Greenies Win Some, Lose Some in Historic Election

There was much at stake in Tuesday’s election, and environmentalists were keeping a close eye on certain senate and house races as well as an important ballot measure in California. As they say, you win some and you lose some, and although not every candidate endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters was victorious, quite a few were.

The biggest victory of the night – aside from that of President-elect Obama, of course – was claimed by animals across the country.  California’s Proposition 2 sought to require that egg-laying hens, calves raised for veal, and pregnant pigs be given enough room to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely.

Market Watch has a statement from Farm Sanctuary on the victory:

“The passage of Prop 2 in the country’s largest agricultural state marks a monumental victory for farm animals. This campaign did an amazing job of raising public awareness about the cruel treatment farm animals endure at the hands of an industry that has consistently fought meaningful change for animals. Farm Sanctuary supporters and campaign volunteers have seen California voters respond with reason and compassion agreeing that all animals deserve humane treatment. Today marks a significant change in the way we view and treat farm animals and falls closer in line with public sentiments and values of compassion. We look forward to seeing these confinement systems phased out nationwide.”

Grist has a rundown of the outcomes of environmentally notable races and ballot measures.  Prop 2 was far from the only green measure to pass – others include CA Prop 1A, which will partially fund a high-speed train linking SoCal and the Bay Area, and MO Prop C, which will require 15 percent of the state’s electricity to come from clean energy sources by 2021.

Among the Senate winners were Sierra Club- and LCV-endorsed Mark Udall of Colorado, Jean Shaheen of New Hampshire and Kay Hagan of North Carolina.

Check out the whole list over at Grist!

Link [Market Watch] + [Grist]
Photo credit: Flickr user gemsling

California’s Proposition 2: Money vs. Animal Rights

Proposition 8 isn’t the only battle raging in California this election season, with the lives of millions hanging in the balance. Farm animals raised for food will either get a big break next Tuesday, seeing better treatment than they’ve ever received in America, or they’ll continue to be treated cruelly, confined to tiny cages so they can’t even stand up or turn around.

From Grist, via The Huffington Post:

It’s not just another one of those far-out Left Coast things. The Prop. 2 campaign is playing on a mainstream, national stage. Oprah Winfrey devoted a show to the issue of food-animal care and Prop. 2 last week, and the New York Times editorial page voiced support for the proposition.

The changes called for in Prop. 2 are small but significant. The ballot wording says simply that Prop. 2 “requires that calves raised for veal, egg-laying hens, and pregnant pigs be confined only in ways that allow these animals to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely.” It would take effect Jan. 1, 2015.

There’s a lot at stake here, not just for the animals who live such heartbreakingly sad, painful lives before ending up on our plates or producing the eggs we eat, but for the quality of our food in the future. The nation’s big factory farmers will be watching the results of Prop 2 carefully, because if it passes, it’ll be sending them a strong message from voters: that we do care where our food comes from and how it’s raised.

If you’re a California resident, please vote yes on Proposition 2. Learn more about it at the California Voter Guide.

Link [Grist] + [Huffington Post] + [Voter Guide]
Photo credit: LA Times

Under Pressure from Conservationists, eBay Set to Ban Sale of Ivory

Unscrupulous traders have found online auction site eBay to be a lucrative avenue of sales for ivory from endangered elephants. But finally, just before a set of reports by a conservation organization is set to be unveiled, eBay officials have agreed to ban the sale of all ivory on the site, including heirlooms.  The report details trading in items derived from endangered species on auction sites like eBay, including rare birds and reptiles, ivory-handled walking sticks and figurines carved from elephant tusks.

From The New York Times:

The report, to be released here on Tuesday by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, analyzes data gathered in a six-week survey that tracked more than 7,000 listings of wildlife or their feathers, teeth or pelts offered for sale on more than 185 Web sites in 11 countries. Nearly three-quarters of the items were elephant products, the report said.

The vast majority of the online trade in endangered animals, the report says, is done on eBay. Law enforcement officials and specialists in illegal wildlife trade said it was impossible to determine how much of the estimated $10 billion spent each year in the illicit trade happens online.

Nichola Sharpe, a spokeswoman for eBay, said Monday that the company had been talking about a ban with the federal Fish and Wildlife Service’s enforcement division and conservation groups like the World Wildlife Fund. Because of the complications of abiding by multiple and overlapping state, federal and international conservation laws, Ms. Sharpe said, eBay officials decided on the ban, effective Jan. 1.

eBay claims that despite the ban, illegal ivory trading will likely continue because sellers need only avoid calling their wares “ivory” or using the word “elephant” to avoid automatic filtering.  The Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating illicit sales, but budget decreases have decreased their staff of inspectors.

Who knew that it was so easy to get away with trading in illegal items on eBay? These people have been doing it right out in the open, and it’s markets like these that push many species into extinction.

Link [The New York Times]
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Current Regulations Allow Cattle to be Transported for 52 Hours Without Food or Water

In today’s world of modern conveniences, it’s easy for many people to overlook the journey that the goods they consume must take before arriving at their homes, restaurants or retail stores.  In fact, most people don’t want to know or don’t care about whether the people who made their clothing were paid a fair wage, or whether the wood furniture they purchase originated from a rainforest.  This is especially true with food.  So many people have adopted an ‘ignorance is bliss’ attitude.

There are so many good reasons to eat local, grass-fed, humanely raised meat (if you’re not a vegetarian, that is).  Now, you can add this one to the list: current regulations allow cattle to be transported for up to 52 hours without food and water.  As if it wasn’t bad enough already that they’re so often kept in cramped stalls, fed pesticide-laden grain, pumped with antibiotics, deprived of the little things that make life worth living for any creature and worst of all, treated as if they aren’t even live beings.

I know that most meat eaters don’t want to know what goes on at slaughterhouses or on livestock farms, for the sake of their own peace of mind.  I’ve heard it a million times – “It just tastes too damn good”. But, can you really be okay with the idea that your food was tortured before you consumed it? At least buy the good stuff from responsible farmers and/or cut back on the amount of meat you eat.  Just think of the poor, sad cow that suffered through a four-day journey without food and water in order for you to enjoy that juicy, delicious hamburger.  Mmmm, tortured flesh.

Link [Treehugger]

Vegetarian Matthew Scully Wrote Sarah Palin’s Convention Speech

There are a lot of reasons to fear Sarah Palin.  As Ecorazzi so accurately put it, “she’s like a buffet of really bad ideas”.  Aside from the fact that she’s a global warming denier, anti-environment, homophobic, pro-abstinence education, creationist, and a master at the craft of abusing power, she’s also the antithesis of an animal rights activist.  She shoots wolves from planes, for god’s sake.  Her house reportedly has a giant pile of caribou antlers outside it, her favorite meal is moose stew and her office is decorated with a dead bear.  And ironically, her speech at the Republican National Convention was written by none other than a passionate, dedicated vegetarian.

From Ecorazzi:

In an ironic course of action, Palin’s speech was penned by none other than former Bush speechwriter Matthew Scully. Scully is well known for his vegetarian lifestyle and rather strict views on animal rights. Besides his dietary choice, Scully is also the author of Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy — an acclaimed book written on the subject of animal welfare. Obviously Matthew is quite critical of the hunting community and has even spoken out against some of the more brutal forms of the practice, including aerial hunting — an activity Palin considers “fun.”

So we have to wonder – what happened, Michael Scully? How could you stomach writing such a speech, to be delivered by such a person? What’s it like to have to totally sidestep your own convictions – not to mention truth and reality – when crafting the fountain of lies and bullshit that came out of this woman’s mouth in St. Paul?

Link [Ecorazzi]
Image via Apartment Therapy

Buckingham Palace Guardsmen May Get Designer Fur-Free Hats

Earlier this week, beloved British comedian Ricky Gervais (of the original Office and Extras, in case you live under a rock or are severely comedically deprived) made headlines when he wrote to Prime Minister Gordon Brown asking him to find an alternative to using fur in the Buckingham Palace Guardesmen’s bearskin hats.  After the news got out, some people started joking about having famed PETA ally and vegetarian designer Stella McCartney to design new, cruelty-free hats.  It seems that those jokes might have something to them after all.

From Ecorazzi:

This week, Baroness Taylor, the Minister for Defence procurement (and in charge of acquiring all military equipment), will meet with PETA to discuss synthetic materials or other replacements for the bear fur. PETA has tapped British designer Vivienne Westwood to come up with something “innovative”, while Stella McCartney and the US designer Marc Bouwer have both agreed to produce caps if commissioned by the MoD.

It currently takes one black bear for every hat worn by the Buckingham guard. 50-100 new hats are needed every year. Over the past five years the MoD has spent more than $600,000 on bear skins. If this meeting proves successful — and it looks like there’s a serious chance — then a major step forward in saving the black bear of North America will have been taken.

There are so many humane alternatives out there, and while some may argue that the hats are an important and sentimental link to the past, we’re finally entering an age of consciousness and responsibility.  We can’t wait to see what the designers come up with.  Thanks, Ricky!

Link [Ecorazzi]
Photo credit: Metro.co.uk

Brought in for Sport, Gibraltar’s ‘Nuisance’ Barbary Apes now Set to be Killed

“Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty apes!” Oh, for the love of Charlton Heston.

Barbary macaques, thought to have been introduced to Gibraltar in the 18th century by British soldiers for use as target practice, are now finding themselves in danger once again after becoming ‘nuisances’.

From the Telegraph:

Ernest Britto, Gibraltar’s tourist minister, defended the plans for the cull, saying: “Children are frightened. People cannot leave their windows open for fear of the monkeys stealing. “Apes can bite, and contact with them runs the risk of salmonella or hepatitis.”

Vets are to track down the tearaways and put them down by lethal injection. Two have already been killed.

When will we ever learn? Humans eff with nature and get burned. It happens again and again, and yet each time we’re surprised. I find it sort of funny but ultimately sad that these people are indignant about apes acting like, well, apes. As if it wouldn’t be more shocking if they started donning trousers and politely tipping their hats at people saying, ‘Good day, m’lady’. Cause, I think the heretofore mentioned legendary actor illustrated brilliantly what would come about if that were the case in the classic ‘Planet of the Apes’.

Link [Telegraph]

Photo: Fox Home Entertainment

Because You Can Train Bears to Do Just About Anything: The Hockey Edition

Great FSM! This video of a bear playing hockey disturbs me on a deep level. That thing would be a monster in a hockey fight.

Bears belong in forests.