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Future Threatened, Depends Upon You

November 14, 2008

Dear collegues,

As is frequently the case, Ecological Internet's (EI) end-of-
year fund-raiser has launched quite slowly, only 2% to the
goal. Let's be clear -- as a user supported organization -- if
this goal is not substantively achieved, Ecological Internet
and our brand of ecologically rigorous Earth protection will
end. Please gift the Earth now in support of rigorous
environmental policy advocacy, what ecological science tells
us is necessary to save being. You can help usher in an era of
ecological sustainability and restoration at:
http://www.climateark.org/shared/donate/ .

The world is at risk of losing 20 years of accomplishment in
online ecological advocacy systems. I am racking my brain on
how to keep what is broadly perceived as exceptionally
successful ecological advocacy efforts funded. We have begun
taking Google advertising on the sites and have a number of
promising grant proposals out. Yet, these effort's core
computer and staffing expenses cannot be met without a
successful end-of-year fund-raiser. We need current support
from past donors more than ever, and every individual touched
by these efforts to contribute what they can. Your gifts are
the bedrock of Ecological Internet.

On a personal level, I have repeatedly willingly made profound
sacrifices for the honor of serving you and the Earth. This
includes working 100+ hour work weeks for years, routinely
subsidizing the work (tens of thousands of dollars in debt),
and have in recent weeks cashed in retirement accounts to keep
Ecological Internet online. Why do this? Because the Earth is
dying and each of us needs to do our duty to stop it. But I am
reaching my limits, and this may be it. With great sadness, I
am once again considering closing EI and seeking an IT job to
feed my family (until the collapse) while watching the Earth
continue to go to hell from the sidelines. Let's avoid this.

Simply, tremendously effective and proven Earth advocacy
techniques are at risk of being lost forever. EI has pioneered
use of the Internet to facilitate deep environmental awareness
AND outcomes, and continues to provide global ecological
solutions full of truth, hope and love. Our history of
innovation is unmatched -- nearly 20 years ago we were the
first to use the Internet for forest conservation, 10 years
ago we launched our climate portal, and in past years we have
been the first linking the global ecological and economic
crises. No one else works with such passion, focus and success
to educate regarding imminent ecological collapse and to
achieve the comprehensive set of ecological policies necessary
to avoid it.

Let me briefly review some of the services we provide for
free, and that are at risk of being lost:

1.) News Tracking at http://www.climateark.org/shared/news/
For the past 15 years EI has daily linked, archived, commented
upon and provided RSS feeds of the most recent and important
environmental news. This unprecedentedly complete service,
updated 365 days a year, 24/7, is used by millions of
conservation professionals.

2.) Earth Action at http://www.climateark.org/shared/alerts/
We provide on-line protest campaigns that matter, seeking and
frequently achieving ecologically sufficient policy. We
strategically target decision-makers with specific demands
necessary to achieve ecological sustainability. We have
protected millions of hectares of rainforests and put climate
change on the map.

3.) Climate Search at http://www.climateark.org/
We provide the world's only customized true search engines,
where a human expert (me!) reviews ecological materials for
inclusion. These ecological search results are many times
better in terms of relevancy than large search engines trying
to cover everything on the web.

4.) Climate Blog at http://www.climateark.org/blog/
We literally invented blogging, and have perfected it as a
source for social change and ecological good. Routinely we
provide independent, biocentric analysis that leads to
conservation outcomes. And we always provide tools to learn
more.

Add to this our exhaustive, well-managed link directories, our
fledgling New Earth Rising e-zine, and soon to be expanded social
networking -- and you have an information and analysis system
that contributes substantially to saving the Earth. Our
forest, water, rainforest and environmental sustainability
portals each provide similar topical capabilities.

We mean it more than ever. Failure to reach our funding goal
means Ecological Internet shuts down after what has been
raised has been expended. Let's be clear: when the world is
faced with imminent ecological collapse, yet difficult ecology
based solutions exist, now is not the time to discard proven
ecological social change capabilities built up over decades.
It has become a time honored, yet successful tradition, that
funding goals are met only when we highlight these hard fought
capabilities will be lost for good if we shut down.

For the Earth's and your children's sake, now is not the time
to cut back your personal expenditures supporting
organizations pursuing global ecological sustainability. The
$75K EI must raise is under 0.01% of Al Gore's mainstream "We
campaign" yearly budget, yet we have a global reach and
similar effectiveness. Will EI's grassroots global Earth
advocacy perish, leaving the fight for creation to
bureaucratic reformers (just one more lightbulb, forget about
population and consumption)? This is the choice with which you
are faced.

Please, give now at http://www.climateark.org/shared/donate/ .
We really need your help, and with your support, expect to be
successful in raising the necessary funds to continue together
with you to meaningfully protect the Earth.

Warm regards,
Dr. Glen Barry

Resisting Paraguay's Devastation by Genetically Modified Soya Monocultures

By Ecological Internet's Forests.org, http://forests.org/
Partnering with Salva la Selva, http://www.salvalaselva.org/
October 26, 2008

TAKE ACTION
http://forests.org/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=paraguay_soya

Deforestation, eviction, drought and murder are too high of
price to pay for toxic soybeans

In Paraguay, genetically modified (GM) soya plantations,
planted in vast toxic monocultures, are the main cause of
deforestation, destruction and pollution of other ecosystems,
and violence and eviction of small farmers and indigenous
peoples. Paraguay has nearly 2.6 million hectares of soy
plantations for animal feed exports and, more recently, for
agrofuel. The remnants of Paraguay's Atlantic Forest and of
the Alto Parana forest, as well as wetlands, grasslands and
rivers are being destroyed and polluted by the expansion of
immense soya fields. Deforestation is worsening global warming
and also causing severe regional warming and droughts.

Local peoples are resisting ecocide bravely, and against long
odds, and need our support.  Please write to the authorities
in Paraguay and urge them to fully support small farmers and
their demands for protection from pesticide spraying, unlawful
evictions, environmental destruction and pollution; while
supporting their demands for food sovereignty and land reform.

TAKE ACTION NOW:
http://forests.org/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=paraguay_soya

DISCUSS THIS ALERT:
http://forests.org/blog/2008/10/alert-paraguays-devastation-by.asp

LIST NOTE: Together we have recently achieved victories
against FSC's greenwashing, Congo's rainforest logging and
Cambodia's river dams. When you do not participate, we are
weakened. After protesting Paraguay's toxic soya below, PLEASE
respond to subsequent alerts as well -- including calling upon
governments to maintain climate policies in rough economic
times. Please respond to alerts whenever you can -- regular
participation is vital to continued success. And the Earth
needs us NOW.
g.b.