All that remains is that man from Scadbury!

Well, we might even get Mr CPRE to part with a fiver then!

Maybe The Coffee House can contribute to WLT instead.

Excellent commentary. Thank you.

I like the look of the World Land Trust and completely understand why they are a little taken a back that Cool Earth have been promoted as a ‘new’ idea! I’ll certainly be looking further into WLT’s work.

I will try again for (what it’s worth) ….

Although Cool Earth is not a new initiative (other NGO’s having been running buy-an-acre type schemes for years), it shouldn’t be knocked for its well-meaning and worthy, although yet-to-be-proved-trustworthy, scheme.

I like the idea that we can sponsor parts of the rainforest in order to preserve it. It’s much the same as sponsoring an endangered animal or adopting a baby elephant.

I like that the indigenous people will be supported and that their dependance on rainforest destruction for their livelihoods will be reduced by financing sustainable educational, medical and employment schemes for them.

I’m not so keen on seeing co-founder Johan Eliasch, a regular traveller, flying down to there once a month on his private jet, in the self-belief that by buying this land, he has already offsetted his rather humongous carbon footprint.

I’m also not so keen on the fact that many other people who take part in this scheme will also see their ‘investment’ as a carbon offset which means that, once again, Western citizens and companies can carry on with their emitting lifestyles while the poorer people of the rainforest have to change theirs.

I would also like to know what will happen when Eliasch’s scientists discover new medicinal plants (which I’m sure they will) in his part of the rainforest. Will he sell to the highest pharmaceutical bidder who will then, in turn, produce life-saving drugs (a good thing) and then slap a patent on them so that the cost of these drugs are so high that only a select few rich Western countries can afford to buy them (a not-so-good thing)?

It’s obvious that the Cool Earth charity must be totally accountable and open to financial scrutiny and moral monitoring. I am somewhat reluctant to share Pete’s trust that it is too high-profile to dare to risk any pilfering and I would like to be more sure that there is no corporate profit to be made which may end up in the pockets of the fatcats.

As Matt implied, there is something to be said for sticking with established charities that have a proven credibility and the Woodland Trust project is an equally worthy cause. But the rainforest projects are particularly vital. We know that. Something needs to be done fast and as things stand, the Buy-a-Jungle schemes are working. They are protecting the rainforests and that is the objective. If I was adamantly intent on a Rainforest project, I would choose the World Land Trust.

http://www.worldlandtrust.org/
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/2007/06/cool-earth.htm

Good advice. Fortunately, walnut trees are one of our most prolific native trees, as well as one of the most valuable. They are really quite interesting. On one hand, squirrels bury the nuts, which helps them spread. On the other hand, their roots dispense a chemical that either kills or retards the growth of many other plants, giving them a big advantage in surviving the first few years. Not to mention that, if you have the patience to hull, dry, crack, and shell the nuts, they make mighty fine eating. Pecans, of course, rule, but walnuts are definitely a close second.

the Grit

I posted a comment here yesterday. Will you guys check your spam box. If it’s anything like my spam filter, it gets overactive at times.