This may not come exactly as a shock, but the Energy Information Agency has predicted that global energy demand will rise 44 percent by 2030, with 75 percent of that rise coming from developing nations such as China, Russia, Brazil, and India. So, how will this soaring demand manifest itself? Well, Reuters (via Planet Ark) will tell us!

U.S. oil prices are forecast to rise from an average $61 barrel this year to $110 in 2015 and $130 in 2030…Global oil demand is expected to rise to 107 million barrels per day over the next two decades from nearly 84 million bpd this year. Oil will account for 32 percent of the world’s energy supply by 2030 from about 36 percent in 2006.

So, yeah. Oil. However, even though the barrels per day and the price will rise over the next two decades, notice that the percentage oil accounts for in the world energy supply drops. But how can that be? Read the rest of this entry >>

Last month Disneynature planted a tree for every Earth pre-sale ticket sold as part of the Plant A Billion Trees Project. Well, the efforts don’t stop there. Plant A Billion Trees is still working hard towards it’s goal to plant 1 billion trees over the next 7 years and they need your help. For one dollar, The Nature Conservancy plants one tree in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, which helps fight global warming and helps protect and restore this natural treasure. So far 5,170,265 trees have been planted — help raise that number to 5,170,266 or higher!

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is blaming climate change for contributing to excessively severe floods in Brazil, which have claimed 39 lives and have left 267,000 people homeless.  While pinpointing exactly how much climate change influenced the devastating impact, climate scientists have cautioned that increased flooding is to be expected as the planet warms.  The area that has been flooded stretches from the Amazon river to normally dry sections of northeastern Brazil, which is roughly the size of three Alaskas.  As we know from other disasters, the threat of flooding often increases after the water begins to slowly recede, as people struggle to regain access to food, clean water, and medical attention.

And while this is the worst flooding in over twenty years, southern portions of the country continue to suffer through a drought, another indication that climate change is already taking it’s toll.  Read the rest of this entry >>

World Economic Forum's Flickr Photostream/Creative Commons

Brazilian President Luis Inacio “Lula” da Silva made a discomforting comment during a visit by British PM Gordon Brown yesterday.  While speaking to the press while standing along side Brown in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, Lula (as he’s affectionately known) said, “This crisis was caused by no black man or woman or by no indigenous person or by no poor person.”. He continued, “This crisis was fostered and boosted by irrational behavior of some people that are white, blue-eyed. Before the crisis they looked like they knew everything about economics, and they have demonstrated they know nothing about economics.”

I have, from what I do know of Brazil, generally been an admirer of President Da Silva during his time in office, and certainly don’t wish to smear him with one single comment.  But talk like this is dangerous.  For starters, this is not the 1950’s.  The financial industries in New York and London responsible for the credit crisis are amongst some of the most diverse white collar businesses in the world, drawing from a vast pool of talent all over the globe.  But secondly, equating the world’s financial problems with one ethnic group of people is inappropriate and wrong.  I don’t know what divisive political games the Brazilian President wishes to play by speaking this way, but I would hope he would be more thoughtful in the future.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A nine-year-old in Brazil conceived twins after alleged abuse by her stepfather. Not only is this poor little girl having to deal with trauma of such a hideous experience, but her mother and her doctor have been excommunicated (the girl has not due to her age) by Brazil’s Catholic Church after having an abortion.

While Brazil’s president criticized the Brazilian archbishop’s decision, Cardinal Re, who heads the Roman Catholic Church’s Congregation for Bishops says the archbishop had been right to excommunicate the mother and doctors.

“It is a sad case but the real problem is that the twins conceived were two innocent persons, who had the right to live and could not be eliminated,” he said. “Life must always be protected, the attack on the Brazilian Church is unjustified.” -BBC

Brazil only permits abortions in cases of rape or health risks to the mother and the girls doctors say this case met both these conditions.

Stories like this blow my mind. The girl is nine years old! Nine years old!? How can the church criticize a child for not wanting to have children? Especially when those children were created out of a violent and disgusting act? I think the church should focus its criticism and punishment on the man who raped this little girl, and not the people who are trying to help her.
takepart and learn more about international women’s sexual health issues at World Health Organization.

Brazilian Carnival Queen Viviane Castro will have the likeness of Barack Obama painted on her body for this year’s Carnival Parade in Sao Paulo.  Castro made headlines at last year’s parade by somehow managing to violate a rarely enforced nudity rule in the parade by wearing nothing more than a piece of tape 3 centimeters wide.  The samba drum queen told the G1 website, “This year I will come back with minimal clothing again but honoring the great political figure Barack Obama. Everyone, in a certain way, is looking at him to create a good government and take the world out of the crisis.”

Can I just say how nice it is to have these kind of sentiments expressed in other countries about our political leadership.  In the span of one short month we went from people throwing shoes at our President and calling him a dog, with the majority of people around the world and perhaps even in America thinking that he deserved it and more, to Samba Queens having their bodies painted in honor of our Chief Executive.  Read the rest of this entry >>

V.Day is coming soon and I’m not referring to the WWII holiday or Eve Ensler’s spin on February 14th. It causes plenty of angst amongst couples about how they should profess their undying love for each other on this special Christian-rooted  Hallmark-marketing holiday.  Is it with a bouquet of flowers? An over-priced dinner (re-labeled holiday special by restaurants)?  Chocolates?

For those of us who are single, we might have the following instincts for dealing with February 14th: hide and pretend the day doesn’t exist (I sometimes use the Jewish card to explain to people that I don’t celebrate a holiday honoring St. Valentine), embrace it as International Quirky Alone Day or comb through all of your Facebook friends to find a group of like-minded single people to spend time downing lots of alcohol and chocolate while also paying for an over-priced meal. Whatever your take is on February 14th, it’s an opportunity to actually not spend much money (and who has any left to spend in this economy?) and make it a sustainable day.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Buy organic flowers. Did you ever think about all of the pesticides that are applied to conventional flowers and the effects of these on workers and the environment? The thought of it could make gladiola wilt.

2. Give Theo’s fair-trade organic chocolate.  If the recipient has a special place for Jane Goodall or wildlife, then you might want to consider their special line which honors the conservationist and donates to her organization.  I had the pleasure of visiting the factory with my sister and while they nearly threw me out for eating all of their samples, I can attest to the delicious-ness of all of their products.

3. Prepare a homemade dinner with local produce. It’s a lot cheaper than eating out, will probably taste better and is a great way for you to show your love for a local farmer.

4. Skip flowers and plant a tree. It lasts longer, helps the planet and will be a living testament to your love for another person.

5.  Practice safe sex and protect the environment. Yes, birth control will help keep our population growth down, but more importantly, you can use vegan condoms and organic lubricant. And, if anyone reading this happens to live in Brazil, you can help to protect the Amazon by purchasing new government-issued condoms made from an Amazonian tree.

6. Make your own cards. Yes, let’s get out the crayola crayons, scissors, glitter and glue to make a homemade gift for someone special in your life. I guarantee you that even if you’re not the most artistically-inclined person, your homemade card will probably be a lot more meaningful than a store-bought one.

7. Write your own poem. You don’t need to be Shakespeare to express your love and you can also be a green hero by using recycled paper.

8. Support a local business.  If you decide to purchase a gift, consider supporting a local business which is probably struggling during these tough economic times. You can help your local economy and buy a lovely V. Day gift.

9. Choose organic lingerie. So, this isn’t as racy as Victoria Secret stuff, but it’s eco-friendly for you and the planet. And, who isn’t attracted to a green girl?

10.  Enjoy organic champagne.  Yes, I keep seeing those ads about the name champagne being illegally used by American winemakers who are ignoring their French counterparts pleas for accurate labeling (real champagne is only grown in Champagne, France). Whatever you want to call it, I’m suggesting you enjoy an organic beverage of choice.

(photos: aussiegall, cobalt123, ex.libris, flickr Creative Commons )

Once again, thanks to Ariana Gadd for compiling this amazing list! ‘Tis the season for giving and there is no better gifts, than those that give back!! Don’t forget to check out our first Holiday Gifts for Good Guide.

JEWELRY

Coke Bottles Get a Makeover!
This gorgeous jewelry is handmade by Kathleen Plate in Atlanta, Georgia from glass, sterling silver, and silver solder using traditional stained glass methods. Check out the jewelry made from recycled Coca Cola bottles or if you want something a little more colorful try Kathleen’s “Open” line. You can also buy recycled bottle ornaments for Christmas or Hanukah. Pieces start at $52.

The right kind of diamond.
Get your sweetie something beautiful that makes a statement.
The Digger’s Pendant from Brilliant Earth features the imprint of the palm of a diamond digger fashioned from black oxidized silver. A teardrop imprint with a small conflict free diamond evokes the plight of the diamond diggers of Africa. Diamond diggers in diamond-rich regions in Africa have faced death, famine, and brutal violence even while unwittingly funding wars in Angola, Sierra Leone and other regions in Africa. Today, diamond diggers continue to face enormous challenges including dangerous working conditions, a daily culture of violence, and unscrupulous dealers who deprive them of their just earnings. The Digger’s Pendant is a reminder and a challenge to all of us, to never forget their struggle, and to never give up hope that we can create a safe and fair trade through our actions. Designed by Palo Alto-based design firm No Object. $130.

Read the rest of this entry >>

The United Nations’ Global Summit on Climate Change (which we discussed here) has begun, and already the delegates from the 187 nations are taking on some pretty important issues.  The New York Times reports that talks have begun to figure out what exactly to do with emissions that come from eating meat.

This may not seem like such a big deal, but it turns out that eating meat is pretty awful for the environment when not done properly (oh, look, another link to one of our posts discussing just that).  Sayeth the Times (I’m going to just go ahead and run two quotes together from way different parts of the article together in this pull, just go with it):

The trillions of farm animals around the world generate 18 percent of the emissions that are raising global temperatures, according to United Nations estimates, more even than from cars, buses and airplanes…Producing a pound of beef creates 11 times as much greenhouse gas emission as a pound of chicken and 100 times more than a pound of carrots.

And, that 18 percent is guaranteed to rise, by quite a bit, because meat consumption around the world is skyrocketing as countries such as India, China, and Brazil get richer and have more money to spend on food. Read the rest of this entry >>

Last night I attended an inspiring benefit for The Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) organized by Be Stirred, and while the party was way up in the Hills of Beverly, ACT president Dr. Mark Plotkin, illustrated how closely tied we all are to the Amazon.   ACT partners with indigenous tribes to preserve the biodiversity, health and culture in tropical America, which not only protects the forest and it’s inhabitants, but empowers them as well.  We had the unique opportunity to meet a shaman from a tribe in Suriname who has worked closely with Dr. Plotkin, and shared with us his appreciation for the program.  Using Google Earth, the organization has trained tribes to map their land, protecting large territories from encroaching nefarious activities, such as deforestation, mining and drug trafficking.  Other programs help to document cultural and medicinal traditions to ensure the information is passed on to future generations.

Click on the image below to learn more from ACT’s video overview and takepart by supporting The Amazon Conservation Team.