COMMISSION FOR THE COAST: Alabama Governor Bob Riley on Monday signed an executive order creating a Coastal Recovery Commission that will examine the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and recommend ways to protect Alabama’s coast. “We must do everything we can to restore what’s been lost because of this disaster, but we should also use this moment to strengthen the resilience of our state and coastal communities,” Riley said in a news release. “The commission will recommend ways that improve our ability to respond to future challenges and examine strategies that will mean far less suffering the next time a catastrophe threatens us.” The commission will be made up of civic, business and community leaders and chaired by Ricky Mathews, publisher of the Mobile Press-Register. Mathews, according to the release, served as vicechairman of a similar group created by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. According to the text of Riley’s Executive Order No. 52, the new commission will be run by an executive committee composed of a chairman and 10 members picked by the governor. There will be additional advisory members nominated by members of the executive committee and approved by the governor. The Coastal Recovery Commission will present a final report to the governor and governor-elect (either Democrat Ron Sparks or Republican Robert Bentley) by December 15.
SAVE THE GULF: If you want to help restore the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the oil spill, and if your checkbook is burning a hole in your pocket, then take a look at the Gulf Restoration Fund (GRF). This non-profit supports organizations and individuals working on the restoration of the Gulf’s coastal and marine ecosystems. According to the GRF web site, the group is concerned not just about the impact on the Gulf by the recent oil spill but with what they call “the other 80 percent of the Gulf that has been destroyed by decades of coastal development projects, agricultural runoff, overfishing and pollution.” The GRF warns that while the Gulf of Mexico is one of the most biologically diverse places in America and home to over 15,000 plants and animals, several key species that spend at least part of the year there are in danger of extinction. To learn more, visit www.gulfrestorationfund.org.
DON’T KICK YOUR DOG: If your spaniel takes a crap on the carpet, don’t kick him or curse him, at least not on October 4. See, that’s World Animal Day, according to a news release from the Arlington, Va.-based conservation group Rare. The holiday began in Florence, Italy, in 1931 when a bunch of ecologists got together and looked for a way to draw attention to the plight of endangered species. October 4 was chosen because it is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. This annual commemoration, according to Rare, is designed to help improve the way animals are treated and protect their shrinking habitats. There are, we’re told, many events taking place around the globe to commemorate World Animal Day, including animal blessings, rescue-shelter fundraisers and animal-related events and projects at schools. In New York City on October 4 and throughout the month, bicycle taxis in high-traffic areas will feature provocative ads of endangered species, some with the catchy slogan “Animals don’t need to evolve. We do.” The ads were created by DIGO, which bills itself as a socially conscious ad agency. Rare calls itself “the leader in social and behavioral change for conservation” and trains leaders from governments and environmental groups. By the way, October is World Animal Month, so that means you have to be nice to your pet no matter what a little snot he is, at least until November 1. Learn more about Rare and World Animal Day at www.rareconservation.org or www.rareplanet.com.
GOVERNMENTS GO GREEN… SORT OF: Many local government officials across the country are increasingly conscious of sustainability issues, including the need to save energy, but many are just beginning to turn their green thoughts into actual programs. That’s the main take-away from a new survey released last week by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). According to an ICMA news release, the Sustainability Survey 2010 is a pioneering national survey of nearly 2,200 local governments and their sustainability initiatives, if any. The good news, according to the survey, is that 70 percent of local government respondents called energy conservation either a priority or high priority, and that nearly 62 percent of them consider the environment either a priority or high priority. The problem is in the execution. Among the possible specific actions cited by the ICMA, only 28 percent of local governments had established a task force, and only 27 percent had assigned dedicated staff to sustainability efforts. Even fewer governments had established specific benchmarks related to sustainability. Localities showed a bit more progress in energy conservation. About 63 percent had conducted energy audits of government buildings, 56 percent had upgraded office lighting and 44 percent had increased the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles. If you’re a policy wonk who craves more details, visit www.icma.org and search for “sustainability survey.”
GET YOUR FEST ON: It’s time to get your tickets to EcoFest 12, the upcoming annual fundraiser for the Southern Environmental Center (SEC) located on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College. EcoFest takes place October 7 from 6-9 p.m. at WorkPlay, located at 500 23rd St. South. There will be live and silent auctions and catering by Whole Foods Market. Tickets are $50. Proceeds from the event will help support the SEC’s efforts to turn vacant lots in Birmingham into community gardens. To reserve your tickets, call (205) 226-4934. To learn more about the SEC, visit www.bsc.edu/sec.
URBAN FARM RAISES TWILIGHT MOOLAH: The Alabama Harvest Twilight Supper held last Thursday evening, September 23, at the Jones Valley Urban Farm downtown raised more than $45,000 for the JVUF. Birmingham chefs Frank Stitt and Drew Robinson served fresh vegetables and an Argentine Asado made with beef, lamb and sausages cooked over an open flame. The event also featured a silent auction. Located on more than three acres of vacant property on the east side of downtown, JVUF is a sustainable urban farm that teaches school kids and others about sustainable agriculture and nutrition through hands-on outdoor education. The JVUF works with community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, restaurants and school gardens, and also offers garden plots to their neighbors. The JUVF is located at 701 25th St. North. For more information, call (205) 439-7213 or visit www.jvuf.org.
DOES IT SEEM HOT TO YOU? On September 27, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FSW) released the strategic plan that will guide the agency in responding to the threat posed to wildlife by global warming. The plan is called “Rising to the Urgent Challenge: Strategic Plan for Responding to Accelerating Climate Change.” According to an FWS news release, the plan is a framework within which the Service will work with the conservation community to help ensure the sustainability of fish, wildlife, plants and habitats in the face of climate change. The plan is available at www. fws.gov/home/climatechange and has three key elements—Adaptation, or helping to reduce the impacts of climate change on plants and wildlife; mitigation, or making efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; and engagement, which—in plain English—seems to mean that the Service will reach out to the public, environmental groups, businesses and other stakeholders to help solve the conservation problems created by climate change. An accompanying action plan details specific steps the Service plans to take. This involves such things as helping develop sciencebased methods to identify the most vulnerable species; prioritizing existing challenges that will be made more difficult as a result of changing climate, including water scarcity and habitat fragmentation; and leading efforts to develop a long-term National Fish and Wildlife Climate Adaptation Strategy. The agency also wishes to create a National Biological Inventory and Monitoring Partnership to effectively use the conservation community’s monitoring resources. To learn more about the climate adaptation strategy, visit www.fws.gov/nfwcas.html. For more information on the Service’s overall climate strategy, visit www. fws.gov/home/climatechange/strategy.html.
LICK YOUR ANIMAL STAMP: Soon you’ll be able to help save endangered species by merely buying some stamps, thanks to the recently passed federal Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act. And back off, Tea Bagger—it won’t cost you one extra Buffalo nickel at tax time. According to a news release from the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC), a small premium will be added to the cost of a new firstclass commemorative stamp, with the proceeds going to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Service will use the money to support conservation programs for tigers, rhinos, elephants, great apes and marine turtles. According to the release, the new stamp will be similar to the popular Breast Cancer Research stamp. 84 Democrats and 70 Republicans co-sponsored the stamp act in the U.S. House, and—according to the STC’s Marydele Donnelly—“The success of this bill demonstrates the importance of bipartisan support for conservation and the value Members of Congress and their constituents place on the world’s imperiled species.” Well, Marydele, it’s not like anybody had to go out on the proverbial limb on this one. Even a Republican can vote for a freakin’ stamp. After all, it ain’t cap and trade. The STC is a Florida-based nonprofit that carries out research and conservation efforts for the benefit of sea turtles. To learn more, call (800) 678-7853 or visit the STC website at www.conserveturtles.org.
EVEN CANYONS NEED LOVE: The Little River Canyon National Preserve has announced the formation of a new non-profit environmental support organization. The Friends of the Preserve at Little River Canyon has been established to promote and protect the site’s natural, cultural, historic and recreational resources. The Preserve is located on Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama near Ft. Payne and covers about 14,000 acres. The Friends, according to a news release, seek to encourage “multi-cultural, multi-generational visitor experiences” at the site, to promote public appreciation of the preserve, to foster educational programs and research projects, and to encourage healthy lifestyles through the recreation and fitness opportunities available at Little River Canyon. For more information, visit www.friendsofthepreserve.org.
TURNING PLASTIC INTO OIL: Dedicated Green Spacer Jane Perry of Birmingham sent us a link to a video about a Japanese researcher named Akinori Ito who’s figured out how to turn soda bottles and other landfill-bound plastic junk into fuel oil. Ito says that he became concerned about the environment after he had kids. He also realized how little space Japan has to dispose of garbage. Ito says that since plastics are a petroleum-based product, he figured it shouldn’t be that tough to convert them back. He invented a groovy machine—so small it can sit on a countertop—that melts plastic and turns it into oil. (Well, it’s more complicated than that, but you can watch the video just like I did, people.) Check it out at www.flixxy.com/convert-plastic-to-oil.htm.
Jesse Chambers is a Birmingham Weekly contributing editor. Send your encomiums to jesse@ bhamweekly.com or editor@bhamweekly.com.
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