The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

::: ENN Daily Newsletter - Thursday, November 18, 2004 ::: Melting Glaciers Said to Be Threatening Everest LONDON ? Melting glaciers caused by climate change pose an urgent threat to Mount Everest's unique environment, activists said Wednesday, launching a campaign to protect the Himalayan mountain range and the world's highest peak. Scientists Say More Than 15,000 Species Facing Extinction BANGKOK ? More than 15,000 species, from sharks to frogs to fir trees, are facing extinction and the total is rising faster than ever before, conservationists and scientists said on Wednesday. Despite efforts to slow or reverse the slide into oblivion of many species, one in three amphibians and almost half of all freshwater turtles are threatened, the IUCN World Conservation Union said at the unveiling of its 2004 species "Red List." Study Links Smog Increases to Urban U.S. Deaths CHICAGO ? Increases in air pollution caused by cars, power plants and industry can be directly linked to higher death rates in U.S. cities, a study said Tuesday. Biologist Seeks Wolves' Return to Rockies ALBUQUERQUE ? A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist says returning wolves to the Rocky Mountains is "a chance to undo a great wrong" done when wolves were exterminated from about 98 percent of their range by the mid-1900s. China's Massive South-North Water Diversion Project Facing Money Woes, Report Says SHANGHAI, China ? Thirsty Beijing will begin by 2010 to divert water from the Yangtze River, far to the south, though the massive project is strapped by financial difficulties and severe pollution, state media reported Wednesday. PETA Campaign Pitches Fish as Smart and Sensitive NEW YORK ? Touting tofu chowder and vegetarian sushi as alternatives, animal-rights activists have launched a novel campaign arguing that fish -- contrary to stereotype -- are intelligent, sensitive animals no more deserving of being eaten than a pet dog or cat. Development a Possible Threat to California Lake, Nation's First Federal Scenic Area LEE VINING, Calif. ? Mono Lake, the high desert fascination of humorist Mark Twain that's nearly three times as salty as the ocean, remains the home to trillions of brine shrimp where thousands of California Gulls nest each spring -- all preserved because of ecological activism. Texas Officials Wary of Plan to Hunt by Internet HOUSTON ? Hunters soon may be able to sit at their computers and blast away at animals on a Texas ranch via the Internet, a prospect that has state wildlife officials up in arms. Starbucks Environmental Leadership Drives Industry First with Use of the Only FDA Approved Recycled Content-Cup SEATTLE, November 17, 2004 — In an important step to further integrate leading environmental practices into its business, Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) announced today that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Starbucks supply chain member, Mississippi River Corporation, the first-ever approval to use recycled content in food packaging, specifically Starbucks hot beverage cups. Following successful testing, Starbucks expects to convert its hot beverage cups to 10 percent recycled material, an industry first. “Beginning to use post-consumer recycled content hot beverage cups is an important milestone for Starbucks in addressing the environmental impact associated with our paper-buying practices,” said Jim Donald, Starbucks ceo designate. ::: ENN Daily Newsletter - Friday, November 19, 2004 ::: Scientists Warn of Undetected, Unmeasured Toxins in World's Fish SETE, France ? Each day at 4 p.m., the trawlers come back, alive with giant bass, mackerel and squirming eels, at the end of a food chain that links family dinner tables to poisons in the sea. Melting Glaciers Threaten World Water Supply BANGKOK ? Mountain glaciers, which act as the world's water towers, are shrinking at ever faster rates, threatening the livelihoods of millions of people and the future of countless species, a scientist said on Thursday. Brazil Trains Environmental Police to Guard Amazon RIO CUEIRAS, Brazil ? The latest recruits to Brazil's losing battle to slow Amazon destruction began training Wednesday at a new environmental police academy deep in the world's largest jungle. Indonesia's Birds of Paradise Dying Out, Scientist Says BANGKOK ? Rampant illegal logging in Indonesia and the demands of a rapidly expanding population and economy in Indonesia are killing many of Asia's most exotic and rare birds, conservationists said on Thursday. Russia Formally Notifies U.N. of Kyoto Acceptance NAIROBI, Kenya ? Russia formally notified the United Nations on Thursday of its acceptance of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming, starting a three-month countdown for the long-debated 1997 pact to come into force. Group Accuses Administration of Changing Drilling Rule WASHINGTON ? The Sierra Club alleges in a lawsuit that the Bush administration changed a rule so oil and gas producers could more easily drill under national parks from outside their boundaries. U.N. General Assembly Urges Temporary Ban on High Seas Bottom Trawling UNITED NATIONS ? The U.N. General Assembly urged nations Wednesday to consider temporary bans on high seas bottom trawling, disappointing scientists and some countries seeking an immediate halt to the destructive fishing practice. Connecticut Program Promotes Use of Renewable Energy ROCKY HILL, Conn. - The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund will offer free solar energy systems to towns and cities that commit to buying 20 percent of their electricity from environmentally friendly sources by 2010, the agency said Tuesday. Soy Story: On the Environmental Impacts of Soy Umbra answers a reader's question on the environmental impacts of soy farming and production. Turns out you probably eat considerably more soy than you even know about, and it's probably genetically modified and heavily doused with herbicides. Today in Grist: Is soy eco friendly? Starbucks Environmental Leadership Drives Industry First with Use of the Only FDA Approved Recycled Content-Cup SEATTLE, November 17, 2004 — In an important step to further integrate leading environmental practices into its business, Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) announced today that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Starbucks supply chain member, Mississippi River Corporation, the first-ever approval to use recycled content in food packaging, specifically Starbucks hot beverage cups. Following successful testing, Starbucks expects to convert its hot beverage cups to 10 percent recycled material, an industry first. “Beginning to use post-consumer recycled content hot beverage cups is an important milestone for Starbucks in addressing the environmental impact associated with our paper-buying practices,” said Jim Donald, Starbucks ceo designate. ::: ENN Daily Newsletter - Monday, November 22, 2004 ::: DOE Cleanup Chief Tours Nuclear Reservation The Department of Energy still is evaluating its options on Initiative 297, said Paul Golan, DOE's acting assistant secretary for environmental management, last week. No Evidence Ozone Layer is Recovering, Scientists Say PRAGUE, Czech Republic ? Mexico's Nobel Prize-winning chemist Mario Molina said Friday that despite recent measures scientists still don't have evidence that the ozone layer is recovering. Great Lakes Region Ponders How to Keep Its Precious Waters Safe TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. ? When a Canadian company floated the idea of hauling Lake Superior water aboard huge tankers to parched sections of Asia, the reaction hereabouts resembled the fury of the region's infamous November gales. EarthTalk: What is the Environmental Impact of an Oil Spill into the Sea? What environmental and health problems are associated with the use of chlorine by the paper industry? Is chlorine really essential in the production of paper? San Francisco Proposes Charging Fee for Grocery Sacks to Reduce Waste SAN FRANCISCO ? City officials are considering charging grocery stores 17 cents each for grocery bags to discourage use of plastic sacks. Controlled Flood Set at Grand Canyon PHOENIX ? Environmentalists have complained for years that the Colorado River below a manmade dam was washing away natural sediment in the Grand Canyon, wiping away beaches and native fish and plants. New Federal Ruling on Owls Spurs Industry Interest in Off-Limits Forests PORTLAND, Ore. ? The northern spotted owl still faces enough risk that it warrants continued federal protection more than a decade after efforts to safeguard it forced the collapse of federal lands logging in the Northwest, the U.S. government found. Lawmakers Agree on $577 Million to Keep Yucca Nuclear Waste Project Alive WASHINGTON ? Lawmakers agreed Friday to provide enough money to keep alive plans for a nuclear waste dump in Nevada, but they put off trying to resolve a dispute over radiation protection that could doom the project if not resolved. Environmentalists Urge Closing of Dolphin Park in Antigua ST. JOHN'S, Antigua ? Environmentalists urged Antigua's government Saturday to close a dolphin park, saying contamination could be harming nine dolphins and surrounding businesses. Russia's Ratification of Kyoto Climate Treaty 'Historic' Says Kofi Annan FEMA Violates Endangered Species Act Conservationists Launch Consumer Campaign Against Maker of Kleenex and Scott Tissue Products IFAW Welcomes Historic Ban on Hunting with Dogs in UK Looking for an Alternative Christmas Gift? - The World Land Trust Has the Solution New Recreation Lands for Torrington, CT Poison, Protection, and Children Gifts That Get Around ::: ENN Daily Newsletter - Tuesday, November 23, 2004 ::: Umbra on Whether to Buy Your Sparkling Water at Wal-Mart With the busiest shopping day of the year coming this Friday, Grist thinks it knows what's on your mind: globalization, the race to the bottom, sprawl, and low, low prices! OK, maybe not. But that's what's on Umbra's mind. A reader writes in asking what's wrong with a certain store that begins with "Wal" and ends in "Mart," and Umbra tells it like it is. (Hint: plenty.) Get the skinny on where not to buy your holiday gifts -- today on the Grist Magazine website . North Dakota Experimental Forest a Surprise Success DENBIGH, N.D. ? A small forest that took root as an experiment some 70 years ago remains a largely overlooked oddity in a state known as the least-forested in the nation. But it has helped grow jobs and sprout millions of seedlings far beyond North Dakota. Religion Can Be Powerful Tool for Protecting Ecology, Environmentalists Say BANGKOK, Thailand ? Religion can be used to mobilize people to protect the environment because spirituality is closely linked to nature, members of a panel on faith-based conservation said last week. San Francisco Mulls Ban of Beloved Zoo Elephants SAN FRANCISCO ? San Francisco officials pondered Thursday whether to stop keeping elephants in the city's zoo as activists pushed for a ban amid concerns about their conditions in captivity. As Ice Thaws, Arctic Peoples at Loss for Words REYKJAVIK, Iceland ? What are the words used by indigenous peoples in the Arctic for "hornet," "robin," "elk," "barn owl" or "salmon?" Asian CEOs Warned of Threat from Climate Change SINGAPORE - More severe tropical cyclones, heatwaves and a dramatic shift in rainfall patterns could batter Asia by the end of the century as its factories boom, a leading climate expert told Asian chief executives on Friday. More Than 60 Nations to Protect Sharks More than 60 countries agreed Sunday to ban the killing of sharks for their fins in the Atlantic Ocean, a move that conservationists hope will increase protection of threatened species around the world. New Galveston, Texas, Center Offers a Glimpse of Gulf's Ecosystem It's less than a mile long and takes no more than an hour to traverse, but within that span, visitors to the new Wetlands Center can experience some of the variety of Texas' Gulf coast. Montreal Protocol Talks on Protecting the Ozone Layer to address Methyl Bromide, Illegal Trade & Funding WWF and National Geographic Kick Off Study of the World's Largest Freshwater Fish "Clean" Fishing Threatens Extinctions in Pacific USGBC Introduces LEED(r) for Commercial Interiors Green Building Rating System UNEP Global Sustainable Production and Consumption Seminar meets in Monterrey, Mexico Congress Considering Destructive Water Bill in Lame Duck Session Coalition Reacts to Wilderness Protection in Lincoln County Bill Give the Gift of Life to Animals Around the World ::: ENN Daily Newsletter - Wednesday, November 24, 2004 ::: Nearly a Quarter Million Species Found So Far in World's Oceans WASHINGTON ? Marine scientists say they have discovered 178 new species of fish and hundreds more new species of plants and other animals in the past year, raising the number of life-forms found in the world's oceans to about 230,000. Portland, Maine, Laundry Uses Solar Energy; Other Firms Go Green, Too PORTLAND, Me. ? The temperature dipped into the 30s and gray clouds swarmed high in the sky one recent afternoon, but the few hours of sunlight that peeked through were sufficient to generate enough hot water for a busy night at the Washboard Laundry. US Delays Plan to Seek Permit for Nuclear Waste Site WASHINGTON ? The Bush administration on Monday delayed its plan to file an application to build a nuclear waste dump in the Nevada desert, citing an unresolved court case and budget questions. New York City Council Bill Targets Illegal Trading in Endangered Species NEW YORK ? The City Council is set to put a big bite on buyers and sellers of outlawed products containing endangered species. Southern China's Guangdong Orders Closure of Hydropower Plants to Save Water SHANGHAI, China ? More than 100 hydroelectric plants in southern China have been ordered shut to preserve water for farming amid an extended severe drought. Clean Diesel Fuel Will Be Available, but Costly, in Alaska ANCHORAGE ? Flint Hills Resources is gearing up for a $170 million modification project at its refinery at North Pole, near Fairbanks, that will produce ultra-low sulfur gasoline and diesel fuel. Ducks Continue to Thrive in Long Island ALBANY, N.Y. ? Before the shopping malls, before Levittown and Jones Beach, before the traffic jams on the Long Island Expressway, there were the ducks. Japan Nuclear Plant Reaches Safety Pact to Start Uranium Tests AOMORI, Japan ? The operator of the new Rokkasho nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori Prefecture concluded a safety agreement with the local and prefectural governments on Monday and is expected to begin experiments using uranium possibly by year-end, officials of the local governments said. Russia's Ratification of Kyoto Climate Treaty 'Historic' Says Kofi Annan FEMA Violates Endangered Species Act Conservationists Launch Consumer Campaign Against Maker of Kleenex and Scott Tissue Products IFAW Welcomes Historic Ban on Hunting with Dogs in UK Looking for an Alternative Christmas Gift? - The World Land Trust Has the Solution New Recreation Lands for Torrington, CT Purchase Would Expand Chicago's Haas Park Poison, Protection, and Children Gifts That Get Around ::: ENN Daily Newsletter - Thursday, November 25, 2004 ::: Other Nations Resist U.S. Delay in Phasing out Ozone-Damaging Chemical WASHINGTON - U.S. farmers who grow tomatoes and strawberries might have to cut back more than they planned on the use of an ozone-depleting pesticide. Half of Brazil's Amazon Jungle Occupied, According to Study BRASILIA, Brazil ? About half of Brazil's original Amazon rainforest has been occupied by man, deforested or used for industry like logging and its destruction is worse than government data shows, a leading environmental group said Tuesday. Catalina Foxes Back After Near Extinction AVALON, Calif. ? A unique subspecies of fox that is about the size of a house cat is back from the brink of extinction on Santa Catalina Island and can survive on its own thanks to a captive breeding program, the head of a nonprofit group that manages most of the island said Tuesday. Arctic States Agree Vague Plan to Slow Thaw REYKJAVIK ? Eight Arctic countries agreed a vague plan to counter a rapid melt of the region on Wednesday with indigenous peoples accusing the United States of blocking stronger action aimed at slowing global warming. Good News Shows We Can Change Sometimes, just when you start feeling that everything is hopeless, something will happen to reaffirm your faith in humanity and our ability to get out of tight spots. Last week was just one of those times. Judge Approves Medical-Testing Settlement over Teflon Chemical in Water PARKERSBURG, W. Va. ? A state judge on Tuesday approved an almost $70 million medical study of as many as 80,000 people in two states who drank water contaminated with C8, a chemical DuPont Co. used to produce Teflon at a West Virginia plant. Species-Threatening Snails Found in Colorado BOULDER, Colo. ? Tough and tiny snails that threaten to crowd out native species by hogging all the food have shown up in a Colorado creek for the first time, state wildlife biologists said Tuesday. Montenegro's Parliament Mulls Government Plans to Flood Europe's Deepest Canyon PODGORICA, Serbia-Montenegro ? Montenegro's parliament opened a debate Tuesday on a contentious government plan to build a huge dam that would flood the Tara Canyon, a popular tourist destination that is part of a UNESCO world heritage site. Groups Join, Seek Action on Global Warming AUGUSTA, Maine ? More than a dozen conservation and public health advocacy groups joined on Tuesday to throw their collective support behind further legislative action to prevent global warming. Organic Snack-Food Entrepreneur Nell Newman Chats with Grist Nell Newman's dad (Paul -- maybe you've heard of him?) was skeptical about organic foods until she tricked him into eating an all-organic Thanksgiving feast. Resources Institute Competition in Mexico EERC Awarded $2.3 Million Mercury Research Project Paul Hawken Endorses Eurosif Transparency Guidelines Support African Sea Turtle Conservation and Win an iPod WWF, TRAFFIC Applaud New York City Law as First of Its Kind To Crack Down on Illegal Sales of Endangered Species ::: ENN Daily Newsletter - Monday, November 29, 2004 ::: Dispute over Montana Riverbed Roiling along Northern Cheyenne Reservation ASHLAND, Mont. - For the Northern Cheyenne, it's about defending a special resource and the border of their reservation. For an energy development firm, it's about business. And for Montana's governor, it's about protecting the state's financial interests and assets, which she insists include the bed of the Tongue River. Eighty Whales, Dolphins Die on Australian Island CANBERRA, Australia ? At least 80 whales and dolphins have died after beaching themselves on a remote island between the Australian mainland and the country's island state of Tasmania. Gash Found on Vessel's Cargo Tank after Delaware River Oil Spill PHILADELPHIA ? Divers found a six-foot gash on the tanker that leaked 30,000 gallons of crude oil into the Delaware River, creating a 20-mile-long slick that killed dozens of birds and threatened other wildlife, officials said Sunday. Ontario Fuel to Contain Five Percent Ethanol by 2007 WINNIPEG, Manitoba ? Gasoline in Canada's most populous province will contain an average of 5 percent of pollution-reducing ethanol by 2007, the Ontario government said Friday. Environmental Advocacy Group Urging Yellowstone Officials to Focus on Reducing Roadkill YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. ? Jeff Ruch, executive director of the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said park officials are widening too many roads, which leads to higher speeds and more wildlife killed. He said other parks have systems that alert drivers to wildlife on roadways. W.R. Grace Expects Indictment over Montana Asbestos Contamination W.R. Grace & Co., the Columbia, Md.-based chemical maker pushed into bankruptcy by asbestos lawsuits, said yesterday that it expects to be indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with asbestos contamination in Libby, Mont., where it once mined vermiculite that contained the hazardous fibers. Ojibwe Tribe, Utility Study Renewable Energy in Minnesota The Fond du Lac Ojibwe Band in Cloquet, Minn., is exploring the potential of using the winds, flowing waters and wood as sources of renewable energy. EarthTalk: Is Rinse-Aid Safe for the Environment, and Do I Need to Use it in My Dishwasher? If your region's water source is rich in magnesium and calcium salts ("hard" water), adding rinse-aid to your dishwasher along with the detergent may help prevent streaks and spotting on your glassware and dishes. Entering `Kyoto' Years, Warming World Wonders what Lies Beyond The ice is melting and the heat is on for international delegates assembling in Buenos Aires next week to find new ways to confront global warming under the 194-nation treaty on climate change. Sperm Whale Found Dead in Contaminated Waters off Puerto Rico SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico ? A sperm whale beached itself on a coral reef and died in contaminated waters in Puerto Rico on Sunday, officials said. Sustainable Leadership Awards Announced at CoreNet Global Summit WWF, TRAFFIC Applaud New York City Law as First of Its Kind To Crack Down on Illegal Sales of Endangered Species ::: ENN Daily Newsletter - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 ::: For complete environmental news and headlines, please vist www.enn.com Brazil Indians Grapple with White Man's Advance JAQUEIRA INDIAN RESERVE, Brazil - When Indian leader Pirakuman of the Yawalapiti tribe thinks of the agricultural boom that has so delighted Brazilian exporters and politicians, he sees only a threat to his people. International Forum to Take up Acid- Pollution Problem STATE COLLEGE, Penn. - Penn State scientists and ClearWater Conservancy will convene an international conference of acid-pollution experts to offer their knowledge to state officials facing decisions on the pyrite cleanup at an Interstate 99 construction site at Skytop. Lao Premier Urges ASEAN to Invest in Dam Project VIENTIANE, Laos - Laos' prime minister on Monday urged Southeast Asian countries to invest in his country's hydroelectric industry, as it struggles to start work on a massive dam aimed at easing poverty but slammed by critics as an ecological disaster. Entering `Kyoto' Years, Warming World Wonders what Lies Beyond The ice is melting and the heat is on for international delegates assembling in Buenos Aires next week to find new ways to confront global warming under the 194-nation treaty on climate change. Fine Particle Pollution is Cutting European Life Expectancy, Says U.N. GENEVA - The burning of fossil fuels and wood is cutting life expectancy in some parts of Europe by up to two years, despite a significant reduction in other pollutants, the United Nations said Monday. Anglers Want to Remove Black Bass from List of Threats to Japan's Ecosystems TOKYO - Industry groups and lawmakers have begun lobbying to remove black bass from a list contained in a new law that targets nonindigenous species believed to be damaging the country's native species and ecosystem. Hillary Opposed to Highway to South Pole WELLINGTON, New Zealand - New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mount Everest and the first to drive a vehicle to the South Pole, described a U.S. highway to the pole as "terrible." US Mining Giant Faces off against Police, Activists over Pollution Claims BUVAT BAY, Indonesia - Mention Newmont Mining Corp. in this impoverished seaside community and villagers angrily recount how pollution from its gold mine has killed the fish and sickened residents with headaches, nausea and tremors. Use of Key Chemical in Treatment of Commodity Crop Exports Spotlighted at International Ozone Layer Conference Sustainable Leadership Awards Announced at CoreNet Global Summit