Nov 21 2010

Barstow water contaminated with perchlorate

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency Saturday in Barstow after samples of the city's water supply were found to be contaminated with a chemical used in rocket fuel and defense manufacturing. A statement on the city's website says the Golden State Water Co. was notified Thursday that water samples showed levels of perchlorate above the maximum contaminant level of 6 parts per billion. Golden State Water identified and shut down three wells out of 20 that show elevated levels of the chemical, reported the Desert Dispatch newspaper in Barstow. One of the wells was located near the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Barstow.
Categories: News
Nov 20 2010

“Get to Know” Contest for Youth Open until November 30th

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Scientists have so far identified over 2 million species on planet Earth – yet American youth are less familiar than ever with plants and animals living in their own "backyard". To reverse this trend, the Get to Know Contest is challenging young Americans (age 5-18) to get outside today and "get to know" the amazing and diverse wild neighbors who share our ecosystems. Art, writing, photos and videos inspired by first-hand experience with our wild neighbours can be submitted at www.gettoknow.ca until November 30th, 2010. In honor of 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, the theme for art, writing and photography categories is "Celebrating Biodiversity". The all-new video category celebrates the upcoming 2011 International Year of Forests with a theme "This is My Forest". Winners will get exciting prizes, including a week-long Art & Nature Camp experience at the Pacific Rim National Park in Canada for those 12 and older. More than just a creative arts competition, the contest aims to draw youth into nature, so the prizes are first of all an incentive for youth to take the first step out of doors. Contest organizers are encouraging all youth to "get to know" their wild neighbors today and spread the word to their friends, since there are less than ten days left to enter.
Categories: News
Nov 20 2010

Haiti’s cholera epidemic likely caused by weather

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Weather conditions — not UN soldiers — may have triggered Haiti's cholera epidemic, which has killed more than 1,000 people in less than a month, three leading researchers have told SciDev.Net. A coincidence of several catastrophic events — from climatic changes caused by the ocean-atmosphere phenomenon La Niña, to the plunge in water and sanitation quality following Haiti's disastrous January earthquake — provide the most likely explanation for the outbreak, which has hospitalised 17,000 people. The outbreak suddenly appeared in small communities along the Artibonite River, 60 miles north of the capital Port-au-Prince, on 21 October.
Categories: News
Nov 19 2010

Comet Dust

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Comets are temporary night flashes across the sky. They are rarer than meteors and are further away. The EPOXI mission's recent encounter with comet Hartley 2 provided the first images clear enough for scientists to link jets of dust and gas with specific surface features. The EPOXI mission spacecraft revealed a cometary snow storm created by carbon dioxide jets spewing out tons of golf-ball to basketball-sized fluffy ice particles from the peanut-shaped comet's rocky ends. At the same time, a different process was causing water vapor to escape from the comet's smooth mid-section. This information sheds new light on the nature of comets and even planets.
Categories: News
Nov 19 2010

D.C. Forum: Bed Bugs a National Threat

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You might think that politicians have enough on their plates trying to fix the economy, fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, dealing with humanitarian crises in Haiti and Pakistan, and other matters of national import. But money talks, especially in politics, and a tiny bug is causing a big ruckus on Capitol Hill...
Categories: News
Nov 19 2010

Global Coral Bleaching Among Worst Ever Seen

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Coral reefs are both vital and vulnerable to change, and the combination of rising ocean surface temperatures and increased acidification is devastating corals across the globe in one of the worst bleaching and die-off events ever recorded.
Categories: News
Nov 19 2010

Chevy Volt wins Green Car of the Year

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The Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric car, the centerpiece of a revitalized General Motors Co, was named 2011 Green Car of the Year on Thursday. The highly anticipated Volt received the industry's top environmental honor the same day GM shares began trading -- the biggest U.S. IPO ever. The Volt edged out the Nissan Leaf and three other gas-sipping cars for the prize, which is awarded by Green Car Journal.
Categories: News
Nov 18 2010

Squids

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When one imagines a squid, the image that comes to mind is of a giant monster (i.e, Kraken of mythic fame) grappling with boats and whales. Squid are marine cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles. Squid are strong swimmers and certain species can 'fly' for short distances out of the water. Some are giant and some are tenaciously small. An expedition to the seamounts of the southern Indian Ocean has proven that the region is a biodiverse hotspot for squids. To date, the expedition has identified 70 species of squid comprising 20% of the world's known squid species. But that's not all: they have also uncovered new species.
Categories: News
Nov 18 2010

Eco360 Trust, and The T Shirt as a Green Gift that Keeps on Giving

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Goodbye cheap cotton T shirt. Hello ethical clothing! Cotton T shirts made in sweatshops that use up scarce fresh water are not wearing well for many companies anymore. Brands with sustainable business practices are increasingly looking to make their promotional items reflect their green values. The result can be a shirt that fits better for everyone. Eco360 Trust (www.eco360.me) produces recycled shirts with 5 major benefits to the environment, society and to companies promoting their green practices. Eco360 Trust is a campaign of the non-profit Institute for Sustainable Communication (www.sustaincom.org), which advises communications professionals on sustainability issues. Eco360 Trust raises funds for ISC's education program by producing customized performance apparel made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles. All net proceeds pay for college scholarships for low income students. Producing the e360t shirts started as a project to teach students about the sustainable use of print and digital media. ISC redesigned the shirts to be fully sustainable, and the results appealed to both students and corporations trying to establish or protect their green reputations.
Categories: News
Nov 18 2010

Assessing the US Supply of Rare Earth Elements

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In the headlines lately has been news of China's monopoly of rare earth elements (REE), adding to China's growing clout. It would increase their leverage should they choose to reduce exports, causing REE prices to soar. The United States imports almost all of its REE from China, putting it in a position of geopolitical weakness. In light of this circumstance, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has conducted a study to map out the presence of REE found domestically. It turns out that rare earth elements in the United States are not so rare.
Categories: News
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