tagged w/ Earth Day
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President Obama speaks about forty years of Earth Day and his Administrations efforts to fight for a healthier environment.President Obama speaks about forty years of Earth Day and his Administrations efforts... more
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mbk220
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added this
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3 years ago
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Our Earth. Our Planet.
We Must Care, Every Day
Love. Cherish. Honor.
haiku by: MysticleOur Earth. Our Planet.
We Must Care, Every Day
Love. Cherish. Honor.
haiku... more
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Today is Earth Day! Students, families, parks, businesses and communities are celebrating and honoring our big, round home with special events, educational opportunities and give-aways.Today is Earth Day! Students, families, parks, businesses and communities are... more
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Rapid technology change, low initial cost, and planned obsolescence have resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the globeRapid technology change, low initial cost, and planned obsolescence have resulted in a... more
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Click on link for photos of some of the beautiful creatures...
By Hilary Whiteman, CNN
April 22, 2010 3:27 p.m. EDT
(CNN) -- Color-changing frogs, the world's longest stick insect and a slug that shoots "love darts" are among the biological "treasure" discovered by scientists in the lush green heart of Borneo.
Scientists have found 123 new species of animals, insects and plants on the South East Asian island since the three governments that control the land signed a pact to safeguard its future in 2007.
The new species are on a list released Thursday by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to mark Earth Day and to raise awareness of the value of protecting areas rich in biodiversity.
"You have some iconic small species which are very interesting to talk about but perhaps it's the plants that are tremendously important in terms of potential future cures," said David Norman, director of campaigns for the WWF.
"About half of all synthetic drugs have a natural origin -- these are commercial drugs based on plants and sometimes animals. So we can't afford to lose species," he said.
The number of new plant species discovered in Borneo in the last three years outnumbers all the other categories combined. Sixty-seven new plants have been found, along with 29 invertebrates, 17 new species of fish, one bird, five amphibians and five reptiles. The WWF describes the region as a "global treasure teeming with unique and extraordinary life."
Some of the more unusual amphibians found there include color-changing frogs, which also fly.
Males of the species (Rhacophorus penanorum) are just 3.5 centimeters long and their skin changes from bright green during the night to brown during the day. They can be found living in trees in the Tapin Valley within the Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak. Their fully-webbed feet allow them to glide for up to 15 meters from tree branch to tree branch.
The tail of the long-tailed slug (Ibycus rachelae) is three-times the length of its head, allowing it to curl up to sleep. More unusually, when it mates the slug fires a so-called "love dart" made of calcium carbonate that injects a hormone into its prospective partner to increase the chances of reproduction.
The world's longest-stick insect (Phobaeticus chani) is more than half a meter long and lives high up in the rainforest canopy. "Only three specimens have ever been discovered. It's quite extraordinary that it's been there for so long -- you wouldn't miss it if it landed on you," Norman said.
The rate of the discovery of new species has increased since 2007 when the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei signed an agreement to conserve the area.
The agreement covers a 220,000 square kilometre tract of land that straddles all three countries which is known as the Heart of Borneo.
"This not just a nature reserve. There are lots of people who live there. Farming goes on there. There is eco-tourism. These are all things that must continue. The point is to ensure that the value of the forest standing is much greater than the value of it being cut down," Norman said.
The WWF says the Heart of Borneo Declaration has worked to conserve the environment by exerting pressure on governments, developers and industry to adapt their plans to minimize their impact on the land.
It credits the agreement with preventing the destruction of two million hectares of rainforest to create the world's largest palm oil plantation. Plans to build a road through the middle of the region in 2007 were also shelved for environmental reasons.
"About half of all the land in the heart of Borneo lies in private hands. It's so remote you can't possibly enforce this, so this is very much about negotiating agreements. Whenever there is a new proposal for a new road or a new farm or a new plantation or a new mine, it is worked through in the context of the agreement that was signed in 2007," Norman said.
Meanwhile, scientists are still busy surveying the tangled mass of plants, animals and insects that thrive in the hot, humid conditions of the Borneo rainforest. The WWF says it is impossible to predict how many more new species will be found.
"It is so difficult to know how many species there are on the planet. Scientists sometimes estimate maybe there are 10 million species in total out there and we've only described 1.7 million of them so far," Norman said.Click on link for photos of some of the beautiful creatures...
By Hilary Whiteman,... more
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What are your plans this Earth Day? Some people indulge in green cupcakes, others watch eco-themed documentaries...I on the other hand prefer to shake down my neighborhood for recyclables.
http://1800recycling.com/2010/04/embracing-inner-eco-bag-lady/What are your plans this Earth Day? Some people indulge in green cupcakes, others... more
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“The Rape Of Mother Earth”
Warm putrid breath on my face,
Of any sign of contrition there was no trace.
I looked into cold searing eyes,
Oh lord no please, but he heard not my cries.
My mind raced in panicked desolation,
My attacker and I, alone in isolation.
The pain the humiliation that I felt,
Would never fade from my mind, would never melt.
I turned away in disgust to hide my shame,
What was lost in this time of trial would never be again.
It was mine; it was never his to be taken,
I pray that his soul may be forsaken.
For the scales of justice may never be seen,
For I am Mother Earth and I am unclean.
One of three in a series @
http://callumc.wordpress.com/climate-change/“The Rape Of Mother Earth”
Warm putrid breath on my face,
Of any sign... more
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Great way to conduct art class for homeschoolers and the general public. Go green with recycled art!Great way to conduct art class for homeschoolers and the general public. Go green... more
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Go green by recycling stuff you don't need that someone else can use - Get notice right directly in your inbox.Go green by recycling stuff you don't need that someone else can use - Get notice... more
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The choices you make when buying, using, and getting rid of your tech can also have an impact on the environment and your personal carbon footprint. Lucky for you LAPTOP Magazine made it easy to make greener choices.
http://blog.laptopmag.com/happy-40th-earth-day-reduce-reuse-recycle
Reduce
Drawing power for our laptops is a necessary aspect of life, but some are better at power efficiency than others. The more efficient, the less energy used, the greener you are. Plus, a lower energy bill is its own reward. In our annual Green Choice Awards we tested 21 netbooks and notebooks to determine overall eco-friendliness, including the amount of watts they gobble. Click to see which systems get the green star.
http://www.laptopmag.com/mobile-life/green-choice-awards-2010.aspx
Reuse
When you no longer use or need that old notebook, MP3 player, or mobile gadget, what can you do with it? If you can’t or don’t want to give it away to someone you know, consider trading in your old tech for discounts on new purchases, gift cards, or even cash. Many of the programs that accept older, gently-used technology resell, refurbish, or repurpose it, giving the gadgets you no longer want a second life and keeping them out of a landfill. Click below to find programs for trading in your laptop, mobile phone, and other gadgets.
http://blog.laptopmag.com/ready-set-recycle
http://blog.laptopmag.com/how-to-recycle-mobile-gadgets
Recycle
If your laptop or other gadgets are too old to earn you some cash, you should still send them off for proper recycling. The components and/or batteries inside might contain harmful chemicals best kept from landfills. Most of the trade-in programs for laptops and other tech will also take recyclables for no fee. Either drop them off at a designated location near you or get a pre-paid envelope or mailing label so you can ship it from home.
And if you’ve got some batteries to dispose of, be sure you’re doing it properly. Some can go in the trash, but others should be sent off for recycling, too.
http://blog.laptopmag.com/battery-disposal-done-rightThe choices you make when buying, using, and getting rid of your tech can also have an... more
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This Earth Day, Terra Wellington, author of “The Mom’s Guide to Growing Your Family Green” shares simple steps for conserving energy, waste and water! Video from P&G, Lutron, Honeywell and Waterpik.This Earth Day, Terra Wellington, author of “The Mom’s Guide to Growing... more
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http://www/environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/pops-in-food
Thirty-eight years after DDT was banned, Americans still consume trace amounts of the infamous insecticide every day, along with more than 20 other banned chemicals. These legacy contaminants are ubiquitous in U.S. food, particularly dairy products, meat and fish. Their decades-long presence underscores the dangers of a new generation of chemicals with similar properties and health risks.
In a photograph from a 1947 newspaper advertisement, a smiling mother leans over her baby’s crib. The wall behind her is decorated with rows of flowers and Disney characters. Above the photo, a headline reads “Protect Your Children From Disease Carrying Insects.”
The ad, for wallpaper impregnated with DDT, captures a moment of historical ignorance, before the infamous insecticide nearly wiped out many birds and turned up inside the bodies of virtually everyone on Earth.
The story of DDT teaches a lesson about the past. But experts say it also provides a glimpse into the future.
Thirty-eight years after it was banned, Americans still consume traces of DDT and its metabolites every day, along with more than 20 other banned chemicals. Residues of these legacy contaminants are ubiquitous in U.S. food, particularly dairy products, meat and fish.
Their decades-long presence in the food supply underscores the dangers of a new and widely used generation of chemicals with similar properties and health risks.
“They’re manmade, and they’re toxic and they bio-accumulate,” said Arnold Schecter, a professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health who has been studying human exposure to chemicals for more than 25 years. “So the fact that they’re still around a long time after they’ve been banned isn’t surprising.”
Recent studies sketch a complex profile of legacy contaminants in U.S. food - a profusion of chemicals in trace amounts, pervasive but uneven across the food supply, occurring sometimes by themselves, but more often in combination with others. Included are DDT and several lesser-known organochlorine pesticides, as well as industrial chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, which were used until the late 1970s in electrical equipment.
This picture raises a host of equally complicated questions: Are small amounts of these chemicals dangerous, by themselves or in mixtures? Why are they still around and how are they getting into our food?
Think of these chemicals like sand in your shoes after a trip to the beach. Despite our efforts to rid ourselves of it, we discover more later - sometimes that evening, sometimes years later - when we put on the same pair of summer shoes and feel the grains between our toes.
“They’re manmade, and they’re toxic, and they bio-accumulate. So the fact that they’re still around a long time after they’ve been banned isn’t surprising,” -Arnold Schecter, University of Texas School of Public Health Like those grains of sand, many chemicals stick around. They belong to a class called “persistent organic pollutants” or POPs - which take decades to break down in sediment and soil and can travel globally on wind and water, ending up in regions as remote as the Arctic. These migratory POPs, when ingested, take up semi-permanent residence in the fat tissue of living organisms. In animals, and sometimes in humans, many of them can raise the risk of cancer or other diseases, alter hormones, reduce fertility or disrupt brain development.
The good news is that DDT and other organochlorine pesticides, PCBs and industrial byproducts called dioxins have declined significantly in food and the environment since they were banned or restricted decades ago. A few have dipped below detectable levels. “We don’t expect the levels in food or people to go down abruptly, we expect them to go down over time. And that’s what we’re seeing,” Schecter said.
Declining populations of birds of prey are often the first sign of pollution that may threaten people’s health.
Precise trends of chemicals in food are hard to identify because both government and independent studies have focused on different foods in different places at different times. However, levels in human breast milk indicate that, by 1990, DDT had dropped to one-tenth of 1970 levels, according to a 1999 report in the International Journal of Epidemiology. Similar trends exist for PCBs and dioxins. In most places, POPs are a mere fraction of what they were.
Last year, as part of an ongoing study of POPs in the food supply, Schecter and his colleagues collected and analyzed more than 300 samples from supermarkets around Dallas, Texas. The samples were combined into 31 food types, such as yogurt, chicken and peanut butter, and tested for old contaminants as well as newer ones.
“Every food within this study contained multiple pesticides,” the authors wrote in a paper published in February in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
The DDT metabolite DDE was the most prevalent, occurring in 23 of the 31 foods sampled.
People consume more DDT than any other persistent organic pollutant, the researchers found. Its relative abundance in food today is due to its widespread historical use. In the United States alone, an estimated 1.35 billion pounds were sprayed to wipe out mosquitoes and agricultural pests over a period of about 30 years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
continuedhttp://www/environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/pops-in-food
Thirty-eight years... more
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Greenwashing has made it hard for discerning consumers to know which companies are truly eco-friendly. This year’s Earth Day winner of Most Obscene Greenwashing goes to DOW Chemicals (DOW). The global chemical giant was the platinum sponsor for Live Earth’s “Run for Water” event.
Wow. Dante has a special circle in hell for this level of hypocrisy. DOW is one of the largest polluters in global history. Here’s just a sample of the damage they’ve caused (Google has an endless list):
* In June 2008, DOW (and Boeing – BA) were fined $926 million over nuclear plutonium pollution in Rocky Flats, CO;
* Air pollution in Connecticut;
* Air pollution in Texas;
* Water pollution in Indiana;
* Water pollution in Cape Cod, MA;
For the record, I believe the environment will benefit most when large corporations go green. I disagree with cause-heads who bash corporations no matter how much progress is made. In fact, Fortune 500 companies are the key to reducing pollution and bringing safer products to the mass market. I love seeing Walmart (WMT) sell organic products. That’s change which will positively affect future generations.
With that said, companies like DOW should spend more time keeping cancer causing chemicals out of our water and less time insulting the intelligence of anyone who can run a simple Google (GOOG) search. It’s outrageous, but legal …
http://wallstcheatsheet.com/breaking-news/earth-days-outrageous-but-legal-dow-chemical-sponsors-live-earths-run-for-water/?p=9865/Greenwashing has made it hard for discerning consumers to know which companies are... more
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This was the CBS Special for Earth Day that was broadcast with Walter Cronkite as the correspondent in conjunction with Earth Week. I remember watching this with my parents. I was 11 years old.
Little did I know that for all the strides we would make, we would move so far backward; How I wish the movement that began with Rachel Carson's Silent Spring was the movement we had today instead of the fragemented bought and sold government appeasing one we have today that cares more for making "friends" with the likes of an
EXXON or Monsanto rather then holding them accountable for their crimes against nature.This was the CBS Special for Earth Day that was broadcast with Walter Cronkite as the... more
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Hand carved in India from sustainable Mango Wood and filled with a delightful blend of soy wax and essential oils these gorgeous Spice Pots from Himalayan Trading Post are a delight any time of the year. Win one!Hand carved in India from sustainable Mango Wood and filled with a delightful blend of... more
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This Earth Day, Terra Wellington, author of “The Mom’s Guide to Growing Your Family Green” shares simple tips for making small, eco-friendly choices that can have a significant impact. Video from Glacier, Neosporin, SILK, and Whirlpool.This Earth Day, Terra Wellington, author of “The Mom’s Guide to Growing... more
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Acid Rain Man – environmental savant and self-described “excellent Prius driver” – awaits a decision on global warming from Judge Wapner.
Inspired by Dustin Hoffman’s Oscar-winning character in “Rain Man” -- a tongue-in-cheek Earth Day video.Acid Rain Man – environmental savant and self-described “excellent Prius... more
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Join the more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for Earth Day.Join the more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for... more
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