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Archive for April, 2011
Japan PM tells Fukushima nuclear plant workers to hold firm
Posted by Guardian: Justin McCurry on April 2nd, 2011
Guardian: Japan's prime minister, Naoto Kan, has told workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to hold firm in the belief that disaster can be averted, as highly radioactive water continued to seep into the sea.
Nuclear officials' discovery of a crack in a concrete pit at the number two core could offer an explanation for the flow of contaminated water that has jeopardised the operation to calm the reactors and raised fears about radiation finding its way into the sea and soil near the facility....
Posted in Water Conservation 
Comments Off on Japan PM tells Fukushima nuclear plant workers to hold firmAustralia: Future cyclones will hit harder: Scientist
Posted by Cairns Post: Daniel Bateman on April 2nd, 2011
Cairns Post: Cyclones could become more intense and move slightly further south by the end of the century, a new study has found.
But, despite plaguing this year's wet season, they will become far less frequent.
University of Melbourne climate scientist Dr Kevin Walsh has used computer models to simulate the formation of cyclones over the next 90 years.
His research will be presented at the Greenhouse 2011 conference in Cairns next week.
The week-long conference will feature a presentation from Climate...
Radioactive water from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant is leaking into sea
Posted by Guardian: David Batty on April 2nd, 2011
Guardian: Radioactive water from Japan's quake-striken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is leaking into the sea, its operator said.
The 20cm (8in) crack in a containment pit under reactor two may be the source of recent radiation in coastal waters, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) officials said.
Hidehiko Nishiyama, deputy director-general of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, said Tepco was planning to pour concrete into the pit to seal the crack, which may have been leaking since the magnitude 9.0...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Radioactive water from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant is leaking into seaRadioactive Water Leaking From Crippled Japan Plant
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on April 2nd, 2011
Associated Press: Japan's prime minister surveyed the damage in a town gutted by a massive tsunami, as officials said Saturday that highly radioactive water was leaking into the sea from the nuclear plant stricken by the disaster.
The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex has been spewing radioactivity since March 11, when a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing wave knocked out power, disabling cooling systems and allowing radiation to seep out of the overheating reactors.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan went to the plant...
When the floods came: Australia and Pakistan – video
Posted by Guardian: Gideon Mendel on April 1st, 2011
Guardian: X
Senate Panel Could Vote on Hydropower, Energy Efficiency Measures Soon
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on April 1st, 2011
Greenwire: A trio of hydropower bills and a measure on energy efficiency standards may be some of the first legislation the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee takes up this year.
Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) said earlier this week that he is planning to hold a legislative markup before the Senate breaks for its spring recess in two weeks and another before the Memorial Day recess in May. A Democratic aide added yesterday that the hydropower and energy efficiency legislation could be among the...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Senate Panel Could Vote on Hydropower, Energy Efficiency Measures SoonCorn records healthy gain on demand expectations
Posted by Associated Press: Sandy Shore on April 1st, 2011
Associated Press: Corn prices shot up 6.2 percent Friday on expectations that demand from users such as livestock owners and ethanol producers will strengthen while the grain remains in short supply.
Commercial users of corn joined other investors in buying futures contracts a day after two government reports indicated supplies will remain short even if farmers harvest a good crop this year.
The Agriculture Department predicted farmers will plant about 92.2 million acres of corn in the upcoming planting season....
Japan’s quake could shake climate pledges
Posted by Deutsche Welle: Tamsin Walker on April 1st, 2011
Deutsche Welle: Japan is a significant donor of climate funds but is facing domestic crises Government representatives from around the world are gathering in Bangkok for five days of United Nations climate talks aimed at overcoming obstacles ahead of a major summit at the end of the year.
Hundreds of politicians and climate change advocates are gathering in the Thai capital for talks billed as an opportunity to build on the deal struck in Mexico's Cancun at the end of last year.
In a statement released ahead...
Climate Change And Evolution Of Cross River Gorillas
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on April 1st, 2011
redOrbit: Two species of gorillas live in central equatorial Africa. Divergence between the Western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) and Eastern Gorillas (G. beringei) began between 0.9 and 1.6 million years ago and now the two species live several hundred kilometres apart. New research published by BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology shows that the divergence of Western lowland gorillas and the Critically Endangered Cross River gorillas (G. g. diehli) occurred more recently, about 17,800...
Preparing For a Warmer Planet
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on April 1st, 2011
National Public Radio: How prepared are we for the next big storm? In his new book Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth, journalist Mark Hertsgaard explains how some countries like the Netherlands are planning 200 years in advance for rising sea levels and alternating periods of drought and heavy rains.