Cartoonist’s note: This image will soon be added to my Anti-Monsanto T-shirt store.

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

If you are one of these mind-boggling Republicans, remember these toxins and carcinogens get into the mother and have an immediate and drastic effect on fetuses. If anything, protect the earth from harmful toxins for the fetuses. You won’t have to call yourselves “environmentalists”, call yourselves “Fetus Purifiers”, or something of the like…I’m sure you’re quite clever.

By the way, there are even Republicans environmentalists. You can join them (or him).

It’s never too late to stop cutting off your nose to ensure the major polluting industries that back your politician keep making insane profits (sharing none of the gains yet all of the “unforeseen” losses) while making us sick. I think that’s how the saying goes…

More on protecting the environment for fetuses (and the living)

From Medscape: Childhood Cancer and Environmental Toxins Are Both Increasing
From Discovery Health: Infant Development and Toxins
From Sierra Student Coalition: Tackling Childhood Asthma Not Coal Industry Priority After All
From NRDC: Benefits of Organic Food (or, “Why conventional farming is harmful”)

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

More on why you too should say F U to GMOs:

From Grist: The next generation of GMOs could be especially dangerous
From Organic Consumers Association: Millions Against Monsanto
From PlanetSave: Hungary Destroys All Monsanto GMO Maize Fields
From Cornucopia Institute: More on GMOs

By the way, my cartoon website (and any other website speaking truth to corporate power) may get shut down if the SOPA legislation passes. It’s internet censorship. It kills the freedom of speech and today is the day to take action.

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

With environmental-cartoon topics ranging from Michelle Bachmann to Tim DeChristopher, Breastfeeding to Big Coal, it was an interesting year in environmental cartoons.

Follow this link and spend a few minutes looking over what were my eleven most-viewed cartoons of 2011.

Happy New Year!
Joe Mohr (aka “Mean Joe green”)

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

This cartoon was inspired by the Washington Post article, “Energy industry shapes lessons in public schools“

Big Coal may be molding our youth with pro-coal propaganda, but worry not, Big Coal also offers a “green” video to teachers called “The Greening of Planet Earth,” which says that “our world is deficient in carbon dioxide, and a doubling of atmospheric CO2 is very beneficial.”

Doubling the CO2 is good for you. By you they mean their bottom line. Afterall, to Big Coal “you” are either a means to drive profit or block profit. They’re doing what they can to make sure our children do not grow up and do the latter. Of course, they’re also making sure our children grow up with an increased risk of asthma, premature death, and mercury-related illness.

Fortunately, the EPA just set new rules to limit mercury and other toxic emissions. As David Roberts of Grist states, “It will save tens of thousands of lives every year and prevent birth defects, learning disabilities, and respiratory diseases. It will make America a more decent, just, and humane place to live.”

David, and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, must not have gone to a Coalementary School. However, these folks did!

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

Part surfing documentary and part environmental journalism, Tipping Barrels: Journey Into the Great Bear is a 20-minute short that’s worth the watch. Surfers and brothers Arran and Reid Jackson venture through Central and North Coast, B.C., wherein lies one of the unspoiled rainforests in the world—a home to wolves, grizzlies, and yes, spirit bears. The area is, unfortunately, at risk thanks to the Northern Gateway pipeline that will run from Alberta to the West Coast, delivering crude oil for Asian markets. It would likely destroy the rainforest habitat for the bear populations.

Oh, and the surfing footage is pretty cool, too.

[Via: Peanut Butter Coast]

More on the U.S. public opinion on Climate Change

From Grist: The frog and the polar bear: The real reasons Americans aren’t buying climate change
From PlanetSave: UN Climate Negotiators Wrestle for an ‘Ideal’ Plan that Will Completely Screw Us
From Ecopolitology: Republican Presidential Candidates on Climate Change
Another cartoon: Wrong and Wrongerer: How Both Sides of the Aisle Address Climate Change

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

Patagonia Sur’s revenue comes from membership-based eco-tourism, limited and ecologically appropriate development in highly-prized locations, ecologically friendly aquaculture and agriculture, carbon sequestration and the sale of carbon offsets.

For more details on this partnership, visit here.

[Photo via: Patagonia Sur]

This compelling video tells a succinct version of the dirty coal story.

For more info visit powerpastcoal.org

More on Fox News and their passionately misinformed legion of followers

From ThinkProgress: Fox News Viewers are the Most Misinformed: A Seventh Study Arrives to Prove It — and Vindicate Jon Stewart!
From HuffingtonPost: Fox News Viewers Know Less Than People Who Don’t Watch Any News: Study
From PlanetSave: Fox News Boss Ordered Staff to Make Climate Change Seem Doubtful
From my cartoon archive: “Mean Joe green’s” Fox News cartoons

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

Both the county and city mayors of Salt Lake City, along with the US Forest Service, have recently voiced their opposition to a proposed Utah ski lift, which would link two Salt Lake City area ski resorts, The Canyons and Solitude.

Management from the two resorts met this past fall to propose a gondola that would open thousands of backcountry acres and reduce Salt Lake area traffic between Park City and the famed Cottonwood Canyons within city limits. These officials argue that the linkage would exponentially reduce Salt Lake area traffic.

But, according to Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, there is more at risk than red lights and crowded city streets.

“Ignoring the importance of our sensitive watershed areas is unacceptable and sets a perilous precedent for the future of this resource for the entire Salt Lake Valley,” Becker said.

It seems long term issues like groundwater and ecological stability are not at the forefront of developers’ minds. Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Coroon went on to say, “I will not support measures which compromise our environment, watersheds, or protected wilderness.”

It’s good to see state government officials speaking out against environmental destruction.

Even though the resorts claim that the lift would keep Utah’s Wasatch wilderness pristine and intact, never dropping riders in the backcountry, the US Forest Service has said otherwise. Though the lift wouldn’t drop skiers into the backcountry, the construction process alone will “mar the alpine backcountry.”

[Via: Deseret News]

[Photo via: Flickr]

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

The LABOR OF LOVE series stands for the small businesses and designers who are still creating and constructing products in America instead of opting for oversees manufacturing like many competitors. The video above features Lauren Junker, creator of Totally Tubular Designs, who gets her kicks from foraging through trash to find used bike tubes, colorful tires and vinyl—materials that she will later sew into bags, wallets and jewelry. Her unique designs stand out from the typical designer bags you’ll find on the shelves of most department stores and serve as a reminder that we can all make small contributions to the environment through our purchasing decisions.

The Vancouver Sun conducted a lengthy investigation and found that the negative environmental impacts were much greater than just the havoc of the pine beetle. From small predators to forest plants, biodiversity has been compromised. The risk of flooding has been increased, which in turn increases erosion and sedimentation affecting roads, bridges and aquatic life. The expansion logging roads has also increased pressure on animals from hunters.

The pine beetle has thrived because of warmer winters which have increased it’s survival rate.

[Via: The Vancouver Sun]

[Photo Via: Flickr]

The number of surfing fanatics throughout the world is growing–so much so that if all of us surfers stood shoulder to shoulder we would stretch the length of the United States eight times. That’s a lot of surfers, and the more surfers, the more toxin-filled boards, wetsuits and miscellaneous surfing products these surfers need. With a goal of bringing attention to the environmental impact of surfing, Envirosurfer developed a detailed visual to explain the toxicity of surfing. The infographic shares the environmental impact of everything you count on to enjoy incredible waves. It shows quick surfing facts, major product concerns and earth-friendly alternatives for keeping your surfing days free from toxins. Check out this link to find out how you can surf sustainably and responsibly.

[Via: Envirosurfer]

Judge Royce C. Lambeth ruled last Monday that Alaska’s Cook Inlet beluga whales were properly listed as endangered and said the National Marine Fisheries Service correctly followed the Endangered Species Act. The state’s lawsuit was rejected on grounds that a decade long ban on subsistence hunting of the whales had not revived the dwindling population.

“When the best available science predicts that a recently enacted ban on subsistence hunting will reverse the abrupt depletion of a species, a decade without any noticeable recovery in the species population should raise a concern that the true cause of its decline has not been fully addressed,” Lambeth wrote.

The whale’s population diminished during the 1980s and early ’90s and nose-dived between 1994 and 1998 when Alaska Natives caught almost half the remaining 650 whales in those four years.

Previously Alaska was unsuccessful in suing to overturn the listing of polar bears as a threatened species. Currently the state has filed suit to overturn restrictions on commercial mackerel and cod fishing in the western Aleutian Islands to protect endangered Steller sea lions.

[Via: The Statesman Journal]

[Photo Via: Flckr]

The first wolf trapping season in the lower 48 since the species’ reintroduction into the Rocky Mountain states opened last week in northern Idaho. The season, running from November 15 to March 31, will allow previously protected wolves to be caught and killed with metal foothold traps. Ranchers and cattlemen cite wild wolves for several livestock deaths this year alone.

Animal rights groups fear that, along with the legalization of wolf hunting in Idaho, which began on August 31st and has yielded 138 wolves to date, and the removal of the wolf from the endangered species list in May, trapping would cause slow and painful deaths and shrink even further the region’s young and delicate wolf population. And trapping might even contribute to the problem. Ranchers have been given a green light to shoot any wolves reported to be “molesting” livestock or pets.

According to the Idaho Departement of Fish and Game (IDFG), molesting refers to “the actions of a wolf that are annoying, disturbing or persecuting, especially with hostile intent or injurious effect, or chasing, driving, flushing, worrying, following after or on the trail of, or stalking or lying in wait for, livestock or domestic animals.”

It seems that many exceptions are being made for ranchers defending private properties and herds. According to wolf advocate Derek Goldman of the Western Wolf Coalition, “Livestock loss to wolves represents less than one percent of livestock loss.” But opponents like Ron Gillette, president of the Idaho Anti-Wolf Coalition, claim that advocates like Goldman have, ”Elevated these wolves to a doglike status.”

Obviously the parties are split—even polarized.

“Wolves are a hot topic and there’s lot of controversy,” Pat Carney, Idaho Trappers Association president, says. “We wanted to make sure anybody who was going to be handling wolves with traps or snares, that they were knowledgeable and doing it correctly.”

And that’s what the IDFG did: required a class for all trappers seeking wolf permits. Which, of course is a good thing. The class, according to an anonymous attendee, covered “law, history, ethics, equipment, sets and avoidance of non target animals and more ethics.”  The trapper went on to say that the IDFG are “on top off the situation and should be commended.”

But the question remains: when does hunting become a threat to one of the only Endangered Species Act success stories in our nation’s history? After all, at the beginning of the last century, wolves had been nearly annihilated from US soil. And now with a wolf population of nearly 1,000 (still only a fraction of what it once was), Idaho aims to bring the numbers back down to around 150 animals or 15 breeding pairs. And it seems the state has full governmental support. Even Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter claims he would “bid for the first ticket to shoot a wolf myself.”  And Ron Gillette goes on to say, ”We don’t care if they shoot ‘em, we don’t care if they poison ‘em, we don’t care what they do. But get ‘em out.”

[Via: KVAL]

[Photo via: Flickr]

Wouldn’t it be grand if every turkey Americans ate this past Thursday died like this one? Check out this amazing video about how some of our most responsible farmers give thanks to the turkeys they raise and eat. Gobble, gobble.

WARNING: This video does contain some graphic content.

Courtney Mattison is a scientist, artist, environmentalist and student. In order to better understand ocean life and the organisms in her studies she started a project that would visually represent the Earth’s oceans. She decided to create a 15-foot tall, 11-foot wide, and 1500 pound sculpture that would reflect not only the beauty of ocean life but also the threats climate change places on marine organisms, specifically coral reef. The exhibit is now on display at the AAAS Gallery in Washington D.C. The video above explains Mattison’s significant project and her efforts to promote conservation.

[Via: AAAS]

More on unsustainable fishing practices and Tuna

From Greenpeace: The Tuna Industry’s Got a Dirty Little Secret
From PlanetSave: Annual Quota of Bluefin Tuna Caught in 1 Week
GreenPeace again: The harsh reality of longline fishing
From SeafoodWatch: Seafood Watch Pocket Guide

Joe’s cartoon archive, twitter ramblings and StumbleUpon page…

Here’s a number for you: 1.06 trillion dollars.

That’s the minimum amount in relation to gross domestic product (GDP) outdoor recreation, conservation and historic preservation activities mean to the economy according to a recent study by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. This type of number is rarely mentioned by politicians who advocate the loosening of environmental regulations for the benefit of economic growth.

Other selected, but intriguing numbers from the report: 9.4 million jobs provided; $107 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues; $325 billion sales per year in outdoor recreation gear and trips, greater than pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing ($162 billion), legal services ($253 billion), and power generation and supply ($283 billion); 9.9 million acres of wetlands lost in the U.S. since the 1950s has resulted in an economic loss of more than $81 billion in all wetlands-related ecosystem services; $1 million invested in residential historic rehabilitation generates approximately 36 jobs, $1.24 million in income and nearly $200,000 in state and local taxes.

The full report can be read here.

[Photo Via: Flickr]

A scheduled wolf hunt in northeastern Oregon will remain on hold. At least for awhile. In September, the Imnaha wolfpack found itself under the close watch of local ranchers and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Two wolves in particular, including the pack’s alpha male, have been cited for numerous livestock deaths over the past several months in Oregon’s Wallowa County. If the hunt goes through, only two wolves would remain: the alpha female and a pup born just last spring.

The temporary reconsideration is costing conservation groups. The ODFW required monetary deposits from advocates to repay ranchers if other animals die as a result of the renegade wolves. And this money, at least now, is only postponing the hunt while officials rule whether or not the hunt is legal. But it seems the financial sacrifice is worthy of the cause, keeping heated debates between activists and rancher groups like The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association in the forefront of state environmental politics.

Steve Pedery, conservation director for Oregon Wild, says, “Under the wolf plan, shooting endangered wolves was supposed to be the last resort, not the first option whenever a cow goes missing.”

[Via: OPB]

[Photo via: Flickr]

In an effort to grow black rhino populations as part of the WWF Black Rhino Range Expansion Project, the seventh of these critically endangered species was recently translocated 1,500 kilometers from the Eastern Cape to a new location in the Limpopo Province. Though it’s difficult to believe, carrying the rhinos upside-down underneath a helicopter is apparently the best way to transport them.

[Via: Matador Network]

A couple weeks ago, we told you about the Great Salmon Run, an event that took place to raise awareness for the Snake River salmon. Want to learn more about salmon recovery? If you’re in Portland, Ore. stop by the Lewis & Clark State College Student Union Building Solarium on Thursday, November 17th (that’s tomorrow) from 12:00 to 1:30pm.

The four panelists—Bert Bowler of Snake River Salmon Solutions, Sam Mace of Save Our Wild Salmon, James Holt of the Nez Perce Tribe and Dustin Aherin, a local business owner from Lewiston—will each have 15 minutes to talk about their viewpoints on the socio-economic and ecological benefits of decommissioning the four Lower Snake River Dams, and restoring wild salmon and steelhead runs throughout the Clearwater and lower Snake River Basins. If you have questions there will be time for that, too.

The panel is sponsored by Friend of the Clearwater and the college.

Learn more at:

www.wildsalmon.org.

www.salmonriversolutions.org.

[Photo via: Flickr]

Close to one billion people in our world do not have access to clean water—that’s about one in every eight people. Water.org confirms, “The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.” As communities throughout the world fight water-borne illness and struggle to fund improved sanitation systems, the water crisis is more about accessibility to clean water than scarcity of water—a problem organizations have been trying to solve in developing nations for years.

Enter Pedal Fresh—a group that’s using the Portland bike community and creative solutions in order to implement sanitation systems and bring access to clean water to people that need it. The group’s project aims to serve rural Thailand with a gravity fed water filtration system that will ensure potable water for an entire school community. It’s an ambitious project that needs a lot of funding.

So how do they plan to raise all that money? With a calendar of Portland’s hottest and silliest biking boys, of course. This calendar features a biker clad in boots and what appears to be a dress swinging on a tire swing, as well as a fully-clothed stud perched on a goal post, bike in hand, and let’s not forget the practically naked dude in bed, his bike resting against the mattress. A copy of the 2012 The Bike Boys of Portland Calendar can be yours for only 15 bucks but if you want to experience all the excitement, head over to the calendar release party tonight from 7–9pm at Crank PDX. A calendar filled with hot biking boys for you and clean water for a community in Thailand—not a bad deal.

For more information about Pedal Fresh, check out their website. To buy a calendar or set of postcards, click here.

Beginning this August Ron Garan, Satoshi Furukawa and the crew members aboard NASA’s International Space Station shot this sequence of photos from 350 kilometers above the Earth. The result is a glimpse into the amazing views of night skies and city lights the crew is rewarded as they pass over the planet.

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) released a report titled “Made in America: Investing in National Parks for Our Heritage and Our Economy” on Thursday detailing the impacts mandatory across-the-board cuts in federal funding could have on the parks and visitors. The report also concludes that investments in national parks not only protects their heritage, but is fundamental in supporting businesses and communities nationwide.

The November 23rd federal deficit reduction deadline looms ominously and the NPCA is urging Congress to make astute investments in programs, like national parks, that are financially vital to cummunities and business across the country.

If the committee fails, the cuts to the National Park budget would total about $231 million dollars from a system that is already underfunded annually by $500–$600 million, and receives $325 million less per year than necessary to keep an $11 billion maintenance backlog from getting worse.

“If the Super Committee process fails there will be real consequences for our national parks, jobs, visitors and communities across the country,” said Craig Obey, NPCA senior vice president of government affairs. “The federal deficit debate should be about smart budgeting that strengthens communities, produces jobs and protects the heritage that binds us as a national community.”

The whole report can be read here.

[Photo Via: Flickr]

Read more about the potash mine here and check out the full EcoFlight photo gallery here.

[Photo via: boingboing]