Gasland--Poisoned Environment

Friday, 7-June-2013 - Veghel/Milanville -  Last night, I saw Gasland for the first time. "Impressive documentary about the impact of shale gas in the U.S."  The VPRO broadcasting company aired a shortened version (55 min) on Dutch television.  I haven’t felt so moved to act since I viewed An Inconvenient Truth in 2007.  I live 20 km away from Boxtel, NL a planned fracking test-location—halted 5-Mar-2012 by court order. France imposed a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in 2011 and subsequently revoked several exploration licenses. We need to reverse U.S. legislation which has undermined the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Safe Drinking Water Acts.  The search for alternative energy sources needs to continue.

Gasland (104 min) full-length English version with other language subtitles.

Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan
Chemicals in Natural Gas Operations

Josh Fox: What Shocked Me While Making Gasland Part II
hbo synopsis gasland

Healthy Popular Trees Cut Down in Zijtaart

Thursday, 14-March-2013 - Zijtaart - Yesterday to my shock, I saw healthy 25-year old popular trees (populus canadensis) are being cut down in Zijtaart.  Under the right conditions, these trees can live to be 200 years old! I saw unnecessary destruction of CO2 absorption capacity, habitat for birds and animals, and Brabant landscape.  Tree cutting in Zijtaart was reported in the Brabants Dagblad this past Tuesday.  Readers were led to believe trees were only to be thinned:  every other one. This action is to encompass cutting down 5000 trees during the coming five-year period.  Reason: to save 350,000 euro on maintenance costs.  On the township internet site, Veghel announced that in addition to thinning trees, sickly poplars would be cut down--this is true for a couple of trees in the Hoolstraat, but it is not the case in the Epsesteeg where healthy trees are being cut down (photo).  Kuijpers Tree Cutting is carrying out this action for Veghel.  In addition to cutting down trees, Kuipers actively buys and sells poplar for commercial profit (see below).  Last year, Theo Lemmers answered questions I posed, after the tree-cutting plan was announced (see below).  I feel we need to remain critical of our community's role in responsilble caretakership of our natural environment.  I asked myself if an immediate tree-cutting stop in Veghel be imposed until this can be demonstrated, do actions match the rhetoric? After speaking with Mr Lemmers just now, gained insight on how the township maintains it's tree population--evaluating, thinning and cutting down are essential in this process, especially when there is limited space for trees to grow. By the way, the company BTL Bomendienst (tree service) was hired to make the assessment as to which trees were to be cut down. The Zijtaart is the first of five areas in Veghel to be acted on.

pics (76)
 
tree map of veghel

Questions Answered Green Management - Theo Lemmers, Veghel Township, 2-July-2012

Tree cutting in Zijtaart (newspaper article (Dutch)

erpsesteeg and hoolstraat prior to tree cutting    (bing maps)

township announcement (Dutch)
Thinning trees in rural Zijtaart
In the context of the green management plan 2013-2017 of the Veghel is in the outskirts of Zijtaart from 11 March thinning (the order and delete) of trees performed.  The trees in the area south of Zijtaart and south of the South - Willemsvaart. The work by the firm Kuijpers Son carried out and go approximately two weeks.   In determining the timing of the implementation takes into account the Flora and Fauna Act.
Why?  Many nursery trees in the countryside are very close together. By thinning the trees that remain get more room to grow, so they can grow into full trees.  The existing lane structure is guaranteed, making the scene does not change. 
Felling of poplars.  In addition, several rows of poplars harvested, because these trees have a poor vitality. The residents of the streets get this in week 9 a letter.  These poplars are replaced by new trees. In the week of 11 March, the Hoolstraat-Sweenslag closed to carry out work. Traffic is diverted with signs.
Questions?
Should you have any questions, please contact about Mr JJM de la Roy or Mr Theo Lemmers by calling 14 0413.

Kuijpers Wood and Timber trade

Our trees cutting company maintains a lively trade in different wood varieties. For felled trees are used for various industrial purposes. We mainly buy poplars in a trunk and bring it logs on the market. Stem Wood disappears in manufacturing include veneer logs, firewood, lumber and paper timber. Besides selling firewood to local businesses, depart regularly containers with veneer and lumber from projects, to Morocco and China.
(translated from Kuijpers Tree Cutting using Google translator)

Willie Smits: How to Restore a Rainforest

Saturday, 16-February-2013 - Veghel - Today, I came across this 2009 presentation by Dr Willie Smits.

Inspiring Furniture from Firewood

Saturday, 21-May-2011 - Loosbroek - This morning I had the pleasure of meeting Rik Ruigrok (photo), innovator and owner of Herso. He and his team have a passion for turning waste wood into beautiful furniture. "A work of art is hidden under each table surface." He is commited to taking good care of our planet. He truly practices what he preaches. It's not just furniture, it's a way of life. I was inspired. Pics (25)

Veghel Family Supports Masarang Sugar Palm Project

Saturday, 16-February-2008 - Veghel - Read an article in yestersday's newspaper about wood processing machines going from Veghel to a factory in Tomohon, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. It's part of Dr Willie Smits' initiative to replace oil palm tree plantations with sugar palm tree plantations which are more friendly for the environment. the Masarang Foundation's goal is "to save the environment through the active role of the local people." It's complicated how the demand for palm oil created by Unilever, Nestle and Cargill (see trade link) is causing destruction of tropical rain forests and the creatures which live there, including the orangutan.
http://www.orangutan.com/thepeople/dr_willie_smits.htm
http://www.brabantsdagblad.nl/brabant/2232502/We-eten-het-regenwoud-hier-zelf-op.ece
http://www.brabantsdagblad.nl/regios/udenveghel/2647651/Houtfabriek-op-weg-naar-Indonesie.ece
http://www.brabantsdagblad.nl/regios/udenveghel/article2493324.ece
http://www.masarang.or.id/english.htm
http://www.indonesia-ottawa.org/information/details.php?type=news_copy&id=3421

Rain Forest is Best Defense

Sunday, 27-January 2008 - Maui- “The world’s rainforests are our last, best defense against catastrophic climate change. Agribusiness companies are tearing down rainforests in places like Malaysia and Indonesia to produce palm oil biodiesel which they are then marketing as a solution to global warming. Their false solutions aren’t making the world safer, they are just making a corporate profit.”

- Kasha Ho`okili Ho of San Francisco’s Rainforest Action Network

http://www.savetheorangutan.co.uk/?cat=12

Climate Crisis

It's clear to me that we have a climate crisis, and that we need to stop global warming. My most important New Year's resolution for 2007 is to take this year to discover what I can do for the coming 10-year period to actively support the cause of saving our planet. Step 1 was to view the DVD, An Inconvenient Truth. Step 2 is to tell everyone I know and everyone I meet about the climate crisis, encouraging them to take Step 1.

An Inconvenient Truth is an urgent warning for everyone. It needs to be communicated from person to person. It offers choices each one of us can make which can change the outcome of our life on this planet.

When my daughter, Katherine (1980), got done seeing An Inconvenient Truth two weeks ago, she felt compelled to act. She made a list of things she could do to help stop global warming. Each day since, she would ask herself, "So, what did you do today?" As she completed an item, she would check it off. One idea on her to do list was to make a website http://www.whatdidyoudotoday.eu. This blog is dedicated to Katherine.