Ecoscraps

Macedonians Plant 6 Million Trees in One Day!

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:26:51 +0000

On Wednesday, thousands of Macedonians planted six million trees to reforest their country. Buses took people, including 1000 soldiers, to planting sites. The tree planting project was organized by opera singer Boris Trajanov, “If Macedonia, a country of two million people, can plant six million trees, we can only imagine how many trees can be planted in other, bigger countries.”

Via: Reuters

Image: MacedonianBoy on Flickr under a Creative Commons License

New Study: California Native Fish Species to Be Extinct by End of Century

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:09:07 +0000

Twenty of 31 species of prized native fish species in California are in serious decline, according to a new study by Peter Moyle, UC Davis professor of conservation biology. Unless the state acts quickly, these species face extinction by the end of the century. Professor Moyle explains:

Our fish need cold, clean water to survive, but they’re getting less and less of it. Dams block access. Climate change is now looming to exacerbate the threat, and it increases the urgency. All of these things are pushing our fish toward extinction. If we allow these fish to go extinct, we’ve allowed the deterioration of the streams and rivers.

The bull trout has already gone extinct as a result of Shasta and McCloud Dam. Unfortunately, I don’t think waiting until 2020 to possibly remove the Klamath Dams is quick enough action.

Image: Eric Luse / The Chronicle

Former Mailman in Federal Court Gets Probation for Refusing to Deliver Junk Mail

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:29:20 +0000

Former mailman Steven Padgett received probation in federal court for failing to deliver years worth of junk mail. Although the mailman did not stop delivering junk mail based on the environmental impact of junk mail, which accounts for 30% of all US mail. He did it because he couldn’t keep up with the volume of mail he had to deliver and still maintain a personal relationship with the residents on his route. Even so, environmental groups, such as Forest Ethics, have supported Padgett. The federal court sentenced Padgett to three years probation, a $3,000 fine, and 500 hours of community service.

Via: News & Observer

Image: uzvards on Flickr under a Creative Commons License

Somalia Pirates Seize Saudi Oil Tanker: Gas Prices Remain Unchanged

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:01:00 +0000

The Sirius Star, an oil tanker with the capacity to carry two million barrels and longer than three football fields, was seized by Somali pirates off the coast of East Africa.

This high tech tanker, staffed by only 25 crew members and owned by Saudi Aramco, was headed south toward the Cape of Good Hope on its way to North America when it was hijacked. World oil markets did not take notice of the hijacking; however, according to the LA Times:

Had the hijacking taken place earlier in the year, before the world’s leading economies began reeling and international demand for oil fell, it might have kicked the price of oil up $5 or more, analysts said.

Image and Via: LA Times

SmartLock Blasts Would-Be Bike Thieves

Adam Williams — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:52:27 +0000

This story contains additional media. Click here to view the media.

Mike Lambourn, an industrial designer, has developed a bike theft deterrent — or at least a startling telltale that brands a thief temporarily.

From Lambourn’s site:

SmartLock is a cable lock that has cores of compressed air and liquid running through its body. If cut, the liquids spray out over the perpetrator, his tools, the bike and the scene of the crime. A bike that has been stolen will be covered in coloured dye (the dye renders the bike undesirable and therefore unsellable) as well as transluscent Smartwater - an invisible forensic property marking liquid.

Source: mikelambourn.com and treehugger.com

Oh No! A Case of the Humans! (Animated)

Adam Williams — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:18:38 +0000

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This is one of the most succinct illustrations of the story of Earth’s recent life, as endured with a case of Humans. It even leaves the door open for sequels, as we all wait to see where humans go next — Mars? — and what they do there. Oh, the suspense.

UN Study: Brown Haze of Pollution Threatens World’s Food Supply

Jennifer Lance — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 02:38:09 +0000

According to the the UN, the newest threat to the global environment is pollution affecting our food supply. Atmospheric brown clouds caused by pollution contribute to glacial melting and reduce sunlight that negatively impacts agricultural production. Extreme weather caused by global warming is also of concern for farmers. From Beijing to Cairo, dark clouds have darkened 13 cities from the Persian Gulf to Asia decreasing the amount of sunlight by as much as 25 percent.

Via: Truthout

Image: charlotte.marillet on Flickr under a Creative Commons License

Does This Woman Have the Tiniest Carbon Footprint in Europe?

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:16:17 +0000

Joan Pick hasn’t driven a car since 1973 and has only been in a car twice since then. She hasn’t flown on an airplane since 1971.

She eats only raw food, thus using no energy for cooking, and she runs everywhere. She uses electricity only for a single low-energy light and her kettle, which Pick heats water for tea and the laundry she does by hand. Pick also takes bucket baths. She doesn’t heat her home. Pick lives this way because:

I realised we have got the energy question totally wrong. I decided to imagine that the earth was a business in need of sound management. We are all members of the board, a shareholder, a trustee, a consumer and an employee. We believed that fossil fuels were infinite, but they are finite….They have to almost bribe people to use energy-efficient things. It’s terrible. I adopt a [lifestyle] that is consistent with the sustainable management of the world’s resources. Everyone knows we have to have very severe cutbacks to meet that standard.

Via: The Guardian

Image: Frank Baron

BatSmart - For Superheroes

Susan Kraemer — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:58:52 +0000

A cute adaptation of the fuel efficient little Smartfortwo Greenstumbler found on display at SEMA2008 in Nevada.

20,000 Smartfortwos have sold here in the U.S, without wings.

They already slow the evildoers who would end the planetary habitat of our species, just to scrape up the last few trillions off of our petrodollars.

So they are already super-hero cars just because they get 46 miles to the gallon.

But is this new Batmobile version truly flightworthy? It looks just a tad chunky to me.

Source: Greenstumbler

From Cutlery to Beer Kegs, Radioactive Materials Ends Up in Goods Made from Recycled Metal

Jennifer Lance — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:55:05 +0000

Improper disposal of medical scanners and industrial equipment has led to nuclear waste being included in consumer products made from recycled metal, such as beer kegs, cutlery, purses, sinks, and tools.

Last year, the US customs rejected 64 shipments of radioactive goods from India and China. The French nuclear regulator found elevator buttons from India contained radioactive metal exposing employees to three times the safe dose of radiation.

Via: Bloomberg

Image: versageek on Flickr under a Creative Commons License