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<div>Such a certification program is underway with IUCN and WWF support, as this group is probably aware. An article about the new standard for medicinal plants is in the January issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, online at: </div><div><a href="http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2008/116-1/forum.html#newy">http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2008/116-1/forum.html#newy</a></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><br><div><div>On Jan 3, 2008, at 3:51 PM, Michael Laurie wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"> <o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"> <o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"> <!--[if !mso]> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--> <div class="Section1"><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">Seems to me that one good solution would be to have a certification program <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">that uses 3<sup>rd</sup> party verifiers to certify that a company’s products are sustainably grown or harvested.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">Kind of like the Forest Stewardship Council or other certifications.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> <hr size="2" width="100%" align="center" tabindex="-1"> </span></font></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold">From:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma"> mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org [<a href="mailto:mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org">mailto:mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org</a>] <b><span style="font-weight: bold">On Behalf Of </span></b><a href="mailto:cafesombra@aol.com">cafesombra@aol.com</a><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Thursday, January 03, 2008 12:46 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> Re: [MPWG] Saving Plants That Save Lives</span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">Hello,<br> "Unsustainable collection practices" (which we've been blaming for years now) may be threatening / endangering plants. But what causes unsustainable collection? Why are people pulling too many plants out of the wild without implementing appropriate replanting and/or protection measures? Could it be that unsustainable contracting for commercial ingredients is the culprit? Business people, especially the big users (I would say "players," if creating a sustainable future were a <i><span style="font-style:italic">game</span></i>) can point the finger at collectors 'til the cowslip comes home. But business people are the ones paying the collectors. Now that distribution and product placement make it difficult if not impossible for all but the bigger players to get into the commerce game, we can no longer say that consumers demand it so, let's supply what the people want. Consumers wander down the aisles choosing from amongst what is there, and if one product disappears and another replaces it, they still choose from what's there. They still tend to choose what is placed right in front of their faces, as all informed business people know. Imagine a world where no one can find any non-organic products except by shunning the stores and going to their local chemical factory farms to support the local underdogs. It's not going to do your company any good to "give the people what they want" if the environment is ruined and the source runs out in the process -- unless you are in it for the quick return rather than the long haul.<br> I may be preaching to the choir, assuming that signing up for an email list affirms one's commitment to a sustainable future. So, if everyone on this list is already perfect, how do we reach those who do not voluntarily choose to do the right thing? Because that is what we need to do. It's a crime that saving the plants that save lives is a voluntary act, if you think you might want to, and allowing unrestricted trade of unsustainable ingredients is protected by law.<br> Jennifer <a href="http://www.herbalistswithoutborders.org">www.herbalistswithoutborders.org</a> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">-----Original Message-----<br> From: Olivia Kwong <<a href="mailto:plant@plantconservation.org">plant@plantconservation.org</a>><br> To: <st1:personname w:st="on"><a href="mailto:mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org">mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org</a></st1:personname><br> Sent: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 10:53 am<br> Subject: [MPWG] NEWS: Saving Plants That Save Lives<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <div id="AOLMsgPart_0_c9b7b460-378c-4328-ba7a-5068369aaffe"><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101202622.htm" target="_blank">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101202622.htm</a></span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br><br><tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Saving Plants That Save Lives</span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br><br><tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">ScienceDaily (Jan. 1, 2008) - Poor or non-existent collection controls are </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">threatening the survival of many of the plant species used in traditional </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">and modern medicines. Some estimates indicate that 15,000 of the 50,000 - </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">70,000 plant species used for medicinal purposes and mostly collected from </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">the wild may be threatened, many as a direct result of unsustainable </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">collection practices.</span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br><br><tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">See the link above for the full article.</span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br><br><tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br><br><tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">_______________________________________________</span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">PCA's Medicinal Plant Working Group mailing list</span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><a href="mailto:MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org">MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org</a></span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><a href="http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org" target="_blank">http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org</a></span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br><br><tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:MPWG-request@lists.plantconservation.org">MPWG-request@lists.plantconservation.org</a> with </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.</span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"> </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Disclaimer </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc. reflects </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The information </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">question. All medical and other healthcare information that is discussed on this </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">list should be carefully reviewed by the individual reader and their qualified </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">healthcare professional. Posts do not reflect any official opinions or positions </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><tt><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">of the Plant Conservation <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Alliance</st1:place></st1:city>. </span></font></tt><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><br>
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<tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre><pre style="background:white"><font size="2" color="black" face="Courier New"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br><br><tt><font face="Courier New"><o:p></o:p></font></tt></span></font></pre></div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:7.5pt;text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> <hr><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_0_c9b7b460-378c-4328-ba7a-5068369aaffe --> size=2 width="100%" align=center> </span></font></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:7.5pt"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">More new features than ever. Check out the new <a href="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/text.htm?ncid=aolcmp00050000000003" target="_blank">AOL Mail</a>!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> </div> </o:smarttagtype></o:smarttagtype></o:smarttagtype><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">_______________________________________________</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">PCA's Medicinal Plant Working Group mailing list</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="mailto:MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org">MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org</a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org">http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org</a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:MPWG-request@lists.plantconservation.org">MPWG-request@lists.plantconservation.org</a> with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Disclaimer <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc. reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or question. All medical and other healthcare information that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed by the individual reader and their qualified healthcare professional. Posts do not reflect any official opinions or positions of the Plant Conservation Alliance. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div> </div><br></body></html>