Rare's turtle mascot raises awareness about conservation in Bahía de Kino, Mexico, near the Isla San Pedro Mártir Biosphere Reserve.

We recently read that despite conservation efforts, a significant number of plants and animals are at risk from extinction, according to a Convention on Biological Diversity report. Frogs and other amphibians top the list of animals most at risk to become extinct due to climate change, deforestation, pollution, poaching and overfishing, and about one-fourth of plant species are in danger.

In fact, 2010 has been declared the International Year of Biodiversity by the United Nations, and May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity. So we can’t think of a better time for global nonprofit conservation agency Rare to launch RarePlanet.org, an online network for conservationists on World Turtle Day, May 23.

Rare decided to announce the launch of RarePlanet.org on World Turtle Day to bring attention to one of the many species the organization aims to protect. Rare’s Campaign for Sustainable Fisheries Management/Biosphere Reserve Isla San Pedro Mártir in Sonora, Mexico, protects a habitat for 30 species — including sea turtles — in the area by training local fishermen how to reduce overfishing. Orvis, which specializes in outdoor activewear, is currently matching donations through 2010 for the Isla San Pedro Mártir Biosphere Reserve, donating a total of $30,000 until the $60,000 goal is reached.

World Turtle Day was started 10 years ago by American Tortoise Rescue to raise awareness of conservation issues. Several videos have been created for World Turtle Day, including a heart-wrenching clip about South Australia’s dying freshwater turtles, and a cute video of tortoises sharing a snack. (To further cheer ourselves up, we also took a look at this tiny tortoise eating a strawberry.) World Turtle Day e-cards also are available to send.

Residents of Charleston, SC, can head to the South Carolina Aquarium to learn more about the state reptile, the loggerhead sea turtle. The Humane Society of the United States has a helpful list of 12 things to do to help turtles and tortoises, from being mindful of litter to asking for the ban of live animal markets, where they are sold and cut apart for food while still alive.

Do you plan to do something for turtle, wildlife or plant conservation?

Photo credit: Courtesy Rare

VIVmag cover model Jane Leeves, at right, performed "Anything Goes" for charity with her "Hot in Cleveland" co-stars Wendie Malick and Valerie Bertinelli.

We have to say last week was a good one for promoting causes in Hollywood, with the ladies of Hot in Cleveland out in force, taking part in the Alzheimer’s Association’s annual “A Night at Sardi’s” musical revue and supporting the Humane Society of the United States’ 25th Anniversary Genesis Awards.

Wendie Malick, Valerie Bertinelli and VIVmag March/April cover model Jane Leeves — wearing a slinky red Norma Kamali gown, top hat and tails, and a sailor costume, respectively — wowed us with their fun take on “Anything Goes” in the “Red, Hot & Cole” tribute to the music of Cole Porter. “I had a ball!” exclaimed Leeves, who got to spend time with her Frasier friends David Hyde Pierce (who sang “You’re the Top”) and John Mahoney, who’ll be a Cleveland guest star in the second half of the season, premiering in June.

We also loved Vanessa Williams in her steamy take on “Too Darn Hot” from Kiss Me Kate and Audra McDonald, whose lovely soprano on “So in Love” and “I Happen to Like New York” were highlights of the night. “I have a family member who’s afflicted by this terrible disease. It affects all of us,” McDonald says, explaining why she wanted to participate.

Three days later, the Genesis Awards honored news and entertainment media programming and individuals for the positive portrayal of animal-protection issues, with the Hot in Cleveland stars presenting. “My fabulous co-stars Betty White and Wendie Malick are huge animal advocates and they’ve taught me so much,” said lifelong animal lover Leeves, who has a special trip planned for her series break. She’s going to visit her family in England, and then she, her husband and kids, and her extended family will spend a week in Positano, Italy, to celebrate her 50th birthday.

Also at Genesis, Sex and the City’s Kristin Davis received the Wyler Award for her work on behalf of orphaned elephants and black rhinos. “It’s a cause that I care very much about,” she said. “We’re all connected to the animals on the planet and we need to take care of them.”

Animal Planet will telecast the Genesis Awards ceremony on April 30 at 7 p.m., with an encore presentation May 1 at 9 a.m.

Which animal-related causes do you support?

Photo credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Alzheimer’s Association

Environmental activist Laurie David resumes her hosting duties again for the second TEDxManhattan "Changing the Way We Eat" conference and webcast.

After hearing about last year’s overwhelmingly successful event, we were excited to find out that this Saturday, Jan. 21, TEDxManhattan is hosting its second “Changing the Way We Eat” conference and webcast. The speakers will explore the many issues facing the sustainable food movement and to try to make connections between the diverse parties involved in responsible eating and farming practices. With a combination of video and live speakers, TEDxManhattan hopes to spark discussion between attendees, as well as among its much larger virtual audience.

This year’s conference will feature an array of voices with an interest in the sustainable food movement. Speakers include Fred Kirschenmann, a farmer and president of the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture; Mitchell Davis, food writer and executive vice president of the James Beard Foundation; Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, and Wayne Pacelle, CEO and president of The Humane Society of the United States. The event is being hosted by environmental activist Laurie David, a producer for An Inconvenient Truth and author of such bestselling books as Stop Global Warming: The Solution Is You! (Fulcrum Publishing, 2006) and The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a Time (Grand Central Life & Style, 2010), which she spoke to us about last year.

The conference is being held at the Times Center in New York and is already sold out. However, those in attendance will be only a portion of the “Changing the Way We Eat” audience; last year more than 14,000 people from all over the globe logged into the event’s live simulcast. This year it will be webcast via Livestream from 10:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. ET, and viewers can take part in the discussion by utilizing the Livestream chat function and connect via TEDxManhattan’s Facebook page and Twitter feed. For those still wanting to engage in face-to-face discussions, viewing parties will be held around the country. (Check out the viewing party map to find one in your area.)

TED started 25 years ago as a four-day conference in California with the goal of supporting world-changing ideas. TEDx is a program of independent events loosely associated with TED. While the national non-profit, whose tagline is “Ideas Worth Spreading,” provides some guidance and the events are often “TED-like,” each event is self-organized.

Do you plan to tune into the “Changing the Way We Eat” webcast or attend a viewing party?

Photo credit: Courtesy TEDxManhattan