Study Predicts a Bleak Future for Many Birds

By JIM ROBBINS - New York Times - Feb 24'12

Cape May Warbler - PIP photo

A just-published analysis of some 200 separate studies of the impact of climate change on birds is grim. Full story here.

Humanity’s Growing Impact on the World’s Freshwater

Sandra Postel of National Geographic's Freshwater Initiative

As the human population has climbed past seven billion, and the consumption per person of everything from burgers to blue jeans has risen inexorably, the finiteness of Earth’s freshwater is becoming ever more apparent. Full story here.

Secret Memo Warns Oilsands Damage May be Irreversible

Calgary Herald-Feb'12

Collateral damage from Canada's booming oilsands sector may be irreversible, posing a "significant environmental and financial risk to the province of Alberta," says a secret memorandum prepared for the federal government's top  
Courtesy of Beautiful Destruction.

bureaucrat. Full story here.

Leading Journal Demands Harper set Canada’s Scientists Free

HELEN BRANSWELL-TORONTO— The Canadian Press/Globe and Mail-Mar 1'12
One of the world's leading scientific journals has criticized the federal government for policies that limit its scientists from speaking publicly about their research. Full story here.

Iowa's Undercover Livestock Filming Bill Approved

HuffingtonPost Mar 1 - 2012
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Animal welfare groups reacted with outrage Wednesday after the Iowa Legislature made the state the first to approve a bill making it a crime to surreptitiously get into a farming operation to record video of animal abuse. Full story here.

Arctic Ocean drilling: Shell Launches Preemptive Legal Strike

Los Angeles Times - Feb 29'12 

Royal Dutch Shell launched an extraordinary preemptive legal strike Wednesday against opponents of offshore oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean...Details here. 

 (photo: NASA/Kathryn Hansen)

Start of Trial on Gulf Oil Spill Is Delayed Amid Talk of a Settlement

John Schwartz - New York Times - Feb 26'12
NEW ORLEANS — The civil trial over America’s biggest oil spill has been delayed for a week as efforts to settle the multibillion-dollar litigation intensify. Details here.

Canada Still Refusing to Issue Order to Protect Caribou

Manitoba Wildlands - Feb. '12

For the second time Canadian Environment Minister Peter Kent has declined to issue an emergency order to protect woodland caribou. Details here.

Harper - The Man Who Killed the Family Farm?

Bill Redekop - Winnipeg Free Press 02/25/2012

PLT photo

Roving rural columnist finds Harper's decision to dismantle the wheat board goes against the grain for many Manitoba farmers. Details here.

Global Day of Action: Occupy Our Food Supply

Feb 24, 2012 by Common Dreams

Food justice advocates rise up to confront corporate control of our food system. Details here.

Back to the Start (Video)

            Coldplay's haunting classic "The Scientist" is performed by country music legend Willie Nelson for the soundtrack of the short film entitled "Back to the Start." The film, by film-maker Johnny Kelly, depicts the life of a farmer as he slowly turns his family farm into an industrial animal factory before seeing the errors of his ways and opting for a more sustainable future. Both the film and the soundtrack were commissioned by Chipotle to emphasize the importance of developing a sustainable food system.