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Archive for July 27th, 2011
How to fight organized wildlife crime in East Asia
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
Mongabay: Slow lorises, like these caged individuals, are imperiled in Southeast Asia for the illegal pet trade. In the wild, traders kill loris parents to take their babies. Pet lorises have their teeth pulled out to make them appear 'cuter'. Photo courtesy of the Wildlife Conservaiton Society (WCS).
Organized criminal syndicates are wiping out some of the world's most charismatic wildlife to feed a growing appetite for animal parts in East Asia#8212;and so far governments and law enforcement are dropping...
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Climate Change And Forest Fires Linked In New Study
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
Huffington Post: A study released this week predicts a grim future for the ecosystem in and around Yellowstone National Park.
The study, by researchers at the University of California, Merced, concluded that rising temperatures associated with climate change could result in many more severe forest fires in the coming decades. Professor Anthony Westerling and his team found that by 2050, forest fires “would likely cause a major shift in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem” and “affect the region's wildlife, hydrology,...
In Western Water Wars, Fighters and, Yes, Peacemakers
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
New York Times: Writing about water in a region where water is scarce can be a daunting business. In a graduate program, the prerequisites would be geology, hydrology, chemistry, law and engineering - especially law and engineering. The people involved in the issue (who call themselves "water buffaloes," not without pride) tend to be defined by their fights as much as their accomplishments. In fact, when they are won, the fights are synonymous with their accomplishments.
Thanks to the movie "Chinatown" and histories...
GOP Amendment Boosts Land Acquisition Funding
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
GreenWire: In a bright spot in an otherwise bleak appropriations bill for conservationists, the House last night approved an amendment to boost funding for federal land acquisition by $20 million.
The amendment from Rep. Charlie Bass (R-N.H.) would transfer the money from the office of the Interior secretary, increasing the Land and Water Conservation Fund to more than $80 million.
It was adopted by voice vote, despite objections from Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) that the proposal would hamper Interior's ability...
Appeals Court’s Ruling on Stormwater Runoff Provokes Political Backlash
Posted by Greenwire: Lawrence Hurley on July 27th, 2011
GreenWire: A federal appeals court ruling that would require Clean Water Act permitting for stormwater runoff on logging roads has sparked a political backlash, leading to congressional action and possible Supreme Court intervention. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling applies to the nine Western states within the court's jurisdiction, including the Pacific Northwest, which has a significant logging industry. A three-judge panel ruled last summer in Northwest Environmental Defense...
Prince Charles calls for better understanding of benefits of organic farming
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
Telegraph: During a visit to Britain's largest organic pig farm, the Prince learned about the benefits of cutting down on chemicals, as well as higher welfare standards and more stable income for farmers.
Despite campaigning for organics for more than 20 years through his Duchy Originals food line, the Prince said consumers still do not understand the benefits.
He said many of the perks, such as taking pesticides and fertilisers out of the water supply, are also not taken into account.
"I hope it is...
House backs Dem plan on endangered species
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
Associated Press: In a rare defeat for Republican leadership, the House has backed a Democratic proposal allowing the Interior Department to continue adding new species to the Endangered Species Act. A spending bill backed by GOP leaders would have only allowed species to be removed from the endangered list, rather than added. Republicans said the current program encourages lawsuits from advocacy groups that seek to have species listed as threatened or endangered, costing the government tens of millions of dollars....
Vedanta bosses clash with protestors over pollution and human rights
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
Guardian: Anger erupted inside and outside Vedanta's annual meeting on Wednesday as campaigners protested against the mining company's environmental and human rights record.
Scores of people picketed the building where the gathering was being held in London and chanted slogans against the firm, which has been at the centre of a row over corporate social responsibility.
The board, led by Anil Agarwal, whose family control 62% of the shares, faced a barrage of hostile questions from shareholders and representatives...
Social Front Against Water Privatisation
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 27th, 2011
Inter Press Service: Civil society organisations in Latin America have begun to coordinate joint actions in the region to curb what they see as a tendency towards privatisation, while protesting what they call a range of "subtle" ways of undermining public control of water.
Although they admit that the trend towards private management of water resources is not yet completely clear, the organisations "are working on that debate," Catholic priest Nelito Dornelas, adviser to Brazil's national bishops' conference, told...
Black Hole Hosts Universe’s Most Massive Water Cloud
Posted by National Geographic: Misty Reservoir Would Fill 140 Trillion Earth Oceans, Scientists Say. on July 27th, 2011
National Geographic: In a galaxy 12 billion light-years away resides the most distant and most massive cloud of water yet seen in the universe, astronomers say.
Weighing in at 40 billion times the mass of Earth, the giant cloud of mist swaddles a type of actively feeding supermassive black hole known as a quasar.
Among the brightest and most energetic objects in the universe, quasars are black holes at the centers of galaxies that are gravitationally consuming surrounding disks of material while burping back out...