Lions, factory farms, Iceland, Kansas

brought to you by Sasha Paris  

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Human Ecology in Action.

The EPA is seeking to exempt big "livestock operations" from needing to report their emissions of toxic ammonia and hydrogen sulfide gases (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/25/AR2008022502472.html

On the tension between humans and wildlife in Kenya, highlighted by lion and elephant killings near a national park (National Geographic News)
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080318-kenya-elephants.html

The legislative battle continues over new Kansas coal plants (Houston Chronicle/AP)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5643680.html

Iceland considered whether to resume commercial whaling...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7294564.stm

..and soon decided to do so (BBC News)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6059564.stm

Drugs, toxic birds, ozone, wave power

brought to you by Sasha Paris  

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Human Ecology in Action.

A study found a variety of human-made toxins in a variety of bird eggs all over Maine (Kennebec Journal)
http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/4855509.html

Although algae blooms are increasing in coastal areas, the open ocean is losing its phytoplankton fast. Climate change may be a cause. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87959035

Associated Press
A thorough look at the array of pharmaceuticals detected in drinking water across the US
http://news.aol.com/health/story/ar/_a/probe-finds-drugs-in-drinking-water/20080309184409990001

The EPA will reduce allowable levels of ozone (smog) in US air. Some people say the new rule isn't strict enough; others say it's too strict.
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/air-too-dirty-to-breathe-in-345-counties/20080313094209990001

New York Times
One more biodiesel downside: water-fouling spills of waste oil from manufacturing facilities
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/us/11biofuel.html?ref=science

A fully wave-powered boat will attempt to cross 3,780 miles of the Pacific Ocean.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/science/11boat.html?ref=science

Starlings, tiny frogs, brownfields and a dead zone

brought to you by Sasha Paris  

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Human Ecology in Action.

Rare, tiny Maud Island frogs were discovered breeding in a New Zealand sanctuary where nobody had thought they lived. (Associated Press)
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/sign-of-hope-seen-for-rare-frog-species/20080303090509990002?ncid=NWS00010000000001

As I said earlier this week: Hundreds of bison are being systematically killed as they leave Yellowstone Park, for fear of them spreading disease to cattle (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-bison26feb26,1,5519098.story

A 2001 plan to reduce the vast dead zone off Louisiana is going nowhere...and the zone keeps growing. (Times-Picayne)
http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1204180301219420.xml&coll=1&thispage=1#Scene_1

New York Times
In New Jersey, developers are taking new interest in defunct, contaminated sites ("brownfields")
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/business/05brown.html?pagewanted=1&ref=science

Eating worms contaminated with estrogen from polluted water has interesting effects on starlings
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/science/04obbird.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin

Dugongs, lynx, coho, coal

brought to you by Sasha Paris  

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Human Ecology in Action.

The Fish and Wildlife Service proposed greatly expanding its designated "critical habitat" for Canada lynx in much of the northern US, which could affect use of public land there. (Billings Gazette)
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/02/29/news/state/24-lynx.txt

A renewed push to include "clean coal" in energy plans [ignoring, as usual, the environmental cost of coal-mining] (Associated Press)
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/governors-include-coal-in-energy-debate/n20080223180409990007

Legislatinve wrangling over new coal-burning plants in Kansas appears to be headed in favor of the coal companies and utilities. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/22/AR2008022202878.html?hpid=moreheadlines

The URLS of these two explain themselves:
http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2008/federal-judge-rules-against-us-defense-department-plans-for-airbase-in-habitat-of-okinawa-dugong.html

http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2008/oregon-coho-salmon-regain-federal-protection.html