Japan, golf, pollution
Many think that the environmentalists are overstating the case, and that golf is hardly in the same league as the other pollutions strangling Japan.
Posts Tagged ‘environment’
The back steps of Nature
When you look closely then nature has weapons to deal with a lot of what mankind throws at it.
Find Out How Drinking Tropicana Juice Can Help Save The Rainforest!
Many companies are trying to do something to help the environment these days. Maybe their factories are all solar powered. Maybe their workers help to restore wildlife habitat. Or maybe their delivery trucks are making the switch to EV. Whatever the case may be, it’s a growing phenomenon (and hopefully not the latest passing trend).
Jumping [...]
NGOs warn against ‘contaminated’ whale meat
Environmental and animal-welfare groups are urging the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to persuade the World Health Organization (WHO) to act against the eating of whale meat.
These groups say that whale meat is highly contaminated with mercury and should not be eaten. But whaling nations say they already have health guidelines in place.
For the past weeks, [...]
Q: I’ve heard eating less meat and dairy products could help the environment. How?
A: The environmental impact of meat and dairy products is a complex problem.
The livestock industry is damaging our planet in many ways. It is polluting the air – according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report, it generates more greenhouse gas emissions, including CO2 (18%) and methane, than the whole world’s transport (13,5 [...]
Tory-Lib Dem govt ‘greenest ever’? Some think not
Former UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband thinks the new coalition government’s energy policies are a ‘huge disappointment’ to industry and to the country.
Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he? He’s in the shadow cabinet and that’s sort of their job. Yet it seems Miliband is indeed more pro-active in terms of helping [...]
Scientists discover massive underwater rivers in the Black Sea
An underwater river that dwarfs the Thames has been discovered in the Black Sea.
Europe’s giant inland sea contains currents that behave much like rivers do on land. Scientists from the University of Leeds explored these never seen before currents with a robotic submarine. The currents are created by salt water flowing into the Black Sea [...]
Consumerism, greenwashing and the ‘bonfire of the environment’
Since the environment and appearing to be green are increasingly in vogue, yet consumerism is more rampant than ever, a curious corporate, consumer and governmental culture is emerging.
It’s the culture of ‘lets not and say we did’.
For example, let’s go on about cutting emissions, but then expand offshore drilling. Or let’s make our corporate logo [...]
More on how industrial livestock farming and food production are destroying the environment
Two rather informative articles from Mother Jones go over the environmental benefits/drawbacks of a vegetarian diet vs. one that includes lots of meat.
Kiera Butler’s ‘Steak or Veggie Burger: Which is Greener?’ – aka ‘Get Behind Me Seitan’ – may tread some familiar ground for those well versed on the relationship between diet and the environment, [...]
Despite pollution, trash and acidity, UK seas improving
A new study from the UK’s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) reports that the state of British seas has improved since the last report in 2005.
Coastal waters are getting cleaner, fish stocks are improving and species diversity in estuaries is increasing, according to the most authoritative examination ever carried out of UK [...]
Cork it! – Screw caps bad for the environment
The rise of inexpensive non-European wines and convenience-obsessed consumer culture are threatening the ancient and sustainable cork industry. But besides the potential loss of long-established ‘green jobs’ and the fact that plastic stoppers and screw caps are bad for the environment, the cork industry also sustains large areas of industry-managed forests, which are hotspots for [...]
1 ship=50m cars: That’s how polluting ocean freight is
I’ve assumed that transport via boat, whether shipping goods or people, is less polluting and has a lower carbon footprint than flying or road freight, for example. Not so, according to both scientific research and inside information from the maritime shipping industry.
While diesel cars – once known as smelly, noisy polluters – have relatively cleaned [...]
10:10 climate change campaign 6 months on: Saving money by helping the environment
The UK-based 10:10 global campaign was founded in September of 2009 by the director of the environmental documentary film The Age of Stupid, Franny Armstrong.
The idea of 10:10 is simple – to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 10% in 2010. This means everyone, on both individual and organizational levels – businesses, schools, religious organizations, sports [...]
‘Gasland’ film blows the fracking top off US natural gas industry
Gasland is a documentary film written and directed by Josh Fox which explores the practice of hydraulic fracturing, a widespread method used in drilling for natural gas in the United States.
Hydraulic fracturing, often referred to as ‘fracking’ (yes, like in Battlestar Galactica), fractures rock in order to get at natural gas deposits in shale reservoirs. [...]
Rats and clams: Invasive species in Ireland
According to a BBC News report from May, rats are the top invasive species in Europe. This should come as no big surprise as the crafty, rapidly multiplying rodents are everywhere and seem to thrive in any environment that contains people. The more people, the more rats.
Surprisingly however, they haven’t even been in Europe for [...]
Japan’s govt says go to bed 1 hr earlier to cut emissions – should the UK follow suit?
A new campaign by the Japanese government encourages people to go to bed one hour earlier in order to save energy and cut down on CO2 emissions. Not watching TV and having lights on late at night could cut household energy consumption by up to 20%
The campaign, launched by Japan’s Environment Ministry, is called ‘Morning [...]
Drought risk for northwest England: Hosepipe bans on the way?
Parts of northwest England may face hosepipe bans and drought orders after experiencing the lowest winter and spring rainfalls since 1929.
Areas in Cumbria, which were hit by flooding November, are now faced with rapidly decreasing water reservoirs after the region experienced only 38% of its normal rainfall for the month of May.
From a report in [...]
UK cosmetics firm Lush says ‘nay, palm’
Palm oil has made its way into countless processed foods, soaps and cosmetics. It is also used to make ‘biofuel’ and even napalm – the gelled gasoline used to horrifying effect during the Vietnam War.
Now palm oil is engaged in another war – a war of the environment. Palm oil cultivation often destroys vital natural [...]
Breaking: BP caps leak in Gulf and waits for results
The Guardian reports that BP has placed a cap on the broken end of the leaking wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico in order to capture escaping oil and collect it on ships above the shattered well:
The placement of the containment cap is another positive development in BP’s most recent attempt to contain the leak, [...]
New UN report says diet high in meat and dairy is ‘unsustainable’
A UN report entitled ‘Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production’, released Wednesday, states that eating less meat and dairy is necessary to avoid catastrophic effects of climate change, global hunger and energy shortages.
From an article in the Guardian:
As the global population surges towards a predicted 9.1 billion people by 2050, western tastes for [...]
Nigeria faces Gulf-sized oil spills every year
Large spills in Nigeria are routine, and oil companies go largely unpunished for destroying the local environment as well as poisoning the human population.
Some of the damage is due to actions by rebel groups and criminals, who attack pipelines, but rusty old pipes continually leak oil, while gas flares both waste a valuable natural resource as [...]
Climate change: The war for hearts and minds in the UK
Belief in global warming plummeted amongst the British public after the climate change conference in Copenhagen last December, according to a BBC poll early this year. A similar poll commissioned by the London Times also showed increased skepticism regarding climate amongst those surveyed.
Belief in climate change amongst scientists has not changed, but in the war [...]
France vs. the US: Wind, nukes and oil spills
The United States and France have a strange rivalry. American revolutionaries were helped by France and in turn inspired French republicans. One hundred years later, France gave the Statue of Liberty to the US as a centennial gift. Things soured after the World Wars and years of hegemonic struggle vis-à-vis Anglo vs. Franco cultural-linguistic dominance.
Huh?
In [...]
Top 5 Car Companies That are Helping the Environment
I am not exactly fond of cars or driving, but many people around the world are. These days, it’s become more common for a car company to push out lines of hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, or some other form of “green” transportation. While this step is nice and all, it made me wonder: what else [...]
Check Out San Francisco’s Urban Forest Map Project!
Amber Bieg is on a mission: to account for every single tree in San Francisco.
It all started 5 years ago when Bieg was planting trees in the North Beach area of San Francisco. She realized that “it was really inefficient for one individual, or even a group, to go out with GPS units and survey [...]
Thoughts on Bolivia’s alternative climate conference
In terms of development and environment, global capitalism can be compared to a dinner where a rich few eat all the food and leave the bill with their poor, unwilling hosts after tossing a stingy tip and some dinner notes onto the table.
The colonized, indigenous and poorest peoples of the world are the ones who [...]
Mexico City Transportation Goes Green with New Ecobici System
Mexico City, host of the climate summit event later this year, has started an awesome, new bicycle program this spring.
At the launch of Ecobici, the city installed 1,100 bikes at 85 stations around the city center. Within the first 3 months, at least 4,000 people have used the program and a total of 50,000 trips [...]
Morocco celebrates Earth Day
Morocco’s farmers face soil degradation, air and water pollution and a changing climate. The North African nation’s coastal waters suffer from overfishing and contamination, which has negatively affected the local fishing industry. But Morocco also cherishes its environment and is making efforts to protect it.
For the first time ever, major Earth Day celebrations are happening [...]
Morocco has Big Plans for Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary
In a great step towards environmental action, Morocco plans to announce a National Charter for Environment and Sustainable Development this Earth Day. The commitment is the first of its kind for both Africa and the Arab World.
Personally spearheaded by the King of Morocco himself (Mohammed VI), the charter will guide policy and future laws on [...]
The Top 10 Hiking Trails Around the World
I absolutely love to go hiking. The great outdoors is a wonderful place to explore and to go to for some peace of mind. There are so many spectacular views, vistas, scenic areas and landscapes around the world; all of which are definitely worth seeing. Unfortunately, it may be impossible to hike all those trails [...]
