Originally published by NexusMedia. by Marlene Cimons It was predictable that one day Adisa Azapagic, who studies the carbon footprint of various foods, would get around to chocolate. Little was known about the environmental impact of producing that guilt-and swoon-inducing pleasure, and for many, ignorance was bliss. “My husband wasn’t amused when I suggested he consider […]
Death By Chocolate Read More 👉
For the past decade, researchers have been experimenting with switching individual genes on and off to determine what effect they have on growing trees. But they say they can now model the effects of switching all 21 lignin genes on or off in the lab, which will greatly reduce the amount of time needed to “design” trees that are suitable for particular purposes.
Smart Wood: Bio-Engineering Trees For Specific Purposes Read More 👉
Pope Francis recently gave a passionate call for the Amazon to be protected from big business and “consumerist greed” — while in Peru, on a tour of Latin America.
Pope Francis Calls For Amazon To Be Protected From Big Business & “Consumerist Greed” Read More 👉
It is estimated that since the advent of the agricultural revolution Earth lost approximately half of its trees, and according to a recent survey as reported by Nature (the magazine), earth currently has only about three trillion trees. Image by UNclimatechange (some rights reserved) There are several organizations that are hard at work to plant back
Mapping The Global Efforts To Restore The World’s Forests! Read More 👉
While everyone is talking about electric cars and autonomy as a huge disruptor to the global economy, there is another elephant in the room that not many people seem to notice — lab-grown meat! A few days ago news broke that China bought $300 million worth of lab-grown meat from three Israeli-based companies — SuperMeat,
Talk About Disruption — Lab-Grown Meat Has Arrived! Read More 👉
While the murder of anti-deforestation activists and environmentalists is nothing new in most parts of the world nowadays, the recent news that a plane carrying members of Brazil’s special environmental protection forces recently crashed due to “unexplained” causes does still stand out. Image by CIFOR (some rights reserved) If nothing else — I’d there was foul-play involved,
A dead zone larger than New Jersey is expected to appear in the Gulf of Mexico later this year. Similar dead zones are found in the Great Lakes and the Chesapeake Bay. A report by Mighty, a global environmental group headed by Henry Waxman, a former US Congressman, claims the dead zones are the result
Massive Dead Zone In Gulf Of Mexico Blamed On Meat Industry Read More 👉
If tree-climbing goats themselves don’t seem very interesting, consider that their actions are directly related to one of the world’s currently most popular bodycare ingredients, argan oil, and that these tree-climbing caprine creatures help replant argan forests by spitting out the seeds with their cud.
Tree-Climbing Goats Plant New Argan Trees By Spitting Their Seeds Read More 👉
Petitions delivered to Japanese Embassies in Germany and Switzerland today decry the use of tropical wood as part of Tokyo Olympics construction.
An upcoming film will show the wonder and increasing deforestation of the Romanian virgin forests. A Kickstarter campaign will make it possible.
Virgin Forests and their Unique Biodiversity: A Film in the Making Read More 👉
A new study finds permafrost melting is happening sooner and faster than expected, putting the earth in danger of significantly higher temperatures if the Paris climate accords are not adhered to.
Permafrost Melting Could Add Huge Amounts Of Green House Gases To Atmosphere Read More 👉
We were recently treated to a preview screening of the film “Kombit” which unpacks the work being done by way of a partnership between the non-profit “Smallholder Farmers Alliance” and the Timberland company in Haiti. Haiti has a major issue with deforestation with over 98% of the nation stripped of trees as a direct result of
‘Kombit’ Documents the Struggle to Reforest Haiti (Film Review) Read More 👉
The noted anti-deforestation and environmental rights activist Isidro Baldenegro was murdered in the northern state of Chihuahua in Mexico on Sunday. Baldenegro was killed by gunmen who subsequently fled the scene, one of which has reportedly been identified but not yet detained. The murder follows not too long after the March 2016 murder of the
Noted Anti-Deforestation Activist Isidro Baldenegro Murdered In Chihuahua (Mexico) Read More 👉
Despite some common presumptions on the matter, it seems that most deforestation occurring in the Congo Basin is the result of only a small share of locals, and those that are taking part aren’t doing so for self-sufficiency but rather to “increase their quality of life,” according to a new study from the University of
Deforestation events and mass tree deaths — whether through drought, heat, and insect infestations — can have significant effects on global climate patterns, according to new research from the University of Washington. To put that another way, while deforestation and mass-deaths of trees can cause the complete upheaval of the local environment, effects also include
800,000 volunteers planted 50 million trees in 24 hours in India during an attempt to break the world record for most trees planted in day, which was 847,275 set by Pakistan in 2013. Guinness World Record auditors haven’t completed their assessment of the Uttar Pradesh July 2016 project, which resulted in about 50 million trees being planted, but the
50 Million Trees Planted By 800,000 Volunteers In 24 Hrs Read More 👉
Originally published on the ECOreport. It has been a year since the Wilderness Committee drew our attention to the planned logging of old-growth trees in Vancouver Island’s central Walbran Valley. So far, the controversial heli-block 4424 has remained untouched. Since last November, Teal Jones has been logging 6 or 7 cutblocks in the more easily accessible areas south
Clearcutting British Columbia’s Thousand-Year-Old Trees Read More 👉
In Cambodia, murder is a fitting description for the illegal logging and deforestation which has taken place in the Prey Lang forest, one of this country’s most significant unprotected landscapes. Not just murder of a forest and it remarkably rich biodiversity it provides, but murder of those trying to protect it. As reported by the
Documentary On Deforestation In Cambodia: “I Am Chut Wutty” Read More 👉
Welcome to Part II of our interview series with John Perlin, author of “A Forest Journey: the Story of Wood and Civilization,” an important book that has now come out in its third edition. Our topic? Our forests and our civilization. Perlin details the place of forests and wood in our civilization’s evolution. In case you haven’t read
Some of you may know John Perlin, author of “Let It Shine: The 6,000-Year History of Solar Energy.” A physics professor at University of California Santa Barbara, Mr. Perlin’s expertise in renewable solar energy and photovoltaics was fundamental in writing CleanTechnica’s miniseries on the evolution of photovoltaics. Perlin has written about more than solar. His book,
Our Forests & Our Civilization: Interview Series With John Perlin – Part I Read More 👉
Not only posing significant risks for Earth’s natural systems, the effects of global warming on humans and human systems have only recently begun receiving the expanded attention they critically require. From hazardous effects causing potential loss of life, injury, or other negative health impacts, to the potential exposure of social, economic, and infrastructure assets to
Effects of Global Warming on Humans – From 2015 IPCC SYR Data Read More 👉
Releasing this exclusive freely in the public interest, best-selling author Dr. Nafeez Ahmed is offering a unique view of the critically significant impact that climate change is having on our lives, our livelihoods, and even our likelihood of survival on this planet. Dr Nafeez Ahmed is an international security scholar and investigative journalist, currently serving as a
Climate Change-Induced Collapse of Civilization by 2040 Reports UK Foreign Office Read More 👉
Declaring that the sixth mass extinction has arrived, Stanford biologist Paul Ehrlich confirms that species are disappearing off the face of Earth faster now than at any time since the mass extinction of dinosaurs. Calling for “fast action to conserve threatened species, populations and habitat before the window of opportunity closes,” Ehrlich and his team
Sixth Mass Extinction Has Arrived, Confirms Stanford Read More 👉
Originally published on EdenKeeper.org Taking action to conserve nearly half of Suriname, native tribes have joined in the efforts to protect the Amazon Biome. Declaring an indigenous conservation corridor spanning 72,000 square kilometers (27,799 square miles) of southern Suriname, the Trio and Wayana Communities of Suriname presented a declaration of cooperation to the National Assembly
Suriname Tribes Adopt Amazon Rainforest Conservation Read More 👉
Droughts, lengthy hot spells, heavy downpours, floods, and other extreme weather events are occurring more frequently and intensely every year. Around the world, research teams are analyzing these trends, noting the changes in temperature, rainfall, ice mass, sea level, and many other variables recorded by weather measuring devices. The trends are undeniable: the Earth is
What Causes Global Warming? Read More 👉
(Originally published on InspiredEconomist.com) With funding from Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation, the Arbor Day Foundation is once again planting 1 million trees throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe this year. This is the tenth year in a row for Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) reforestation initiative, marking the tenth anniversary of its 50 Million
Enterprise 50M Tree Pledge Marks 10 Years & 10M Trees Read More 👉
When environmentalists, farmers, and loggers speak about forests, the discussion usually revolves around the issue of deforestation, which is one of the largest contributors to climate change. As James Ayre pointed out in a recent PlanetSave article, forest cover estimates are currently a subject of hot debate because a new satellite imaging study contradicts the
World Forest Problems Include Deadly Fragmentation Read More 👉
Many people find global warming an overwhelming issue, and have no idea how to contribute to a solution. But now, combating climate change can be as easy as a credit card purchase. Every time a Sustain:Green biodegradable card is used, a tangible contribution to the fight against global warming is made through carbon offsets, and
Get Carbon Offsets for Using New Biodegradable Credit Card Read More 👉
As with any global scale problem, illegal logging is a hard issue to tackle. As with the wider issue of climate change, the everyday person, when discussing illegal logging, may be tempted to throw up their hands and exclaim “what can I do about it?”
Illegal Logging: What Businesses & Individuals Can Do Read More 👉
Tropical deforestation rates have actually soared over recent years, rather than decreased as was previously estimated in a prominant report from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization’s Forest Resource Assessment, according to new research. The reason for this disparity is a simple one, the UN estimate was based on what people said they did, the
Some good news for the world’s forests: assurance that along the entire supply chain, products from Tetra Pak, the world’s leading food processing and packaging company, support forest management with environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable practices. The company produces tetrahedron-shaped paper cartons coated with plastic. Last October, the Swedish corporation launched what’s believed to be the
Packagers Certified for Forest Diligence, But How About Waste? Read More 👉
We took up some basics about mangrove forests in a previous article, including how widespread and productive these ecosystems can be. Now people have begun to realize the importance of mangrove forests to the health of the planet. Not just for the obvious reasons, but for the single fact that mangroves are benevolent guardians of
Where Would We Be Without Mangroves? (VIDEO) Read More 👉
One of the most endangered primates, and the most endangered chimpanzee subspecies in the world — the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) — is likely to see its numbers plummet over the coming years, according to new research published in BMC Evolutionary Biology. As it stands currently, there are around ~6,000 individuals of this subspecies
The ongoing ‘gold rush’ occurring in the tropical forests of South America has led to extensive deforestation over the last few years, new research from the University of Puerto Rico has found. Gold-mining in the region has been increasing rapidly in recent years — with a huge spike in such activity being seen since the
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be eaten by a leopard? Wondered if it might just be a lot like getting attacked by a giant domestic cat? Well, if you have (and I’m not saying necessarily that you have…) then the video below would seem to confirm your suspicions — being
Leopard Destroys Camera Trap In Bili Forest (Video) Read More 👉
I recently came across an interesting folk story about man-eating snakes, or “dragons”, in a remote village in Borneo, recounted in an interesting article that I was sent. The story is such an interesting one that I’ve decided to post it below in its entirety — with some comments on it following. Here it is.
Man-Eating Snakes of Borneo? Interesting Folk Story Raises Questions Read More 👉
Today’s World Animal Day, celebrated across the globe since a 1931 convention of ecologists in Florence, Italy, conceived of it as a way to highlight the plight of endangered species. They chose October 4 because it’s the Catholic Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Since then, people have used the
Happy World Animal Day? WWF Extinction Report Read More 👉
According to the filmmakers behind this recent release, this is the film that environmental organizations don’t want you to see, in part because it reveals the truth behind the world’s most destructive industry. That industry is not what you would expect, and in a world of limited resources, it’s surprisingly not nearly as popular of
The Film That Environmental Organizations Don’t Want You To See Read More 👉
Just in case you’re new to the planet, it’s worth mentioning that one of the wildest and most untamed parts of the Earth is the Amazon rainforest, where an incredibly diverse biome is helping to keep the planet healthy. But just because some of us acknowledge the importance of the rainforests doesn’t mean that everyone
Uncharted Amazon: Help Preserve Part of the Rainforest On Film Read More 👉
Who’s the savage in this forest? The indigene, or the “forest industry”? Thanks for posting this great photoon from The Pieces Fit on your Facebook page, Moms Clean Air Force!
Who's The Savage? (photoon) Read More 👉
I just ran across this one on Facebook and thought it deserved a share: “At one time in the world, there were woods that no one owned,” was apparently written by Cormac McCarthy in Child of God.
Woods That No One Owns? Read More 👉
The Amazon rainforest is taking a much worse beating from human-activity than was previously estimated, according to new research from an international group headed by Lancaster University. With said gross underestimation of human impact, the researchers also found that carbon loss is being grossly underestimated well. The underestimation is due to previous models not fully
There are the good wildfires, and there are the bad. Unfortunately, the latter often overwhelm the beneficial ones. We’ll go on with stories from San Diego in a minute—it’s a long story of an actually short time—but here’s a word about the bright side first. Whoopi Goldberg had a thought that’s worth repeating: When you
Wicked Fires of Climate Change Inflame The West (photo-essay) Read More 👉
(All figures are from the 2014 National Climate Assessment draft.) Later today (Tuesday, May 6), at 8 a.m. EDT, the National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee of experts meets by conference call to approve the final version of the Third National Climate Assessment. The gist of their message, as Suzanne Goldenberg of The Guardian
National Climate Assessment Pulls No Punches About US Options Read More 👉
By Dayna Reggero The upcoming SHOWTIME® docu-series, Years of Living Dangerously, premiering on April 13, provides an opportunity to meet the people and see the places affected by climate change. Sharing these stories is a host of major film, television and news figures, including Jessica Alba, Mark Bittman, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, and many more.
Coal–Climate Connection To Hit TV Screens Nationwide Read More 👉
A firefighter pauses at the $2013 Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park, August-September 2013 (Calfire photo on facebook). President Obama released the federal budget for 2015 last week. Overall, it involves the lowest deficit ($514 billion) of his five-year tenure in office and restores some funding cut in last year’s sequester. Parts of the new
Funding More Fire Suppression Won't Do The Trick Read More 👉
If you want to get a sense of just how rapidly the world is being deforested, and words aren’t enough for you, well, now there’s a new online tool that can help you with that. The Global Forest Watch — backed by Google and more than 40 other business and conservation groups — is a
The threatened Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (source: environment.nsw.gov.au). Sadly, we hear too much about the logging, clearing, and obliteration of earth’s rainforests, and about the global repercussions, including climate change. Here’s a story about rainforest rejuvenation, albeit on a small scale. From Germaine Greer, the Australian author of White Beech: The Rainforest Years: “This is
Abused Subtropical Rainforest Thrives Again Read More 👉