globalbriefs


News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefi ts all.


Eco-Power Tower Meet the World’s Greenest Offi ce Building


Even on cloudy days, the photovoltaic-paneled roof of the Bullitt Center, in Seattle, Washington, generates all the electricity the six-story structure requires. Inside, commercial offi ce space is equipped with composting toilets, rainwater showers and a glass-enclosed stairway to encourage climbing exercise over riding the elevator. The Bullitt Foundation, founded in 1952, has focused since the 1990s on helping cities function


more like ecosystems. Seattle’s new building not only provides space for eco- conscious tenants, but also functions as a learning center, demonstrating how people and businesses can coexist more in harmony with nature. The Bullitt Center was constructed according to a demanding green building


certifi cation program called the Living Building Challenge, which lists zero net use of energy and water among its many requirements. The standards far surpass those of the better-known Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Founder Jason McLennan says the challenge is to encourage others to build more enjoyable, sustainable and affordable structures around the world.


Source: Yes! magazine


Baa-Bye Barnyard Species are Declining, Too


Zakri Abdul Hamid, Ph.D., chair of the independent Intergovernmental Science- Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, states that the disappearance of wild and domesticated plant and animal species constitutes a


fundamental threat to the well-being and perhaps survival of humankind. His urgent message was most recently delivered in Norway to 450 international government authorities responsible for biodiversity and economic planning. “We are hurtling towards irreversible environmental tipping points that, once passed, would reduce the ability of ecosystems to provide essential goods and services to humankind,” Zakri stated. Findings by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization show that genetic diversity, among even domestic livestock, is declining. Typically, breeds become rare because their characteristics either don’t suit contemporary demands or because differences in their qualities have not been recognized. When a breed population falls to about 1,000 animals, it is considered rare and endangered. While we know of 30,000 edible plant species, only 30 crops account for 95


percent of human food energy; 60 percent of these crops comprise varieties of rice, wheat, maize, millet and sorghum.


Source: Science Daily 16


Central Florida natural awakenings


Krill Kill Core Marine Food Source Faces Depletion


Small, shrimp-like creatures that inhabit the world’s oceans, krill are one of the planet’s largest and least contaminated biomasses. The tiny crustaceans are the primary food source for a variety of fi sh, whales, penguins and seabird species. Krill are also used to make feed for livestock, poultry and farmed fi sh and in nutritional supplements— krill oil is a rich source of omega-3 essential fatty acids and less likely than fi sh oil to be contaminated with mercury or heavy metals. Recent studies cited by National Geographic suggest that since the 1970s, Antarctic krill stocks may have dropped by up to 80 percent. Environmental groups and scientists worry that new fi shing technologies, coupled with climate warming that removes ice algae, the crustaceans’ primary food source, could deplete krill populations and potentially devastate the Antarctic’s ecosystem. Denzil Miller, Ph.D., former executive secretary of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, advises, “There are a whole lot of dominoes that follow afterwards that just look too horrendous to contemplate.” Concerned consumers can opt to avoid farm-raised fi sh; choose organic, non-grain-fed meat and poultry; and substitute algae- derived omega-3 supplements for fi sh or krill oil capsules.


Source: Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (asoc.org)


photo by Nic Lehoux


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