ENN, September 14, 2011


Millions of people across the Horn of Africa are suffering under a crippling regional drought and tens of thousands have died during the accompanying famine. Refuge camps in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia are swelling with the hungry. The best hope in the short-term is food aid and logistical support, but in the longer term, dryland reforestation efforts may help improve food security, argues a new report from the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), which links human-caused land degradation, including deforestation, to intensified drought. Read more...

Read also: Converting rainforest to cropland in Africa reduces rainfall

Άγνωστο είδος δελφινιού κρυβόταν «κάτω από τη μύτη» των βιολόγων

In.gr, 15 Σεπτεμβρίου 2011

Τα περίπου 200 δελφίνια που ζουν σε έναν κόλπο και σε κάποιες λιμνοθάλασσες της Αυστραλίας μπορούν τώρα να πηδούν από τη χαρά τους: Γενετικές και ανατομικές συγκρίσεις αποκαλύπτουν ότι το θαλάσσιο θηλαστικό δεν είναι αυτό που νομίζαμε και πρέπει να αναγνωριστεί ως νέο είδος ρινοδέλφινου.
«Είναι μια απίστευτα συναρπαστική ανακάλυψη καθώς μόνο τρία είδη δελφινιού έχουν περιγραφεί και αναγνωριστεί επίσημα από τα τέλη του 19ου αιώνα» σχολίασε η Κέιτ Τσάρλτον-Ρομπ, επικεφαλής της ερευνητικής ομάδας στο Πανεπιστήμιο Μonash της Αυστραλίας. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Court ruling challenges EU laws on GMO co-existence

EurActiv.com, September 07, 2011

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled yesterday (6 September) that honey containing traces of genetically-modified (GM) products, even unintentionally, "must always be regarded as food produced from a GMO," paving the way for compensation claims to farmers whose crops were contaminated.The judgement follows legal action by a German beekeeper who sought compensation from the Bavarian government after he was prevented from selling his honey because it contained traces of GM pollen. Read more...

Amazon Deforesting Result

ENN, September 06, 2011

62 percent of the area deforested in the Brazilian Amazon until 2008 is occupied by cattle pasture, reports a new satellite-based analysis by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and its Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). The research found that 719,000 square kilometers or 17.5 percent of the Brazil had been cleared by 2008. Read more...

River Otters Bounce Back in England

ΕΝΝ, August 18, 2011

The otter population in the England was dealt a serious blow in the 20th century. Around mid-century, environmentalists noticed the otter was disappearing from its natural river habitats. A study in the 1970s found that they could only be found in five percent of the sites where they once lived. The banning of certain pesticides and river cleanup programs turned around the otter's decline. A recent survey now shows the otter is back, inhabiting 60 percent of the roughly 3,000 locations they were once found. Read more...

13-Year-Old Makes Solar Power Breakthrough by Harnessing the Fibonacci Sequence

Inhabitat.com, August 19, 2011

While most 13-year-olds spend their free time playing video games or cruising Facebook, one 7th grader was trekking through the woods uncovering a mystery of science. After studying how trees branch in a very specific way, Aidan Dwyer created a solar cell tree that produces 20-50% more power than a uniform array of photovoltaic panels. His impressive results show that using a specific formula for distributing solar cells can drastically improve energy generation. The study earned Aidan a provisional U.S patent - it's a rare find in the field of technology and a fantastic example of how biomimicry can drastically improve design. Read more...

Mekong dolphins on brink of extinction

ENN, August 18, 2011


The population of Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong River numbers just 85 individuals and may be on the brink of extinction, according to research by WWF. The researchers also found that calf survival was very low and that the overall population is in decline. A small population living on the border of Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic may be in an even more perilous situation, with just 7 or 8 individuals. This is the only area in Lao PDR where dolphins remain. Read more...

Shell admits Nigeria liability

BBC News, August 12, 2011

Oil giant Shell has accepted responsibility for two devastating oil spills in Nigeria's Ogoniland region.

The Bodo fishing community sued Shell in the UK, alleging that spills in 2008 and 2009 had destroyed the environment and ruined their livelihoods. Their lawyer said they would seek hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for one of the world's "most devastating oil spills". Read more...

Not your grandma’s strawberries

Grist, August 09, 2011

Your fruits and veggies are less nutritious than they used to be -- find out how much less with this handy interactive infographic. Plus: Check out an infographic illustrating how empty calories are cheaper than nutritious ones. Read more...

Third of freshwater fish threatened with extinction

ENN, August 2, 2011

More than a third of freshwater fish are threatened with extinction, according to interim results from an IUCN Red List assessment. The preliminary results, revealed by scientists at the annual conference of the Fisheries Society of the British Isles at Bournemouth University, suggest that along with amphibians, freshwater fish may now be considered one of the most threatened groups of species in the world. Read more...

Lamb, beef and cheese have largest food footprint

The Ecologist, July 27, 2011

US analysis highlights the high greenhouse gas emissions of popular animal products in comparison to alternatives like lentils, rice and tomatoes. 

Food derived from methane-generating ruminant animals such as sheep and cows has the highest level of greenhouse gas emissions, according to research published in the US.  The research, commissioned by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), was based on emissions from everything from the fertilisers used to grow animal feed to the processing and cooking of the final product. Read more...

Carmakers to get carbon credits for 'eco-innovation'

EurActiv.com, July 26, 2011

Car manufacturers will receive CO2 emissions credits if their new cars are fitted with approved 'eco-innovations' under legislation adopted by the European Commission yesterday (25 July).

The credits, for innovations that reduce carbon emissions, will be usable within the EU's emissions trading scheme (ETS). Brussels hopes that the move will nudge the automobile industry towards meeting the Union's goal of limiting CO2 emissions from new cars to an average of 130 grams/km by 2015, around one fifth below 2007 levels. Read more...

Recession contributes to air pollutant emissions decrease in 2009

EEA, July 27, 2011

Emissions of almost all main air pollutants fell across the EU-27 in 2009, according to the latest annual European Union air pollutant emission inventory report compiled by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Some pollutants decreased significantly compared to the previous year, with analysis showing economic recession to be an important factor in this reduction. The drop was most evident for sulphur oxides (SOx), with emissions falling by 21 % between 2008 and 2009. The annual EU-27 emission inventory reported to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) Convention confirms a long-term trend of decline for most air pollutants.

Sulphur oxide (SO_x) emissions have fallen the most since 1990 (–80 %), followed by carbon monoxide (CO) (–62 %), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) (–55 %) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x)(–44 %). Read more...

Maritime countries agree first ever shipping emissions regulation

The Guardian, July 18, 2011


Countries have taken a first step towards reducing climate emissions from shipping with a global agreement to reduce energy use in new vessels from 2013 onwards. The belated action on Friday by 55 of the world's biggest sea-faring nations meeting at UN's international maritime organisation in London will force all ships over 400 tonnes built after 2013 to improve their efficiency by 10%, rising to 20% between 2020 and 2024 and 30% for ships delivered after 2024. The first ever regulation of emissions in shipping is expected to lead to greenhouse gas emission reductions of 45-50m tonnes a year by 2020. Read more...

Walgreens to Host 800 EV Charge Points; GM to Launch Smart Grid Pilot

Environmental Leader, July 22, 2011

Pharmacy chain Walgreens plans to offer electric vehicle charging stations at about 800 locations across the country by the end of the year, making it the nation’s largest charging station retail host.
In other electric vehicle news, General Motors and OnStar will this year launch what they say is the first real-world pilot of smart grid solutions for electric vehicles.
Read more...

EU revamps fishing policy to save depleted stocks

BBC News, July 13, 2011

The European Commission has unveiled major plans to reform the EU's fishing industry and stop catches being wasted. The proposal, due to take effect from 2013, would give fleets quota shares guaranteed for at least 15 years. "Discards" will be phased out - the practice whereby up to half the catch of some fish is thrown back into the sea to avoid going above the quota. The environmental group Oceana said the plan had "some positive" aspects but stronger measures were needed. It called the plan "an incomplete work that does not provide the urgently needed strong solutions to restore European seas and ensure the long-term sustainability of fishing". Read more...

Can the palm oil we eat ever be wildlife-friendly?

The Ecologist, July 12, 2011

Conservationists battling to save Indonesia's rainforests are locked in a dispute over moves to make oil palm plantations more wildlife-friendly. Tom Levitt reports. Read more...

Soil Microbes Accelerate Global Warming

ENN, July 13, 2011


ScienceDaily (July 13, 2011) — More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes soil to release the potent greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide, new research published in this week's edition of Nature reveals. "This feedback to our changing atmosphere means that nature is not as efficient in slowing global warming as we previously thought," said Dr Kees Jan van Groenigen, Research Fellow at the Botany department at the School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, and lead author of the study. Read more...

Lego Drops APP Packaging After Greenpeace Campaign

Environmental Leader, July 15, 2011

Lego has bowed to pressure from Greenpeace, reportedly agreeing to drop supplier Asia Pulp and Paper, and the toy company says it will only use packaging material certified by the Forest Stewardship Council from now on. The environmental group last month accused Lego, Hasbro, Mattel and Disney of using packaging material sourced from trees cleared out of the Indonesian rainforest. Greenpeace pressed all the toy companies to stop buying paper products from APP – which the group called the worst forest offender in Indonesia – and any companies connected to APP. The non-profit also called on the companies to implement new sustainable procurement policies for purchase of all pulp and paper products. Read more...

France nuclear power funding gets 1bn euro boost

BBC News, June 27, 2011


France will invest 1bn euros (£0.8bn) in nuclear power despite warnings after the Fukushima disaster in Japan, President Nicolas Sarkozy says.The new investment will include a boost for research into nuclear safety. The French nuclear giant Areva is developing the fourth generation of reactors. France gets 80% of its electricity from nuclear power. Read more...

New Zealand right whale is returning home!

ENN, June 27, 2011

After being hunted to local extinction more than a century ago and unable to remember their ancestral calving grounds, the southern right whales of mainland New Zealand are coming home. A new study published today has shown for the first time that whales from a small surviving population around remote, sub-Antarctic islands have found their way back to the New Zealand mainland. Before the onslaught of 19th century whaling, historical records suggest that up to 30,000 of these impressive whales once migrated each winter to New Zealand's many sandy, well-protected bays to give birth and raise their calves. Read more...

Life Cycle Assessment of EVs Reveals Startling Results

TriplePundit, June 22, 2011


A number of articles published this week paint a negative picture of electric cars based on a British study published earlier this month. The study attempts a comparative life-cycle assessment (LCA) of conventional, hybrid and electric cars and prompted “downer” headlines such as, “Electric Cars May Not Be So Green After All” and “More Bad News For The Chevy Volt.”. The report was undertaken by consulting company, Ricardo and was released by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership on June 8th. And contrary to the above headlines, the press release was considerably more upbeat, stating: “Electric and hybrid cars create more carbon emissions during their production than standard vehicles – but are still greener overall”. Read more...

O όρυξ ο αραβικός επιστρέφει από το χείλος της εξαφάνισης

In.gr, 16 Ιουνίου 2011

Ο όρυξ της Αραβίας, ένα είδος αντιλόπης που πιστεύεται ότι ενέπνευσε τον μύθο του μονόκερου, έγινε ένα από τα λιγοστά ζώα που ανακάμπτουν στη φύση έπειτα από το σχεδόν ολοκληρωτικό αποδεκατισμό τους από τον άνθρωπο. Η IUCN (Διεθνής Ένωση για τη Διατήρηση της Φύσης), ο οργανισμός που εκδίδει την επίσημη Κόκκινη Λίστα των απειλούμενων ειδών, ανακοίνωσε την Πέμπτη ότι ο όρυξ μεταφέρεται από τη λίστα των «απειλούμενων» ειδών στη λίστα των «ευάλωτων». Η επιστροφή της θαυμαστής αντιλόπης στην Αραβική Χερσόνησο είναι το αποτέλεσμα ενός προγράμματος εκτροφής της σε αιχμαλωσία. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Recession and renewables cut greenhouse emissions in 2009

EEA, May 31, 2011

Greenhouse gas emissions decreased very sharply in 2009, by 7.1 % in the EU-27 and 6.9 % in the EU-15. These most recent results, compiled by the European Environment Agency (EEA), confirm estimates made by the EEA last year. This decrease was largely the result of the economic recession of 2009, but also sustained strong growth in renewable energy.Read more...

The 10 deadliest cities for pedestrians in the United States

Grist.org, May 24, 2011

Streets in the U.S. are designed not for people, but for cars. And it shows. From 2000 through 2009, some 47,700 pedestrians were killed by drivers. Transportation for America has released a new report and interactive map that shows which metro areas are deadliest. Read more...

On-line παιχνίδι ενεργειακής εξοικονόμησης

H ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ, 21 Μαΐου 2011


Ποιος είναι ο καλύτερος τρόπος να αλλάξoυμε τις «κακές» συνήθειες των παιδιών; Το παιχνίδι, φυσικά! Δεδομένου, μάλιστα, ότι τα δημοφιλέστερα παιχνίδια είναι πλέον τα ηλεκτρονικά, καταλαβαίνουμε, πώς το διαδικτυακό παιχνίδι enercities κέρδισε τις καρδιές πολλών μαθητών. Η διαδικτυακή εκπαιδευτική πύλη enercities πρόκειται για ένα παιχνίδι που απευθύνεται σε παιδιά με στόχο να τους μυήσει στα μυστικά της αειφόρου ανάπτυξης. To ζητούμενο είναι οι παίκτες να οικοδομήσουν μια βιώσιμη πόλη, προκειμένου να ανέβουν επίπεδα δυσκολίας, να συλλέξουν πόντους και εν τέλει να κερδίσουν! Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Το πρώτο απόλυτα «πράσινο» κτίριο έφτιαξαν Νοτιοκορεάτες

Ελευθεροτυπία, 20 Μαΐου 2011

Το πρώτο επαγγελματικής χρήσης κτίριο με μηδενική εκπομπή ρύπων και λειτουργία βασισμένη απόλυτα σε ανανεώσιμες πηγές ενέργειας, παρουσίασε σήμερα η Νότια Κορέα. Το έκτασης 2.500 τετραγωνικών μέτρων κτίριο που φιλοξενεί επιχειρήσεις, στο Ίντσιον, έξω από την πρωτεύουσα Σεούλ, κόστισε οκτώ εκατομμύρια δολάρια και εκμεταλλεύτηκε κάθε είδους τεχνολογία αιχμής προκειμένου να έχει το μίνιμουμ δυνατό αποτύπωμα στο περιβάλλον. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

First Pipeline-Fed Hydrogen Refueling Station Opens in the United States

ENN, May 11, 2011


May 10, Toyota celebrated the opening of the first pipeline-fed refueling station in the US. Located in Torrance, California, it is the first hydrogen station to be directly connected to an active industrial hydrogen pipeline. It will provide fuel for Toyota's as well as others fuel cell vehicle fleets in the Los Angeles area. The station is owned by Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc, and operated by Shell. The hydrogen pipeline is maintained by Air Products. Read more...

Climate change has spurred food prices

ENN, May 06, 2011



Climate change cut global wheat and corn output by more than 3 percent over the past three decades compared to growth projections without a rise in temperatures, a study found on Friday. The impacts translated into up to 20 percent higher average commodity prices, before accounting for other factors, according to the paper published in the journal Science. Read more...

Germany’s Unlikely Champion Of a Radical Green Energy Path

Yale 360, May 09, 2011

The disaster at the Fukushima plant in Japan convinced German Chancellor Angela Merkel that nuclear power would never again be a viable option for her country. Now Merkel has embarked on the world’s most ambitious plan to power an industrial economy on renewable sources of energy. Read more...

Facing the Dirty Truth About Recyclable Plastics

Yale 360, May 05, 2011

The recyclable plastic bags you get at the green grocer are not biodegradable. But product life-cycle assessments, which are about to become more prominent in the marketplace, fail to consider whether those bags will break down in landfills or just end up as litter. Read more...

Ο Αµβρακικός κινδυνεύει να µετατραπεί σε «νεκρή θάλασσα»

ΤΑ ΝΕΑ, 09 Μαΐου 2011

«Συστηµατικές υποβρύχιες µετρήσειςµας στον Αµβρακικό έδειξανότι ο κόλπος κινδυνεύει να γίνει νεκρή θάλασσα. Κάτω από τα 35 µέτρα βάθος δεν υπάρχει καθόλου οξυγόνο τους καλοκαιρινούς µήνες, ενώ και στα 25 είναι ελάχιστο, µε µεγάλες συγκεντρώσεις µεθανίου. Το βαθυσκάφος µας έφερε στην επιφάνεια εφιαλτικές εικόνες του πυθµένα...». Τα νέα από τον βυθότου Αµβρακικού είναι ανησυχητικά. Επιστήµονες του Πανεπιστηµίου Πατρών είναι ξεκάθαροι γιατη διαφαινόµενη οικολογική καταστροφή. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Rhinos in Nepal increase in number

ENN, April 27, 2011

Nepal's rhinos are on the increase, according to recently released data from a three-week National Rhino Census in Nepal by WWF. There are now 534 rhinos in Nepal, marking an increase of 99 rhinos from the 435 recorded in the last census in 2008. Read more...

Πρωτάθλημα Εξοικονόμησης Ενέργειας (ΠΕΞΕ)

Intelligent Energy Europe

Το Πρωτάθλημα Εξοικονόμησης Ενέργειας (ΠΕΞΕ) είναι ένας διαγωνισμός νοικοκυριών από όλη την Ευρώπη, με στόχο τη μείωση των εκπομπών CO2. Μπορείτε να λάβετε και εσείς μέρος στο Πρωτάθλημα Εξοικονόμησης Ενέργειας (ΠΕΞΕ)! Η συμμετοχή είναι εύκολη και δεν απαιτεί καμία ειδική γνώση. Δημιουργήστε τώρα τον δικό σας Λογαριασμό Εξοικονόμησης Ενέργειας, κάνοντας κλικ εδώ .

Wolves Taken Off the US Endangered Species List

ENN News, April 14, 2011

For the first time ever, the US Congress has removed an animal from the Endangered Species List, a process typically done by a federal, non-political, science-based agency. The action by the US Congress sets a new precedent for altering the Endangered Species List based on political influence, enraging environmental groups. The removal would take effect in two western states that have known issues with wolves: Montana and Idaho. Wolves would now be managed by each state's wildlife agency, inevitably leading to commercial hunting. Read more...

Fewer penguins survive warming Antarctic climate

ENN News, April 12, 2011

Two of the most well-known penguin species in Antarctica -- chinstraps and Adelies -- are under pressure because a warmer climate has cut deeply into their main food source, shrimp-like creatures called krill. Fewer of the juvenile penguins survive what scientists call their "transition to independence" because there isn't enough krill to go around, according to a study published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academic of Sciences.
The study found only 10 percent of young penguins survive the first independent trip back to their colonies from their winter habitat. Read more...

Motor boat turbulence kills zooplankton in estuaries

BBC News, April 19, 2011

Turbulence generated by speeding motor boats kills significant numbers of zooplankton, a study has revealed for the first time. Experiments on copepods, tiny crustaceans that live and float in water, show that a third die in waters frequented by propeller-driven boats. That is significantly more than in bodies of water not used by boats.
Zooplankton play a crucial role in water ecology and their death may have hitherto unknown impacts. Details of the discovery are published in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. Read more...

Reversing roles, farmers sue Monsanto over GMO seeds

Grist, March 31, 2011

Genetically modified seed giant Monsanto is notorious for suing farmers [PDF] in defense of its patent claims. But now, a group of dozens of organic farmers and food activists have, with the help of the not-for-profit law center The Public Patent Foundation, sued Monsanto in a case that could forever alter the way genetically modified crops are grown in this country. But before you can understand why, it's worth reviewing an important, but underreported aspect of the fight over GMOs. Read more...

Call on Romanian politicians to vote against killing stray animals.

Call on politicians in Romania to vote against the draft bill which would legalise the extermination of stray dogs.
Unless something is done quickly a new law, due to be voted on in the Romanian parliament in the next few days, would clear the way for thousands of Romanian dogs to be destroyed over the next few months.
FOUR PAWS urges you to act now and help save the lives of thousands of stray animals! Send your letter of protest today! The bill will be discussed, debated and possibly even passed in the Romanian parliament on 12 April 2011.

https://www.secureconnect.at/4paws.org.uk/protest/110407/index.php 

World Bank proposes to limit funding to coal plants

ENN, April 5, 2011


Following years of criticism from environmentalists and some governments the World Bank has proposed new rules regarding carbon-intensive coal plants, reports the Guardian. The new rules would allow lending for coal-fired plants only to the world's poorest nations and would only lend after other alternatives, such as renewable energy, had been ruled out. Read more...

Garbage: To Burn or To Bury

 Renewable Energy World.com, March 29, 2011

Europe burns heaps of garbage, getting lots of electricity and some heat. The United States does not. Proponents say incineration shrinks the waste and produces heat and electricity while reducing the need for landfills and the diesel-drinking trucks tasked with taking trash to often-distant burial grounds.

These folks acknowledge that incinerators were rather dirty 25 years ago, but note that current air emissions are below Environmental Protection Agency standards. In a modern garbage incinerator, a complex set of filters removes heavy metals and other pollutants; high-temperature operation reduces the output of ultra-toxic dioxins.
On the other side, opponents say incinerators create global warming gases, still release toxins, divert money and attention from recycling, and tend to excuse extreme extravagance on the grounds that we can always turn our trash into energy. Read more...

Forget ‘Dark Green’ Shoppers – ‘New Consumers’ Will Drive Sustainability, Report Says

Environmental Leader, March 25, 2011

Brands can no longer rely on “dark green”, hyper-ethical consumers to drive the growth of sustainability, but must engage a broad swathe of consumers making up 30 percent of the market, according to new research.
Brand consulting firm BBMG said a group of 70 million shoppers branded “New Consumers”, making up 30 percent of the U.S. population, will help sustainable brands to enter the mainstream while forcing large brands to accelerate their adoption of environmental initiatives.
These shoppers are “values aspirational” because they are as interested in sustainability as the hard-core “dark green” consumers. But they are also “practical purchasers” because they are forced to make pragmatic trade-offs every day, according to the BBMG report, Unleashed: How New Consumers Will Revolutionize Brands and Scale Sustainability. Read more...

Google HQ Installs First Wireless Electric Car Charger

GreenTechies, March 23, 2011

The system is the first to offer consumers a simple way to charge their EVs with the ease of hands-free, automatic technology. Google is famous for giving the digital generation what it wants, so it only makes sense that the search giant would branch out into other technologies it feels are worth of its attention. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they would already be dabbling in smart grid technologies, and positioning themselves to be a leader in the future of both energy creation and distribution. Read more...

Expanding Forests in the Northern Latitudes

ENN, March 23, 2011


According to a recent United Nations report, forested areas in Europe, North America, the Caucasus, and Central Asia have grown steadily over the past two decades. While tropical areas have steadily lost their forests to excessive logging and increased agriculture, northern areas have seen increases caused by conservation efforts. However, the long-term health and stability of northern forest lands may be imperiled by the effects of climate change. Read more...

Brussels wants no oil-fuelled cars in cities by 2050

EurActiv.com, March 23, 2011


The European Commission plans to step up its battle against oil- and gas-fuelled cars, and is drawing up strict targets to halve their urban usage by 2030 and "phase them out by 2050," according to an EU road map on transport to be published on Monday (28 March) and seen by EurActiv. These objectives will play an instrumental role in achieving the more comprehensive target of cutting CO2 emissions from transport by 60% by 2050. Currently, a quarter of EU greenhouse gas emissions come from transport.
The Commission is therefore proposing an ambitious plan which eyes significant reductions of emissions especially in road transport, while it intends to increase rail traffic, on the grounds that is by far cleaner and more environment-friendly.  Read more...

Valvoline Launches 50% Recycled Motor Oil

Environmental Leader, March 16, 2011

Valvoline has introduced a 50 percent recycled motor oil, which will be available at retailers and through participating installers and oil change centers.
The company said that its NextGen brand of motor oil cuts down on fossil fuel use, lowering emissions and helping to ensure that used oil doesn’t make its way into the water supplies. The new product takes advantage of the latest innovative manufacturing processes, Valvoline said, to offer superior engine protection while reducing environmental impacts. Read more...

News at the North Pole Ozone Layer

ENN, March 16, 2011

Unusually low temperatures in the Arctic ozone layer have recently initiated massive ozone depletion. The Arctic appears to be heading for a record loss of this trace gas that protects the Earth's surface against ultraviolet radiation from the sun. This result has been found by measurements carried out by an international network of over 30 ozone sounding stations spread all over the Arctic and Subarctic and coordinated by the Potsdam Research Unit of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association in Germany. Read more...

Honeybee End?

ENN, March 11, 2011

The mysterious collapse of honey-bee colonies is becoming a global phenomenon. Declines in managed bee colonies, seen increasingly in Europe and the US in the past decade, are also now being observed in China and Japan and there are the first signs of African collapses from Egypt, according to the report from the United Nations. Beekeepers in Western countries have been reporting slow declines of stocks for many years, apparently due to impaired protein production, changes in agricultural practice, or unpredictable weather. Read more...

Eco-farming can double food output by poor: U.N.

Reuters, March 8, 2011

Many farmers in developing nations can double food production within a decade by shifting to ecological agriculture from use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, a U.N. report says.
Insect-trapping plants in Kenya and Bangladesh's use of ducks to eat weeds in rice paddies are among examples of steps taken to increase food for a world population that the United Nations says will be 7 billion this year and 9 billion by 2050. "Agriculture is at a crossroads," according to the study by Olivier de Schutter, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the right to food, in a drive to depress record food prices and avoid the costly oil-dependent model of industrial farming. Read more...

Costco, Sodexo Make Sustainable Seafood Pledges

Environmental Leader, February 28, 2011


Food giants Sodexo and Costco have both committed to improve the sustainability of their seafood.Sodexo, the $21 billion food service company, has announced a goal for all its contracted seafood to be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) by 2015. Under the plan, Sodexo will review all wild caught and farm raised seafood purchases and set short, medium and long-term goals with its contracted seafood vendors. Read more...

Sea turtles' migration mystery is 'solved'

BBC News, February 25, 2011

Until now, how species such as loggerhead sea turtles manage to migrate thousands of miles across oceans with no visual landmarks has been a mystery.
Now researchers from the University of North Carolina believe they have found the answer. Loggerhead sea turtles appear to be able to determine their longitude using two sets of magnetic cues. It is the first time this ability has been shown in any migratory animal. This research is published in the journal Current Biology. Read more...