Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Bamboo fabric exposed, hog barn ban, Al gore roasted for for global warming and much more

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Tuesday, March 4, 2008
News of Note

OSLO (Reuters) - Eat a whale and save the planet, a Norwegian pro-whaling lobby said on Monday of a study showing that harpooning the giant mammals is less damaging to the climate than farming livestock.

Top Stories

Forget Facebook, MySpace or You Tube: here comes connect2earth, a new online community where young people can upload videos, pictures and comments about the environment. On www.connect2earth.org, users and visitors will be able to write, speak, illustrate and video present their concerns on subjects important to them, and share environmental ideas and solutions.

Yes, it’s true. Bamboo fabric uses a chemical process to turn its cellulosic fibers into fabric. And yes, it’s also true that the process is similar to rayon production and is, in fact, considered a sub-category of rayon. The production of rayon has been in existence since the mid 1800’s and since then has undergone many iterations. More recently, new processes have been developed which enable plant-based fibers (such as bamboo) to be utilized in the production of fabric.

Studying rice may not sound like the world's most exciting job. But think again: One plant biologist, Dr. Monty Jones, has made the study of rice his life's work – and as a result of his amazing innovations in the field, he's dramatically improved the lives of millions of farmers and the general population throughout West Africa.

NATIONAL REPORT—In meeting rooms, back of house and other areas of your hotel, chances are great that you are using T-12 fluorescent lamps or the more efficient T-8s to illuminate large spaces. At least two companies—ilumisys, Inc. in Troy, Mich., and LEDdynamics, Inc. in Randolph, Vt.—are trying to replace these linear fluorescents with LED alternatives that are more energy efficient and safer for the environment.

ENN Spotlight

Based on a senior official’s remarks, it looks like China may soon relax its one-child policy. That has raised fears among some demographers that the country will experience a massive baby boom once the reproductive shackles come off, and hence 'could overturn predictions of an imminent end to global population growth,' in the words of New York Times reporter Andrew Revkin.

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WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - Manitoba will permanently ban new hog barns and expansions in the eastern half of the province, where the industry is most concentrated, its conservation minister said on Monday. The government will immediately lift a temporary ban on new and expanding hog operations in the rest of the province, Stan Struthers said, but he said the entire industry will be subject to more environmental rules and scrutiny.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian company said on Tuesday it had developed the first artificial breeding plan for the endangered southern bluefin tuna, in high demand for sashimi and sushi. According to a 2006 report by Australian, New Zealand, South Korean and Japanese officials, southern bluefin tuna catches are unsustainable with an even chance that all fish capable of laying eggs will be gone by 2030 if current catch levels continue. Clean Seas Tuna Ltd said the successful collection of captive southern bluefin tuna sperm and eggs at its base in South Australia state could pave the way to year-round production of the fish.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Al Gore, who won the Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar for his environmental advocacy, was the main target on Monday at a conference of dissident scientists skeptical of his views on global warming. Several speakers at the conference on climate change whose theme was "Global warming is not a crisis," took pot-shots at the ex-vice president and his film, "An Inconvenient Truth," which won last year's Academy Award for best documentary.

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Member Press Releases
By: Center for Biological Diversity
The Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network formally petitioned the U.S. government today to enforce the Marine Mammal Protection Act and impose a ban on imported swordfish until exporting countries provide proof that their fishing practices are at least as protective of marine mammals as those used by U.S. commercial fishers. By: Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
The latest in cutting-edge sustainable (residential and commercial) building materials and products, renewable energy technologies, and green design and construction services, will highlight the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association’s (NESEA) 33rd annual Building Energy Conference and Trade Show, March 11-13 at Boston’s Seaport World Trade Center. By: Center for Biological Diversity
The Center for Biological Diversity issued a 60-day notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Friday over the agency’s decision not to recover an endangered species native to the United States, the jaguar, in violation of the Endangered Species Act. The notice is required to allow the federal agency one last chance to comply with the law.By: the Center for Biological Diversity
The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest plan to create new off-road vehicle trails and allow vehicles in Inventoried Roadless Areas will destroy untold acres of public land, said conservation groups Thursday. The new plan, announced February 22, creates new off-road trails near wilderness areas, disturbs designated critical habitat for threatened and endangered species, and opens new areas to cross-country off-roading on sensitive lands. By: Keep America Beautiful
With the 2008 presidential campaign heating up, national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful® (KAB) is embarking on a campaign of its own as part of the national Great American CleanupTM, the nation's largest community improvement program which takes place annually from March 1 through May 31. Unlike the presidential candidates, the organization is making a rather unusual campaign promise – this year, it will "fight dirty" and focus on improving communities nationwide.By: Energy & Environmental Research Center, Inc.
The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota announces the Biomass '08: Power, Fuels, and Chemicals Workshop to be held July 15-16, 2008, at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota.By: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Recognizing Honda's application of fuel efficient and alternative fuel technologies, four Honda vehicles earned recognition from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) as the "greenest vehicles of 2008" with the Civic GX natural gas car taking the title of the greenest vehicle for the fifth consecutive year, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. In the 11th annual ACEEE's "Green Book® Online" ranking of environmentally responsible vehicles (available at www.greenercars.org), the natural gas-powered Civic GX ranked first with the gasoline Civic, Fit and Civic Hybrid joining the list of the 12 most environmentally-conscious vehicles available to the public.By: the Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Biological Diversity staffer Lydia Millet's new novel How the Dead Dream tells the story of an ambitious young California real estate developer who, in the wake of a personal crisis, becomes obsessed with rare and vanishing animals and starts breaking into zoos at night to be close to them.

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