30 days to protect whales from Iceland's illegal whaeling industry 13MAR14

 
ICELAND is an evil country. So many people think the Icelandic people are good, and the island nation is beautiful and are amazing for the way they have created a modern society while living in such harsh conditions and doing little harm to the environment. So how is it that such an environmentally conscious and good people tolerate and even support their nation's violations of International Whaling Commission's regulations on whaling and the illegal sale of and trade in black market whale meat? Finally, the Obama administration is ready to take economic action against Iceland as long as they continue to violate international whaling regulations. Click the link to send your message to Pres Obama telling him to impose punishing economic sanctions on Iceland's whaling and associated industries as authorized by the Pelly Amendment.....

Iceland’s whaling industry continues to slaughter whales for black market whale meat and products. Tell President Obama that we need targeted sanctions on Iceland’s commercial whaling companies. Over 135 endangered fin whales were slaughtered last year along the coast of Iceland — just to feed a morbid commercial market for whale meat. Now, thanks to the pressure from committed Greenpeace supporters like you, The US government has finally spoken out publicly against Iceland’s illegal whaling and has opened the door to targeted economic or trade sanctions against Iceland’s commercial whaling industry. President Obama has a limited time to make a formal response — less than 30 days. We need to show that public support is behind stronger sanctions on Iceland’s illegal whaling companies. We're looking to generate 40,000 public comments to the President and we need your voice to be one of them. Tell President Obama to place stronger sanctions on Iceland’s commercial whaling — and put this brutal industry to rest for good. Despite a ban on international commercial trade, Iceland’s whaling industry continues to export illegal whale meat and products. Past diplomatic sanctions have not been enough — it’s time we got tougher. We have less than 30 days to show public support for whales and convince President Obama to take a stand against companies linked to Iceland’s cruel and unsustainable practice of commercial whaling. The clock is ticking. Tell President Obama that it’s time to protect whales today. This is an amazing opportunity to be a champion for the whales. With strong targeted sanctions against the companies tied to Icelandic whaling, financial support for Iceland’s last remaining commercial whalers will be gone — and we can finally put this brutal industry to bed.  We have big plans ahead to protect whales and our oceans in 2014 — we’ll continue exposing the black-market whale meat trade, fight seismic testing that could injure and kill over 100,000 whales and dolphins, and work to close the diplomatic loopholes to end commercial whaling once and for all. But we need Whale Defenders like you on our side. Please take action to protect whales today. With your voice, we can finally win the fight against commercial whaling and stop this senseless slaughter. For the whales, Phil Kline Greenpeace Senior Oceans Campaigner PS. We only have 30 days to convince President Obama to place targeted economic sanctions on Iceland’s illegal commercial whaling industry. Tell President Obama that it’s time to protect whales today!

CAMPAIGN VIDEO: STOP ICELAND'S ILLEGAL WHALING 17AUG11

THE NRDC and Sanctionwhaling.org are continuing the campaign for Pres Obama to impose sanctions in Iceland for their illegal whaling. Check out this video and then click the link or header to participate in this vital action for whales....
http://www.sanctionwhaling.org 

It's time to make Iceland pay a price for killing whales from NRDC 4AUG11

IT is disgusting that a nation, a people as "civilized" as Iceland still is whaling. Please join in this action from the NRDC calling on Pres Obama to impose strong trade sanctions on Iceland until they stop whaling. And please boycott all things Icelandic, including travel on Iceland Air and travel to Iceland until they stop whaling. Click the link to take action...

		An important message from Pierce Brosnan “Please join me in urging President Obama to impose tough trade sanctions on Iceland for its illegal slaughter of whales.” The time has come for Iceland to pay a steep price for its inhumane and illegal slaughter of whales. But that may only happen if hundreds of thousands of us speak out now with one powerful voice that cannot be ignored. Let me explain. The U.S. Commerce Secretary has just formally declared that Iceland is defying the international ban on commercial whaling. That declaration starts the clock ticking on a 60-day period during which President Obama must decide whether or not to impose trade sanctions on Iceland. Please join me in urging the President to impose tough sanctions and make Iceland pay a real, measurable price for its mass killing of whales. Iceland has proven that it will thumb its nose at anything less -- and will go right on slaughtering whales for profit. In 2004, the United States denounced Iceland in the same manner -- but failed to impose sanctions -- and Iceland proceeded to ramp up its awful slaughter. Since 2006, Iceland has killed 280 endangered fin whales and more than 200 minke whales. In the last two years alone, it has exported millions of dollars worth of whale meat, blubber and oil to Japan, Norway, Latvia and Belarus. Iceland is not only flouting the ban on whaling, it is depleting whale populations at an alarming rate. It’s practically begging to be sanctioned. Please ask President Obama to make Iceland pay a price at long last -- for the sake of whale survival. For starters, he could target imports by those Icelandic seafood companies directly tied to the whaling industry. But do not assume for a second that such presidential action is a sure thing. In fact, the U.S. has never before imposed sanctions on another nation for whaling. That’s why it’s so important that President Obama feel a groundswell of public support if he is to take this next historic step. Please make your own voice heard inside the White House. You can be sure that Iceland will not end the abhorrent practice of whaling until it is forced to do so. Let’s fight 'em. Again and again. Sincerely, Pierce Brosnan Natural Resources Defense Council

NRDC E MAIL NEWSLETTER 18FEB11

THE NRDC's e mail update on illegal Icelandic whaling, Pebble Mine, bison, mountaintop removal mining, and the oil spill commission report. 

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Whales in Danger Help stop illegal whaling Before the international moratorium on commercial whaling was established in 1986, an average of 40,000 whales were hunted and killed every year. Today, that number is dramatically smaller, but countries like Iceland continue to flout international law by hunting whales. In recent years, Iceland has increased its self-allocated quotas, killing 60 minke whales and 148 endangered fin whales in 2010 alone. The country also exported more than 750 tons of whale meat and other whale products -- a sharp increase from previous years. In light of these alarming developments, NRDC and more than a dozen other organizations are asking the Obama Administration to certify Iceland under the Pelly Amendment of the Fishermen's Protective Act, which allows the government to impose trade sanctions against another country for undermining conservation agreements. Administration officials have publically condemned Iceland's disregard for the whaling ban, but the country has been turning a deaf ear to such international criticism. Ask the Obama Administration to impose trade sanctions against Iceland for its escalation of commercial whaling and trade in whale products. » Take action against Iceland's illegal whaling. In the News   GOVERNMENT CAPTURES HUNDREDS OF WILD BUFFALO Earlier this month, government agents hazed and captured over 500 buffalo near the border of Yellowstone National Park. The captured buffalo are being held in captivity indefinitely, and those that test positive for exposure to brucellosis may ultimately be slaughtered. Yellowstone's wild bison, the only continuously wild population that remains in the United States, frequently wander outside the park in search of food during the harsh winter months. With the population estimated to have grown to around 3,900 animals since their massive slaughter in 2008, they are generally not welcome in Montana due to fears they will transmit brucellosis to domestic cattle. The risk of transmission, however, is tiny. In fact, there has never been a documented case of brucellosis transmission from buffalo to cattle in the wild. And, today, there is less reason than ever to kill buffalo because, among other changes, new regulations no longer require livestock producers to destroy their cattle herd if one of their animals tests positive for brucellosis. NRDC will continue pressuring the Interior Department to protect these majestic animals instead of killing them. GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN! The Environmental Protection Agency finalized its veto of the permit for the massive Spruce 1 mountaintop removal mine near Logan, WV. The EPA's unprecedented decision means that more than seven miles of streams and more than 2,000 acres of forest will be saved, and local communities will be spared from further water contamination. Back in November, we asked you to send letters to the EPA in support of its recommendation to block the mine, and more than 34,000 of you responded by speaking out. While this is a huge victory for the southern Appalachians, where mountaintop removal mining is laying waste to entire ecosystems, the mining companies are already working to overturn the veto. We'll fight any efforts to undo the veto and will let you know other ways you can participate in this campaign. OIL SPILL COMMISSION CONCLUDES Last month, the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling issued its final report on the events leading up to the oil spill disaster and made its recommendations on how to prevent a repeat. Among other recommendations, the commission called for the creation of an independent safety agency that would regulate offshore drilling and provide better protections for workers and wildlife. NRDC President Frances Beinecke was appointed to serve on the commission by President Obama last June. Action Insider   VIEW THE PEBBLE MINE TIMELINE See the progress we've made in our campaign to stop the Pebble Mine, which threatens the wildlife Eden of Alaska's Bristol Bay. IS ENVIRONMENTALISM A RELIGION? Sheryl Eisenberg explores this thought-provoking question in the latest issue of This Green Life. After you've read the issue, join the debate on This Green Blog. GOOD NEWS ON WILDLIFE Read Andrew Wetzler's latest roundup on good news for wildlife around the globe.

Photo credits: Whale tail. © Corbis; Buffalo and calf. © Art Wolfe; Bristol Bay. © AlaskaStock.com; Yellowstone/Rockies. © Randy Beacham.