply water is the only outside help their village has had out of all the billions of dollars spent on Afghanistan. And now the brothers told me the Taleban are back and active in the neighbouring district.

What is the answer to all this then? The response Grammaticas received from a former Afghan finance minister was investment and a more people-focused strategy on the part of the US:

The provincial government has no grain stockpiled for the winter months

“You need to win the people over if you want to break the back of an insurgency. That approach is yet to be embraced and practically applied in Afghanistan,” he said.

“So what would you say to the next US president?” I asked him.

“I would say Mr President if we win the people, we will win this conflict.

“If we focus on the wrong objective, body count, number of insurgents who are killed, bombardment, kinetic action, it is not going to be the answer,” he said.

Poorly run fish farms can generate coastal pollution in the form of excess feed and manure, and escaped fish and disease originating on farms can devastate wild fisheries. For example, a fish farm with 200,000 salmon releases nutrients and fecal matter roughly equivalent to the raw sewage generated by 20,000 to 60,000 people. Scotland’s salmon aquaculture industry is estimated to produce the same amount of nitrogen waste as the untreated sewage of 3.2 million people—just over half the country’s population.

Cramped facilities can also create ill health for fish, costing producers millions of dollars in disease prevention and foregone revenues. In recent years, shrimp farmers in China have lost $120 million to bacterial fish diseases and $420 million to shrimp diseases.

Fish farming has expanded to meet the soaring global demand for seafood. On average, each person on the planet is eating four times as much seafood as was consumed in 1950. The average per-capita consumption of farmed seafood has increased nearly 1,000 percent since 1970, in contrast to per-capita meat consumption, which grew just 60 percent.

In 2006, fish farmers raised nearly 70 million tons of seafood worth more than $80 billion—nearly double the volume of a decade earlier. Experts predict that farmed seafood will grow an additional 70 percent by 2030.

How can fish farming be made more sustainable? Innovative industry practices are key, but a shift toward sustainable fish farming will also require a fundamental change in public attitudes. This includes a willingness to prioritize fish that are lower on the food chain, such as shellfish and tilapia. But can consumers today be mobilized to shift the aquaculture industry in the same way they pressured tuna fleets to adopt more dolphin-friendly practices in the 1980s?

The need for more sustainable fish farming is critical, according to the report. Farmed seafood provides 42 percent of the world’s seafood supply, and is on target to exceed half in the next decade, yet there are no widely accepted standards for what constitutes “good” fish farming. By comparison, the organic food industry has strong international and national standards, even though it constitutes just 3 to 5 percent of the world’s food supply

This relates to what I posted on yesterday with the world food crisis. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the Pope both came out to declare that the food crisis (which is much the same as the crisis of global poverty) is just as serious as the financial one, and linked to long-term human security. This is not a time for us to push aside our commitment to alleviating the burden on the world’s poor.

Speaking on World Food Day, Mr Annan said wealthy nations should not use the global financial crisis as a pretext for not meeting their commitments.

His comments were echoed by Pope Benedict XVI, who blamed world hunger partly on the “egoism” of nations.

…

In a message to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, the Pope said there was enough food in the world to feed the needy.

He said corruption, military spending and the “egoism” of nations was partly to blame for world hunger.
The Pope said rich countries were in a “race for consumption” as food became more scarce in other parts of the world, citing “boundless speculation” in the markets for driving up the price of food and fuel.

Professor Martin Schreibman says, “Our oceans have been overfished beyond repair. If we’re going to keep eating fish and chips, tuna tartare, and all those omega-3 fatty acids, we have to rely on aquaculture..” to supplement our World Food Supply. 

ABOUT THE VIDEO: Schreibman is working to bring those fish farms into the city. Urban Aquaculture! 

Legendary ocean researcher Sylvia Earle (TED Prize winner!) shares astonishing images of the ocean, and shocking stats about its rapid decline, as she makes her TED Prize wish: that we will join her in protecting the vital blue heart of the planet by any and all means possible.

Sylvia Earle discusses our need for developing deep probing submarines for ocean exploration. She also discusses how excess carbon dioxide is speeding up global warming and how hundreds of millions of tons of plastic and debris ends up in the oceans, undermining our planet’s chemistry.

If “business as usual” continues, our planet is in deep trouble. All is not lost…IF we act now.