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Conservation, Wildlife & Flora, Aug 30th, 2011,
Bees, and a handful of other flying insects, are responsible for pollinating about one in every three mouthfuls we eat. Without bees, the only way to produce apples, nuts, alfalfa, carrots, onions and many other crops would be by hand – using a brush to lift the pollen and apply it to the stigma of the female flowers. If insect pollination had to be replaced by hand pollination, it is estimated that it would cost the US alone $90m. –Guardian Last Wednesday honeybees stung a 95-year old man in Redondo Beach, California 400 times. Honeybees also recently stung 38 children…
Tags: Africanized, honeybees, killer bees, pollination
Natural disasters, Nature, Aug 29th, 2011,
Tropical storms are battering two parts of the world at present: the east coast of the United States and parts of East Asia. Hurricane Irene raged up from the Bahamas through North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and into New York, where it was downgraded to a tropical storm yesterday. According to the Associated Press Irene has claimed at least 21 lives in 8 US states. Two nuclear power plants in the US were shut down due to the hurricane, one in New Jersey (purely as a precautionary measure) and one in Maryland, which suffered minor damage. From the Guardian: A reactor…
Tags: Asia, hurricane, Irene, Maryland, New York, nuclear, tropical storm, typhoon, US
Climate Change, Natural disasters, Nature, Aug 27th, 2011,
Hurricane Irene claimed its first victims today as the storm passed over the states of Virginia and North Carolina. Meanwhile the city of New York and other surrounding cities and states are getting ready for the worst. In Virginia, an 11-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on his house. In North Carolina three men died as a result of the passing storm. Meanwhile the state of alarm has been issued in the towns, cities and states where hurricane Irene is expected to pass. In New Jersey officials ordered the evacuation of one million people. Although the treat of…
Tags: hurricane irene, hurricane new york, irene new york, natural ditasters
Recycling, Videos & Documentaries, Aug 26th, 2011,
Around the world, ambitious artists are creating sculptures out of disused materials. In Denizli Provence, Turkey, University students from 12 countries are constructing a sculpture of the ancient city of Hierapolis and the Pamukkale travertine (the natural carbonate terraces the city sits atop) out of 40,000 recycled plastic bottles. The students have so far collected 30,000 plastic bottles for the sculpture project, with the hope of raising awareness about the environment and recycling in Turkey. As part of the project “From Waste to Art” developed by the European Youth Association and supported by the Denizli Municipality and Denizli Municipal…
Tags: art, Iran, recycled, Recycling, sculpture, turkey
Climate Change, Natural disasters, Nature, ,
While passing over the Bahamas, Hurricane Irene destroyed close to 90% of all houses in two settlements. Fortunately there were no casualties. Sadly, in the Dominican Republic, three people lost their lives when the storms passed over. Hurricane Irene is a third category hurricane on a scale of five and is expected to increase in strength to category four, with winds reaching up to 250 kilometers per hour. It is not often that such powerful hurricane reaches the vicinity of New York. But now hurricane Irene is threatening to hit New York and hit it hard. That is why representatives…
Tags: bahamas irene, hurricane irene, hurricane new york, new york irene, new york state of alarm
Green living, Nature, ,
There’s something about gardening that really brings out the true beauty of our lush planet, isn’t there? While many boast of gardens that deliver high yields or record-breaking vegetables, something throughout the process simply doesn’t seem right. Sure, being pleasantly surprised by getting a larger than life tomato is one thing, but when these ends are met through the use of harmful chemicals, what’s the point? Interest is spiking in the practice of maintaining an eco-friendly green garden, and those that have researched the topic have likely been surprised at how simple the creation of one can be! In light…
Tags: eco-friendly gardens, eco-friendly green gardens, green gardening, natural gardening, natural pest control, rainwater for gardening
Climate Change, Politics, Aug 25th, 2011,
A new poll shows that Californians are a bunch of tofu-eating, wheat grass-drinking, hybrid-driving hippies who want a carbon tax. More or less. Despite sometimes electing Republicans like Arnold (a relatively Green Republican, admittedly) Californians have a pretty Lefty-liberal and environmentally conscious reputation. Much of it is earned, but some of it is by virtue of having nice weather (less energy consumption from heating and air conditioning) and coasting on attitudes formed in the 1960s and 70s. California is by far the most populous state in the US, but consumes considerably less energy than Texas, the second largest state. By 2009…
Tags: California, carbon tax, Climate change, poll
Green living, Science & Technology, Aug 24th, 2011,
Green cars are still fairly new within the automotive market, leaving many drivers deliberating whether to make their next car purchase a green one. This doesn’t come surprisingly, following many warnings that the increasing fuel prices have no sign of hitting the brakes. The environmental reasons behind green cars are equally as obvious, they’re designed to reduce the effects of climate change that traffic emissions have on the environment. It’s common knowledge that petrol cars contribute to global warming, but few people know to what extent. Absolutely Fuming Pedestrians are probably more aware of the fumes which conventional cars emit…
Tags: eco-friendly cars, electric cars, future of cars, green cars
Green living, Aug 23rd, 2011,
Power failures caused by the incident at Fukushima nuclear plant following the earthquake and tsunami last March have sparked a new energy saving trend in Japan. Setsuden or ‘power saving’ is catching on in Japan in a big way. As far as public opinion goes, clean energy is in, nuclear and fossil fuels are out. From the Guardian: Tokyo, a bustling capital famous for its neon lights, has now turned into a city of darkened buildings and slower running trains. Billboards at major crossings flash daily rates of power consumption that tell whether the city has conserved sufficient energy to…
Tags: CFL, energy, japan, LED, light bulbs, nuclear, power, saving, setsuden
Conservation, Aug 22nd, 2011,
So far this year poachers have killed 265 rhinos in South Africa, quickly approaching last year’s record 333 killings. To put this number in perspective, only 13 rhinos were poached in 2007. The cause for this carnage is the skyrocketing trade in rhino horn, due to the false belief that it cures cancer, headaches and fever. This unscientific notion is widespread in China, as well as in some communities in South East Asia, where increased affluence is fueling the illegal rhino horn market. Poachers use sophisticated military equipment and helicopters to enter wildlife reserves, like Kruger National Park in South…
Tags: horn, Kruger, park, poachers, rhinos, South Africa, TCM
Green living, Politics, Videos & Documentaries, Aug 19th, 2011,
Since the tsunami and resultant meltdowns at Fukushima nuclear plant, views in Japan towards nuclear power are changing. In a country with a history of earthquakes, which has suffered so much from a recent natural disaster, unease regarding nuclear power is understandable. While the true consequences wrought by the nuclear meltdowns remain unknown; caution and even fear influence public opinion in Japan regarding atomic power, and to a lesser extent, government policy. Aside from countries like Germany, which announced a shut down of all nuclear reactors by 2022, nuclear power is growing on a global scale, as can be seen…
Tags: atomic power, japan, nuclear power, plant
Green living, Science & Technology, Aug 18th, 2011,
When dental providers began to follow eco-friendly practices in their personal and community lives, it was a natural consequence that they would extend these practices into their professional lives as well. Dentists saw that green practices such as sustainability, bio-safety and conservation could be applied as readily to their offices as to their homes, benefitting not only the environment as a whole but also the health and wellbeing of their clients. Since the first certified green dental practice opened in California in 2003, green thinking in the dental profession has spurred green efforts in the dental industry, efforts that have…
Tags: dental industry eco-friendly, eco-dentists, eco-teeth, green dentists, green efforts in the dental industry
Science & Technology, Wildlife & Flora, Aug 17th, 2011,
According to WSPA Bear farming is one of the worst forms of acute long-term cruelty perpetrated against an animal by humans. The organization estimates that more than 14,000 bears are currently living in farms across Asia. They are kept in tiny cages in which they can’t stand up and almost can’t navigate and regularly have their bile, which is used in traditional medicine, extracted through a permanent wound in their abdomen. The farms cause both extreme physical pain and severe psychological suffering to the captive bears. In order to extract the bile, bears undergo an invasive surgical procedure usually performed…
Tags: animal protection, animal rescue, bear farms, bear farms china, bears in cages, bile extraction, china bear treatments, cruelty to animals, mother and cub bear suicide, mother bear kills herself, WSPA
Climate Change, Green living, Health, ,
Far too many people think that there is nothing that they can do to help the environment. However with this type of attitude then no change can ever be done. Never underestimate the amount of change that one person can make in the world. After all, every journey begins with a single step. By using these seven simple tips you can help to make a difference and create a better World. 1) Less Water Usage Water is a scarce resource. Especially in dry western states such as California there are a number of laws that are strictly enforced to prevent…
Tags: 7 steps to a better environment, 7 steps to save the environment, easy green living tips, Go Green, green living tips
Pollution, Aug 16th, 2011,
The oil leak in the North Sea, which was discovered by Shell last Monday – but not announced until Friday – has been mostly staunched, according to the UK government. Yet another, albeit much smaller, leak has been found stemming from the same offshore platform and it is spilling some 2 barrels of crude oil per day. The second leak is proving difficult to stop, according to Shell, due to its ‘awkward’ positioning. Last Monday’s oil spill is already being called the worst to occur in UK waters in the last 10 years. From an article in the Independent: An…
Tags: Greenpeace, leak, North Sea, oil, Shell, spill
Health, Pollution, Aug 15th, 2011,
Hydraulic fracturing is the controversial practice of extracting natural gas from shale rock by drilling, planting explosives and then pumping vast amounts of water and chemicals into the rock to open up gas deposits. Commonly referred to as ‘fracking’, domestic hydraulic fracturing is being touted by governments and fossil fuel corporations in several countries as being cheaper, safer and more climate-friendly than oil or coal extraction, as well as less dependent on the instability of international markets and political situations than other fossil fuels. But fracking is not without its environmental or human health concerns. From BBC News: Much of…
Tags: Canada, concerns, fracking, gas, hydraulic fracturing, New Brunswick, water
Pollution, Aug 12th, 2011,
Earlier today Shell reported an oil spill at its Gannet Alpha platform about 180 km from Aberdeen close to the U.K. shore at the North Sea. Although the leak has been partially contained, some leakage of unknown volume is still going on. The amount of oil that already leaked into the North Sea is also still unclear. The leak was discovered by an unmanned submarine after an oil sheen had been observed in the area. Following this find, Shell immediately removed the pressure of the pipeline, and started taking further steps to isolate the leak. The local Maritime and Coastguard…
Tags: Gannet Alpha platform, Gannet Alpha spill, north sea oil spill shell, oil spill, Shell, shell oil spill
Green living, Videos & Documentaries, ,
Get thee to a nunnery! – and learn about environmentally-friendly practices while living a life of spiritual contemplation and self-denial. Sound like fun? Well, admittedly it’s not for everyone. But for a few ladies it’s just the stuff. A new Roman Catholic Carmelite convent in Liverpool, England is set to be the largest of its kind in Europe. Considering the order is made up of only 30 nuns, I’m guessing there aren’t that many of them and they don’t tend to live in big communities. But this convent (or monastery) will also be a beacon of sustainable living, featuring ground-source…
Tags: convent, eco-friendly, monastery
Green living, Science & Technology, Aug 11th, 2011,
Working from home is becoming popular for office workers who have been shaken by the increasing fuel prices. What they don’t realize is that their home office is a powerhouse of carbon emissions, responsible for the greenhouse effect. Conserving energy and reducing waste when working from home can help to reduce the further damage that climate change is having on Earth. Recycling and Reducing Waste Although everyone should be practicing recycling in their home, it’s even more important for home workers to reduce their waste and increase their recycling habits. Printing should be avoided where possible to reduce waste of…
Tags: alternative energy home office, eco-friendly office, eco-friendly stationary, green your home office, how to turn you home office green, power saving home office, working from home green
Climate Change, Nature, Weird Stuff, Aug 9th, 2011,
Natural disasters are unpredictable and can traumatize any individual irrespective of their caste, creed, sex, age or gender. It has various forms like flood, lightening, earthquake, volcanic eruptions etc. It can damage or totally annihilate your immediate environment and its effects can be evident for a much long time after it passes away. A natural disaster can damage the whole community as well. The children who undergo these disasters experience their effects for a long time. It many a times causes relocations of the families and communities as well. Thus people living in more disaster prone areas should learn the…
Tags: Climate change, floods, global warming, Google Earth, hurricanes, natural disasters, wildfires
