Home/Archive for January, 2010
Archive for January, 2010
Politics, Videos & Documentaries, Jan 4th, 2010,
French news channel France 24 looks into ways to cut CO2, including carbon markets, ‘cap and trade’, carbon offset schemes and REDD, as well as some pitfalls or complications associated with them. Of note are a methane extraction system in China, criticisms from Greenpeace about loopholes in the carbon credit system and a community in the Brazilian Amazon transformed by a rain forest bursary. Are schemes like REDD legitimate and effective ways of cutting carbon emissions, or do they do more harm than good by creating so-called ‘cultures of dependency’? Have a look at the following video report from France…
Tags: carbon, carbon offset schemes, France 24, offset, REDD, schemes
climate change, sustainable living, Uncategorized, ,
![]( "<!--:en-->Update: Oil Spill has Reached China")
' src='http://gf2.statico.be/wp-content/themes/greenfudge/thumbnails/4329.jpg' alt='update-oil-spill-has-reached-chinas-yellow-river' class='art-teaser' width='95' height='95' /> Yesterday, a report was made that indicated the possibility of an oil spill reaching China’s Yellow River (Huang He). Today, that possibility became a reality. Traces of diesel were found at the Sanmenxia reservoir, which is located on the Yellow River. According to the Xinhua news agency, nearly 40,000 gallons (150,000 liters) leaked from a pipeline that burst last Wednesday. The spill happened near the joining of the Chishui and Wei rivers in the northern province of Shaanxi—40 miles (70 km) upstream from the Yellow River. The reservoir where the diesel was found is located approximately 124 miles (200km) upstream…
Tags: China, Huang He, news update, oil spill, Pollution, water pollution, Yellow River
Nature, Wildlife & Flora, ,
In the battle of man versus carp, man seems thoroughly outmatched. –The Economist It might sound absurd, but Asian carp – the same family of fish species as the domestic goldfish – are considered a dangerous invasive species in some parts of the United States. Originally imported to eat algae in Arkansas fish farms, the carp multiplied, spread and prospered, with little or no competition from native species. It is feared that carp will harm the valuable fishing industry of Lake Michigan and upset the local ecosystem if allowed to advance that far. The problem is so multifarious that it…
Tags: Asian carp, carp, Chicago, common carp, Economist, goldfish, invasive, Lake Michigan
Climate & Change, Nature, Uncategorized, Wildlife & Flora, ,
Dolphins are known the world-over for their intelligence and playful nature. As a mammal and carnivore of the sea, they have very few predators or natural enemies, especially considering that their species include creatures like the Orca (“Killer Whale”). However, this does not mean they are without their problems. Disease and parasites are still capable of infecting them and some of them, including the Amazon River Dolphin and Ganges River Dolphin, face critically endangered or extinct status thanks to pollution, overfishing and other human interferences. Unfortunately for the dolphin, another type of human interference may need to be added to…
Tags: climate change, CO2 emissions, dolphins, global warming, marine mammals, noise pollution, ocean acidification, research, study
Nature, Politics, Wildlife & Flora, ,
For decades, perhaps centuries, there has been one great, never-ending battle: the expansion of man and industry vs. the preservation and existence of all other natural life. What happens when you pit two factions on the same side against one another? Big problems, that’s what. California’s BrightSource Energy company has been pushing for permission to erect 400,000 mirrors on part of the Mojave Desert for a solar-energy project. This project would be the first of its kind on US Bureau of Land Management property. The idea of switching to a renewable energy source is definitely a great thing—unless it interferes…
Tags: brightsource energy, California, center for biological diversity, desert tortoise, environmental conflict, Mojave desert, renewable energy, sierra club, solar power, threatened species, Wildlife & Flora
sustainable living, Uncategorized, Wildlife & Flora, Jan 3rd, 2010,
PETA: An organization that promotes the ethical treatment of animals—or is it? Over the years, PETA has faced a lot of complaints, controversy and lawsuits that would strongly suggest they are not quite the animal lovers they claim to be and it would seem that they’ve found themselves in the hot seat yet again. U.S. Global Exotics—a company that specializes in global delivery of exotic animals—has taken PETA to court in an attempt to regain custody of more than 26,000 animals seized by the city on December 15th. PETA suspected that US Global Exotics were mistreating the animals in their…
Tags: animal cruelty, controversy, exotic animals, mistreated animals, PETA, reptiles, snake care, US Global Exotics
climate change, Videos & Documentaries, ,
Here is some more news from Time Magazine on coal power generation with carbon capture and sequestration, also known as so-called ‘clean coal’ technology. The idea definitely has its appeal: power is generated not by the conventional burning of plain coal, but rather after it is converted it into hydrogen and then the resultant CO2 is buried somewhere in the ocean – kind of the geological equivalent of sweeping the dust under the rug. The still theoretical process of energy production from clean coal may indeed be cleaner than conventional coal plants, but critics – such as the Sierra Club…
Tags: carbon, clean coal, coal, Time
climate change, Nature, Uncategorized, Wildlife & Flora, ,
![]( "<!--:en-->Breaking News: China")
' src='http://gf1.statico.be/wp-content/themes/greenfudge/thumbnails/4191.jpg' alt='breaking-news-chinas-yellow-river-may-be-threatened-by-oil-spill' class='art-teaser' width='95' height='95' /> Last week, an oil pipeline burst in northern China, causing one major oil spill. Thousands of gallons (liters) of diesel flowed into a main tributary of the Yellow River. The pipeline, operated by CNPC (China National Petroleum Corporation), is located near Shaanxi province and is used to transport diesel from Gansu province in the northwest to the more centralized places in the country. Investigations show that the bursting was caused by a local construction project. To make matters worse, oil has already been found at least 20.5 miles (33 km) downstream from the spill, making the cleanup quite the daunting…
Tags: China, Huang He, oil spill, pipeline burst, Pollution, water pollution, Yellow River
Sustainable living, sustainable living, ,
![]( "<!--:en-->")
' src='http://gf2.statico.be/wp-content/themes/greenfudge/thumbnails/4109.jpg' alt='skipaholic-finds-freedom-and-comfort-in-living-on-what-other-people-throw-away' class='art-teaser' width='95' height='95' /> Katharine Hibbert had a comfortable lifestyle in London and a good job as a journalist. But she lost her job when the banks collapsed and her landlord subsequently raised her rent. Katharine took this misfortune as an opportunity and decided to shed the materialistic burdens we normally take for granted and put her ideals to the test. She became a squatter and ‘skipaholic’, scavenging food – and everything from egg slicers to duvets to bicycles – from the trash of other people and businesses. Though it was rough going at first, Hibbert found it satisfying and liberating to make use…
Tags: Hibbert, Katharine Hibbert, skipaholic, things, waste
Science & Technology, Uncategorized, Wildlife & Flora, ,
Last month, I was lucky enough to spend some time along the more remote places of Virginia Beach. On one walk along the beach in particular, I found a lot of strange things washed up on the shore: horseshoe crabs, empty mermaid purses, and one odd-looking shell that still had other life forms attached! It goes to show that the sea is full of a great many strange creatures. Another such strange creature recently made the scientific spotlight: the sea urchin. Apparently, it’s been suggested that these little guys use their entire body surface as compound eyes. I certainly hope…
Tags: California purple sea urchin, eyes, eyesight, marine life, research, Science & Technology, sea urchin, study, vision
Science & Technology, Wildlife & Flora, ,
Fourteen years ago, a Tasmanian Devil was officially diagnosed with Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD). Transmitted by a simple bite or other physical contact, the disease ravaged the Tasmanian Devil population for over a decade, wiping out nearly 60% of the species found on Tasmania. The tumor that forms can be found in and around the mouth, which interferes with eating and leads to death by starvation. One thing in particular about DFTD baffled scientists: where does it come from? A recent discovery based on genetic testing of the tumors, shows that the disease originates in nerve cells. Now that…
Tags: devil facial tumor disease, DFTD, endangered species, facial cancer, facial tumor, research, Science & Technology, Tasmania, Tasmanian Devil
Videos & Documentaries, Jan 2nd, 2010,
According to a BBC News report around 50 people have died in mudslides brought on by heavy rains in and around the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Mudslides frequently threaten densely populated ‘favelas’ or shantytowns, which are often built on hillsides in the Rio region. But it is not only the poor residents of Brazil who are falling victim to Mother Nature. The nearby island resort of Ilha Grande has seen deaths and injuries from the collapse of a lodge due to mudslides. Watch this short video report from msnbc.com for more info on Rio de Janeiro’s dangerous mudslides….
Tags: Brazil, deadly, favela, mudslides, Rio de Janeiro
Sustainable living, ,
A new decade has dawned upon us and a new goal has arrived in the form of a tidy little number: 10. It’s 2010 and the goal is for everyone in the U.K. – both organizations and individuals – to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 10% this year. The official 10:10 website shows you how. Methods include flying and driving less, saving on heating and electricity, buying less junk and wasting fewer resources. If you don’t live in the U.K. don’t let the good advice pass you by – make a New Year’s resolution to cut your emissions by…
Tags: 10, 10:10, 2010, carbon, emissions, U.K.
Climate & Change, Politics, Jan 1st, 2010,
In the wake of the disappointing outcome at the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen last month, uncertainty about a future deal weighs heavily on the shoulders of climate experts, environmentalists and some politicians. The UN would like a binding deal in place by the end of this year. A failure to reach an agreement for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions – or even a 12 month delay – could have ‘catastrophic’ consequences in terms of climate change for many areas of the world. Risks associated with climate change apply to even relatively safe countries like the UK. Watch this…
Tags: Al Jazeera, climate change, deal, UN
Climate & Change, ,
![]( "<!--:en-->Canadian")
' src='http://gf2.statico.be/wp-content/themes/greenfudge/thumbnails/4005.jpg' alt='canadian-climate-spoof-websites-shut-down' class='art-teaser' width='95' height='95' /> In an event that touches on issues surrounding freedom of speech, the boundaries between parody and the deliberate misleading of the public – as well as legitimate environmental activism, the Canadian government succeeded in shutting down two websites that lampooned the country’s climate policy. The news website commondreams.org reports: The websites that Canada shut down were part of an elaborate “identity correction” carried out by anonymous Canadian activists, the Climate Debt Agents of Action Aid, and The Yes Men. They used press releases and fake websites to announce that Canada would adopt science-based emission targets – reducing emissions by 40%…
Tags: Canada, Canadian, climate, climate change, commondreams.org, government, hoax, shut down, spoof, The Yes Men, websites
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