Pelecanus

In this bonus episode we highlight our 2022 recipient of the Carrie Wilson Memorial Scholarship, Morgan Buehlmann. Morgan is a school teacher in St. Louis MO, as well as a grad student with Project Dragonfly and an everyday conservation hero that the world needs.

Carrie R. Wilson was a staple of the community of San Diego for the last 50+ years. Carrie believed in community inspiration through direct and intentional action. Pelecanus would never have come to fruition without Carrie, and the same can be said for so many people throughout San Diego. As the Dean of Students of the University of San Diego Law School, she was able to make a lasting impact on thousands of students' lives. Carrie asked us to let anyone looking to honor her memory know that she hopes they would make a "heartfelt gift to make the world a better place." She simply hoped for her legacy to be one of paying it forward. We aim to award this scholarship to students who embody the Pelecanus mission of demonstrating optimism through science and align with Carrie R. Wilson’s passion for education, charity and service.

The Carrie Wilson Memorial Scholarship will be open for applications for project dragonfly students again in the Spring of 2023, check our Pelecanus.org scholarship page for more information. Pelecanus is a 501C3 non-profit organization that takes tax deductible donations. You will also find a link to the donate button on our website if you’d like to contribute to the Carrie Wilson memorial programs or to Pelecanus in general.

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" and Pelecanus Deep Dives can also be found on YouTube!

Wildlife

Endangered Hawaiian monk seal population highest in decades.

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-05-06/endangered-hawaiian-monk-seal-population-rises

Innovations

Scientists Discover Method to Break Down Plastic in Days, Not Centuries

https://www.vice.com/en/article/akvm5b/scientists-discover-method-to-break-down-plastic-in-one-week-not-centuries

Drawdown

Europe’s largest floating solar farm is ready to come online in Portugal

https://electrek.co/2022/05/09/europes-largest-floating-solar-farm-is-ready-to-come-online-in-portugal/

India to set up 30,000 MW offshore wind power, 50,000 MW of solar capacity

https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/topstories/india-to-set-up-30-000-mw-offshore-wind-power-50-000-mw-of-solar-capacity/ar-AAWSrIX

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" and Pelecanus Deep Dives can also be found on YouTube!

Drawdown

Wind Power Overtook Coal, Nuclear For First Time in U.S. on March 29

https://www.npr.org/2022/04/14/1092806582/wind-power-energy-source?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&utm_campaign=npr&fbclid=IwAR1asFMF4qmNlW88UnpHbFkpcy4LbXnB83Okwk2QUdTtymhnfSSeAfJx-5c

‘Historic’: global climate plans can now keep heating below 2C, study shows

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/13/historic-global-climate-plans-can-now-keep-heating-below-2c-study-shows

Legal

California is investigating Big Oil for allegedly misleading the public on recycling

https://www.npr.org/2022/04/28/1095305949/california-is-investigating-big-oil-for-allegedly-misleading-the-public-on-recyc

Life

All 4 building blocks of DNA have been found in meteorites

https://www.vice.com/en/article/88gpk3/all-four-building-blocks-of-dna-have-been-found-in-meteorites

Welcome to The Possibilists!

The Possibilists is a podcast collaboration between The Smithsonian Earth Optimism and Pelecanus.

https://www.pelecanus.org/the-possibilists.html

In this partnership we spotlight conservationists working with a possibilistic attitude for solutions-based efforts to tackle the world's critical environmental struggles. We’re attempting to reframe the narrative around conservation to show that conservation successes are possible through changes in attitude and implementation of intentional change.

On today’s episode of The Possibilists we talk with Anna Rathmann, Executive Director of the Jane Goodall Institute. The Jane Goodall Institute is a global community conservation organization that advances the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall. By protecting chimpanzees and inspiring people to conserve the natural world we all share, they improve the lives of people, animals and the environment. They believe that everything is connected—everyone can make a difference.

Host and producer for this episode areAustin Parkerand Taylor Parker

Producer is Cat Kutz

Music was provided by A Picture Book Studios

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" and our new Pelecanus Deep Dives can also be found on YouTube!

Rights of Nature

The first country in the world has given legal rights to individual wild animals

https://www.sciencealert.com/the-first-country-in-the-world-has-given-legal-rights-to-individual-wild-animals

Investment

White House Launches $1B Program To Boost Conservation Goal

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/biden-america-the-beautiful-challenge-30x30_n_625432dee4b06c2ea32105ec

Biden Admin Announces $500M For Energy Efficiency In Public Schools

https://thehill.com/policy/equilibrium-sustainability/3258521-biden-administration-announces-500m-for-energy-efficiency-in-public-schools/

Canada Lays Out C$9.1 Bln Roadmap To Meet 2030 Climate Targets

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/canadas-releases-emissions-reduction-plan-mapping-out-path-2030-climate-targets-2022-03-29/

Drawdown

Solar panels that can generate electricity at night have been developed at Stanford

https://www.npr.org/2022/04/07/1091320428/solar-panels-that-can-generate-electricity-at-night-have-been-developed-at-stanf

New Vehicles Must Average 40 Mpg By 2026, Up From 28 Mpg

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/vehicles-average-40-mpg-2026-us-standards-83809349

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" and our new Pelecanus Deep Dives can also be found on YouTube!

Wildlife

Endangered green turtles are bouncing back in the Seychelles

https://www.popsci.com/science/endangered-turtles-seychelles/

Indigenous Land

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) assumed full management of the Bison Range, formerly known as the National Bison Range

https://flatheadbeacon.com/2022/03/28/tribes-assume-full-management-of-bison-range/

Judge rules New York took Mohawk land illegally in the 1800s

https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/45540/20220314/judge-rules-new-york-took-mohawk-land-illegally-in-the-1800s

Drawdown

Germany backs phasing out combustion engine cars by 2035

https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-backs-phasing-out-combustion-engine-cars-by-2035/

Largest American Wind Farm ever Built all-at-Once Opens in Oklahoma, Saves Customers $1 Billion over Fossil fuels

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2022/03/25/largest-built-all-once-wind-farm-opens-oklahoma-saves-customers-1-billion

Italy builds first offshore wind farm in an effort to move away from Russian gas

https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/03/17/italy-builds-six-new-wind-farms-in-a-bid-to-move-away-from-russian-gas-dependency

Welsh solar farm exceeds expectations in powering Swansea hospital

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/14/wales-solar-farm-brynwhillach-powers-swansea-hospital-morriston

Chile's new President Boric signs Escazu environmental treaty

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/18/chile-new-president-boric-signs-escazu-environmental-treaty

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" and our new Pelecanus Deep Dives can also be found on YouTube!

Drawdown

Harvesting energy from the air: metasurface-based antenna turns ambient radio waves into electric power

https://scitechdaily.com/harvesting-energy-from-the-air-metasurface-based-antenna-turns-ambient-radio-waves-into-electric-power/

Sale of Leases for Wind Farms Off New York Raises More Than $4 Billion

https://governorswindenergycoalition.org/sale-of-leases-for-wind-farms-off-new-york-raises-more-than-4-billion/

Colorado Oil And Gas Regulators Approve ‘Strongest’ Financial Rules

https://coloradonewsline.com/2022/03/02/colorado-oil-gas-strongest-financial-rules/

UN agrees to create world's first-ever plastics pollution treaty in a blow to big oil

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/02/world/plastics-treaty-environment-climate-un-intl/index.html

Wildlife

Peppered Chub wins Endangered Species Act protection

https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2022-02/peppered-chub-receives-endangered-species-act-protection

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" and our new Pelecanus Deep Dives can also be found on YouTube!

Protected Areas

Afro-Caribbean community safeguards pristine oceans with new protected area

https://news.mongabay.com/2022/02/afro-caribbean-community-safeguards-pristine-oceans-with-new-protected-area/

Renewable Energy

Accelerated ammonia synthesis holds promise for conversion of renewable energy

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220215092519.htm

Technological Breakthrough Allows Seamless Conversion of Ammonia to Green Hydrogen

https://scitechdaily.com/technological-breakthrough-allows-seamless-conversion-of-ammonia-to-green-hydrogen/#:~:text=Technological%20Breakthrough%20Allows%20Seamless%20Conversion%20of%20Ammonia%20to%20Green%20Hydrogen,-TOPICS%3AEnergyGreen&text=Researchers%20leverage%20renewable%20electricity%20for,for%20converting%20ammonia%20into%20hydrogen

Physics Breakthrough as AI Successfully Controls Plasma in Nuclear Fusion Experiment

https://www.sciencealert.com/physics-breakthrough-as-ai-successfully-controls-plasma-in-nuclear-fusion-experiment?fbclid=IwAR1PwMssrc8KVqRuPAH2u29fs13Y3scB7ouVUCq9aKS0K7EZBXXokj-W9iQ

Drawdown

Supreme Court Rejects Dakota Access NEPA Battle

https://www.eenews.net/articles/supreme-court-rejects-dakota-access-nepa-battle/

Students From 5 Top Universities Sue To Compel Fossil-Fuel Divestment

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/02/16/college-fossil-fuel-divest-legal-action/

Mexico’s top court cancels mining concessions near Indigenous communities

https://news.mongabay.com/2022/02/mexicos-top-court-cancels-mining-concessions-near-indigenous-communities/

On today’s episode of Conservation Conversations we talk with Nikki Buxton of Belize Bird Rescue. Founded in 2004, Belize Bird Rescue is Belize's only multi-species avian rescue and rehabilitation center. Belize Bird Rescue has the ability to rehab and release all species of birds but specializes in saving parrots, including the endangered Yellow headed Amazon.

If you’re listening to this episode, consider finding the video version on our youtube page as we were able to do this interview in person and were given a tour of their facilities. These birds are amazing and beautiful to watch, so it won’t disappoint.

Thank you again to Nikki from Belize Bird Rescue. It’s astounding what they’ve created and the amount of birds they’ve been able to save. Please visit their website at BelizeBirdRescue.com and consider donating to their cause. Any amount will go a long way to saving the biodiversity of belize and they really deserve more help.

Host and producer for this episode are Austin Parker and Taylor Parker

Music was provided by A Picture Book Studios

This episode is brought to you in part by our sponsor Tidal Influence, a Californian ecological consulting firm who proudly supports environmental education and all of the diverse conservation efforts that Pelecanus works to highlight. Visit their website at www.tidalinfluence.com to learn more about what they do to conserve our coastal resources and how you can get involved

Please like, comment, and subscribe to our page if you haven’t already. Thanks again, we’ll talk to you next time.

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" and our new Pelecanus Deep Dives can also be found on YouTube!

Wildlife

California judge restores federal protection for gray wolves in 44 states

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gray-wolf-endangered-species-act-wildlife-regulations/

Iceland Set To End Whaling By 2024 Due To Lack Of Demand

https://www.sci-nature.com/2022/02/iceland-set-to-end-whaling-by-2024-due.html

Drawdown

Nuclear Fusion Heat Record A ‘Huge Step’ In Quest For New Energy Source

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/09/nuclear-fusion-heat-record-a-huge-step-in-quest-for-new-energy-source

Rulings

Ecuador’s top court rules for stronger land rights for Indigenous communities

https://news.mongabay.com/2022/02/ecuadors-top-court-rules-for-stronger-land-rights-for-indigenous-communities/

China jails almost 50 steel executives for faking emissions data

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-28/china-jails-almost-50-steel-executives-for-faking-emissions-data