green blog 269 items | updated May 22 2012

By Eriq Gardner

We're taking a look at some of the stories affecting our planet. Here's some news you shouldn't miss.

Our lifetime will get unsafely hot without action
Two new research papers in the Nature journal warn that unless emissions of greenhouse gases are substantially reduced in the coming decades, the average temperature of the planet is likely to exceed a 2-degrees-Celsius rise. Reuters reports that’s the maximum “safe” limit set by industrialized nations in 2009. The scientists conclude that by 2030 – many of our lifetimes – large parts of the globe could begin experiencing extreme events like heatwaves. Other recent studies, even one partly funded by the conservative Koch brothers, says pretty much the same thing.

Airlines caught between a rock and a hard Republican place
The New York Times reports that lawmakers in the House of Representatives just passed “one of the stranger bills” ever to be considered by Congress. The European Union has told American airline carriers that all flights landing at EU airports must stick to emissions limits or incur penalties for producing emissions beyond their limit. Many House Republicans don’t like this measure, so they’ve approved a bill that makes it illegal for American airline carriers to participate in the EU cap and trade system.

How much wood does a chopstick chop?
China’s slow embrace of recyclable chopsticks could be costing a lot of trees. How much? According to statistics from the nation’s national forest bureau, each year about 3.8 million trees are used to produce 57 billion disposable pairs of chopsticks. The New York Times reports some activists in Asia are trying to raise awareness of the issue. Meanwhile, on a separate front, Treehugger shares details about the heroic efforts of one Johnny Appleseed from Baltimore who has personally planted nearly 14,000 trees in public parks and on sidewalks throughout the city.

Halloween Brings Scary Overpopulation Concerns
A milestone this month, as Planet Earth welcomes its 7 billionth person into existence. The United Nations says this baby will be born on Oct. 31, and in preparation, many are considering the world’s ever-more-strained resources. In particular, water usage and nutritious foods are in short supply, particularly in the poorest nations.

The iPod of Thermostats Is Coming
Speaking of milestones, this week marks the 10-year anniversary of the iPod, and if you’re wondering what the inventor of the gadget (sorry, not Steve Jobs) is up to in a time when global temperature levels continue to grow more dangerous, the guy is developing a new thermostat. Fast Company reports that Tony Fadell is now working on a device that makes home-energy management sexy. Here’s the video showing Fadell’s latest invention:

We're taking a look at some of the stories affecting our planet. Here's some news you shouldn't miss.

Citizen testing finds radiation in Tokyo
After the Fukushima meltdown, Japan's authorities told citizens there was no danger in Tokyo, 160 miles away from the plant. But not everyone was convinced, The New York Times reports. Citizens working with a nuclear research facility conducted testing around Tokyo and found more than 20 hotspots around the city.

Lake Erie sees worst toxic algae bloom in decades
Treehugger reports on NASA images that show green scum on Lake Erie. The green in the images is actually the worst toxic algae bloom the lake has experienced since the 1950s and 60s. Those blooms had subsided after limits were put on phosphorus inputs into the lake.

Obama administration sued over ozone rules
Five health and environmental groups are suing the Obama administration for rejecting stricter standards for ozone pollution. According to The New York Times, the groups say that Obama's refusal to adopt the new standards is illegal.

Reducing your energy? Facebook has an app for that
Facebook has partnered with Opower and the National Resources Defense Council to build a social energy app that will let you compare your energy usage to the national average and others using the app. The app is expected to launch early next year, according to CNET.

And the award for least green town goes to...
Hull, Wisc., is seeking to ban walking and biking, Treehugger reports. The move comes in response to concerns about road safety, and requires cyclists and runners or walkers to register their travel plans with the town or bans them from the road.

Got a story you think we need to cover? Shoot us an email at feedback@current.com, subject line ATTN: Weekly Planet.

We're taking a look at some of the stories affecting our planet. Here's some news you shouldn't miss.

Possible conflict of interest in pipeline review
The State Department has allowed a company with financial ties to Keystone XL Pipeline operator TransCanada to conduct an environmental review of the project. The New York Times reports that Cardno Entrix was hired at TransCanada's recommendation. It's not uncommon for government agencies to outsource environmental impact studies or for companies to be involved in assigning the studies, due to limited federal resources, but legal experts told the Times they were surprised the State Department was not more circumspect about the potential for real and perceived conflicts of interest on such a large and controversial project.

Farmers saving wildlife in Namibia
In Namibia, farmers are taking part in an experiment to save wildlife. Conservation has been turned over to farmers and others who live on the land, forming "communal conservancies," according to NPR. Conservancies control the wildlife in their boundaries, taking a cut of tourist income, operating campsites and helping smooth the way as people adapt to a new way of interacting with wildlife.

Will the FDA act on antibiotic resistance?
Treehugger takes a look at the FDA's draft guidelines for antibiotic use in livestock. The guidelines come after concerns about the overuse of medically significant antibiotics that can lead to drug-resistant illnesses. However, there is no timeline set and the guidelines are unenforceable.

Airlines consider the feasibility of biofuel
Given the amount of fuel required to keep an increasing number of passengers in the air, airlines have been investigating options for biofuels. The New York Times notes that although advances have been made in efficiency of biofuels, airlines still face obstacles including competitive pricing and issues with supply.

Europeans consider climate change a bigger issue than the economic crisis
Unlike their U.S. counterparts, Europeans rank climate change as a greater concern than the economic crisis. Treehugger covers a new poll that finds Europeans rank climate change as the second biggest problem facing the world, coming in right after poverty.

Global energy usage to double by 2035
JanforGore shared a story from Circle of Blue who report that global energy usage is projected to double by 2035, with half the projected increase coming from China and India. When it comes to energy sources, fossil fuels are projected to continue to dominate, and the report notes that although renewable energy is projected to be the fastest-growing source, it won't be enough to offset global greenhouse gas emissions.

We're taking a look at some of the stories affecting our planet. Here's some news you shouldn't miss.

Panel recommending extreme climate fixes, just in case
A bipartisan panel of scientists, ex-government officials and national security experts is recommending we look into extreme engineering techniques to to reverse climate change, The New York Times reports. Members said they hoped that such extreme engineering techniques, which include scattering particles in the air to mimic the cooling effect of volcanoes or stationing orbiting mirrors in space to reflect sunlight, would never be needed. But in its report, to be released on Tuesday, the panel said it is time to begin researching and testing such ideas in case “the climate system reaches a ‘tipping point’ and swift remedial action is required.

Obama Administration OK's Arctic drilling leases
JanforGore shares a story from the Wall Street Journal, which reports the Obama administration is "moving forward with oil-drilling leases off the coast of Alaska issued by the Bush administration in 2008, a victory for oil companies in the battle over Arctic Ocean drilling."

Meanwhile, Sarkozy bans fracking in France
France will maintain a ban on fracking until there is proof that shale gas exploration won’t harm the environment or “massacre” the landscape, President Nicolas Sarkozy said, BusinessWeek reports. “Development of hydrocarbon resources underground is strategic for our country but not at any price,” Sarkozy said.

Republican upping criticism on Solyndra, similar spending
Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), who chairs an energy and commerce subcommittee on oversight and investigations, originally supported the program when Congress created it. Now he says, "I think the administration is putting taxpayers' money at risk in areas that are not creating jobs," NPR's "All Things Considered" reports. He still doesn't like the idea of government putting taxpayers on the line for other ventures. "We can't compete with China to make solar panels and wind turbines," Stearns says.

Emails reveal excessive chumminess with TransCanada on pipeline
The New York Times reports a State Department official provided Fourth of July party invitations, subtle coaching and cheerleading, and inside information about Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton’s meetings to a Washington lobbyist for a Canadian company seeking permission from the department to build a pipeline that would carry crude from the oil sands of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

Fossil fuel subsidies up by $110 billion over last year, to $409 billion
The Hill reports that global fossil fuel consumption subsidies rose in 2010 despite a pledge by G-20 nations to take steps to reduce them in coming years, according to a new analysis. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated Tuesday that subsidies that artificially lower fuel prices reached $409 billion in 2010, an increase of almost $110 billion above 2009 levels.

Congressman tracking 'anti-environment' votes by 112th Congress
Our boss wrote yesterday about a new, searchable database unveiled by Rep. Henry Waxman that reveals “anti-environment votes by the 112th Congress. The database details the 125 votes taken to date by the House that undermine the protection of the environment.” Check out the database here.

We're taking a look at some of the stories affecting our planet. Here's some news you shouldn't miss.

2010: Worst year ever for carbon dioxide
The year 2010 can go on the books as the worst for the atmosphere, with 36.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere. While many industrialized nations may have made cuts to their emissions, the growth of developing countries offset those efforts, according to Discovery News. Oh, and speaking of records we shouldn't be proud of setting? On a person by person basis, the U.S. still leads the world in carbon dioxide emissions.

Oil and gas industry overstates jobs
The standing rationale for the tax breaks and regulatory benefits afforded to the oil and gas industry is the jobs they bring to the country. Not so fast. Treehugger reports on a new study has found the oil and gas industry has been inflating its jobs numbers. Not only has the industry claimed more jobs than actually created, a significant percentage of those reported are minimum-wage jobs at gas stations. Hardly a reason to turn our back on alternative-energy funding in the name of job creation.

Climate change altering Mt. Everest
If you're brave enough to summit Mt. Everest, you may find the mountain much less icy than you might expected. The Guardian reports that locals have already noticed glacial melting is changing the landscape. The melting ice comes with significant risk, from glacial lakes overflowing and destabalizing the mountain to a changing landscape that is more challenging for guides to navigate.

Climate change drove key events in human evolution
Science Daily reports that researchers have found evidence that climate change drove key events in humanity's evolution. But none of the past periods of climate fluctuation are similar to the climate change we're experiencing now, which raises the question of how humanity will deal with this period of change.

T-shirts made of trees?
Cotton may be comfortable to wear, but growing it can be devastating to the environment. But what about using cellulose from trees? Treehugger notes that with sustainable management, forests could provide enough fiber to clothe many without competing with land needed to grow food. Rayon also gets bonus points for being better suited to hot climates because it traps less body heat than other fibers.

Got a story you think we need to cover? Shoot us an email at feedback@current.com, subject line ATTN: Weekly Planet.

We're taking a look at some of the stories affecting our planet. Here's some news you shouldn't miss.

Catastrophic flooding in Pakistan
Treehugger rounds up some of the news on the devasting floods to hit southern Pakistan, the worst flooding to strike the country in living memory. So far, 1.8 million people have been driven from their homes, and 223 have been killed.

Solyndra failure doesn't slow push for wind, solar
The failure of solar panel manufacturer Solyndra doesn't mean a slow down for wind and solar energy, according to Bloomberg. The Obama administration is continuing to invest in alternative energy, working to award $9.2 billion in government financing to renewable energy companies before a Sept. 30 deadline.

Deep oceans could mask global warming
Deep oceans could absorb enough heat to mask global warming for a decade or longer. The ability of deep oceans to store heat could explain period where global warming slows despite there being no change in the amount of energy trapped in the Earth's atmosphere, reports the International Business Times.

Delay on greenhouse gas ruling
The New York Times reports that the EPA won't meet a Sept. 30 deadline for issuing a rule governing greenhouse gas emissions. The agency says the decision is not the result of political from the White House, despite calls from Republicans that the proposed regulation is a jobs killer.

Why can't we kill big oil subsidies?
President Obama has called for an end to big oil subsidies. A significant percentage of Americans think they should end. So why won't big oil subsidies die? Treehugger takes a look at the reasons that such subsidies are so hard to kill.

Fuel your car with...orange peel?
The Express reports that a British scientist may have found a way to turn orange peels, along with other food waste, into fuel and other chemicals. How? Using a specially built microwave -- so don't be tempted to try this at home.

Got a story you think we need to cover? Shoot us an email at feedback@current.com, subject line ATTN: Weekly Planet.

We're taking a look at some of the stories affecting our planet -- here's news you don't want to miss.

Pipeline safety operating on the honor system
The New York Times examined the small federal agency in charge of monitoring the safety of oil pipelines. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration suffers from a lack of inspectors and resources. But the agency has also been criticized for a heavy reliance on self-reporting from oil companies and weak penalties.

Looking for a cause for climate change? Don't blame the clouds
Current community member JanforGore shared a story from The Daily Climate about new findings that undermine a controversial study that suggests cloud cover is behind temperature changes across the globe. The scientist behind the original cloud paper has been accused of cherry picking data to arrive at his conclusion, and the editor of the journal that originally published the report has resigned.

Precious metals from above
Ever wonder where the gold or platinum you're wearing originated? According to Discovery News, it could have come from outer space. Geologists have long wondered how the Earth's crusts is laced with metals like gold and platinum that should have migrated to the Earth's core when it formed. New research has give more weight to the theory that precious metals, and possibly water, were introduced to the Earth by meteorites crashing into the surface of the planet.

Is your gmail killing the planet?
Probably not, according to Mother Jones. While the data centers used by companies such as Google consume a significant amount of power, the impact spread over individual users is miniscule. The real energy use comes from the hardware you use. So if you're concerned about your energy usage, consider turning your computer off for a few more hours each day, but don't worry about deleting your archived data. After all, you never know when you'll need that cat macro from 2005.

Google invests in poo power
Speaking of Google, Discovery News reports the company is investing in alternative forms of energy, investing in a system that converts methane from pig waste into energy. The prototype is located west of Winston-Salem, N.C., and burns methane from hog waste to power a turbine and produce electricity. OK, there has to be a spam joke in there somewhere.

Got a story you think we need to cover? Shoot us an email at feedback@current.com, subject line ATTN: Weekly Planet.

We're taking a look at some of the stories affecting our planet -- here's a look at some of the news you may have missed.

Obama puts the brakes on new smog standards

Just when the EPA was about to announce new smog standards, SustainableBusiness reports that President Obama directed EPA administrator Lisa Jackson to pull the new guidelines, which would have limited ground-level ozone from cars, refineries and power plants to 60-70 parts per billion. Currently the limit is at 75 billion and environmentalists objected to the delay in the new standards, which could save an estimated 4,300 lives and was supported by scientists who say that current ozone levels are already harmful to health. 

Fracking controversy in South Africa

Current.com community member JanforGore posted the news from the Science and Development Network that environmental groups in South Africa are fighting back against energy companies who want to extract oil using a controversial method known as hydrofracking, or fracking. Fracking uses clean water mixed with with sand and chemicals to fracture rocks underground to release gas, and could pollute water supplies. Energy companies have leased rights to a shale field in South Africa's Karoo region, but are being opposed by environmental groups who are concerned that the process could deplete the region's already scarce water supply.

Stem cells helping endangered species

Science could have some good news for endangered species, according to a report from The Atlantic Wire and shared by current.com community member Misti. Researchers are working on ways to use stem cells to preserve or even revive species whose existence is threatened.

Get in shape, create electricity

On a lighter note, if you think spin class sounds like a lot of effort with no point...you may be wrong. The Environmental News Network reports the New York Sports Club is now offering a spin class with specially equipped bikes that generate electricity. The bikes do require a steep initial investment, but if the demand for such classes is high, this could become a powerful trend indeed.

Got a story you think we need to cover? Shoot us an email at feedback@current.com, subject line ATTN: Weekly Planet.

Have you ever considered looking up environmentally conscious clothing brands? Sustainable fashion has come a long way from the loose-stitched, tacky hippiewear of yesteryear. Hemp, organic cotton, and bamboo fibers can match your current T-shirts and denim jeans and style and durability.

When your clothes start to wear out, consider donating them to shelters for families who need them, and take a little time to go eco-fashion forward.

Excuse me while I get a little artsy-fartsy.

Sometimes, as an artist, it's not easy being green. As you peruse your local art supply store for new paints or paper, you may find that the closest you can get to anything eco-friendly is a disposable pen you don't need or a laptop sleeve you would normally not look twice at if it wasn't inexplicably labeled "GreenSmart."

There are plenty of mostly recycled sketchbooks all over the place, but chances are you've already got five or six regular sketchbooks at home you haven't filled up yet. Here are a few links to some eco-friendly art supplies available right now.

Gas prices are on the rise, and with prices over $4 a gallon in several states, drivers are freaking out.

But could the higher prices actually motivate people to change their habits in ways that are better for the environment?

If gas prices are hitting you where it hurts, you might want to consider some ways to cut down on your gas use. Not only will you be doing something that's better for the environment, you'll be doing something nice for your wallet.

Here are our top tips for saving gas:

Plan your trips

If you're running errands and commuting, take a look at your route and make a plan before you leave so you're not driving back and forth across town. If you have to drive for your commute, considering running errands before or after work, and save yourself the trip on the weekends.

Take transit

If your town offers transit, take advantage of it! It's easier than ever to catch a ride on transit, thanks to apps that help make sure you don't miss your bus. Plus, taking transit means that instead of fighting traffic during your commute, you can catch up on your reading -- or your sleep.

People power

Do you really need to get in the car all the time? Walking or biking can be a great way to get where you need to go. Even if you can't get every place you need to go, consider what smaller, local trips you can manage.

Share the burden

Talk to your neighbors or coworkers about forming a carpool or helping each other out. Have regular errands? Why not see if a nearby friend would be willing to help share the load. Not only will you both save on gas, you'll only have to make that trip the store half as often.

Change your schedule

Consider seeing if your boss is willing to let you work an alternate schedule. Working from home a few days a week, or working an alternate schedule (like a for day work week with 10-hour days) decreases your commute time and your stress. It might take some effort, but flexible work schedules are becoming more common.

What are your tips for cutting back on using your car? Will you stick with it even if gas prices drop?

Ah, this old debate again. If there were ever a good reason for women and men to compete (psh...like we need a reason), going green is as good an excuse as any.

This Green Living article by Marc Lallanilla, "Women vs. Men: Who's Greener?" is a rebuttal to Alison Neumer Lara's Earth 911 article "Why Women Are Better for the Planet." Begin any statement with "Why women/men are better" and you'll instantly subject yourself to a slithering cesspool of trolls in every gender, but this article is a particularly notable gem in the Mars vs. Venus showdown.

In honor of Earth Day, a few of our Current staff members spent Friday afternoon cleaning up Mother Earth.

We gathered at the Presidio of San Francisco to learn about our local national park and gain some valuable information about the native plant habitats. The Presidio served as a military center for more than 200 years. In 1994, it became a national park and it offers spectacular views throughout its dozen trails.

We volunteered at the Lobos Creek Valley Trail, which features a scenic overlook of native wildflowers, restored dune habitat and local birds. Our team was led by Iris, a National Park intern, who educated us on the importance of raising awareness in park restoration. We removed invasive vegetation from the trail to help conserve the area for other rare plants to cultivate.

It was a great way to volunteer and to help keep our local greenery healthy, safe and clean.

If you are in the Bay Area and are interested in habitat restoration, please visit the National Parks Conservancy program.

We encourage everyone to volunteer in your community as much as you can, and we'd love to hear about your efforts to help the environment. How did you spend your Earth week?

So you want to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle in your household. That's awesome! But if you're coexisting with furballs, you may be thinking it's easier said than done.

I can't say much in terms of dogs, but I have plenty of cat experience. In my household are three of my roommate's clean, well-behaved, old felines, and my wild and tremendously smelly young one. Just like with babies, when the number of cats in your home is twice the amount of adult human beings, keeping a clean, green home is tough, but not impossible.

If this is your situation, I'd first suggest taking a look at the How Stuff Works article 8 Green Pet Care and Cleaning Tips to get started. There you'll find some pretty good advice on how to keep your pet beds and litter boxes smelling nice without breaking the bank on questionably expensive "green chic" pet products you've never heard of.

Allow me to spare you the impulse shopping spree and tell you what's worked for me so far.

Editor's note: Each week throughout the month of April, GreatNonprofits will feature an organization that is doing great environmental work. This week, they share the story of World Neighbors.

At only 22 years old, Julian Vasquez, a farmer in the Polochic valley in Guatemala, wanted nothing more than to make life better for his family using the small piece of land that belonged to his mother.  His crops yields were low and not sufficient to support his family. There was a nonprofit, World Neighbors, that had been teaching other local farmers about ways to increase their crop yield. Julian decided to participate in one of their trainings. Through the training, Julian learned crucial agricultural skills, including learning to implement an irrigation system using an old plastic soda bottle in order to conserve rainwater during the dry seasons.

“Before World Neighbors, my field did not look like this,” Julian said. “It instead was full of weeds and couldn’t produce a healthy crop. World Neighbors taught me to terrace my field to prevent erosion and to improve the health of my soil using organic compost.”

Recent studies have shown that the Singularity will occur in 2049. And, by 2048, the entire United States population will be overweight.

Spend more than 10 minutes on Google and you'll find all sorts of interesting "studies" and articles conducted in various corners of the Internet. But just in case you don't want to blow what could be countless hours asking the Great All-Knowing Google what will become of you 50 years from now, the creator of the webcomic "XKCD" has graciously volunteered to take one for the team.

Most of us learned "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" in elementary school. The first and last are pretty easy (at least in theory). But reusing things takes a little more creativity.

It's easy to give into the temptation to go out and buy new eco-friendly products to embark on a green lifestyle, especially with so much greenwashing happening in advertising.

So why not take a look at what you have around your house and see what you can reuse instead?

Paper or plastic?

Plastic bags aren't great -- but if you find yourself in need of re-usable shopping bags, stop before you head to the store to buy one. If you've got an old tee shirt or spare pillowcase lying around, and a few basic sewing skills, you can turn out your own shopping bag. (Bonus points: it gives you a use for those oversized T-shirts you got as free giveaways.)

New life for lightbulbs

If you've replaced all your old lightbulbs with energy-efficient CFLs, you've probably found yourself with, well, a collection of old lightbulbs. Instead of tossing them in the trash, grab a couple of tools and give them new life as hanging vases or salt-and-pepper shakers.

Repurpose your denim

If your jeans have reached the point where they're no longer acceptable to wear in public, don't toss them in the trash. Old jeans can be braided together into a rag rug. Not only will your denim continue to be useful in a new form,  if you've got hardwood or concrete floors, rugs are a great way to add a little extra insulation and reduce energy use.

Bring some green indoors

OK, this one might not be strictly useful, but everyone needs a little decoration sometime. Use  your old jars and scavenge your neighborhood for plants to make your own terrarium. It's a great way to bring a little nature indoors to your home or cubicle.

Junk-mail stationary

If you've been gathering your junk mail or sorting through old papers, you might find you have a stack of things you don't need to hold on to. If you've got a bit of time and a few supplies, you can turn those old bits of paper into new homemade paper. You can add natural dyestuffs like onion skin as well, if you want to add a bit of color to your new paper.

Of course, these aren't the only way to re-use things from around the house -- let us know your favorite ways to reuse things that might otherwise get thrown away.

Tuesday, one day before the one-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the last of the waters closed to fishing were reopened.

As a result of the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion on April 20, 2010, 4.9 million barrels of oil blew out of the broken well and into the Gulf of Mexico. During cleanup efforts, 1.84 million gallons of chemical dispersants were used.

So what is the state of the gulf a year later?

It may be too soon to tell, but many of the regions fisheries (including shrimp and blue-crab) seem to be on their way to recovering. And with the final 1,040 square miles of water near the sunken rig re-opened, all federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico are once again open to fishing.

Some of this may be thanks to nature -- bacteria digested much of the methane and oil in the water, with levels returning to normal by autumn.

Yet long-term effects are not yet known. Oil and the dispersants used in clean up will remain part of the ecosystem, and some studies have shown dispersed oil is more toxic than oil or dispersants alone. The effect of oil and dispersants in deep-sea environments also remain unknown.

In communities along the Gulf, doctors report a rise in health problems. In addition to physical problems related to exposure to crude oil, there has also been a rise in mental-health symptoms related to anxiety and stress.

What hasn't changed?

The 111th Congress introduced 101 oil-spill-related bills in 2010. This year, another 15 have been introduced.

Precisely zero have been enacted.

Economic liability for an oil spill remains capped at $75 million, with taxpayers left to pick up the tab on remaining cleanup. Legislation that would have reformed safety standards and oversight measures also failed.

In January, a presidential panel investigating the Deepwater Horizon spill recommended more lifting of the liability cap, as well as providing more funding for oversight. The panel also recommended an approach used by other countries, requiring oil companies to develop worst-case scenarios and remedies for them, as well as prevention plans.

While efforts to improve safeguards and oversight have failed, House Republicans have since introduced bills that would speed up the approvals process for new wells and open previously untouched portions of the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific oceans to drilling.

With long-term effects of the spill still unknown, is it responsible to push for more oil exploration? What about oversight and safety considerations to prevent another event of this magnitude from occurring?

Gray wolves in Northern Rockies may become the first animals taken off the endangered species list by an act of Congress rather than scientific review.

As the wolf population, once hunted to the brink of extinction, has recovered, wolves have come into conflict with farmers and ranchers who view the predators as a threat to livestock and wild game.

The legislation, in the form of a rider attached to the budget, would return control over wolf management to the states. Idaho and Montana, two of the states affected, would resume public wolf hunts in the fall.

Supporters of the bill call it an end to a legal battle over the status of the wolves, and say the bill would help restore balance to the wolf population.

However, critics of the bill say it goes against basic wildlife conservation principles and the decision should be left up to scientists, not politicians.