Happy Earth Day! Rodger Schlickeisen

Make a Difference
This Earth Day

Climate change threatens animals like polar bears.

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Dear Reverend Kimberly-Ann,

Today is Earth Day, when caring people like you and I celebrate the natural beauty of our world and re-commit to safeguarding our planet for future generations.

Here at Defenders of Wildlife, we’re especially concerned today about the single greatest threat to wildlife: climate change.

Polar bears are losing vital habitat as temperatures rise in Alaska.
Rare wolverines are losing the snow pack they need to survive.
Parts of the North Carolina home of endangered red wolves could soon be submerged as sea levels rise.
Increasingly severe storms, droughts and wildfires caused by climate change are destroying vital wildlife habitat across the country.

Literally thousands of species are threatened with extinction, but there is something that you can do to help!

More than any other group, Defenders of Wildlife is leading the fight to help animals like polar bears, big horn sheep, lynx, amphibians and other climate-affected species adapt and survive in a changing world.

As a Defenders supporter, you are a part of this vital fight. But there are also simple, everyday steps you can take in your own life that will help reduce energy use, slow the flow of climate-changing carbon emissions and help save wildlife threatened by climate change.

Please check out our new video for simple steps you can take this Earth Day to help save polar bears, wolverines, pikas and other wildlife threatened by climate change.

It’s easy to make a difference today. Learn more about climate change, watch our new video and start saving something wild.

Happy Earth Day!

Rodger Schlickeisen
President
Defenders of Wildlife

P.S. Do you have a great idea on how to help protect wildlife from the threat of climate change? From now until July 4th, we will be featuring videos of people who are documenting the actions they are taking to reduce their carbon footprint and making a difference for wildlife affected by this threat.
Please visit our blog and to learn more and find out how you can submit your own video. Your video might even end up on our blog!

Oil Company Subsudies???? WTH???

Tell Congress: End oil subsidies

As Americans continue to struggle with outrageous, unstable gas prices, oil companies continue to benefit from them.
Exxon Mobile announced Thursday a first-quarter profit of $10.6 billion -- a 69% increase from last year, and a number so astronomical, Exxon executives felt the need to issue defensive statements before the announcement.¹ Also unveiling massive earnings were Shell ($6.3 billion, up 30%), ConocoPhillips ($3 billion, up 44%), and of course, BP (7.1 Billion, up 16%). In all, the five largest oil companies have reaped nearly $1 trillion in profits in the last 10 years.
But more outrageous than jaw-dropping oil company profits, is the fact that our government actually rewards these companies with even more of our money for maintaining this disastrous system - to the tune of $4 billion a year in tax credits and subsidies. It's time for that to end.
Tell Congress: End oil subsidies.
It is a testament to the influence of polluters, and the power of the money they shower upon Congress, that so many of our leaders have continued to defend these senseless subsidies.
As recently as this March, House Republicans - while simultaneously pleading poverty and fighting for crippling budget cuts elsewhere - voted unanimously against repealing these oil subsidies, at a total cost to us of 45 billion over 10 years.
But in the face of these huge budget cuts, painful gas prices and shocking oil company profits, it is becoming harder and harder for Republicans to defend this policy.
In a surprising move, Speaker John Boehner said Monday that repealing oil subsidies "is certainly something we ought to be looking at" and that oil companies "ought to be paying their fair share."² While his statement was quickly walked back the next day by an aide who said Boehner was simply trying not to "fall into the trap of defending 'Big Oil' companies"³ it's clear that cracks are beginning to show in the Republicans' brazen defense of senseless oil handouts.
On Wednesday, President Obama sent a letter to congressional leaders asking them to end oil subsidies, and Nancy Pelosi also sent a letter to Speaker Boehner asking him to schedule a House vote next week. Harry Reid announced he will hold a vote in the Senate as soon as possible.
Momentum is building. This is a key moment to keep the pressure on, and force every member of congress to choose: Americans, or the oil companies?
Tell Congress: End oil subsidies.
Between the ruining of our gulf, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events brought on by climate change, and now - once again - astronomical oil company profits and oil prices that literally threaten our economy, we don't need any more reminders that it's time to end our reliance on oil.
Yet we're handing oil companies billions as we slash funding for the investments in clean energy and transit we need to break oil's grip on our lives.
This must end. And if we raise our voices, we can finally end it.
Tell Congress: End oil subsidies.
1. "Exxon tries to preempt fury from first-quarter profits," The Hill, April 27, 2011
2. "Boehner opens door to ending tax breaks for big oil companies," The Hill, April 25, 2011
3. "Boehner aide: Tax comments were to avoid 'trap' of defending 'Big Oil'," The Hill, April 26, 2011

Mining the Grand Canyon?

Deadline Wednesday: Tell the BLM to ban destructive uranium mining at the Grand Canyon

1,100 claims threaten these priceless lands and waters.

The precious lands and vital watershed of the Grand Canyon are threatened by 1,100 mining claims within five miles. Submit a public comment to support a 20-year ban and protect the Grand Canyon from the uranium mining rush.

Click here to submit a comment.

Dear Friend,

Uranium mining rips up huge tracts of land to extract radioactive material for use in nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants.¹

For the past two years, the Grand Canyon has been protected from these ravages. But now, the temporary mining moratorium is set to expire.

The Grand Canyon's fragile ecosystem, stunning beauty, and vital water supply are threatened by 1,100 new mining claims that have been filed within five miles of this priceless "crown jewel."

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering a 20-year ban on mining to protect the Grand Canyon's entire one-million acre watershed. But there are other proposals on the table, and industry lobbyists are encouraging BLM to open the floodgates for the uranium mining rush. It's essential that we urge the BLM to protect the Grand Canyon.

Tell the Bureau of Land Management: Ban uranium mining at the Grand Canyon. Submit a public comment before the Wednesday deadline.

The high price of uranium makes its extraction extremely lucrative for mining companies, but shockingly, the practice is regulated by the antiquated 1872 Mining Law which has no environmental standards to limit the devastation and radioactive damage that results to wildlife, soil, ground and surface water. In fact, the law actually makes exploitative mining a priority over all other uses of public lands.

The legacy of mining in the Grand Canyon has already wrought lasting damage to surrounding areas and tribal communities, who have banned mining on all their lands.

If mining companies are allowed to move ahead with their new claims, the damage to the local wildlands and habitat would be extreme. And with the huge risk that polluted water will run into the Colorado river — which supplies water to cities including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson — this mining literally poses a risk to the health of nearly 30 million people.²

Tell BLM: Ban uranium mining at the Grand Canyon. Submit a public comment before the Wednesday deadline.

It's tragic that, as we observe the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster this week, and as the Fukushima disaster continues to unfold in Japan, the thirst for nuclear energy and power would now threaten one of our most precious places, and millions of people who depend on it.

The two-year ban came as a result of intense public pressure to stop dangerous uranium mining. That's what we need to help show again. Please submit a public comment now.

Thank you for protecting one of our most precious places.

Elijah Zarlin, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets

1. "Uranium Mining 101," EarthWorks Action
2. The Grand Canyon Uranium Rush," New York Times, March 8, 2011

The Good News:

Today, in the spirit of the 41st Earth Day, all of us at the Center for Biological Diversity want to take a moment with you to celebrate the Earth, its amazing biological diversity and the protections we win for its species every day.

Since last year's Earth Day you -- the Center's members and supporters -- have helped us win some huge victories for endangered species and wildlife. Take a look below and share this impressive list with your networks.

With you beside us, we:

Garnered more than 150,000 signatures that helped us bring a swift stop to the burning of imperiled sea turtles during cleanup operations in the Gulf of Mexico;
Secured the biggest critical habitat area in history for besieged polar bears, who were granted 120 million acres of protected habitat to settle a Center-led lawsuit -- and then, just two weeks ago and after years of advocacy, achieved another record protection, this time 2 million acres of critical habitat for the Cook Inlet beluga whale;
Won a legal settlement protecting 1 million acres of roadless lands in four national forests in Southern California (home to spotted owls, arroyo toads and other vulnerable species) from development;
Launched a powerful, national boycott through our Bluefin Brigade -- with more than 20,000 people behind it so far -- of sushi restaurants that serve high-end bluefin tuna, a practice that's driving the majestic ocean predator to the brink of extinction;
Won Endangered Species Act protection for more than 70 species spanning four continents (Africa, Australia and North and South America), including seven penguins, dozens of Hawaiian species, and several mollusks in the severely stressed southeastern United States.

Please share these victories with your friends and celebrate all that we are accomplishing in our efforts to keep and restore a rich, biologically diverse planet.

During the coming year we have our work cut out for us with a Congress hostile to wildlife and a presidential administration that's far too often unwilling to stand up to bullies in defense of endangered species and wild places. On this Earth Day, we take courage knowing you'll be with us to fight the fight -- we can't thank you enough.

Happy Earth Day,