tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686925571458681832024-03-13T17:05:45.004+01:00Energy Environment and Climate BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-60034912813506663912016-01-16T12:38:00.002+01:002016-01-16T12:38:56.081+01:00The Anthropocene, "The Age of Human Forcing" Has Dawned According to a Science PaperAt Ars Technica, Annalee Newitz has an informative article on the newly named <i><b>Anthropocene</b></i>, "the age of human forcing". Her title is:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/01/for-the-second-time-we-are-witnessing-a-new-geological-epoch/">For the second time, we are witnessing a new geological epoch.</a><br />
<br />
The article presents major points from "<span style="color: #0b5394;">a paper published last week in <i>Science</i>, British Geological Survey scientist Colin N. Waters and many colleagues</span>".<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-45670622600057701282015-04-27T14:00:00.002+02:002015-04-27T14:00:23.156+02:00Wildlife at Chernobyl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The BBC Science and Environment News reports on<br />
Hidden lives of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32452085" target="_blank">Chernobyl's wildlife</a><br />
including some nice photographs of the "locals".<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-57121017388089251312012-03-22T23:51:00.000+01:002012-03-22T23:51:03.288+01:00Water, Not Oil the Next Big Problem: U.S. Intelligence Report Predicts Tensions on Water<br />
Steven Lee Myers has the story at the New York Times in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/world/us-intelligence-report-warns-of-global-water-tensions.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_ae_20120322">U.S. Intelligence Report Predicts Tensions on Water</a>.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-36159226332457467702012-03-22T23:20:00.001+01:002012-03-22T23:20:46.024+01:00USA Moves Effectively Toward More Energy Independence in Good News From and For America<br />
Clifford Krauss and Eric Lipton have the important story at the New York Times in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/business/energy-environment/inching-toward-energy-independence-in-america.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_ae_20120322">Inching Toward Energy Independence in America</a>.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-86110257244099289802011-11-17T11:47:00.000+01:002011-11-17T11:47:19.215+01:00Oil Back At $100: Higher Prices Here To Stay As Pipelines Ease Cushing Oversupply - Forbes<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2011/11/16/higher-oil-prices-here-to-stay-as-pipelines-ease-oversupply-at-cushing/">Oil Back At $100: Higher Prices Here To Stay As Pipelines Ease Cushing Oversupply - Forbes</a>: - Sent using Google ToolbarUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-78780890945589553662011-08-08T23:52:00.000+02:002011-08-08T23:52:01.725+02:00Climate Change Lies: Bad Exemplars Portend Bad ScienceJohn Hill at Environmental Trends writes with respect to climate change lies that <a href="http://www.environmentaltrends.org/single/article/bad-exemplars-portend-bad-science.html">Bad Exemplars Portend Bad Science</a>.
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-10930908332289927502011-08-06T22:19:00.000+02:002011-08-06T22:19:04.444+02:00U.S. Department of Energy Online: Energy.gov RelaunchedSee <a href="http://www.facebook.com/energygov">U.S. Department of Energy at Facebook<br /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-32101060159599754042011-08-06T01:03:00.000+02:002011-08-06T01:03:37.366+02:00The Five Best Environmental Websites/Blogs (Other Than This One, of Course) - Environmental Trends<a href="http://www.environmentaltrends.org/single/article/the-five-best-environmental-websitesblogs-other-than-this-one-of-course.html">The Five Best Environmental Websites/Blogs (Other Than This One, of Course) - Environmental Trends</a>: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-77775112981012899322011-06-30T20:47:00.000+02:002011-06-30T20:47:20.971+02:00Automobile Industry: Cars in Inner Cities: Urban Planning in Europe vs. the USASee the New York Times debate on discouraging cars in inner cities at <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/06/28/car-clash-europe-vs-the-us?ref=global-asia&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=globasasab1">Car Clash: Europe vs. the U.S.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-68538146283082278472011-06-30T20:42:00.000+02:002011-06-30T20:42:16.238+02:00Germany Adopts Laws to End Nuclear Power Era by 2022The German Spiegel Online News writes in <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,771646,00.html#ref=nlint">A Revolution for Renewables: Germany Approves End to the Nuclear Era</a> that:<br />
<blockquote style="color: #783f04;">"Germany's federal parliament, the Bundestag, passed a historic package of laws Thursday that commits the nation -- once and for all -- to a phase-out of nuclear power by 2022."</blockquote>Germany in previous years has already taken great strides in shifting to renewable energies and e.g. massively subsidizing modern heating and insulation installations, so the German move is not surprising as such.<br />
<br />
It remains to be seen whether a highly industrialized Germany will be able to rely solely on alternative energies and to keep from buying nuclear power from other countries if energy shortfalls occur.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-32380899888145518932011-05-09T23:59:00.000+02:002011-05-09T23:59:49.283+02:00Interactive Water Withdrawal and Use:Trend Compass Chart by EPIC SystemsTry this interactive chart of stats for water withdrawal and use<br />see<br /> <a href="http://www.environmentaltrends.org/fileadmin/pri/interactivedata/waterquality/index.html">Trend Compass Chart by EPIC Systems</a><br />to get the year use the bottom middle right movable horizontal barUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-7751076820986243222011-05-09T23:54:00.000+02:002011-05-09T23:54:25.984+02:00Wind Energy Output Under Rated Capacity of Wind Generation FacilitiesWind energy facilities are apparently not up to their hype. See Brian Steed at <a href="http://www.environmentaltrends.org/single/article/is-the-energy-answer-blowing-in-the-wind.html">Is the Energy Answer Blowing in the Wind? - Environmental Trends</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-29100022074271008782011-05-05T01:52:00.002+02:002011-05-05T01:52:48.698+02:00Germany and Italy Currently Represent TWO-THIRDS of the World Solar Market According to Martin LaMonica at CNET's Green TechIf Germany and Italy currently account for two-thirds of the world's solar market, then what in the world is the rest of the world doing?<br />
<br />
See Green Tech by Martin LaMonica at CNET News in<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br />
</span><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20059230-54.html?tag=mncol;title">More countries, led by India, to fuel solar growth</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-70376328002799740252011-04-26T16:03:00.000+02:002011-04-26T16:03:00.826+02:00Endangered Species and Illegal Imports of Animal Trophies, Polar Bars: plus, Conservation & Environmental Protection in GermanyErika Bolstad at the McClatchy Newspapers writes in <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/04/25/112772/hunters-polar-bear-trophies-stuck.html">Hunters' polar-bear trophies stuck in legal limbo</a> about the effect of the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Endangered%20Species%20Act">Endangered Species Ac</a>t on the sport hunting of polar bears in the northern regions of the world and the illegality of importing polar bear trophies into the USA, even if hunted prior to the Act:<br />
<blockquote style="color: #33ccff;">"The Endangered Species Act prohibits importing animals that are listed as endangered or threatened. As a result, sport-hunted polar bear trophies from Canada can't be imported, the government argues, even if they were hunted before the bears were considered threatened."</blockquote>It is estimated that there are about 25,000 polar bears left in a range across Canada, Russia, Greenland, Norway and Alaska, where local provinces also have their own rules about permissible hunting ("harvest rules"). For example, even U.S. law still permits Alaska Natives to shoot about three dozen polar bears each year. According to Bolstad, quoting polar bear expert Geoff York, The World Wildlife Fund, for example, does not oppose "<span style="color: #33ccff;">sustainable harvests when they benefit local economies</span>".<br />
<br />
The tradition of hunting game for survival is as surely as old as the history of mankind so that it is difficult to oppose polar bear sport hunting on "strictly moral" grounds. Man's killing of animals for his own purposes is widespread on our planet. As <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/04/25/112772/hunters-polar-bear-trophies-stuck.html#comment-191858141">one commenter</a> to the article noted in replying to sport hunting critics:<br />
<br />
"<span style="color: #00cccc;">I don't know where you think your leather shoes, belts and double cheeseburgers come from....</span>"<br />
<br />
The opponents of course argue understandably that killing for sport rather than necessity are two horses of a different color, but there is a fine line there somewhere. That line raises the question of how many polar bears any geographic area can tolerate before they become dangerous or economically harmful and how much "sustainable harvesting" is required to keep animal populations healthy, regardless of the motivations of the individual hunters.<br />
<br />
Here in Germany, for example, annual hunts of wild boar and deer and other animals are necessary in order to reduce overpopulation, which if uncontrolled results, for example, in wild boars literally invading human-inhabited locations and leaving a trail of destruction.<br />
<br />
Moreover, wild boar and deer on German roads contribute heavily to thousands of accidents each year, with many human injuries, including fatalities, which has led many autobahns to be "fenced off" and special overpasses just for animals to be constructed at great cost in order not to bar animals from their natural territory. See e.g. <a href="http://www.verkehrsrundschau.de/fm/3573/WildbrueckeAutobahn.jpg">Verkehrsrundschau.de</a>.<br />
<br />
The "sustainable harvest" of animals by hunting is in fact necessary and regularly practiced in Germany and we take the following figures from the <a href="http://www.djz.de/447,1520/">Deutsche Jagd Zeitung djz.de</a> for the year 2007/2008 as an example: harvested were 447,000 boar, 1 million deer (yes, Germany has many deer and forests), 525,00 rabbits, 269,000 wild hares, 543,000 foxes, 29,000 racoons, and 26,700 racoon dogs. It is always amazing to this observer that a country so thickly populated by humanity as Germany still has such a massive population of wildlife. In this connection, the forestry profession is quite important and the local forester is a respected person.<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Living in an intelligent harmony with plants and wildlife is essential, as shown above. In Germany the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Bundesamt für Naturschutz, <a href="http://www.bfn.de/index+M52087573ab0.html">BfN</a>) publishes national Red Lists of endangered species which are supplanted by local state published lists as well.<br />
<br />
The German protection of nature is detailed in English at <a href="http://mail.azl-inc.com/Einleitung.en.html">WISIA Online</a>, which points to the German Federal Nature Conservation Act (<i>Bundesnaturschutzgesetz</i>, BNatSchG) and the German Federal Ordinance on the Conservation of Species ((<a href="http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bartschv_2005/BJNR025810005.html">Verordnung zum Schutz wild lebender Tier- und Pflanzenarten</a>, <i>Bundesartenschutzverordnung</i>, BArtSchV), as well as to the Federal Hunting Act <span style="font-style: italic;">(<a href="http://www.bmelv.de/SharedDocs/Rechtsgrundlagen/B/Bundesjagdgesetz.html">Bundesjagdgesetz</a>, BJagdG)</span> and the Federal Game Conservation Ordinance<span style="font-style: italic;"> (<a href="http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bwildschv/">Bundeswildschutzverordnung</a>, BWildSchV)</span>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anlage_1_zur_Bundesartenschutzverordnung">Article 1</a> of the Bundesartenschutzverordnung <a href="http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bartschv_2005/BJNR025810005.html">(Bundesartenschutzverordnung - BArtSchV</a>) provides a list of protected species, as these are protected in Germany by a <a href="http://www.bfn.de/0322_rote-liste-wirbeltiere+M5054de7a952.html">variety of measures</a> (e.g. "<span style="color: #33ccff;">hunting bans, raptor nest surveillance, bat nesting boxes, amphibian tunnels, etc.</span>" ).<br />
<br />
There are special restrictions imposed via the Foreign Trade Act (Außenwirtschaftsgesetz, AWG) the export list (Ausfuhrliste) and import list (Einfuhrliste) in the broader sense that protected animals and plants and their products can not be imported or exported pursuant to <b>CITES</b> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CITES">Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora</a>, Washington Convention ()).<br />
<br />
Protected animals can not be sold in Germany, <a href="http://www.presseportal.de/pm/7154/425773/komitee_gegen_den_vogelmord_e_v">also not on websites such as eBay</a>, and violators can be imprisoned.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-79726786486074499662011-04-25T00:20:00.000+02:002011-04-25T00:20:48.318+02:00April set to be warmest on record as Britain basks in the sun | UK news | The Guardian<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/24/april-warmest-britain-sun">April set to be warmest on record as Britain basks in the sun | UK news | The Guardian</a>: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-45090702443101797632011-04-22T16:05:00.000+02:002011-04-22T16:05:38.640+02:00Forcasting When Heat Waves Turn Deadly : Discovery News<a href="http://news.discovery.com/earth/forcasting-when-heat-waves-turn-deadly-110418.html">Forcasting When Heat Waves Turn Deadly : Discovery News</a>: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-9775455526481957382011-03-16T21:18:00.002+01:002011-03-16T21:18:37.935+01:00Powering the World with Renewable Energy is Possible Say Stanford and UC-Davis Researchers Jacobson and Delucchi via What on Earth? at Science Friday BlogAt The Science Friday Blog (Every Day is Science Friday), Neil Wagner uses his comic strip "What on Earth?" in a posting titled<br />
<a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/blog/2011/02/a-world-of-wind-power-and-solar-power-and/">A world of wind power… and solar power…and…</a><br />
to refer to the research<br />
of Mark Z. Jacobson of Stanford University and Mark A. Delucchi of UC-Davis<br />
which claims that:<br />
"<span style="color: #3d85c6;">the world could transition to exclusively renewable power sources ... in 40 years or less.</span>"<br />
<br />
Apparently, the technology is there. <a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/blog/2011/02/a-world-of-wind-power-and-solar-power-and/">Read the whole thing</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-69873846659878586312010-12-30T01:07:00.000+01:002010-12-30T01:07:37.934+01:00Index of air quality in the world's major cities: December 24 - News & Advice, Travel - The Independent<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/index-of-air-quality-in-the-worlds-major-cities-december-24-2168730.html">Index of air quality in the world's major cities: December 24 - News & Advice, Travel - The Independent</a>: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-60156052326139284132010-10-28T23:44:00.000+02:002010-10-28T23:44:25.179+02:00The Bee Crisis in Europe: Something Must be Done: The European Parliament Reports on Bees and EnvironmentBees are dying off at an alarming rate in Europe, which could have catastrophic consequences for food supplies, since bees are essential for pollination of fruits and vegetables.<br /><br />See <a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/064-89979-298-10-44-911-20101025STO89958-2010-25-10-2010/default_en.htm">To bee or not to bee..?</a><br /><br />Even in our private garden, we have noticed a drop in bee visitations, in spite of increased plants and flowers this year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-20475510238351118362010-08-22T23:45:00.000+02:002010-08-22T23:45:29.977+02:00BBC News - Study measures Atlantic plastic accumulation<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11031291">BBC News - Study measures Atlantic plastic accumulation</a>: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-12733412123103098232010-08-22T16:39:00.002+02:002010-08-22T16:39:48.742+02:00Judge Rules that Genetically Altered Biotechnology Sugar Beets Not Kosher Until Thorough Environmental Review by the GovernmentMichael Liedtke, AP Business Writer, in his August 15, 2010 article <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=11403445">Judge's Ruling Uproots Use of Biotechnology Beets</a> reported that Federal U.S. District Court <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_White">Judge Jeffrey S. White</a> of the Northern District of California has invalidated government approval of genetically modified biotech sugar beets and has barred all future planting pending a full environmental impact review by the government (see the order in Case3:08-cv-00484-JSW Document570 Filed 08/13/10, in <span style="font-style: italic;">Center for Food Safety v. Vilsack</span>, at the <a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/business/20100813Order.pdf">New York Times</a> and at <a href="http://www.docstoc.com/docs/50526810/US-District-Court-Order-Center-for-Food-Safety-v-Tom-Vilsack">DocStoc</a>).<br />
<br />
Andrew Pollack covered the story at the New York Times in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/business/14sugar.html">Judge Revokes Approval of Modified Sugar Beet</a>s.<br />
<br />
See <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/08/federal-judge-bans-genetically-modified-sugar-beets.php">Federal Judge Bans Genetically Modified Sugar Beets</a> at Treehugger.com<br />
<br />
Crossposted from <a href="http://lawpundit.blogspot.com/2010/08/judge-rules-that-genetically-altered.html">LawPundit</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-68951688143891530562010-08-19T22:11:00.000+02:002010-08-19T22:11:17.121+02:00BP Oil Plume May Still Stretch 21 Miles from Spill Site<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/19/AR2010081904127.html?hpid=topnews">Scientists report undersea oil plume stretching 21 miles from BP spill site</a><br />by David A. Fahrenthold and Kimberly Kindy, Washington Post Staff WriterUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-24433369919588074922010-08-04T16:54:00.000+02:002010-08-04T16:54:48.674+02:00NASA Finds Sun-Climate Connection in Old Nile Records - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory<a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=1319">NASA Finds Sun-Climate Connection in Old Nile Records - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a>: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-74926895670366955372010-08-03T13:13:00.000+02:002010-08-03T13:13:55.139+02:00NASA - Coronal Mass Ejection Headed for Earth<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/sunearthsystem/main/News080210-cme.html">NASA - Coronal Mass Ejection Headed for Earth</a>: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568692557145868183.post-53001952637073863702010-07-27T13:39:00.000+02:002010-07-27T13:39:18.864+02:00July 29, 2010 Webcast: Rewards and Risks of "Green:" How to Make Your IP Assets Work Double-Duty While Minimizing the Risks of Disputes : Nano & Cleantech Blog<a href="http://www.nanocleantechblog.com/2010/07/articles/licensing-2/july-29-2010-webcast-rewards-and-risks-of-green-how-to-make-your-ip-assets-work-doubleduty-while-minimizing-the-risks-of-disputes/">July 29, 2010 Webcast: Rewards and Risks of "Green:" How to Make Your IP Assets Work Double-Duty While Minimizing the Risks of Disputes : Nano & Cleantech Blog</a>: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0