Documents obtained by the National Wildlife Federation show that the Bush administration is planning to rescind a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate mercury emissions from power plants to the maximum extent possible. Instead, the administration plans to regulate power plants under a different provision of the Clean Air Act that allows the administration to arbitrarily determine how much mercury is released by power plants, and gives energy companies permission to trade toxic mercury emissions.

Earlier this month (July 2003), the Bush Administration proposed two devastating policies that would open up vast swaths of our last wild forests to destructive logging and road-building, and essentially gut the immensely popular Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The first proposal allows the Forest Service to completely eliminate roadless area protections for all national forests in Alaska, including America's last wild rainforest, the Tongass National Forest. The second proposal would allow governors to exempt the national forests in their state from the roadless rule. As you may already know the roadless rule protects 58.5 million acres of wild national forests from most commercial logging and road-building. With much of America's national forests already open to logging, mining, and drilling, the rule was intended to preserve the last third of undeveloped forest lands as a home for wildlife, haven for recreation, and a heritage for future generations.

Fact: Only 6% of our population are hunters, yet they kill over 100 million animals each year for fun. These are just the animals that licensed hunters report killing and do not include all the animals who are poached each year by those who believe that they are above the law. Even more despicable are the canned hunts where far too many exotic cats end up when they are discarded from zoos, circus acts and pet owners. Although it is illegal to kill most endangered species, the practice is common and for the right price and a guarantee of secrecy trophy hunters can kill a tiger or leopard while it sits in a cage. If this isn't bad enough consider the fact that they don't want to ruin the trophy and will therefore aim for areas that cause a slow and painful death.

"ABOLISH SLAVERY: Eighty-six percent of a circus animal's life is spent in chains. Say no to animals in entertainment."

According to Ringling Bros. founder Henry Ringling North, in his book, The Circus Kings, tigers and lions are "chained to their pedestals, and ropes are put around their necks to choke them down. They work from fear." He also writes that trainers commonly break bears’ noses or burn their paws to force them to stand on their hind legs, that lions and tigers are routinely choked with ropes to make them behave, and that monkeys and chimpanzees are struck with trainers’ clubs while they scream.

The fact is, animals do not naturally ride bicycles, stand on their heads, balance on balls, or jump through rings of fire. To force them to perform these confusing and physically uncomfortable tricks, trainers use whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks, and other painful tools of the trade.

We applaud the trapeze artists, jugglers, clowns, tightrope-walkers, and acrobats, but let’s leave the animals in peace. Sweden, Denmark, Finland, India, Switzerland, and the U.K. have all banned or restricted the use of animals in entertainment—it’s time for the U.S. to do the same. To learn more about the cruelty of circuses, see Circuses.com.

"If you are facing in the right direction, all you need to do is keep on walking."
- Buddhist proverb

Love it... or give it back.

"Ecoterrorists" introduce pests into wildlife reserves
Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - By The Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Ecological "terrorists" may be threatening some of the nation's wildlife sanctuaries by introducing potentially devastating predators, the government warned Monday. Conservation Minister Chris Carter said anonymous letters sent to animal conservation authorities claimed 11 possums have already been released at the Kapiti Island bird sanctuary northwest of the capital, Wellington. The claims could not be immediately verified. "We are all hoping these threats are hoaxes, unfortunately the consequences of not taking them seriously could be horrific," Carter said in a statement.

Hunters, angry about plans to eradicate wapiti deer from the Fiordland forests of New Zealand’s South Island, are being blamed for the threats. Carter said Kapiti and other protected islands would be logical targets "if you wanted to carry out a terrorist activity like that." Kapiti was the first offshore island cleared of all bird predators — including possums, an unwanted squirrel-like animal native to neighboring Australia. The island is regarded by environmentalists as a model birdlife and forest regeneration program. Other letters threatened to release bird-killing stoats, a type of weasel, on Codfish Island and on nearby Stewart Island off the southern coast of South Island. Codfish Island is one of only two breeding grounds for kakapo, a 20-kilogram (44 pound) green-plumed flightless parrot native to New Zealand.

Hunter Geoff McKenzie, who opposes the eradication plan, said he could understand the frustration of some deer hunters but did not support the letter campaign. "The only avenue (we) can take is political action. People who make these threats are a small lunatic fringe and most New Zealanders, like myself, are outraged," he said. Tens of millions of dollars have been spent safeguarding the birds and environments of the islands where they breed. Possums have devastated bird colonies throughout New Zealand, eating the same food as birds, and have also been known to eat eggs and chicks. Estimates of the number of possums in New Zealand range from 20 million to 70 million.

Stop Boise Cascade

Americans recognize that destroying thousand-year-old trees to make plywood and office paper is barbaric and unnecessary. And hundreds of leading companies—including Kinko's, Home Depot, and Lowe's—have listened and pledged to stop selling products made from endangered forests. But not Boise. Boise sells wood products from endangered forests in South America, Southeast Asia, and around the world. Most recently Boise led the charge to defeat the U.S. Roadless Policy—a popular measure that would protect 58.5 million acres of wilderness from commercial logging and road building.

An industry dinosaur, Boise refuses to recognize global marketplace shifts and widespread support for wilderness protection. In a national poll conducted by the Los Angeles Times, nine out of ten Americans said it is important that wilderness be preserved. And nearly six in ten people said they were in favor of the U.S. Roadless Policy, which generated a record-breaking 1.5 million letters of support from citizens across the nation. Our country has already lost 95 percent of its old growth forests. It's time for Boise to listen to the American public and get out of the trade in old growth wood products... because Americans understand that ancient trees are worth more standing in a forest than stacked for sale.

Pesticide used only in Florida kills birds

Fenthion, an organophosphate pesticide which was once used to kill birds, is now being used to control mosquitoes in Florida. Millions of migratory and resident birds that use Florida’s unique ecosystems are at severe risk of lethal poisoning. Hundreds of dead birds have been killed throughout Florida, victims of fenthion exposure. With equally effective, less-toxic alternatives available, American Bird Conservancy and its partners are urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cancel fenthion use.

This troubled planet is a place of the most violent contrasts. Those that receive the rewards are totally separated from those who shoulder the burdens. It is not a wise leadership.
- Spock, "The Cloud Minders," Star Trek (Episode 74, February 28, 1969)

Stand up for International Family Planning - The Bush administration is withholding the $34 million Congress voted to contribute to the United Nations Population Fund, which plays a major role in expanding access to family planning and maternal health care around the world. Tell Bush to go along with Congress and the American public in supporting this crucial agency. Action by Planned Parenthood