PETA Updates

Well, other than a few articles, I haven't given you guys too much PETA updates, have I?
So, here's the recent PETA news.

First off, Donna Karan says that she has no plans to use fur in the future. Ain't it great?

Australia has passed the new Prevention of Cruelty to Animals regulations, which restricts glue traps for mice to commerical pest-controllers who have a permit, bans the use of twisted bits on horses, the transportation of dogs and livestock and restricts the use of some electric-shock devices on animals. :D

Paris Hilton, that's right - THE Paris Hilton - has proclaimed her fur-free stance. For Christmas, her mom bought her a faux fur coat.

A class in Connecticut raised over $800 for PETA's Angel for Animals organization, which helps backyard dogs live better.

On Christmas two ladies in sexy Santa suits greeted holiday shoppers with free soy nog, kisses under the mistletoe, and copies of PETA's "Vegetarian Starter Kit." They've also been seen protesting KFC, and with Ho Ho Faux signs.

PETA Europe has saved thousands of rabbits! Now, instead of using rabbits for skin tests, the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods' Scientific Advisory Committee (FSAC) will use new skin irritation tests that do not use animals! They will use the MatTek Corporation's Modified EpiDerm Skin Irritation Test as well as L'Oreal's SkinEthic test. This will allow manufacturers worldwide to use animal friendldy methods of testing. Also, animal testing for skin irritation and most other purposes will be banned in Europe as of March 2009. You can read more about this whole situation here. The U.S. still does not accept these tests, so PETA is writing the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle (read letter here), to tell him to get the U.S. to stop stalling!

In the movie industry, there have been a lot of movies with animals. So PETA has rated them bad, not that bad, and good. The good movies are:
Marley and Me - The Grogans love, care and stick with Marley through all the horrible things. It reminds families that buying/adopting an animal is a LIFETIME commitment. Also, Marley is from a rescue group and not from a breeder. [I loved the movie, but the book was much better. I bawled at the end. Competely recommend it, its great for all of the family]
Bolt - This animated movie has no animals harmed, and gives the message that no dog or other animal would choose to become entertainers. Dogs would much rather play in the yard than perform tricks on a TV or film set.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - This film features exotic animals that are computer-generated.

The not-so-bad movies are:
The Dark Knight - It was good because Batman wore pleather. Bad because the movie portrays dogs as agressive and Batman beats them up, however the dogs were (thankfully) animatronic.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua - Well, after this movie that is based specifically on Chihuahuas, movie-gowers can be impressionable and impulsive and buy a chihuahua without knowledge or commitment. However, Disney has a disclaimer on the Website and at the end of the film that says that animals are a lifelong responsibility and that it's best to adopt from shelters.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - Good because the animals are shown how happy they are once they get back to their natural habitats. However, they are trying to get back to the zoo - implying that this home would be better, when it's not.

The bad movies are:
Speed Racer - Real chimps were used to play the part of Chim Chim and the animal trainer, Greg Lille, " in an uncontrolled impulse, hit [a] chimpanzee." This only proves that the entertainment industry is incredibly abusive to not only exotic animals, but to all. To train great apes to perform, trainers forcibly remove them from their mothers when the animals are just infants, train them by beating, kicking, and punching them, and callously discard them to roadside zoos when they are too old and strong to handle (which occurs at age 8, and great apes live to be over 60 years old).
You Don't Mess With the Zohan - In this movie, there are numerous scenes which involve real animals. For example, a cat is used as a hacky sack and a cow is used as a punching bag.
Semi-Pro - First off, a bear was included in the cast of the baskebtall film. Not only did Semi-Pro feature a live bear (a bear named Rocky who attacked and killed his trainer only months later), it also encouraged stupid people to do stupid stunts with live animals.

In other news, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that no further animal testing is needed to declare that a natural plant-based sweetener derived from stevia is safe. Before, December 18th, the Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) was encouraging more animal testing on the extract, even though it's been recognized worldwide as safe and has been used for more than 400 years. CSPI tried to say that they needed to test on rats and mice because the rats they used before weren't good models for the substance's toxicity in humans. Anyways, the FDA approved the substance without any further animal testing. Unfortunately, teh CSPI is still pushing! You can help by sending a polite letter to CSPI executive director Michael Jacobson asking him to focus CSPI's work on safe and effective non-animal testing methods.

For more ways you can help, click here.
The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Petitions & Letters

Just click for the cause you wish to help. :)
Safe and effective non-animal testing methods for the CSPI
Ask Iams to stop cruel experiments on animals
Tell Congress to End Military Training on Animals! (Must be American)
Urge Britney Spears not to use animals for her new CD, Circus!
Stop the Russian killing of hibernating endangered brown bears!
Ban ivory sales and save African elephants!
Tell Canada to support the Animal Welfare Declaration!
Stop inhumane killings!
Tell the US to stop inhumane animal experiments!
Tell Harper (Canadian Prime Minister) to ban bear baiting!

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

HUGE OIL SPILL!

Notified by Grist.org, based on two articles:
First; Second

On Monday December 8th, 2008 more than 27 barrels of oil, 1,134 gallons, leaked from the drilling plaform A in the Santa Barbara Channel. According to Singleton, the spokeswoman for the state Department of Fish and Game's Office of Spill Prevention and Reponse, no oiled seabirds have been sighted. She stated, "Sometimes oiled birds are not spotted until they wash ashore, dead or dying because the oil has ruined their ability to keep warm." The leak was the result of a finger-sized hole that was reported at 8 am on Sunday. Company officials were un willing to comment.

Pedro Nava, a state assemblyman D-Santa Barbara, said "This spill is another reminder that the calls for increased drilling in our coastal waters are short-sighted and unnecessary. There is no need for more coastal drilling. We must do everything necessary to prevent a larger catastrophe in the future." Rep. Lois Capps, D-California, said the spill was a reminder that authorities must be vigilant in protecting the coastline. Capps also said, "Yesterday [Monday] — at the same location as the infamous 1969 oil spill nearly 40 years ago — we had yet another painful reminder that drilling for oil is a dirty and dangerous business."

This event was comparatively small to the previous leak in the same location that occured in 1969. This previous infamous spill unleashed 200,000 gallons of oil across 800 square miles, causing the blackening of 35 miles of coastline and the death of thousands of birds and fish.

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

UN Conference on Global Warming

Based on article Warning Warming from Grist.org; click title for link.

The 12 day UN Conference on global warming was heard on Monday December 1st. They heard that "War, hunger, poverty and sickness will stalk humanity if the world fails to tackle climate change."

The 192 members at the Conference, held in Poznan, Poland, started with warnings and continued in a step to a new worldwide treaty to reduce greenhouse gases and help countries exposed to the wrath of an altered climate. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) is halfway through a two-year process that is leading up to a new contract/ pact in Copenhagen in December of 2009. They hope to condense the current 82 page document into a workable blueprint for negotiations.

Scientific proof from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) proves that the climate change is getting worse. The head of this Panel said, "The impacts of climate change, if there is inaction, can be extremely serious." He went on to list the facts:
The number of people living in severely stressed river basins is projected to rise from 1.4 to 1.6 billion in 1995 to 4.3-6.9 billion in 2050. Between 20 and 30 percent of species assessed will be at increasingly high risk of extinction as global temperatures exceed two to three degrees centigrade (3.6-5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

"Humankind in its activity just reached the limits of the closed system of our planet Earth," said Polish Environment Minister Maciej Nowicki. He continues, "Further expansion in the same style will generate global threats of really great intensity -- huge droughts and floods, cyclones with increasingly more destructive power, pandemics of tropical disease, dramatic decline of biodiversity, increasing ocean levels...All these can cause social and even armed conflict and migration of people at an unprecedented scale."

Rich Western countries, the major polluters historically, are lobbying for emerging giant countries, such as China and India, to tackle their surging emissions since they will be the polluters of tomorrow. Whereas developing countries want the Western countries to help pay for them to expand their economies. They hope for a breakthrough, but the conference was darkened by the global economic crisis.

However, prime minister of Denmark, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, argued the optimistic side: that investing in green technology created growth and jobs. "I feel confident that the financial crisis will be overcome. The recovery will come. However climate change is not going to become less of a problem in the coming years," he said. Greenpeace agreed saying that the global recession was "nothing compared to the trillions of dollars that climate change will cost us." World Wildlife Fund also agreed, saying "The current finance crunch was the result of ignoring major risks, so let's not repeat this mistake by ignoring the even bigger risks from climate change."

The new American president-elect Obama also brings home globally. He has set a goal of reducing US emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050, using a cap-and-trade system and a 10-year programme worth 150 billion dollars in renewable energy.

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

PS: Copyright 2008 -- Agence France-Presse

Authors Note: I know that this is old, but I felt it was important and relevant.

Confronting a Fur-Wearer

For many people, being an animal rights activist is hard. Many activists don't like making others feel guilty or uncomfortable, but sometimes you need to be a voice in defense of those who do not have a voice.
Usually, I start by asking if its real fur.. Then usually explain politely yet firmly mention that the animals who are bred in the fur industry are kept in deplorable conditions and are anally electrocuted and then encourage them to donate their coat to homeless people (who are the only people who have an excuse to use a fur to keep warm, as they are unable to purchase coats for themselves) or just say, "Shame. You won't need it in hell."

It is suggested to keep stickers and leaflets in your coat pockets. Often when on the go and just briefly whisking by someone in a fur, you only have time enough to hand them a leaflet. Do be sure to fold the leaflet so that an image of a skinned animal is not the first thing they see, as they will be unlikely to take it from you. There are plenty of beautiful and warm alternatives to fur. Encourage these alternatives.

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Petitions & Videos

There's a few petitions that I received, and I signed them all but failed my duty to send them to you - my readers.

Here are the links to the petitions:

Tell Congress to End Military Training on Animals! (Must be American)
Urge Britney Spears not to use animals for her new CD, Circus!
Stop the Russian killing of hibernating endangered brown bears!
Ban ivory sales and save African elephants!
Tell Canada to support the Animal Welfare Declaration!
Stop inhumane killings!


There's also quite a few new videos that are out.
For the complete list, check out my youtube subscriptions.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=msmango17&view=subscriptions


Repower America (We Can Solve It):
Obama says it's time to repower America
See the reality behind "clean coal"
Clean energy job
Reality Ad


PETA:
Cute animal videos to teach children to not wear fur!
Religion & Vegetarianism Podcast


Friends of the Earth:
How we can stop climate change - Book recommendation

Nature conservancy:
A healthy future for the Great Bear rainforest


World Wildlife Fund:
New wildlife in Mekong (See future article)


Humane society of US:
Inspirational animal video

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Behind

Hello readers.
I am terribly apologetic about not giving you anything for the past couple of weeks.
I've been so caught up in school and my email inbox just kept growing and growing and growing, and now I fear it.
So, I've vowed that I will start anew in the New Year and promise not to let this happen ever again!
I know I missed all the chances to tell you how to be eco-friendly this holiday season and all the great stores and charities that would help you out with gift buying and I'm sorry.

However, if there are any emails that I feel are really important then I will give them to you in breif over the next couple of weeks.

Sorry again.
Hope you still read. :)

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Canadian Coalition

I know. I'm behind on my updates. Again.
But I've been so busy lately, and I'm sorry.
But please sign this petition to support the Canadian Coalition!
http://www.avaaz.org/en/coalition_for_canada/?cl=15296966

Thank you. :D

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

PETA Updates

For all the readers of this specific blog, please understand that I receive PETA emails almost daily and it's so hard to keep track so instead, I'm going to publish a weekly PETA Updates blog with all the weekly news. Of course, last week there wasn't one so this will be from the past 2 - 3 weeks.




Newest Ads & Supporters:
Gwyneth Paltrow -

At the reopening of the Fontainebleau Hotel, Gwyneth Paltrow explained how she regretted having posed in a fur stole in an ad for Tod's. She says, "That was awkward, and I'm glad you asked, because I do not wear fur at all. It was a daylong photo shoot on a boat near Capri, and there were all sorts of poses with all kinds of clothes—none with fur. During one set-up, a stylist came up from behind and draped a stole around my shoulders. I didn't pay much attention to it, and when I noticed it was fur I assumed it was fake fur but did not ask, so it's my fault. I was very surprised when they ended up using that one shot out of hundreds for the centerpiece of the Tod's ads. I know it's not a great excuse, but I hope you and your members understand," when asked why an eco-friendly and pro-veggie person such as herself would promote fur.






John Salley -
The basketball star recently took up an opportunity to help elephants in Chicago. He wrote a letter to the City Council asking to vote yes to the piece of legislation that would ban chaining elephants. By clicking his name (above) you can read his letter to the city council and his thoughts and opinions.




Mama Kills Animals -

PETA has a new parody of Majesco's cooking games called Mama Kills Animals. The gamers get to play as bloodthirsty Mama, who plucks turkeys, chops off turkey heads, and more. Gamers witness firsthand how gruesome and bloody a turkey's thanksgiving really is. Click here to play the game. On November 19th, PETA was extremely happy with Majesco's public response. It stated "Cooking Mama World Kitchen includes more than 25 vegetarian-friendly recipes... Mama is not a vegetarian, she fully supports the humane treatment of animals, particularly for her canine protégé Max who makes his doggie debut in World Kitchen." They also released a statement from the character Mama herself, to which PETA responded with a letter. It explains that they love the games and they are happy to hear of the response, also urging to pledge to be vegetarian for 30 days. To read the full letter, click here.






Thanksgiving, Tofu & Turkey:

With the American Thanksgiving up and coming, of course every organization has been encouraging people to go vegetarian and save thousands of turkeys. PETA has released quite a few undercover videos and posted quite a few blogs about turkeys and, in relation, Thanksgiving. Click here for some vegetarian holdiay recipes. :)






President Bush shows support for turkeys.

This year, President Bush is greeting 1-888-VEG-FOOD and is asking everyone to pardon all turkeys fromt he horrible fate of Thanksgiving. Each year the president pardons two turkeys. There's also a video, giving information about turkeys and why we should not be eating turkeys!






Turkey pardon fail, starring my favourite governor, Sarah Palin

In a recent video where Palin talks about the post-election, turkeys are being slaughtered behind her ON CAMERA. She says that she is "promoting a local business" and doing something that will not "invite critiscim" but what worse way to promote a local business than to show the reality of slaughter? Hopefully, this video will go vegetarian.






Sexy pilgrim costumes go missing!

After supplies for a demo go missing, campaigners were forced to improvise and find waitress costumes for their demo. Their costumes arrived later, and the demo was in full swing. They helped defend our turkey friends and convinced people to go veg. :D






PETA's recent undercover investigation reveals horrors!

Here are the links you can click to read up on this:

http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/p2_turkey_investigation

http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/turkey_investigation?c=weekly_enews

http://blog.peta.org/archives/2008/11/undercover_inve.php

(Above links will be summarized below)



The investigator also wrote a blog, that can be read by clicking here. He tells the horrors of the turkeys. From 600-800 turkeys are crammed into pens, with almost 8000 turkeys in one barn and two to three barns at each turkey farm. The barns are dusty, causing the turkeys to pant and making it hard for them to breathe. Male turkeys are bred to weight at least 80 pounds, and are slammed into cages in temperatures near 20 F. The workers stomp turkeys' heads on the concrete, creating sounds of breaking beaks and bones. He ends with a paragraph saying, "They [turkey farms] sell death. They make money on abuse..." Make sure to WATCH THE VIDEO! The video includes footage that is absolutely horrifying and heart wrenching. Also, remember to stop this turkey abuse by eating vegetarian!

Every year, in the US alone, more than 72 million of the nearly 270 million turkeys killed for food are killed for Thanksgiving. PETA conducted an undercover investigation lasting more than two months at the factory farms of Aviagen Turkeys Inc. PETA's investigator documented the horrors, the torture, the mutilation and the killing. Workers stomped on turkeys heads, punched turkeys, hit them on the head with a can of spray paint and pliers, struck turkeys heads against metal scaffolding, shoved feces into turkeys' mouths and held turkeys' heads under water. Turkeys were often kicked, killed by being hit with pieces of lumber and pipes, leaving them to suffer for several minutes and hens’ beaks were cut with pliers. A worker bragged about jamming a broomstick 2 ft down a turkey's throat because the turkey pecked at his back. This same worker mimicked raping a turkey hen, which he had pinned against the floor. A supervisor said he saw workers kill 450 turkeys with 2-by-4s. One worker said he saw a coworker fatally inject turkey semen and sulfuric acid into turkeys’ heads. The investigator repeatedly brought up the issues to the supervisor who merely responded, “Every once in a while, everybody gets agitated and has to kill a bird." PETA also brought the abuse to the attention of Aviagen, and although the company made assurances and instituted some new rules, the cruelty did not stop. Living conditions were also horrible, disgusting and cramped. Birds had to climb over the rotting remains of about 70 hens for more than a day. Supervisors urinated in turkey pens and workers spat tobacco. Birds collapsed and died of exhaustion or heart attacks and were brutally thrown into inhumane transport cages.
To help these turkeys, please go vegetarian and write to the National Turkey Federation, asking it to support PETA's 7-point animal welfare plan, which will help to reduce the suffering of turkeys.



In other PETA news...

Fake Bacon for James Bond

While Daniel Craig was filming the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace in Italy, he had English bacon shipped in internationally for breakfast! PETA Europe sent him the best faux bacon available. It is much healthier than bacon, because it doesn't contain heart-clogging cholesterol and it doesn't cause impotence. Also, pigs don't have their teeth, tails and testicles cut off without painkillers! Hopefully he'll change his mind about bacon.




The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Anti-Fur Demonstration - Toronto

This Saturday November 22nd 2008 there are two events going on.
1) The Furball by Toronto Cat Rescue
2) The PETA Anti-Fur Demonstration
Which one will I be attending?
#2.
If you would like to join me and tons of other local activists (PLEASE DO!), it will be at the Eaton's Centre (2 Dundas Street W) from 3 until 5. It's right on the Yonge subway line. Come and speak up for the millions of animals that die annually for their fur, who are gasses, poisoned, electrocuted anally/ vaginally, or skinned alive. Help convince shoppers to be compassion and boycott fur! Posters and leaflets will be handed out, so just bring yourself and an army of friends and supporters! Contact Laura Lee (cfa_laura@yahoo.ca) to RSVP or for more info. Also, afterwords there's a vegan dinner from 6:30 - 8:30 at the Vegetarian Haven (17 Baldwin St) Make sure to visit furisdead.com!

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Animal Rescues

Friends of Animals and Marine Animal Rescue (MAR) recently rescued a Canadian goose from a Westchester school yard. The goose, which was migrating for the winter, mistook the concrete playground for a body of water. After a few weeks, the school called MAR and they successfully rescued the bird. Once it has fully recovered, it will be released into the wild. Friends of Animals also took this opportunity to talk to the school about rescuing animals.

PAWS also recently released a mallard duck, on November 5th. She was hit in the head with a stone and suffered a sever brain injury. At arrival, she was unable to walk or lift her head and was treated for shock. The medication she was given prevented any potential swelling of the brain, and her condition stabilized. Her prognosis was poor, and her balance was badly affected. She was assessed daily and made slow but noticeable progress. She regained her ability to hold her head normally after a few days. She first stood on wobbly legs, but her steadiness increased. Her balance was a problem as she started to walk, and she couldn’t walk in a straight line. Yet, she was steady enough to move in an outdoor cage. After more than two months, the mallard was released with her abilities to walk, run and fly fully recovered. PAWS believes that she has an extremely good chance of surviving. Although at first she wasn’t greeted warmly, she quickly made friends when they released her.

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Updates lost!

Sorry readers about how behind I am, but if I do the things that I'm behind on then I'll never catch up! So, I'm going to start working from today onwards, and I'm really sorry about the updates that you'll miss, but I'll be posting the how-to-be-green articles, new shopping places and really big things so don't worry about pissing too much. It will just be articles mainly. Here are today's updates:

Born Free USA & API is once again the sponser for the Design Against Fur Contest. It's put on by www.infurmation.org, The Fur Free Alliance, and you can vote by clicking here.

REMEMBER THAT FUR FREE FRIDAY IS JUST TWO WEEKS AWAY!
How will you be helping animals that Friday?

Tell congress to stop funding nicotine and tobacco experiments on poor defenseless animals! To send them an email, click here.

Urge the Atlantis Hotel to free the white shark that they are holding captive! Click here to send an email telling them to release the endangered animal that they have "rescued"!

If you're interested, there's a volunteer opportunity to walk in the Toronto Cat Rescue parade on Saturday November 23rd. For more information, visit http://www.westonvillagebia.com/santaparade/

For everyone in Texas, Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Inc is opening a thrift store in Boerne! They need your help and donations for their stock, and all proceeds will go towards the shelter and animal care! Bring your donations to WRR at 335 Old Blanco Road, Kendalia from 8am-8pm. If you have any questions, contact Amy at 830-336- 2725 x314 or email amyh@wildlife-rescue.org.

WWF has a new set of gifts for the holidays that will help endangered species! You can now buy frogs, bracelets, adoptions, shirts, bags, etc all at the panda store! Click here to shop or check out more gift ideas!

Greenpeace International was very happy on the 13th of November. Toyko's paper reports that there will be a 20% reduction in whale hunting! That's incredible! Read more about it and click here!

PETA & peta2 have some good news, such as:
An amazing essay on the effect of factory farming on the environment
Jewish Americans go vegetarian.
Progress at Ross University
Lindsay Lohan gets a face full of flour - I saw this on the news and wooped out loud. My mom gave me a highly reprimended look, then wooped too. :)
Check out peta2.com and peta.org for all the latest updates.

There's also a series of articles that I've been reading on the Carnival Against Vivisection.

WWF has some new updates in their monthly email, including:
The article on the conservation results on the polar bears in Churchill
The pledge to use sustainable seafood
Exploring the seven seas

Grist has a lot of new articles on the post-election.
Strategery 2.0
How green will congress be?
Everywhere, the signs
The average Jo video. :)♥

IFAW recently rescued a pair of orphaned grizzly cubs. Click here to watch the video and read the article.

In the next couple of weeks, how to blogs will be posted.
Money Saving Tips at Home
Being Green in the Bathroom
How We Can Stop the Circus
Animal Friendly Gardens

Finally, please donate to either the Humane Society, PETA's Angel for Animals, or a local charity for strays. The winter months are killer for strays, literally. Save a life, save a stray.
The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

LOTS of Articles & Updates

Issue includes PETA Updates, some Green articles, grist.org, video links, etc.

In my previous blog, entitled Congrats Obama!, I blogged about and referenced the Prop 2 success (yay!). Apparently, Lindsay Lohan's sweetheart Samantha Ronson was arguing against the success of the vote on her blog. So, PETA sent her a letter. Feel free to read it. :)

There's a new TV show from Animal Planet entitled Whale Wars! The show features the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, who fight for sea animal rights all over the world! The show starts this Friday (November 7th) at 9 PM EST! On their website, they say: "During Sea Shepherd's Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign: Operation Migaloo in 2007/08, Animal Planet had a camera crew on board a campaign that saved the lives of nearly 500 whales, leaving the Japanese fleet with less than half of their quota and costing them tens of millions of dollars." The show will inform many people about the whales and why they need to be saved! Remember to watch.

The AD Council president and CEO, Peggy Conlon signed PETA'S Great Ape Humane Pledge. After learning that great apes are kept captive, forced to perform for ads, and often beaten to learn the choreography or actions, the Ad Council agreed never to use apes in advertising ever again. In return, PETA sent a box of vegan chocolate chimpanees. Other companies include Subaru, Honda, Yahoo, PUMA, Movietickets.com and SEGA.

Hyderabad in India is known for its anual kite-flying contest, but this past year the kite-makers were using kite string that was coated with spun glass. This makes the string, or 'manja', incredibly sharp and able to rip through an opponent's kite or birds! Errant kites are set free and the glass manja will easily rip and injure bird's wings! PETA India quickly responded by asking children to sign a petition to never buy glass-coated string.

PETA's Labratory Investigation Dept. recently got a tip about National Taiwan University College of Medicine horrific experiments on animals. The first experiment includes students pumping strychnine (chemical) into the stomachs of about 150 mice. The second experiment consists of injecting pentylenetetrazol (convulsion-causing chemical) into about 135 mice. Afterwords, students inject acetic acid into the mice, which causes their muscles to contort painfully. After a discussion with the president, the school agreed to get rid of two of these experiments. That means that almost 300 mice will be saved - per semester! The school has also reduced the number of rats involved in experiments to one! It's definately a start.

Recently,the consumption of processed meat such as sausage, bacon and hot dogs has been linked to colon cancer. Also, grilled chicken breast has PHlP in it, a cancer-causing chemical. However, food outlets and meat sellers do not warn their consumers of this cancer risk. So, the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is trying to bring manufacturers and sellers of these meats to court, to forced them to put warnings on their labels. They're looking for plaintiffs for the lawsuit, specifically people who have been eating these products and didn't know that they were lined to cancer risk and will now stop eating these products. If you meet these qualifications and would like to help out with the lawsuit, contact PCRM! You can contact them at rbernstein@pcrm.org or 202-686-2210, extension 314.

In Germany, Berlin, a Dog Soup Kitchen has been opened for those who can't afford to feed their animal companions. The Kitchen receives most of their food from sponsors, and has proven itself vital in the Berlin community.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT FUR FREE FRIDAY! NOVEMBER 28TH! For updates from IDA, click here. :) You can also check out my other blog for details on my Fur Free Friday Party. :)



From IDA-India, a 5 year old male German Shepherd was rescued. He was abandoned and found hiding behind a staircase in a houseing society. He had an infection in his right ear with maggots. Poor thing. Fortunately, he's now ready to be adopted since his infection has healed. He's in decent health, playful and loving. Also, IDA India neutered 850 dogs and cats in September alone, and performed another 84 surgeries for health reasons. Check out the full report!



The Effects of Feeding Wildlife
Although many people think that feeding wildlife is best, it has many negative effects. For example, the animal will start to depend on humans for food and will lose their foraging/ hunting skills and natural instincts. Animals will lose their fear of humans, which can never be a good thing because although you may be nice, all humans do not like animals. The food can be unhealthy for animals and may cause digestion problems and animals will gather in groups, easily spreading disease. Other problems are common such as unnatural reproduction numbers, migration problems, or pest problems. For more detailed information, check out the article from PAWS.



Dave, the man who is trying to have no trash for 365 days, recently posted a blog on a website called Gettin Around. It's about a couple who are trying to use alternative transportation. Tres cool.

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Congrats Obama

First off: Congratulations Obama!

Secondly, here are some posts from numerous points of view on the green prospect and animal rights prospect of Obama, and Prop 2/Question 3.

As most people know, Obama promised his two daughters a puppy if he made it to the White House. Now that he has, they're looking for a dog. However, one of his daughters is allergic. As much as they'd like to adopt from a shelter, they're unsure if the dogs will be hypoallergetic since, "a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me." Fortunately for the Obama family, and the everyone else looking for a purebred, there are many purebred shelters that you can find using PetFinder.

Here is PETA's official statement towards new-president Barack Obama:
""I think how we treat our animals reflects how we treat each other. And it's very important that we have a president who is mindful of the cruelty that is perpetrated on animals." Because PETA is devoted to fighting animal abuse and recognizes the link between cruelty to animals and violence directed against humans, the organization is very encouraged by this statement. PETA is also pleased that Obama and his wife, Michelle, have announced that they will adopt a rescued dog for their daughters instead of patronizing a pet store or breeder. PETA opposes large-scale breeding facilities, known as "puppy mills," as well as private breeders who bring puppies and kittens into the world while nearly 4 millions cats and dogs must be euthanized at the nation's extremely crowded animal shelters every year. PETA supports animal shelters and encourages all prospective companion animal guardians to visit their local shelter.
PETA was also encouraged to see that unlike other Democratic and Republican presidential candidates in the past, Obama did not pander to the National Rifle Association and other pro-hunting organizations by heading into the woods and shooting defenseless animals.
PETA looks forward to working with President-elect Obama and the new administration to help create change for the millions of animals who suffer unnecessarily in this country. What's next? If his stance on other animal issues is any indication, perhaps the next president will put a tofu chicken in every pot."

Also, since Biden is now the vice president-elect, him and his wife will be looking for a dog. PETA sent them a letter about rescue shelter dogs, hoping they will follow in Obama's footprints.

GristTV released a video about the election, but it has now been removed from their YouTube page. However, check out http://www.grist.org/ for all your environmental news. :)


Avaaz, an organization that promotes activism on numerous issues like climate chance, human rights and peace, says "Obama's victory brings a chance for the US to finally join with the world community to take on pressing challenges on climate change, human rights, and peace". The organization is sending a message to the new president, saying congratulations and an invitation to work with Avaaz and the people around the world. They're also sending a petition. Check it out, click here!

The We Campaign also is sending a message to Barack, along with a new video. The people voted for change, but now what? Click here for the message to the president-elect, but you can only send it if you're in the US, and the video.

IDA (In Defense of Animals) is also sending Obama a message to adopt a dog from a shelter. Click here for more details.

Of course, Friends of Animals - the leaders in the anti-Palin community - were happy that Obama won. "We look forward to a government that learns to disengage from the old, violent methods: violence that harms us all, human and non-human.A government that learns to stop painting with the broad brush that allows civil disobedience, or standing up for the birds, deer and bears, to be chilled by out-of-control anti-terrorism laws.A government with a serious focus on respecting the environment, reducing greenhouse gases, and preventing extinctions." They'll be pressing a number of issues, which you can read up on here.

Prop 2 & Question 3:

Great news for animals in California! Over 60% of Californians voted YES to Prop 2, saving over 20 million animals from factory farms! It will prevent some of the worst cruelty of factory farms: keeping egg-laying chickens in cages too small for them to spread their wings, veal calves in crates for their entire lives, and pregnant pigs in crates too small for them to take a single step! (Info found from PETA & Humane Society of the US)
Also, in Massachusetts, question 3 was passed. This will ban greyhound racing by 2010. This prevents the 20 hours per day spent in cages too small to stand! It also saves greyhounds from becoming injury prone, whereas as racers they are prone to fractures, dislocations, lacerations and amputations. [PETA]

Overall, organizations and volunteers are tremendously happy about the Obama election, as am I. :) People are looking forward to change and are clearly ready for it. If you voted for McCain, sorry that your candidate of choice didn't win, but I'm not sorry about the outcome. I'm very happy with it. Also, animals are getting more and more rights every day. This is great news and has been an exhilarating week. I, for one, cannot wait until Bush is out of the whitehouse!

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Updates: Conservancy, Successes, Eco Articles

Including: PETA, National Conservancy & The US Voting

So, staying up-to-date with my information, I'm going to try to have a post daily.


National Conservancy has some awesome new videos. The first is a video about their new Campaign For A Sustainable Planet. It's a quick 2 minute documentary on the Great Lakes and informs the watchers about the lifeforms that freshwater supports and what life would be like without freshwater. It shows how we need to conserve the Great Lakes and how it's a priority for protection. So the main point is:
Conservancy isn't a luxury. It's a necessity.
Other informative videos include Assignment Earth: The Flint River Project, Spying on a Wolf, How Owls Fly and Hunt, Scott Wiedensaul Owl Banding, and my personal favourite Design for a Living World.


Just out of curiosity, who did you vote for? I hope that you all voted Obama, because Sarah Palin is anti-friendly!


The amazing Stella McCartney received the first Green Designer of the Year Award EVER! She refuses to use fur and leather and is light years ahead of her time. She told Women's Wear Daily in 2006, "I do want to show that accessories can be made from a more ethical viewpoint—and be sexy and cool." She's also included in the book, One Can Make A Difference.


SEGA the gaming giant recently pulled the ad for Samba De Amigo which used a real chimpanzee. After receiving numerous letters and emails from PETA and the PETA followers, they immediately removed the ad and promised to keep all great apes and chimpanzees from its future advertisements.


PETA also has a new Podcast called The Story of a Downed Cow. It's a sad and tragic story about factory farming. It'll definitely make you look at your meat differently!


TreeHugger Articles:
Teens Build Buterfly Houses:
Based on the article: "Michigan Teens Build Butterfly Houses and Plant 26,000 Native Plants through the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project" by Sara Novak; Columbia, SC; Oct 26th/08

As part of the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project in Marquette, Michigan teens are protecting Monarchs and other pollenating insects by building dozens of butterfly houses and planting 26,000 native plants! They did all this over the past summer. This project is working towards helping pollinators such as the #1 and #2 pollinators, bummblebees and butterflies. Although pesticides, climate change and other man-made impacts are suspected causes for the decrease in pollinators, experts aren't 100% positive. Without these important pollinators, the world wouldn't have vegetables, flowers, fruits, and other plants. The houses are made of white cedar and lined with bark, and provide protection, rest and reproduction safety. They're positioned for the migratory butterflies that stop in this area every year on their way to and from Mexico. The 26,000 plants planted are to restore native plants to the barren and polluted Sand Point on Lake Superior. These native plants will help pollinators, for example bumblebees, because exotic vegetation can cause death to the insects or to their eggs. How can you help? Simple. Try to reduce the amount of chemicals that you use in your garden and be careful about what kinds of pesticides/insecticides you use. In fact, most Americans use too many chemicals on their lawns and contaminate the ecosystems! Why not try a organic fertilizer instead?



Moving Towards Vegetarianism:
Based on the article: "On Moving Toward Vegetarianism" by Kely Rossiter; Toronto; Oct 24th, 08
Over the years, vegetarians have become much more common and nowadays, are viewed much less as freaks but as innovative and strong-willed. Vegetarians meals are available in restaurants, grocery stores and especially at home. More and more people are moving towards vegetarianism, especially in the under 30 age group. However, many people still refuse to go vegetarian. I know that it's incredibly hard to do, but when you think about it there are many benefits: environmental, health, animal friendly, etc. Start by cutting out red meat and just eating fish and chicken, then try cutting down on those meats too. The challenge for this week is to eat one, JUST ONE, meal without meat in it. Try substituting a chickpea salad sandwhich for tuna, or don't have the meatball with your spaghetti. :) Also, want a reason to go vegetarian? Check out PETA, meat your meet, etc.

From Cardboard to Caviar:
"Lessons in Biomimicry - Part 2 Natural Systems" by Leonora Oppenheim; London, UK; Oct 28th, 08
"Last week I reported direct from Schumacher College in Devon, where I was attending a course entitled Biomimicry: New Directions in Sustainable Design. The first part of the programme discussed natural forms using examples such as the Eden Project. Today I continue with part 2 of Michael Pawlyn's course examining natural systems and tomorrow you can read the final part in this series which looks at natural processes. Biomimicry as the study of natural systems can help design and architecture work more effectively, but it can also work on social development and business structures."
As much as I would like to try and summarize this article, I read it over again and I realize that I can't summarize it. Just READ IT. It's a great article and it explains a lot of scientific stuff and how cardboard ultimately turns into caviar.

Are new Macbooks as green as they claim to be?
Based on the article: "New Macbook Pro: What's the Eco-Impact of Building a MacBook from a Single Piece of Aluminum?" by Jaymi Heimbuch; Central Coast, California; October 14th, 08
It turns out that Apple has created a way to make a MacBook using only 2.5 pounds of aluminum. The unibody unclosure is made from one piece of aluminum, then the pieces are removed to create the structure. By using this process, MacBook Pro uses 50% fewer parts. They start with 2.5 pounds of aluminum, and 2 pounds is cut away from the MacBook Air. They are free of BFR, mercury, PVC, arsenic. Also, they comply to the Energy Star standards, have a LED screen, and use 30% less energy. The MacBooks also use 37% less packaging and have earned an EPEAT Gold rating. Yes, this is all good, but the question is: what happens to the 2 pounds of aluminum?
Apple reports that throughout each stage of manufacturing, they clean, collect and recycle the material. Since aluminum is easy to recycle, recycling plants love it although it uses up about 5% of the energy it takes to make something out of new aluminum. Recently, a mini-docucumentary was shown to a crowd at an Apple event and Engadget deemed the process isn't wasteful. Although quite a lot of energy goes into the recycling of the aluminum, it's great that the notebook has been improved so greatly and has so enormously reduced its total footprint.

That's all for today, see more articles tomorrow.

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

MORE Animal Updates

In this issue, we include MANY interesting articles, successes, PETA activism, sick sea lions, IFAW updates, tips for dog owners. :)



DOGS FEAR FIREWORKS!
It's a well known fact that dogs (and most other animals) are afraid of loud songs, including fireworks. I know on Canada Day, I need to give special attention to my dog to make sure that he doesn't get too scared. Now, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has a new CD that helps your dog/animal to adjust to loud sounds. They also have leaflets and posters that you can download for free. Here are some of their tips:
-Close all windows and curtains and put on some music to muffle the firework sounds.
-If there are signs of fear, try to ignore the behaviour. This means no fussing, no comforting, and most definately NO GETTING ANGRY!
-Try to keep your pets indoors so if they see/hear the fireworks, they won't run away or bolt.
-Do not exercise your pets during the night when fireworks are going on!
-Give animals a place to hide if they want it, ie: beds, showers, etc.
-Make sure to give your pets lots of toys so they'll be entertained
-Instead of fussing over your pet, try playing with them instead but do not force it.



Not only will humans be voting this year, but also Goldfish.
In a mistake, a goldfish received a voter's card. It's a pretty short article but it's humurous. As cool as it is that animals are getting their own voices, it's pretty stupid. They shouldn't be allowed to vote. I read somewhere that dolphins can vote in Miami or something? They may be smart (and have sex for pleasure like homosapians) but they do not understand politics. Most humans barely understand politics!


Dog Hero Saves Cats
This adorable little dog saved four kittens from a house fire in Melborne, Australia! This cute little Jack Russel named Leo risked his life to save these four kittens. The rescue endeavor almost cost him his life but he'll be fine. The video shows him licking the kittens and guarding the remains of the house next Sunday.



PETA Investigations/ Successes/ Activism:
Agriprocessors fined $10 Million!
In Postville, Iowa this slaughter house is severly lacking in humane treatment of not only animals, but also people. Earlier in the year, 76% of 968 employees (735 people!) were using false Social Security Numbers. Now, the slaughterhouse "faces nearly $10 million in civil penalties for repeated violations of Iowa's wage laws between Jan. 1, 2006 and June 30." (Des Moines Register) More good news is that the cattle slaughter has been stalled. :) Sholom Rubashkin, former CEO, was arrested with charges similar to conspiracy and identity theft. There's still suffering, but at least it's not cow's.

22 Charges Filed Based on PETA Investigation at Hormel Supplier
After PETA'S investigation into an Iowa pig farm, six employees of the farm at the time of PETA's investigation are being charged with 22 criminal charges of livestock neglect and abuse. Of these six, the former farm manager works at another pig factory farm, there was a supervisor, and two workers who work at the Ioawa farm also. 14/22 of the charges (about 64%) are aggravated misdemeanors, carrying up to 2 years in jail. This pig farm breeds piglets destined for Hormel, who hasn't made any changes to his farms as a result of the investigation. Apparently, they refuse to watch the footage or meet with PETA. Maybe now that the law has spoken up, Hormel will finally listen. Please, urge Hormel to take action now.




Mia Kirshner in something that looks suspiciously furry!
Mia Kirshner, star of 'The L Word', was seen in Curve Magazine wearing something that looked like fur. But, it was fake. Both Mia & the editors of the magazine are entirely anti-fur and took the opportunity to inform readers about the cruelties of the fur industry. On the cover, there was a large bold print saying "This is Definitely FAKE Fur" and inside a letter from the editor. To quote the letter, "Why should you care? Even if you're a carnivore, you probably would be shocked at the torture and cruelty that goes into creating real fur, from the tiny cages to the horrid electrocutions. Don't believe me? Check out furisdead.com. You only had to look at last summer's headlines—in which it was revealed some manufacturers had actually used dog and cat hair as fur—to see how dead it is."



PETA gets a good editorial?
In the Post-Bulletin there's an editorial that says that PETA agents deserve a pat on the back. It applauds PETA'S effort in the investigation mentioned above (the pig farm) and is just a really great editorial. Check it!



Retailers Band Together to Help Sheep
On October 21st, 2008 PETA sent a letter to the Australian wool industry on behalf of a number of different retailers, such as Gap, Liz Claiborne, Nordstrom, Haggar Clothing, Coppley Apparel, Austin Reed, Carter's, C&A Europe, etc. The letter encouraging the addition of a "clip mulesing" tick box to the industry's new nonmulesed-certification form. Although the wool industry allows retailers to purchase wool from lambs who haven't undergone the mulesing mutilation, it doesn't allow retailers to get wool from lambs who haven't undergone clip mulesing. What is clip mulesing or mulesing mutilation? Clip mulesing is where a sheep's skin is painfully killed under tight clamps, and mulesing mutilation is the stripping away of large areas of skin and flesh from sheep’s hindquarters so as to prevent the growth of wool. To change this policy, PETA got 15 major clothing retailers to send a message to the wool industry saying that they oppose clip mulesing and will avoid mulesing of any kind in their stores. Good job!



Raccoon Dogs
Over the summer, many of us heard about the melamine that was put in foods in China to make them appear to have higher protein. The consequence was the illness and deaths of dogs, cats and humans in the US, Europe and in China. Now, reports show that melamine contamination killed 1500 Chinese raccoon dogs, usually raised and skinned alive for their fur. These are adorable creatures, and if they would've been left alone then none of them would've been eating an artificial diet that ultimately killed them. So, don't buy fur. Animals go through so much sufferning everyday for fur-wearers. Speak up for those who can't, speak up for the animals. Either way, the raccoon dogs die in agony, either from toxic kidney failure, or like this. (Warning: graphic video.)



Desert Tortoise Relocation Plans Halted
Army officials began airlifting/ relocating endangered desert tortoises earlier this year so they can expand Fort Irwin in California. These endangered species were living in a criticial habitat living near/ on Fort Irwin land. These protected land areas were created in order to provide protection for these reptiles and boost their dwindling population. Unfortunately, phase one of the project had resulted in 90 deaths and expect that there will be some loss of life because of the relocation. However, plans are still being continued. Clearly, officials underestimated the fragility of these animals, the harm the relocation could cause and the potential threats to these tortoises. Reports indicate that many of the relocated tortoises are moving in a homewards direction. Unfamiliar surroundings, lack of shelter, and larger animals such as coyotes put these tortoises in great danger right from the beginning. Fortunately, the plans have been momentarily halted.



Pink wants a Royal Flush of Animal Cruelty
Pink, the famous singer, refused to sing at Prince William's 21st birthday party because of his hunting habits. She then asked him why he hunted and he never responded. That was 5 years ago, now she has challenged the Queen, asking why the bear fur on the Queen's Guards' caps haven't been replaced with fake, cruelty-free material? Nobody in the Royal Family has responded. Pink, PETA and their fans are waiting patiently.



PETA pays Hairy Kate & Trashley a visit:
I don't know about you, but I know that everybody at my school had heard about the PETA activists dressed up as the Trollsen Twins who showed up at Mary Kate & Ashley's book signing. In that moment, when people came up to me and said, "OMG, DID YOU HEAR?!" I was very proud to be a PETA supporter. The activists talked to a lot of their fans about the cruelty of fur and really got the message across. Read the signs. The Olsen twins continuously support fur lifestyles, even after PETA gave them facts about the cruelty that goes into fur coats! SHAME!





Friends of Animal/ MAR rescues a sick sea lion:
MAR (Marine Animal Rescue) with the help of the LA County Lifeguards rescued a sick sea lion and transported her to a care center for medical attention. The 120 pound sea lion was stranded on Dockweiler Beach, but appeared to be fine. They searched her for signs of distress and she soon went into a 2 minute seizure.



IFAW Updates:

IFAW and NOVICA have partnered to launch the IFAW Gift Collection, where fifty percent (50%) of the purchase of each gift is donated directly to IFAW!

IFAW is partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service to research new technologies that could help protect New England’s whales from entanglement in fishing gear. IFAW and NOAA are working with the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies on Cape Cod to develop coded wire tags for fishing lines. The tags would be embedded into fishing line commonly used in gear known to entangle whales. When the line is removed from a whale, researchers will be able to tell where the gear came from and how it was being used. This will help prevent future entanglements.

For more, click here.



The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

PROP 2

In case I have any readers in California, I wanted to push you in the right direction and PUSH PROP 2!!!

VOTE YES TO PROP 2!

Organizations like the Humane Society and PETA are also pushing it, along with others such as Friends of Animals and the SPCA [Society for the Protection from Cruelty to Animals]

By voting yes, you will help lessen the suffering of animals in cages on fur farms!

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

PS: For those in the States, check out http://blog.peta2.com/2008/11/win_a_free_tofurky_for_thanksg.html?c=923f to win a free tofu turkey. :)

Kitty Tips from TCR

Just some kitty tips for cat owners or for those people who feed stray cats. :)

A mixture of dry and wet food is best. :)
Dry food is higher in carbohydrates, which can put cats at risk for Diabetes.
If you don't want to buy wet food, you can keep the cat food fresh by buying small bags. Make sure you seal the bag tight with lowstick tape and store it in a metal tight fitting container.
Also, instead of buying wet food, you can trick your kitty by spraying it with olive oil.
You can also add in half a teaspoon of flaxseed oil.
Not only will this help prevent Diabetes, it will also give your kitty a healthier and shinier coat. :)

Remember, NO HALLOWEEN CANDY FOR CATS OR DOGS!

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Animal Updates

Here are all the stories that I've been behind on. Sorry guys. :)



Friends of Animal saves seal pup


This cute little fella has been orphaned. His mom died, and he hasn't quite adjusted to his new life yet. He'd already been weaned, but he's skinny and weak. Thank you Friends of Animal (MAR).


Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Updates:

• The many baby birds and opossums that were brought to WRR in the summer are now ready to be released. They're fully healed and are fully prepared for life in the wild. Now, staff has to prepare for the winter season. "Primate heaters are being attended to by the maintenance staff to be sure their winter houses will be toasty warm, thick beds of hay are added to shelters, and we are stocking up on supplies of peanut butter, honey, beans, and other protein-rich foods to keep everyone in our sanctuary nourished." They could always use donations.
• There's a great article about butterflies and skunks, that I definately recommend. You can also read about the success of Walk on the Wild Slide fundraiser, the animals that are up for adoption, and some turkey articles. (Hint: Click turkey for the first & articles for the 2nd)
• A couple of months ago, WRR took care of a puppy named Phoenix. He had been tortured by a home intruder, and had abrasions, bruises, and breaks all over his poor small body. He's so tiny and cute. Now, his sight has returned and all the forementioned injuries have healed wonderfully.

At PAWS, many animals who were orphaned as babies in the beginning of the summer are now being released as adults. However, there's quite a few of new patients that are being welcomed into PAWS. These new patients include a Leach's Storm-Petrel, a Red-naped Sapsucker, an American Robin that was attacked by a cat, a Golden-crowned Kinglet, and a Varied Thrush.
Specifically, there was an adult coyote brought in who was hit by a car and suffers from a fractured leg and a young bobcat who was probably struck by a car and seperated from her mother. She was emaciated and wounded when she was brought in but is healing well.
For more information, go to http://www.paws.org/about/emailnetwork/archive/wildagain/2008_10.html.


More reasons why zoos are bad? At Atlanta Zoo, two elephants died: a 26-year-old African elephant and her unborn fetus. Dottie died after becoming ill and losing 800 pounds (ten percent of her body weight) in two weeks. Her death is the latest in a string of tragedies related to elephant breeding in zoos. Since 2001, at least 21 elephant pregnancies in U.S. zoos have ended in stillbirths or other complications, including death of the mother, death of calf during labor, death of mother euthanasia of premature calf and failure to thrive, resulting in 17 dead babies (in addition to Dottie’s third-trimester calf) and six dead mothers. The infant mortality rate for elephants in U.S. zoos (ages 0-1) is four times higher than that of documented free-ranging populations in Africa and Asia. "Breeding elephants under current zoo conditions seriously endangers their lives,” said IDA president Dr. Elliot M. Katz, a veterinarian. “To continue these attempts is simply reckless, irresponsible and inhumane.”
For more anti-zoo opinions (mine specifically) go a few blogs back and read about my zoo trip. Quick summary: Zoos should NOT be breeding & the animals should be in the wild! Click here for more information.


A medical article has been released that warns families against non-traditional pets because they put children at risk of serious infectious diseases. Read more here.


REMINDER: FUR FREE FRIDAY IS NOVEMBER 28TH!


For a list of cruelty-free DEODARANT, click here. (From PETA Living)


When supporting a good cause, you should feel good about yourself. But wouldn't it suck to know that by supporting breast cancer research you're also supporting animal testing? Ie: The Susan G. Komen Foundation. Send an email to this foundation to get them to stop using your generous donations towards something good for something horrible!


How to Handle an Animal Emergency:
Before I start, if you are unsure of the treatment/ what to do, call one of the three: your vet, your local humane society, PETA (757-622-7382-2). Try your best to handle the situation first (especially if its a bleed/ deadly) THEN call your vet/ humane society to ask them what to do next.
Firstly, remain calm. NEVER leave the animal unattended. If you need to go to make a phone call or get supplies, either ask somebody else to do it for you or tell somebody to keep their feet firmly planted with the animal!
The best way to help an animal is to be prepared, or to prevent it. Just for insurance, you should try to carry an animal emergency kit with you when you travel. Your kit should things like a cat/dog carrier, nylon leash, towel, gauze, etc.

When approaching the animal, you should do your best not to frighten or stress it - which will also be protecting yourself. To not frighten/ stress the injured animal - domestic or wild - follow, these 4 rules:
1. Move slowly and quietly, and stay as low to the ground as you can.
2. Avoid eye contact, which can be taken as a challenge. Keep your head down.
3. Talk very softly to dogs and cats; be quiet around wildlife.
4. Try to take with you on that first approach whatever you might need to use so that you won’t have to go back for something and approach a second time.

There's lots of different situations, so for a more detailed instruction go to the link in the title or read my follow up more detailed blog on this issue. :) For now, here's a general instruction of how to handle an emergency. STAY CALM. Stay with the animal. Approach quietly. Try to have as little contact as possible with the animal if its wild. Fix the injury and take it to the Humane Society or an organization or vet. They'll know what to do.

More From PETA:

Top 10 Things to Top Your Desk With
You know how people cry when they see stories about murders, I cry when I read articles about animal diseases. Like, this tragic story.
Help! My Dog Ate My Medication!
When Animals Need Your Help...
("Always stay with an animal in need, or plant someone else’s feet there while you go for help")
Leaving a Legacy for Animals
Letters to the Editor



Also, from Animal Writings, there's a very long & detailed blog about vivisection. It's much too long to summarize so I advise that you check it out here.

Just a reminder of some eco/ animal friendly shopping:
Yudu
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Halloween Tips

BLURB!: Pigs don't have sweat glands. That’s why they love to lay in mud or water – it helps them maintain a comfortable body temperature. Lounging in mud can also protect pigs from sunburn and insect bites.

Here is combination of articles from numerous different organizations for some friendly Halloween tips for your pets. :)

#1: To keep your pets in your possesion while/ if you're handing out candy, put your pet in a room that won't be disturbed with food, water, a favourite toy and maybe a litterbox.

#2: For all those owners of black cats/ people who see black cat strays: Black cats are seriously bullied - often injured and killed - during Halloween season because many people are naive enough to believe that they're bad luck. If you own a black cat, make sure to keep it inside the house, and for those who know strays, why not open your garage or give it a nice friendly place to hide? Just put out some food, water and a litterbox in your garage or even a make-shift home and give it (and other cats) and option for safety.

#3: Don't walk your dog on Halloween. Even the nicest dog could lash out or bite someone. On Halloween, even sweet little Fido could put on a mask and become Cujo.

#4: If you have decided to dress up your pet, make sure that the costume does not restrict his or her breathing, vision, hearing, movement or ability to bark or meow. Also, NEVER use rubber bands or other constrictive ties to hold your pet’s costume in place. These pose the danger of restricting blood flow and can be extremely harmful to your pet.

#5: Keep your pets away from small costume accessories, candy wrappers, lollipop sticks, or loose items. These can all be choking hazards!

#6: KEEP THE CANDY FOR THE CHILDREN. Do not let your pets have candy! ABSOLUTELY NO CANDY FOR THE PETS! Chocolate is deadly to many different kinds of animals, so keep the candy away from them!

#7: Keep your jack-o-lanterns in places where curious creatures can't sniff them and burn their noses. For other decorations, do the same, to keep your pets from strangling or entangling themselves.

#8: Make sure that you spend a lot of time with your animals, but do it without a mask. I know from experience, if you look frigtening to humans, you probably look even more scary to them.

BLURB!: Not only is chocolate poisonous to dogs, but also cocoa, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, mushrooms, alcohol, coffee, uncooked yeast dough, onions, onion powder, toothpaste, garlic and avocado.

Also, check out (and send) PETA's new Halloween eCard. It's pretty cool. :) Thumbs up, deck out your costume and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Vegetarian Demonstration - TOMORROW!

I've been behind on updates and I'm tragically sorry.
I've been getting loads of projects and such, and I'll try to post some more stuff.
Tomorrow is Halloween, so remember to watch your animals and talk to people about the horrors of fur farms! :)

ANYWAYS.
PETA is putting on a cool demonstration in Toronto.
Here are the deets:
What: Demonstration against factory farming
Where: 2 Dundas St. W., Toronto
When: Saturday, November 1, 2–4 p.m.

After the demo, please join Compassion for Animals for a vegan dinner at Milo's Pizza, located at 6 Dundas St. E. in Toronto. They're looking for activists to hold signs and leaflets during the demo. If you can help or have any questions, please e-mail Laura Lee at cfa_lauralee@yahoo.com.

Every day at factory farms, chickens' beaks are cut off with a hot blade; pigs' teeth, tails, and testicles are removed without any anesthetic; and cows are slaughtered while still conscious. So go to the demonstration, bring everyone you know, and help spread the word about the horrors of factory farming!

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Zoo Trip & More

I unfortunately went to the zoo with my school. It was horrible. All those poor animals, all stuck in the cages. They look like they're heavily drugged! They are so bored, and so miserable in that zoo. It's so tragic. On the plus side, there was a lot of information about Engandered Species and a donation place for small change or large donations. It was still very sad to see all those animals that should be in the wild! And if people are concerned about them being protected, then 1) donate to an endangered species fund, 2) don't wear fur or leather!, 3) put them in a conservatory where they are still protected but allowed to live in their natural environment! Is it really natural for peacocks to be in -4 C temperatures?! NO. It's not. And it definately can't be healthy.

On the plus side, PETA announced that thanks to the 11,000+ people who wrote to Zappos.com, Zappos.com has officially declared that they will not sell any products with animal fur in/on them. :) Now, they are fighting to get amazon.com to do the same! Go here: http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/amazon_fur?c=pfbt to help out. :)

Also, eBay has announced a global ban on Ivory. :) This will majorly help out to stop the illegal ivory trade, which is the main reason why elephants are endangered. IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) did an investigation on the threat of Internet trade. To read the report, you can go to http://www.ifaw.org/Publications/Program_Publications/Wildlife_Trade/Campaign_Scientific_Publications/asset_upload_file816_49629.pdf
There's lots of facts that I will probably use as BLURBS. Which reminds me,

BLURB!: More than 70% of all endangered species’ products listed for sale on the Internet occur in the United States. This is 10x more than the next two leading countries, the UK and China.

Also, if you go to http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces#shelterVoteSection_header, you can vote for a shelter and the top three shelters will receive a large sum of money that goes towards the animals and the shelter. So, please. VOTE and help your local shelter. If you would like to know, I am voting for a number of shelters because I volunteer at all of them simutaneously.
I'm voting for:
Annex Cat Rescue
Big on Beagles
For the Animals
PAWS
Toronto Cat Rescue

Every day, a different vote. :)
So, please, help out these organizations. :D
And do something that I couldn't, but will do from now on. BOYCOTT THE ZOO!
The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Cats & Litter Boxes

BLURB!: Cats have extremely sensitive noses.

When you go to the bathroom to find the toilet unflushed, how do you feel?
That's exactly what your cat goes through when they find an unclean litterbox! Cats have sensitive noses and dainty feet, and do not wish to go through the horrible stench of their urine and soiling their feet in it. To keep your cat happy, you should be completely dumping out then cleaning the litter pan daily!

For maximum satisfaction for your feline friends, daily you should:
- Completely dump out the litter pan
- Swill it with vinegar
- Wash it with soap
- Have it thoroughly rinsed and dried
- Place a litter baking soda under the lid

Tip!: A pine-based cleaner can be toxic to cats! So, DON'T USE IT.

Health tip!: Clumping litter may be hurting your cat's insides. Clumping litter may be giving your cats bowl movements! Instead, you should use alfalfa-based or natural clay litters that are free from chemical deodorizers or use chlorophyll.

Now, if you click the title, it will bring you to a link with more details and you can enter to win a Litter-Robot. :)

Good luck! & Keep those litter boxes spic and span!
The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

LOADS of Eco Updates. :)

Blurb!: The average American throws out around 1,700 lbs. of trash annually

So, eco updates.
Gonna start with the small & simple stuff first.
Then some wicked cool articles.
Then some stuff you can do to help. First thing: Check out my blog on petitions. LOTS of them. :)
So, small & simple:
Alternative Energy now has a chat. :)
Grist.org's spoof on the debates!
Ecojot is a green way to buy recycled paper and they're extra colourful. :)

TreeHugger articles:
From least to most recent
11 Buildings Wrapped in Green
20 Ways Your iPhone Saves You Energy
365 Days of Trash: One man decides not to throw his trash away for one year. Imagine, this is what every American throws out! Check out his blog! Good job dude! Cool video on worm composting. :) My dad will be hearing about that. :)
The Gas Guzzling Military Vehicles

New York Fashion Week; Eco Picks
Surprisingly to many econistas (environmentally friendly fashionistas), fashion week brought upon a mixed tote of eco-style preview parties, cause-related events and enlightening exhibits. There were tons of green designs that actually are awesome, if I do say so myself! Kudos. :)
The Harvest of the Month program
Bank Sustainability & Being Green
Lessons for those Going Solar WOOT!
Driving in the US
Integrity Block and Straw Wall
Bamboo Computers?
New Shape for Solar Power?
BOOK REVIEW!
Copenhagen Cyclists!

Tips & Tricks; preview for NEXT BLOG!
During that time of the month you can still be green!
Here's how:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/seven-green-feminine-hygiene-options.phpRead it, then expect it. Cause, next blog will be all tips & tricks to be green. :)
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/frugal-green-living-6-tips-save-money-1000-dollars.phpSAVE MONEY NOW!

Being green actually does reduce your bills and recycled products like toilet paper, paper towels, and even paper cups cost less than non-recycled products or plastic. :) Just another reason to go green!

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger

Animal Activism

BLURB: One in FOUR (25%!!) of the world's mammals are in danger of going extinct.


Think about that BLURB. Thats 25% of mammals. Not reptiles, or amphibians or anything, just mammals. That's INSANE. You know how many species of mammals there are? The fact that 25% are in danger of going extinct! THAT'S INTENSE. That's 25% of the mammals in the world gone. Imagine that. It's scary. And look how cute this endangered tree kangaroo is! I bet half of you didn't know that tree kangaroos existed! So, adopt from WWF this October and help save them and all the other endangered mammals!

A lot has been going on. So, here is a summary.
WWF of October:
Success in Sumatra
The island of Sumatra has a wide biodiversity. This island is the only place in the world where tigers, rhinos, orangutans and elephants co-exist! Their home, the rainforest, is being forested for pulp and paper. Deforestation doesn't only destroy our rainforests, but it also leaves these animals homeless and destroys this wonderful landmark! Sumatra has the highest deforestation rate on the entire globe! If these trees continued to be cut down, then the largest store of peat carbon - Sumatra’s peat forests - in Southest Asia, will be distrubed and be a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. However, now, there is an island-wide agreement to protect Sumatra's ecosystem and biodiversity. YAY. :D To quote WWF, "This landmark decision will restore critical ecosystems, protect high conservation value forests – including those that store high levels of carbon – and create ecosystem-based plans to guide environmentally friendly development on the island." WWF has worked with the paper industries, APP and APRIL. APP continues to be destructive to the Sumatra habitat, so I encourage you to boycott this paper company. :) Which leads me to say, USE RECYCLED PAPER. Ecojot is awesome, and colourful. And APRIL has made a global commitment to protect all high conservation value forests under its control. There is now renewed hope in Sumatra, as this eleventh-hour reprieve comes on the heels of another recent win – the expansion of Tesso Nilo National Park to more than double its previous size. Both achievements are the result of WWF's successful partnerships, local-to-global strategy and foundation in solid science. So, check out WWF and send a thank you letter to the Indonesian officials. :)

Greenprint for US:
WWF also has the new Greenprint outlines for the new administration. The WWF Greenprint was provided to Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and their campaign staffs. It outlines specific policy initiatives that would reduce threats to global peace and security by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and establishing preparedness measures for dealing with the impacts of climate change, ensuring plentiful food and clean water for people around the world, and retooling the U.S. government’s Cold War-era foreign assistance program to ensure more sustainable use of the world’s natural resources.

You can now track a tiger online! You can read the diaries of a WWF scientist as she studies tigers. It's really cool. It's one of my favourite part of the monthly newsletters. The description on the page is ..."On this trip to the field Dr. Shannon Barber-Meyer of WWF’s species program dodged a charging elephant and crossed through Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal, India and Indonesia in search of the largest of all cats. Along the way she experienced the many habitats of these versatile animals – hiking over hills, wading through peat swamps, and bushwhacking through dense tropical forests." There's up to TEN parts! Now, I won't spoil it, but it should be good!

Also, check out https://secure2.convio.net/wwf/site/Advocacy?cmd=send&page=ActionAlertTakenPage&id=283&_ts=1224282759111&advDblClk=2&pagename=homepage for a LOT of ways to help, especially if you're a US activist. :)

Fall Action Line:

There's a lot, since it's like a whole magazine. Just check out the link, and read what you like. :) My favourite sections are Special Feature (A Sea Change - about the rising sea temperature and how it will affect animals, fishing, etc), They Could Have Lived Free, Her Deadly Wolf Program, Feeding the World, and the Merchandise Catalog. :) Enjoy friends.


Ontario SPCA:
Features 3 rescues. A new home for Hudson the cat and a pygmy goat. So cute. :) Also, the rescue of a fox that was hit by a car. Then, there's an article on one of the staff members, Inspector Tim Brown with the Ottawa Humane Society (OHS). There are articles on the victories in the courtroom:

In April 08, 166 dogs were rescued from a puppy mill. At the time when rescued they were suffering from dehydration, anemia (a deficiency of red blood cells) and parasites. On August 5th, a Bancroft man pleaded guilty for failing to comply with standards of care for the dogs bred for sale on his Bancroft-area property. [Just another proof of the horror of puppy mills!]


David Pryor of Manitoulin Island was originally found guilty of four Criminal Code of Canada charges on April 27, 2007 of wilfully failing to provide suitable and adequate care for horses. His appeal of the conviction to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice was dismissed on August 8, 2008. The case began in March 2006 when Ontario SPCA investigators attended Pryor's properties following public complaints regarding the condition of over 30 horses. At one of the locations, investigators found the horses undernourished, infested with lice, lacking in common general maintenance and living in unsanitary and unsuitable conditions.


Other than these, there's lots of other articles for animal lovers and some tips & tricks for animal owners. Also, a personal reminder: Hallowe'en is coming up, NO CHOCOLATE FOR THE PETS! Only for the children. Although, my dentist would probably disagree!



In Defense of Animals E-News:
Tax Dollars Pay for Nicotene Tests on Monkeys:
Decades of clinical studies in humans have unequivocally documented the harmful effects of nicotine on adults and children. So much, in fact, is known about the ill effects of smoking from studying these human victims, that Big Tobacco's best attorneys couldn't talk their way out of the landmark $209 billion Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) of 1998 between 46 states and the U.S. tobacco industry. Which leaves Americans wondering why the U.S. federal government, through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), continues to grant millions of dollars each year to scientists to force animals to consume nicotine. Animal experiments failed to demonstrate that exposure to cigarettes and tobacco smoke caused lung and other forms of cancer, which is now undisputed in humans.Since 2002 alone, the NIH has spent at least $16.5 million to conduct nicotine experiments on pregnant and newborn animals. This appalling figure does not reflect the total cost of all nicotine research on animals, which numbers far higher, but only that which focuses on nicotine’s effect on fetal and newborn development.

Tell zappos.com to stop selling fur!

Fur Free Friday reminder, November 28th! START PLANNING.
Me, personally? I'm thinking a fundraiser? Money donated to stopping fur farms. :)

Other/ Miscelaneous:

Vegetarian Answers:
So, people hear your a vegetarian and ask questions, or worse - they reprimend you. Many vegetarians are angry that people don't share their passion or don't care that they're eating animals (guilty) and get outraged easily. It's just your way of showing your passion. So, here are some answers to common reprimendations that you can use without getting snippy! Instead, you can use the chance to educate your friends and maybe convert a meateater. :)
Statement: "People are natural omnivores. We’ve been eating meat for thousands of years."
Response: Yes, that's very true. But people have also had slaves, had legal child labour, and unequal rights. People used to smoke when pregnant, and the death penalty was frequent. Just because something has a long tradition doesn’t mean that it’s right. Natural omnivores are animals like raccoons or bears. They don't have the choice to be vegetarian and don't get their meat from cruel meat factories. However, we put our animals through torture before we eat them and we have a choice to save them.
S: I respect your right to be vegetarian. Why can’t you respect my choice to eat meat?
R: Good point. We all have the right to choose for ourselves but as a society, we must make laws and set limits for ourselves when others are suffering. For example, people have the right to care for their children and animal companions as they see fit, but that freedom doesn’t include the right to beat a child or a dog with a baseball bat. The right to humane treatment for all outweighs the right to personal freedom. Animals raised for food are routinely treated in ways that would result in felony cruelty-to-animals charges if dogs or cats were the victims. What's the difference?
S: But I love the taste of meat. I could never give it up.
R: There are lots of meat alternatives that taste just as great, if not better! Have you ever had just plain meat, it's usually the sauce or flavouring that we add in addition to the meat that gives us the perception of deliscious flavour. Try adding the spices to a vegetarian meal, and your tastebuds will be just - if not more - satisfied.
S: What about humane/grass-fed/cage-free animal products?
R: (Just a personal note: who actually buys meat like that? Who actually knows if their meat is actually humane? And, since when is death humane?)
Even if the labels may sound good, animal cruelty is almost always guaranteed. For example, chickens are still have the sensitive part of their beaks burned off, and are conscious when they are scalded to death in feather-removal tanks. Cows may not contain artificial ingredients, but the cows are still dehorned, castrated then reach the knives on the assembly line while they are still alive.
S: Is it OK if I order meat? (asked at a restaurant) (when eating in front of you)
R: Please, go ahead. If you're that thoughtful towards me, then you must be this thoughtful towards animals!

Other points that I've used:
If you wouldn't wear human skin, then what's the difference for leather?
What's the difference between cannobolism and eating meat?

In response to above, if they say something like "humans have feelings, humans
are important" or something along these lines, then you can always point out
that animals have feelings and relationships too, and question their morality
and point out what horrible things humans have done to the earth.

Would you eat your pet? No. What's the difference between a dog and a cow?
If someone says "God gave us dominion over all of creation, we have a right to eat meat," then I respond with, my personal favourite,
"Yes, I guess so. But, God also gave dominion over children to parents. Does that mean that parents can eat their children? Or mistreat them? No, cause that would be cruelty. It's the same thing. Because God gave us dominion, we have to take care of the animals and make sure that they are protected. Not eat them."
Yeah... I've thought about this a lot. Check for future blogs on my thoughts. :)

Hunting from a deer's point of view. Very interesting. :)

Eco/ Animal Friendly Shopping Experiences:

• Yudo. They use 100% certified organic, sustainably farmed, eco-friendly, and recycled materials. They use green processes and practices, and they believe in fair trade, fair labor, and a fair price. If you shop between October and December, then Animal Protection Institute (Born Free & API) gets a percentage of the money. :)
• My Lip Stuff's “Charitabalms” are the perfect blend of all-natural ingredients to moisturize dry lips. They are Leaping Bunny certified - never tested on animals - and uses green power from renewable resources. They use wind, water or landfill gases. 50% of their product is donated to charity. Banana Kisses helps primate santuaruies, Fur Free Peach helps to support a Fur Free Society, or Naturally Wild to support API (See above). It also offers a vegan version of Naturally Wild.
  For more information, please visit this webpage.
• Body Shop; they have a new campaign called Make Yourself Beautiful. Go to a Body Shop near you. :)
• Johnson & Johnson; WWF for more details.
• IBM
• Xanterra Parks & Resorts
• Polaroid Corporation
• Nike, Inc.; Read a recent BusinessWeek article about how Nike removed greenhouse gases from their shoes
• Catalyst Paper
• Lafarge
• The Collins Companies
• Sagawa Express
• Novo
• Tetra Pak
• Sony
• HP
• Nokia
• Spitsbergen Travel
• Nokia Siemens Networks
• JohnsonDiversey
• H&M - Animal free. :) When you shop at H&M, know that they refuse to use any exotic skin. Also, if you check out their website, they are spreading the fur free word with the Fur Free Fox Logo. :)

Check out http://www.41pounds.org/savetreesblog/ for some awesome green tips. And for those people who are tired of junk mail, you can sign up and save 41 pounds a year. They put your name on the no-junk mail list, so you save trees. :D

Check out http://www.naturewatch.ca/ for a fully volunteer program that observes nature and the environmental changes that we're going through as a society.

A quick update from the IFAW Response Team for Hurricane Ike:
IFAW’s Search and Rescue Team has now finished operations in Calcasieu Parrish, parts of which were under 6-7 feet of water. Over the course of the week they were tasked to rescue dogs, cats, and wild animals, and to assess the condition of farm animals in the area.
Sheltering Team 1 has completed operations at the Anahuac, Texas temporary animal shelter. The team cared for scores of animals during their week in the field. The few remaining animals from Anahuac have been transferred to local shelters, where they await reunion with their owners.
Sheltering Team 2 has finished their deployment at the Orange, Texas animal shelter, and has demobilized. They also cared for scores of animals over the course of the week they were on the scene.

Media:

For The Love of Animals by: Kathryn Shevelow. Thoroughly researched and impressively detailed, For the Love of Animals tells the story and origins of animal protection, from when people first started to keep pets to when the first laws for animal protection were passed. Readers are introduced to the brave (and often famously eccentric) individuals who worked to stop animal abuse in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century England. This is an impressive read for those interested in both the history of legislation to protect animals and animal ethics issues.

http://www.meat.org/

Check my youtube account, msmango17 (ignore the videos) for my subscriptions. You'll find a lot of good videos, especially from the Nature Conservacy.

Some cool photos...? Hopefully (fingers crossed) some custom made posters coming soon. Thanks to friends (and readers?) who are making them for me.

The Vegetarian in a Nutshell podcast.

The world is in danger, we need to be its superheroes.
Love,
TreeHugger