Month: August 2010

  • The Gulf Slowly Returns

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reopened 4,281 square miles of Gulf waters off western Louisiana to commercial and recreational fishing. The reopening was announced after consultation with FDA and under a re-opening protocol agreed to by NOAA, the FDA, and the Gulf states. On July 18, NOAA data showed no oil in the…

  • Study: Horseshoe Crab Decline Connected to Climate Change

    The horseshoe crab is one of the most ancient animals on the planet today. They have survived massive upheavals throughout the Earth’s history and have remained intact and unchanged. Recently their numbers have been in decline, and this is thought to be due to coastal habitat destruction and over-harvesting; they are often used as bait,…

  • A History of Destruction: 8 Great Hurricanes

    From June 1 through Nov. 30 each year, the coastal United States comes under threat from the ferocious winds and floodwaters of the hurricanes that form in the Atlantic Ocean basin. While Katrina is the most remembered of these swirling storms — its name now infamous — it certainly isn’t alone in causing significant death…

  • Fireplaces

    Let’s say you have a basic wood-burning fireplace. Charming as it may be, this old-fashioned device pollutes the air and sends a large amount of its heat roaring out the chimney. But there’s no need to get rid of your old fireplace. You can insert an energy-efficient gas-burning fireplace. Many models produce the same comforting…

  • Once-in-a-century salmon run hits Canada’s West Coast

    Every year Vancouver resident Stephen Ottridge takes hamburgers or steak to his street’s annual summer block party. This year, against the backdrop of what looks to be the biggest sockeye salmon run in almost a century in the nearby Fraser River, he arrived with a salmon large enough to fill the whole barbecue. “There is…

  • The Fate of Dairy Antibiotics in Ground Water

    There are a lot of things that can go into the ground water. The key is whether what goes in will readily biodegrade and if not can it harm you or the environment. In the first large study to track the fate of a wide range of antibiotics given to dairy cows, University of California…

  • New Izzitgreen Back to School selections for ENN readers

    ENN affiliate Izzitgreen has selected these offerings specially for ENN readers. Izzitgreen is a blog that helps you stay informed about the latest, coolest, most innovative green products available. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of these items through ENN will go to “e”inc. It’s that time of year when students of all…

  • New Findings on Carbon Dioxide Release from World’s Oceans

    Carbon Dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, is intricately linked to global warming. The largest store of CO2 is the world’s oceans. How the oceans sequester or release CO2 to or from the atmosphere is important to understand as mankind alters Earth’s climate with the burning of fossil fuels. A new report from researchers at the…

  • Bald Eagle Nestlings Contaminated by Chemicals

    A study of bald eagle nestlings found pesticides and flame retardants in their blood. The chemicals are suspected in slowing the eagles’ post-DDT recovery in Michigan. There are lots of new flame retardants in use, the health effects of which we know little or nothing.

  • Mount Sinabung erupts on Sumatra

    An Indonesian volcano, inactive for four centuries, erupted again on Monday, pitching ash two km (1.5 miles) into the air and sending nearby residents scurrying from their homes. Villages were emptying fast near Mount Sinabung on the north of Sumatra island, leaving behind only officials from the bureau of meteorology and the police. Short-haul flights…