Image Source: Yahoo Images.

The Hump restaurant of Santa Monica, California, was suspected of serving illegal whale meat to its customers. A couple of environmental activists did a bit of detective work and after doing some tests on a piece of whale sushi acquired from the restaurant, they discovered that the sushi actually came from the Sei whale—an endangered species. Further investigation found that some shady dealings were going on behind the restaurant—dealings that involved smuggled whale meat being obtained from a very suspicious black Mercedes.

A statement posted on The Hump’s website explains:

“The Hump hopes that by closing its doors, it will help bring awareness to the detrimental effect that illegal whaling has on the preservation of our ocean ecosystems and species. Closing the restaurant is a self-imposed punishment on top of the fine that will be meted out by court. The Owner of The Hump also will be taking additional action to save endangered species.

…The Hump apologizes to our loyal customers, the community of Santa Monica, and the public at large for our illegal actions. While the current difficulties faced by The Hump overshadow the many friendships formed over the years, we want our customers and friends to know how much we thank you for your support.”

The “additional action” the owner will be taking includes making donations to organizations dedicated to the preservation of whales and other endangered species. As for the punishment: the owners face a year in prison and a maximum fine of $200,000, while Chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto faces a fine of $100,000.

It’s certainly nice to see that they are decent enough to admit their wrong-doings, plus voluntarily close their restaurant and put forth intentions of helping endangered species for a change. However, it’s rather unfortunate to see that things had to happen in such a way to make them even want to help the endangered species—which is what they should have done in the first place, rather than use the animals as a means to fill their pockets.

If you suspect any business—restaurant or otherwise—of using threatened or endangered species (or their parts) as part of their food, inventory and so forth, please contact the authorities about them! If you feel uncomfortable contacting the authorities, you can also contact a number of environmental organizations that will be more than willing to help out and investigate things. While the Sei whales may still be poached and sold illegally, they were at least fortunate enough in this case to have someone speak up on their behalf. Don’t hesitate to do the same if you suspect foul play from others. That one small action could save more lives than you know.

By Heidi Marshall

Image Source: Flickr. By: Johnsam.

Spring is finally here and gardens will soon be in full bloom. One main part of garden work in general is composting. I’m sure you’ve heard that composting is also good for the environment, but how much do you actually know about it? If you already do composting, great! However, if you are new to the idea, this article may be of help. There’s more to composting than people may realize and hopefully these tips will help get you started.

First of all, composting involves the decomposing of plant remains and other waste. This decomposition creates a nice, crumbly substance that is great for adding to garden soil or even potted plants. Not only does it make your garden and plants healthier, it also keeps all that waste from being sent to landfills.

Did you know that there are certain things you can and can’t add to a compost bin or pile? It’s not just about throwing waste onto a pile and forgetting about it; some things simply cannot be added with the rest of it. Items that can be added to compost piles include: kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable peels, tea bags, eggshells and coffee grounds, for example), grass and lawn clippings, hay/straw, leaves, weeds, woodchips and sawdust.

There are exceptions to some of those items. For example: wood and sawdust that comes from chemically treated products cannot be added. Why? There are times when those pieces of wood can contain things that are damaging to the soil, such as arsenic. Diseased plants and pernicious weeds also cannot be added. Pernicious weeds are the type that can keep on growing even after they’ve been chopped up. To ensure that weeds do not take root in your compost pile, make sure they are thoroughly dead before you add them (dried up and brown is best). Meat, bones and fatty food wastes are other things that can’t be added to compost piles. Human and animal waste are also out of the question—although it has been suggested that some forms of that waste can be used as fertilizer, it’s still a good idea to keep it out of the compost bin.

Now, as for how to compost, there are a variety of bins, systems and techniques out there; but here is some basic instruction to help get you started:
• Start by making a pile of the addable items outside.
• You will want to make sure that the pile is capable of getting proper air flow throughout it; otherwise it will start to smell like a pile of garbage. To ensure this doesn’t happen, you can put straw in the middle of the pile, since it doesn’t mat down as easily as other items. Also, be sure to regularly mix and turn the pile to ensure that all items are evenly exposed to the air.
• Another thing you will want to do is keep the pile moist. We aren’t talking about hosing it down or making it completely soaked through. Instead, try to make sure the pile is a bit damp—like a wrung out towel or sponge. If you live in a wet or rainy climate, you may need to get a bin or cover the pile with a tarp to keep out extra moisture. For those of you in dry climates, you may need to add water to the pile, or simply add more items like fruit and vegetable peels, since they contain a good amount of moisture in them.
• The compost pile also needs food. Well, now, hold on a minute. The composting pile needs water, air, and food. It’s starting to sound like a living, breathing creature, isn’t it? Technically, it is! Compost piles contain tiny things called microbes. These microbes are responsible for all the composting work that’s being done. Without proper aeration, watering and food, the composting process simply won’t work and you’ll be stuck with a growing pile of stinking garbage. As for the food—the pile needs a good mixture of browns and greens. This means a healthy balance of fresh material, such as new grass clippings or recent fruit and vegetable peels, and also dead/dried up material, like straw, woodchips, and dried up autumn leaves.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons. By: Kessner Photography.

That’s all the information on composting for now. To find out more about composting, available supplies, and other useful tips and techniques, check out How To Compost, Veg Web, and Compost Guide.

By Heidi Marshall

photo by tricky ™ (source: Flickr Creative Commons)

Since 2007, daylight saving time (DST) in the United States starts nearly 3 weeks earlier than in previous years. It now begins on the second Sunday of March, while Europe begins European Summer Time (EST) on the last Sunday of March.

But why do we do ’spring forward’ and does it have any real benefits, such as saving energy?

Below are two video reports from msnbc.com that offer differing opinions on the subject.

According to the United States Department of Energy, daylight saving time saves overall electricity consumption by .05% per day in the United States. Not much in terms of percentages, but as the U.S. is such a huge consumer of energy, still a significant amount. But many doctors and scientists believe that switching the clocks forward and losing an hour of sleep have significant health and safety risks.

NBC’s Today Show – Does daylight saving conserve energy?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Next, Rachel Maddow looks into why daylight saving time actually exists and several of the myths associated with it. Her guest expert thinks that DST has no tangible energy benefits and that it is actually may prevent real effective action necessary for energy conservation.

The Rachel Maddow Show – Daylight-saving time explained

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

by Graham Land

Additional resources:

The Independent – Springing forward kills, especially men

photo by epSos.de (source: Flickr Creative Commons)

Prove your eco-knowledge or humiliate yourself by exposing your green ignorance with these short quizzes on the environment. Don’t cheat by googling and no do-overs!

Start with this eco-quiz called ‘Clearing up the smog‘ from CNN Earth’s Frontiers, which aims to shed light on ‘energy myths’. I am slightly ashamed to say that I got only 7/10 questions correct, but some of them were tricky. I was still awarded ‘boffin’ status so I don’t feel too bad.

I then scored an embarrassing 50% on msnbc’s ‘How eco-savvy are you?’ quiz. My excuse is that some of the questions are in fact trick questions, but the real point is to learn something, not to get a perfect score. That’s what I tell myself to get over indignity of it all.

I only got one question wrong on this quiz, which is admittedly for kids. But I really should have scored 100% because I don’t need a new bird feeder for every carton of milk I finish.

I fared considerably worse on the Economist’s ‘Globalization quiz‘, but it was hard ­– and didn’t have that much to do with the environment after all and a lot to do with having read recent articles in the Economist, which I hadn’t read. Go figure.

Discovery’s Planet Green offers the following quiz entitled ‘Would You Fall for an Eco-Myth?‘ on which I scored 56% correct. I got one wrong for putting basically the opposite of what I ‘wrongly’ answered in the msnbc quiz. Hint: it has to do with a trick question about rolling down your car windows vs. using air conditioning. Unfair!

Finally, I redeemed myself on Planet Green’s ‘Are You An Eco-Friendly Eater?‘ quiz with a score of 100%. Booya!

by Graham Land

Image Source: MyEarthHour

In one week, people around the globe will be plunging themselves into total darkness to celebrate Earth Hour.

Earth Hour is one of the WWF’s global initiatives. It’s also the largest climate change event in history. Last year’s event had over 4,000 cities around the globe participating—including 80 million people from the US alone! Even extremely well-known landmarks and tourist destinations have gone completely dark for this big event, including: The Golden Gate Bridge, The Great Pyramids of Giza, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Sydney’s Opera House, The Eiffel Tower, and even the Las Vegas Strip!

Still not sure what Earth Hour is all about? Well, according to the official Earth Hour website:

“On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations.”

As for what to do during Earth Hour, well, you can start by checking out their website. Many events are planned around the world and you can check to see if any are happening in your area. However, if you feel like staying in for the event, here are a few ideas to help pass the time:

• Read a book
• Play a game (board games, cards or charades)
• Make shadow puppets
• Tell ghost stories
• Go for a walk
• Go outside and do some star gazing (if it’s not cloudy)
• Go outside and discover how different nature in your area can be at nighttime than from daytime (but don’t do anything dangerous!)
• Take a nap

These are just a few things you can do during Earth Hour. Even with the lights, televisions, computers and so forth switched off (and unplugged!) you can still make use of candles, flashlights and other battery operated or hand-cranked devices. Also, Earth Hour doesn’t have to last only an hour—you can extend it on for as long as you like.

Right now there are over 5 million people around the world who have pledged to take part in Earth Hour. Head over to this site to check out the map and make your pledge to switch off the lights for Earth Hour. Be sure to let your friends, families, and co-workers know about the event, too!

Earth Hour is on Saturday, March 27th. All you have to do is switch off your lights (and other devices) when it hits 8:30 pm on your local time.

By Heidi Marshall

Image Source: Greenpeace.org.

Nestle’s KitKat jingles have embedded it into our brains that if we want a break, we need a piece of one of their candy bars. But what if that break is a product of environmental destruction? Do we really need it then? According to Greenpeace, no, we really don’t.

Why? The palm oil used in the candy bars (and other Nestle products) comes from companies that are destroying Indonesia’s rainforests. This includes threatening locals and pushing orangutans closer to extinction. Earlier this week, over 100 protesters went to Nestle’s European headquarters, as well as factories in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, calling for workers to stop using palm oil that comes from forest destruction. Some of the protesters went as far as dressing up in orangutan costumes to really try and get their point across.

So, what can you do about all of this? Well, first of all, boycott Nestle’s products! Do not buy a single drink, piece of candy, or anything else manufactured or labeled by this company. Also, check out the Greenpeace Nestle’s Killer Campaign website to find out how to take action. They also have a rather interesting video displayed that makes a mockery of the KitKat commercials, while highlighting the serious problem the orangutans face.

By Heidi Marshall

Image Source: Flickr. By: Takver.

Recently, the group filed a legal complaint against the captain and crew of the Shonan Maru #2, which is responsible for the destruction of the Ady Gil. SSCS lawyers contacted the Australian Federal Police, demanding the prosecution of the Japanese crew. The police confirmed they received a letter from the lawyers in regards to the January 5 incident and were reviewing its contents.

They also have a decent amount of political backing, including that from Greens Senator, Bob Brown. Brown commented that:

“The captain of the Japanese whaler that rammed the Ady Gil, endangering six lives in the process, should be prosecuted in Australia and face the appropriate sentence.”

Brown also adds that the Japanese captain could face life imprisonment for his actions, if he is prosecuted under Australian law.

The Sea Shepherd website states that “The incident took place at 64 Degrees and 03 Minutes South and 143 Degrees and 09 Minutes East”. This places this incident right within Australian Antarctic Territory, which includes all islands and territory from 60°S on southward, and between 45°E and 160°E. The only exception to this is Adélie Land (136°E to 142°E), which divides the AAT in half. This area also includes the Australian Whale Sanctuary and their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Although Australia has sovereignty over this area, only 4 nations recognize that fact: United Kingdom, New Zealand, Norway, and France. These nations also hold claims to Antarctic territory. Japan, however, does not recognize Australia’s claim to the area and as such, may end up paying dearly for it.

More updates will be posted as they happen.

By Heidi Marshall

source: callandresponse.com

About six years ago I took a summer course on migration at Lund University in Sweden. The classes were taught by a University of California professor and focused on the contemporary issues of global human smuggling and human trafficking. A brief distinction between the two: Human smuggling is a ‘victimless’ crime in which a migrant pays a smuggler to assist in the illegal passage across a political border. Human trafficking, on the other hand, is far more sinister.

Human trafficking involves human victims who are coerced, tricked and/or forced by criminals to work in exploitative relationships in which the traffickers make money from the victims. It is an issue of human rights – not state sovereignty – and the victims are not criminals. Human trafficking is essentially slavery; its victims are chiefly women and children who are usually forced to work in the sex industry. Other ways in which trafficked persons are exploited include as child soldiers, forced laborers (for example on farms and in sweatshops), as beggars and even athletes.

The victims of human trafficking may be lured to another country or region by promises of work, citizenship, visas, education, money, fame, you name it. They are often held in heartbreaking conditions of slavery and abuse by violent means and/or threats against their families. And make no mistake – it is the poor and disadvantaged who are being enslaved and exploited.

Some estimates put the number of slaves worldwide today at 27 million – more than at any other time in history. It is a multi-billion dollar growth industry, a reality which exposes the sickening greed and cruelty that still exist in the world today. The fact that human trafficking is such a lucrative and rapidly growing worldwide industry undermines any claims of human progress.

Unfortunately, it is also a problem that is largely ignored and misunderstood.

My summer course on migration ended with a viewing of the film Lilja 4-ever by Swedish director Lukas Moodysson. It is a fictionalization based on the true story of 16 year-old Danguolė Rasalaitė from Lithuania, who was promised a job picking berries in Sweden. When she arrived she was imprisoned in an apartment and forced to be a prostitute. Danguolė ended up committing suicide by throwing herself off of an overpass in Malmö, the city where I was living at the time of the course.

Lilja 4-ever is a powerful film and often difficult to watch. It left many students in tears or speechless with shock, but with a more personal conception of what the victims of human trafficking go through, even in the most comfortable and orderly countries of Europe and North America.

Here is the trailer for a feature length documentary on the current global state of slavery: human slavery: sex slavery, labor slavery, child soldiers and child slavery. The film is called Call + Response and features academics, politicians, activists, actors and musicians such as Cornel West, Madeleine Albright, Daryl Hannah, Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd, Nicholas Kristof, Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu and Imogen Heap.

‘Call + Response’

This is a public service announcement on human trafficking and child exploitation in Asia; and its connection to global capitalism. It comes from the Australian organization STIR.

‘Human Trafficking… Who Funds It?’

by Graham Land

Additional resources:

Polaris Project

Stop the Traffik

Humantrafficking.org

Antitrafficking.net

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Aftonbladet – Hon tvingades bli prostituerad – tog livet av sig (in Swedish)

photo by tanabata (source: Flickr Creative Commons)

On Thursday in Qatar, the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) voted not to implement a ban on the international trade of bluefin tuna. The Associated Press reported that the rejection of the ban was seen as good news by Japanese fish dealers, who were worried that it might put bluefin out of many consumers’ price range.

Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks have fallen by 60 percent from 1997 to 2007, and environmentalists argue that a trading ban imposed by the 175-nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, would protect the fish.

–AP

Currently 80% of Atlantic bluefin tuna is consumed in Japan, but there is another growing threat to stocks of the unofficially endangered fish species: China. Increasingly wealthy Chinese diners are broadening their eating habits and developing a taste for sushi.

Check out this CNN video report from Beijing, where the demand for Japanese food – including dishes made with bluefin tuna – is growing.

China’s growing sushi appetite

by Graham Land

Image Source: Flickr. By: Photos8.com.

The alleged criminal, named Wiryo, admitted to the conservationists that he started hunting tigers on Java Island when he was 17 years of age. By 1960, he moved to Sumatra because the Javan Tiger population was on the decline.

Iwin Kasiwan, of the natural conservation agency in Riau province, stated:

“We caught him Thursday while he was sailing a traditional wooden boat in a river in Kuala Cinaku with evidence of skin, skull and 8.3 kilos of bones from a tiger.”

Wiryo is now 92 years old—which means he’s been killing tigers for 75 years! Kasiwan noted that the poacher claimed “he has killed more than 50 Sumatran Tigers in Riau province alone”. And what is the punishment for nearly a lifetime of tiger hunting? Up to 5 years of time spent in jail. That’s all.

Only a few hundred Sumatran Tigers remain in the world. Their biggest threats are habitat loss, deforestation, and poaching. Check out the Sumatran Tiger Trust to find out how you can help them.

By Heidi Marshall

Image Source: Edited from LiveFileStore.com

One jellyfish in particular has discovered the perfect way to cheat death. The Turritopsis nutricula—which is actually a type of hydrozoa—can move back and forth through all stages of life. In other words, its mature adult jellyfish form can revert back to its polyp form (the first stage of life) and move forth again, and back again, and so forth. In theory, this transformation can happen an infinite number of times, thus rendering the jellyfish immortal. However, it has never been able to be tested in the wild because the process happens so quickly that proper field observations are unlikely to happen. There is also the problem of predators and disease that tend to kill this strange creature before the theory can even really be tested at all.

These adult jellyfish are extremely tiny. They have a maximum diameter of 4-5 millimeters (0.16-0.20 inches) and are generally as tall as they are wide. They are native to the Caribbean, but it would seem they have found a way to spread across the globe; most likely from ships that discharge ballast water in ports. Currently, scientists are studying this amazing form of marine life, trying to figure out what exactly gives it the ability to move back and forth between life cycles.

What would you do if you had the chance to be immortal?

By Heidi Marshall

photo by FreeCat (source: Flickr Creative Commons)

The threatened bluefin tuna will not be granted protected status. Japan and Canada opposed a ban on international trade on bluefin for economic reasons and received support from many developing nations.

The Guardian reports that the vote at the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Qatar tallied 172 member nations against the ban, with 43 in favor and 14 abstentions. The proposed trade ban was introduced by Monaco and had the support of the United States, Norway and Kenya. The European Union requested the implementation of any ban to be delayed until May 2011.

It is understood that the UK, the Netherlands and possibly other European nations voted in favour of the Monaco proposal, against the EU’s official position.

–Guardian

The ban would not have prevented fishermen from selling bluefin tuna on domestic markets. Due to the ban’s failure, the WWF are urging boycotts of bluefin, but with Japan importing 80% of Atlantic bluefin, such international calls may be largely ineffective.

by Graham Land

Additional resources:

The Ecologist – Bluefin tuna: can trade bans protect our fisheries?

Diantou Village, Henan – photo by Bert van Dijk (source: Flickr Creative Commons)

Smelting factories near villages in rural China are poisoning local Children with illegal heavy metal emissions.

Authorities in Hunan province have even imprisoned victims of lead poisoning who were on their way to receive health checks, according to an article in the Guardian:

The latest results, received on 24 February, revealed that 250 of the 397 children in the village had excess levels of lead in their blood. The victims included four of the five children of Liao Mingxiu, one of those still in police detention.

Reports of thousands of children in China being affected have surfaced over the past year in the provinces of Hunan, Yunnan, Shaanzxi, Sichuan, Guangdong and Henan. Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, seizures, as well as brain and kidney damage.Lead enters the air from the chimneys of smelters, which also belch sulfur dioxide, contributing to acid rain.

From a China Daily report:

A green campaign in 2009 found that among the 541 companies in Jiahe, 309 were illegal or could not meet the environmental protection standard.

According to an article by the Associated Press, the Chinese government is investigating cases of children suffering from lead poisoning. Lack of enforcement of environmental standards and the failure of factories and local governments to comply with laws have allowed rampant pollution to continue largely unabated in parts of rural China.

Reports of lead poisoning have emerged from far-flung parts of China since last year, usually rural areas where large, highly polluting factories have been plunked down among farms at the behest of local governments whose performance assessments are based on their ability to deliver economic growth.

–AP

by Graham Land

Image Source: Stock.Xchng. By: Hagit.

It’s also the only country left in the world that still uses chimpanzees in invasive experiments.

Every other country in the world has either completely banned or restricted the use of great apes for scientific research. It figures the US would be the only country still stubbornly holding out; continuing to experiment on humankind’s closest animal relative.

Fortunately, there are people fighting this very issue. Primatologist and ethologist, Debra Durham, along with Sarah Baeckler, from Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, paired up and wrote an article that details the terrible conditions these primates are forced through. Laboratories confine the chimps in cages the size of a kitchen table. They are separated from their own kind and deprived of any social contact. Worst of all, the animals are forced to remain in these conditions for their entire lives—some of which have been caged for over 50 years.

What can we do about this? Well, in the article (published in the Seattle Times), Durham and Baeckler mention a bill in the House of Representatives that would put a stop to the cruel experiments once and for all. They explain that the Great Ape Protection Bill “has strong support from both political parties, 142 US representatives have signed on as co-sponsors. The long list of supporters means the bill is more likely to get the attention it deserves, but it still needs more co-sponsors, and it needs a companion bill in the Senate”.

To find out more about the bill, check out this information provided by the Library of Congress. To find out how you can help, head over to The Humane Society and American Anti-Vivisection Society websites. These animals have suffered long enough—and they should never have suffered at all.

By Heidi Marshall

Image Source: Combined screen captures.

Solar Plant
This first design sprouted from the mind of Korean designer, Ku Bon-Seop. The Solar Plant is not really a plant at all; though it is designed to act like one. How? Well, the “plant” part absorbs the sunlight. This sunlight is then transformed into electrical energy by photosynthesis, which is done through the “flowerpot” charger. The device can be used to power a variety of electronics, from cell phones to laptops.

Growing Business Cards
We’ve all been through this: the giving and receiving of business cards. You may pick them up at a store, fair, convention or expo. You might trade them at conferences, workshops or business meetings. And most likely, the ones you obtain will either end up in your wallet, in your desk, or in the trash. Guess what—the ones you’ve passed out probably were disposed of or forgotten about, too. So, the question comes up: How do you keep people interested in you and your business? How do you make sure that your card is left out in the open for all eyes to see? Well, by doing something completely unique, of course!

UK designer, Jamie Wieck, has come up with a great idea for making sure your business card gets the serious consideration it deserves. The card starts as a typical business card—until you dip it in water. Within 4 days, the card will sprout either alfalfa or cress plants, making it a nice little green addition to any desk. Plus, it’s also a great way to show that you are a person that supports green and environmentally friendly business initiatives.

Eco-Green Ring
Any of you who knows a thing or 2 about trees are probably aware that the trunk contains a bunch of rings. Typically, these rings are used to measure a tree’s age. However, designers Kwon Hye and Park Jun Seok, were inspired to do something completely different. This tree stump design is actually used to measure and improve indoor air quality. It may surprise you to learn that indoor air pollution causes 14 times more deaths than the pollution found outdoors. Luckily, the Eco-Green Ring has a way of making sure we understand the consequences of this.

First of all, the device is capable of purifying the air, which seems simple enough. Ah, but it’s also capable of telling you how polluted your indoor air really is. How? Color coded LED lights switch on to indicate air quality: green means good and red means bad. The device is made from recycled materials and can be mounted on any wall. Oh, and it serves one other important purpose: to remind us of how important living trees are to the environment—which includes them providing us with better air quality.

That’s it for the designs this week. Expect more again soon!

By Heidi Marshall

Image Source: HeliOptix.com

Recently, the new SyracuseCoE building (with LEED Platinum certification) was dedicated. This center was designed to be used as a living laboratory and also for showcasing new technological ideas. One of the first things to be showcased can be found in an area specifically for testing window systems. What is this thing? A concentrated solar façade.

At first glance, it simply appears as one of those cubed windows you may see in buildings or hospitals. However, closer observation will show that these windows actually harness solar power. How? Well, first, within the window you’ll find a number of transparent pyramid lenses. These lenses can track the sun and concentrate the rays onto high-efficiency PV cells.

This system can provide everything from electricity to thermal energy—all simultaneously. Any power not used can be captured for hot water and solar gain is also reduced. The “windows” themselves are 8 feet by 8 feet and the system was designed by CASE.

If the tests work, you can expect to see these solar facades marketed by HeliOptix. Oh, and you can also check out a video of how the system works here (QuickTime video).

By Heidi Marshall

photo by Rita Willaert (source: Flickr Creative Commons)

The consensus over global warming, which is as strong as ever among scientists, now appears unstable in the eyes of the public.

–London Times

If the conservative leaning London Times says so, then it must be true. But joking aside, as George Monbiot has bemoaned, people are not scientists and their opinions on climate change are generally not informed by science as much as by political identity. Similarly, a study last year showed that humans act like herd animals when it comes to the environment – psychologically speaking, that is.

The scientific case for man made climate change, on the other hand, is actually gaining strength. And it isn’t full of the arrogant certitudes attributed to it by climate skeptics either. Those usually come from normal non-scientist environmentalists and herd-like ruminators such as you and me. Well, you anyway.

From an article in Time magazine:

A search through the much vilified Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports shows that absolute certainty is notably absent. In the most recent document, for example, published in 2007, the authors write: “Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic GHG [that is, human-generated greenhouse gas] concentrations.”

–Time magazine

The Time article goes on to explain that there have been more than 100 peer-reviewed post IPCCC studies, which may adjust understandings on topics including Arctic melting, rainfall and temperatures, but enforce the belief that such phenomena have continued and in some cases gotten worse. New factors, such as future sea level rise due to melting Antarctic glaciers, have also been recorded. The Met Office concludes that the human influence on climate is ’stronger than ever’. Gabriele Hegerl, Professor of Climate System Science at the University of Edinburgh, states: ‘We can say with a very high significance level that the effects we see in the climate cannot be attributed to any other forcings.’

From a BBC News report:

“[Our paper looks at] not just the temperatures but also the reducing Arctic sea ice and it includes changing rainfall patterns and it includes the fact that the atmosphere is getting more humid.

– Dr Peter Stott, UK Met Office

The study, recently published in the scientific journal the Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews of Climate Change, names increased water vapor and corresponding sea saltiness as other ‘new’ elements of climate change observed by scientists.

Further studies like these should lend credibility to the scientific community when it comes to climate change, rather than detract from it as specific errors or inaccuracies are discovered and information is updated. For example, a NASA funded study by Boston University suggests that the Amazon is more resilient of droughts than previously believed. Good news, right?

Climate science is a complex pursuit of data and knowledge and not a simple math problem, after all. Interdisciplinary, cross-organizational scientific research cannot be expected to provide absolute certainties about the future, but rather information and associated risks, regardless of political and economic consequences.

by Graham Land

Additional resources:

Independent – Humans must be to blame for climate change, say scientists

photo by Bernard Gagnon (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Beginning on Monday night, some 20,000 endangered Olive Ridley turtles stormed a beach in the Indian state of Orissa to lay their eggs. This year’s nesting began nearly a month later than last year, but this is not unusual, says a report in the Times of India.

Unusual or not, late nesting means more eggs will die due to beach erosion that takes place during the summer, according to an article by ANI. Ports, terminals and offshore oil drilling also threaten the turtles’ survival.

“Every year, almost 8,000-10,000 Olive Ridleys die. However, the nesting is going on and this time around 2 to 3 lakh [lakh = 100,000] Olive Ridleys have come to the beach to nest. Unfortunately, the size of the Olive Ridleys is decreasing year by year. We are seeing much smaller Olive Ridleys than 10-15 years ago,” Biswajit Mohanty, coordinator of the turtle conservation group Operation Kachhapa.

–ANI

The turtles swam in from the Bay of Bengal to lay their eggs near the mouth of the Rushikulya River, which is considered a relatively safe place for the turtles to nest due to the absence of large fishing trawlers.

Check out this video report of the Olive Ridleys nesting by ITN:

ITN News – Thousands of turtles invade Indian beach

by Graham Land

Image Source: Flickr. By: Mickeymox.

The Environmental Protection Agency receives thousands of complaints every year about flea and tick control products, especially the “spot-on” ones. These products, which claim to be able to rid the animal of any fleas, ticks, larvae and so forth, have actually triggered some rather bad health problems in a lot of animals. Skin irritation seems to be the mildest side effect, while vomiting and seizures come with the more severe cases. At least 600 deaths have also resulted in the use of these products.

The EPA notes that cats and small dogs appear to be the most vulnerable to these issues—particularly because the animal was given a product intended for a larger breed. To give an idea of how bad of a situation this is: over 44,000 reports indicated a harmful reaction to spot-on products in 2008 and nearly 29,000 were reported in 2007.

Assistant Administrator, Steve Owens, of the EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, assured that new restrictions will be placed on flea and tick products, including possible changes to some of their formulas. Owens commented that “These are poisons. These are products designed to kill fleas and ticks—and they do their jobs”. He also added that the pet owners “need to carefully read and follow all labeling before exposing your pet to a pesticide”.

If you use any spot-on flea and tick treatment on your dog or cat, some warning signs to watch out for include: burns and welts on their skin, excessive drooling, uncontrollable shaking, lost control of their legs, or other neurological problems. If your animal shows any of these signs after you administer a spot-on product, take them to the vet and get rid of that product immediately. Also, make sure to read your labels! Dog products are not to be used on cats (or cat products on dogs) and not all dog products are the same. If you have a small dog, get a product specifically labeled for small dogs.

For some great eco-friendly pet products, check out this site. They have everything available, ranging from food to collars to bath products and a lot more!

Check out these sites for a few homemade remedy ideas:

Eco Dog’s Ecotastic Herbal Flea Powder
How to Make Your Own Tick and Flea Pet Friendly Remedy
Keep Fleas and Ticks Away Naturally with Homemade Dog Biscuits

By Heidi Marshall

Image Source: Stock.Xchng. By: Jsnflo.

Well, I’ve done some more research and compiled a list of the top 5 tips for creating an eco-friendly diet. Check them out:

5. Watch Those Portions
One of the main steps in creating a healthier diet is not simply watching what you eat, but how much of it you eat. Cut recipes in half, opt for the smallest serving when dining out, and even look into getting sectioned plates to help maintain portion control. Don’t keep shoveling food onto your plate—you’ll most likely feel obligated to shoveling that all right into your mouth. And if you feel like you’ve eaten enough before your plate is clean, it’s okay to walk away! WebMD actually offers great advice on portion control and tips on creating healthy meals.

4. Avoid Processed Food
This really should be a no-brainer. Any food that comes packaged in boxes, bags, cans and so forth should be eliminated. Ditch that can of vegetable soup and cook your own from scratch. Set aside that box of instant mashed potato mix and invest in some real potatoes. Oh, and if you see a McDonald’s, KFC, or any other fast food restaurant, simply pass on by. Fast food is one of the worst things for you—regardless of what their advertisements may say. Animals are treated cruelly and they don’t exactly uphold environmental practices. However, if you end up stopping in at one of those dreaded places, get yourself a salad or some other meat-free meal. It’ll most likely be the best choice on the menu for you (minus the dressing). Not to mention that all the packaging that comes with processed food (and fast food) tends to end up in landfills more than anywhere else—definitely not a good thing!

3. Invest in Fair Trade Products
Foods that are labeled “Fair Trade” are an excellent way to go. What’s the big deal about Fair Trade? Well, food that is marked as Fair Trade tends to uphold rather high environmental standards and practices. Methods used to grow and harvest the food usually place a good amount of work and importance on protecting the environment, such as preventing erosion, protecting forests and waterways, and eliminating the use of chemicals. Plus, all workers involved are provided with good wages and work conditions.

2. Go Local and Organic
We certainly can’t have a list about eco-friendly food without mentioning this. First, buying locally supports your local farmers. It also eliminates the need for food to be processed, packaged and shipped from hundreds or thousands of miles away—thus lowering carbon footprints and emissions. Second, going organic means your food is grown, cared for and harvested in the healthiest, most eco-friendly way possible. Conserving biodiversity and the 3 R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle), are some key parts of this. Oh, and yes, organic food does include meat. Many people believe that to have an eco-friendly or green diet, you must also go completely meat-free. Sorry, but this simply isn’t so. Yes, vegetables and fruit are healthy for you; but meats and meat by-products (eggs, milk, cheese, etc.) also have their own importance and should not be completely eliminated. Look for meat that is labeled as organic, free range, grass fed, or hormone free. This generally ensures that the animals live a healthy lifestyle and sustainable practices are used.

Image Source: Flickr. By: Shelley & Dave.

That’s it for the list. If you plan on creating your own eco-friendly diet, I hope at least some of these tips will help get you started.

By Heidi Marshall