Re: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

[Candace E. Cornell]

Here here, Donna!

Human overpopulation is our the underlying problem of all our environmental
problems. There are just too many of us for the earth to support
sustainably. Planned Parenthood tries to address the issue but the
government keeps trying to shut them down.

On Thu, Sep 26, 2019 at 11:54 AM Donna Lee Scott  wrote:

> Compost all you can; I save out most used paper towels and tissues and mix
> with my big compost pile leaves, grass, veg garbage etc.
>
> Having a few small woodsy plots here, I also make “wildlife hut” piles
> with most my downed branches and tree/bush trimmings, rather than send it
> to the dump.
>
> Town of Lansing on their ONE brush pickup service per year at least makes
> mulch out of all they pick up.
>
>
>
> But the Other Big Elephant in the room is HUMAN OVERPOPULATION, which
> obviously is helping to cause a lot of climate change , habitat loss, rain
> forest destruction, etc.
>
> A very complex issue for which probably only massive education world-wide
> will help. Look at results of China’s previous efforts at “one child per
> couple”…
>
> Back in the 1970s there was the Zero Population Growth book and publicity.
> Haven’t heard much about this lately.
>
>
>
> Donna Scott
>
> Lansing
>
>
>
> *From:* bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:
> bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu] *On Behalf Of *Deb Grantham
> *Sent:* Thursday, September 26, 2019 11:42 AM
> *To:* CAYUGABIRDS-L 
> *Subject:* RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds
>
>
>
> For reducing impacts of ag, don’t waste food. A very high percentage of
> food in the US is wasted – spoils or people won’t eat the produce with
> spots, etc.
>
>
>
> Deb
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu <
> bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu> *On Behalf Of *Dave Nutter
> *Sent:* Wednesday, September 25, 2019 10:36 PM
> *To:* CAYUGABIRDS-L 
> *Subject:* [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds
>
>
>
> The Lab of O recently released a report saying the world’s wild bird
> population has dropped an alarming 29% in the last five decades. I also
> received a list from the Lab of O about how we as individuals can help
> reduce the harm to birds. Suggestions include preventing window strikes,
> stopping cat predation, stopping pesticide use, planting native species
> instead of lawns, reducing plastic use and recycling plastic, and not
> consuming sun-grown coffee. I would add bananas and sugar to that list of
> tropical plantations which destroy habitat, and suggest generally eating
> locally. The list also talks about advocating policies in each of those
> areas.
>
>
>
> Anyway, the suggestions are good, and I support them. Yet I think there’s
> an elephant in the room. An issue which was not mentioned is destroying
> coastal habitats, mountain habitats, and arctic habitats including sea ice.
> It is causing desertification. It is producing larger wildfires, including
> where plants and animals are not fire-adapted. It is destroying coral reefs
> which are nurseries for fish. It has already moved the ranges of fish and
> other aquatic bird food by hundreds of miles or affected their populations.
> It creates increasingly powerful storms which can devastate islands, as we
> have seen in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
>
>
>
> The problem is climate change, and it is predicted to move the growing
> conditions for plants much faster than the plants can move and regrow, thus
> destroying habitats for birds at range-wide scales. And that’s before
> considering all the habitat destruction caused by humans trying to adapt,
> move, fight over resources, and create new farm land to replace the areas
> which are no longer usable.
>
>
>
> So, I think fighting climate change should be on that list for helping
> birds (as well as helping many other creatures, including humans). And that
> means, among many other things, reducing our carbon footprints to limit the
> future damage.
>
> What is the carbon footprint of birding, and what would reducing it mean?
>
> Not flying?
>
>
>
> Using an electric car charged with renewable energy or at least a high mpg
> car?  (And even keeping renewable energy use at a moderate level, because
> photovoltaic & wind “farms” also displace habitat and harm birds.)
>
> Limiting miles driven?
>
> Car-pooling to go birding?
>
>
>
> Using discretion when deciding what trips to take? How many gallons of
> gasoline should be burned by people to see a little lost bird? Putting a
> limit on the area in which to chase rarities. Staying in a county or a
> basin rather than trying to personally cover a state, country, continent,

Re: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

[Regi Teasley]

One organization that DOES talk about population is the Center for Biodiversity 
in AZ.
  I am a fan.  They do good work.

Regi


What good is a house if you don’t have a tolerable planet to put it in?  Henry 
David Thoreau

> On Sep 26, 2019, at 11:53 AM, Donna Lee Scott  wrote:
> 
> Compost all you can; I save out most used paper towels and tissues and mix 
> with my big compost pile leaves, grass, veg garbage etc.
> Having a few small woodsy plots here, I also make “wildlife hut” piles with 
> most my downed branches and tree/bush trimmings, rather than send it to the 
> dump.
> Town of Lansing on their ONE brush pickup service per year at least makes 
> mulch out of all they pick up.
>  
> But the Other Big Elephant in the room is HUMAN OVERPOPULATION, which 
> obviously is helping to cause a lot of climate change , habitat loss, rain 
> forest destruction, etc.
> A very complex issue for which probably only massive education world-wide 
> will help. Look at results of China’s previous efforts at “one child per 
> couple”…
> Back in the 1970s there was the Zero Population Growth book and publicity. 
> Haven’t heard much about this lately.
>  
> Donna Scott
> Lansing
>  
> From: bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu 
> [mailto:bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Deb Grantham
> Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2019 11:42 AM
> To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
> Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds
>  
> For reducing impacts of ag, don’t waste food. A very high percentage of food 
> in the US is wasted – spoils or people won’t eat the produce with spots, etc.
>  
> Deb
>  
>  
> From: bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu 
>  On Behalf Of Dave Nutter
> Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 10:36 PM
> To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds
>  
> The Lab of O recently released a report saying the world’s wild bird 
> population has dropped an alarming 29% in the last five decades. I also 
> received a list from the Lab of O about how we as individuals can help reduce 
> the harm to birds. Suggestions include preventing window strikes, stopping 
> cat predation, stopping pesticide use, planting native species instead of 
> lawns, reducing plastic use and recycling plastic, and not consuming 
> sun-grown coffee. I would add bananas and sugar to that list of tropical 
> plantations which destroy habitat, and suggest generally eating locally. The 
> list also talks about advocating policies in each of those areas.
>  
> 
> Anyway, the suggestions are good, and I support them. Yet I think there’s an 
> elephant in the room. An issue which was not mentioned is destroying coastal 
> habitats, mountain habitats, and arctic habitats including sea ice. It is 
> causing desertification. It is producing larger wildfires, including where 
> plants and animals are not fire-adapted. It is destroying coral reefs which 
> are nurseries for fish. It has already moved the ranges of fish and other 
> aquatic bird food by hundreds of miles or affected their populations. It 
> creates increasingly powerful storms which can devastate islands, as we have 
> seen in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
>  
> 
> The problem is climate change, and it is predicted to move the growing 
> conditions for plants much faster than the plants can move and regrow, thus 
> destroying habitats for birds at range-wide scales. And that’s before 
> considering all the habitat destruction caused by humans trying to adapt, 
> move, fight over resources, and create new farm land to replace the areas 
> which are no longer usable.
>  
> 
> So, I think fighting climate change should be on that list for helping birds 
> (as well as helping many other creatures, including humans). And that means, 
> among many other things, reducing our carbon footprints to limit the future 
> damage. 
> 
> What is the carbon footprint of birding, and what would reducing it mean?
> Not flying?
>  
> Using an electric car charged with renewable energy or at least a high mpg 
> car?  (And even keeping renewable energy use at a moderate level, because 
> photovoltaic & wind “farms” also displace habitat and harm birds.) 
> Limiting miles driven? 
> Car-pooling to go birding? 
>  
> Using discretion when deciding what trips to take? How many gallons of 
> gasoline should be burned by people to see a little lost bird? Putting a 
> limit on the area in which to chase rarities. Staying in a county or a basin 
> rather than trying to personally cover a state, country, continent, or 
> planet? Forego chasing rarities which have been seen before? 
>  
> More positively, how about concentrating birding on a small area and getting 
> to know its birds well: places 

RE: [EXTERNAL]RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

[Gretchen Salm]

A reduction in human population would make EVERYTHING better. That people 
continue to have large families absolutely astonishes me. Talk about carbon 
foot prints!

From: bounce-123960512-84004...@list.cornell.edu 
 On Behalf Of Deb Grantham
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2019 11:56 AM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
Subject: [EXTERNAL]RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

You're right about population - nobody wants to talk about that anymore.

I do the same with composting but also compost ALL of my food waste. I know the 
crows and raccoons and possums and so on help with that, but that's ok with me.

Deb


From: Donna Lee Scott mailto:d...@cornell.edu>>
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2019 11:54 AM
To: Deb Grantham mailto:d...@cornell.edu>>; CAYUGABIRDS-L 
mailto:cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu>>
Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

Compost all you can; I save out most used paper towels and tissues and mix with 
my big compost pile leaves, grass, veg garbage etc.
Having a few small woodsy plots here, I also make "wildlife hut" piles with 
most my downed branches and tree/bush trimmings, rather than send it to the 
dump.
Town of Lansing on their ONE brush pickup service per year at least makes mulch 
out of all they pick up.

But the Other Big Elephant in the room is HUMAN OVERPOPULATION, which obviously 
is helping to cause a lot of climate change , habitat loss, rain forest 
destruction, etc.
A very complex issue for which probably only massive education world-wide will 
help. Look at results of China's previous efforts at "one child per couple"...
Back in the 1970s there was the Zero Population Growth book and publicity. 
Haven't heard much about this lately.

Donna Scott
Lansing

From: 
bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu>
 [mailto:bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Deb Grantham
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2019 11:42 AM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
mailto:cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu>>
Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

For reducing impacts of ag, don't waste food. A very high percentage of food in 
the US is wasted - spoils or people won't eat the produce with spots, etc.

Deb


From: 
bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu>
 
mailto:bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu>>
 On Behalf Of Dave Nutter
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 10:36 PM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
mailto:cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu>>
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

The Lab of O recently released a report saying the world's wild bird population 
has dropped an alarming 29% in the last five decades. I also received a list 
from the Lab of O about how we as individuals can help reduce the harm to 
birds. Suggestions include preventing window strikes, stopping cat predation, 
stopping pesticide use, planting native species instead of lawns, reducing 
plastic use and recycling plastic, and not consuming sun-grown coffee. I would 
add bananas and sugar to that list of tropical plantations which destroy 
habitat, and suggest generally eating locally. The list also talks about 
advocating policies in each of those areas.

Anyway, the suggestions are good, and I support them. Yet I think there's an 
elephant in the room. An issue which was not mentioned is destroying coastal 
habitats, mountain habitats, and arctic habitats including sea ice. It is 
causing desertification. It is producing larger wildfires, including where 
plants and animals are not fire-adapted. It is destroying coral reefs which are 
nurseries for fish. It has already moved the ranges of fish and other aquatic 
bird food by hundreds of miles or affected their populations. It creates 
increasingly powerful storms which can devastate islands, as we have seen in 
Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

The problem is climate change, and it is predicted to move the growing 
conditions for plants much faster than the plants can move and regrow, thus 
destroying habitats for birds at range-wide scales. And that's before 
considering all the habitat destruction caused by humans trying to adapt, move, 
fight over resources, and create new farm land to replace the areas which are 
no longer usable.

So, I think fighting climate change should be on that list for helping birds 
(as well as helping many other creatures, including humans). And that means, 
among many other things, reducing our carbon footprints to limit the future 
damage.
What is the carbon footprint of birding, and what would reducing it mean?
Not flying?

Using an electric car charged with renewable energy or at least a high mpg car? 
 (And even keeping renewable energy use at a moderate level, because 
photovoltaic & wind "farms" also displace habitat and harm birds.)
Limiting miles driven?
Car-pooling to go birding?

Using discretion when deciding what trips to take? How many gallons 

RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

[Deb Grantham]

You're right about population - nobody wants to talk about that anymore.

I do the same with composting but also compost ALL of my food waste. I know the 
crows and raccoons and possums and so on help with that, but that's ok with me.

Deb


From: Donna Lee Scott 
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2019 11:54 AM
To: Deb Grantham ; CAYUGABIRDS-L 

Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

Compost all you can; I save out most used paper towels and tissues and mix with 
my big compost pile leaves, grass, veg garbage etc.
Having a few small woodsy plots here, I also make "wildlife hut" piles with 
most my downed branches and tree/bush trimmings, rather than send it to the 
dump.
Town of Lansing on their ONE brush pickup service per year at least makes mulch 
out of all they pick up.

But the Other Big Elephant in the room is HUMAN OVERPOPULATION, which obviously 
is helping to cause a lot of climate change , habitat loss, rain forest 
destruction, etc.
A very complex issue for which probably only massive education world-wide will 
help. Look at results of China's previous efforts at "one child per couple"...
Back in the 1970s there was the Zero Population Growth book and publicity. 
Haven't heard much about this lately.

Donna Scott
Lansing

From: 
bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu>
 [mailto:bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Deb Grantham
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2019 11:42 AM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
mailto:cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu>>
Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

For reducing impacts of ag, don't waste food. A very high percentage of food in 
the US is wasted - spoils or people won't eat the produce with spots, etc.

Deb


From: 
bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu>
 
mailto:bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu>>
 On Behalf Of Dave Nutter
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 10:36 PM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
mailto:cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu>>
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

The Lab of O recently released a report saying the world's wild bird population 
has dropped an alarming 29% in the last five decades. I also received a list 
from the Lab of O about how we as individuals can help reduce the harm to 
birds. Suggestions include preventing window strikes, stopping cat predation, 
stopping pesticide use, planting native species instead of lawns, reducing 
plastic use and recycling plastic, and not consuming sun-grown coffee. I would 
add bananas and sugar to that list of tropical plantations which destroy 
habitat, and suggest generally eating locally. The list also talks about 
advocating policies in each of those areas.

Anyway, the suggestions are good, and I support them. Yet I think there's an 
elephant in the room. An issue which was not mentioned is destroying coastal 
habitats, mountain habitats, and arctic habitats including sea ice. It is 
causing desertification. It is producing larger wildfires, including where 
plants and animals are not fire-adapted. It is destroying coral reefs which are 
nurseries for fish. It has already moved the ranges of fish and other aquatic 
bird food by hundreds of miles or affected their populations. It creates 
increasingly powerful storms which can devastate islands, as we have seen in 
Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

The problem is climate change, and it is predicted to move the growing 
conditions for plants much faster than the plants can move and regrow, thus 
destroying habitats for birds at range-wide scales. And that's before 
considering all the habitat destruction caused by humans trying to adapt, move, 
fight over resources, and create new farm land to replace the areas which are 
no longer usable.

So, I think fighting climate change should be on that list for helping birds 
(as well as helping many other creatures, including humans). And that means, 
among many other things, reducing our carbon footprints to limit the future 
damage.
What is the carbon footprint of birding, and what would reducing it mean?
Not flying?

Using an electric car charged with renewable energy or at least a high mpg car? 
 (And even keeping renewable energy use at a moderate level, because 
photovoltaic & wind "farms" also displace habitat and harm birds.)
Limiting miles driven?
Car-pooling to go birding?

Using discretion when deciding what trips to take? How many gallons of gasoline 
should be burned by people to see a little lost bird? Putting a limit on the 
area in which to chase rarities. Staying in a county or a basin rather than 
trying to personally cover a state, country, continent, or planet? Forego 
chasing rarities which have been seen before?

More positively, how about concentrating birding on a small area and getting to 
know its birds well: places you can walk or bike to, places that are already 
along your daily commute.

RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

[Donna Lee Scott]

Compost all you can; I save out most used paper towels and tissues and mix with 
my big compost pile leaves, grass, veg garbage etc.
Having a few small woodsy plots here, I also make "wildlife hut" piles with 
most my downed branches and tree/bush trimmings, rather than send it to the 
dump.
Town of Lansing on their ONE brush pickup service per year at least makes mulch 
out of all they pick up.

But the Other Big Elephant in the room is HUMAN OVERPOPULATION, which obviously 
is helping to cause a lot of climate change , habitat loss, rain forest 
destruction, etc.
A very complex issue for which probably only massive education world-wide will 
help. Look at results of China's previous efforts at "one child per couple"...
Back in the 1970s there was the Zero Population Growth book and publicity. 
Haven't heard much about this lately.

Donna Scott
Lansing

From: bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu 
[mailto:bounce-123960446-15001...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Deb Grantham
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2019 11:42 AM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

For reducing impacts of ag, don't waste food. A very high percentage of food in 
the US is wasted - spoils or people won't eat the produce with spots, etc.

Deb


From: 
bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu>
 
mailto:bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu>>
 On Behalf Of Dave Nutter
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 10:36 PM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
mailto:cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu>>
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

The Lab of O recently released a report saying the world's wild bird population 
has dropped an alarming 29% in the last five decades. I also received a list 
from the Lab of O about how we as individuals can help reduce the harm to 
birds. Suggestions include preventing window strikes, stopping cat predation, 
stopping pesticide use, planting native species instead of lawns, reducing 
plastic use and recycling plastic, and not consuming sun-grown coffee. I would 
add bananas and sugar to that list of tropical plantations which destroy 
habitat, and suggest generally eating locally. The list also talks about 
advocating policies in each of those areas.

Anyway, the suggestions are good, and I support them. Yet I think there's an 
elephant in the room. An issue which was not mentioned is destroying coastal 
habitats, mountain habitats, and arctic habitats including sea ice. It is 
causing desertification. It is producing larger wildfires, including where 
plants and animals are not fire-adapted. It is destroying coral reefs which are 
nurseries for fish. It has already moved the ranges of fish and other aquatic 
bird food by hundreds of miles or affected their populations. It creates 
increasingly powerful storms which can devastate islands, as we have seen in 
Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

The problem is climate change, and it is predicted to move the growing 
conditions for plants much faster than the plants can move and regrow, thus 
destroying habitats for birds at range-wide scales. And that's before 
considering all the habitat destruction caused by humans trying to adapt, move, 
fight over resources, and create new farm land to replace the areas which are 
no longer usable.

So, I think fighting climate change should be on that list for helping birds 
(as well as helping many other creatures, including humans). And that means, 
among many other things, reducing our carbon footprints to limit the future 
damage.
What is the carbon footprint of birding, and what would reducing it mean?
Not flying?

Using an electric car charged with renewable energy or at least a high mpg car? 
 (And even keeping renewable energy use at a moderate level, because 
photovoltaic & wind "farms" also displace habitat and harm birds.)
Limiting miles driven?
Car-pooling to go birding?

Using discretion when deciding what trips to take? How many gallons of gasoline 
should be burned by people to see a little lost bird? Putting a limit on the 
area in which to chase rarities. Staying in a county or a basin rather than 
trying to personally cover a state, country, continent, or planet? Forego 
chasing rarities which have been seen before?

More positively, how about concentrating birding on a small area and getting to 
know its birds well: places you can walk or bike to, places that are already 
along your daily commute.

And for myself, I have greatly enjoyed the photographs of birds and 
descriptions of the birds' activities which other people have contributed to 
their eBird reports. Rather than envy, I can share their joy without feeling I 
need to jump in a car to see (or miss) that bird myself.

Anyway, these are some issues I have been struggling with, and I wonder if 
other birders are also thinking about these things. Thanks.

- - Dave Nutter
--
Cayugabirds-L List Info:
Welcome and Basics<ht

RE: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

[Deb Grantham]

For reducing impacts of ag, don't waste food. A very high percentage of food in 
the US is wasted - spoils or people won't eat the produce with spots, etc.

Deb


From: bounce-123958613-83565...@list.cornell.edu 
 On Behalf Of Dave Nutter
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 10:36 PM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

The Lab of O recently released a report saying the world's wild bird population 
has dropped an alarming 29% in the last five decades. I also received a list 
from the Lab of O about how we as individuals can help reduce the harm to 
birds. Suggestions include preventing window strikes, stopping cat predation, 
stopping pesticide use, planting native species instead of lawns, reducing 
plastic use and recycling plastic, and not consuming sun-grown coffee. I would 
add bananas and sugar to that list of tropical plantations which destroy 
habitat, and suggest generally eating locally. The list also talks about 
advocating policies in each of those areas.

Anyway, the suggestions are good, and I support them. Yet I think there's an 
elephant in the room. An issue which was not mentioned is destroying coastal 
habitats, mountain habitats, and arctic habitats including sea ice. It is 
causing desertification. It is producing larger wildfires, including where 
plants and animals are not fire-adapted. It is destroying coral reefs which are 
nurseries for fish. It has already moved the ranges of fish and other aquatic 
bird food by hundreds of miles or affected their populations. It creates 
increasingly powerful storms which can devastate islands, as we have seen in 
Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

The problem is climate change, and it is predicted to move the growing 
conditions for plants much faster than the plants can move and regrow, thus 
destroying habitats for birds at range-wide scales. And that's before 
considering all the habitat destruction caused by humans trying to adapt, move, 
fight over resources, and create new farm land to replace the areas which are 
no longer usable.

So, I think fighting climate change should be on that list for helping birds 
(as well as helping many other creatures, including humans). And that means, 
among many other things, reducing our carbon footprints to limit the future 
damage.
What is the carbon footprint of birding, and what would reducing it mean?
Not flying?

Using an electric car charged with renewable energy or at least a high mpg car? 
 (And even keeping renewable energy use at a moderate level, because 
photovoltaic & wind "farms" also displace habitat and harm birds.)
Limiting miles driven?
Car-pooling to go birding?

Using discretion when deciding what trips to take? How many gallons of gasoline 
should be burned by people to see a little lost bird? Putting a limit on the 
area in which to chase rarities. Staying in a county or a basin rather than 
trying to personally cover a state, country, continent, or planet? Forego 
chasing rarities which have been seen before?

More positively, how about concentrating birding on a small area and getting to 
know its birds well: places you can walk or bike to, places that are already 
along your daily commute.

And for myself, I have greatly enjoyed the photographs of birds and 
descriptions of the birds' activities which other people have contributed to 
their eBird reports. Rather than envy, I can share their joy without feeling I 
need to jump in a car to see (or miss) that bird myself.

Anyway, these are some issues I have been struggling with, and I wonder if 
other birders are also thinking about these things. Thanks.

- - Dave Nutter
--
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Re: [cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

[Susan Gateley]

Bravo Dave Nutter. You are spot on!!!

On Wed, Sep 25, 2019 at 10:36 PM Dave Nutter  wrote:

> The Lab of O recently released a report saying the world’s wild bird
> population has dropped an alarming 29% in the last five decades. I also
> received a list from the Lab of O about how we as individuals can help
> reduce the harm to birds. Suggestions include preventing window strikes,
> stopping cat predation, stopping pesticide use, planting native species
> instead of lawns, reducing plastic use and recycling plastic, and not
> consuming sun-grown coffee. I would add bananas and sugar to that list of
> tropical plantations which destroy habitat, and suggest generally eating
> locally. The list also talks about advocating policies in each of those
> areas.
>
> Anyway, the suggestions are good, and I support them. Yet I think there’s
> an elephant in the room. An issue which was not mentioned is destroying
> coastal habitats, mountain habitats, and arctic habitats including sea ice.
> It is causing desertification. It is producing larger wildfires, including
> where plants and animals are not fire-adapted. It is destroying coral reefs
> which are nurseries for fish. It has already moved the ranges of fish and
> other aquatic bird food by hundreds of miles or affected their populations.
> It creates increasingly powerful storms which can devastate islands, as we
> have seen in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
>
> The problem is climate change, and it is predicted to move the growing
> conditions for plants much faster than the plants can move and regrow, thus
> destroying habitats for birds at range-wide scales. And that’s before
> considering all the habitat destruction caused by humans trying to adapt,
> move, fight over resources, and create new farm land to replace the areas
> which are no longer usable.
>
> So, I think fighting climate change should be on that list for helping
> birds (as well as helping many other creatures, including humans). And that
> means, among many other things, reducing our carbon footprints to limit the
> future damage.
>
> What is the carbon footprint of birding, and what would reducing it mean?
> Not flying?
>
> Using an electric car charged with renewable energy or at least a high mpg
> car?  (And even keeping renewable energy use at a moderate level, because
> photovoltaic & wind “farms” also displace habitat and harm birds.)
> Limiting miles driven?
> Car-pooling to go birding?
>
> Using discretion when deciding what trips to take? How many gallons of
> gasoline should be burned by people to see a little lost bird? Putting a
> limit on the area in which to chase rarities. Staying in a county or a
> basin rather than trying to personally cover a state, country, continent,
> or planet? Forego chasing rarities which have been seen before?
>
> More positively, how about concentrating birding on a small area and
> getting to know its birds well: places you can walk or bike to, places that
> are already along your daily commute.
>
> And for myself, I have greatly enjoyed the photographs of birds and
> descriptions of the birds’ activities which other people have contributed
> to their eBird reports. Rather than envy, I can share their joy without
> feeling I need to jump in a car to see (or miss) that bird myself.
>
> Anyway, these are some issues I have been struggling with, and I wonder if
> other birders are also thinking about these things. Thanks.
>
> - - Dave Nutter
> --
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[cayugabirds-l] How to help birds

[Dave Nutter]

The Lab of O recently released a report saying the world’s wild bird population 
has dropped an alarming 29% in the last five decades. I also received a list 
from the Lab of O about how we as individuals can help reduce the harm to 
birds. Suggestions include preventing window strikes, stopping cat predation, 
stopping pesticide use, planting native species instead of lawns, reducing 
plastic use and recycling plastic, and not consuming sun-grown coffee. I would 
add bananas and sugar to that list of tropical plantations which destroy 
habitat, and suggest generally eating locally. The list also talks about 
advocating policies in each of those areas.

Anyway, the suggestions are good, and I support them. Yet I think there’s an 
elephant in the room. An issue which was not mentioned is destroying coastal 
habitats, mountain habitats, and arctic habitats including sea ice. It is 
causing desertification. It is producing larger wildfires, including where 
plants and animals are not fire-adapted. It is destroying coral reefs which are 
nurseries for fish. It has already moved the ranges of fish and other aquatic 
bird food by hundreds of miles or affected their populations. It creates 
increasingly powerful storms which can devastate islands, as we have seen in 
Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

The problem is climate change, and it is predicted to move the growing 
conditions for plants much faster than the plants can move and regrow, thus 
destroying habitats for birds at range-wide scales. And that’s before 
considering all the habitat destruction caused by humans trying to adapt, move, 
fight over resources, and create new farm land to replace the areas which are 
no longer usable.

So, I think fighting climate change should be on that list for helping birds 
(as well as helping many other creatures, including humans). And that means, 
among many other things, reducing our carbon footprints to limit the future 
damage. 

What is the carbon footprint of birding, and what would reducing it mean?
Not flying?

Using an electric car charged with renewable energy or at least a high mpg car? 
 (And even keeping renewable energy use at a moderate level, because 
photovoltaic & wind “farms” also displace habitat and harm birds.) 
Limiting miles driven? 
Car-pooling to go birding? 

Using discretion when deciding what trips to take? How many gallons of gasoline 
should be burned by people to see a little lost bird? Putting a limit on the 
area in which to chase rarities. Staying in a county or a basin rather than 
trying to personally cover a state, country, continent, or planet? Forego 
chasing rarities which have been seen before? 

More positively, how about concentrating birding on a small area and getting to 
know its birds well: places you can walk or bike to, places that are already 
along your daily commute. 

And for myself, I have greatly enjoyed the photographs of birds and 
descriptions of the birds’ activities which other people have contributed to 
their eBird reports. Rather than envy, I can share their joy without feeling I 
need to jump in a car to see (or miss) that bird myself.

Anyway, these are some issues I have been struggling with, and I wonder if 
other birders are also thinking about these things. Thanks.

- - Dave Nutter
--

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1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html
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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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