Oscar-winning film director speaks out for dolphin and ocean protection.

The documentary film, “The Cove,” describing the cruelty of an annual dolphin hunt that takes place in a small bay in Japan, recently won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary.

For the filmmakers, the efforts to end marine mammal killing and to protect the animals’ environment has been ongoing. Just before the Oscars award ceremony, they teamed with vegan eco-activists to go undercover into a restaurant suspected of selling whale meat, which is illegal in the United States according to the Marine
Mammal Protection Act.

After a DNA test confirmed that the flesh being served was from the endangered Sei whale, the violation was reported to officials. The film’s director, Louie Psihoyos, who had participated in the activity, said that the exposure of whale hunting, like his film, is about saving the animals as well as the biosphere that supports their lives.

Louie Psihoyos – Director of Oscar winning film The Cove (M): We’re trying to solve the problem in one little cove, but it’s really a microcosm of what’s going on in the oceans. With all the fertilizers and run-offs and pesticides, it’s killing the oceans.

VOICE: “The Cove” also exposes the fact that the dolphins being hunted are already contaminated with mercury from the polluted ocean waters.

Those hunting them use underwater sonar waves, which drive the panicked dolphins into a small cove that soon turns bloody red as they are brutally speared or knifed to death.

As it turns out, this dolphin meat has some of the highest levels of mercury known in Japan, with the potential to cause neurological damage, especially in children. In addition, the dolphins that are not killed outright are captured and sold into lives of captivity and isolation to entertain humans in zoos and aquariums.
The film’s message is thus to raise awareness about these practices, which wreak harm to so many beings.

Louie Psihoyos (M): The only way that we can save the life of a dolphin now is to prove that we made his environment so toxic, that we can no longer eat them.

It shows you the amount of respect that we lost for the animal and the amount of respect that we lost for ourselves. We’re doing what no wild animal will do; we’re fouling our own nest.

VOICE: We congratulate and thank Mr. Psihoyos and co-creators of “The Cove” for working to preserve our precious oceans and their beautiful inhabitants.

May we treat more kindly our marine friends and the vital seas that we both share and depend upon.

Louie Psihoyos (M): Be veg, go green, save the planet.

VOICE: In a November 2008 interview with Ireland’s East Coast Radio FM, Supreme Master Ching Hai addressed the issue of tainted dolphin meat and once more encouraged the protection of all marine life for our planetary survival.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Some Japanese scientists stated that these products should be taken off the shelves immediately. And Dr. Palombi of Harvard University gave the same advice to the Japanese government - that they should ban dolphin fishing and they should ban dolphin meat selling in the market.

To stop this destructive practice of fishing, the solution is the vegan diet, no fishy stuff in our meals. Choose the life- and Earth-saving vegan diet. Protect animals and the environment.

And pray that all will heed the scientists’ wise counsel and turn to benevolent life courses which will in turn offer a benevolent life on Earth.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/in-sushi-sting-oscar-winners-nab-restaurant-selling-whale/19389362
http://www.france24.com/en/20100308-oscar-winning-film-makers-deny-japan-bashing
http://eii.org/saveJapanDolphins/coveEmail11a.htmlI
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/world/asia/20iht-dolphin.1.10223011.html?_r=1
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/30/world/main3772997.shtml

Ocean acidity rates could lead to mass extinction

A study led by Dr. Andy Ridgwell of the United Kingdom’s University of Bristol examined ocean sediment to determine how levels of acid have changed throughout history. Its findings revealed that ocean acidity is increasing ten times faster today than 65 million years ago, when dinosaurs became extinct, due to currently rising levels of atmospheric CO2.

With excessive acidification causing the carbonate shells of certain marine organisms to dissolve along with muscle wasting and dwarfism in other species, Dr. Ridgwell said that the rate of today’s acidification is threatening the basis of all marine life.

Dr. Ridgwell and University of Bristol associates, our sincere thanks for bringing to light this important information that highlights our need to act now. May we humans deeply realize that our daily choices affect our future on the planet.

During a March 2009 videoconference in California, USA, Supreme Master Ching Hai once again emphasized the importance of protecting the oceans’ delicate balance, on which ultimately our own lives depend.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: There’s another condition called acidification where the lack of certain fish has contributed to higher ocean acidity which, in turn, reduces the capacity of the ocean to absorb CO2.

And the ocean is a very complex ecosystem where every living thing has a unique function. So, removing even a small fish for humans to eat creates an imbalance in the sea. In fact, we are already seeing an effect of this imbalance on marine mammals.

As the ocean becomes warmer and warmer and more acidic, more toxins are present in the water.

Anything God puts on Earth is for a purpose. We should not kill anything. We should not eat anything except plant-based diet.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7223827/Pollution-creating-acid-oceans.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/oceans-acidity-rate-is-soaring-claims-study-1899536.html
http://www.e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2241

Aquaculture endangers wild fish

According to recent research led by Professor Rosamond L. Naylor of Stanford University in California, USA, more than 50% of fish consumed by humans now comes from fish farms, or aquaculture.

The report, authored by Dr. Naylor and other international scientists, indicated that between 1995 and 2007, production of farmed fish around the world nearly tripled in volume.

However, along with the rise in aquaculture has been a corresponding increase in fish meal used to feed the farmed fish, with five pounds of wild fish being consumed, for instance, for every pound of farmed salmon produced. Even vegetarian fish such as Chinese carp and tilapia are now given fish meal garnered from wild ocean fish, thus furthering endangering species such as anchovies and sardines.

The researchers warn that this exponential rise of aquaculture, once thought to relieve pressure from depleting wild fish, is now being seen as an additional threat to their survival.

Dr. Naylor and international team of scientists, we appreciate your factual account of the true cost of farmed fish. May we all be reminded that our planet depends on the oceans’ vibrant life and choose from the wide assortment of healthful and delicious plant-based foods. Concerned for our fragile ecosphere, Supreme Master Ching Hai highlighted again the critical need for the more considerate care of our fish co-inhabitants during a May 2009 videoconference in Togo.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Fish farms are like on-land factory farms. They have similar problems environmentally, with impacts that include polluting the bodies of waters. The farmed fish are contained in big netted areas off the ocean shores with uneaten food, fish waste, antibiotics, or other drugs and chemicals that pass into the surrounding waters where they harm our ecosystems and pollute our drinking sources.

Depleting wild fish stocks also. Fish like salmon that are eaten by humans are usually fed huge amounts of other fish like anchovies. This practice also endangers sea animals, like sea lions and birds

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Fish are God’s creations that we should also care for, respect, protect, not to eat. We should be looking for ways to help the fish, to protect them and all the marine life from the devastating effects of climate change. Once we start thinking in this way, we are in a better position for ourselves, for the fish and for the planet.

http://www.naturalnews.com/028059_salmon_fish_stocks.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907162320.htm
http://www.ratical.com/renewables/TherapHoil.html

Coral reefs give rise to considerable new species

A recent study by scientists at Humboldt University in Germany looked back hundreds of millions of years to determine the type of life that has sprung up around coral reefs over time. These magnificent but delicate ecosystems are currently imperiled worldwide as rising ocean temperatures produce bleaching and acidification, making it difficult for their structures to form.

Coral reefs are sometimes referred to as the rainforest of the ocean because of their vast biodiversity. That description was confirmed in this study as researchers found new species originating 50% faster in coral reefs than in other habitats.
Lead author Dr. Wolfgang Kiessling stated, “Our study shows that reefs are even more important than currently assumed ... not only ecologically … but also in an evolutionary sense.”

Dr. Kiessling and Humboldt University colleagues, our sincere thanks for your detailed work confirming the vital importance of coral reefs to our planet.

Let us show our respect for life on both land and sea through sustainable living in harmony with the Earth.

In a November 2008 interview on Ireland’s East Coast Radio FM, Supreme Master Ching Hai addressed yet again the significant value of the fragile marine ecosystems, along with the way to assure their preservation.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Some scientists predict that most of the coral reefs could disappear in the near future if global warming increases. Scary, 10% lost just in the last four years alone. Coral reefs are just like the forest on land. They are the protectors of 100-plus countries’ coastlines against storm surges and hurricanes. And they are also the supporters of over 25% of all marine species. They are the medical treasure which is used in many medicines And there are many more things that we have not discovered about the benefits of coral reef and marine life.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: So we have to stop global warming.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: And above all, and most urgently of all, be veg, go green to save the planet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8446002.stm

Stranded whales returned to sea

After 105 pilot whales were found stranded and perished on southern New Zealand’s Colville Beach, another 64 were found and 43 saved on Coromandel Beach, thanks to the help of about 300 volunteers, rescuers and visitors who kept the mammals wet until the tide came in and they could safely swim back to the ocean.

The 21 who perished were buried on the sacred Maori land.

Although the reason for these strandings is unknown, such events have been observed to be increasing along with the human-caused effects of global warming.

Our appreciation all volunteers and rescuers whose tireless efforts helped keep the whales alive during this heart-wrenching incident. May God continue to bless the loving whales as we work to protect all marine species and their beautiful ocean homes. During an international gathering in August 2008, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke with sorrow about stranded ocean mammals, and how humans both cause and can help with their predicament.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: So many whales and dolphins, they wash up ashore and die. There are so many dead zones in the ocean. It’s suffocating them, so they have to swim out of the water where it’s full of the poisonous gas that has been released! They cannot bear it, they cannot breathe. So they have to get out of it.

For them, life is in the water, but if water is full of poison, of course they come out. But when they come out, they die, too. Because they have no water. They stay in the ocean, they die; they came out, they die. There is no choice for them. This is the worst of all cruelty, that the people don’t take care of the environment. And let all beings keep dying like this.

Just to be vegan, how difficult can it be?

Even the dolphins have to swim out of the ocean; because they think like that they can survive, even risking their lives. So why not we can just can change to vegan diet?

http://www.3news.co.nz/60-whales-stranded-on-northern-Coromandel-beach/tabid
/423/articleID/135482/Default.aspx#top
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/3196490/Hundreds-in-whale-rescue
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/stranded-pilot-whales-buried-in-coromandel-3319223
http://www.ndtv.com/news/world/new_zealand_125_pilot_whales_die_on_beaches.php

Ocean acidity increases noise levels

As global warming causes the oceans to absorb more and more CO2, US scientists say they are also getting louder, with unknown effects on marine life. Dr. Richard Zeebe, associate professor of oceanography at the University of Hawaii in the USA, explained that the rising acidity from the absorbed gas affects sound propagation, with certain frequencies becoming more intense.

Further increases in both the acid content as well as human-generated noise from ships, construction, seismic surveys and sonar signals could thus severely impair the cetaceans’ ability to navigate and communicate effectively.

Dr. Rima Morrell, an animal communicator and member of the United Kingdom’s Royal Geographical Society and Royal Anthropological Institute, conveyed in a telephone interview with Supreme Master Television further information about how whales in particular respond to such harmful human actions.

Dr. Rima A Morrell – Founder, Living Ark Sanctuary, Member of the Royal Geographical Society and Royal Anthropological Institute (F): Suddenly the ocean which was once a place of freedom is being restricted by these noises and these objects that humans have put there.

And mothers and babies are losing each other, and that kind of thing never used to happen. However, despite what is happening to the ocean, the whales themselves remain very balanced and they are delighted by the joy that that humans get through contact with them.
And that is indeed why they chose to actually come towards humans and leap around and surface there where humans are.

VOICE: Dr. Morrell, Dr. Zeebe and colleagues, our gratitude for this study which calls attention to a new aspect of climate change and its damaging effects. May we all unite in efforts to protect the oceans and our planet.

Highlighting the value of all animal co-inhabitants to the welfare of humanity, Supreme Master Ching Hai has often shared an understanding of the gifts they bring to our world, as in an August 2009 videoconference in Thailand.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: The animals are truly noble, gentle beings, selfless, and in harmony with one another, the environment, and with Heaven. Their role has always been since time immemorial to bring love and blessing to the world with their pure presence.

If we would only stop harming and torturing them and killing them, and give them a chance to fulfill their God-given mission, then our planet will be saved and will be kept in splendor.

They wait on the sidelines in full support of humans, for the day they can be our friends again, truly, not our victims. On that day of peacemaking between humans and animals, our eyes may begin to be opened to our co-inhabitants’ true magnificent roles on Earth.

http://www.starbulletin.com
/news/20091227_Ocean_noise_pollution_turns_up_with_greenhouse_gas_emissions.html
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanography/faculty/zeebe.html

Warming temperatures linked to oceanic dead zones

Researchers from Oregon State University recently published results of studies evaluating the occurrence of hypoxia, or extremely low levels of oxygen, that occur in the oceans.

Although such regions were previously unknown to central Oregon, these “dead zones” now appear annually, with the low levels of oxygen causing a massive die-off of marine life including fish and invertebrates such as crabs.

Unlike the dead zones already found in the coastal Mississippi Delta and other areas, which can be traced to runoff from livestock manure and fertilizers, the hypoxic regions off the Oregon coast occur in the open ocean.

In studying ancient sea sediment, the scientists found that such dead zones also occurred about 20,000 years ago during a rapid warming of the Antarctic similar to what the Earth is experiencing now, as wind and water circulation was affected globally.

Oregon State researchers, we are grateful for your work that adds to our growing knowledge about the dangers of a warming planet. We pray for lifestyles leading to the well-being of all life in our shared ecosphere.

As she has in earlier times, Supreme Master Ching Hai indicated in a June 2008 videoconference in Formosa (Taiwan) the proper action that is needed to avoid even larger-scale devastation than the ocean dead zones.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Stock raising, animal breeding, is the #1 cause of damage to our planet and it is going to destroy our world if we do not stop. I really mean it. We have to stop this. We have to stop the killing. We have to stop the meat eating. We have to stop insecticides. We have to go organic. And vegetarian is a must. Otherwise, there will not be just the dead zones in the ocean.

I repeat: Otherwise, if we don’t do anything now, if we don’t be veg and we don’t stop polluting our planet in many ways, then there will not be just the dead zones in the ocean. There will a dead planet. And we also will be dead beings, too. Vegan diet will save the planet. The fastest and the easiest, and everyone can do it.

http://www.physorg.com/news180096546.html
http://surfchecker.wordpress.com/category/pacific-northwest/

Galapagos species suffering from climate change and overfishing

The Ecuadorian Galapagos Islands were first brought to the world’s attention as the site where Darwin tested his theory of evolution. Now, they are speaking of the fragile state of our seas as a new report in the journal Global Change Biology indicates that the Galapagos black-spotted damselfish , and a remarkable 24-rayed starfish called Heliaster solaris are likely extinct as they have not been seen in the last 25 years.

Rising ocean temperatures caused by global warming-induced El Niño weather events as well as excessive fishing are blamed for their disappearance as well as the decline of other species such as the Galapagos penguin and the Floreana cup coral.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, seven species from this famous ecosystem are possibly extinct while nine others are critically endangered.

We are saddened to know of the perilous condition of the Galapagos and all marine life. Let us all act now to avert more losses by adopting considerate lifestyles that are in harmony with nature.

During a May 2009 videoconference in Togo, while addressing the urgent need to act on the crisis facing our marine co-inhabitants, Supreme Master Ching Hai again called on all humanity to turn to life-sparing ways.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: The marine ecosystem is in big trouble right now from global warming already. If those fish are all gone, we will see a catastrophic loss of other marine species as well. The coastal ecosystems will also be affected greatly by diseases and algae blooms that release toxins. The ocean is a wonderful recycler that normally can purify the water and create nutrients and turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, etc. The ocean is a miracle.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: It is in our interest to care for the oceans if we want to survive, and all the life that they contain, including fish. No animal products at all; that is the best way. We should be vegan.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/04_14.html
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/1203-hance_galapagos.html

Carbon Sinks Losing The Battle With Rising Emissions

Emissions rising too fast for oceans and forests. Dr. Mike Raupach, co-chair of the Global Carbon Project and scientist at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), has reported that the elements of nature such as forests, grasslands and oceans have been absorbing CO2 at unprecedented rates because of a continued increase in human-caused carbon emissions. In fact, these natural carbon absorbers can no longer keep up. Dr. Andreas Fischlin of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology explains how this situation could lead to a serious global warming tipping point.

Dr. Andreas Fischlin – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (M): Land ecosystems, which are currently sequestering about one quarter of all emissions, will stop doing that, and they will actually switch into becoming a source of CO2, so they will add to our own emissions, which will require us even to more compensate this if we would get to this point. So they would accelerate climate change instead what they’re doing now, they are slowing it down. So we must not lose that service from land ecosystems. The point where you actually switch from being a sink and sequestering carbon and to becoming a source in emitting carbon is a tipping point.

VOICE: Knowing this, Dr. Mike Raupach stated, “Such a change would have drastic consequences for the predicted magnitude or speed of climate change occurring.”

We appreciate your insights, Drs. Raupach and Fischlin. Our prayers that this knowledge will help bring about quick and effective actions to avoid irreversible trends such as these.

In a videoconference in February with the 12th President of the Philippines, His Excellency Mr. Fidel Ramos, during his visit to our Association’s Center in Taipei, Formosa (Taiwan), Supreme Master Ching Hai described the benefits of organic farming, together with minimizing livestock production, to quickly remove harmful greenhouse gas emissions from the environment.

Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai
and 12th President of the Philippines, Mr. Fidel Ramos
Act Now! - For a More Peaceful and Safer World Taipei, Formosa (Taiwan) February 21, 2009

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Now scientific studies have found that organic farming not only reduces energy usage and produces less CO2, which helps lower greenhouse gases, but it actually allows the soil to absorb even 40% of presently in the air CO2 emission. Before we even invent any technology to reduce CO2, or before we even reduce all the cars and transportations, if we go organic we reduce 40% of the current CO2 in the air already, and the daily emission.

If we reduce the livestock raising, then we can reduce all the toxic gases lingering in our air right now. Hydrogen sulfide, Yes. that is one of the toxic gases, deadly gases which is emitted fromlivestock, yes. Another is methane. Another is, of course, CO2. And the methane can even trigger more CO2 if it warm the climate. So, encourage organic farming. Be vegan.