Monthly Archives: October 2014

Planet Waves Daily Oracle for Friday, Oct. 24, 2014

Today’s Oracle takes us to the Pisces monthly for Feb. 1, 2001

If you can’t decide whether these are the best times or the worst, decide they’re the best. Do what you can to make yourself feel at home on the planet and in your current environment; you can do quite a bit. Yes, there are sources of irritation, and surely, you’re feeling like the pressure to change is upon you, and it is. But change implies a new relationship to the past. The whole issue of the past is a serious problem because its reality is so convincing, and we seem to have given up so much; but this attachment is only in our emotions. Making yourself at home means, more than anything, doing what you can to catch up with the moment in which you are alive. This is extremely challenging and few people ever do it. Yet you simply don’t need what was, and it wasn’t so great anyway. You do indeed have much to love about what is, which will open your heart to who and what is to come.

This is an ancient horoscope and by some miracle it is still relevant today. Experience the astrology as it happens, written by me weekly and twice monthly, plus your Moonshine horoscope by Len Wallick. Here is how to sign up — and what you get.

Planet Waves Monthly Horoscope for November, 2014

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Aries (March 20-April 19) — Something you’ve recently learned or discovered about yourself now must be taken to heart in a relationship situation. Self-knowledge is the basis of any agreement you have with another person, and when you gain some of that (or what looks like quite a bit) it will necessarily influence your agreements with others. Or rather, it will if you are paying attention, and if you want to live sincerely. You have long known that you could not fit yourself into any situation or partnership that is smaller than you are. True, it’s the way of the world to try to cram ourselves into these situations, though such a compromise will eventually fall apart. You might start from the premise that no compromise is possible — not, at least, on the specific matters you have identified. And then what? Well, one solution to that puzzle is that you proceed as an individual on your own terms, and others will get to enter your life as individuals on their own terms. A relationship is not two people living as one, because in truth that is not possible. It’s two people acknowledging their mutual existence, respecting one another for their similarities and their differences. If this sounds like walking over a cliff, it’s because maturity is in short supply these days, though from the look of your chart, you are being called to tap into your deepest reserves.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — How you feel keeps changing, and that is the key to progress. If you are aware of the changes, then by definition you are aware of how you feel. That is the essence of your ability to direct the course of your life. All your other senses count, but your physical contact with your body and with your environment will provide your most intelligent guidance. That is a moment-to-moment reckoning with reality. You may be looking straight at the illusion that your existence is somehow about all these other people. They are involved, that’s for sure, though not quite in the role that you think. For one thing they don’t have the power to limit you. To the contrary, their role is to provide support, structure, and at times something to resist specifically so that you can assert your individuality in a meaningful way. There’s a big difference between doing this in theory or in fantasy and trusting people enough to stand up to them with your ideas. You don’t need to be defensive about this, though that temptation will exist. You also don’t want to put anyone else in a defensive position. Rather, you can assume an affect of neutrality, or of making an inquiry in the pursuit of truth. Set aside right and wrong for a moment, and allow your ideas to mingle with those of other people, and see what develops.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — For about six months, a topic has been on the agenda of a close personal relationship. It rises to the surface and then disappears. Sometimes it seems easy to consider; other times it seems too personal to talk about, and it’s the thing to avoid. Yet sooner or later you need to clear the air, with yourself and with people around you who in truth have a right to know what’s on your mind and share what is on their mind. In an intimate relationship, everyone needs to be listened to, otherwise it’s not really intimacy. Said another way, avoiding the most meaningful topics is an excellent way to turn down the level of contact, a way to make intimacy less intimate. Once you check for that factor and make up your mind how you feel about it, the next step is to have the conversation. You may feel intimidated by the weight of the past, or by how much there is to heal, when you write it out like a shopping list — though that is not how healing works. The larger questions all involve trust, and how to consider what has happened in the past. They are closely related. Trust is built and maintained, in a delicate process. Part of how that happens is that everyone involved demonstrates through their actions that they really have learned from history. That, and there are no more agreements to deny or pretend.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — There is a risk involved in everything. You flirt with this; it’s time to embrace it. It’s understandable enough that you’ve been cautious lately. You may have been knocked on your heels by some unexpected factor, and you needed time to review and revise your plan. What is essential is that you gradually draw yourself out of that aversion, use what you know and begin to take some calculated chances again. The key here is strategy, which you need to honor on every level — financial, creative, psychological and most of all relational. One central question is, what’s the role of others in your life? You might also ask what is the role of others in their own lives? These days you have a tendency to draw to you people who are fundamentally self-centered, and I suggest you learn to spot them before they gain any ground on you. It’s true that everyone needs to take care of themselves; everyone needs to eat. By self-centered I mean at the expense of taking care of anyone or anything else, and in particular, you. You will recognize these people energetically because you will feel depleted by them, and never truly nourished. Take the chance and move on quickly. You need partners who share your values, who share your ability to take care of others, and who can be self-focused with a very broad concept of self — all of us here.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — It’s not as complicated as it seems. It will be, if you try to analyze your emotions, and re-analyze them, and expect everything to add up to the same thing every time. To me, your solar chart says the place to start is to set limits, including limits on yourself. If you feel any competitive or jealous vibes, that is the place to start. If you feel resentful that you cannot express some deeply held need or even a basic feeling, that’s the place to set a limit, in the form of knowing that such cannot persist. If there is a need for leadership in your environment, everyone must play their role in a cooperative way. The challenge of your astrology seems to be finding a balance between being the center of your own world, and being part of the wider world. That balancing point involves being clear what you have to give. You are in an excellent position to offer support and affirmation, even though it’s clear that you are facing certain distinct emotional challenges. Yet as you acknowledge and work out these matters, you must stay a few levels above them, and a few steps ahead of them. Your planning must involve your probable emotional and physical state if certain conditions emerge, and include a plan to avoid those conditions. Be clear, especially with yourself. Be professional, including and especially in your own home.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Maintain your clarity of mind. There are forces in motion that are way larger than you, and they seem to be in operation in all areas of your life. You are not going to control them, but there are more and less appropriate responses. The more appropriate responses all begin with applied intelligence. Rather than being about how smart you are, this is about what you do with your information and your observations. It’s about what information you use to inform the choices you make, and knowing when you must make those choices. I assure you there will be moments when a decision seems too difficult, without enough time to think about it carefully. That is why you must be aware of your environment, prepare in advance to the extent that you can, and most of all, know yourself. The sensation of time as pressure is something to consider. Rarely will any perceived shortage of time be as urgent as you think. What is vital is that you set a structure for time, and work with a plan at all times. Set a deadline for everything. If you have to make a decision, make an inquiry and determine how much time you reasonably have. What feels like you have an hour may turn out to be two days. What feels like forever may be one week. Clarity of mind translates to time is of the essence.

Scorpio Birthday Reading Now Available for Pre-Order

Dear Friend and Reader:

If you’re born under the sign Scorpio or have Scorpio rising (or have Scorpio loved ones), this is going to be an intriguing year, one of the most meaningful in a long time. Three planets enter your sign the same day, followed by a solar eclipse.

That is an exciting solar return — a homecoming. In addition, Saturn finally makes its first moves out of your sign later in the year, and transitions into Sagittarius. This is a total change of energy and shift of emphasis.

Your birthday reading is now available for pre-order at the lowest price.

I intend to do the reading next week, which consists of two half-hour (plus) segments of astrology, plus astrology afterthoughts and what seems to be everyone’s favorite — a tarot reading using the Voyager deck by James Wanless.

Your reading includes two excellent extra features — access to last year’s reading, so you can check my work and check the progress of your life; and also a live call-in program so you can ask questions about what I cover and (to some extent) your own astrology.

If you’re friends with a Scorpio, this reading makes a beautiful gift they’ll use and truly love. All of my readings are recorded in studio-quality audio, and can be listened to on any computer or mobile device.

You can pre-order the reading now for $24.95, and I plan to have it ready for you by next week.

Lovingly,

P.S. If you have not yet visited the new Planet Waves website, you can sign up for a complementary Introductory Membership here. This will give you access to many of our regular columnists and other features, and offers a glimpse of what a full subscribing membership offers.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You must continue to be careful with your money, though if you are both cautious and shrewd, you can come out well ahead by one month from today. Financial literacy is something that’s sorely lacking in a culture that’s supposedly all about money. However, ignorance is not your friend, not now and not ever. Presently, there are practical matters that need your attention, but the larger theme seems to be a question of honor. I know those don’t usually count for much, especially where money is concerned, though at the moment this is something that matters a great deal for you. Honor translates to impeccability. It means that all your actions with money and finance must match your stated values, including how you earn and how you allocate your resources. It’s essential that you work with a plan, and with full knowledge of how much you have at any time. Money is a measurement of power, though few people see it that way; it’s more often a place where they feel disempowered or cut off. Nobody who is good at handling or manifesting money got that way by accident. At minimum it required a decision and at most a long series of experiments, challenges and lessons. Do your part to help yourself. Get serious about your finances. Get real about how important this is to you and the people who depend on you.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — There is a sober quality to your charts this month, though it may take you a little while to catch onto that. You will the moment you get your mind out of the clouds, and away from any idealistic visions of how things might be. There are times for idealism and there are times to be fully focused on what is happening right now. If you want to unlock the potential of your moment, if you want to have it be more than a dream or a potential, I suggest you take the grounded and steady approach to your life. What is required the most of you is commitment. Not the words or the idea, but steadfast action, sustained over time. There are days when you will need to be content with less progress than you know is possible. That is why you will measure your progress in longer stretches of time than a day, a week, or even a month. When things seem difficult you must not allow yourself to lose your gumption or to choose what seem like easier options. Easier is not necessarily better, though there will be times when you’re sure that it is. In just a few weeks, Saturn will begin the process of moving from your sign to Sagittarius. Saturn has been a consistent guide and mentor to you, and in the remaining time that Saturn is in your sign, it’s necessary to internalize the Saturn principle, which translates to self-leadership.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You seem to be under pressure to get your life together, as if the responsibility gene has woken up. To me it looks more like the ‘be true to yourself’ gene is kicking you from the inside. You might say that’s the most significant responsibility you have, and at the moment it seems to be shocking you to your senses. Aspects this month may be sending you the message that this is your last chance to accomplish something of real meaning. It’s not your last chance, though it’s worth respecting the finite nature of time, and of a lifetime. Opportunities are temporary in their current form. They may reincarnate as something else, though the opportunity you have now is an original. You might be wondering if it makes sense to proceed based on a sense of frustration or limitation. For example, if you don’t resolve it before you make a move, will you carry that sensation with you into your next endeavor? There are two distinct schools of thought on this matter, one being that you begin something new exactly where you left off from the previous endeavor; therefore, never make a decision from a point of frustration. Another is that such a place offers you the necessary leverage, friction or motivation to break out of your inertia. Those moments are indeed precious, and I think they can be rooted in true strength.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You must keep your cool at all times. There will be times when this won’t be easy. You are potentially the most volatile ingredient in any situation, and in every one of those situations you have something to lose. It is of course a blight on our times how many people live like they have nothing to lose, which is creating an increasingly reckless society. You at least know you have something at stake. You can remind yourself that you depend on your friends and your allies, and that you would have little to show for your efforts had you not had their cooperation in the past, and if you don’t have it going forward. So you have a good reason to be aware of, and to adjust, your responses and your tactics. One way to know you’re in jeopardy is if you ever get the thought that you can go it alone. That may be your one warning, valid because it contains the idea that the people around you are expendable, and therefore, it does not matter how you treat them or how they feel. Yes, it can be burdensome to think about everyone and how they are doing, all the time — and I assure you that such care and attention could save your career, your reputation, your business or an important friendship. And if you stay alert and even-headed, you will have opportunities to solve problems and regain your creative grounding.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — I suggest you read a little about transactional analysis. That’s the form of therapy that developed the concept of transactions wherein people play the role of adult, parent or child. Everyone is involved in these transactions all the time, it’s just that they are rarely called what they are. Your job this month is to maintain the posture of adult. In that role, you need to relate to others as adults when possible. That is the easy part. Then comes relating to those acting like parents and children in a way that is appropriate, and wherein you don’t come out of the adult role — the place where you are stable, sane and fair-minded. People know how to play games designed to get one another out of adult role. People are, for example, constantly setting up situations where they must be treated as children, in a real sense compelling others into parent mode. You must be aware of this, not fall for it, and if you do, get back to your centered, present, adult mind as soon as you can. This is going to take some focus, as there will be situations wherein you will need to be rather bossy. With them, I suggest you do an adult thing and make sure that you establish, by agreement, the priorities and how the pecking order has to work in order to meet pre-established goals on time and in good form.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — What is it that you said you’ve always wanted to do with your life? When exactly do you think you’re going to do it? There is something in your charts saying that ‘when’ is right now. There’s something reminding you to connect your longterm vision with a point of focus — that is, to envision, to look and to actually see. That might feel like a beginning, but the truth is you began long ago. What you have in your hands is a moment when you can gather your principles all in one place, and recognize their validity. You have an even rarer moment when you can see the shape of time, and work with it. It is vitally important you recognize consciously that you have a future, and that your future is your most precious resource. It’s even more significant that you become aware of your vision, and that you connect it with these other ideas — the future and the shape of time. As you know it is easy to squander time, and that translates to being easy to squander a lifetime. Every force of nature seems to be guiding you in a better direction, that of embracing your potential as real, and honoring your own journey on Earth as a matter of integrity. This is not as dramatic as it seems, though you may have to establish some new patterns of consciousness. Like all journeys, that begins with a single step.

This Hot Mess

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Occupy Wall Street protest at Times Square, October 15, 2011. Photo by Eric Francis.

Note: If you’re not a basic subscriber of our emailed astrology service (or a Core Community member or All-Access Pass member), you can purchase this issue individually here.

Dear Friend and Reader:

If you dare to watch the news, you may get the idea that civilization is unraveling, or at best, that the political situation of the United States is so mired in its own insanity that it’s never going to get out of the swamp.

We are watching, silently for the most part, while every major problem that affects the world is being ignored. We are watching while war and epidemics spiral out of control — and yet while everything else is being made into an issue.

F-15 protest against the then-imminent war against Iraq, taken from Hungerford Bridge, in Embankment, London, Feb. 15, 2003. Photo by Simon Rutherford / Wikimedia.

All aspects of life — success, failure, education or the lack of it, poverty, wealth, gender, economics, one’s skin color, the food we eat, one’s internal organs (especially if female), the heat that prevents you from freezing in the winter, all communications from the most private to the most public, the meekest personal choice and even the subtlest emotion, are all subject to being politicized.

That is a weird word, and a stranger concept. In our time of history where it seems the destiny of humanity and every other species is being gambled, we are all standing at the intersection of the personal and the political.

Every last thing we desire, need, think or do can be turned into a political commodity, processed by spin doctors, spliced into a 30-second ad and force-fed back to us with an emotional charge designed to manipulate — that is, politicized. Our political systems, that is, the structures that supposedly run society, are nakedly answerable to nothing but the power of money. We all watch as the opinions of ordinary people and the wellbeing of ordinary people are ignored.

We are told there are issues, but nearly all the time, ideology is merely packaging designed to motivate political contributions.Congressional representatives, who must seek re-election every two years, spend their entire terms fundraising for the next election.

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Following the Eclipse — Mars and Neptune

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After the monumental confluence of events centered on today’s Scorpio solar eclipse has peaked, there will be no letdown for astrology if Mars and Neptune are any indication. So don’t let yourself down. Take the time to take care of yourself. Also take care to follow through. Honor transitions and commitments equally, and you will be one with the celestial flow.

The flow begins today. Because today’s Scorpio solar eclipse stellium constituted by the Sun, Moon, Venus and asteroid 2 Pallas are already within orb of a trine aspect to Neptune in Pisces.

A few hours after today’s eclipse, the Scorpio Moon will have moved on, into and out of an exact water trine with Neptune.

Over the next week, Venus, the Sun and Pallas will follow the Moon. One after the other, each will move on, deeper into Scorpio and into its own precise water trine with Neptune. And it starts today.

The functional continuum of water trine aspects from the Moon, Venus, the Sun and Pallas to Neptune may well evoke a majestic and uninterrupted flow of emotional, intuitive and deeply felt energy, but not a letdown.

Meanwhile, the planet of energy — Mars — will be moving on as well by entering tropical Capricorn, the sign of its exaltation, at 6:43 am EDT (10:43 UT) on Sunday. With ingress to Capricorn, Mars will be taking on some substantial majesty of its own, invoking the sheer power of intent, but not a letdown any more than the continuous flow of trine aspects from Scorpio to Pisces.

Implicitly, the continuous flow of trine aspects from from passionate Scorpio to the profound depths of Pisces will be a caring flow, not a destructive one. Not with the sensitive Moon, followed by receptive Venus, followed by the conscious Sun and, finally, steadfast Pallas conducting the current.

Nonetheless, you should respect the implicit power of symbolic water as you do actual water.

You should also respect the power of no less than the Moon, Venus and the Sun — the three brightest objects in the sky.

With the Moon, Venus, the Sun, and Pallas closely following each other in one trine aspect after another to inestimable Neptune, you should exercise care in all things, beginning with not letting yourself down. Take care of your emotional needs. Respect your own feelings. Give the water someplace to go, and something to do.

Having something to do should be no problem. Not following a period of eclipses concluding with what appears to be an unprecedentedly focused flourish of having the three brightest objects in the sky occupying the first degree of Scorpio today.

Nor should the will to do something be lacking with Mars entering the cardinal Capricorn kingdom ruled by substantial Saturn. A kingdom where Mars is accorded uninhibited expression of its power to follow through on commitment with manifestation.

Yet, even Saturn’s formative influence through ruling Capricorn is no guarantee that Mars in its exaltation will not exceed boundaries to manifest recklessly. Especially because Saturn remains in Scorpio where Mars rules, galvanizing both with the alternating current of what astrologers call mutual reception: two planets, each simultaneously traversing the sign ruled by the other.

Mutual reception sets up a flow of its own. A flow quite unlike that of trine aspects connecting signs that share the same archetypal element in their separate identities.

Rather, mutual reception sets up an unpredictable flow wherein the planets involved could exchange identities at any time. It’s a flow to be handled with care, and the only place that care can reliably come from is you.

It’s not as though you will need to wrestle with the gods and the elements like some mythical hero. In the final analysis, planets (like Mars and Neptune), and the symbolic elements of astrology (like water) manifest most meaningfully, and happily most easily, through you.

So keep it simple. Keep caring. Care for yourself. Care enough to keep your commitments and follow through as to manifest them. Above all, don’t let yourself down after being privileged to live through today’s unprecedented astrology. Rather, care enough to live up to it. It’s part of the reason you are here.

Offered In Service

Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.

Planet Waves Daily Oracle for Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014

Today’s Oracle takes us to the Taurus monthly for April 18, 2005

If you’re walking in the dark it’s with every kind of radar night vision psychic power and an excellent guide dog. But since this is an inner condition I suggest you come to terms with how little you can hide from yourself. Others seem destined to offer their support for your highest visions or goals and once you are fully honest with yourself about what they are you’ll be able to take in all the blessings that surround you.

That Scorpio Eclipse and Mercury Stationing Direct

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Thursday is an unusual day astrologically: the Sun, Moon and Venus all move into Scorpio, and meet up for a New Moon and a partial solar eclipse. Two days later, Mercury stations direct in Libra. So your life from now through the weekend may feel especially concentrated, but we’re all in this together — and it looks like some astrological factors will be easing the way.

Photo by Hal J. Cohen, taken at Amy Stacey Curtis‘ “Matter” installation, Oct. 4, 2014.

First, the basic facts: in a span of less than 12 hours on Oct. 23, the Sun, Moon and Venus will all leave Libra. The Sun enters Scorpio at 7:57 am EDT, the Moon and Venus enter Scorpio nearly simultaneously just minutes before and after 5 pm EDT, and the solar eclipse conjunct Venus happens just before 6 pm.

Scorpio is a water sign associated with intense emotions, deep eroticism, power, money and transformation — areas that make plenty of people squirm. Eclipses, in turn, are associated with periods of accelerated change: letting go of what you no longer need to make room for internal (and external) updates that will move you forward.

We tend to fear change just as intensely as we say we desire it, making eclipses more psychologically complex than perhaps they need to be.

A peek at the minor planets reveals something that may help us slide into Scorpio’s realm with minimal resistance — maybe even a sense of accomplishment.

Minor planet 1992 QB1 is in early Taurus, opposite where the Sun, Moon, Venus (and asteroid Pallas) are clustering. 1992 QB1 is associated with crossing thresholds into new phases of life and the people who assist the process. Midwives are a prime example of what Eric Francis likes to call a “thresholder.”

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The (Mostly) Good News Issue

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Last month the governments of Nepal and India, in cooperation with the World Wildlife Federation (WWF), released a report showing that tigers are using forested corridors to pass between protected areas across the boundary between the two countries, reported The Times of India. The report, titled “Tigers of the Trans-boundary Terai Arc Landscape,” details wild tigers and their prey as they move between Nepal and India.

Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) caught on a camera trap in Nepal’s Terai Arc Landscape as part of an estimate of tiger populations. Photo by the Government of Nepal.

Camera traps — cameras that have been set to automatically take a picture when a large animal moves by — documented 239 individual adult tigers across an area of more than 2,000 square miles, from November 2012 through June 2013. Called “landscape level conservation,” the corridors provide critical links between protected areas, since wildlife do not observe lines drawn on maps.

The study’s results were shared at the second Stocktaking Conference of The Global Tiger Recovery Program, hosted by Bangladesh and attended by 140 tiger experts from 20 countries. These tiger-range countries are involved in “TX2,” an initiative with the goal of doubling tiger populations by 2022.

Said Dr. Barney Long, director of WWF’s Species Conservation Program, “it shows that we must think and act beyond just islands of protected areas for tigers to truly thrive and have the space to double in number,” adding, “landscape level conservation can result in dramatic recoveries for wild tigers.”

Priorities for the next two years set at the Stocktaking Conference include: “professionalizing and investing in frontline staff, national tiger monitoring and assessment in all tiger habitats by 2016, improved transboundary collaboration and expanded capacity to tackle human-tiger conflict,” according to the WWF.

Local Mongolian citizens trained and equipped to collect basic data in their remote mountain home — with perhaps a member of the next generation of ‘citizen scientists’. Photo by WWF Mongolia.

‘Citizen Scientists’ and Snow Leopard Conservation

In another ground-level conservation effort centered on big cats, WWF-Mongolia has trained eight local herders to conduct snow leopard surveys, and to use and maintain automated camera traps for monitoring the animals, the WWF reported in July.

The idea is that by involving the residents who know the area’s harsh mountains best, they not only become more deeply invested in protecting the rare cats, but the WWF can help develop methods to reduce livestock kills.

“We never hunt the snow leopard, even if they attack our livestock,” said Byambatsooj, a Mongolian herder and ‘citizen scientist’.

He adds, “We are very happy for the involvement of local herder communities in this action. We are all obliged to care for and safeguard the camera traps placed on the mountain.”

Far less is known about snow leopards than any other big cats, due to their elusive nature and inhospitable home.

Vultures Rebounding in India

South Asian vultures in India are making a comeback after facing extinction a decade ago, according to a study published in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, reported Bird Life International Oct. 14.

See? Vultures are people, too! A pair of South Asian vultures (Gyps indicus) care for a chick in their nest in Madhya Pradesh, India. Photo by Yann under Creative Commons license.

Since India banned the veterinary drug diclofenac in 2006, which is used to treat livestock, vulture populations are showing signs of recovery. Planet Waves reported last month on a related campaign to prevent similar decimation of vulture populations in Europe after diclofenac was approved for commercial use in Italy and Spain.

“We’ve come so far and this is turning into one of the biggest conservation success stories ever,” said Dr. Toby Galligan, conservation scientist and co-author of the study.

While experts claim that six percent of livestock carcasses are still contaminated with the drug, the number of contaminated carcasses has been reduced by half since the ban.

The Bad News: EPA Approves Dow’s Enlist Duo Herbicide

Following the approval of Dow AgroScience’s GMO corn and soybeans last month by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Reuters reported Oct. 15 that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given final approval for Dow’s Enlist Duo herbicide (containing the Agent Orange ingredient 2,4-D, and glyphosate), which the new GMO crops were engineered to resist. (See Sept. 30 coverage by Planet Waves here.)

The EPA has approved Dow’s latest chemical assault weapon for use against so-called ‘superweeds’ that have grown resistant to ‘regular’ poisons. Agent Orange did not get left behind after the Vietnam War; it’s now heading for dinner plates.

The EPA’s approval comes with new restrictions in an attempt to prevent weed resistance — including a paltry 30-foot “no-spray” buffer zone, banning use when wind speeds exceed 15 mph, and limiting its use to ground applications only.

The restrictions, however, miss some important points. Planet Waves researcher Carol Van Strum points out that the EPA approved this combination without any testing for the effects or synergistic impacts of the two chemicals combined (and no testing of the false-named ‘inert’ ingredients, which can be even more toxic than the ‘active’ ones and also react synergistically with them and with each other).

‘Inert’ does not mean chemically inert, but rather that a chemical does not act toward the stated purpose of the ‘active’ ingredients.

It’s also worth noting that, as Van Strum writes, “the EPA’s decision is based on a risk assessment that assumes that a certain number of deaths — adults and children — are ‘negligible’ and therefore ‘acceptable.’ Ask yourself whether your own cancer or your own child’s birth defects are ‘negligible.'”

Or, as Andrew Kimbrell, executive director for Center for Food Safety, put it: “EPA has turned its back on those it purports to protect — the American people and our environment.”

China Announces Logging Ban in Main State-Owned Forests

China has decided to try banning commercial logging in state-owned forests in the province of Heilongjiang, which borders Russia and provides much of the country’s timber, The Guardian reported Oct. 17. The move is designed to help timber supplies recover and to usher in better forest management practices.

Workers pile logs at a lumber market in northeast China’s Liaoning province in 2007. No word yet on whether the ban will unintentionally increase the country’s imports of illegally logged timber. AP photo.

Two companies manage 18.45 million hectares (nearly 45.6 million acres) of forests in Heilongjiang, covering 39% of the entire province.

Some laid-off loggers “will become forest rangers and learn how to manage forests,” said Sheng Weitong, a forestry expert and former advisor to China’s cabinet-level state council, to chinadialogue.

Hou Yuanzhao, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Forestry, added that, “A halt here means an end to the way China has been utilizing forestry resources since 1949.”

Heilongjiang’s forests help stabilize the ecology of northeastern China, a primary producer of rice — meaning that recovery of the region’s forests is key to far-reaching facets of China’s economy and overall health. Key to the planet’s health, however, will be China’s ability to curb its appetite for wood. China’s domestic timber industry accounts for only 40% of its demand for lumber — both to satisfy the tastes of its growing middle class and the demands of foreign furniture and construction companies.

Burkina Faso’s ‘Re-Greening’ Success

Farmers in the landlocked West African nation of Burkina Faso have “achieved striking progress” in reclaiming land formerly considered too infertile, according to Bloomberg News Oct. 9. Formerly known as Upper Volta, the vast majority of people in Burkina Faso are employed in agriculture.

In 2009, Burkina Faso adopted one of the most innovative land laws at that point in West Africa. Photo by Pablo Tosco/Oxfam.

In a September 2014 case study published by Britain’s Overseas Development Institute, lead author Amanda Lenhardt noted how local dissemination of “a range of simple but sustainable agricultural techniques” for conserving water and restoration of arable land has not only produced enough additional food to feed its population but also “could hold key lessons for other countries.”

This is far from an overnight success; sustainable farming methods have been encouraged since the 1970s, both by the government and non-governmental organizations, aided by strong social and community networks, according to the study’s authors.

Although more still needs to be done, the increased food crops have “enhanced food security for around 500,000 people.” If one of Africa’s poorest countries can “re-green” itself, what is taking the rest of the world so long?

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter and the ECO editorial team

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Planet Waves Monsanto Eco (ISSN 1933-9135) is published each Tuesday evening in Kingston, New York by Planet Waves, Inc. Publisher: Eric Francis Coppolino. Editor: Amanda Painter. Business Manager: Chelsea Bottinelli. Web Developer: Anatoly Ryzhenko. Research, Writing and Editing: Planet Waves Monsanto Eco is produced by a team consisting of Amy Elliott, Carol van Strum, Len Wallick and Chad Woodward.

Planet Waves Daily Oracle for Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014

Today’s Oracle takes us to the Aries monthly for August 15, 2005

You seem to want to take a risk you won’t let yourself dare. There is a new influence in your life which is working to slow you down and make sure your thought process is more methodical. This is not designed as a cosmic hindrance or any other kind. Rather you’ve finally got a chance to see the benefits of more carefully considered decisions and what I like to call calculated risks. There is a way of taking a chance that involves understanding the implications — and that’s precisely what you’ve got an opportunity to do now.