In The News

The Albatross: Flying High, Again...

Kunal Dutta March 16, 2009
Industrialized fishing has contributed to the deaths of thousands of majestic seabirds each year, as many get caught on fishing hooks and lines. This includes species of the albatross, many at risk for extinction. The albatross has the longest wingspan of any flying bird, giving it the ability to circle the globe. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the UK teamed up with Birdlife...

Revenge of the Rain Forest

Steve Connor March 6, 2009
The Amazon region may seem remote for much of the world, but researchers have long credited the rain forest, 25 times larger than Great Britain, for absorbing large amounts of carbon emissions. But a new study suggests that the Amazon rain forest emitted more carbon than it absorbed for a period in 2005, reports Steve Connor for the Independent. “Four years ago, a sudden and intense drought in...

Worst Drought in Half-Century Shrivels the Wheat Belt of China

Michael Wines February 25, 2009
Northern China, which provides three fifths of the nation's crops, is suffering the worst drought in 50 years. “Water supplies have been drying up in northern China for decades, the result of pervasive overuse and waste,” reports Michael Wines for the New York Times about the world's most populated country that controls growth with a one-child policy. “The drought is peaking as millions...

A Source of Energy Hiding in Plain Sight

Marilyn A. Brown February 18, 2009
Countless dollars in energy from limited fossil fuels are wasted – a result of aging and inefficient factories, homes not being insulated and vehicles manufactured without any regard for conservation. The cost of oil is down now because global demand is down, but energy-importing nations could continue to control prices by conserving more energy, argue professors Marilyn Brown and Benjamin...

Hijacked Supertanker Underlines Our Energy Vulnerability

Michael G. Frodl February 17, 2009
Analysts once suggested that supertankers, a challenge to control, could not be taken by pirates. But pirates from desperate Somalia demonstrated that such pronouncements become just another challenge to be met, by managing to hijack a Saudi supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil. “Somalis turned the lack of an effective coast guard and police to their advantage to hijack ships and...

Germany Joins EU in Tying Car Fees to Emissions

February 4, 2009
In Germany, described as the EU’s “most car-obsessed nation” in this Spiegel Online article, the government will reduce taxes on small cars and charge a penalty of €2 for every gram of carbon emitted per kilometer over a 120-gram limit. The tax plan may encourage consumers to choose small, fuel-efficient vehicles. “With carmakers Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche leading the way, a large percentage...

Norway and the Environment: Binge and Purge

January 29, 2009
Along with its Northern European siblings, Norway has long been viewed as a leader in sustainability, a reputation earned by prodigious domestic efforts to become carbon neutral by 2030. The nation is well on its way: gas taxes are high, public transportation is booming, and 99 percent of Norwegian electricity is generated by hydroelectric plants. On the world stage, Norway is a strong voice in...