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Consumption of gasoline averaged 9.3 million barrels a day, down 2.1 percent this ...
That is 9.3M X 42 gal. per barrel=390.6M gals of gasoline a day, down 2.1 percent.
Was 9.55M bbls last year. Or 9.55M X 42 gals per barrel=401.1M gals of gasoline per day.
This means we are using 10.5M gals of gasoline less per day this summer so far.
Keep in mind gasoline only makes up less than half of our daily consumption of oil.
also keep in mind only 20 gals. of gasoline come from one barrel of oil.
the other 22 gals produces other products.
Is No. 2 diesel consumption up or down this year? Up 2%.
Summer we always use more fuel. Driving season.
If that could be reduced by 100M gals per day it would be a step in the right direction.
Higher prices should force better MPG and less trips over time.
A major downturn in the economy may force conservation.
What kind of gas mileage are you getting now and are you driving less?
My 4 banger is getting around 32 Hwy. and 24 city. I am driving less.
That is 9.3M X 42 gal. per barrel=390.6M gals of gasoline a day, down 2.1 percent. ... more -
Black Market - Darkness of the Animal Trade
Wildlife trade's dark side:
What do elephants, rhinos, great apes, bears, big cats, sharks, parrots and marine turtles have in common? They're all threatened by the illegal wildlife trade.
View images of the trade in bushmeat that international conservationists are hoping to curb. WARNING: SOME ANIMAL IMAGES ARE GRAPHIC. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/interactive.aspx?id=Wildli...
Great Apes:
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/interactive.aspx?id=Wildli...
An appetite in China for traditional medicines, and hunger in Africa for protein from apes and other wildlife, dubbed bushmeat.
There’s heavy bushmeat hunting in Central and West Africa, says Russ Mitermeier of Conservation International, and heavy poaching for meat and medicinal uses in Southeast Asia and China.
"In Central Africa alone, about one million tons of wild meat is hunted every year," estimates Liz Bennett of the Wildlife Conservation Society. "That is equivalent to 9 billion 1/4 pound hamburgers each year. It has been estimated that that includes some 28 million bay duikers; 16 million blue duikers; 7.5 million red colobus; 1.8 million red river hogs; 34,000 leopards; 15,000 chimps; and 6,250 lowland gorillas."
A 2008 report by the wildlife monitoring group TRAFFIC found that the lack of meat in refugee rations in Tanzania is causing a flourishing illegal trade in bushmeat, including chimpanzees.
Two dozen refugee camps are near wildlife areas, making it easy for poachers. The bushmeat is covertly traded and cooked after dark -- and referred to as 'night time spinach' inside many refugee camps.
'BLACK MARKET' : A Multimedia Interactive: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25677681/ Wildlife trade's dark side: ... more -
Brand new insect uncovered
A mysterious insect has been found in the gardens of the Natural History Museum, and is spreading across London.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Perhaps it started as specimin that was discarded A mysterious insect has been found in the gardens of the Natural History Museum, and is spreading across London. ... more -
Fatal Attack on Gorilla Conservationists
"In an African reserve infamous for gorilla murders, [Gorilla Park]unknown gunners opened fire on a truck belonging to wildlife conservationists on Monday.
The attack killed two women and underscored the danger faced by humans in Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the world's most ecologically diverse—and politically contentious—nature reserves.
The gunners turned their weapons on the truck, owned by the conservation organization WWF, which confirms the account. Congolese park rangers had driven the truck toward the armed men after they had stopped a motorcycle in the Congo's North Kivu Province, home to half the world's 700 wild mountain gorillas. "
The article goes on with shocking numbers of deaths and the frequency of these types of attacks between the poachers and conservationists locked in a bloody battle over the endangered Gorilla. ... more -
Water: The forgotten crisis
How do we find more water to feed a growing population?
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UK to grant China ivory trade license
Britain is today expected to approve China's application to be made a licensed ivory trader.
This move comes amidst a wave of protests from animal wellfare groups, as well as almost 150 MPs, with Prime minister Gordon Brown set to receive the blame.
Suspicions have been aroused partly because of the minister who is responsible for the UK's vote. Joan Ruddock has "a strong record on environmental protection", and Labour backbenchers believe that she was "given orders by number 10 not to risk upsetting China" by opposing the bid.
Critics argue that granting China this license will lead to a "substantial increase in elephant poaching across Africa and Asia", and one MP has branded the move "obscene", calling it "a license to kill", not to trade. Britain is today expected to approve China's application to be made a licensed ivory trader. ... more -
White lion cubs born in Germany
Three white lion cubs have been born at the Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock safari park in Germany, and were proudly shown off to the public yesterday.
White lions are not in fact a separate species: Their white colouring is due to a rare mutation of the more common yellow-gold variety, not common in the wild, but which is sometimes bred selectively in captivity. Three white lion cubs have been born at the Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock safari park in Germany, and were proudly shown off to the public... more -
Italy's vanishing beaches: Blowin' in the wind
Italy's beaches are under threat from the elements which created them: Many beaches on the Italian riviera, a staple of the country's tourist industry, are getting smaller and smaller each year.
Officials in some seaside towns have employed the process of 'beach nourishment', which involves dredging thousands of tons of the correct type of sand from a 'tranche', then piping it onto the beaches.
However this in itself cannot, and has not stopped the decline, and unless a way is found to reverse this trend, the pristine seaside locations that Italy is famed for could become even more sought after.
Italy's beaches are under threat from the elements which created them: Many beaches on the Italian riviera, a staple of the country's ... more -
Big cat skin trade still alive in China
Snow leopards and Tigers: two evocative icons of the struggle against extinction faced by many of our planet's animals: The ever advancing spread of human influence, soon to be joined by global warming, is helping to destroy their habitat.
As if that weren't enough however, the people who should be protecting them the most are still actively hunting and killing critically endangered big cats for their skins.
According to the Telegraph, "buyers come from all over China to purchase the skins which are marketed as rugs or taxidermy specimens."
The Environmental Investigation Agency reported 13 skins of leopard and snow leopard, as well as an entire Tiger skin in less than a week, in a single street in June 2008.
This shocking report shows that the trade in skins in China is still rampant, despite measures by the government to crack down on the demand for the products, particularly in Tibetan communities. Snow leopards and Tigers: two evocative icons of the struggle against extinction faced by many of our planet's animals: The ever advan... more -
Ideas for what to do with those useless SUVs
I funny but sad and frustrating little op-ed about one family's problems with their gas-guzzling idiotmobile.
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Coral reefs "could be wiped out this century"
According to the Telegraph's science editor Roger Highfield, as much as one third of the coral species responsable for coral reef formation are threatened with complete extinction. Furthermore, there are indications that the rate of destruction of these spectacular habitats is such that they could be wiped out within the 21st century.
Taking millions of years to build up, "coral reefs are home to more than 25 percent of marine species", truly earning them the title of "rainforests of the ocean". More than simply loosing some of the most beautiful natural habitats on Earth, their destruction could have far reaching consequences for humanity: Prof Kent Carpenter, Director of the Global Marine Species Assessment Of Conservation International believes that "the loss of reefs could have huge economic effects on food security for around 500 million people who are dependent on reef fish for food and/or their livelihoods", adding that "tourism is also likely to suffer."
The corals which make up the reefs provide a crucial source of food and shelter for the many thousands of species, and their extinction could "lead to the collapse of entire ecosystems".
The results of the latest study on over 700 species of coral by Prof. Carpenter and his team showed that a third were either "critically endangered", "endangered", or "vulnerable", and "emphasize the widespread plight of coral reefs and the urgent need to enact conservation measures." According to the Telegraph's science editor Roger Highfield, as much as one third of the coral species responsable for coral reef form... more -
How to have a happy beaver
No, not that kind of beaver. The animal kind, you dirty beast. Though I do acknowledge that *all* beavers deserve to be happy.
The Independent reports that Britain's beaver population is beginning to thrive again, thanks to conservationists.
The European beaver was hunted almost to extinction in the UK in the 16th century, killed both for its fur and for castoreum, a secretion from the beavers' scent gland which was used in some medicines. (Ick)
But sixteen other European countries started reintroducing beavers to the wild as long as 80 years ago and there is a thriving population living along the Elbe, the Rhône, and also in parts of Scandinavia.
And now, the charity Trees for Life is to reintroduce European beavers to Knapdale, Mid Argyll in Scotland. Hooray!
Have you ever seen a beaver in the wild? Would you like to?
No, not that kind of beaver. The animal kind, you dirty beast. Though I do acknowledge that *all* beavers deserve to be happy. ... more -
Why we need underwater "National Parks"
"When you create marine protected areas, you end up impacting people's livelihoods," says Ugoretz. "It's good to know that it actually works."
MPAs protect a portion of the ocean and its inhabitants the way a national park does on land. Fishing and other human activities are restricted or banned, so fishermen tend to view them with suspicion. But scientists increasingly think that they are key to sustaining sea-life diversity and bounty." "When you create marine protected areas, you end up impacting people's livelihoods," says Ugoretz. "It's good to know that it actually... more -
Bears Need Our Help! Pass the Bear Protection Act of 2008 - The Petition Site
Bears Need Our Help! Pass the Bear Protection Act of 2008
H.R. 5534: Bear Protection Act of 2008:To amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to extend its protections to bears illegally harvested for their viscera in the same manner as with respect to prohibited wildlife species, and for other purposes.
Visit: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-5534
Petition Target: U.S. House of Representatives
Sponsored by: World Society for the Protection of Animals
Each year wild bears are killed so that their parts can be sold in Traditional Asian Medicine (TAM) shops in the United States and internationally. In a recent undercover investigation, the World Society for the Protection of Animals found that the trade in intact gallbladders had actually increased since their previous investigation in 2000.
Unfortunately, state laws pertaining to the trade in bear parts are inconsistent and, in some cases, non-existent. The solution is clear: a unifying federal law is the only viable solution for bears! U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) recently introduced H.R. 5534, the Bear Protection Act of 2008, to protect North American bears. The Act specifically bans the import, export and interstate trade of all bear parts and products, while closing loopholes in existing state laws.
PLEASE SIGN! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/918445507
North American bears are killed for the interstate
trade in bear parts and products. Already threatened by habit degradation
and hunting, these bears face further imperilment from criminal poaching.
Tens of thousands of bears are annually destroyed to harvest their parts for
Traditional Asian Medicine in the United States and abroad.
H.R. 5534, the Bear Protection Act of 2008, which seeks to conserve bear populations by banning the import, export, and interstate trade of bear viscera and items.
Federal lawmakers must take a stronger stand against illicit poaching.
Ambiguous state laws make smuggling a cinch. Gallbladders camouflaged as
chocolate figs or concealed in coffee to mask odor are ferried to states
where their sale is permissible.
American poachers profit from a prolific Asian bear bile market. Traditional
Oriental Medicine uses bile acid to treat maladies from headaches,
hemorrhoids, and bone fractures to heart disease, poor vision, and sexual
dysfunction. Thousands of Asiatic Black (moon) Bears spend their entire
lives smashed in iron cages barely larger than their bodies. Farmers cut a
permanent hole into the bear's belly to drain bile from their gallbladders.
The farms have come under fire for profound cruelty. In addition, China's
moon bear numbers continue to drop, with less than 20,000 in the wild. Both
factors open the door for American poachers to smuggle bear parts overseas.
Please visit my other pages for more information on how you can help bears and many other animal species (non-profit links, news, petitions, videos...).
http://my.care2.com/julesrs007
http://julesrs007saveanimals.blogspot.com/ Bears Need Our Help! Pass the Bear Protection Act of 2008 ... more -
Pompeii in a state of emergency
Pompeii is one of Italy's most well-known and visited attractions - some 2.5 million tourists pass through every year. It's no surprise then that the site is not what it once was. Frescoes are fading, the area is plagued by litter and fake tour guides who have no interest in the sight, just in making a buck. The government-declared "state of emergency" will last about a year.
Where do we draw the line between preserving something and allowing it to be shared with the public? Can Pompeii be saved, or is its decay inevitable? Pompeii is one of Italy's most well-known and visited attractions - some 2.5 million tourists pass through every year. It's no surpris... more -
Orangutan Extinction
In the steep mountain jungles on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the rush for environmentally-friendly fuel is endangering the existence of orangutans. Over the past two decades, thousands of acres of tropical rain forests have been converted into palm oil plantations destroying the orangutans' natural habitat. Some UN scientists believe that these plantations could lead to the extinction of the species by 2012. Anna Sussman and Jonathan Jones of www.backpackjournalist.org go to Sumatra to report on the situation.
-- In the steep mountain jungles on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the rush for environmentally-friendly fuel is endangering the exist... more -
House Bill Would Restrict Animal Imports To The United States
This is a call to arms type of bill. Aside from devastating the pet industry, this bill would have serious impact on breeders and those who work with endangered species (at the very least, endangered in the wild). This is a bill that seriously needs to be reworked and if you own any type of pet, spread the word! This is a call to arms type of bill. Aside from devastating the pet industry, this bill would have serious impact on breeders and thos... more
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220 million year old reptile may be killed off by climate change
The Tuatara, a reptile that outlived the dinosaurs and has 3 eyes may become extinct because global warming could turn them all male. The sex of a baby is determined by the heat of the soil they are laid in. As temperatures rise, less and less females will be born. Two species of tuatara still survive on islands of the coast of New Zealand. Their third eye is believed to help them tell the time and they can hold their breath for up to an hour. However, a study releases today claimed that without conservation efforts they will become extinct by 2085. The Tuatara, a reptile that outlived the dinosaurs and has 3 eyes may become extinct because global warming could turn them all male. ... more
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Man saves 375 lbs black bear from drowning
Badass of the year right here folks.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist Adam Warwick just couldn't let the bear drown, so he took off his shirt and dive after it. The 375 lbs black bear had been spotted in a residential area, obviously looking for food, and was shot with a tranquilizer dart. Unfortunately, before it went under, it jumped in the water of the Gulf of Mexico. More photos and a video below. Badass of the year right here folks. ... more -
Sea No Evil art show benefit
We are excited to announce, this year the art show will be held at the prestigious Riverside Art Museum in the historical downtown area of Riverside CA.
On the night of July 12th, 2008, the art show will completely take over the entire art museum, 3 floors, including special guests Matt Costa playing music on the roof (3rd floor) and Shepherd Fairey spinning records. The first two floors will display donated art from noted artists, available for purchase through silent auction bidding the night of the show.
It promises to be an event to remember giving the opportunity to raise increased awareness and funding for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Captain Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, will be the featured speaker, giving an update on what is happening globally with oceanic conservation.
www.SeaShepherd.org We are excited to announce, this year the art show will be held at the prestigious Riverside Art Museum in the historical downtown are... more
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