Owner: The Conservation Report URL:http://www.conservationreport.com/ Join Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:22:00 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: The Conservation Report presents the latest environmental news and comment from a moderate perspective. From air pollution to zoonotic diseases and everything else in between. Site statistics:Click here
GLOBAL CROP SEED DIVERSITY: The importance of seed vaults and preserving crop diversity 2008-03-13 22:35:00 Seeds are one of the most important natural resources. Seeds gave rise and sustain civilization. The conservation of crop seed diversity is an important topic because many historically important crop varieties are threatened with extinction. Many have gone extinct. If humanity loses this important diversity then we lose crops that may be disease, drought, flood or salt resistant. The existence of seed diversity is necessary for the future of agriculture and this diversity is the perpetual wheel for civilization's existence.I recently listened to a very interesting Diane Rhem Show on the importance of crop seed diversity and the role seed vaults
or banks play in the preservation of crop seed diversity. The most recent seed vault, which became operational, is the Svalbard Global Seed V
SHOUT OUT: fish_epiphany 2008-03-13 11:34:00 Visit my friend Jess at her blog fish_epiphany. Jess heard on NPR that blogging improves your writing skills and like me she believes everything she hears on NPR, which is far superior than believing everything your hear on Fox News. Click the image to visit fish_epiphany.
CAN YOU SEE ME? | ANIMAL CAMOUFLAGE 2008-03-13 08:29:00 Tetragnatha obtusa is a species of spider.This is a file from the Wikimedia CommonsSee more animal camouflage
SOLAR: Solar energy firms leave waste behind in China 2008-03-13 08:12:00 This issue does not speak to solar energy itself but corporate, environmental, governmental and social policies. We cannot receive the full benefits of sustainability that solar provides if inept or clumsy policies negatively influence any part of the materials economy. The materials economy includes the extraction of natural resources, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. The system is linear and outdated. New polices are needed to make it more environmentally friendly and socially responsible. These two ideas are key for a healthy human civilization and assured future.Environmental consequences exist from all human actions but we must minimize the impact and strive for sustainability as much as possible. From Earth2Tech:…Using interviews with local villagers, environ Read more:Solar
, firms
, waste
, behind
, China
, Solar energy
GIANT SQUID: Google Sightseeing captured two giant squids swimming or two boat wakes? 2008-03-12 21:15:00 Has GoogleSightseeingcaptured
two giant
squid swimming near shore of Delray Beach, Florida or do the images just show the wake of two different boats? Click either images at the right for larger pictures.Giant squid are elusive and little is known about their biology and until recently most interactions were via individuals washed ashore or those found in the stomach of sperm whales. Some have been caught with fishing gear and videotape exists of a few encounters. During August, 2007 a small intact juvenile giant squid was found floating on the surface at “Marathon Hump, south of Marathon, Florida.” Several genera and species are associated with the common name “giant squid” and no doubt species unknown to science exist. From Google Sightseeing:And if that isn’t enough gro
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: US use of public transportation highest in 50 years 2008-03-12 18:31:00 Public transportation use in America is at its highest
in 50 years. Ridership increased amongst bus, commuter and light rails in addition to subway services. From Green Car Congress:Americans took 10.3 billion trips on public transportation in 2007, the highest level in 50 years, representing a 2.1% increase over the previous year, according to data released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).Public transportation use is up 32% since 1995, a figure that is more than double the growth rate of the population (15%) and up substantially over the growth rate for the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on US highways (24%) for that same period. ---Photo source for attribution. The author or licensor of this image does not endorse me or my work and their image is protected under
RECOMMENDED WEBSITE: FUH2 | Fcuk You And Your H2 2008-03-12 15:27:00 Simply wonderful and my sentiments exactly! From FUH2 | Fcuk You And Your H2: Welcome to FUH2.com, home of the official Hummer H2 salute. So...why all the fuss? Well, it breaks down like this:The H2 is the ultimate poseur vehicle. It has the chassis of a Chevy Tahoe and a body that looks like the original Hummer; i.e. it's a Chevy Tahoe in disguise.The H2 is a gas guzzler. Because it has a gross vehicle weight rating over 8500 lbs, the US government does not require it to meet federal fuel efficiency regulations. Hummer isn't even required to publish its fuel economy (owners indicate that they get around 10 mpg for normal use). So while our brothers and sisters are off in the Middle East risking their lives to secure America's fossil fuel future, H2 drivers are pissing away our "spoils o
OFF TOPIC: Charmayne Brown, black reporter, attacked on camera by white family yelling racial slurs in South Carolina 2008-03-12 11:27:00 This posting is off topic for my blog but sometimes I come across extraordinary non-environmental stories that are worth blogging about. What is most disturbing, frustrating and true to the meaning of the word ignorant is that most people do not know they live in ignorance. They are prisoners of social constructs. When people discriminate or behave racist they are mimicking what was taught to them, which represents the struggle to repress minorities like blacks or homosexuals. It is a complex scam and a disease. People really do reap what they sow and these people that attacked this woman ooze with ignorance and probably live a marginal existence. From The Huffington Post:Three people upset that a news crew was reporting on the arrest of a relative attacked the television reporter and yell Read more:Brown
, South
, Carolina
, South Carolina
CAN YOU SEE ME? | ANIMAL CAMOUFLAGE 2008-03-11 17:17:00 Litoria nannotis also known as the waterfall frog or torrent tree frog.This is a file from the Wikimedia CommonsSee more animal camouflage
WTF?: Falcons and eroticism 2008-03-11 13:39:00 Falcons, eroticism and sexuality - I must be too vanilla to understand but the movement apparently exists as either a pure fetish, humor or somewhere in between. The images are obviously photoshopped since a raptor's talons are designed to easily dig into flesh so I would not take this site seriously with a straight face but as tongue-in-cheek. The sites founder notes:Eroticfalconry.com is hopefully just the tip of the iceberg. Our goal is to show others what turns us on so that they can see the natural sexual ferocity of our feathered friends.Image Found Here Read more:Falcons
CLIMATE CHANGE: Fox News on global warming 2008-03-11 12:46:00 Fox News on global warming:Fox news often uses Senator Inhofe for climate change discussion because he believes climate change is a "hoax." Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) is no more qualified to manage the environment than Exxon. The senator has an image of an oil drilling rig on his Senate homepage. AS IF!More false claims and spin heard on Fox News:“The warming is due to the sun”“CO2 is not a pollutant”“Alarmist scientists”“Alarmists' messages about global warming are counterproductive”“A stupid glacier melting”“Dems who want to fight global warming at the expense of fighting terrorism”“Fair and balanced”
GREEN: The green butcher 2008-03-11 09:28:00 Who says red meat can’t be green?. Butcher Adrian Banks of Sheffield, England is kicking the plastic bag habit. The butcher is also purchasing all his beef from local sources instead of Scotland to further reduct his carbon footprint. Recently, claims have been made that the numbers of animals, which interact and die from plastic bags are overestimated. However, plastic bags are a petroleum-based product that are difficult to recycle. Animals like the leatherback sea turtles do die from impaction by mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish. Plastic bags are often torn into smaller pieces and these smaller pieces can be consumed by even more aquatic creatures, which mistake the anthropogenic material for food. Furthermore, now that the snow is melting here in Grand Rapids the streets an
WATER CONSERVATION efforts in Michigan 2008-03-10 11:26:00 I recently wrote a letter to the Grand Rapids Press about current water conservation efforts in Michigan
. I believe the time is now for commonsensical water management plans and states should be taking the need and assessing their own unique needs. If you cannot read the attached copy then click on it to read at the Grand Rapids Press.
CARCINOGENIC POLLUTION makes you wonder 2008-03-10 11:05:00 We have advanced in environmental cleanup and management by banning or regulating chemicals that adversely influence the environment thus human health. However, corporations often replace banned chemicals with new chemicals. Today with technological advances there seems to be even more chemicals available. These corporations are often negligent in their use of certain chemicals. There is formula to proving the negligence and there is a big push for tort reform.Although I feel happy and healthy, sometimes I wonder
how and what chemicals are influencing me negatively or if cancer is slowly eating away at my body. I am not a hypochondriac or paranoid but there seems to be more and more people getting cancer so naturally I worry about my own health and that of my loved ones.Nonetheless, und Read more:makes
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT: Plotting the extinction of a much needed federal law 2008-03-08 09:38:00 It is not a generalization or spin that some conservatives and republicans want to quash the Endangered Species Act or limit its use to flagship species like Bald Eagles or Blue Whales. The problem is that people arguing either of these points do not understand basic principles of ecology or how the environment works. Species depend on each other for survival in the web of life. A seemingly insignificant species like an insect may be absolute necessary for the survival of a flagship species or plant that can cure current maladies or those not yet named. All species matter. From Mother Earth News, KS: "What they did," says Snape, "was attach a completely unrelated rider onto a $5 billion defense spending bill. This technique is one that they have become quite masterful at. They stick all th Read more:extinction
ECO-DESIGN: Remaking the lawnmower into a machine that is eco-friendly 2008-03-08 08:42:00 Here is a neat eco-gadget from Husqvarna that integrates the iRobot concept with solar capabilities to produce a almost silent, self-charging lawnmower that maintains your lawn while you spend your weekends doing other things. It is made from mostly recyclable materials and can be programmed to avoid precious flowerbeds.From Gizmag:The Automower can also self-navigate to its charging/base station using the boundary cable as a guide and the use of small blades combined with the irregular cutting pattern provides a fine mulch that acts as a lawn fertilizer and eliminates the need for raking. The Automower is also weather proof and features an in-built theft protection system that requires a personal 4-digit code to be entered before the unit will operate.
CAPE WIND: The future is Cape Wind 2008-03-07 16:41:00 An informative article on Cape Wind by Wendy Williams the author of Cape Wind - Money, Celebrity, Class, Politics, and the Battle for Our Energy Future on Nantucket Sound where she discusses how the lack of competitors in the New England electricity market drives current high prices, how demand and prices for nonrenewables would go down if wind power is used to supplement the electricity grid, how coal is seen as a liability and how litigation has increased the cost of Cape Wind. Another factor that has increased the cost of Cape Wind is the contemporary demand and price for raw materials. Specifically, as long as countries such as China and India continue to develop, the cost of raw materials will continue to increase. Stalling the development of wind power on reasonable sites hurts mid
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The first wolverine in 30 years for California and the first wild Eastern gray wolf in 160 years for Massachusetts 2008-03-06 11:41:00 The first wolverine in 30 years has been confirmed by photographic evidence in California
and the first wild Eastern
gray wolf in 160 years was confirmed in Massachusetts
by DNA analysis. Is the evidence that carnivores are returning or is it too early to make predictions?The wolverine was proposed for the endangered species list but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service argued that there was no data to warrant the listing. The agency stated that the species naturally occur in low densities and are too hard to observe. Camera traps can be used as a methodology to determine species abundance. However, the animals are so elusive that previous camera trapping in the area did not reveal any wolverines. Perhaps employing camera traps as a methodology to determine wolverine abundance should be inte
SUSTAINABILITY: America the unsustainable 2008-03-05 21:46:00 American consumption and our everyday living have become chronically unsustainable. We cannot deny entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Regular Conservation Report readers know I preach the Second Law of Thermodynamics ad nauseum. However, the Law is relevant to conservation, our energy needs and the stability of America.The Law is starting to eat visibly into the suburbs. The suburbs are perhaps America’s biggest mistake because suburbs are essentially useless. Good lands that could have been used for agricultural purposes, growing lumber or even forest carbon sequestration are paved over with concrete. Wetlands that provide ecosystem services such as filtration, which promotes clean drinking water, are drained. Nature is fragmented and entropy further increases. Wildlif Read more:America
MARINE MAMMAL conservation threatened by budget cuts 2008-03-05 18:04:00 A rescue team from the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies attempting to detangle a North Atlantic right whale. Photograph taken under NOAA-Fisheries permit 932-1489 with authority from the U.S. Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts. Photographer: Katie Jackson, Florida Wildlife Research Institute.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) may reduce funds that the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies allocates for its prestigious and much needed whale rescue program. The North Atlantic right whale or Eubalaena glacialis is a critically endangered baleen whale that benefits directly from the program. The western stock of Eubalaena glacialis numbers only 300 or so individuals and has never fully recovered from whaling and modern threats still prevent Read more:threatened
, budget
ANIMAL WELFARE: Retirement homes for chimpanzees 2008-03-04 17:56:00 As ridiculous as it may sound, retirement homes for chimpanzees are very appropriate because these animals have sacrificed much for American society by working in both the entertainment and medical industries. In a time when universal health and veteran care are nonexistent or underfunded for Americans the idea of federally funded chimpanzee retirement home seems even more ridiculous.In the entertainment industry, chimpanzees can work for just four or five years before growing stronger than humans and they can be aggressive too. Therefore, chimpanzees after four or five years within the entertainment industry can spend the rest of their lives not working. Currently, the longest living chimpanzee is 75 years old.President Clinton signed the Chimpanzee Health Improvement, Maintenance, and
AQUACULTURE: Australian aquaculture company claims a world first in artificially breeding critically endangered southern bluefin tuna 2008-03-04 12:14:00 IMAGE by Kelly BarnesDue to overfishing, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists the Southern Bluefin Tuna or Thunnus maccoyii as critically endangered
. However, a recent aquaculture breakthrough may help take pressure off wild populations but governments still need to intact smart management and regulatory policies as part of their conservation portfolios.Tuna belong to a family of very active fish known as Scombridae, which includes other highly marketable species like bonitos, mackerel and wahoo. Scombrids fight hard when hooked or netted. As a result, scombrids have a longer recovery time than other fish. Upon release scombrids can die quickly from shock or fall prey to sharks while recovering. Scombrids especially Bluefin tuna are an important food fish and bluefin tuna are hig Read more:Australian
, company
, claims
RE: SOLAR energy firms leave waste behind in China 2008-03-16 09:22:00 China is still developing and modernizing therefore its manufacturing quality, standards and environmental policies struggle to keep pace with its manufacturing growth. The overreaching element of the solar industry is sustainability and environmentally friendliness therefore the industry will act in good faith in response to the claims. This comment was left on the Report in regards to my blog post: "SOLAR energy firms
leave wastebehind
in China": The 550 member companies of SEIA were outraged and disappointed by the reports of toxic chemical dumping by a factory in China ... this practice violates both our association's professional code of conduct and the very spirit of what we're trying to do as an industry. We are out to solve environmental problems, not create them... Solar ener Read more:China
NEW SPECIES of bird described from Indonesia 2008-03-14 11:29:00 IMAGE: Zosterops somadikartai or the Togian white-eye by Agus Prijono.A new species of bird is described from the Togian Islands off the coast of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
. The new species is called the Togian white-eye, or Zosterops somadikartai. The bird is believed to be endangered since it seems infrequent and has only been recorded from a handful of the islands that belong with the Togian Islands. The Togian islands are a group of islands associated with rainforest and coral reefs located in the Gulf of Tomini. From Reuters UK:Dr. Pamela Rasmussen, a taxonomist at Michigan State University, completed the identification, reported in the March edition of The Wilson Journal of Ornithology.The researchers had to get one of the birds for examination and formal classification.Togian w
MARINE MAMMALS: Eubalaena japonica recognized as a seperate species by NOAA 2008-03-17 21:08:00 Due to pressure from the Center for Biological Diversity, NOAA or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently recognized Eubalaena japonica as a separate species
of Right Whale. E. japonica or the North Pacific right whale was formally considered the North Pacific stock of the species E. glacialis or the North Atlantic right whale. According to The World Conservation Union or IUCN, “recent genetic [analysis] support the concept of three separate species, one in the North Atlantic, one in the North Pacific, and one in the Southern Hemisphere…”NOAA will now have to develop a species recovery plan for E. japonica. In addition, the move will influence decisions to drill for oil in areas deemed as critical habitat.E. japonica is one of the most endangered species of ma Read more:seperate
RE: NEW SPECIES of bird described from Indonesia 2008-03-17 04:20:00 A reader commented that "at glance [the Togian white-eye] looks like Black-fronted White-eye....What is deferent [sic] between Zosterops atrifrons (Black-fronted White-eye) and Zosterops somadikartai (Togian white-eye)?"Apparently, the big difference is that the Togian white-eye lacks the eye ring found in the Black-fronted White-eye otherwise it is very similar. Therefore, its vernacular name is misleading. Michigan State University's Pamela Rasmussen makes this note on Science Codex:Its eye isn’t ringed in a band of white feathers like its cousins who flock in other remote tropical islands of Indonesia
. Still, it has many features in common with the black-crowned white-eye Zosterops atrifrons of Sulawesi, which is clearly its closest relative, said MSU’s Pamela Rasmussen, an intern
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