Posted on March 4, 2009 by Gerald Pugliese
Posted on December 30, 2008 by Gerald Pugliese
- Nowadays, a lot people belong to a CSA. And the local food movement is spreading! Some have even coined the term “locavore” referring to people who eat food close to home. And, the number of farmers markets is up nationwide, the highest it’s been since 1994; the Associated Press explains.
- Plastic bottles and bisphenol-A (BPA) are in the news a lot lately. And recently, despite consumer outrage, the FDA said BPA is safe as it’s currently used, like in food packaging, but now the agency has agreed to reexamine the research on BPA’s health risks; The New York Times reports.
- Last week, a small town in Tennessee was flooded by a billion gallons of water and coal ash, when a retention pond for a local coal-burning plant burst! Homes were destroyed, but the long term effects could be worse. Officials fear toxins from the slurry could ruin drinking water; via the Associated Press.
Posted on December 12, 2008 by Gerald Pugliese
- Here’s more oceans news, according to a recent computer model, ozone depletion, i.e. holes in the ozone layer, is causing ocean acidification, resulting in weaker carbon sinks. The ocean is the earth’s largest carbon sink, soaking up 40% of the world’s greenhouse gas; from NatureNews.
- On March 28 at 8:30PM, 74 cities in 62 countries will turn off their lights for 1 hour, in a massive demonstration to drum up support for international action on climate change. Participants hope “Earth Hour” will send a powerful signal to world leaders that people expect action; ENN reports.
Posted on December 4, 2008 by Gerald Pugliese
- Nuns of the Conventus of Our Lady of Consolation in the U.K. are going green, inspired by a saint’s vision of a world living in light. They’ll be moving into a solar-powered monastery with rainwater harvesting, woodchip boiler and other eco-innovations; The Guardian reports.
- And more bad news, the Whitehouse has approved regulations allowing coal mining debris to be dumped into nearby streams and valleys. Environmental groups are upset, claiming this ruling will accelerate the destruction of mountains, forests and streams; The New York Times explains.
- At a U.N. conference on climate change in Poland, environmentalists criticized the U.S. and other rich nations for not making commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions. And speakers cite a lack of trust between the developed and the developing word; The Associated Press reports.
- Back to coal, Greenpeace activists were briefly arrested in Denmark for attempting to board a cargo ship carrying South African coal to Denmark. Protestors contend it’s outrageous that a small country like Denmark burns 8.3 tons of coal every year; the AFP investigates.
- Here’s more protesting. This time 10,000 German metal workers came out against the European Union’s plans to combat climate change, which they feel will hurt their industry. Last year 27 members of the E.U. agreed to a 20% reduction in emissions by 2020; more from the AFP.
Posted on December 3, 2008 by Gerald Pugliese
- Wind power might change the weather. Using a computer model, scientists determined a mega wind-farm from Texas to central Canada and the Great Lakes to the Rocky Mountains, on the average, lowered wind speeds by 2-3 meters per second; Discovery News investigates.
- Our energy demands show no signs of slowing down. Leading researchers to believe that even if we switch to clean power, all the heat generated from our energy needs might still cause the planet to warm up, despite the reduction in greenhouse gases; NewScientist reports.
- Rainforests soak up carbon emissions. But they’re being chopped down in order to grow biofuels. Here’s the problem, a new study has determined the benefit of using this land for biofuel wouldn’t show up for 75 years. Meaning forest conservation is more eco-friendly; TreeHugger explains.
Posted on November 21, 2008 by Gerald Pugliese
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