the rights of mother nature

Bolivia led the way.  Germany seems to follow.

The law also establishes the juridical character of Mother Earth as "collective subject of public interest", to ensure the exercise and protection of her rights. By giving Mother Earth a legal personality, it can, through its representatives (humans), bring an action to defend its rights. Additionally, to say that Mother Earth is of public interest represents a major shift from a anthropocentric perspective to a more Earth community based perspective.^[8]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_Rights_of_Mother_Earth


Life may be about to change for the average German farmyard creature, zoo animal and household pet after the go-ahead was given yesterday to award animals rights in the constitution alongside those given to human beings.

Paragraph 20a of the German basic law now says that animals, like humans, have the right to be respected by the state and to have their dignity protected.

However, the agricultural ministry has admitted the law is unlikely to bring radical changes overnight. Opponents of the amendment, particularly many conservatives who declined for years to support it, say it risks putting animals on a higher level than humans and undermines the concept of human spirituality.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/jun/22/germany.animalwelfare?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

        HERCULES -   the bicycle that is,  We need his power to clean up our Augean Stables