Extinction in Prehistoric Times Could Predict Future Extinction

With the amount of greenhouse gases, scientists believe that we could have a mass extinction in the oceans again. According to Professor Kennedy, by doubling the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere it is like hitting the Earth with a sledge hammer. They also believe that this problem is manageable if the research it and find more out about the problem. I think that it is very important to research this in order to prevent mass extinction.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110517105812.htm

Kroger cutting out BPA

Kroger, the grocery store chain, has announced that they no longer use BPA in any of their store brand products. Kroger has noticed the huge concern that consumers have for BPA products and have taken charge to satisfy the everyday consumer. It is important that consumers support stores that are taking charge like this in order for them to make money and stay in business. I think it's awesome that they would make this bold move. I'm sure it was expensive to change all of their containers but they believe in safety and health. Go Kroger!

Save the Whales!

In the past few years, there has been a spike in the number of whales washing up on shore without known cause. The National Marine Fisheries Service has claimed a Unusual Mortality Event in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, however, oil spills are not the only reason there has been more whales on shore, which scares experts. The number of whales ashore has been increasing throughout the years but peaked in 2009 with 46 beached whales. In response to this, the Department of Environment and Conservation is now conducting a study to look for possible causes. Researchers say that possible causes could be sonar issues leading them off course, the BP oil spill, or even nutritional issues. The oil spill is not fully to blame, in years previous there had been and increased amount of whales coming ashore globally. In the past week 16 whales have beached themselves in Florida. I think it is extremely important to find a leading cause for why the whales are increasingly becoming beached so then steps can be taken to prevent this from happening because most whales do not survive after coming ashore. Whales are extremely calm and interesting animals and I believe it should become a priority to help preserve them seeing as they have been around since prehistoric times and hold a significant place in history and evolution.

France's Party

France decided to host a series of 10 concerts throughout the country this month with up and coming artists and admission only requires bringing recyclable electronics instead of cash! The parties first started in 2009 as a fun way to encourage the youth to recycle old, electronic items. This year, since the "party" has gotten more support, the company has decided to leave Paris for the first time and go on tour. Last Tuesday, over 860 guests attended the party and manage to scrounge up 970 pounds worth of recyclable materials! I think it's awesome that France got so creative to appeal to younger people about recycling! To imagine that in one day, this organization prevented 970 pounds from ending up in a landfill is astonishing and it is incredible to think of how much more the party will be able to recycle in the next 9 concerts.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/france-puts-on-concerts-to-encourage-recycling-charges-old-electronics-as-entry-fee.php?campaign=top_news

New Jersey Environment Budgeting Issues

During a state budgeting hearing yesterday, the New Jersey governor Chris Christie, will try to win the right to use money that has been set aside to improve the quality of the environment, to instead widen roads and complete other general state operations. By doing so, the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility claim that this will then remove New Jersey from 10-State Northeastern Regional Greenhouse Gas initiative. If the governor gets his way, $7 million will be deducted from the Global Warming project to instead fund the widening of the New Jersey Turnpike. In addition, $20 million will be taken from a fund designated to help support recycling instead disposing of trash in landfills on top of the $7 million taken from the program last year. Not only is he facing budgeting problems, but he is not making the process for stricter drinking standards any faster by stripping government agencies of their power and then appointing administrative judges in charge. I hope that Christie does not get his wish for all of the money, according to other PEER members, Christie made promises to help the environment and so far has done nothing but take away money that could solve some of the earth's problems. I think that the governor is selfish and the people should find some way to sabatoge his plans because of his ignorance and disregard for the place he resides.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/new-jersey-governor-wants-to-put-environment-funds-toward-road-development.php

Comet Elenin

A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma (a thin, fuzzy, temporary atmosphere) and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet. Comet nuclei are themselves loose collections of ice, dust, and small rocky particles, ranging from a few hundred meters to tens of kilometers across. Comet Elenin is coming to the inner-solar system this fall of 2011. Comet Elenin, was first detected on Dec. 10, 2010 by Leonid Elenin, an observer in Lyubertsy, Russia, who made the discovery using the ISON-NM observatory near Mayhill, New Mexico. At the time of the discovery, the comet was about 401 million miles from Earth. Over the past four-and-a-half months, the comet has — as comets do — closed the distance to Earth's vicinity as it makes its way closer to perihelion (its closest point to the sun). As of May 4, Elenin's distance is about 170 million miles. It is scheduled to come as close as 22 million miles.

http://www.enn.com/sci-tech/article/42661

Pa. group wants stronger limits on gas drilling

An environmental group in Pennsylvania wants policy makers in the state to strengthen the laws that ecosystems near water or where people live or work off limits to natural gas drilling. This effort came after the drilling of Marcelus Shale natural gas wells became more intense. They say its too close to homes and places of work and it will affect people too much. Right now, drilling can't be done within 200 feet of a house or a building. This group wants that buffer to be increased to 1000 feet to further protect people. This is a good attempt because it is always important to protect our people and their rights.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/05/05/businesse-us-gas-drilling-pennsylvania_8451956.html

Chemicals found in flame retardant baby products can have lasting effects

In the 1970s, a chlorinated flame retardent called Tris was removed from children's pajamas after studies showed that it caused cancer in animals. But now other chemicals found in baby products are being linked to health issues with children and babies and sometimes even adults. Chemicals like this can be found in the simplest of things such as strollers, infant carriers, blankets and even mattresses. Based on a study done in California, Americans have more chemicals in their bodies than the people in the European Union. These chemicals can cause things like slow brain development, behavior changes, low IQs, and learning problems in children. In adults they can cause many similar problems. So something must be done about this. The government should put more restrictions on the materials and things that are being put into things that we use and come in contact with on a daily basis.

http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/parenting-family/babies/2011-05-05-flame_retardant_N.htm

Green kids toys?

When was the last time you bought a toy? How was it packaged? If it was like most toys, it was tied with a million plastic twist ties to a few sheets of cardboard, wrapped with colored cardboard. Billions of toys are bought every year, and almost all that waste gets thrown into the trash, where it will rot in a landfill for years. This article encourages people to buy "green" toys, used toys, or even make your own toys! When I was little, I loved playing with blocks, and blocks are literally one of the easiest things to make. Think about that the next time you need a present for a young relative.

http://www.enn.com/lifestyle/article/42643

World Wildlife Federation turns 50!

This year, the WWF, otherwise known as "That panda wrestling organization", turns 50. To celebrate, they held an enviro-conference, and discussed top issues. Over their 50 years, the WWF has collected millions of dollars to go toward advances in environmental science, and conserving our planet. They have also raised a lot of support for endangered animals, such as their mascot, the panda bear. I think that if people would listen to organizations like the WWF, our planet would be a lot more sustainable.

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/42642

Wolves losing federal protection

As of today, the grey wolf is no longer on the endangered species list, at least in Montana and Idaho. Over 1,000 wolves have been removed from federal protection, and are now open to licensed hunting. The article also says that another 4,000 wolves near the great lakes could be taken of the list as early as next year. This could be a great thing for the wolves' ecosystem, but it seems likely to me that they will go back on the list in a few years. If people keep hunting them uncontrolled, they'll go extinct. However, if they aren't hunted at all, they'll reach carrying capacity and pretty much go extinct anyway. If we want to sustain our grey wolf population, we're going to have to watch it very closely.

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/42658

Australia to protect vast ocean zone

Australia's government has decided to set aside 538,000 kilometres of the country's southwest ocean for new areas to protect it's marine environment. The environment minister of the country said that this is one of eight new protected areas that is going to be known as the South-West Corner Marine Reserve. Specific canyons are said to be protected even more cautiously. The new marine reserves will stretch from Kangaroo Island to Geraldton. Many poeple in Australia believe that this has needed to be done for a while now and it is great to finally see it happening. In the next 90 days the country is planning to make more reserves.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/australia-to-protect-vast-ocean-zone-20110505-1ea9g.html

German Scientists develop thought controlled car

German Scientists recently developed a car that is controlled by your thoughts. The driver wears a cap that reads brainwaves and then trasmits them to a cube and converts that data into a command for the car to do. This could be a very safe or very dangerous way to travel in the future if the driver uses his subconscious. The car needs direct thought though, so if the driver takes his time to think of what to do then the car will not do it right away. Or if they are not paying attention then they could end up in a bad situation. It's always interseting to see what the future holds for us...

http://www.reuters.com/news/video/story?videoId=204935626&videoChannel=6

Shanghai Air Pollution

The pollution in Shanghai has reached record levels. The air quality has pushed to the levels of 'evere', and 'hazardous', and is the highest level on the Air Quality Index Scale. In the Chinese newspaper, Shanghai Daily, reports that the air quality over Tuesday, May 3, and Wednesday, May 4 was the worst air quality to date.

TheAir Quality Index measures pollutants in the air, and on May 4, Shanghai's air quality was rated 500. Hazardous.

BP fined $25 million for 2006 oil spill

The BP has to pay $25 million in charges from the two oil spills that happened in Alaska in 2006. They are being charged from the oil spills, and willful failure to comply with a government order and properly maintain the pipelines to prevent corrosion. The fine is the largest thats been against an oil company in a spill. That messes up BPs reputation and corporate treasury. BP could get larger fines from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that happened last year. I think that it is good that they are being fined. They chose not to do anything about the pipes, and now they have to take responsibilty for what they did. Every oil company should look to that and realize that everyone is accountable for what they do.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/science/earth/04pipeline.html?ref=earth

Dust Bowl 2?!

While tornadoes and floods have raged the Midwest, a major drought is taking over the Western edge of Oklahoma, Boise City. This drought is even worst than the Dust Bowl. The City has gone 222 consecutive days without seeing more than a quarter inch of rainfall in a single day. The community is drying up, and people are seeing no reason to stay. In the last decade Boise City has lost about 16 percent of their population. Most people have to shop at the local Wal-Mart 60 miles away. The drought plays a major role in the image of the town and it is hurting the economy! The drought has already damaged all of the crops for this year, and the farmers are having to sell off their cattle because it is way to expensive to keep them, when they don't even have the basic needs of food or water. When a community is so dependent on on agriculture, the effects of the drought ripple through out the community! Boise city is on the verge of extenction.. the only thing that will save them will be WATER!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/us/04dust.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=earth

The Eco Kettle

It is estimated that on average, we boil twice the volume of water that we actually need when we use our kettles. When looking at a 3kW kettle, it is about the same as wasting the energy of around fifty light bulbs. Kettles are often inefficent. A stove-top kettle, for example, requires the energy to heat the kettle itself, and the water.

Designer Brian Hartley has created an Eco Kettle to solve the problems of this. You fill it up, and use the measuring button to release the exact amount of water that you require into a seperate chamber for boiling. It is insulated to keep thee water hot. A result of this inventions is a saving up of 30%.

222 Day Long Drought

While the South and Midwest are having there own weather problems, the western edge of the Oklahoma has been having its own for almost a year. Boise City is having its longest drought on record, its been 222 days since its had a quarter of an inch of rainfall. That is the longest dry-spell since they began keeping track of the weather in 1908. The Dust Bowl in the 1930's hit Boise City, and the city recovered from it and has been sucessful with farming for plenty of years since. This drought is drying up the city, and the city has lost 16% of their population. People are losing jobs, moving away and dying so the town is falling apart. I think people dont look at problems like this enough. People always hear about the tornadoes but you rarely hear about droughts. These are just as harmful as the tornadoes, and we need to pay more attention to them.http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/us/04dust.html?ref=earth

Oceanic Fish Crisis

A concern for decreasing fish populations have been increasing for over four years. Things such as over-fishing has contributed to the decline of fish populations. The overfishing of the oceans will leave parts of the world that depend of fishing for food, and for economic stability, standing on an edge. With the overfishing of differnt fish populations that is ongoing can make it so there is not a sustainable seafood harvest, and possibly the extinction of many types of fish.

Although, this is not a new thing that is going around the world. But, the overfishing of our waters is pulling around 170 billion pounds of fish in just one year. With the new technology to capture fish, it has made it easier to catch so many, and make millions of dollars in a short time. Some believe that most fisheries want nothing more, but more money. If this is true, and this problem is not sorted out, there could be serious downfalls.

There are some fishery managers who claim that the mass quantity fishing has been coming in steady for the past ten years. But, a study conducted by Daniel Pauly states that the mass-hunted fishing is not stable or divided evenly among the world's nations.

The overall impact of overfishing is devastating. Coastline economies would go down, marine ecosystems would be destroyed, and people who survive off of mainly marine animals, may stare. If we cannot inform the public that it's not simply the whole amount of fish that are being reeled in, but the types of fish that are being reeled in, the oceans, towns, and cities of planet earth will suffer.

Plastic that Heals Itself?

Scientists just recently developed a macro molecule of polymer, plastic material, that heals itself when it comes into contact with direct sunlight. The plastic is made up of chains and then those chains are made up of even smaller chains that have the ability to repair themselves upping their productivity and lifespan. This could potentially mean we start to use a lot less plastic in general protecting our environment and that what we do make is put to great use. This could help out all sorts of things, we just need to further the research to other types of products to cut down on what we use daily to provide for a cleaner, healthier earth in the future.


http://www.calgaryherald.com/technology/science/Plastic+heal+thyself+scientists+invent+smart+polymers/4654786/story.html

10.1 Billion People!

The population of the world continues to grow at an increasingly rapid pace. Long expected to stabilize just above 9 billion in the middle of the century, it will instead continue growing and possibly hit 10.1 billion people by the year 2100, according to the United Nations report. In Africa alone the population is so high that it could more than triple in this century, from one billion people to 3.6 billion; a sorry forecast for an area that already struggles to provide the necessities of food and water for its people. "Every billion more people makes life more difficult for everybody - it's as simple as that," said John Bongaarts, a demographer at the Population Council, a research group in New York.
I agree that this could potentially be a serious problem. With more people there are less resources and space left for each individual. Every population has a carrying capacity yet we seem to continue to increase ours through technology. What will be the final number limit? And by the time we reach it, will it be too late? If we surpass our carrying capacity there is a good chance that we will then use every resource available and have nothing left for anyone to survive off of.

Beaver Dam Contains Oil Spill

On April 29th, an oil pipeline in Canada started leaking. The oil almost ruined a river completely, however luckily a family of Beavers decided to build a dam holding the water back which in turn saved part of the river. The leak put 28,000 barrels of oil into the environment, however if the Beaver dam was not there this would only be half of the problem. I found this article very interesting because it shows you how such a small coincidence as those Beavers deciding to build a dam where they did caused a cities drinking water to not be polluted and saved countless animals lives.




http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110504/od_afp/canadaenergyoilspillnativeoffbeat_20110504233603

Rising Sea Levels

In 2007 the projected jump of sea levels was 7 to 23 inches by 2100. As of now the expected rise is projected to be between 35 and 63 inches by 2100. The Arctic is melting faster than expected and this report shatters the predictions made just four years ago by the U.N. climate change panel. This drastic rise would add to threats to coasts from Bangladesh to Florida, low-lying Pacific islands, and cities from London to Shanghai. Arctic temperatures are at their highest since measurements began in 1880. The loss of ice from Arctic glaciers, ice caps, and the Greenland ice sheet will make a substantial contribution to the global sea level rise. They have already contributed over 40% of the global sea level rise of around 3mm per year observed between 2003 and 2008. The United Nations talks on a global pact to combat climate change but says national promises to limit greenhouse gas emissions are insufficient to avoid dangerous changes. "The increase in annual average temperature since 1980 has been twice as high over the Arctic as it has been over the rest of the world," said the report. The Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice free in summers within 30-40 years from now as a result.
Whether you believe in global warming or not this is still an issue that needs to be addressed. Sea levels are rising, which leaves less usable land, and as of now we still do not have a solution to this problem.

City Eating Sand Dunes!

As strange as it sounds, sand dunes are known to migrate.  As wind blows sand over the dunes it comes to rest on the other side where the wind is blocked.  Gradually over time, the dunes become bigger and shift the way that the wind is blowing.  For example dunes at the beach, if you stand on the top of the dune you feel the sand hitting your legs and ankles.  But as you continue to step to the other side the wind very suddenly stops.  This is an issue for giant sand dunes in desert areas.  Some places that are in danger of this happening are, Northern China, Parts of Africa, and the Middle East.  Some dunes in these areas are moving up to twenty meters per year and are approaching some cities.  There are a couple of things that could be done about this, some of the options are drench the dunes with water, or put up sand fences that are much like snow fences.  Although it is very hard to predict what the dunes will do, all of these ideas and solutions to the problems are really just guess work.  Physicists have equations for the movement of water, solids, and gasses, but sand dunes don’t quite fit into a category.

I think that this could be a huge problem for places, if a solution isn’t found.  Who knows what could be buried out in the desert without anyone knowing?  This is a dangerous situation and something needs to be done in order to protect the environment and the people living in it.

  http://www.firstscience.com/home/articles/earth/city-swallowing-sand-dunes-page-1-1_1244.html

EU To Pay Fishermen to Catch Plastic Trash

Lots of plastic trash is filling the worlds oceans, a EU official has come up with the idea to pay fisherman to catch trash rather than fish. The EU fisheries chief has been under fire for the plan of banning the discarding edible fish. Up to 2/3 of fish is discarded for different reasons, such as throwing back less valuable fish. Many fishermen object to this, but the fisheries chief is going ahead with the ban, while still providing fishermen with more income by taking trash out of the ocean. I feel that this is a very good idea. It gets people to clean up our oceans, and provides them with more income. Hopefully more places will try ideas like this and make our oceans cleaner.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/eu-pay-fishermen-catch-plastic-trash.php

Water Shortages Threaten Food Future in the Middle East

Many problems in the middle east are rising, including rapid population growth, water shortages, and food insecurity. In Saudi Arabia, a large aquifer is nearly depleted, which means that they wont be able to grow grain anymore, and be dependent on other countries to get grain. Water is too expensive for the Saudis to bring in from the ocean just to irrigate. Due to their food insecurity, they are planning on using other countries water and resources to produce food for themselves in places like Ethiopia. No real solution is yet in sight. Governments have failed to solve the problem of rapid growth and shrinking water supplies. Each day now brings 10,000 more people and less water with which to irrigate and feed them. I feel like this is a serious problem. People cannot live without water. Countries that are lacking water need to find a more permanent solution to their problems. They cant go on without water, but they shouldn't be allowed to take advantage of poorer countries resources. Countries need to work together on an international level to hopefully work toward a solution to the growing water shortages in the middle east.

Solar Powered Laptop

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/futuristic-laptop-concept-features-solar-panel-cover-charger.php

Karnath and Burdick designed the Lifebook Leaf in conjunction with Fujitsu and Designblooms "A Life With Future Computing" competition.

"The device consists a single flexible OLED touchscreen that can be used as a flat display or folded into a laptop form. A rubberized interior prevents scratching of the internal screens, while a polycarbonate exterior shell, sealed completely and featuring a waterproof zipper when shut, provides protection from water damage, a leading cause of laptop failure."

Amazingly enough, the designers planned for three cameras to be built into the top of the device so that 3D photography and depth sensing is possible. That way, the laptop can be controlled with gestures as well as with the touchscreen.

And of course the exterior is one giant solar cell so that the device can be folded open and charged.

Practical or possible? Definitely not. The designers state, "With our collective environmental crisis beginning to spiral out of control, designers can no longer design products which rely on energy and resources as if those things were limitless. the 'lifebook leaf' is an attempt to deal with these realities."

Intel Announces Revolutionary 3D Transistors, 50%+ More Energy Efficient Than Previous Generation

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/intel-announces-revolutionary-3d-transistors-50-percent-more-energy-efficient-22nm.php

Intel's 3-D Tri-Gate transistors enable chips to operate at lower voltage with lower leakage, providing an unprecedented combination of improved performance and energy efficiency compared to previous state-of-the-art transistors. The capabilities give chip designers the flexibility to choose transistors targeted for low power or high performance, depending on the application.

The 22nm 3-D Tri-Gate transistors provide up to 37 percent performance increase at low voltage versus Intel's 32nm planar transistors. This incredible gain means that they are ideal for use in small handheld devices, which operate using less energy to "switch" back and forth. Alternatively, the new transistors consume less than half the power when at the same performance as 2-D planar transistors on 32nm chips.

"The performance gains and power savings of Intel's unique 3-D Tri-Gate transistors are like nothing we've seen before," said Mark Bohr, Intel Senior Fellow. "This milestone is going further than simply keeping up with Moore's Law. The low-voltage and low-power benefits far exceed what we typically see from one process generation to the next. It will give product designers the flexibility to make current devices smarter and wholly new ones possible. We believe this breakthrough will extend Intel's lead even further over the rest of the semiconductor industry."

Obama Grants EPA More Power

Throughout the past few weeks President Obama has been meeting with his advisors and plans to give the Enviormental Protection Agency more power over wetland protection. Not only does this mean more "enviorment" is protected from this decision but the economy will be helped to. The production of equipment used to protect these wetlands will call a need for many more jobs and with the more protected wetlands the more national parks or state parks can be created, in turn brining even more jobs.

Today about one hundred seventeen million United States citizens, more than a third of the population get part or all of their drinking water from sources that lack clear protection from pollution. I personally think if that many people are at risk of getting polluted water then the EPA should get much more power over the wetlands. I agree with whats happening completely.

http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/04/27/3021724/feds-issue-guidelines-for-protecting.html

Battle Scars Found on an Ancient Sea Monster

Scars on the jaw of a 120-million-year-old marine reptile suggest that life might not have been easy in the ancient polar oceans. The healed bite wounds were probably made by a member of the same species. Such injuries give important clues about the social behaviour of extinct sea creatures from the time of dinosaurs. Found in the remote desert near the town of Marree in northern South Australia, the fossilised skeleton belonged to an ichthyosaur, a dolphin-like marine reptile that lived during the 'Age of Dinosaurs'. Ichthyosaurs were fast swimming predators that fed on fish and squid-like animals. Adults would have been around six metres in length and had long-snouted heads with over 100 pointed, crocodile-like teeth. The surprising discovery of well preserved bite marks on the bones of the ichthyosaur's lower jaw were made during painstaking cleaning and reassembly of its skeleton in the laboratory. Evidence of advanced healing indicates that the animal survived the attack and lived on for some time afterwards. Pathological traces on ancient fossilised bones and teeth give unique insights into the lives and social behaviours of extinct animals.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110504080942.htm

Minimulist Footwear

Running barefoot, or wearing "minimulist shoes," is becoming more and more popular. There are many health benefits and they are becoming the new trend. Vibram Fivefingers sold 2.5 million pairs in 2011, with a sales target of 4 million in 2011. Such large sales are making people wonder if these shoes are greener then a regular pair of running shoes. The "Green" thing about these is that they weigh about half as much as the average pair, which saves on shipping and packaging. There is less glue and less material to waste.

I think these shoes are an amazing inovation. I have a pair and they make running easier and funner. Also, if you read the full article you will understand how minimulist footwear is actually easier on your body then regular shoes. Afterall, we are all born without shoes. Shoes were first worn as fashion accesories and as a sign of wealth, until doctors said it was unsanitary to go barefoot. Tribes and cultures go barefoot everyday all over the world. This could light the way to a healthier and more active nation.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/ask-pablo-is-barefoot-running-greener.php

Tornado Season Intensifies

So far this year, tornadoes have killed 41 people, they have torn apart neighborhoods, houses and this past weekend the tornadoes took out an airport. Tornadoes have set the record this month, according to preliminary estimates about 250 tornadoes have touched down this month and more are still to come. Howard Bluestein a meteorology professor at the University of Oklahoma says this many tornadoes can and does happen, he states, "This isn't a sign that the world is about to end." On average in April of 1950 there were about 64 tornadoes which increased to about 163 in the year of 2005. It remains unclear partly because the lack of historical data and partly because of unpredictable nature of whether the number of tornadoes will increase in number or strengthen.

Salt Marshes Shrinking Along Eastern US Could be Natural

Salt marshes that surround Massachusett's Plum island estuary have grown by 300 hectacres in the past 300 years. According to a new study this growth was fueled by postcolonial deforestation and the erosion it caused in areas upstream. The steps being taken to keep the marshes at this expanded size are actually keeping the marshes from returning to their more natural size. Scientists have long presumed that the ongoing loss of wetlands in many areas of the world were being caused by rising sea levels and human development of coastal real estate. Matthew Kirwan argues that research has recently shown that the shrinkage of wetlands is simply a return toward normal coverage. Kirwan and his collegues have drawn this conclusion from their study of the Plum Island estuary reported in the may issue of Geology. I think that the wetlands should be allowed to shrink if that is indeed their more natural size. This seems to be one situation where bigger may not necessarily be better.

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/42634

Update on the State of Japan After Tsunami

Workers began the process of repairing the cripped nuclear power station after the March 11th tsunami. The key is to bring the reactors under control to help stop the leakage of radiation. Soldiers have recently moved in to within 6 miles of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station to search for those still missing after the disaster. This is the closest they have come to the plant since the natural disaster hit. Tokyo Electric Power has estimated that it may take the rest of the year to get the nuclear power plant back under control. The company has begun constructing tents at the entrance to the turbine building so workers can move in and out. Fans and filters are also being installed at the number 1 reactor to reduce radiation inside to one-twentieth of current levels within days. A spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power says that they want to suck out the air in the building and use the filter to remove the radiation from the dust.

Japan seems to be starting the recovery process after the devastating natural disaster that hit that country. It sounds to me like they are trying to piece together a plan that has the best chance of salvaging the area affected by the March earthquake and tsunami. The sitation that Japan has been put into is extremely unfortunate and no country should have to deal with such a disaster. There is really nothing they could do to protect the power plant from this terrible disaster. I hope the situation is better than it seems but only time will answer this.

http://www.enn.com/energy/article/42650

Ozone Hole Linked to Climate Change All the Way to the Equator

Researchers have found that the ozone hole has affected the circulation of the southern hemisphere all the way to the equator. It was previously shown that the ozone hole affected the climate at high latitudes, but it is now shown to affect tropical climates in the southern hemisphere up to the equator. This is the first time that ozone depletion has been linked to climate change all the way to the equator. Over the last 50 years, CFC's have depleted the ozone layer, but the Montreal Protocol halted global CFC production and the ozone layer is expected to recover and hopefully close by mid-century. Scientists are now finding that the ozone hole has caused a great deal of climate change. The ozone layer is already believed to be recovering. With less CFC production, the hole hasn't become larger, and is predicted to eventually close. The only way it could become worse is if more CFC's are produced and greenhouse gases are further released. I feel that the hole in the ozone layer is a problem, especially if its contributing to climate change; but if hole is closing, then the issue isn't as big of a problem. I feel that if the hole closes, then we are one step closer to slowing climate change

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110421141630.htm

New "Bubble" Targets Only Cancer Cells

New drug delivery technology developed by Prof. Rimona Margalit of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Biochemistry allows drugs to target cancer cells specifically, leaving surrounding healthy cells intact and reducing the painful side effects of chemotherapy. The science utilizes tiny bubbles, visible only through powerful microscopes, that contain payloads of therapeutic drugs.

“This development is on the leading edge of the new frontier of drug delivery and cancer treatment,” says Prof. Margalit. “Bubble technology can also be applied to other medical conditions, including diabetes, osteoarthritis, wounds, and infectious diseases. In twenty years, it could be widespread.”

Currently, cancer drugs travel throughout the body delivering powerful medication to all the cells they encounter, both healthy and cancerous. When healthy cells are damaged by unnecessary medication, a patient can experience unpleasant side effects ranging from hair loss to nausea. More worrying are further health risks due to the damage that the medication does to the patient’s immune system.

Called “drug carriers” recent reports of Prof. Margalit’s new technology applied in both cancer and osteoarthritis therapies were published in Nature Nanotechnology and in theJournal of Controlled Release (2008). The technology allows cancer treatment medication to be placed inside tiny bubbles so small that millions fit along a single inch. The surface of the bubbles contains an agent that allows them distinguish cancer cells from healthy ones. When the bubbles “recognize” a cancer cell, they deliver the medication they’re carrying to that cell.

http://www.aftau.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8629

Million-Dollar Sharks

A single reef shark can be worth nearly two million dollars in tourism revenue over its lifetime, according to a study released Monday by researchers in Australia. The analysis from the Pacific island nation of Palau shows that sharks -- hunted worldwide for their fins, a Chinese delicacy -- are worth many times more to some local economies alive than dead. "Sharks can literally be a 'million-dollar' species and a significant economic driver," said lead author Mark Meekan, a scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. Sharks have reigned at the top of the ocean food chain for hundreds of millions of years. But because they mature slowly and produce few offspring, the consummate marine predators have proven vulnerable to industrial-scale fishing. Tens of millions of the coastal and open-water sharks are harvested every year to supply a burgeoning appetite for meat and especially shark-fin soup. The researchers found that the annual value to the Palau tourism industry of an individual reef shark at one of the country's major scuba-diving sites is 179,000 dollars a year, or about 1.9 million dollars over the animal's lifetime. "Shark tourism can be a viable economic engine," said Matt Rand, a shark expert at the Washington-based Pew Environment Group, which commissioned the research. "This study provides a compelling case that can convince more countries to embrace these animals for their benefit to the ocean and their value to a country's financial well-being." About a third of open-water sharks face extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Regional studies have shown that when shark populations crash the impact cascades down through the food chain, often in unpredictable and deleterious ways. I just think this is crazy. An animal being worth this much money. I knew people were interested in charkes but I didn't know there was that much interest.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110502/sc_afp/environmentfishspeciessharkstourism

How Safe and Secure are U.S. Nuclear Reactors?

People around the world watched as the death and devastation of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan were compounded by new fears of a possible nuclear meltdown that could kill, injure or damage the health of thousands of people and lay waste the local environment for decades. In every nation where nuclear reactors provide electricity, people asked the same question: Could it happen here? The answer: definitely. The United States has 104 operating nuclear reactors. Thirty-five are Boiling Water Reactors; 23 reactors and 16 nuclear power plants are the same design as the reactors involved in the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi complex in Japan. In conclusion, the U.S needs to be aware of the dangers the reactors may cause. In my opinion, we should be extra careful now since what happened to Japan. If a disaster happens, we need to be prepared.

http://environment.about.com/od/nuclearenergywaste/a/How-Safe-Are-U-S-Nuclear-Reactors.htm

Ford, Chrysler Join Group Calling for Cuts in Greenhouse Gases

Two U.S. automakers became members of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), which General
Motors joined in May. The organization calls for economy-wide cuts in greenhouse gases through short- and mid-term reduction targets. It also calls for an accelerated national program in technology research. The Big Three hope that this approach will waylay efforts by Congress to show the public dramatic efforts to cut greenhouse gasses—efforts that will fall hard on automakers. It’s somewhat of a notable shift. The auto industry is not fighting the emissions legislation. Instead, it is fighting for legislation it can live with.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2007/07/ford-chrysler-j/

College Becoming Tobacco-Free

In the effort to improve and protect the health of students and faculty, Georgia Northwestern Technical College is becoming a tobacco free campus beginning August 1, 2011. Smoking and all tobacco related products will not be allowed on campus, parking lots, sidewalks and more. The college is hoping that this effort will persuade other small college campuses to do the same as well as gain support within the community to guarantee success. The idea of this is great but it is something that should have been done a long time ago. The effort is great but I don't understand why it wasn't put into the works earlier. Many people will benefit from this and it will hopefully become a trend among colleges that dont already have policies like this in effect.

http://www.cedartownstd.com/view/full_story/13085347/article-GNTC-will-be-a-tobacco-free-environment-effective-Aug--1--2011?instance=home_local_news

Greenhouse Gases Have Already Reached Dangerous Tipping Point

The total "long-term" carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has already reached 455 parts per million. This level is considered a tipping point. Scientist Chris Field from the IPCC says the current trajectory of climate change is now much worse than the IPCC had originally projected in part due to China and India's increasing reliance on coal power.

The research shows carbon emissions have grown sharply since 2000, despite growing concerns about climate change. During the 1990s, carbon emissions grew by less than 1% per year. Since 2000, emissions have grown at a rate of 3.5% per year. No part of the world had a decline in emissions from 2000 to 2008.

http://www.globalstewards.org/issues.htm

Hunger enhances your ability to sniff out food!

Scientists from Cincanatti University have research that shows a hormone, grehlin, that promotes hunger and fat storage is shown to enhance exploratory sniffing in both humans and animals! Grehlin might be designed to use calorie detection in the environment by using the sense to smell and link that with the natural regulation of body weight and metabolism. Scientists tested this on humans and rats, giving them grehlin and studied their ability to detect scents. The tests show that their sense of smell was enhanced after the had grehlin. This can open new studies about metabolic control, and neuroscience research.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110412171200.htm

Lobster Shells Enter New Market

Lobster shells have recently been introduced into the golf market. That's right, Professor David Neivandt at the University of Maine has made many prototypes of golf balls that have a core made of lobster shells. The special thing about these new golf balls is that they are biodegradable and they only take about three weeks to decompose. These golf balls fly very similar to normal golf balls with irons, but with the driver the lobster core balls only fly 60 to 70 percent of the distance of the normal ball. These golf balls are more designed for use on cruise ships or at driving ranges that are on lakes or near the ocean. I would love to see them design a golf ball that is biodegradable and still performs like a regulation golf ball. I am not sure how big the market is for supplying golf balls to cruise ships and ranges on lakes and oceans. I would love to see this product take off. I feel like if the demand is there for this type of product, the biodegradable golf ball with find its place in the golf industry.

Citation: Canfield, Clarke. "Send Lobster Shells to Golf Course, Not Dump." The Charlotte Observer [Charlotte] 18 Apr. 2011, SciTech sec.: 5A. Print.

NYC Finds Solar Energy Gold in Old Landfills

New York City has added a new dimension to the idea of extracting valueable resources from seemingly useless parcels of land. The city plans to build utitlty-scale solar installations on its old landfills, to the tune of about fifty megawatts. Obviously this is a small drop of the city's electricity use however, the solar program is focused on achieving a clean air goal. The new solar installations will reduce emissions from petroleum-filled generators, which the city currently has to use on hot summer days. Aside from producing clean and possibly cheaper energy, the solar installition will have additional value to the city such as creation of jobs. These green jobs will help bring the community together and improve this hard economy. The solar installation can also work as a community and nature preserve. The installation can turn a former eyesore into a symbol of pride or the people of that community.

I really like this idea of using more solar energy. Espically for the city that never sleeps, they need to use all the natural resources they can find. This is a step in the right direction for our cournty if big cities start using renewable energy then that will jump start everyone to try and become more green.

http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/42640

Solar Plane

It was not so long ago that the first airplane was being designed and built by the Wright brothers and now we are trying to take this same invention and make it more eco-friendly. Currently, there is a team of Swiss adventurers preparing their solar-powered plane for its first international flight. The team says the flights will be a big challenge because the plane will need to navigate across international air traffic networks. The prototype is a single-seater with a wingspan of a Boeing 777. The maiden flight was in 2009 in Switzerland and further tests have taken place there since.
I think this is a nice attempt but ultimately unrealistic. By making a plane solar-powered we decrease the amount of flight time immensely. If the plane is solar-powered then we can not fly at night, nor in inclement weather. While something should be done about the emissions given off by planes, I feel this is not the proper solution.

Cali cities have the worst air pollution in the U.S.!

About 154 million people, live in areas that are so pollution, that at sometimes it is hard to breathe. California is framed for having some of the healthiest lifestyles, but they are breathing in some of the worst air. About 17 million Americans live in area where the air is harmful. A professor at The University of California, said that on the days where smog is spiked, there is an increase in hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses, heart attacks and stroke in the two or three days following it. Pollution can cause short and long term illnesses, some of the illnesses include low birth weights, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and, ultimately, shorter life spans. A director of national policy for the American Lung Association created The Clean Air Act, which, since its passage more than 40 years ago, has forced car and diesel truck manufacturers and coal-fired power plants, among others, to reduce emissions. Researches said that The Clean Air Act seems to be helping the pollution.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011/05/Report-California-cities-have-worst-air-pollution-in-US/46645160/1?csp=ylf

Monkeys, Too, Can Recollect What They've Seen

It's one thing to recognize your childhood home when you see it in a photograph and quite another to accurately describe or draw a picture of it based on your recollection of how it looked. Researchers have found some of the first clear evidence that monkeys, like humans, have the capacity for both forms of memory. The researchers found that rhesus monkeys can flexibly recall extremely simple shapes from memory. Recall shows an ability to remember things that are not present in the moment, the researchers explained. Recall is necessary for planning and imagining and can increase the flexibility of navigation, social behavior, and other cognitive skills. The ability of monkeys to recall these shapes flexibly suggests that they might be able to recollect other types of information that would be useful to them in the wild. The researchers say that the ability of rhesus monkeys to recall what they've seen in the past suggests that the ability to recollect does not depend on language and may have been present in our common ancestor 30 million years ago.

California: The Number One State in Air Pollution

A new report states that approximately more than half the U.S. population lives in areas where the air is dangerous to breathe. However, Honolulu and Santa Fe-Espanola N.M. are the only cities in the nation where smog and soot levels did not reach unhealthy stages. Residents in California, nonetheless, are continuing to breathe in some of the worst air. The American Lung Association's annual report relased on April 27th stated that about 48% of Americans live in areas where the smog is too high, 20% live where there are too many short-term spinkes in pollution, and 6% live in areas with harmful year-round soot. Scientists report that breathing in polluted air is hazardous to ones health, and affects more than just the lungs. It is shown that there is an increase in hospital admissions for respiratory problems, heart attacks, and strokes on days where smog levels spike. Air pollution can also contribute to low birth weights, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, and shorter life spans.

Along with Los Angeles having the worst air pollution, the 10th spot on the list belongs to Charlotte and Gastonia, North Carolina. Even though these cities are experiencing bad air quality, rates have improved with the Clean Air Act, initiated over 40 years ago. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency believes the Clean Air Act has saved about 160,000 lives in 2010 alone. Ultimately, it is up to residents of these cities to help their community and keep the air clean. Whether its deciding to car pool a few mornings a week or looking into buying a hybrid car, citizens have the power to save their areas and fight against air pollution.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/0//report-california-cities-have-worst-air-pollution-in-us/46645160/1

The Trash Vortex

Somewhere in the North Pacific there is a trash vortex which encompasses as much space as the state of Texas. Much of the garbage is plastics which have an extremely long lifetime before breaking down. In the sunlight and abrasive currents of the ocean these larger plastic objects will break into smaller pieces which are the root of the problem for marine life. Most fish and birds mistake large pieces of garbage for prey and are known to consume them, unsuccessfully of course. Animals are especially easily caught in discarded plastic netting and line. These plastics present an undecidedly large threat to marine life above and below the water. Many people help by cleaning up the beaches they frequent and others of us with less accessibility to oceans can try to help the cause by decreasing our need for non-biodegradable plastic. Perhaps we could invest in a reusable water bottle?

Sea turtle declines not all due to human impacts

Humans are pushing sea turtles to the brink of extinction by entangling them in fishing gear, tossing plastic garbage into their habitats, and building resorts on their nesting beaches. That's what everyone thinks, anyway. But a new study shows that humans’ evil doings are nothing compared to natural oceanic cycles for the loggerheads. These findings aren’t making up excuses for people, but they do provide new insight into the ways climate can shape turtle populations. From the 90s to 2006, loggerhead nests in Florida declined from about 55,000 per year to around 30,000. Numerous studies have shown that fishing bycatch kills a large number of sea turtles each year, but ecologists Kyle Van Houtan of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu and John Halley of the University of Ioannina in Greece wondered if other factors can contribute to this massive decline in population. In the new study, the two ecologists measured the effect of certain ocean conditions on loggerhead nesting. Specifically, they looked at two long-term warming and cooling cycles whose effect on sea turtles hadn't been investigated. They also looked at recent ocean conditions, in particular the temperature of the sea surface near Japan and Florida the winter before a given breeding season. Such conditions have been shown to influence whether females are robust enough to make the long migration to shore and produce hundreds of eggs. Van Houtan and Halley found a strong correlation between the nest counts in a given year and the state of the long-term oceanic cycles some 3 decades earlier. That's when most nesting females would have been in their first year of life, the researchers say. Van Houtan and Halley say favorable cycles bring food and good weather and the number of survivors seems to strongly affect the number of nests.

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/42644

Carbon Footprint of the Royal Wedding

Millions of viewers world-wide watched Prince William and Kate Middleton wed on April 29, 2011. However, the day will cause 12 times more carbon emissions then a whole year at the palace.

Majority of the guests will be arriving from abroad, so the traveling alone emits a large amout of CO2. Not to mention the countless civilians and tourists who traveled by bus and train to be a live participant in the wedding celebrations. And now we add in all the extra electricity added from the millions of world-wide viewers watching it on television at home and in bars everywhere. Not only was the Royal Wedding payed for by English tax-payers, it also contributed to Global Warming like nobody's business. Congrats to the newlyweds.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/04/carbon-footprint-royal-wedding.php?campaign=top_news

Freeway or Wetlands

As of this morning the United States Enviormental Protection Agency (EPA) is recommending the state to deny a wetlands permit to build a new freeway to Myrtle Beach. There are some positives to a new freeway: easier access to the beach, shorter travel times, tourisim increase, and more jobs. But the cons out weigh the pros in the situation. The freeway would be built over and fill two-hundred seventy-two wetlands. This would cover a large portion of the Little Pee Dee River and Lake Swamp. Both are habitats for many organisims native to South Carolina and do not need to be destroyed. The new freeway would also cross a large nature preserve on the Little Pee Dee, black bear and a variety of bird species live along that area and the free way would rid them of their homes.
In my eyes the EPA is completely right here and the state needs to follow their word. Access to Myrtle Beach is already easy, the roads are plentiful; though a new freeway would create more jobs, I do not believe it is necessary or worth all the loss. I remember the Lake Wylie area before all the new buildings and larger roads were here and I would not like to see the entire state turn into booming towns and cities that branch off of freeways. Maybe some letters should be written or something should be done

http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/05/04/3038776/epa-fights-beach-freeway-denies.html

American Pika Falling Victim to Climate Change

American pika extinction rates have increased over the past ten years as a result of global climate change, according to a new study published in Global Change Biology. After 110 years of analyzing data on pika distribution, researchers are finding that the American pika's distribution throughout the Great Basin is changing at an increasingly rapid rate. They are retreating to higher attitudes. The American pika, a small, hamster-like animal of the rabbit family, commonly lives on rocky slopes and lava flows throughout the western U.S. This endearing mammal is well-adapted to cold climates, with dense, silky fur. However, it is very sensitive to changes in the climate, and if pikas are unable to seek shelter, hot temperatures can lead to mortality. During the 20th Century the American pika's range moved up about 13 meters per decade. After examining pika population extinctions over the past 110 years, it has become clear that nearly half of extinction events in the Great Basin have occurred since 1999. This is just another example of how global warming is affecting animals. I think it is really sad. I don’t know how many wake-up calls people need to understand their impact on the environment and the animals that we share this world with.

Solar panels in California

There has been talk of putting solar panels in a dried up lake in California.  The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) turned Owens Lake in California in to a dust bowl, at the same time creating one of the biggest polluters in the U.S.  That part of the country is said to have “the best sun in the country”.  The Department of water and power is hoping to turn the dried up lake into one of the world’s biggest source of solar power. They plan to do this by putting up to eighty square miles of giant solar panels across the lake and on some flat lands nearby. 

As usual with every big decision there are some skeptics.  Some of the skepticism comes from long history of arguments over land and water rights in the area.  Although Mark Bagley, a member of the Owens Valley Committee said, “But it’s promising if it’s done right, the right way.”  In order for there to be an agreement the DWP has to prove that the solar panels will prevent a number of wind-blown dust storms that have been happening since the lake dried up in 1929.  The Ted Schade pollution control district told the Times that in order for the panels to be put in place, the DWP must show that they will slow the wind from 60 mph to 15 mph.   There is an air bourn pollutant that comes from the cracks in the lake, it is called PM10 dust.  The DWP has spent $500 million already trying to control the pollutant, by covering ground with vegetation or a few inches of water in some places. 

I think that these solar panels are a really good idea, and if done right they could help save people and it’s a great way to use the resources that are there.  

Rare Rhinos on the Rise

Recently, rhinos in Nepal have been increasing in numbers.  There are now 534 rhinos in Nepal, which is 99 rhinos higher than the last census in 2008.  The three-week National Rhino Census was a success.  Conservationists took a different route in counting the rhinos by riding on the backs of elephants.  Overall, the surveys were a group effort with help from both the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation of the Government of Nepal.  The Indian rhinoceros was once found throughout most of India and Pakistan, but was eventually threatened by habitat loss and the illegal trade of rhino horn.  Today, because of these threats, there are only three thousand Indian rhinos surviving in small, protected parts of India and lowland Nepal.  The threat of poaching for their horns is still very dangerous, even though the trade is illegal.  In my opinion, it’s great that the numbers of these rare rhinos has increased instead of decreased.  With the help of the government, I believe the numbers will continue to rise, and hopefully, poaching and habitat loss will decrease to help keep these animals safe.  The only way they can be helped is if there are tighter laws around them that keep their land open and protected, which has already started to happen.  Rhinos should continue to be protected so their future is not a dark one. 

Migrating Sea Turtles Pick Up More Pollution

One main thing loggerhead turtles have had to face is man-made pollution. Scientists are now questioning the extent of the risk. Research is now being conducted through blood samples from a group of male turtles to test the contamination. The group is led by Jared M. Ragland, a graduate student from Charleston, South Carolina. The group members, along with Ragland weight the turtles, took blood samples, and examined their reproductive systems. Over two months, ten of the turltes traveled north while the rest remained in Cape Canaveral. The loggerheads that migrated had higher levels of pesticides than those who remained in the same location. While it is possible the fish the migrating turtles feed on are more polluted, scientists concluded turtles that migrate naturally eat more, causing more pollution. The question of the pollution of the loggerhead turtle still remains unanswered. The males continue to have higher levels of contamination and further research is being conducted.

I believe a lot of the reason to the pollution lies with pollution created by residents around beach areas. While the scientists did find some of the pollution comes from food the turtles eat, the fish consumed were not always polluted. I believe even if we are not the primary source of the pollution, we should do all the we can to protect our waters and keep beaches clean.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/science/26obturtles.html?_r=1&ref=earth