The UK will stick to its current target of cutting emissions by 34% from 1990 levels by 2020. to meet the targets of its 2008 Climate Change Act, as advised by The Committee on Climate Change . That’s quite a commitment, considering that the UK currently has nearly half the US carbon footprint. Americans average 29 tonnes each, according to a new Norwegian count this summer . Per capita the UK carbon footprint is sixteen tonnes per person per year. That makes further cuts all the more impressive. Barclay’s Bank is saying that “ The Copenhagen failure did little to alter the expected supply-demand balance under the EU ETS and it is not likely to have changed the underlying hedging pattern of power sector participants”. Australia is also sticking by its plan to introduce the climate legislation needed in 2010 to support the Copenhagen Accord to avert climate catastrophe. The new pro-”Future” government of Kevin Rudd has its legislature impeded by the same “Fossil” Party that impedes action in the US. Yet, Rudd is going ahead, though it likely will cost him his government. And yesterday Brazil just signed into law the highest of the range of greenhouse gas emissions cuts it had pledged at Copenhagen: of 39% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Read more of this story
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Three Major Powers to Stick to Copenhagen Goals Without Legally Binding Agreement
The UK will stick to its current target of cutting emissions by 34% from 1990 levels by 2020. to meet the targets of its 2008 Climate Change Act, as advised by The Committee on Climate Change . That’s quite a commitment, considering that the UK currently has nearly half the US carbon footprint. Americans average 29 tonnes each, according to a new Norwegian count this summer . Per capita the UK carbon footprint is sixteen tonnes per person per year. That makes further cuts all the more impressive. Barclay’s Bank is saying that “ The Copenhagen failure did little to alter the expected supply-demand balance under the EU ETS and it is not likely to have changed the underlying hedging pattern of power sector participants”. Australia is also sticking by its plan to introduce the climate legislation needed in 2010 to support the Copenhagen Accord to avert climate catastrophe. The new pro-”Future” government of Kevin Rudd has its legislature impeded by the same “Fossil” Party that impedes action in the US. Yet, Rudd is going ahead, though it likely will cost him his government. And yesterday Brazil just signed into law the highest of the range of greenhouse gas emissions cuts it had pledged at Copenhagen: of 39% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Read more of this story
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Three Major Powers to Stick to Copenhagen Goals Without Legally Binding Agreement
Chemical structure of the antibiotic tetracycline–one of the four classes of antibiotics that sampled soil microbes showed increased resistance to in the 2009 Study. The prevalence of antibiotic resistant genes (ARG) in soil bacteria has been increasing steadily over the past seven decades, despite tighter controls on the use of antibiotics for agricultural purposes (in Europe). This is according to a recent benchmark study/analysis* of soil samples from five sites in the Netherlands. The research team, lead by David Graham of Newcastle University in the UK, found that “Seventy-eight percent of detected resistance genes, associated with four classes of antibiotics, showed increasing levels since 1940.” Read more of this story
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Antibiotic Resistant Genes Increasing in Soil Microbes
After the rocky economy and related bumps along the way in 2009, everyone is looking for a smoother New Year. Indulge your guests this evening with a toast with Homemade Irish Cream, a creamy indulgence that makes any worries melt away. At least, shall we say, for the moment. I confess, for a celebratory toast I’m always partial to something sweet. But as I started reading labels of my favorite commercial liquors I realized how much of that sweetness came from high fructose corn syrup and other additives. With that motivation, I started experimenting with various homespun versions on our B&B guests at Inn Serendipity (didn’t need to twist any arms there), and this Irish Cream (kind of like a Baileys) quickly became the house favorite. By controlling the ingredients that go in the drink, you can opt for better quality items like organic cream (I use Organic Valley ), fair trade cocoa (our B&B orders cocoa from Equal Exchange by the case), and sugar (we buy bulk from Wholesome Sweeteners ). Skimp a little on the whiskey if you need to. A cheap variety would work just as well as it will be masked by the other flavors. Here’s the recipe (from our Inn Serendipity B&B cookbook, Edible Earth ), with a toast to a smooth 2010! Read more of this story
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Ring In The New Year With Homemade Irish Cream (Recipe Included)
African Elephant Bull Photographed in Kruger Park on 20 June 2009. The author’s last two posts have shown that culling is often used as a “solution” to limit the growth in animal numbers in a particular situations. At the extremes, some animal rights lobbyists oppose the killing of animals on the basis of principle alone ignoring environmental or wildlife issues while some legislators look for a fast fix without a long term view and justify killing by the need to protect the remaining. There are always a range of opinions and solutions which can be considered in these cases. There is normally neither enough time nor enough information to allow the development of a solution that is acceptable to all and guarantees a longterm solution to the problem. In this context, it is instructive to look at the elephant as an example of the difficulties in finding solutions even in very well studied cases. Please note that this is a layman’s understanding based on a quick “reading” of two recent major reports and is clearly open to much discussion. The author is simply trying to get a simple overall understanding of managing elephant populations and to also present some interesting information contained in the two reports. Controlling an Over Abundance of Elephants Although many press reports focus on the threats to elephants through capture, poaching and commercial hunting, the African Elephant in South Africa is probably more threatened by their successful adaption to protected ranges than directly by man. Read more of this story
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Elephant Culling Reflects the Complexity of Managing Wildlife Populations
Some people will go to great lengths to get the best gas mileage possible. There are simple ways of doing this of course, like using a light touch on the gas pedal and coasting whenever possible. If you’re mechanically inclined you can retard the timing or even perform an engine swap in pursuit of high MPGs. Or you can add a hideous duck tail to your geo metro. Hey, whatever works, right? Read more of this story
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Ugly Aerodynamic Tail Makes For Good Fuel Efficiency
Chrysler was in dire straits earlier this year, and while bankruptcy is now behind the Pentastar, the battle that looms ahead will prove if Chrysler can truly remain a viable company. Chrysler’s hope rests with Fiat, the Italian car comglomerate who took a 30% stake in Chrysler as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. While we’ve heard much and seen little thus far in regards to the future Chrysler lineup, the Detroit International Auto Show should give some hint as to the direction of Chrysler/Fiat. One such car sure to make a big impression (in a small way) is the universally hailed Fiat 500 subcompact. Supposedly, Fiat will have an electric version of the 500 on display in Detroit next month. Read more of this story
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Chrysler Will Display Electric Fiat 500 In Detroit
Pictured above is a solar charging station under development by Toyota. The company has plans to open the first of 21 in the Spring of 2010, signaling a move by Toyota to become a vertically integrated company. First, make the plug-in car. Then, build the charging station that it plugs in to. It’s comparable to the same company both digging up the oil, and building the car that runs on the oil. But better. In many ways this is an understandable move. Toyota has held a leadership position in the hybrid market, and, as such, the company has long resisted any mention of a future move to plug-in vehicles. Why cut sales short, with all the expense that that entails: retooling assembly lines and so on – when yours is the market leader? Read more of this story
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Toyota to Become First Vertically Integrated EV Company With Solar Charging Stations
For all California residents with a hankering for trans-fats, today may be your last day to get them, at least as easily as you could before. A law signed in 2008 takes effect January 1, 2010 that bans retail food establishments, restaurants, and bakeries from using trans-fats in their products. California is the first state in the nation to ban trans-fats completely, though a few cities and even fast food chains have proactively banned trans-fats on their own prior to the law enacted by California. The law targets margarine, shortening, and oils that contain trans-fats and bans their use in food products sold within the state. Read more of this story
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Final Day For Trans-Fats In California
Today, a European company put the finishing touches on a wind project in North Dakota which Americans have known for decades is “the Saudi Arabia of Wind.” Spain’s Iberdrola Renovables, the parent company of Iberdrola Renewables Inc that built the project, grew in the wake of the Kyoto Accord signing (and resulting renewable energy legislation) in Europe, to become a giant global wind company. North Dakota’s Senator Byron Dorgan still supports similar renewable energy legislation that virtually all the Democrats have supported and tried to pass many times, that would would create a nationwide Renewable Electricity Standard (RES). But that legislation has been filibustered by the Republican Party so many times. Not only are we heading over the cliff of runaway climate change but America is also falling steadily behind in renewable energy market dominance because of years of Republican refusal to allow movement on renewable energy policies. Now European wind companies are the only ones capable of building the wind energy that we need. Read more of this story
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Foreign Windpower Giant Iberdrola Taps Saudi Arabia of Wind Because We Can’t
