Earth Island Institute

Taiwan Road Project Threatens Endangered Bird

Taiwan has won well-deserved international acclaim for protecting and creating habitat for the endangered black-faced spoonbill. However, a proposed road (Road 1-4) across the Jiading Wetlands in Kaohsiung County threatens to fragment the bird’s key stepping-stone habitat. An Environmental Impact Assessment for the road has been reviewed three times at the county level but received a “no-decision” decision. It’s now being sent to the national EIA committee for review. Although some locals argue that the road will help the economy, EII’s SAVE International is helping partners who oppose the road by putting pressure on city officials and leveraging the conflict to an international audience.

Thursday February 27, 2014

California May Ban Wildlife Killing Contests

At the request of EII’s Project Coyote, the California Fish & Game Commission voted unanimously this month to consider a statewide ban on wildlife killing contests. Commission President Michael Sutton showed his support for the motion stating: "I've been concerned about these killing contests for some time. They seem inconsistent both with ethical standards of hunting and our current understanding of the important role predators play in ecosystems." The issue will be discussed at the commission’s April 16 meeting during which public testimonies will be heard. Learn more about these killing contests here and sign Project Coyote’s petition to ban this egregious practice.

Thursday February 27, 2014

An Interactive Art Experience in Cuba

EII’s Ethical Traveler presents An Interactive Art Delegation to Cuba with Jeff Greenwald, a 10-day visit to Cuba for artists that will focus on Cuba’s visual and graphic arts, and explore the relationship between personal expression, community development and person-to-person collaboration. As the delegation will consist mainly of working artists, each day will include time for painting, drawing or photography – alone, in studios, or under the guidance of Cuban artists or instructors. To learn more about the April 12 to 21 trip and make bookings, click here.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Work with Urban Biofilter

Urban Biofilter is a small, Oakland, CA-based nonprofit that designs, implements, and advocates for biological systems solutions to pollution in urban areas. This Earth Island project has a couple of job openings and would love for you to join their team! Click here for details and to apply.

Thursday February 27, 2014

A March for Sharks

In solidarity with shark allies across the ocean, EII’s Shark Stewards organized a “Shark March” to the Australian consulate in San Francisco on February 15 to protest the ongoing West Australian shark cull. As of February 16, a total of 66 sharks had been caught in the first three weeks since the “catch and kill” policy was introduced in response to two shark attacks in the region in 2013. Meanwhile, aided by information from Shark Stewards, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confiscated more than a ton of shark fins in San Francisco from Kwong Yip Inc. The business, a leading litigant against the California’s ban on shark fins, has since dropped its case challenging the law.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Food Shift in Focus

Food Shift director Dana Frasz will share her personal journey of working in the food recovery system, and discuss the EII project’s unique vision and programs at the Pachamama Alliance’s monthly gathering in San Francisco on March 11. Details here. Also, check Bay Area high school student Joe Carter's neat five-minute documentary about Food Shift that highlights how the project is changing the way the food recovery system works.For more news and a recently updated list of volunteer opportunities, visit www.foodshift.net.

Thursday February 27, 2014

A Film for Borneo Project

EII’s Borneo Project will be showing the Director's Cut of The Act of Killing – a documentary based on the anti-Communist purge in Indonesia in 1965-1966 in which more than 500,000 people were killed – at the New Parkway Theatre in Oakland, CA on March 11. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Borneo Project. Buy your tickets today!

Thursday February 27, 2014

A Nature Walk in the City

Join Amber Hasselbring, director of EII’s Nature in the City, and Elizabeth Stampe, former director of Walk San Francisco, on a two-hour walk along San Francisco’s Cedar Waxwing route on March 22 to envision what a "Green Connection" here will look like, and see projects that are already transforming the route from Market Street to Golden Gate Park. The walk will start at 1 p.m. in front of Market Street Cycles and will include a visit to the Adah Bakalinsky Steps and two wild oak woodlands in the city. Wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes and carry rain gear or a sunhat as needed.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Storytelling for Change

Join Earth Island Journal in San Francisco on March 5 for a provocative discussion between author-activist Rebecca Solnit and online impresario Annie Leonard about how we can create stories that spark social change for a green and fair society. Details here.

Thursday February 27, 2014

The Best of Earth Island Journal

Get the latest environmental news from Earth Island Journal. Here are our favorites from the last few weeks:

Most Popular: Large Scale Solar Energy Generation May Be Over As Soon As It Has Begun? Former Journal editor Chris Clarke writes about how the Ivanpah solar plant in the Mojave Desert is a death zone for tortoises and raptors.

Editors’ Pick: Labor Abuses Common in Palm Oil Industry. Journalist Corey Hill reports on how forced labor and child labor compound the environmental problems caused by palm oil plantations.

Thursday February 27, 2014

A Musical Night for IMMP

Some of the world’s hottest DJs will descend upon San Diego on March 19 for “Free the Sea” — a concert in support of Earth Island's International Marine Mammal Project. NERVO, Michael Woods, Chris Lake, Funkagenda, and other special guests will make sure this is a night to remember! All proceeds from the event will go towards IMMP's marine mammal advocacy and conservation efforts. Buy your tickets now!

Thursday February 27, 2014

Regenerating Soils Across Mexico

Over the last five years, hundreds of small-scale farmers have joined forces with EII’s Viva Sierra Gorda in Mexico’s Queretaro state and have committed to stop using chemical fertilizers and pesticides on their lands. Strategic partnership with the Savory Institute for holistic management has also helped mobilize change on a policy level. Last month, Mexico’s ministry for agriculture and livestock announced it would replicate the holistic land management model across the country. To help the local movement for organic agriculture, donate here.

Thursday February 13, 2014

Workshop on Bees

Join Earth Island’s EcoVillage Farm for a “Vanishing Honeybees Workshop” this Saturday, February 15 and learn about what we can do to help save our pollinators. The workshop will focus on the factors that are affecting honeybee populations across the world, including pesticides, climate change, GMO crops, and toxic environments. There is a $35 requested donation. The event includes a delicious “From Farm to Table” lunch. To pre-register call: 510-223-1693 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Thursday February 13, 2014

Be a Tree Heart!

Looking for a unique, environmental way to honor friends and loved ones tomorrow? Be a tree heart! Tree Ring Productions’ "tree hearts" get to leave their hearts in San Francisco literally by hanging recycled paper hearts on trees around the city. Proceeds will help the Tree Ring Productions film fund to plant trees and produce short promo videos for 10 grassroots organizations in the Bay Area, including EII’ Bay Localize and Local Clean Energy Alliance. The projects need 623 people to become their “tree hearts” to make the films happen. Click here to learn more.

Thursday February 13, 2014

Explore Siberia with Scientists

Join EII’s The Altai Project on a Wild Altai expedition this summer. Trip participants will be engaged as citizen-scientists, helping with wildlife monitoring and population surveys of endangered species such as snow leopards, Altai argali sheep, and steppe eagles. There are two trips on offer this year. Each trip includes two days in the regional capital of Gorno-Altaisk, scenic road travel, and 10 glorious days in the backcountry near the Russia-Mongolia border. For more information, click here.

Thursday February 13, 2014

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