Green Right Now reports that a study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress, shows that 1,141 (and possibly nearly 2,000) of the world’s 5,487 mammals are known to be threatened with extinction. The real situation could be much worse as 836 mammals are listed as Data Deficient. With better information more species may well prove to be in danger of extinction.

The threatened mammals include:

• Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) — has a population of just 84-143 adults and has continued to decline due to a shortage of its primary prey, the European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
• China’s Père David’s Deer (Elaphurus davidianus) — listed as Extinct in the Wild. However, the captive and semi-captive populations have increased in recent years and it is possible that truly wild populations could be re-established soon.
• Cuba’s Little Earth Hutia (Mesocapromys sanfelipensis) — not seen in almost 40 years.
• Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) — the global population declined by more than 60 percent in the last 10 years due to a fatal infectious facial cancer.
• The Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) — found in Southeast Asia, moved from Vulnerable to Endangered due to habitat loss in wetlands.
• Caspian Seal (Pusa caspica) — its population has declined by 90 percent in the last 100 years due to unsustainable hunting and habitat degradation and is still decreasing.

The project to assess the world’s mammals was conducted with help from more than 1,800 scientists from over 130 countries. It was made possible by the volunteer help of IUCN Species Survival Commission’s specialist groups and the collaborations between top institutions and universities, including Conservation International, Sapienza Università di Roma, Arizona State University, Texas A&M University, University of Virginia, and the Zoological Society of London.

For more on the study, see Green Right Now.

The Ethisphere Institute, publisher of the quarterly Ethisphere magazine, has announced a list of what it calls the “Global Sustainability Centers of 2020.” Listing 10 large and 10 mid-sized cities (a population of 600,000 was the dividing line), the report honors municipalities who have built “strong and principled foundations” and long-term city planning. While environmental and sustainability considerations are listed first among the criteria, they weren’t the only factors considered; the think tank also evaluated quality-of-life issues like arts and education, transportation, and business planning.

Large Cities

• Toronto, Canada — Population: 2,480,000
• Singapore, Singapore — Population: 4,600,000
• Hyberabad, India — Population: 9,200,000
• Cape Town, South Africa — Population: 2,480,000
• Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — Population: 1,400,000
• New York City, United States — Population: 8,200,000
• London, United Kingdom — Population: 7,400,000
• Melbourne, Australia — Population: 3,592,000
• Curitiba, Brazil — Population: 1,800,000
• Frankfurt, Germany — Population: 660,000

Mid-Sized Cities

• Copenhagen, Denmark — Population: 509,000
• Doha, Qatar — Population: 339,000
• Edinburgh, United Kingdom — Population: 430,000
• Helsinki, Finland –  Population: 564,000
• Oslo, Norway — Population: 560,000
• Portland, United States — Population: 568,000
• Reykjavik, Iceland — Population: 115,000
• Victoria, Canada — Population: 78,000
• Wellington, New Zealand — Population: 190,500
• Rotterdam, The Netherlands — Population: 596,000

For more on the report, go to Green Right Now.

The Jewish Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, formed in 1993 and now representing 29 national Jewish organizations, offers extensive information and lists of experts to help Jewish groups become better environmental stewards, including an online guide for individuals and synagogues called Lo-Watt Shabbat.

Lo-Watt Shabbat doesn’t mess around, but gets right to the specifics, asking Jews to consider eating less meat, to replace incandescent light bulbs with CFLs and to use beeswax candles, instead of those made with petro-chemicals, to help stem greenhouse gases.

During Shabbat, Jews “are asked to slow down and remind ourselves that we are part of God’s creation.” It is a good time to practice conservation and “understand where our water, food and electricity come from,” according to the document.

Lo-Watt Shabbat suggests these tips:

• Move your thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two in summer – save about $98 a year and 2000 pounds of carbon dioxide

• Take shorter showers

• Run the washer only when the load is full

• Use natural light, open blinds and drapes to warm your home naturally; do the opposite to cool your house

• Use non-toxic Shabbat candles made of beeswax, which do not use petrochemicals

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with CFLs

• Walk, ride a bike or rollerblade as you participate in community activities on Shabbat

• Eat outside, but use recyclable or paper plates, not Styrofoam

• Use cloth napkins instead of paper

• Decorate your Shabbat table with decorations made from recyclable material such as magazines

• Consumer less meat and increase vegetarian servings (Almost one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions come from raising animals for food, according to a UN Report.)

• Buy organic or locally grown food (because it doesn’t use petroleum based fertilizers).

• Run an outdoor service

• Invite an elected official, scientist or Rabbi knowledgeable about the environment to speak during a service or Oneg Shabbat.

For more, go to Green Right Now.

Source: Green Right Now

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