1 – Make Your Cat An Indoor Cat

Cats make great pets, and it’s fine to have one. However, cats are predators—they just can’t help themselves. And that’s a good thing when they apply that predatory instinct indoors, in a house, building or barn, to kill destructive, disease-spreading rats and mice. However, cats that are free to roam outdoors can and do prey on vulnerable native birds. Some estimates put the number of birds lost to cats each year at 500 million in North America alone.

Nor does putting a bell on a cat serve as fair warning to birds. Most birds are frightened by loud noises, as well as by such “hunting” sounds as a branch cracking. However, the ringing of a bell does not not alarm them until they see the cat that bell is attached to—and by then, it’s usually too late.

So, train your cat to be an indoor pet. Not only will you save the lives of many birds, but your cat will be healthier—less likely to pick up parasites and diseases, be injured in a fight, or be struck by a car—and also live a longer life.

Want to read more about cats as predators of native birds?

2 – Preserve Wildlife Habitat

If you are fortunate enough to be a land steward—a person who has the say-so over what happens on an undeveloped piece of property, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant—take wildlife into consideration whenever you make a decision. A single tree can provide permanent or seasonal habitat for all kinds of wildlife, including birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles such as snakes, and small mammals.

And a dead tree can often be even more beneficial than a live one. Not only do all sorts of creatures, from nuthatches to flying squirrels, like to nest in the cavities of dead trees, but mammals and birds alike often feast on the wood-eating insects that infest their trunks and branches. If possible, it is good to leave standing deadwood—dead trees that are still upright—right where it is.

Likewise, vernal pools—”wet spots” in woods or open areas that usually dry up in the middle of summer—often are not the useless puddles they may seem at first glance. Vernal pools often provide important breeding habitat for such amphibians as frogs, salamanders and newts—as well as dining facilities for animals and birds that like to eat amphibians!

3 – Provide Water

Wild creatures are usually quite capable of finding all the food they need on their own—especially in areas where people have taken care to leave some of their natural habitat intact. Water, however, is sometimes a problem for them, especially in summer, when it dries up, and in winter, when it’s frozen. This is especially true in areas where human development has made natural sources of water difficult for wildlife to get to.

People can help by maintaining and regularly replenishing a source of clean drinking water for wildlife—a birdbath or even a small pool that other types of creatures aside from birds can reach. If you live in the North, your water supply will require some type of small heating device in winter to keep it from freezing.

Remember to place all wildlife water sources at a distance from brush or bushes from which a predator such as a cat can launch an ambush.

4 – Be Sparing In Your Use Of Pesticides And Other Chemicals—And Put That Bug Zapper Away!

Many chemicals used outdoors to kill insect pests can also harm birds and beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies. In addition, many types of chemical fertilizers, including “treatments” to help lawns grow greener, can and do find their way into water sources, where they cause algae blooms and cause other sorts of environmental harm.

Use as few chemicals in the outdoors as you possibly can. Instead, research natural ways of discouraging pests and encouraging your lawn and garden to grow.

In addition, avoid using “bug lights” or “bug zappers” to kill mosquitoes and other biting insects outdoors. While these devices use light to attract insects, mosquitoes, blackflies and other blood-seeking pests are not attracted to light; they are instead attracted to heat and carbon dioxide. The result is that bug zappers end up killing thousands of harmless insects—ones that otherwise could have served as food for birds, bats and fish—while doing nothing at all to curb mosquitoes and biting flies.

5 – Plant A Wildlife Garden

No matter how small a yard you have, you can still cultivate a few plants that can provide nourishment to insects, such as butterflies and bees, as well as to other wildlife, such as hummingbirds. In fact, even a window box containing the right kinds of flowers can be a help to some species.

And for this project, give yourself extra credit if you manage to research, locate and use native plant species—plants that evolved in your area, and that native wildlife has been relying on for thousands of years.

You’ll find good information on creating a butterfly garden here.

Information on plantings to help help bees and other bee-gardening tips can be found here.

If you want your garden to be of benefit to native birds, including hummingbirds, have a look here.

And keep in mind that, if you have enough space, there’s no reason not to do mixed plantings that help out butterflies, birds and bees.

6 – Feed Birds The Right Way—And Don’t Feed Mammals At All

It’s perfectly OK to feed wild birds. However, not all commercial bird feeds are created equal, and not all of them contain the right kinds of nutrition for many wild birds. It’s good to do a little research into the nutritional needs of the wild birds in your area, and to select a food mixture that will be of most benefit to the species you’re hoping to attract.

In addition, be aware that a backyard feeder tends to attract more birds than would naturally concentrate in an area. If you then stop feeding for any reason, the birds may suffer because there isn’t enough natural food in the area to satisfy all of them. So, if you start feeding, you need to keep feeding, at least until spring arrives and natural food is more plentiful. if you go away on vacation, make sure a friend or neighbor stops by to fill the feeders.

Mammals such as deer and raccoons, on the other hand, should never be fed. Feeding teaches these animals to be dependent on humans as well as to lose their fear of them. Dependence and lack of fear make animals more likely to come into conflict with people—and conflict with people almost always brings sad results for a wild animal.

7 – Become A Wildlife Rehabilitator

Most states license specially trained volunteers to serve as wildlife “rehabilitators”—people who care for injured, sick or orphaned wildlife.

Wildlife rehabilitation requires special knowledge, and you should never undertake to care for a wild bird or animal yourself unless you have that training. Instead, if you find a creature that needs help, you should first take steps to make sure that bird or animal is temporarily safe and secure, and then contact someone who is a wildlife rehabilitator. Your state fish and game department probably has a list of people who can help; your state Audubon chapter can also probably be of assistance.

If you are interested in becoming a wildlife rehabilitator yourself, you will probably need to apprentice yourself to someone who is already doing the job. Here is a good link for information on getting started. Also, contact your state fish and game agency for licensing requirements and other information.

8 – Provide Nesting Sites And Shelter

Development by humans has not only destroyed areas where wildlife searches for food, it has also deprived birds, animals and insects of places to live and raise their young. One way we can all compensate for this loss is to replace some of these lost nesting and resting sites.

Probably the most familiar artificial nesting site is the birdhouse. And birdhouses certainly do help, especially if they are built specifically to suit the requirements of one or more of our beleaguered native bird species.

If you plan on putting up a few birdhouses, why not do a little research ahead of time to find out which birds in your area are most in need of artificial shelter—and then build or buy the types of houses that are most likely to attract them? Not surprisingly, different birds have different needs in a house, including preferences in the size of the house, its location, and the diameter of the opening. There are also precautions you can take to make sure predators can’t get into the house to kill the birds or their young.

If you live in bluebird country, a good thing to do is to set up your own “bluebird trail,” either on your property, on public property, or on someone else’s property—provided, of course, that you have permission to do so. Here’s a link on bluebird trails; you’ll find more on your own with a Google search.

Another type of creature that has suffered greatly from habitat loss is the bumblebee and other “solitary” bees—the bees that were pollinating America’s flowering plants for thousands of years before Europeans introduced the honeybee to our continent. You can help native bees by either building or buying a bumblebee “house” and establishing it in a suitable location. Here are some plans for a simple bumblebee house; an internet search will turn up more, as well as more information about these important and fascinating creatures.

And, speaking of important and fascinating creatures . . . bats, which help humans by eating millions of flying insects, also need places to live. Here’s a great site on building bat houses.

9 - Detect And Disarm Wildlife “Traps”

Litter and improperly disposed-of refuse can trap or injure wildlife. Carelessly discarded fishing line or other plastic twine can ensnare birds and other animals, making them easy prey for predators or bringing on a lingering death. Plastic bags can also trap and suffocate some kinds of creatures, as can open containers of paints, motor oil, and other liquid chemicals. In addition, plastic bags and other refuse have been eaten by such wildlife as sea turtles, which can mistake these items for food.

Anyone who is reading this is probably aware that we shouldn’t litter. But, when you pick up someone else’s litter, you may be disarming a dangerous trap that otherwise might have cost the life of a wild creature. You might be saving a life.

Also, be aware that open windows in attics and outbuildings can sometimes attract birds—which then might not be able to find their way out again. Try to close up uninhabited spaces in buildings that otherwise might prove fatally inviting to wildlife.

10 – Donate, Volunteer & Vote!

We can be even stronger wildlife helpers when we join forces with other people. Join land trusts and other groups in your area that are devoted to the conservation of wildlife. Some organizations maintain wildlife preserves or trail systems—and they are almost always looking for volunteers.

If you can afford to be generous to wildlife groups, do it! Local groups are always in need of financial help, as are the large international organizations that work hard to protect wildlife in Africa, tropical Asia, the Amazon rainforest, and elsewhere. You’ll find a list of some of our favorite organizations here, listed under Top Wildlife/Environmental Non-Profit Organizations. But there are many others as well.

Lastly, become politically active. Inform your local government as well as your state and federal representatives about any wildlife issues that are of concern to you. Write letters, send e-mails, make telephone calls.

And, if you’re old enough to vote, try to vote for candidates who have at least some concern for our wildlife and the health of our natural world.

To learn more about living a sustainable everyday lifestyle, click here!

The first draft of global standards intended to measure and identify environmentally and socially responsible salmon farming was recently released for a 60-day public comment period.

Developed through the Salmon Aquaculture Dialogues (SAD), the standards aim to make salmon aquaculture operations around the world more sustainable by establishing a set of science-based, measurable guidelines, and incentivizing compliance through third-party eco-certification. The current draft standards represent the collective efforts of dozens of independent scientists, conservation groups, industry representatives and other stakeholders who have worked with the SAD steering committee over the last several years.

The Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform (CAAR) has been an active participant in the multi-year investigation into the impacts of salmon farming on the environment and wild salmon in particular. However, there are still many unresolved issues and not all parts of the draft represent consensus agreement among members of the steering committee. While the coalition applauds the effort of many in the aquaculture industry to address the ecological and social impacts of salmon farming, many of the standards aimed at reducing or eliminating these issues have yet to be resolved in the document.

“A lot of information has been gathered and hard work done to identify both the problems associated with salmon aquaculture and the ways to measure the best ecological and social operations,” said Jay Ritchlin, director of marine and freshwater conservation at the David Suzuki Foundation and SAD steering committee representative for CAAR.

“We’re encouraging stakeholders to review and provide feedback on these draft standards, especially where uncertainties remain, to ensure they are of the highest possible quality, and offer the greatest opportunity for safeguarding our oceans.”

Nearly all of the issues around the ecological and social sustainability of salmon farming can be addressed through the use of closed containment technology. This technology, which is already providing product to retail outlets, is the most economically, socially and environmentally sustainable way of ensuring that salmon farming does not endanger wild salmon in British Columbia.

The standards themselves are meant to be “technology neutral” and do not mandate any one technology. Closed containment, however, does address the key ecological issues in the draft standards and also solves many of the unresolved problems that otherwise will require extensive monitoring and science to measure. Given the serious risks to wild salmon from open net cage salmon farming, the final resolution on how to measure key environmental impacts and on what levels of impact are deemed to pass the standard will determine CAAR’s support for the outcome of the standards process.

CAAR urges anyone concerned about salmon farming to review the standards document and submit comments that support meaningful and effective salmon aquaculture standards. CAARs own submission to the public comment period will be available on its website later this month.

Convened by the World Wildlife Fund-USA, the Salmon Aquaculture Dialogues began in 2004 and involved the efforts of a nine-member steering committee that includes five industry members (Marine Harvest, Skretting, Salmon Chile, the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, and the Norwegian Seafood Federation) and four NGOs (CAAR, Fundacion Terram, Pew Environment Group and WWF-US). Additional stakeholders provided feedback during 13 dialogue meetings held around the globe.

The process has produced a set of draft standards along with seven technical papers that summarize the state of science around feed, social impacts, disease, sea lice, chemical use, pollution and benthic impacts.

For more information, please visit Farmed and Dangerous.

Transportation

Boy do we get around — cars, trucks, buses, boats, planes! All that transportation accounts for almost half of noxious air pollution, more than a third of greenhouse gas emissions, one quarter of common air contamination and almost one-fifth of water toxicity. Not surprisingly, cars are the worst offenders — they contribute the most carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, cause urban blight (with all those jammed, ugly freeways) and pollute our water and air through exhaust and road runoff. To make a difference:

• Check the Canadian government’s Auto Smart ratings for the next car you intend to buy to make sure it’s fuel efficient and low polluting. A typical SUV uses almost twice the fuel — and releases nearly twice the emissions — of a modern station wagon, although both seat the same number of passengers.

• Walk, bike, carpool or take transit to get to one of your regular destinations each week.

• Learn about the impacts of air travel and consider vacationing close to home.

• If you are moving, choose a home within a 30-minute bike, walk or transit ride from your daily destinations. A convenient place to live reduces the amount you drive, which means you’ll lower your greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

Energy

You’ve probably heard that Canada is the largest consumer of energy in the world on a per capita basis, and the second largest producer of greenhouse gases (after the United States). We have just over 30 million people, but we use as much energy as the entire continent of Africa, home to 700 million! Wasting energy hurts nature and your wallet because energy efficiency means lower bills as well as less pollution. Here’s how to stem your energy leaks:

• Reduce your home heating and electricity use. A more energy-efficient home will lower your utility bills and reduce the emissions that cause climate change. Find out how you can increase energy efficiency in your home through the EnerGuide for Houses program.

• Choose energy-efficient appliances. New refrigerators, for example, use 40 per cent less energy than models made just 10 years ago.

Food

There are so many humans on the planet, simply feeding ourselves has led to all kinds of environmental havoc — air and water pollution, loss of soil and reduced biodiversity. It’s time to clean up our act. We can have a huge effect on climate change by simply changing a few of our food habits. Here’s how.

• Eat wisely. Choose foods that are local, organic and low on the food chain whenever possible. Make the most of seasonal foods.

• Buy sustainable seafood.. Check out our handy wallet guide for tips on the best catches.

• Take care of your trash. Composting all organic waste — and recycling paper, cardboard, cans and bottles — will help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with landfills.

Call for leadership

As individuals, we can green our homes, schools and offices and have a huge impact. But we also need policy movers and shakers to step up to the plate — with incentives for fuel efficient technologies, legislation banning toxic chemicals and strategies to protect endangered species, to name a few.

We’ve even made it easy for you to send a message to our leaders on issues that are important to us and the environment.

No one’s asking you to stay home and lock yourself in a closet. Get out in the world! Just try to lighten your footprint.

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/reduce-your-carbon-footprint/what-you-can-do-at-home/

Much of the imported food we eat travels more than 5,000 kilometers from the farm to your plate. Decisions we make about what we eat can therefore have a huge impact on the climate.

Meat production is a major cause of climate change. It is estimated that livestock production accounts for 70 per cent of all agricultural land and 26 per cent of the land surface of the planet. Because of their sheer numbers, livestock account for a large share of greenhouse gases (such as methane) that contribute to climate change. In fact, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that livestock are responsible for a larger share (18%) of greenhouse gases than the world’s transportation sector (14%).The growing of livestock and other animals for food is also an extremely inefficient process.

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/eat-for-a-healthy-planet/food-and-climate-change/

For example, it takes approximately five to seven kilograms of grain to produce one kilogram of beef. Each of those kilograms of grain takes considerable energy to produce, process, and transport. As meat consumption has grown around the world, so has its climate impact.Other agricultural practices can impact the climate. Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are often made from fossil fuels, and manufacturing and transporting them generates significant greenhouse gases. Studies have shown that chemical farming uses about 30 per cent more energy per unit of production than organic farms, which use naturally derived fertilizers and pesticides. In addition, organic farms — which often rely on manure and compost for fertilizer — store much more carbon in the soil than farms that rely on chemical fertilizers, keeping it out of the atmosphere where it contributes to global warming.

Where your food comes from is also important. Currently, much of the imported food we eat travels more than 5,000 kilometers from the farm to your plate. Food that is grown closer to home will therefore have fewer transportation emissions associated with it. And as the distance food travels decreases, so does the need for chemicals and processing to reduce spoilage.

Choosing sustainable seafood is a simple and effective way you can help promote healthy oceans (as well as healthy humans). Whether you are dining in a restaurant, shopping in a grocery store or buying directly from a fisher, asking for sustainable seafood will support healthier oceans for generations to come.

If you’re a seafood consumer you can support environmentally-friendly fisheries and aquaculture practices by making informed purchases when buying seafood. Whether you’re holding a restaurant menu or wheeling your shopping cart through the supermarket, you can make ocean friendly choices that help make a difference. Raising the consumer demand for sustainable seafood and is one of the easiest ways you can help protect the oceans.

Here are a few simple things you can do to get started:

• Learn more about the seafood you like to eat. Get familiar with the online sustainable seafood guides, provided by SeaChoice or Seafood Watch to help inform your choices. Your actions in the marketplace can help realize urgently needed fisheries-policy reforms to end overfishing and habitat-damaging practices.
• Eat locally caught or farmed seafood that shows up on the green or yellow lists on the seafood guides. This helps reduce the amount of energy used to provide seafood to your plate.
• Avoid purchasing red-listed seafood and encourage your grocer to stop carrying these items.
• Ask your fish store or server about the seafood they sell, and let them know you want to buy products produced from environmentally friendly sources.

Together, we CAN make a difference!

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/eat-for-a-healthy-planet/choose-sustainable-seafood/

It’s not only what vehicle we drive or how we heat our homes that determines our carbon footprint. The food we eat also has an impact. Understanding the resources that go into producing our food as well as what it takes to store and transport it can make us more aware of the relationship between food and climate.

(Credit: Loose Ends via Flickr.)

As both the world’s population and technological sophistication increase, the manner and scale in which food is produced has changed significantly. There are several factors that contribute to food’s climate impact, including: how much energy is used to produce it, whether the food is grown organically or with chemical inputs, and how far the food has to travel before it gets to you.

Meat production is a major contributor to climate change. It is estimated that livestock production accounts for 70 per cent of all agricultural land and 26 per cent of the land surface of the planet. Because of their sheer numbers, livestock account for a large share of greenhouse gases (such as methane) that contribute to climate change. In fact, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that livestock are responsible for a larger share (18%) of greenhouse gases than the world’s transportation sector (14%).

The growing of livestock and other animals for food is also an extremely inefficient process. For example, it takes approximately five to seven kilograms of grain to produce one kilogram of beef. Each of those kilograms of grain takes considerable energy to produce, process, and transport. As meat consumption has grown around the world, so has its climate impact.

Other agricultural practices can impact the climate. Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are often made from fossil fuels, and manufacturing and transporting them generates significant greenhouse gases. Studies have shown that chemical farming uses about 30 per cent more energy per unit of production than organic farms, which use naturally derived fertilizers and pesticides. In addition, organic farms — which often rely on manure and compost for fertilizer — store much more carbon in the soil than farms that rely on chemical fertilizers, keeping it out of the atmosphere where it contributes to global warming.

Where your food comes from is also important. Currently, much of the imported food we eat travels more than 5,000 kilometres from the farm to your plate. Food that is grown closer to home will therefore have fewer transportation emissions associated with it. And as the distance food travels decreases, so does the need for chemicals and processing to reduce spoilage.

So what can you do to reduce your impact when you eat?

Eat meat-free meals one day a week

• Plan ahead. If going meatless means changing your habits drastically, you’ll enjoy it more if you do some research and find really yummy recipes before you go shopping.

• Try veggie restaurants and meatless menu alternatives when you go out — they’re sprouting up all over the place!

• Check out these cool web sites: Vegetarian Times, Epicurious, World Community Cookbooks (not exclusively veg but has great ideas; suggested by Ayisha Yeow, Vancouver, BC)

Eat locally whenever possible

• Read labels when you shop. The best option is local, organic produce; the next best choice is to buy local, period.

• Talk to the produce manager where you shop. Tell them what you want and why.

• Grow some of your own food. Growing vegetables at home eliminates some of the transport required to get food to your table, which is often many thousands of miles. It’s possible to grow some great vegetables in even the smallest of spaces such as a balcony or patio space. Try growing herbs, potatoes, carrots and other veggies.

Replace chemical pesticides on your lawn, garden & houseplants with non-toxic alternatives

• Landscape with native plant species wherever possible. They’ve evolved in cooperation with the local flora and fauna and will thrive without need for chemicals.

• Do an inventory of how you look after your lawn and garden. Get rid of toxic substances (but discard them appropriately so those poisons don’t end up in the landfills). For information on how to do this, check out Product Care and the Georgia Strait Alliance Toxic Smart page. Find safe alternatives.

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/eat-for-a-healthy-planet/eat-for-a-healthy-planet/