Styrofoam substitute

Not strictly rainforest related, I agree. But very much a global issue for us all.

Styrofoam is apparently a $20 billion dollar business in the US (according to TechCrunch writer Erick Schonfeld) but regardless, we end up with masses of it. Land filling it is a nightmare and it probably makes up a disproportional volume of the Pacific Garbage Patch.

What if we could find a green solution to the problem? Well this TED video, presented by Eben Bayer might be the answer.

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You are Looking at Dead Rainforests

In anticipation of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day,
Rainforest Relief and New York Climate Action Group released a
46-second video to call attention to the New York City’s on-going use
of rainforest wood for public infrastructure. The video features nine
individuals, each holding a sign and standing at a site in the City
where rainforest wood has been used. With quick zooms and cuts, the
video joins the signs together to form the sentence, “You Are Looking
At Dead Rainforests.”

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James Balog: Time-lapse proof of extreme ice loss

OK, so the title is dramatic, but the talk is incredibly interesting. As always, we’re not here to tell you either way that Co2 increases globally are the cause of the global increase in temperatures, but this talk by James Balog illustrates the phenomenal changes that are occurring on the glaciers of the world.

From my point of view, whether you think this is caused by global warming caused by mans Co2 emissions or not, something is changing and saving the lungs of the planet and the thousands of species that reside in them isnt going to harm the situation! That’s my story!

Watch James’s inspiration talk, another from the non profit organisation, TED and be inspired to make a difference to the world around us.

Make sure you check out James’ website Extreme Ice Survey to find out more about this important and fascinating subject.

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William Kamkwamba – The boy that harvested the wind

At age 14, in poverty and famine, a Malawian boy built a windmill to power his family’s home. Now at 22, William Kamkwamba, who speaks at TED, here, for the second time, shares in his own words the moving tale of invention that changed his life.

This TED talk had a serious impact on me. Certainly one of the most thought provoking pieces of media I have watched. It has really made me think about what I do and how I do it. William is inspiring, he is a beacon for us all. A lesson that by educating ourselves and being determined we can make things happen, make really change happen. I am sure there are millions of stories out there similar, this is the one I came across and I am glad I did.

Simply incredible. There hasn’t been a day since watching this, where I haven’t thought about what William had to over come to get to his goal. It puts our lives into true perspective. I just wish I hadn’t been watching it on a packed commuter train and at the end said out loud, ‘Amazing’. I then told the poor guy next to me about TED.

I hope it has the same effect on you as it had on me. Check out Williams blog

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TED – Inspiration to make a difference

Think what you will about the reasons for global climate change and the science that under pins it, but this TED talk by Lewis Pugh, about his fantastic achievement to swim a kilometer of arctic sea water once covered by ice, is inspirational.

It shows what determined people can and will do to highlight a cause they truly believe in. If we believe in something enough, we can all make a difference.

Here is a little summary of what TED is, incase you haven’t heard about it:

TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, the new TEDx community program, this year’s TEDIndia Conference and the annual TED Prize.

Take a look at the talk by Lewis and I challenge you to not want to find out more about climate change. Be inspired!

I’m not suggesting we all swim across icy waters by any means, but there are other, smaller things we can all do to make a difference to the planet on which we live.

Be sure to check out Lewis’s website, The Polar Defence Project

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Appeal – Help save the Costa Rican Bellbird

I am writing to ask our key supporters for urgent assistance to help preserve a critical area of rainforest in Costa Rica.

Without intervention, the rapid decline in local species such as the Bellbird will continue.

The Bellbird Biological Corridor

We would like to assist our partner organisation, the Monteverde Conservation League (MCL), with an immediate opportunity to acquire an ecologically critical area of land in the Monteverde region.

MCL already owns and manages the First International Children’s Rainforest, or Bosque Eterno de los Ninos (BEN). This is Costa Rica’s largest private reserve of 22,500 hectares, mostly purchased with funds from the International Children’s Rainforest Charity network over 20 years.

This new addition would be a key part of a larger project to preserve a forested area, to be known as the Bellbird Biological Corridor, which will link the Children’s Eternal Forest? across the Continental Divide to the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Why your support is important

This area is vital for the survival of many spectacular tropical birds, animals and insects that need to migrate annually from the rainforest on top of the Continental Divide to the food sources available at lower elevations.

Without these forests further down they simply starve. Yet Monteverde’s Pacific slope, with little of its unique forest type represented elsewhere in Costa Rica, is under significant pressure from development for tourism and commercial purposes. Already, some of the Corridor will need significant regeneration.

Many species are under threat, but the most spectacular of these are the Three-Wattled Bellbird, the Resplendent Quetzal and the Tapir.

Populations of the two bird species are declining rapidly. The forest corridor would provide them with an area rich in wild avocado trees, the fruit of which is their principal food source. In return, they spread the avocado seeds, essential for forest regeneration.

An investment for the future

The Bellbird Biological Corridor is a significant project that will require the purchase of many small areas of land to complete the 10,000 hectare territory to be protected.

A number have already been acquired and MCL now has the opportunity to add another 1,300 hectares in 18 sections.

To do so, MCL needs funds immediately. Any donations you make will go directly towards the purchase fund.

Please consider helping us in this endeavour, which will substantially progress the creation and protection of the Bellbird Corridor and the fragile life within – it needs and deserves our support.

Yours sincerely,

Robin Jolliffe (Chairperson)

Find out more about The Monteverde Conservation League in this short movie.

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Khao Noi Chuchi – Thailand

A little while back CTF were involved with a project in Thailand, Khao Noi Chuchi, with Birdlife International. We produced a video that talks about what CTF do within their projects, it’s now on YouTube, but I have included it here as well. The voice over is by our patron, Bill Oddie.

Its cut down into 3 parts, this is Part 1 of 3

Let us know what you think…

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

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Ghost Trees

While browsing the Princes Rainforest Project website I also came across this video.

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Vanishing Species

Created to draw attention to the fact that more than a million species could be driven to extinction within 40 years due to deforestation and climate change.  It’s a powerful short film and definitely worth seeing.

So on that basis, we thought we’d publish it on our website to.

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Crocodile Nursery

David Attenborough clip showing a crocodile nursery

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