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Archive for May, 2015
Here’s why Obama is approving Arctic drilling again
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 13th, 2015
Reuters: For a leader who has made fighting climate change a priority, President Barack Obama's decision to approve Royal Dutch Shell's return to oil and gas exploration off Alaska was seen by many environmentalists as a contradiction.
On Tuesday, his administration upheld a 2008 Arctic lease sale, clearing an important hurdle for Shell. The Interior Department will now consider the company's drilling plan, which could take 30 days. But Shell, which has already spent about $6 billion exploring the Arctic,...
UN calls to tackle $19bn e-waste ‘tsunami’
Posted by Blue and Green: None Given on May 13th, 2015
Blue and Green: The UN has expressed grave concerns over the ‘tsunami’ of dumped computers and smartphones that is expected to reach 50m tonnes by 2017.
PCs, smartphones and tablets are being illegally dumped in developing countries, with the ‘mountain’ of waste growing year by year. Sites where old devices are being dumped release toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil, posing significant health threats to an estimated 200m people globally.
A report launched in Geneva on Tuesday said that up to 90%...
Shell’s Record Adds to the Anger of Those Opposing Arctic Drilling
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 13th, 2015
New York Times: When the Obama administration announced on Monday that it would let Shell drill for oil off the Alaskan coast this year if it met certain conditions, environmentalists were outraged — not just by the administration’s decision to allow drilling, but by its decision to give Shell, in particular, the green light.
They said that the company’s track record in the Arctic should rule out another chance for it. Shell tried to drill in the Arctic in 2012, and the company’s multibillion-dollar drilling...
Posted in Water Conservation 
Comments Off on Shell’s Record Adds to the Anger of Those Opposing Arctic DrillingCalifornia Resident Poll Expresses Wide Concern Over Drought
Posted by Environmental News Network: Chris Sosa on May 12th, 2015
Environmental News Network: A recent Care2 poll has found that slightly over 90 percent of respondents express major concern over the current drought engulfing the state, despite the fact that only 60 percent of respondents consider themselves strong environmentalists. Fewer than 1 percent expressed no concern about the drought. Nearly 75 percent of respondents cited fears about the fate of wildlife. Concern for humans came in second at 71 percent and agriculture at 61 percent. Gov. Jerry Brown failed to include agriculture...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on California Resident Poll Expresses Wide Concern Over DroughtFocus on the regional impact of climate change
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 12th, 2015
ScienceDaily: The recently published Second Assessment of Climate Change for the Baltic Sea Basin makes an important contribution to understanding variations in the climate. The report also captures the most important changes to the regional climate in the Kattegat and Baltic Sea areas, home to 90 million people. No fewer than 141 scientists from 12 countries have contributed studies covering various aspects of climate research. Among other things, the report shows that the region is growing warmer and that this...
Unique Stretch Marks Show Acceleration of Greenland Ice Sheet Toward Sea
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 12th, 2015
Yale Environment 360: The Greenland ice sheet is accelerating as it flows toward the ocean, and the unique markings visible in this photograph are one piece of evidence demonstrating its rapid movement. Captured as part of NASA's Operation IceBridge, which is wrapping up its seventh season of Arctic observations, this image details heavy crevassing near the coast of Melville Bay in northwestern Greenland. These fissures are essentially stretch marks on the ice, NASA researchers say. Ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Unique Stretch Marks Show Acceleration of Greenland Ice Sheet Toward SeaWHO findings on weed killer will not speed up EU safety review
Posted by Reuters: Barbara Lewis on May 12th, 2015
Reuters: EU regulators will not accelerate a decision on whether to restrict use of the world's most widely used weed killer, even though it has been linked to cancer by the World Health Organization (WHO), officials said on Tuesday.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the WHO, said in March that glyphosate was "probably carcinogenic to humans".
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup, made by Monsanto, the world's biggest seed company.
In response to the IARC findings,...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on WHO findings on weed killer will not speed up EU safety reviewMega-Dam Projects Will Force Tens Thousands of People From Their Land
Posted by EcoWatch: None Given on May 12th, 2015
EcoWatch: On a 20-minute walk through the rainforest of Borneo, you will encounter more tree species than exist on the entire North American continent. The distinctive biodiversity of the area attracts tourists and researchers from all over the world, in spite of the intense destruction of the rainforest from logging and palm oil plantations in the past few decades. Now, there’s a new threat to the people and the wildlife of Borneo: mega-dams. In the Malaysian state of Sarawak in the north of the island, mega-hydro...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Mega-Dam Projects Will Force Tens Thousands of People From Their LandBrazilian beef industry moves reduce its destruction rain forests
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 12th, 2015
ScienceDaily: Expansion of cattle pastures has led to the destruction of huge swaths of rain forest in Brazil, home to the world's largest herd of commercial beef cattle. But a new study led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Holly Gibbs shows that market-driven "zero deforestation agreements" have dramatically influenced the behavior of ranchers and the slaughterhouses to which they sell.
Publishing in the journal Conservation Letters, the research team -- including other UW-Madison scientists, the National...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Brazilian beef industry moves reduce its destruction rain forestsNew study assesses risks of extreme weather to North Texas roads, runways
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 12th, 2015
ScienceDaily: A new study by researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington finds a high likelihood that extreme storms and higher precipitation will lead to transportation disruption and widespread damage to roads, railways and airport runways in the Dallas-Fort Worth region by the end of the 21st century.
The assessment found the risks to transportation infrastructure from storms are more likely to happen during the spring season. Researchers found a higher likelihood of heat-related risks for infrastructure,...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on New study assesses risks of extreme weather to North Texas roads, runways