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 👉
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 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 👉
Petitions delivered to Japanese Embassies in Germany and Switzerland today decry the use of tropical wood as part of Tokyo Olympics construction.
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
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 👉
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 👉
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
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
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 👉
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
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
http://youtu.be/J_QAdup7G0o Legendary rocker Neil Young, born in Toronto, recently went on a tour in Canada aiming to support the rights of First Nations when it comes to tar sands development. Needless to say, First Nations citizens are being almost completely ignored and greatly harmed by reckless development of the tar sands. Young asserted that Canadian
Neil Young Tour Took On Tar Sands — 10 Reasons The Tour Rocked (Other Than The Music) Read More 👉
Drug trafficking is becoming a significant contributor to deforestation in Central America , according to a new multi-university study just published in the journal Science. To put it another way, drug use in the US is driving rapid deforestation throughout the rain-forests of the region — something to keep in mind for those that profess
Here’s a video with some beautiful music and some chilling pics of our changing climate: Apparently, the song is by Emily Maguire.
Woke Up (Music Video) Read More 👉
Each year millions of premature deaths world-wide result from various forms of air pollution. According to a new atmospheric pollution model designed by earth scientist Jason West of the University of North Carolina (data from which informs the NASA map shown above), some 2.1 million deaths per year result from just one particular form of
New NASA Map Shows Where You Are Most Likely To Die From Air Pollution Read More 👉
“Monster” fire consumes almost 10% of Yosemite National Park, August-September 2013 (Photo: U.S. Forest Service) Annual costs of fighting wildfires have grown exponentially over the past decade. They now surpass the value of resources reclaimed. The Rim Fire burning in and near Yosemite National Park has already cost over $65 million, and it is less
Declining And Misused Federal Fire Dollars: The Rim Fire Read More 👉
A new species of dwarf lemur — the Lavasoa Dwarf Lemur — was recently discovered in the south of Madagascar by researchers from the Institute of Anthropology at Mainz University. “Together with Malagasy scientists, we have been studying the diversity of lemurs for several years now,” stated Dr. Andreas Hapke of the Institute of Anthropology
Lavasoa Dwarf Lemur — New Primate Discovered In Madagascar Read More 👉
Editor’s Note: Livestock production is actually estimated to account for about 51% of global greenhouse gas emissions from humans. A staggering amount. So, the theory promoted by Allan Savory that grazing livestock is a potential solution to global warming is a bit absurd. A wonderful post on the blog comfortablyunaware goes into this topic in much more detail,
Livestock Production Is Not A Solution To Global Warming Read More 👉
Some images of caracal kittens — the small wild cat kittens seen below — have recently been going viral on the internet, as a result I figured that it’d be a good idea to provide some background on the relatively unknown species of wild cat. As well as, of course, posting pictures of the adorable
Caracal Kittens — Facts, Pictures, And Video Read More 👉
A pair of giant pandas were just born at the the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan. The twins are the first pandas born this year, as far as is currently known. The highly endangered species currently numbers only about 1600 individuals in the wild, with a further 300 or
Giant Panda Twins Born In China — Highly Endangered Species Still Near The Brink Read More 👉
Human population growth over the next 40 or so years will cause the extinction of a great number of mammal and bird species, according to new research from Ohio State University. The new research states that a typical growing nation should expect at least 3.3% more threatened species in the next decade and an increase
Air pollution is a strong driver of forest decline and tree death throughout much of the world — but the exact mechanisms haven’t been completely clear. It was already known that common air pollutants appear to ‘attack’ the protective wax on tree leaves and needles — but how exactly? New research from Bonn University appears
Someone shared this video with me awhile back. Thanks to it being a catchup Sunday, I just got around to watching it. It makes the case for vegetarianism using the heart in an excellent way. Check it out: http://youtu.be/_s-3CogRDCk If you’d like a more sophisticated, intellectual case for going veggie, watch this one below from
Case For Vegetarianism Made By Young Boy (Video)… And Food Journalist (Video) Read More 👉
Baobab is the common name for the trees of the genus Adansonia — along with the names boab, boaboa, bottle tree, upside-down tree, and monkey bread tree. The genus contains nine different species, six of which are native to Madagascar, two native to the African mainland, one to Australia, and one to the Arabian Peninsula.
Baobab Tree — Adansonia Facts, Uses, And Photos Read More 👉
The 2013 Amazon forest fire season is shaping up to be a devastating one according to researchers from NASA and the University of California, Irvine. Their predictions warn of a 2013 fire season that will be considerably more severe than either the 2012 or 2011 seasons were, for many of the forests of the Amazon.
Amazon Forest Facing Devastating 2013 Fire Season, NASA Predicts Read More 👉
Along with the rapid disappearance of much of the world’s wild biodiversity over the past century, the diversity of domesticated plant and animal species has also been falling rapidly. This loss of species diversity and genetic diversity poses a serious threat to continuation of modern industrial agriculture, and perhaps much more importantly, to the free
The large-scale conversion of the Amazon rainforest into agricultural land is a no-win situation for all involved, according to new research from the Woods Hole Research Center and a collection of Universities in the region. If deforestation in the Amazon continues it will result in greatly reduced agricultural productivity in the region, via climate feedbacks.
Agricultural Expansion Into The Amazon Is A No-Win Situation, Research Finds Read More 👉
In 2010, an estimated 660,000 people died from malaria. (This number may be very low – the standard annual estimate is one million.) Malaria is spread by mosquitoes carrying a parasite. The parasite is injected into human bodies when mosquitoes bite them and suck their blood. Once inside the body, the parasite reproduces and spreads
Forests May Help Prevent Spread Of Malaria Read More 👉
The black rhino, also known as the hook-lipped rhinoceros, is a critically endangered species of rhinoceros, that was previously endemic throughout much of Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa, and also to certain regions in West Africa. The species has seen a dramatic drop in population numbers and genetic diversity in recent years. Many of the
The enormous partially fossilized egg of an elephant bird just sold for the very large sum of $101,813 dollars at Christie’s auction house. It’s kind of funny when you consider that the elephant bird went extinct almost entirely as a result of deforestation/human activities, and that very little money is now spent to stop those
Elephant Bird Egg Sells For $101K Read More 👉
One of the most unique large-scale international climate change projects is underway in Africa. A 4,000 mile “wall of trees” is being constructed across the east-west axis of the continent as a defense against rapid, expanding desertification of the Sahara. 11 nations — Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti
The Great Green Wall Of Africa — A 4,000 Mile Defense Against Climate Change Read More 👉
