Nature is pretty to look at, nature is an inspiration for science, nature provides a lot of things that would cost us dearly to do by ourselves or would frankly be impossible to do at all.
Think about the bats that eat mosquitoes (up to their own body weight each day), worms and slugs that recycle organic waste and loosen the ground or bees that fertilize our crops..
Now, some of them are in a bit of trouble, the bats in Belgium have troubles finding caves to hibernate over winter and the bees are globally on a very steep incline because of use of pesticides. They are pollinating 90% of our plants! And “Multiple scientific studies blame one group of toxic pesticides for their rapid demise..”
As for the bees there is something you can do for them.. Avaaz, a global web movement, which helps enforcing environment friendly policies through petitions, is currently collecting signatures to hopefully provoke a global ban on pesticides. I signed already, why don’t you sign it as well? http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees/
I just found out this morning: tomorrow is World Environment Day and lots of things are happening worldwide! Events range from conferences (for example the environmental day conference in Brussels) to a release of the movie HOME.
HOME is a film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, the sky perspective photographer. I have his book at home and it’s the best photography book I know, it has been opened many times by me and friends of mine. The special thing about this release is, that it will be in over 50 countries on the same day and in different formats: movie theatres, TV and DVD.
Brussels DG Environment is planning a special screening of the film at the RESIDENCE PALACE – 155 Rue de la Loi at 5pm. I will definitely go. Let me know if you want to join as well. You will need to register in advance with an e-mail to basha@unric.org
When I arrived at the end of rush-hour all the Foe-members in the station-hall were in conversation with people passing by, mainly explaining the aims of the campaign. Above the general stairs you could see a big screen showing the Big Ask Film .
Some passengers took time to see the film. Afterwards they asked the Foe-members what The Big Ask stands for. A lot of people filled in the Big Ask postcards (more than I expected!), which FOE will send to the decision making Belgian politicians concerning climate issues.
Politicians from right and left-wing parties came especially to this event in order to talk about the aims of the campaign. On the picture below you’ll see the co-chairman from Ecolo Isabelle Durant, together with members from mother Earth, the Flemish FOE-movement. Another Ecolo politician who took time to talk about the aims and strategies of The Big Ask campaign was Evelyne Huytebroeck, the environment minister in Bxl we met on the ecoloj meeting in march. Other parties present were the flemish socialists (SP-A) and the Flemish Liberals (VLD).
It takes my interest as the campaign is focussing on a clear legal pressure towards politicians on national and EU level.
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