'Overt Bastardization of the Truth': Valve Turner Listed as 'Extremist' by U.S. Government Faces Upcoming Trial
07 February
Climate
Ken Ward cuts the chain of the Trans Mountain stop valve site in Skagit County, Washington. Climate Direct Action
The valve turners recently listed by Homeland Security as "extremists" believe their action of shutting down 15 percent of the daily U.S. oil supply on Oct. 11, 2016 was their only option of fighting the climate crisis.
<p>Valve turner Ken Ward of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateDirectAction/" target="_blank">Climate Direct Action</a> is going to trial this spring for the third time. He is charged with burglary and sabotage. EcoWatch teamed up with Ward and his attorney Lauren Regan, the executive director and co-founder of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theCLDC/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Civil Liberties Defense Center</a>, on EcoWatch Live to share what this trial means for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/activists" rel="noopener noreferrer">climate activists</a> and why the U.S. government is listing some of these peaceful activists alongside mass murderers and white supremacists.</p><p>Watch the interview here:</p><p><br/></p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8d927133a5ec5910e50d58e66ff0a360"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/3188776171151645/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>"In a fairly short period of time, after making some phone calls to pipeline companies, we broke in to enclosures, cut some chains, closed what are called safety block valves and closed down all five pipelines that carry tar sands oil from Canada into the U.S.," Ward said of the October 2016 direct action. It "might count as the most significant thing I've ever done on climate."</p><p>Ward, who has been working in energy policy since 1978, including a variety of strategic approaches to climate change says "what sociologists and political scientists are demonstrating is that faced with this kind of situation, faced with an intractable political environment, where powerful industries have billions to spend ... the single most effective thing that you can do is do engage in nonviolent direct action."</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjY2OTUwMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMzMyNTY1M30.P4Mb8Tp7afKYiZRdL3xsnpBaty1i5RWf_cV8mAV1jc0/img.jpg?width=980" id="5cf32" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="44ba14da2d3427dc284a0377f4a272fc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Five members of Climate Direct Action are seen before a coordinated effort to turn off valves on a pipeline in four states. Climate Direct Action
<p>In mid January, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security listed these valve turners as "suspected environmental rights extremists" and "domestic terrorists." What does this listing mean for climate activists? </p><p>Regan is not surprised by this "rhetorical" listing.</p><p>"The far right and the fossil fuel industry are spending about $30 billion in a media campaign, basically a smear campaign. It's one of the last-ditch efforts to try and persuade Americans that their gross profits are worth more than <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/clean-water" target="_self">clean water </a>and a healthy planet," Regan says. "As they're gasping for their last profiteering breaths, they are pulling out all of the dirty tricks that those types of profiteering industries have used historically."</p><p>Such listings seem to have no relevance for climate activists, as those who engage in direct action are aware of risks such as being arrested and potentially facing serious consequences.</p><p>Regan points to "the overt bastardization of the truth or manipulation of reality by those industries." It's an attempt to "frame nonviolent civil disobedience as the same type of action as Nazis who murdered humans or anti-choice zealots that murder abortion doctors. I think normal humans with thinking brains see the incredible difference between those scenarios. It really exposes the desperation of the industry in my opinion."<span></span></p><p>Ward mentions the "immense privilege" he has to engage in direct action here in the U.S. "Most people doing this around the world are getting killed or going to prison for long periods of time," he says. "The costs are so low compared to that."</p><p>Because Ward is engaged in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-action">climate action,</a> he doesn't have "a certain amount of existential dread." He'd doing what he can. "I encourage everybody to think of what you could do," because we're out of time he says.</p><p>In the upcoming trial, Regan is defending Ward on the grounds of the climate necessity defense, something Ward was not permitted to offer in his first or second trial which both landed in a hung jury. Although Ward finished his sentence after the second trial, he chose to appeal anyway on the basis that he wasn't allowed to use the only defense he had.</p><p>Regan outlines where they are in the process:</p><blockquote>A defendant pursuant to the Sixth Amendment is entitled to assert defenses and have jurors who are the fact finders in trials determine whether or not the defense actually passed muster. The Washington Court of Appeals ruled in our favor and affirmed the right of a defendant to use the climate necessity defense. <br><br>The state then appealed up to the Washington Supreme Court. The Washington Supreme Court ruled in our favor and again affirmed the right to a climate necessity defense, thereby creating Washington state precedent for future activists to be able to use.<br><br>Since that time there has been one other climate activist that was prosecuted since our appellate victory and the state did not even attempt to hinder their right to use the defense at trial. <br><br>So now we will move forward with the ability to put on expert witnesses and to be able to argue to the jury that when you are balancing the harms of cutting a lock and temporarily shutting a block valve compared to the serious and imminent harms of the climate crisis, sea level rise, forest fires and everything else that is going on in terms of harm from climate change, when you balance those two things clearly the scales tip in favor of engaging in direct action to avert the catastrophic impacts of climate change.</blockquote>
<p>When EcoWatch asks how a victory in Ward's upcoming case would be good news for climate activists, Regan says "it's already good news for climate activists." For example, in Minnesota, where valve turners have also been granted the right to use the necessity defense, climate activists will be able to use it to argue a case to fight the Line 3 pipeline.</p><p>Regan stresses the importance of the upcoming trial: "It will be the first time that 12 jurors will be given all of the evidence and information to actually do that weighting and that balancing," Regan says, while realizing that it's a "big ask" for the public to justify a crime for the greater good.</p><p>"We've been really trained that when the state tells you that something is a crime that you're supposed to think it's bad and you're supposed to punish them," Regan says. "In light of all of the broken systems of democracy right now in our country, more and more people are coming to the realization that we may have to fight for our own lives and not rely on global policies and the fossil fuels corruption of the democratic processes."</p><p>This trial will find out whether Americans who are not necessarily engaged in climate activism, the jurors, will agree that nonviolent direct action is justified in the face of the climate crisis, in what Regan says, will be a first.</p>
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Inspiring Student in France Creates Environmental App to Motivate Others to Make a Difference Daily
11 October 2019
Facebook Videos
EcoWatch interviewed Maxime Leroux Thursday.on EcoWatch Live. EcoWatch Live Screenshot
Maxime Leroux, a 19-year-old student in France is creating an online community of people executing one "save" per day for the sake of the planet.
<p>OneSave/Day is the name of the free app that is empowering thousands to commit to just one daily action to be a better environmental steward.<br/></p><p>"What an inspiration he is," commented Misty Hay, an "EcoWatcher" who tuned in to an EcoWatch Live interview with Leroux on Thursday. "It's bringing you one action every single day that you can do," said Leroux. </p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="731daa8ab22d8441b7f2872bc93c6ef8"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/465383540726659/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>Prior to the launch of this app, Leroux had never touched app development. He hadn't even considered himself to be an environmentalist. "I had no real relationship to this topic," he said.<br></p><p>Leroux was a typical college student who grew up with a "normal" life. He began to absorb headlines about the climate crisis which leave many with a growing sense of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/eco-anxiety" target="_self">eco-anxiety</a>. He shared more about these sentiments on the blog <a href="https://ecowarriorprincess.net/2019/10/one-save-a-day-sustainable-lifestyle-app-accessible-everyone/" target="_blank">Eco Warrior Princess</a>:</p><blockquote>I was frustrated that there seemed nothing I could do every single day to make a difference; to me, taking daily action just seemed to matter.<br><br>My thoughts were that [I] alone would not have a crucial impact, but as a community, we could make all the individual actions count. Imagine 100,000 persons picking up one piece of trash on the same day. The result would be amazing, it would only take seconds for each participant to complete and the actions can easily be done every day.</blockquote><p>EcoWatch, BBC and CNN Climate are some of many sources Leroux began to study to figure out the biggest problems our planet faces. Once he began examining the problems, he started to find the solutions.</p><p>Plastic pollution is the most obvious example. "What can we do about this problem?" he asked. "Where do we consume plastic? Why do we have plastic?" Once he figured out some of the sources of the problem, one place being grocery stores, he began to create simple "saves" that anyone can do such as: Take the minimum amount of plastic from the grocery stores. On the day of the interview the task was to find out about local car sharing options.</p>
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word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">OneSave/Day on Instagram: “We don’t need to completely change our behaviors but we need to implement some sustainable action into our daily life 🌱”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p>Since the app is in its early stages of evolution, there is much room for improvement and some bugs are currently being worked out. Leroux invites EcoWatchers to find the app on instagram by searching One Save a Day and to send any feedback or ideas for future saves.</p><p>A byproduct of doing one save per day is a feeling of satisfaction at the end of each day. He receives feedback from individuals saying, "At the end of the day I know that I've done something good on this day for the planet."</p><p>Leroux wrapped up the EcoWatch Live interview by encouraging viewers to avoid comparing themselves to others such as those thriving in the zero-waste lifestyle and to try instead one "save" a day.</p>
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Last week we received positive news on the border wall's imminent construction in an Arizona wildlife refuge. The Trump administration delayed construction of the wall through about 60 miles of federal wildlife preserves.
<p>The win came shortly after the Center for Biological Diversity asked a federal judge to stop construction in 68 miles of the Arizona border via a filed injunction saying the government unlawfully ignored dozens of laws in place to protect wildlife habitat. The delay is set to last until October, leaving many environmentalists concerned this is only a temporary win. On Thursday EcoWatch teamed up with Center for Biological Diversity Borderlands Campaigner Laiken Jordahl via EcoWatch Live on Facebook to find out what we should expect to happen in the coming weeks and to gain clarity on the energy on the ground of our borderlands.</p>
<p class=""><em><br/></em></p>
Watch the interview:
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="baf7783c4db255492e19613ef41d0883"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/375788349748583/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p><br></p><p>"This is an important win, but it's so temporary and it's important to stress that," said Jordahl. "Bulldozers are already arriving on site in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on the San Pedro River in Arizona." </p><p>To find out more about this specific monument and surrounding area, watch this video which is part of the Center for Biological Diversity series <em>Border Views</em>:<br></p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0ef39b13f149fd70686884ab0b637cbf"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/392734564781381/?v=392734564781381" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>A temporary win means there is still a plan for bulldozers to tear through wildlife refuges in October. The department of homeland security will replace waist-high vehicle barriers currently in place with a "30 foot impenetrable wall, complete with night lighting and cameras on top," said Jordahl. "It will have a profound impact on wildlife connectivity in ways that these vehicle barriers do not."<br></p><p>Jordahl reiterated the importance of understanding the conservation aspects of vehicle barriers and how the border walls replacing them will have irreparable harm on wildlife — not only 93 endangered species at risk from the wall, but "virtually every single terrestrial animal [that will not be] able to cut across this impermeable barrier."</p><p><em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-border-wall-endangered-species-2410320620.html" target="_self">[Read to find out 93 endangered species threatened by Trump's wall.]</a></em></p><p>"We are proposing quite literally to ram a border wall through the heart of the best Sonoran Desert habitat anywhere in the world," said Jordahl.</p>
What can we do about it?
<p>The Center for Biological Diversity recommends a "huge outpouring of support and advocacy," and that EcoWatchers reach out to Congress stating that we want "legislative protection for these nature areas."</p><p>According to Jordahl Republicans want to approve $5 billion more for border walls which would wall off the rest of the U.S. Mexico border. Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, please call Congress.</p><p>Border wall construction is already happening and underway in Organ Pipe. Currently the Center for Biological Diversity has a pending lawsuit, awaiting a decision by Sept. 4. If they lose and Trump is allowed to waive any and all <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/mexico-border-wall-2468270508.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">environmental protections</a> to rush wall construction, they expect ground to be broken in almost 60 miles: through the entirety of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and across San Pedro River which is the last <a href="https://earthjustice.org/features/the-san-pedro-saving-the-last-free-flowing-river" target="_blank">free flowing river</a> in the American Southwest.</p><p>Jordahl says the most important things anyone can do are to raise awareness, to share videos like this interview and to help the Center Biological Diversity to reframe the argument and discussion around the border. </p><p>"If politicians in DC and most of the American public knew the reality of the land here, the beauty of the land and how fragile these ecosystems are, there's no way we'd be talking about ramming a medieval wall through some of these expansive and beautiful nature areas," said Jordahl.</p><p>Another thing EcoWatchers can do, if able, is take a trip to the border to see the borderlands for themselves. Some places Jordahl recommends visiting are Organ Pipe in Arizona and Big Bend in Texas. Jordahl's view of the borderlands is one with flourishing national treasures, diverse wildlife habitat where black bears and jaguars dwell in the same place, rugged spectacular landscapes and seven different units of the national parks service.</p>
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Bees pollinating sorghum. The EPA has not approved the lethal insecticide sulfoxaflor to be used on sorghum because it is known to attract bees. Sahaquiel9102 / Wikimedia
More than 40 percent of insects could go extinct globally in the next few decades. So why did the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week OK the 'emergency' use of the bee-killing pesticide sulfoxaflor on 13.9 million acres?
EcoWatch teamed up with Center for Biological Diversity via EcoWatch Live on Facebook to find out why. Environmental Health Director and Senior Attorney Lori Ann Burd explained how there is a loophole in the The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act under section 18, "that allows for entities and states to request emergency exemptions to spraying pesticides where they otherwise wouldn't be allowed to spray."
<p>Watch the interview:</p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5d773e1b39b9f7dce12ced374fcf6192"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/496912870852549/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>In a <a href="https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/trump-epa-oks-emergency-use-of-bee-killing-pesticide-on-139-million-acres-2019-06-17/" target="_blank">press release</a> sent to EcoWatch, the Center for Biological Diversity stated:</p><blockquote>The approval includes 2019 crops of cotton and sorghum in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Ten of the 11 states have been granted the approvals for at least four consecutive years for the same "emergency." Five have been given approvals for at least six consecutive years.</blockquote><p>If an occurrence is happening six years in a row, does that justify an emergency? </p><p>"This administration has been grossly abusing this exemption to allow the use of this one pesticide called sulfoxaflor on a vast acreage year after year," said Burd.</p><p>Our <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/biodiversity" target="_self">biodiversity</a> is at serious risk. For example, in Texas — where 5.8 million acres got emergency exemption to spray — more than 800 native bee species and eight species of bumblebees reside. It is also an <a href="https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/texas_nature_trackers/monarch/" target="_blank">important migration route</a> for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/monarchs" target="_self">monarch</a> butterflies.</p><p>"Monarch butterflies and eight species of bumblebees do overlap with Texas counties where there is sulfoxaflor spraying," said Burd. "Even at subacute, very low doses, sufoxaflor will have a very dramatic effect on bumblebee reproduction." The purpose of sulfoxaflor is to kill insects.</p>
<p>Farmers have only gotten away with spraying sulfoxaflor because they were granted emergency. The EPA has not approved the lethal insecticide sulfoxaflor to be used on sorghum because it is known to attract bees. At one point the EPA did allow the use of sulfoxaflor on cotton, however the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated the approval — the result of a lawsuit brought to them by beekeepers.</p><p>In a <a href="http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2015/09/10/13-72346.pdf" target="_blank">summary</a> following the vacated approval in 2015, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit published conclusions:</p><blockquote>The panel held that because the EPA's decision to unconditionally register sulfoxaflor was based on flawed and limited data, the EPA's unconditional approval was not supported by substantial evidence. The panel vacated the EPA's unconditional registration because given the precariousness of bee populations, leaving the EPA's registration of sulfoxaflor in place risked more potential environmental harm than vacating it.</blockquote><p>Criticism <a href="https://www.snopes.com/news/2019/02/19/epa-emergency-pesticide-harmful-to-bees/" target="_blank">has been raised</a> by the fact-checking resource Snopes on the grounds that it is misleading to imply that Trump is the only one who's approved emergency exemptions for sulfoxaflor. EcoWatch asked the Center for Biological diversity to respond.</p><p>"This is not a new problem," said Burd. "This has been going on for six consecutive years and we have not been in the Trump administration for six consecutive years." So, yes, Trump's EPA did this, but "this is by no means a new problem. Our pesticide registration and approval process is fundamentally broken. EPA's pesticide office is captured by industry and they are not doing their jobs protecting human health and the environment from these pesticides," said Burd.</p>
<iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1097944324124434432" id="twitter-embed-1097944324124434432" lazy-loadable="true" src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1097944324124434432&created_ts=1550605300.0&screen_name=food_democracy&text=Breaking%3A+%23Trump+%23EPA+OKs+%27Emergency%27+to+Dump+Bee-Killing+Pesticide+on+16+Million+Acres+%22emergency%22+approvals++2+sp%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FQNkcexUMP4&id=1097944324124434432&name=Food+Democracy+Now%21" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="0J1I0S1576662550"></iframe><p>EcoWatch asked Burd if there anything the public can do to stop these emergency approvals and prevent the use of toxic pesticides.<br></p><p>Burd suggested EcoWatchers consider <a href="https://act.biologicaldiversity.org/onlineactions/7MbK0Je1RE-x21BeBYx4EA2?sourceID=1005270&utm_source=ad&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=currentalerts&fbclid=IwAR1DsZftCDaJv5bLAc7hJ90A5zEBA5E9CJAKHfIhmYrUXjjtyPzbpElWD6c" target="_blank">signing a petition</a> "demanding that Trump's EPA stop rubber-stamping 'emergency' uses of pesticides that wreak havoc on our environment." EcoWatchers can also help by getting involved with various groups working to protect the environment, choosing organic, refusing the use of pesticides at home, talking about not using them at work or at a homeowners association, supporting local ordinances going after pesticide issues, voting often or early and planting pollinator friendly gardens in rural and urban environments.</p>
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Agricultural spraying. Marcos Alves / Moment Open
<p><em>Correction: A previous version of this article used the above photo of agricultural spraying as headline image. Headline image has been updated for clarity.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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WATCH: Inspiring You and 1 Billion People to Take Part in One Plastic Free Day
03 June 2019
Insights + Opinion
EcoWatch teamed up with A Plastic Planet via Facebook live on Monday to amplify the voice of the exciting #OnePlasticFreeDay.
Will you be a part of this solution? Campaigners and businesses united to launch one of the largest plastic pollution visual surveys ever conducted.
On June 5, coincided with World Environment Day, A Plastic Planet urges you to join the challenge. It's simple. Take a photo of anything you would like to see go plastic free. Post the photo to your social media channels and use the hashtag #OnePlasticFreeDay. Include where you are posting from and what the item or place is.
EcoWatch teamed up with A Plastic Planet via Facebook live on Monday to amplify the voice of the exciting One Plastic Free Day in which people will unite locally and globally to take part in a landmark global visual survey on plastic.
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2ef49eaf04e5fbbc7f9ca82fe4170d7c"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/791470221254481/?" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>In a press release sent to EcoWatch, <a href="http://aplasticplanet.com" target="_blank">A Plastic Planet</a> explains how the photos from social media posts will be used:</p><blockquote>Following June 5 the comprehensive global results will be published as part of a landmark visual report into the frustration caused by unnecessary plastic across the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia. <br><br>The major new visual report is set to shed new light on the extent of the global plastic crisis, identifying hotspots around the world where decisive change is most needed. One Plastic Free Day is also set to see Governments and big business make their own plastic reduction pledges. </blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByPaVuBHnrx/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
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word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">A Plastic Planet on Instagram: “2 Days to go until #oneplasticfreeday 2019! We’re so excited to know what you want to see go Plastic Free so join us on the day by…”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p>"The fifth of June is a day for us to say we've had enough, but together in harmony and that's how we can really make an impact," said Eileen Horowitz Bastianelli, environmental crusader with EcoCentric Solutions and A Plastic Planet. "The solutions are there but we have to look at them together and we have to approach our governments with the appropriate asks."</p><p>What makes this opportunity unique is that it's a solution owned by the people. This is a chance for the public to tell governments and corporations exactly what they want to be rid of plastic.</p><p>"This hashtag is really important because it's about everybody," said Frederikke Magnussen, co-founder of <a href="https://www.aplasticplanet.com/about-us.php" target="_blank">A Plastic Planet</a>. "We have more power than we think and that hashtag will show that we are standing together ... we look at plastic as the tip of the iceberg where we can actually try to make a change."</p><p>Bastianelli explained in the Facebook Live that she is thrilled to see how many individuals are backing One Plastic Free Day. Not only will billboards celebrating the day be lit up in Times Square, but also in places around the world. Hollywood stars, athletes and leading campaigners are also taking part.</p><p>So get out there, snap a photo of an item that is unnecessarily laced in plastic and become a voice in this solution.</p>
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Sesame, three months old, at Seal Rescue Irleand. Screenshot / Seal Rescue Ireland Instagram
On Friday, Seal Rescue Ireland released Sesame the seal into the ocean after five months of rehabilitation at the Seal Rescue Ireland facility. Watch the release on EcoWatch's Facebook.
<p><br></p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="11b787c57df6f985acf0cb1f94926547"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1047110562146118/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>On Nov. 21, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sealrescueireland/?hl=en" target="_blank">Seal Rescue Ireland</a> — Ireland's only seal rescue center — found five to six week old Sesame underweight at only 13 kilos with deep lacerations all over her body. Waves from big storms had likely thrown her against the rocks when she was less than 2 months old. Today she's at a healthy weight of 42 kilos and ready to return home.<br></p><p>"It's really encouraging to see her take straight to the waves," said Sam Brittain, animal care manager. "The last time she was in the sea was probably a bit of a traumatic experience for her."<br></p><p><span></span>Sesame was initially set to return to the sea on April 13, as reported on EcoWatch Live during a tour of their facilities:</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="45dd925b889c881c050b250eb71ef66f"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/667800326970698/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>"In a natural turn of Murphy's Law, she unfortunately was delayed because another big storm came through," said Brittain. The release was rescheduled and he explained that the frequency of storms is increasing because of climate change. "It's becoming a big problem for the grey seals." <br></p><p>Volunteers gathered round to demonstrate their support during the release and cheered Sesame on once the cage was opened. "We're really happy with how many people showed out to give her a good welcome back to the sea" said Brittain.</p>
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We are thrilled to announce our third challenge of the year in hopes of inspiring you to take part in a sustainable solution. It's simple: go vegan for 10 days, talk about it in your daily life and create social media posts about your experience using the hashtag #Vegan4TenDays. For a chance to be featured on EcoWatch's Instagram, tag EcoWatch in your stories.
Going vegan is proven to be the best thing you can do for the planet so EcoWatch teamed up with the executive producer of What the Health? Sailesh Rao and VBites head of marketing Jasper Wilkins via Facebook Live to break down the vegan lifestyle for you in a digestible manner.
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<p>"[Going vegan] is the absolute <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/vegan-climate-change-2558286917.html">best thing you can do</a> from a climate change perspective and an extinction perspective," said Rao. </p><p>Rao explained that one third of croplands are <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/ar591e/ar591e.pdf" target="_blank">used to graze animals</a>. "We are extracting six times as much food as we need from the planet and we are giving <a href="https://www.preventyearzero.org/research">83 percent of the food we extract</a> to the animals and then <a href="https://borgenproject.org/15-world-hunger-statistics/" target="_blank">starving 9 million</a> people to death every year."</p><p>Rao explained that we have a systematic problem driven by scarcity in a hierarchal system we have created.</p><p>EcoWatch asked Rao how we've ended up in such a system that teaches, for example, that products like <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/dairy-industry-facts-2525727633.html" target="_blank">dairy</a> are healthy for humans to consume.</p>
<p>"The FDA is part of the U.S. government. The U.S. government is pretty much influenced by industry. So the industry has convinced the FDA that we need to sell more," said Rao. "This is how they have basically convinced schools to give milk to kids, to have <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/kids-lunch-climate-change-2280516131.html" target="_self">cheese in their lunches</a> even though it is well-known that this is not good for them. So they get type 1 diabetes, and all kinds of diseases by eating excessive dairy. Unfortunately this is the system that we live in. We create diseases in people and then we fix them with pharmaceuticals and surgical procedures."</p><p>When Rao was diagnosed with arthritis at age of 40 he was taking painkillers daily, until he switched to a vegan diet. Within one month of eating vegan, he no longer suffered from the pain.</p><p>EcoWatchers engaged with the live feed by attesting to Rao's statement, such as Michael Chapman who said, "My spouse (primary and urgent care MD) is reversing his patients' diabetes and heart disease by switching them to Whole Foods (organic) plant-based diet." Another comment was from nurse practitioner Rosario M. Chayo, who said, "I encourage as Vegan as possible [when formulating diets]!"</p>
<p>The Facebook Live has almost 200 comments suggesting that people care about their impact on the planet and are willing to engage in solutions such as going vegan.</p><p>"It's so important for our own health, but obviously the health of the planet and the health of the other people and animals that we share this world with," said Wilkins as he brought up the unsustainable practice of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/overfishing" target="_self">overfishing</a>.<br></p><p>Over the past five years Wilkins traveled the world working on humanitarian projects that were directly affected by climate change. By leading a vegan lifestyle and using social media to spread positive awareness with projects such as <a href="http://www.infocusorg.com/blog/photography-for-conservation" target="_blank">In Focus</a> and <a href="https://www.volunteerics.org/why-volunteer-ics?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social" target="_blank">International Citizen Service</a>, Wilkins is able to do his part to mitigate the climate crisis. Wilkins stands by veganism on the basis of animal rights, human health and the health of our planet.</p>
<p>Wilkins has seen first-hand positive effects of the vegan trend. While working for the vegan food company <a href="http://www.vbites.com" target="_blank">VBites</a>, he's seen the growth in demand for the more than 130 products offered. "More and more people now are more open to changing to a plant-based diet because now the technology is there to replicate taste. It's really good that everything is coming together at one time."</p><p>Wilkins urged viewers to understand that going vegan will create almost immediate positive results in terms of sustainability.</p><p>"It has an immediate impact on the environment by going vegan and it's something that is becoming so much easier because of the accessibility of food," he said.</p><p>If everyone were to switch to a vegan diet, one third of our land could return to its original use, a lush <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">wildlife</a> habitat.</p><p>"From a climate change perspective, this is the number one thing anyone could be doing," said Rao as he expressed hope.</p>
<p>Are you up for the challenge? It's simple.</p><ul><li>Go #vegan4tendays and use the hashtag on social media posts.</li><li>Create posts or stories on social that speak of the impact the challenge has made on your life.</li><li>Tag the three of us in your Instagram stories so we can consider featuring your work: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ecowatch/" target="_blank">@EcoWatch</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/infocusorg/" target="_blank">@Infocusorg</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/veganworld2026/" target="_blank">@veganworld2026</a>.<a href="https://www.instagram.com/veganworld2026/" target="_blank"></a></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/veganworld2026/" target="_blank"></a>Share the challenge with your friends and family.</li></ul>
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- Going Vegan Is the Best Thing You Can Do for the Planet, New ... ›
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Sustainability activist and Instagram influencer Margarita Samsonova speaks with EcoWatch on her experience as a volunteer worker abroad. Facebook Live
EcoWatch teamed up with sustainability activist and Instagram influencer Margarita Samsonova via Facebook Live to give you the tools you need to make a massive impact on this planet through volunteer work.
Here are five steps including valuable "pro-tips" to get you on your way to a life-changing experience as a volunteer abroad.
<p><br/></p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cc9e9186c55ee9528e2c0c31134d8d81"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/339146546950985/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p><br/></p>
1. Imagine Your Capabilities
<p>Step one is using your imagination to discover what you are capable of. Samsonova explained that she never would have thought she'd be where she is today. "I just had a passion but I couldn't even phrase it," said Samsonova as she shared how the path she once imagined didn't make logical sense at the time. She had no idea who she would one day be when she first recognized her passion to study zoology and thus make a difference on the planet. </p><p>Samsonova trusted and surrendered to her passion, eventually discovered her message, and today she has a video with 22,000 views on Facebook and 106,000 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/s_marga/" target="_blank">followers in Instagram</a>. She's inspiring people around the globe to do the work. And she gets to spend at least one month each year doing volunteer abroad work.</p><div id="a3aa9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="UXD5F91576661747"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjzx0N3HkYE/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Margarita on Instagram: “How to find a dream to follow? Not a dream car to have, not a dream vacation but that ultimate life goal? How did people decide that they…”</a></p> </div></blockquote></div>2. Do the Research
<p>Research everything until you find the organization of your choice. For example, you might start by searching "penguin rescue center" + "your preferred destination." Once you find a specific organization, be sure to check reviews as well.</p><p>In case you find yourself stuck on third party websites that disclose the name of specific organizations and cost large amounts of money. Samsonova shared a "pro-tip" for you. </p><p>On that website, view the description for the volunteer opportunity you've found. Copy and paste some of the words in that description to your preferred search engine including the country. For example, copy and paste words like "spend time giving medications to turtles + Costa Rica" to your search engine. There's a high chance you will then find the name of that organization and void the fees from the third party website.</p><div id="e8736" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="92IX7Q1576661747"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu-6VIQB6P6/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Instagram post by Margarita • Mar 14, 2019 at 9:05am UTC</a></p> </div></blockquote></div>3. Follow the Money
<p>As described in the Instagram post below, it can costs money to volunteer. Samsonova offered another "pro-tip" — $20 - 30 per day is the recommended cost you should pay. If an opportunity costs more than that, it's important to get back to researching and find out where that money is going. </p><p>Another way to avoid paying money is telling the organization about any value you can add while you are there. If you are a skilled worker, you can discuss offering your services in exchange for a the volunteer opportunity.</p><div id="fd82b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="XND4PB1576661747"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtGuJPDhrU6/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Margarita on Instagram: “Why pay to volunteer? Sometimes it is hard to believe that you need to pay to work, but maybe what I explain now will shed a light on this…”</a></p> </div></blockquote></div>4. Be Patient
<p>Those who offer volunteer work are often times incredibly busy people who are working on saving orangutans from illegal logging operations, rescuing sea turtles from <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/poaching">poachers</a> and capturing <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/ghost-gear">ghost nets</a> trapping endangered species such as the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/vaquita">vaquita</a>. </p><p>"Things can be really slow. They can be located in the middle of no where with limited service. They have other things to think about. The process can be quite long ... they might forget to reply," said Samsonova. </p><p>She urged viewers to avoid taking these circumstances personally and explained an experience she once had where the messages were very short and she thought they might not want her to come. "Maybe I shouldn't go," she wondered. </p><p>She realized they were just too busy to have long conversations. "If you want to come, come here, trust me we will show you everything," is the message she received.</p><div id="926fd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HPNUPT1576661748"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtROTLDhEOh/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Margarita on Instagram: “On my recent trip to Indonesia, it was absolutely heartbreaking to learn that orangutans- beautiful creatures that I wanted to see so bad…”</a></p> </div></blockquote></div>5. Take Responsibility
<p>Volunteering abroad will open your eyes to the destruction we cause as humans and what we can do to avoid harming to the planet. </p><p>"You never come back the same person from a trip like that because it changes your perspective, your opinion on life on how other people live in different countries," said Samsonova. "With every trip I do I come back a better person."</p><p>Samsonova wrapped up the interview by discussing the massive impact volunteering typically has on a person. She said she never comes back the same person after a trip. "How can I care about shoes and nail polish if there are penguins out there that are dying?"</p><div id="7d8dc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="NINDVC1576661748"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu1fvYkBn2t/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Margarita on Instagram: “Doing what you love vs just doing. I think the biggest struggle in life for so many is to find what you are passionate about. So many…”</a></p> </div></blockquote></div>
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Can you go 21 days without using plastic water bottles? Well, you've been challenged. Too easy of a challenge for you? Share the idea with your friends and family. Imagine if the entire world went 21 days without consuming plastic bottles.
Let's make 2019 the year of plastic pollution solutions. We have unimaginable power as consumers to create a better world for our children.
<h2></h2>
<p>At this point, you likely have a solid understanding of the importance of this challenge. So find yourself a water bottle that you enjoy drinking from, and be sure you have access to a water refill station or water filtration system if needed. You are officially a change maker and an #EcoWatcher committed to making a difference.</p>
You've Been Challenged
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e34e5a32ba0ad180a49e6c8147e23005"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/353482992157798/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>EcoWatch teamed up with China's first professional surfer Darci Liu and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/5minutebeachcleanup/" target="_blank">#5minutebeachcleanup</a> founder Carolina Sevilla to create an exciting challenge to help you on your path to making a huge difference on this planet. Get engaged with your friends and family and embark with us on this journey. </p><p>It's simple: refuse plastic bottles for 21 days, talk about it on social media, hashtag #PlasticBottlesChallenge and reflect on your experience for a week via social media posts. Let us know via social media direct messaging if this challenge has made a difference in your life. Mention <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ecowatch/" target="_blank">@EcoWatch</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/5minutebeachcleanup/" target="_blank">@5minutebeachcleanup</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/take__away_from_the_sea/" target="_blank">@take__away_from_the_sea</a> so we can consider featuring your experience in our Instagram story.</p>We Need a Massive Shift
<div id="963ca" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6ROIGG1576664278"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtwB6cVHTA-/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">5MinuteBeachCleanup on Instagram: “NOTHING MORE ACCURATE THAN THIS. 🔝🔛🔝#5minutes . . . . #Repost @chacunsoncafe ・・・ Changemaker Series 🌟 - Meet Dan Reynolds aka…”</a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>"We get used to very easy lifestyles," said Liu, but we've got to shift our mindsets and move away from the single-use mentality.</p><p>"What we need to realize is how much that bottle has traveled to be where you are," said Sevilla as she spoke about the carbon footprint of plastic water bottles. We are responsible for the destruction happening on this planet. Sevilla urged viewers to get engaged, reject single-use plastic and realize that "this can really make an impact."</p>Plastic Is Wreaking Havoc On Our Health
<div id="ce214" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="KCWBKJ1576664278"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtgiaSyj98s/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Plastic Pollution Coalition on Instagram: “Research shows that plastic is showing up in our food and in our bodies. Exactly what the health consequences of this are has yet to be…”</a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>"It's way healthier for us to bring our own water bottles" instead of consuming whatever bottles of water or beverages are available when we are on the go, said Liu. Plastic Pollution Coalition points out in the above Instagram post that we are still learning about the health implications of plastic.</p>Plastic Bottles or Tap Water?
<div id="5e4f4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="Z7AUTS1576664279"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq2cqhdh_AH/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">The Story of Stuff Project on Instagram: “#storyofplastic Takeover Day 3 of 6⠀ ⠀ The Facts of Single-use Plastic Bags⠀ ⠀ a. Research by The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI)…”</a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/bottled-water-plastic-contamination-2547834868.html">93 percent of bottled water</a> contains microplastics. The <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/7-types-of-plastic-wreaking-havoc-on-our-health-1882198584.html" target="_self">chemicals used</a> in plastic bottles create these microplastics. Have we all processed the fact that these chemicals do leach into the liquid, and thus end up in our systems as well?</p>Coke, Pepsi and Nestlé Are World's Biggest Producers of Plastic Trash
<div id="0fb56" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="XTBAD61576664279"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BoyC0MyHUFO/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">A daddy and mummy team on Instagram: “Global plastic polluters - this comes from the @breakfreefromplastic #brandauditreport (link in their bio). It details a global gathering…”</a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>Liu lives on Hainan Island China where she has direct connection to the ocean each day, a rare opportunity considering most of China is away from the sea.</p><p>"Every single day there is more trash in the ocean next to me while I'm surfing," said Liu. "Kids ask me the question why there are so many plastic bottles in the ocean. I don't know how to answer the kids."</p>From Your Site Articles
- WATCH: Inspiring & Easy Way to Make a Huge Difference ... ›
- 22 Facts About Plastic Pollution (And 10 Things We Can Do About It ... ›
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WATCH: Inspiring & Easy Way to Make a Huge Difference #LandfillChallenge
04 January 2019
Facebook Videos
We are excited to announce that today marks the start of our 21-day #LandfillChallenge in which we're challenging you to hold on to your plastic trash for 21 days.
The average American produces 4.4 pounds of waste per day. Since our garbage is "out of sight, out of mind," it's easy for us to disregard how much we are contributing to our growing landfills. We will no longer sit back and watch this destruction build—instead we'll offer solutions and encourage you to participate through various challenges throughout 2019. Let's do this!
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d4a1d09c85f6fae8e4d1612e7fbb2b7e"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/223016605285502/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><h2>Let's Make 2019 the Year of Plastic Pollution Solutions<br></h2><p>Last year generated critically important momentum for plastic pollution awareness. Considering how the topic is now being talked about on mainstream media, how Collins Dictionary <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/collins-dictionary-word-of-year-2618536251.html" target="_blank">designated "single-use"</a> as the word of the year and how the theme of Earth Day was ending plastic pollution, it's near impossible to have a blind eye to the problem. To take action you have to start by seeing exactly what the problem is and that's why we're thrilled to invite you on this journey that we've called the #landfillchallenge.</p><div id="c8797" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3O9JZO1576661660"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
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</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BhzGt-FBQRr/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Environmental News on Instagram: “Earth Day is this weekend! . Read about how the founder of Earth Day is calling for the end to the plastic pollution crisis. .…”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p>Once we see how much garbage we produce in the next 21 days, we'll see the immediacy of the need to act. Reducing waste is such an easy way to make a small act for a massive ripple effect on our planet.<br></p><h2>Your Chance to Make a Huge Impact</h2><p>We've teamed up with Blue Yourself to create a simple process for you. Save your plastic trash for 21 days, then join us on Jan. 26 to share our experience together.</p><ol class="ee-ol"><li>While continuing your normal daily routine, hold on to all plastic trash for 21 days—including recyclables and trash you create while on the go.</li><li>Create social media posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #LandfillChallenge.</li><li>Have the chance to get featured on the Instagram stories of EcoWatch and our co-host Blue Yourself by tagging <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ecowatch/?hl=en" target="_blank">@EcoWatch</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/blue_yourself/?hl=en" target="_blank">@Blue_Yourself</a> as you document your experience.</li><li><span></span>Join us Saturday Jan. 26 at 10 a.m. EST / 7 a.m. PST as we hold a Facebook Live on EcoWatch to mark the start of a week of reflection together. </li><li>Co-create with us on Jan. 26 if you are feeling the pull. Show us your positive energy and enthusiasm in your social media posts and we may reach out to you and invite you to our live video talk show during our live reflection event.</li></ol><h2>Week-Long Reflection Will Help Us Plan Next Step</h2><p>A week-long reflection will teach us the following information we need to know to make changes in our lives:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Are we in fact "<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/climate/recycling-wrong-mistakes.html" target="_blank">aspirational recyclers</a>?"<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/climate/recycling-wrong-mistakes.html" target="_blank"></a></li><li>Do the numbers on the bottom of recyclables mean anything?</li><li>Which of the three "r's" of reduce, reuse, recycle is most important?</li><li>Are all of our recyclables actually recycled?</li><li>What's the best way to recycle plastic bottles?</li><li>What do we do with compostable plastic?</li></ul>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e549d39ca5a9cca586824f1a647abd52"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/2227847387480039/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div>
<p>You've Been Challenged! Tell Your Friends. We're All in This Together.<br></p>
From Your Site Articles
- The Complex and Frustrating Reality of Recycling Plastic ›
- How to Recycle Plastic Food Containers? Here Are Some Tips ›
- Earth Day Founder Calls for End to Plastic Pollution ›
- 'Single-Use' Is Collins Dictionary's Word of the Year ›
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What Will It Take to Stop Trump From Bulldozing Most Diverse Butterfly Center for Border Wall Section Already Funded?
21 December 2018
Facebook Videos
Bulldozers are expected to arrive at the National Butterfly Center in February or early March. A planned 5.5 mile section of concrete and steel border wall that is already funded will cut straight through the most diverse butterfly sanctuary in the U.S.
Marianna Wright, executive director of the National Butterfly Center believes most Americans are unaware that 33 new miles were funded in the 2018 Omnibus spending bill in March. The National Butterfly Center is on a segment of those 33 new miles, costing roughly $30 million per mile according to Wright.
<p>
EcoWatch <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/345706262651120/" target="_blank">teamed up</a> with passionate individuals working on the border with the Center for Biological Diversity and the National Butterfly center on Wednesday to educate Facebook Live viewers on what is happening on the grounds. Viewers asked thought-provoking questions and left encouraging comments such as, "Calling my Senators right now."
</p><p>
"Nature knows no borders," said Laiken Jordahl, Center for Biological Diversity borderlands campaigner. "Animals have evolved to migrate freely for millennia and now we are proposing quite literally to slice the continent in two with the border wall. To think that we could do something like that free of consequence is delusional."<br>
</p><p>
Wright states that the morale on the ground right now is "pretty bad." To date, 28 laws have been <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/border-wall-mexico-2540848560.html" target="_blank">waived for border wall construction</a> including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.
</p><div id="4c7ea" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="NPZE7R1576662594"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqocw_MAUgx/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">National Butterfly Center on Instagram: “Some important information for those concerned with the future border wall.”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p>
"The potential impacts are devastating," said Wright. "Especially for animals like the ocelot where we have fewer than 80 known in existence."<br>
</p><p>
Not only will migration routes be divided for hundreds of species, including those endangered such as the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-mexico-wall-jaguars-2216942406.html" target="_blank">jaguar</a> and Mexican gray <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/mexico-border-wall-2468270508.html">wolf</a>, but the border wall will divide tribal nations and interfere with the flow of water in certain sections.
</p><p><em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-border-wall-endangered-species-2410320620.html" target="_blank">[Read to find out 93 endangered species threatened by Trump's wall.]</a></em></p><p>
"Border walls are horrifically damaging for the environment," said Jordahl. "If these plans do move forward they will certainly be met with vociferous opposition," said Jordahl.
</p><p>
As one viewer asked, "Can we stop the construction of what has already been funded?" Jordahl answered with a hopeful response, urging viewers to continue to weigh in to Congress and to show up on the ground and fight when the time comes. He states that we must continue to <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/contact" target="_blank">put pressure on U.S. Customs and Border Protection</a> and make them question the morality of their actions.
</p><p>
"No, we cannot stop this," said Wright in a comment sent to EcoWatch. "Nothing Trumps eminent domain, so they will seize the property."
</p><p>
Whether or not we can stop the already funded destruction of the National Butterfly Center is up in the air and resistance plans are pending. However, Jordahl remains hopeful about maintaining #NoBorderWall advocacy.
</p><p>
"I do believe that people can change and I do believe that if we make <a href="http://www.nowall.org" target="_blank">this project</a> so toxic and so unpalatable, they might reconsider."
</p><p>
The interview ends on a positive note as Jordahl urges viewers to remember to call their senators, regardless of who they are and to change the narrative whenever speaking about the borders. The borderlands are incredibly biodiverse filled with breathtaking flora and fauna—a true national treasure—and should not be viewed as a dangerous and out of control place.
</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Judge Allows Trump to Waive Environmental Laws to Build Border ... ›
- Trump's Wall Threatens 93 Endangered Species ›
- Most Diverse Butterfly Center in the U.S. to be Bulldozed for Trump's ... ›
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