Turtles, Galapagos, eco-kids, animal NGOs, pollution, paltry progress

brought to you by Sasha Paris  

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Human Ecology in Action.

The Galapagos Islands and their wildlife are being increasingly damaged by growing populations of both tourists and tourist-supported residents. The islands' government refuses to limit tourism, and is instead forcing thousands of residents to leave (Los Angeles Times).
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2008/10/galapagos-expel.html

Florida's freshwater turtles are being intensively--and legally--gathered for sale to Asia (St. Petersburg Times)
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/article840320.ece

Pennsylvania's "nutrient trading" program was lauded as a successful way to reduce water pollution (Wall Street Journal/Pennsylvania DEP)
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/pennsylvanias-nutrient-trading-program-proving/story.aspx?guid=%7B2F3DFAF7-A407-4531-8155-3FE652926A04%7D&dist=hppr

Associated Press
NOAA decreed localized speed limits for large ships on the Mid-Atlantic coast, to protect endangered right whales. [This was a long time coming, though the White House made the affected areas smaller than initially proposed. And according to the Bangor News, lobstermen are pleased that someone else is sharing the blame and sacrifice for impact on the whales]
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i2oj2Uv9pmWOyDZGFOLAj8xkzKYgD93ME0G01

After being sued by three conservation groups, the government set a deadline (June 2010!) for designating critical habitat for officially-Threatened polar bears.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ithM1iOSsGFzrqMigfhHiDoWNc1gD93LCQHO0

Washington Post
IUCN report: at least a quarter of the world's mammal species are "threatened with extinction" [though it's unclear how they define that]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100600641.html

The FDA issued voluntary guidelines last month for genetically-modified animals. Product-labeling requirements were not included.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/17/AR2008091703518_pf.html

Hurricane Ike left a widespread array of released pollution on its path
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100600291.html

Grist
*McCain and Obama's current stances on agricultural policy [seems like a mixed bag from both]
http://grist.org/comments/food/2008/10/03/index.html

And a rundown of their statements on energy and [briefly] climate change, from the latest debate.
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/10/7/204758/718

New York Times
Environmentalist zeal appears to be gripping many of the nation's children, who are now policing their parents. [Shock of recognition, anyone?]
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/nyregion/10green.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th

The International Maritime Organization adopted rules for reducing sulfur emissions from ships worldwide.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/science/earth/10ships.html

More on the mammal report, with different examples
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/science/earth/07mammal.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin

European Union lawmakers approved a set of carbon-emission-reduction rules...with exceptions and subsidies.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/business/worldbusiness/08emit.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=worldbusiness&pagewanted=print&adxnnlx=1223464154-IDZw2X848ZxB8J2puWrJdA&oref=slogin