Even though the population size grew enough to consider the species recovered, many of the factors that led to brown pelican endangerment are still prevalent today. Which is why Change.org community member, Dagmar Jesensky, is petitioning California to return brown pelicans to the state’s endangered species list.

Poisoning from the pesticide DDT caused the brown pelican population crash back in the 1960s, along with a number of other bird species, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons. Despite an EPA ban in 1972, DDT is still having effects on bird populations today, such as the federally endangered California condor.

Having just been declared recovered last year, IBRRC worries that, while the number of pelicans in California has “recovered,” the population has not stabilized.

Brown pelicans are considered an indicator species. Dependent on water for food and breeding, chemical contaminants from oil spills and runoff can decimate the population quickly. One notable example from the eastern U.S. is the Gulf oil spill earlier this year.

It’s not just recent oil that is harming wildlife. Turning our attention back to California, a freighter that sank near San Francisco in 1953 appears to still be causing problems for brown pelicans. Approximately 457,000 gallons of fuel went down with the ship. California Department of Fish and Game estimates close to 52,000 birds have been killed as a result of the periodic fuel leakage from 1990 to 2003.

In the San Francisco Bay area, Jesensky has also noticed an increase in sewage spills in recent years. In February 2009, over 1 million gallons of raw sewage and stormwater spilled into San Francisco Bay in the span of a week.

IBRRC cites domoic acid and botulism poisoning, as well as juvenile pelicans dying from starvation, as other dangers to brown pelican survival. Domoic acid, commonly found in red algae, have neurological effects on brown pelicans. Anchovies, a large component of the pelican’s diet, consume vast quantities of toxic algae. There are even indications that domoic acid can cause epilepsy in humans and sea lions.

Jesensky witnessed firsthand the effects of domoic acid poisoning on brown pelicans in the San Francisco Bay area: “Then some pelicans started doing an unnatural thing — they were stretching their long necks backwards in the middle of the flight. It looked as if they were experiencing some kind of a spasm.”

Additionally, IBRRC is concerned about the number of brown pelicans that get caught in fishing lines.

Starvation is no longer just affecting juvenile pelicans. This past winter, a thousand dead pelicans washed up on the shore of California. A collaboration of California Fish and Game, IBRRC and others rushed to save surviving pelicans and try to figure out what caused the unusual deaths.

With all of these threats, what’s the obstacle to endangered species re-listing? Since brown pelicans are considered a benchmark — a standard of a successful endangered species recovery program — placing them back on the endangered list, at the state or federal level, would be tantamount to admitting failure.

That doesn’t deter Jesensky, who is petitioning to have brown pelicans returned to the endangered species list for both California and at the national level. The road that lies ahead is challenging, but well worth it to watch these magnificent birds return to their former glory in both health and numbers.

Photo Credit: Franco Folini

Was the California Brown Pelican Recovery Celebrated Too Soon?

The report says that rabbits were fed a diet high in fat to increase cholesterol levels to egregiously high levels and to harden their arteries. Then, the companies fed the animals tea in their water, ostensibly to demonstrate that if the levels decreased, they could market their product as having health benefits. Rabbits weren’t the only test subjects; mice were bred with severe bowel inflammation problems, and then fed tea to see if it helped. And piglets were infected with E. Coli, to give them diarrhea, and I suppose the tea companies felt that their product might have an effect on that, too?

In any event, even if tea had helped the artificially, intentionally sickened animals, they were all killed afterwards for their trouble. It doesn’t get less natural than this.

And this might not be all. Other reports have stated that the Lipton brand uses animal products in their teas — like blood. To dye it the right color.

The companies’ silence on these issues are disturbing. Apparently, Lipton did not respond to repeated calls for a statement on the findings. Twinings, however, verified that it doesn’t use animal products or employ animal testing in the making of its products. So if you’re interested in certifiably cruelty-free tea, you might want to switch.

Tea companies are using your dollars to fund ridiculous, unnecessary, painful and deadly tests on animals that don’t improve human health but only the company’s bottom line. Animals should not have to suffer and die just so large corporations can make specious claims as to their products’ health benefits.

The National Anti-Vivisection Society has tons of research about the pros and cons of animal testing, which you can read here. But it boils down to this: the physiology of the animals, and the way they are artificially sickened, means that whatever “benefits” Unilever determines their products have mean pretty much nothing for regular people with high cholesterol and irritable bowels who drink Lipton, Lyons, and PG tips teas. If you like their teas, awesome. But if you’re drinking it solely to ensure you don’t die from a heart attack or stroke, you might need a different kind of help.

Agree? Then tell Unilever, the parent company of the Lipton, PG tips, and Lyons brands, to end their use of useless animal testing. And until they do, vote with your wallet; this winter, curl up with a mug of something else.

Photo credit: psd

How Many Animals Have Died for Your…Tea?

Photo courtesy of tonrulkens on flickr

With the release of and subsequent media frenzy surrounding Pope Benedict XVI’s published comments on condom use has come a renewed debate about religion, sexuality and public health. And it’s not just about “male prostitutes.” While the Pope’s original declaration referred to the fact that condom use may be a moral act for male prostitutes wishing to prevent against sexually transmitted infections, the Vatican later clarified that — oh, wait a minute — women, men and transsexuals also may use condoms to protect themselves against transmission of disease, thank you very much.

Many progressive Catholics and organizations say these statements have opened the door to the potential to have a more realistic conversation about the role condoms play in protecting the health and lives of women, men and young people globally.

But, of course, the conversation has been happening for years between public health experts, advocates and those who use condoms. We already know that condoms are the only sure-fire contraceptive method for women who want to prevent both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. However, Catholics for Choice say that many Catholic health providers working for Catholic aid agencies in developing nations are secretly handing out condoms while fearing for their jobs since condom use is still unacceptable as a tenet of the Church. Catholic groups like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States have stood in the way of ensuring access to condoms, as well as to the funding of other HIV/AIDS prevention strategies that work — like comprehensive sex education in developing nations — for too long.

The best way we can “use” the Pope’s comments on condoms, in this country, is to put pressure on Catholic health agencies working on the ground in these poor nations to formally integrate condoms into their prevention strategies.

The Catholic Church is one of the largest providers of AIDS relief services in developing nations. Agencies like the U.S. based Catholic Relief Services (CRS), that provide crucial health services but will not promote condom use or distribute condoms, are funded mostly by the U.S. government. Andrew Green on Change.org writes that CRS spent upwards of $170 million on HIV/AIDS related programming in 2009. As Jodi Jacobson writes on RH Reality Check, HIV positive women in primarily Catholic countries who can only access health care from these Catholic agencies, do not have access to the means to protect themselves from pregnancy or re-infection without condoms.

That is entirely unacceptable.

Tell Catholic Relief Services (CRS) that if it’s good enough for the Pope, it’s good enough for the women, men, and young people around the world who have the right to access the public health proven strategies, like condom use, to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS. Pope Benedict’s opinion that condoms may be the most moral course of action in certain circumstances shines a new light on the way Catholic aid agencies may approach HIV/AIDS prevention. Join public health advocates in saving lives and tell Catholic Relief Services to start distributing condoms — because including condoms in any prevention programs is necessary and moral.

Spread the Pope’s Condom Message To Catholic Health Workers

The Child Nutrition Act, legislation that would improve both the quality and accessibility of school lunches, has been kicking around in Congress for months on end. While the Senate passed its version of the school lunch reform bill — the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act — back in August, the House has yet to vote on the bill. That will change this Wednesday, December 1st, as representatives will finally weigh in on the legislation.

The House can do a number of things with the pending legislation. For one, it could neg the bill entirely, meaning kids wouldn’t see any increased funding for school lunches. The House could also delay the bill through a motion to commit, which would essentially kill the legislation for the rest of the year. With Republican lawmakers taking control of the House of Representatives this January, it’s unlikely that increased funding for school lunches will get enough support from Congress next year. Unless the House votes in favor of the Child Nutrition Act this week and sends it to President Obama’s desk for approval, this may be the last chance in the foreseeable future for federal school lunch reform.

If the House does indeed give the Child Nutrition bill the thumbs-up, it would usher in a number of changes to school lunches. The bill provides $4.5 billion over the next 10 years to child nutrition programs, namely the federal school lunch program. The extra dough promises to expand the number of students enrolled in free and reduced-cost school meal programs and improve entrees’ nutritional quality. It would also raise the federal reimbursement rate for school lunches by six cents per meal, the first time Congress will have increased the rate since 1973. The Child Nutrition Act also aims to expand farm-to-school initiatives.

While it’s pretty obvious that school lunch is in desperate need of reform (“bagel dogs” are a regularly appearing entree in some lunch lines), the Senate’s iteration of the bill aims to pay for the improvements by slashing future food stamp benefits, a move that unfairly robs Peter to feed Paul. It’s a funding measure that understandably has many folks on the fence about the Child Nutrition Act.

You can help push forward school lunch reform by signing the Environmental Working Group’s petition asking the House to vote in favor of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. You can also ask lawmakers to fund school lunch programs without cutting future food stamp benefits by signing the Food Research and Action Center’s petition here.

Photo credit: bookgrl via Flickr

Why School Lunch Reform Must Pass This Week

Triclosan is found in everything from Clearasil face wash and Colgate toothpaste to Playskool children’s toys. Do we really need that much sterility? It makes sense to keep everything germ-free in a hospital setting where patients have compromised immune systems, but in our daily lives, according to the CDC, antibacterial products can lead to drug resistance, lower immunity and allergies. A recent study by the CDC detected triclosan in the urine of 75 percent of the people they tested.

In April, the FDA issued a stating regarding triclosan’s health effects. In it, they note that triclosan alters hormone regulation in laboratory animals and may contribute antibiotic resistant bacteria. Although they state that the chemical does not currently present a health hazard, it does merit “further review” and they are currently reviewing the scientific evidence to determine its safety in consumer products. Some countries have already banned or limited the use of the chemical.

Perhaps most perplexing is why we use the chemical in the first place. Although it’s been found to be useful to prevent gingivitis, overall, the FDA statement concludes that it “does not have evidence that triclosan in antibacterial soaps and body washes provides any benefit over washing with regular soap and water.”

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has asked Walmart to stop stocking products that contain triclosan, but more needs to be done, since the harmful ingredient is found in 76 percent of soaps on the market (not to mention all of the other products in which it is an ingredient), without any evidence that it actually provides a benefit. The chemical also ends up in our lakes, rivers and waterways, where it can harm aquatic life.

Of course, consumers can forgo antibacterial hand soap in favor of plain old soap and water and check labels to make sure the soap and other cleaning products they use does not contain triclosan or any “anti-bacterial” or “anti-microbial” agents. But oftentimes, triclosan winds up in products that you’d never guess, like shoes and cutting boards.

The FDA should heed to the precautionary principle and remove the ubiquitous triclosan from consumer products. Without any real proven benefit and the potential for serious risk, we’re unnecessarily exposing ourselves to a potential hormone disruptor and contributing to the creation of superbugs. Sign this petition telling the FDA to ban the unnecessary triclosan from consumer products.

From Toys to Toothpaste: Triclosan is Everywhere, but is It Safe?

Their visits are also turning the state into a culture war battle ground, and Huckabee launched a fresh attack this weekend by celebrating the national “significance” of Iowa’s decision to oust three state Supreme Court justices who approved same-sex marriage.

“The significance and historic nature of the judicial elections here in Iowa were far bigger than the borders of Iowa,” said Huckabee in a speech at an evangelical gathering Sunday. “It was a very important statement that voters made, a statement that resonated across the country and one that I think will give legs to a larger movement over the next few years.”

The Iowa justice recalls were a rallying cry for social conservatives this overwhelmingly money-minded election year, and Huckabee made sure to stay on top of the waning tide: he stoked the flames in June by refusing popular Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ calls for a “truce” on social issues.

“The issue of life and traditional marriage are not bargaining chips nor are they political issues. They are moral issues,” Huckabee insisted at the time. Though certainly heartfelt, Huckabee’s latest outburst also reveals insight into his 2012 strategy.

Neither Palin, Gingrich nor other popular presidential prospects, like Mitt Romney, are likely to be labeled liberal on social issues. As de facto queen of the Tea Party, however, Palin just has to maintain her base and then persuade some more social conservatives.

Gingrich has his Washington machine behind him, yes, but he offended some Tea Party activists with his remarks this year that they are a militant GOP sect, and not everyone on the right has forgotten about his extra-marital affairs, a fact that complicates his social conservative standing. [It's worth noting, though, that Gingrich is also trying to capitalize on the gay marriage issue, and said last week that the four remaining justice who weren't up for retention should "resign."]

With regard to Romney, the former Massachusetts Governor’s past statements supporting gay pride and flip-flops on issues like the Employment Nondiscrimination Act have alienated social conservatives in 2008, and the passage of “progressive” health care reform in Massachusetts on his watch threatens his support among the Tea Party.

By locking down social conservatives, Huckabee’s attempting to guarantee traditionally Republican allies who may feel ignored in the wake of the younger, more exciting Tea Party, thereby cutting them off from potential poachers. He’s already started his campaign.

“I was tea party before there was such a thing,” he explained in July, four months after a Tea Party poll painted him in an unfavorable light. “If people go back and listen to what I said during the campaign, read the books that I’ve written, what they’re going to say is that, ‘Gosh, this guy was the tea party message before anyone identified it as a tea party.’” And Huckabee can easily use his Fox News outlet to keep hammering that point ahead of the 2012 primaries.

It’s clear where Huckabee’s going with his marriage messages. Whether they have the national impact he claims, however, won’t be revealed for months to come. Is that a blessing or a curse?

Photo credit: brennan.v’s Flickr

Mike Huckabee’s ‘Important’ Remarks On Iowa Justices, Gay Marriage: Traditionally Shrewd

The lawsuit presents a laundry list of abuse at the 1,400-bed Walnut Grove Correctional Facility in north Mississippi. And it goes straight after GEO for allowing assaults and denying medical care and education while racking up healthy profits at the prison. The facility was built with $41 million in taxpayer dollars, while GEO has now earned more than $100 million in profit from its management, the suit estimates. The 1,400 boys and young men held there were all sentenced as adults, but two-thirds of them were convicted of non-violent crimes.

Among the abuses listed in the lawsuit:

• A young man who was held in his cell for 24 hours and raped while prison staff failed to act.
• Boys forced into drug trafficking operations inside the facility by guards
• A young man who was beaten by GEO staff while handcuffed
• Several prisoners who have been denied critical mental health treatment, putting their lives in danger.

Less than half of the boys and young men at the facility go to school. Many are denied mental health treatment and special education they need.While the prisoner population grew in 2010, the security staff shrunk. The list goes on, and these aren’t vague, unfounded accusations. Cases are described by name in the ACLU / SPLC lawsuit. Download the full complaint here.

GEO is the same group that paid more than $112,000 in consulting fees to President Obama’s nominee to head the U.S. Marshals, Stacia Hylton. Numerous human rights and prison reform groups are opposing her nomination, alleging a conflict of interest.

As long as prisons are run for profit, the bottom line will trump safety and critical services like education and health care. Lawsuits like this one are critical to eroding the grip of private prison operators on our cycle of crime, incarceration and recidivism. We can urge legislators to stop sending our tax dollars to private prison companies, but as long as companies like GEO line legislative pockets and dance through a revolving door with government jobs, it won’t end. Calling them out in court on their unconstitutional behavior is a critical ingredient in the fight against private prison abuse.

Photo Credit: GEO Group

Via: Real Cost of Prison

Private Mississippi Prison Faces Lawsuit over Treatment of Youth