Eco-Portal: An Information Gateway Empowering the Movement for Environmental Sustainability
Earth News
October 12, 2008
- Efforts on global warming chilled by economic woes
AP - The economic free fall gripping the nation may bring down one of the main environmental objectives: capping the greenhouse gases that are blamed for global warming.
- about 1 hour
source: (Yahoo! Green: News) - Environmentalists slam Bush "fox-in-henhouse" plan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Bush administration plan to let U.S. agencies decide for themselves whether their actions put wildlife at risk is drawing fire from environmental groups, which say this is like letting a fox guard a henhouse.- about 3 hours
source: ( Reuters: Environment) - Beijing Re-institutes Traffic Restrictions to Combat Pollution and Congestion
Xinhua. Beijing has re-instituted traffic restrictions to helped maintain the reductions in emissions and traffic congestion achieved for the Olympics but which were being lost after the earlier restrictions expired following the Games.
Under the new traffic restriction, 70 percent of government vehicles, as well as all corporate and private cars, will take turns off the roads one out of the five weekdays as of 11 Oct., according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications.
Cars whose number plates end with 1 or 6 will be taken off roads on Monday, while those ending with 2 or 7 will be banned on Tuesday, 3 or 8 on Wednesday, 4 or 9 on Thursday and 5 or 0 on Friday. The ban does not apply on weekends. The ban will be applicable within the Fifth Ring Road inclusive, from 6 am to 9 pm for private cars and round the clock for government and corporate vehicles.
The restrictions will be implemented as a trial for six months, but does not apply to emergency, transit or other public service vehicles.
The new traffic restriction will keep about 800,000 cars from the road everyday, according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications. The latest government statistics show that Beijing has about 3.5 million vehicles. In addition, about 1,200 new vehicles take on the road everyday.
During the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Beijing imposed a two-month ban on vehicles on alternate days, which took nearly 2 million cars off the roads.
- about 3 hours
source: (Green Car Congress) - China vows stable growth in face of global turmoil (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
China will maintain flexible and prudent macro-economic policies and seek to expand domestic demand in the face of a grim international economic environment, the country's ruling Communist Party said on Sunday. - about 4 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment) - Local environment disrupted by exotica (The Pasadena Citizen)
The possible piranha recently found in Crenshaw Lake was a thrill to its 5-year-old captor, but not so great for the local habitat. - about 8 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment) - Eye on the Environment: Reuse of debris is a clean alternative (Ventura County Star)
In our previous two columns on construction and demolition debris, we described local government programs promoting recycling and highlighted local opportunities for recycling. In this column, we feature some of the individuals and businesses doing an exemplary job in the past year to meet government mandates, reduce waste and save money by recycling construction and demolition debris. - about 8 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment) - Nuggets cloud Suns in outdoor exhibition (USA Today)
Whether it was the wind, the temperature or just a different environment to play in, the NBA's first outdoor game in more than three decades was an offensive struggle. The Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 77-72 on Saturday night in the exhibition game billed as "NBA Outdoors!" at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. - about 10 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment) - Report: Dozens of wetlands boards incommunicado
A new report says dozens of Connecticut municipal boards are leaving state officials in the dark about their decisions affecting environmentally sensitive land.
- about 10 hours
source: (Environmental News) - Financial crisis clouds EU's climate change plans
AFP - The financial crisis and slumping economic activity are threatening Europe's ambitious plans to slash greenhouse gas emissions, with governments eager to avoid saddling companies with additional burdens.
- about 13 hours
source: (Yahoo! Green: News) - Mexican marijuana cartels sully US forests, parks
AP - National forests and parks long popular with Mexican marijuana-growing cartels have become home to some of the most polluted pockets of wilderness in America because of the toxic chemicals needed to eke lucrative harvests from rocky mountainsides, federal officials said.
- about 14 hours
source: (Yahoo! Green: News) - Mexican pot cartels sully U.S. forests, parks
National forests and parks — long popular with Mexican marijuana-growing cartels — have become home to some of the most polluted pockets of wilderness in America.
- about 15 hours
source: (MSNBC.com: Environment) - Five To Attend National Environment Conference, Thanks To TOTAL (BruDirect.com)
Bandar Seri Begawan - Total E&P Borneo BV (TEPB) yesterday handed over a sponsorship of five seats for a lecturer and four students of University Brunei Darussalam to attend the National Environment Conference. - about 15 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment) - New, improved environment center open for business (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
About 100 people gathered in Bellevue on Saturday to mark the opening of new classrooms and an expanded visitors center at the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center. The new buildings will enable more people to visit each year. - about 15 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment)
October 11, 2008
- Lifestyle - Eco Links to Green Your Weekend
Check out what's going on in green:
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Prince Charles is on the warpath again - this time he's pointing the finger at architects who seek to improve the green credibility of ecologically unsound buildings by adding ineffective innovations, reports the Telegraph. A good anti-greenwashing stance - except his comments also read as a deeply conservative attack on "random and untested building shapes and types", i.e. architectural innovation. I can't imagine many designers will be impressed with that one.
The World Wildlife Fund has released a report that predicts that a global temperature rise of just 2 degrees might be enough to wipe out three quarters of the major Antarctic penguin colonies. The answer? Marine conservation projects - because they work.
We Europeans are not all crazy people - as this advert for Ecover clearly demonstrates. I'm glad that's settled.
Down the list of Practical Environmentalist's 21 Practical Ways to Help the Environment, the word xeriscaping leaps out - and so it should, being a terrific idea, if occasionally a controversial one.
Good food is all about finding quality ingredients. Same with the kitchen it's prepared in. Russ Parsons and Amy Scattergood round up those items it's worth spending a bit extra on, in their Los Angeles Times article on kitchen essentials. (Personally, I find it amazing how many people have ultra-luxurious kitchens and still open bottles of wine with a dangerous, cheap little corkscrew. Here's a classier option).
If you're a little worried about the effect of global warming on the spread of diseases, you're not the only one. Daily Green have a rundown of the top 12 diseases identified by the Wildlife Conservation Society as most likely to spread as the environment heats up. Another challenge to add to humanity's list.
Now we have the equivalent of the tote bag for the world of dry-cleaning - the Clothesnik - and about time too, considering the deluge of plastic associated with the industry. It's the fine work of Jane Wyler at Reuseniks, and it's been garnering heavy media coverage (we first saw it over at Greenopia).
The next President should lead by setting an example, I'm sure we all agree. And for the WhoFarm Project (as Envirovore reports), that means a "White House Organic Farm" proving just what can be done, even in the unlikeliest back yard. Read the full manifesto on the official project site.
And staying with politics, Alternative Consumer has a sober and practical set of suggestions to put to the Republican Party, to improve their perceived political record on the environment. No smirking, please - this is serious stuff.
Hope you're having a great weekend, everyone!
Image: J. Rosario
- about 18 hours
source: (Ecosalon) - Habitat for Humanity Re-Store
Habitat for Humanity Re-Store
- about 18 hours
source: (Environmental News) - Home loan interest rates are a function of the outside economic environment (Express India)
Over a long period, it is impossible to predict what direction interest rates will take. While increasing the EMI would retire the loan earlier, any increase in rates will again take you back to square one - about 18 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment) - Is Cheaper Oil A Good Thing? (Time Magazine)
Falling crude prices look good at the gas pump, but they harbor new threats to the environment and international stability - about 19 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment) - Mexican marijuana cartels sully US forests, parks
AP - National forests and parks long popular with Mexican marijuana-growing cartels have become home to some of the most polluted pockets of wilderness in America because of the toxic chemicals needed to eke lucrative harvests from rocky mountainsides, federal officials said. - about 20 hours
source: (Yahoo! Green: News) - RP scientist named ‘hero of environment’ (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
ILOILO CITY, Philippines—“It’s not for me. It’s for the mangroves.” As always, Jurgenne Primavera thought about her advocacy first before her achievements. - about 20 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment) - Green Marine Summit sets goals for healthier environment (The Palm Beach Post)
Florida's waters are going green ... or is that blue? - about 21 hours
source: (Yahoo! News Search Results for environment)