Faithful readers of this blog will surely recognize the sentiment behind this next post. Disposable plastic crap—from drinking straws to shopping bags to flip-flops—bears hideous witness to our callous view of the environment around us. I’ve picked up cubic yards of junk off an otherwise pristine beach in Mexico that had the misfortune of acting …
Just-published report reveals that oil and gas and shipping activity is on collision course with whale habitat The World Wildlife Fund (Canada) has published a paper in the journal Marine Policy that reveals the extensive overlap of areas targeted for Arctic energy development with the habitat of the endangered bowhead whale. Reported by the …
Read more “Bowheads May Bear Brunt of Energy Exploration in the Arctic”
Kansas, who knew? Instead of the usual sunflowers, a striking photograph of American Lotus (Nelumbo lutea) at dawn in the Great Plains is the top winner in the 2013 National Natural Landmarks Program Photo Contest. The competition is sponsored by the National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program of the National Park Service, which promotes conservation of sites …
Read more “Lotus in Top Position in National Natural Landmarks Photo Contest”
Hurricane Sandy was just one of 11 billion-dollar disasters hitting the U.S. in 2012, NOAA reports. The superstorm was the year’s most expensive disaster, causing $65 billion in damage in seven east coast states. Last year’s drought/heatwave in the western half of the country was the second-most expensive at $30 billion. Rounding out the list …
I have an intense hatred of plastic bags. I have learned that it is not very hard to remember to bring a reusable tote with you to the store. You can stash one in your purse, because they roll up to nothing. You can keep one in your car, if you have a car. You …