The Great Lakes of North America form the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world, holding more than 20 percent of the world’s surface freshwater and 95 percent of North America’s. Despite the incalculable value of this resource, they’re in serious trouble. Climate change, invasive species, and wetland loss all taking a terrible toll on a watershed that provides life to so many people and species. Now, companies are using the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway as a carbon corridor for a newly aggressive North American energy industry. This poses the greatest threat yet to these waters.
The agricultural sector is the single largest user of water, representing 70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals and up to 90 percent of national water use in some countries. An estimated 40-60 percent of that water is wasted through inefficient irrigation systems and other substandard practices. To address this, the Rainforest Alliance helped to create the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), an international body that manages a comprehensive sustainability certification program for more than one million farms.
More than 50 years ago Rachel Carson noted how chemicals could travel through soil, water and air, accumulate in creatures’ bodies and impact their health. On World Environmental Health Day (September 26) we need to look at our landscape in the way Rachel Carson did — through a systemic lens. The Breast Cancer Fund is partnering with other organizations to move our economy away from hazardous materials and technologies.
This month, world leaders will travel to New York City for a United Nations summit to begin negotiating a global climate agreement. Rachel’s Network is proud join over a thousand organizations rallying with the People’s Climate March on September 21st to show the UN that people are ready for action on climate change. To demostrate that solutions are within reach, we will march with tens of thousands of others wearing our “Women Funding Climate Action” buttons. Here some of our members share their reasons for participating in the People’s Climate March.
Member Abigail Rome believes Car Free Day can do even more for those of us ready to aspire to loftier goals. Taking a car-free pledge offers an opportunity to consider not only how and when we use our automobiles, but also how we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb climate change on a much larger scale.
