Okay, partly good news. By my standards, which are not everyone's, as you all have tried to teach me. And the oil spill news is not good by anyone's standards, much as I would like it to be. But I had to say it.
Many thanks to the loyal readers who have allowed me to fulfill my community service requirement so enjoyably. I will miss sending these.
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 9
BP failed to plug the Gulf oil leak with mud, and their next attempt to staunch it -- making a clean cut in the broken pipe and fitting a funnel-tube over it -- could easily make it worse. (AOL)
Sand berms will be built to help block oil from some of Louisiana's coast. But marshes, brown pelicans, shrimp, oysters, and other wildlife -- and humans -- are already getting slammed. (Agence France-Press)
Obama suspended plans for new oil drilling in Alaska, Virginia, and the Gulf of Mexico, along with all new deepwater oil/gas drilling. (New York Times)
Montgomery County, Maryland, adopted the first US carbon tax (Grist)
Alaotra grebes, birds endemic to a lake in Madagascar, were declared extinct. Fish nets, introduced fish, and poaching are probably to blame. (BBC)
Pressured by Greenpeace, the world's largest container-shipping company announced its refusal to ship shark, orange roughy, 'Chilean seabass' or whale meat. (Fish Information and Services)
A double-hulled oil tanker struck another ship near Singapore and leaked 2.5K tonnes of oil, some of which washed up on several miles of beach. (Pakistan Times)
http://www.pakistantimes.net/pt/detail.php?newsId=11570
Endangered Atlantic salmon, currently being re-stocked in the Penobscot River, returned in relatively high numbers this spring. (Bangor News)
Climate skepticism is on the rise in Britain. [They should come here] (New York Times)
To help wildlife in the Gulf, an 11-year old artist in NY started a high-profile partnership with several organizations, sending customized bird illustrations to anyone who donates. Well, the art/nature/activism combination made me happy. (AOL)
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Corporate-enviro deals, ADHD, the oil hits land
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 8
Masses of heavy oil have begun washing into Louisiana marshes. BP is siphoning up some of the newly-emerging oil, but plenty is still escaping into the sea. (Associated Press)
The oil spill has also hit deepwater reefs and entered two cross-Gulf currents. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Obama announced plans to set mileage and emission standards for big trucks and tighten those for cars. (AP)
A buncho timber companies and a buncho environmental groups agreed that the former will stop logging certain large swathes of Canadian boreal forest if the latter stop promoting boycotts of Canadian timber. (CBC)
Nestle said it will work with two NGOs to prevent itself from buying palm oil grown after illegal deforestation. (Guardian, UK)
A study demonstrated a possible link between pesticide exposure and ADHD in children. (Voice of America)
Criticism of said study (Psychology Today blog)
Masses of heavy oil have begun washing into Louisiana marshes. BP is siphoning up some of the newly-emerging oil, but plenty is still escaping into the sea. (Associated Press)
The oil spill has also hit deepwater reefs and entered two cross-Gulf currents. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Obama announced plans to set mileage and emission standards for big trucks and tighten those for cars. (AP)
A buncho timber companies and a buncho environmental groups agreed that the former will stop logging certain large swathes of Canadian boreal forest if the latter stop promoting boycotts of Canadian timber. (CBC)
Nestle said it will work with two NGOs to prevent itself from buying palm oil grown after illegal deforestation. (Guardian, UK)
A study demonstrated a possible link between pesticide exposure and ADHD in children. (Voice of America)
Criticism of said study (Psychology Today blog)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Sea squirts, carcinogens, climate bills, oil spills
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 7
A major climate and energy bill entered the US Senate; here's a summary and a chart of comparison with other pending legislation. (Grist)
Some commentary on its chances.
A US government panel released a report highlighting environmental chemicals as likely cancer-causers -- which was criticized by the American Cancer Society. [Sandra Steingraber, where are you?] (New York Times)
A dreaded Japanese tunicate was confirmed to be colonizing Oregon's coast. (Oregonian)
A Canadian government plan to field-test oil cleanup methods in Arctic Ocean waters met resistance, for some strange reason. (Canada East)
The Gulf oil spill may be much bigger than initially calculated, and the latest efforts to stanch it have failed. (New York Times and Washington Post, respectively)
More Q. & A. on the oil spill's coming environmental impacts. (Environmental Defense Fund)
Maine passed five energy bills which -- among other things -- promote wind farms and efficiency improvements. (Bangor News)
Living on Earth
This week: oil dispersants, E. O. Wilson's new novel, and a growing farmers market in inner-city Los Angeles.
Last week: possible upcoming reforms of synthetic-chemical regulation in the US, and the man who relocated Marsh Forks Elementary School.
(Click Archives on the page above)
A major climate and energy bill entered the US Senate; here's a summary and a chart of comparison with other pending legislation. (Grist)
Some commentary on its chances.
A US government panel released a report highlighting environmental chemicals as likely cancer-causers -- which was criticized by the American Cancer Society. [Sandra Steingraber, where are you?] (New York Times)
A dreaded Japanese tunicate was confirmed to be colonizing Oregon's coast. (Oregonian)
A Canadian government plan to field-test oil cleanup methods in Arctic Ocean waters met resistance, for some strange reason. (Canada East)
The Gulf oil spill may be much bigger than initially calculated, and the latest efforts to stanch it have failed. (New York Times and Washington Post, respectively)
More Q. & A. on the oil spill's coming environmental impacts. (Environmental Defense Fund)
Maine passed five energy bills which -- among other things -- promote wind farms and efficiency improvements. (Bangor News)
Living on Earth
This week: oil dispersants, E. O. Wilson's new novel, and a growing farmers market in inner-city Los Angeles.
Last week: possible upcoming reforms of synthetic-chemical regulation in the US, and the man who relocated Marsh Forks Elementary School.
(Click Archives on the page above)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Dolphins, bottled water, more oil spill news
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 6
The latest: BP failed in an effort to block one of the wells, tarballs have begun washing up in Alabama, and the Gulf's fishing industries are at a standstill. (Guardian, UK)
Regular news updates from the Gulf Restoration Network.
California's governor withdrew support for proposed offshore oil drilling in the state (Christian Science Monitor)
Other political news, including the feds' investigation of BP. (CBS)
The [also-Gulf-destroying] corn industry made a plug for ethanol as an oil alternative. (Grist)
Q&A with a biologist about potential effects on wildlife. (Environmental Defense Fund)
Early possible victims: 29 endangered Kemps Ridley sea turtles. (AP)
In other news...
Concord, MA became the first US town to ban bottled water sales. Synergeeee. (AOL)
Conservation spotlight in Australia: endemic and very endangered snubfin dolphins. (Sydney Morning Herald)
The latest: BP failed in an effort to block one of the wells, tarballs have begun washing up in Alabama, and the Gulf's fishing industries are at a standstill. (Guardian, UK)
Regular news updates from the Gulf Restoration Network.
California's governor withdrew support for proposed offshore oil drilling in the state (Christian Science Monitor)
Other political news, including the feds' investigation of BP. (CBS)
The [also-Gulf-destroying] corn industry made a plug for ethanol as an oil alternative. (Grist)
Q&A with a biologist about potential effects on wildlife. (Environmental Defense Fund)
Early possible victims: 29 endangered Kemps Ridley sea turtles. (AP)
In other news...
Concord, MA became the first US town to ban bottled water sales. Synergeeee. (AOL)
Conservation spotlight in Australia: endemic and very endangered snubfin dolphins. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Monday, May 3, 2010
Oil spill updates etc.
Not much else was in the environmental news this week, and there are many more articles on the subject.
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 5
The latest: it's baaaaaaaaaaaad, hasn't quite reached the coast yet, and may enter the Gulf Stream. Economies and ecosystems are gravely threatened, and Obama has temporarily halted new oil drilling in all US waters. (AP)
Possible fates of the recovered oil [posted before they started burning it, so might not still apply, but interesting.] (Slate)
Some of the political fallout.
In other news...
As you probably heard, the nation's first offshore wind farm was approved. (MSNBC)
Living on Earth: Documerica, valley fever, GE alfalfa and Cuban agri-culture.
On Beijing's declining birds of prey, and their human allies. (Public Radio International)
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 5
The latest: it's baaaaaaaaaaaad, hasn't quite reached the coast yet, and may enter the Gulf Stream. Economies and ecosystems are gravely threatened, and Obama has temporarily halted new oil drilling in all US waters. (AP)
Possible fates of the recovered oil [posted before they started burning it, so might not still apply, but interesting.] (Slate)
Some of the political fallout.
In other news...
As you probably heard, the nation's first offshore wind farm was approved. (MSNBC)
Living on Earth: Documerica, valley fever, GE alfalfa and Cuban agri-culture.
On Beijing's declining birds of prey, and their human allies. (Public Radio International)
Monday, April 26, 2010
Whaling, toxic waste, and much much more
Happy Earth Day...
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 4
An oil spill followed a probably-deadly rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, and has yet to be contained. (BBC)
The IWC, pushed by Japan, is likely to overturn the international ban on commercial whaling (The Times, UK)
In return, Japan proposed to catch fewer minke whales around Antarctica. Yes, I mentioned this two months ago, but now it's happening. (Japan Times. Check out the comments)
A summary of the "peoples' climate summit" in Bolivia. (United Press International)
In Orrington, on the Penobscot River, the mercury-laden landfills of an old chemical plant are set to be cleaned up -- but how thoroughly? [Most recently, residents voted narrowly for the less extensive cleanup option, but this article has more background]. (Bangor News)
Hawaii's government is working on a bill to ban the sale and possession of shark fins, as a cultural concession to the natives. (Honolulu Advisor)
Introduced lionfish continue spreading in the Caribbean, devastating native fish. (Underwater Times)
Reminder: the aquifer below the Great Plains is getting severely depleted (AOL)
Living on Earth: REDD in Borneo, high-profile environmental justice, and efforts to industrially fish the Mississippi's Asian carp.
New York Times
Several environmental groups jointly petitioned the EPA to list 404 southeastern river species as Endangered.
The UN banned cruise ships from running high-sulfur "heavy fuel" in Antarctic waters, which will hinder the industry when it is enacted in August 2011.
New York City began to clean up (i.e. isolate) a toxic, illegal, 34-year-old landfill on Staten Island.
Earthjustice
For the third time, a court ruling blocked a silver/copper mine in Montana.
NGOs and the EPA struck a(nother?) deal for regulating toxic air emissions from US power plants.
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 4
An oil spill followed a probably-deadly rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, and has yet to be contained. (BBC)
The IWC, pushed by Japan, is likely to overturn the international ban on commercial whaling (The Times, UK)
In return, Japan proposed to catch fewer minke whales around Antarctica. Yes, I mentioned this two months ago, but now it's happening. (Japan Times. Check out the comments)
A summary of the "peoples' climate summit" in Bolivia. (United Press International)
In Orrington, on the Penobscot River, the mercury-laden landfills of an old chemical plant are set to be cleaned up -- but how thoroughly? [Most recently, residents voted narrowly for the less extensive cleanup option, but this article has more background]. (Bangor News)
Hawaii's government is working on a bill to ban the sale and possession of shark fins, as a cultural concession to the natives. (Honolulu Advisor)
Introduced lionfish continue spreading in the Caribbean, devastating native fish. (Underwater Times)
Reminder: the aquifer below the Great Plains is getting severely depleted (AOL)
Living on Earth: REDD in Borneo, high-profile environmental justice, and efforts to industrially fish the Mississippi's Asian carp.
New York Times
Several environmental groups jointly petitioned the EPA to list 404 southeastern river species as Endangered.
The UN banned cruise ships from running high-sulfur "heavy fuel" in Antarctic waters, which will hinder the industry when it is enacted in August 2011.
New York City began to clean up (i.e. isolate) a toxic, illegal, 34-year-old landfill on Staten Island.
Earthjustice
For the third time, a court ruling blocked a silver/copper mine in Montana.
NGOs and the EPA struck a(nother?) deal for regulating toxic air emissions from US power plants.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Garbage, freshwater cod, veterans and the Amazon
The Stinson sardine plant closing featured on NPR's Weekend Edition show yesterday, and got a headline on underwatertimes.com. As it should.
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 3
The "Climategate" scientists were cleared of climate-data-manipulation charges. (LA Times)
Plans for a huge hydro dam in Brazil, briefly halted by local and international activists, got the go-ahead from a judge. (NY Times)
Researchers discovered the Great Atlantic Garbage Patch. (Associated Press)
The amount of human-made "space junk" orbiting Earth is rising rapidly (AOL)
British scientists think they found a way to farm saltwater fish (e.g. cod) in fresh water. [Which is so abundant these days.] (London Daily Mail)
A major Maine landfill is being converted to a source of natural-gas energy (Bangor News)
Living on Earth: the changing EPA, eco-activist war veterans, and Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson.
ECO-NEWS, WEEK 3
The "Climategate" scientists were cleared of climate-data-manipulation charges. (LA Times)
Plans for a huge hydro dam in Brazil, briefly halted by local and international activists, got the go-ahead from a judge. (NY Times)
Researchers discovered the Great Atlantic Garbage Patch. (Associated Press)
The amount of human-made "space junk" orbiting Earth is rising rapidly (AOL)
British scientists think they found a way to farm saltwater fish (e.g. cod) in fresh water. [Which is so abundant these days.] (London Daily Mail)
A major Maine landfill is being converted to a source of natural-gas energy (Bangor News)
Living on Earth: the changing EPA, eco-activist war veterans, and Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)