2009 June | Planetsave

From the monthly archives: June 2009

The Climate Exchange: WTO and UNEP Team Up to Launch Climate Report

By Ruedigar Matthes On June 30, 2009

For the first time, the World Trade Organization (WTO) teamed up with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to release a report outlining the relationship between trade and climate change. The report describes the multitude of ways in which climate change and trade intersect.

Five Things You Can Do To Help The Bees

By Joe Mohr On June 26, 2009

Colony Collapse Disorder is still with us

…though not getting the same press it did the last couple of years. According to a joint survey conducted by the Apiary Inspectors of America and the Agricultural Research Service’s Bee Research Laboratory, 29 percent of honey bee colonies vanished between September 2008 and April 2009. [...]

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Republicans Call For 100 New Nuclear Plants

By Ruedigar Matthes On June 25, 2009

“We all remember this time last year,” said Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., at a hearing on Capitol Hill on Monday. “We were in the midst of an energy crisis, paying $4 for a gallon of gasoline, and Americans were seeing their utility bills skyrocketing.” Since then, he went on to say, the energy problems haven’t disappeared and no changes in policy have been made.

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Let He Who Has an Ear Listen: Real Effects of Climate Change

By Ruedigar Matthes On June 24, 2009

I recently wrote a post concerning a report on climate change issued by the U.S. Government stating that “climate change has immediate and local impacts – it literally affects people in their backyards.” Well, as it turns out, there’s more to the story.

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Dumbo Behind Bars: Elephant-Sized Controversy Arises Over Captive Elephants

By Ruedigar Matthes On June 23, 2009

For years and years parents have taken their children to zoos to see exotic animals, animals that they don’t get to see everyday. They want to see lions and tigers and bears. Oh my! High on the the list of animals to be seen are elephants, nature’s gentle giants. These cute, (hardly) cuddly animals are the largest of the land mammals. But all of that could change. Elephants could be removed from zoos forever if In Defense of Animals (IDA) and a handful of scientists and activists get their way.

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New Report Shows that Climate Change “Literally Affects People in Their Backyards”

By Ruedigar Matthes On June 22, 2009

It’s in the papers and on TV. It spreads across the Internet (including this very post), and it is finding its way into the classroom. Global climate change is nothing new. And it certainly isn’t going away. Not yet, anyway.

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137 New Plant Species Discovered

By Jake Richardson On June 20, 2009

A publication from the Botanical Insitute of India reported that over 100 new plant species were discovered in India. One hundred and thirty seven are new to science, and 30 were discovered in India for the first time. “The Indian flora is mainly concentrated in three major centres of diversity namely Himalayas, the Western [...]

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Cleaner Trucks Coming to Oakland Ports

By Guest Contributor On June 19, 2009

Editor’s Note: This was a multi-party contribution involving Kim Komenich (photos) Kwan Booth (text) NewsDesk.org (editing) Spot.Us (financial support). This is part of a series that we’ll be posting over the next week.

Tuesday night saw the end of two years of negotiations between the Port of Oakland, environmentalists, [...]

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94607: Oakland’s Childhood Asthma Hotspot

By Guest Contributor On June 18, 2009

West Oakland is pinned between the Bay Area’s largest, busiest port and two major commuter freeways, and is [...]

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Report: Genetically Modified (GM) Crops are Harmful to Your Health

By Joe Mohr On June 18, 2009

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) has recently reported a link between genetically modified (GM) foods and adverse health effects. The AAEM is advising precaution because GM foods have not been properly tested for human consumption and because there is significant evidence of probable harm. Therefore they advise:

Physicians to educate their [...]

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Toxic Tour Blog: Inside West Oakland’s ‘Breathmobile’

By Guest Contributor On June 17, 2009

Talking to Dr. Washington Burns the other day I learned some pretty shocking information: 37 percent [...]

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Ship Pollution Escapes Oakland Diesel Debate

By Guest Contributor On June 16, 2009

While much of the debate on reducing emissions from the Port of Oakland has [...]

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West Oakland Neighbors Tackle Toxic Legacy

By Guest Contributor On June 16, 2009

Just about any long-term West Oakland resident can rattle off a list of health issues [...]

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New Frog Species Discovered in Costa Rica

By Jake Richardson On June 8, 2009

University of Costa Rica scientists discovered a new species of frog in a mountainous region of their country. The frog is about 2 cm. in length and lives in the Altamira-Valle de Silencio area at an altitude of around 8,000 feet. The habitat there is rainforest with cool temperatures.

The frog was named Diasporus ventrimaculatus. Females [...]

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Be a Part of the Solution on World Ocean Day

By Joe Mohr On June 8, 2009

Happy World Ocean Day!

This brief post is meant to arm you with the knowledge and know-how to take action to protect our oceans.

According to the WWF,

Over 80% of marine pollution comes from land-based activities
A staggering amount of waste, much of which has only existed for the past [...]

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Global Warming Effects and Causes: A Top 10 List

By Derek Markham On June 7, 2009

One of the biggest issues facing us right now is global warming. Its effects on animals and on agriculture are indeed frightening, and the effects on the human population are even scarier. The facts about global warming are often debated in politics and the media, but, unfortunately, even [...]