Just leave it to you know who to screw everything up....

I bet you can already guess who I'm talking about and if you don't, you sure will after reading this article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18959819/

Also here are a few cool related links:

Comment on a message board aimed at Bush's motivations:
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboards/thread.aspx?boardid=946&ThreadID=302789

Select a country and read a little blurb about the effects global warming will have in that region:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18097760/

Read about different species and the effects global warming is having on them (plus check out a great map!)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18097760/

Starting them out young!

Here is an interesting article about a green high school being built in Atlanta, Georgia!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/05/28/green.schools.ap/index.html

Interesting PDF I came across

Check out this article as it does have some merit:

http://www.ithaca.edu/sustainability/files/campus/WhyYouCantIgnoretheChangingClimate.pdf

Memorial Day Celebrations - Firewood concerns

First off, this is not about NOT burning firewood but rather about transporting firewood. I recently signed a petition to not transport firewood because when firewood is transported, so are all of those little pests inside the firewood. I know anyone who has camped out in the Sierra's, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and any other area with evergreens have seen the damage of the beetles (These are the areas I have personally wittnessed the problem). Patched of brown amongst the beautiful lush evergreens is usually the result of a particular beetle (Mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae and the Douglas-fir beetle -Dendroctonus pseudotsugae) are two commonly seen.

My point is that during this holiday season, buy or cut the firewood in the local area in which it will be burned. This decreases the probablity that beetles and other pests will be transported.

An interesting site (although I am not promoting the use of insecticides) for more information on beetles:

http://www.lamtree.com/pine_beetles.htm

Additional points to think about when purchasing firewood:

• Use local firewood
• Do not transport firewood from home(e.g., across county lines, especially to second homes such as summer houses, cottages, cabins and hunting shacks)
• Leave unused wood behind when going home
• Burn firewood where you buy it

GreenerPenny.com

Another good site for Green tips:

http://greenerpenny.com/

Life of the Polar Bear

So there are so many consequences of Global Warming, it seems like it is never ending. Some of them we don't even think about and others are quite obvious. The polar bears for instance, once all of the polar caps and glaciers melt, the polar bear will have no habitat left. Some may call it evolution others call it Global Warming...you are free to choose.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/05/21/polar.bears.reut/index.html

Greenpeace demonstration in Germany

Talk about making a point, there was a Greenpeace protest in Berlin today in which 17 samll dead whales were laid out in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Can't be exactly sure that the statistics in the article are correct or incorrect, but if they are; there is a lot of wildlife being effected by commercial whaling. Check it out:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/21/germany.whales.ap/index.html

Greentips from the Union of Concerned Scientists

Check out this link to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), it's a Greentips Newsletter but also has links to Global Warming, Vehicles, Energy, Invasives, Security, Food, and Scientific Integrity.

This particular link/issue of Greentips is about Green Roofs:

http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/

Biofuels - A Double Edged Sword?

A personally disturbing thing to me about Global Warming is that because it is a relatively new discovery, and we can do several things to curb the effects however we cannot be sure that our current solutions won't be problematic in the future. It truly is a double edged sword. Take biofuels for example....it may reduce greenhouse gases but may also destroy the cultivated land used to grow the corn or sugarcane. It's almost as though it will take us another 50 years just to figure out how to get ourselves out of this mess. However, I completely agree with lowering our dependancy on fossil fuels; globally. It is not only been a key culprit in the deterioration of Mother Earth, it has also been one of the main causes of war throughout the world. Ride your bike....Peace.

Here are a few articles regarding the use of biofuels:

National Geographic:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070509-un-ethanol.html

United Nations website:
http://esa.un.org/un-energy/pdf/susdev.Biofuels.FAO.pdf

Another great resource:
http://esa.un.org/un-energy/

The Life of the Honeybee

Over the last several years there have been alarming studies done on the decline and demise of the honeybee. We never really think about how much the honeybee contributes to our food source and ecosystem. Many years ago there was an article about almond trees not being pollinated and effects on the farmers (monetarily) - it was significant. Recently I have heard more and more about this subject, however it seems that the cause may be much deeper than originally thought. Check out these articles (one posted last summer, the other just last week):

July 2006:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/07/060721-bee-study.html

May 2007:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9972616

Food Articles....

Not sure that this EXACTLY fits the theme of this blog, however our food source is definately a topic that is dramatically affected by Global Warming, the overall condition of Mother Earth, and human influence.

The Spinach Scare, no more....not exactly:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/22/AR2007042201551.html?referrer=emailarticle

Cloning animals....and plants?

http://cornucopia.org/index.php/240

New Fuel Standards.....by 2020

Well it's not tomorrow, but at least we are moving forward; little by little. Check out the most recent article on the bill approved by the Commerce Committee that would raise fuel economy standards to 35mpg by 2020.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/AUTOS/05/08/bc.autos.fuel.reut/index.html

It's a long battle ahead....

But at least we as a global society are getting started. Read about the deal reached TODAY about climate change.....

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/05/04/climate.report.ap/index.html

NO GAS on May 15th, 2007

NO GAS...On May 15th 2007

Don't pump gas on MAY 15th

In April 1997, there was a "gas out" conducted nationwide in protest of gas prices. Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon overnight.

On May 15th 2007, all internet users are to not go to a gas station in protest of high gas prices. Gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in most places.

There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the internet network, and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up. If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take $2,292,000,000.00 (that's almost 2 BILLION) out of the oil companies pockets for just one day, so please do not go to the gas station on May 15th and lets try to put a dent in the oil industry for at least one day.

In addition, it has been pointed out that lower gas prices will increase the amount of CO2 in the air....yes this is correct and I am not an advocate of this theory however the purpose of this blog is to post all information related to Environmental issues - positive and negative.

Maybe those who decide to NOT buy gas that day will instead ride their bikes and decide that they will indeed ride more often - not only is it cheap; it's usually more enjoyable too.