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Ed Begley Jr. in a trash bin eating a trash sandwich
Center for     Biological     Diversity   

Eating Garbage, Talking Sex: New Ed Begley Jr. PSAs

Everybody knows funny-guy actor Ed Begley Jr. has serious cred as an environmental activist. But just how far will he go to make his point?

In a series of new Center for Biological Diversity videos on issues near to our heart — energy waste, food waste and the unsustainable growth of our human population — Ed offers some unconventional advice.

But do you need to eat garbage or stumble around in the dark to save the world? We think not. Our campaign provides real solutions to tough problems, including actions to support science-based sex education, reduce your energy footprint at home, and call on grocery stores to cut food waste.

We're sharing these three new PSAs with more than 2,000 TV stations around the country. Check out the videos and learn more at the Better Than Ed website.

Ed Begley Jr. on population control

Coyote

Nationwide Ban Sought on Deadly M-44 Cyanide Bombs

M-44 cyanide devices cause agonizing deaths for thousands of animals every year, including family pets — so this morning the Center and partners petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to outlaw them.

The devices are used by federal programs like the USDA's Wildlife Services — as well as state agencies in South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico and Texas — to kill wolves, coyotes and other native carnivores for the sake of livestock by spraying sodium cyanide into animals' mouths. They also pose risks of accidental injury and death to people, dogs and endangered wildlife.

"Cyanide traps are indiscriminate killers that just can't be safely used," said the Center's Collette Adkins.

Read more in our press release and check out this visual storytelling piece on M-44s in The Revelator.

Gulf Oil Surveys Would Injure 30 Million Marine Mammals

Humpback whale

Troubling news from Washington: Federal regulators just admitted that super-loud seismic surveys for oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico could cause more than 30 million cases of injury or harassment for whales, dolphins and other marine mammals.

That includes 80 percent of the Gulf's endangered sperm whale population, estimated at just 763 animals.

The government's review of the issue comes in response to a lawsuit by the Center and allies; we'll keep fighting to protect sea life from these devastating blasts. Read more.

Climate change protest

Federal Scientists: The Climate Crisis Is Happening Now

A draft report from 13 federal agencies gives the lie to Donald Trump's claim that climate change is a hoax, instead saying that the evidence is "unambiguous" that the crisis is being driven by manmade causes.

The draft concludes that "evidence for a changing climate abounds, from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the oceans." This report is the latest iteration of the "national climate assessment," over which the Center successfully sued the Bush administration — legal action that led to the publication of the report in the years since.

Now the question becomes whether the Trump administration tries to bury the newest report or block its release.

The Center's Kassie Siegel told The New York Times that we'll be "returning to court at the earliest possible time to ensure that this essential report is released as required."

Read the story in the Times.

Lawsuit: Public Should Know Who Zinke Meets

Grand Teton National Park

For months Trump's Interior Department has ignored the Center's requests for Secretary Ryan Zinke's emails and schedule, as well as records on his potentially destructive national monuments "review" that's targeting public lands — so this week we sued the Trump administration for refusing to release those records.

"Why would Zinke hide his emails and schedule unless he doesn't want the public to know who he's talking to?" said Meg Townsend, our open government staff attorney. Read more in our press release.

Broccoli crops

Get This Dangerous Pesticide Banned for Good

The pesticide chlorpyrifos is so harmful that children of mothers exposed during pregnancy are three times as likely to develop autism and face potential IQ loss by age 7. But despite the well-documented harm caused by this pesticide, Trump's EPA has decided to reverse a proposed ban of chlorpyrifos. Why? Because Dow Chemical, maker of chlorpyrifos and a major donor to the Trump inauguration, asked for a favor.

Take action now to get chlorpyrifos banned once and for all.

Pacific bluefin tuna

Protections Denied to Magnificent Bluefin Tuna

Trump's National Marine Fisheries Service this week rejected a petition by the Center and allies to protect Pacific bluefin tuna, despite the fact that these huge, fast-swimming ocean predators have been overfished to less than 3 percent of their historic population. It's a disappointing departure from the agency's previous announcement on the issue — before Trump took office — that it was considering protecting these fish, which are still in high demand as sushi delicacies.

"The Endangered Species Act works, but not when the Trump administration ignores the plight of animals that need help," said Center attorney Catherine Kilduff. "This decision makes it even more important for consumers and restaurateurs to boycott bluefin until the species recovers."

Read more in The Mercury News and join our Bluefin Boycott.

Lawsuit Launched to Fight Delays in Curbing Soot Pollution

Smokestack

The Center and allies have filed a notice of intent to sue Trump's Environmental Protection Agency and its administrator, Scott Pruitt, for failing to enforce limits on dangerous soot pollution in California, Idaho, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Soot — generated from fossil fuels used by cars, power plants and other facilities — causes thousands of deaths annually.

"Every day of delay puts more Americans at risk for asthma and heart attacks," said Center attorney Jonathan Evans.

Read more in our press release.

Puffin with fish in its beak

Wild & Weird: Puffins Are Like Killer Clowns With Wings

Puffins are painfully cute. They're nicknamed "clowns of the sea" by some. Their beaks look like they're covered in clown face paint. But puffins are also terrifying killers, if you're a fish. These small seabirds can reach a flight speed of 55 miles per hour when on the hunt. Raining death from above, they dive into the ocean and scoop up fish in great numbers. The record catch for one puffin at one time is 62 fish!

Take a look at our new puffin video on Facebook or YouTube to learn more about these killer clowns with wings.

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Photo credits: #BetterThanEd PSA (food waste) courtesy Center for Biological Diversity; #BetterThanEd PSA (birth control) courtesy Center for Biological Diversity; coyote by guenter-waibel/Flickr; humpback whale by michaelsale/Flickr; climate change demonstration by Joe Brusky/Flickr; Grand Teton National Park by kenlane/Flickr; broccoli crops courtesy USDA; Pacific bluefin tuna by aes256/Wikimedia; smokestack by billy_wilson/Flickr; puffin by andymorffew/Flickr.

Center for Biological Diversity
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