Neotropical Eco Foundation

...for the environment

 
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Neotropical Eco Foundation

New Web Site Layout

Welcome to our newly remade site. We are in the process of converting the site to Joomla!. This will enable us to bring our visitors a richer and more content filled experience. The transition period will last for a bit, during which time both the old site and the new will be available. At any time, by using the Tab Menu above you can return to the old format site.

Please drop us a line, using the Contact Us tab above, to let us know your thoughts on the new site.

Thanks from all of us at the Neotropical Eco Foundation.

Last Updated ( Friday, 11 April 2008 09:52 )
 

Climate Change - Where are they?

Sugar replacing pasture in Sao Paulo state

We are not what are probably considered to be ‘experienced’ birders. We have only been at it since 2004, but we have noticed recently that many species that were frequent visitors to our home and favorite birding sites can no longer be seen at these spots.

This southern hemisphere summer, drawing to a close now, has had unusual weather. The month of January was the wettest in recent history with over 440mm of rain, where the historical average is 267mm. As of the 10th of March, the average daily highs have been 2.2oC over normal and the average daily lows nearly 1oC above normal. There was a scant 1mm of rain when, on average, about 53 would be normal. Taken out of context these data might not be significant, but when you consider the recent convergence of scientific opinion on climate change they seem to indicate something.

Last Updated ( Monday, 21 April 2008 19:25 ) Read more...
 

The Ethanol Question - Part II

Back in August 2006 when we published our first article on the question of the use of Ethanol as an alternative to petroleum derivatives for motor fuel, we hoped that we would provoke a wider discussion on the subject. Well, it appears to be heating up - and maybe we helped just a little. Of course, the larger question, that of Climate Change, is also on everyone's lips, and maybe we helped spark that too!

We have been gratified to see that some of the major organs of world opinion have embraced our arguments, like the crowding out effect that the use of current feed crops, such as corn, will have on the price of food. This topic was analyzed by the New York Times in it's Op-Ed piece of February 6, 2007.

Two other pieces published in the New York Times (1, 2) relating to the mystery of the disappearing honey bees in North America are pointing at possible climatic change or pesticide misuse as causative factors. Either of these possible causes are alarming. The impact of a major reduction in the number of bees pollinating crops in North America is dire indeed.

The whole bio-fuel question really heated up with the early March visit of President Bush to Brazil. The agreement signed at that time will virtually guarantee that there will be vastly increased usage of ethanol and other bio-derivatives. What can we expect from this development?

On March 21, 2007 The Guardian published an article touching on another aspect that we highlighted - that of the veiled slavery in the cane fields of Brazil. Since this topic is of importance to us, our corespondent sent a letter to the Guardian, which we quote below:

Last Updated ( Monday, 21 April 2008 19:23 ) Read more...
 


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