Latest Posts from Calen May-Tobin

Subscribe to Calen's posts

Into Africa: Palm Oil’s Next Frontier?

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

March 5th, 2013

I’ve been seeing a lot of articles and blog posts recently about the expansion of palm oil production into Africa. As near as I can tell, the recent flurry of attention is being caused by Seeds of Destruction, a new report from the Rainforest Foundation UK that highlights a series of large land deals in Africa for the expansion of palm oil. Although most of today’s production is in Southeast Asia, those who follow the palm oil issue are concerned with oil palm’s expansion back to its home continent. It is troubling for a number of reasons. Read More

Categories: Global Warming  

Tags: , , ,   

Bookmark and Share

The 78%: The Majority of Orangutan Habitat in Borneo is Under Threat

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

January 23rd, 2013

On a recent trip to Chicago, I took some time to visit the Lincoln Park Zoo. The highlight for me was the Great Apes Hall, and while I enjoyed seeing the chimps and the gorillas, they didn’t have the ape I was hoping most to see, an orangutan. It may not be too surprising that there are no orangutans in Chicago in winter, but even in their native habitat they are increasingly difficult to find, as their populations have declined by 50% on Borneo and 80% on Sumatra. A recent paper published in the online journal PLOS ONE helps shed some light on the current distribution of those few remaining wild orangutans. Read More

Categories: Global Warming  

Tags: , , , ,   

Bookmark and Share

Tropical Forests in 2012: A Year in Review

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

December 21st, 2012

It’s that time of year. Holiday decorations line the streets, days are getting short, and temperatures are falling (well, theoretically at least, it’s still been in the 50’s and 60’s here in Washington). It’s also the time to step back and reflect on what’s happened since the last time the earth was on this side of the sun. Read More

Categories: Global Warming  

Tags: ,   

Bookmark and Share

“Sustainable” Palm Oil Should Not Drive Deforestation

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

November 30th, 2012

We all know that “sustainable” is a good thing but the word is only as strong as its definition. Right now, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has a huge opportunity to strengthen its definition by adding critical forest and climate protections to its standards. The world is watching and waiting to see if “sustainable” palm oil will be a truly sustainable solution for the future. Read More

Categories: Global Warming  

Tags: , , ,   

Bookmark and Share

Hurricane Sandy: The Map Is Not the Terrain

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

November 13th, 2012

Like most of you, I’ve spent the last few days staring at maps. And now that the issue of red and blue states is settled (mostly) for the next few years, I’m turning my attention back to the maps that will have ramifications well beyond the next election. These maps also contain red and blue, but here red indicates evacuation zones or destruction in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and blue marks the extent of storm surge and the slow steady drumbeat of sea level rise. Read More

Categories: Global Warming  

Tags: , ,   

Bookmark and Share

What Wood You Do: Solutions for Deforestation-Free Wood Products

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

September 4th, 2012

I’m writing this post from the back porch of my parent’s house (even on vacation there is no rest for a Concerned Scientist). Away from the glass, steel, concrete, and brick of Washington, DC, here I realize I am immersed in a world of wood. Read More

Categories: Global Warming  

Tags: , ,   

Bookmark and Share

UCS Awards Young Scientists for Work Outside of the Lab

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

August 31st, 2012

I recently returned from the Ecological Society of America in Portland, OR. While I got to attend lots of interesting talks and workshops, and grabbed many a microbrew with my grad school friends and fellow ecologists, the highlight for me, as always, was the work that I got to do with ESA Student Section.  For the last three years, UCS has teamed up with the ESA student section on a number of activities at ESA annual meeting, but our biggest collaboration is the annual UCS ESA-SS Ecoservice award. Read More

Categories: Global Warming  

Tags: , ,   

Bookmark and Share

Sally Ride: 1951-2012

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

July 24th, 2012

Yesterday, the world suffered a great loss with the passing of Dr. Sally K. Ride. Dr. Ride was a brave explorer, passionate educator, brilliant scientist, and complex human being. Her impact and her absence will be long felt. Read More

Categories: Uncategorized  

Tags: , ,   

Bookmark and Share

Congress: Bad on Lemurs, Bad on Jobs [UPDATED]

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

July 23rd, 2012

Have you heard the news about lemurs? No, I’m not referring to the commercial success of Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. This is much, much worse. Read More

Categories: Global Warming  

Tags: , , , , ,   

Bookmark and Share

Rio+20: Stopping Short of the Summit

, policy analyst, Tropical Forest Initiative

June 22nd, 2012

Today is the final day of the Rio+20 summit. The conference officially opened Wednesday afternoon with an opening plenary featuring speeches from the more the 119 heads of state in attendance and major groups including an unequivocal speech by the director of the Climate Action Network International, Wael Hmaidan. Comments like Wael’s were later followed up on Thursday with protests within RioCentro and a massive march in central Rio. Read More

Categories: Energy, Global Warming  

Tags:   

Bookmark and Share