Global Warming Endangers Yet Another Species

December 15th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner

Numerous global-warming studies have been published recently, so I want to focus on this critical issue about once a week. Organic living and environmentalism should go hand in hand, and the more information you have, the greater your ability to counter the arguments of climate-change skeptics.

The latest casualty may be the world’s crocodile population. With temperatures on the rise, these animals have a harder time finding mates. For crocodiles, gender is not determined genetically, but by embryo temperature during incubation, according to Dr. Alison Leslie, chair of the University of Stellenbosch’s Department of Conservation Ecology in South Africa (pictured here with a baby croc).

“A difference of 0.5º–1ºC in incubation temperature results in markedly different sex ratios,” says Dr. Leslie, principal investigator of Earthwatch’s Crocodiles of the Okavango Delta project. Research shows nest temperatures of about 32º–33ºC result in males, while lower or higher temperatures result in females.

“More female hatchlings due to the cooler or hotter incubation temperatures could lead to eventual extirpation of the species from an area,” says Dr. Leslie, who monitors crocodiles’ diet, health, movements and reproductive biology. Populations have dwindled dramatically in Botswana because of hide hunters’ overexploitation and conflicts with nearby communities.

“Even though crocodilians have been around for millions of years, and as important as these creatures may be in the systems they occupy, they are a much understudied species,” Dr. Leslie says. For more than eight years, in both Botswana and South Africa, she has been working with the Earthwatch Institute to change this. Next year, she will embark on a new study of crocodiles along Zambia’s Zambezi River.

Photo: Susy Bunker/Courtesy of Earthwatch

Tags: crocodiles, endangered species, environement
Posted in The Environment | Comments Off

Carnival of the Green # 57

December 10th, 2006 - Laura Klein

Here it is, The 57th Carnival of the Green. OrganicAuthority is proud to be host once again to this fabulous green collaboration. What the heck is it? Check out Treehugger for details.

You can find last and next week’s Carnivals at our friends at:
December 4th – Urban Eco
December 18th – Cocolico

Who said innovative companies are the most environmentally sound? Apple has been ranked stone motherless last by Greenpeace. The activist group reckons that Apple uses toxic chemicals, does a bad job on recycling and fails to provide much information about its environmental policies. Leon Gettler presents Rotten Apple: Greenpeace posted on Sox First.

Ben Nickell posted High profile experts debate climate change Ben Nickell comments on the recent climate change debate held at the Royal Geographical Society and including experts Professor David Bellamy OBE, Greg Barker MP (Shadow Environment Minister), Peter Mather (UK CEO of BP), Professor Mark Maslin and BBC Newsnight’s ‘ethical man’ Justin Rowlatt.

Since so many environmental issues are global, part of the problem in addressing them is the lack of a planet-wide perspective among many people. Here Graham Caswell presents a relatively simple and cost-effective proposal to greatly increase awareness of the earth as a small and shared oasis of life amidst the empty and inhospitable vastness of space. Graham Caswell presents A Proposal for Our Planet posted at Graham Caswell .com.

Mike McDerment presents Understanding Office Paper Usage posted at FreshBooks Blog.

Vihar Sheth presents Super Sponge! posted at green|rising.

Victoria E presents Green-colored magazine covers are “death on the newsstand”.

A somewhat controversial post about effective communication with mainstream America and giant corporations.

Tim Abbott presents Politics and the Planet Heating Up posted at Walking the Berkshires.

Making Mozzarella by Miranda Edel
Melissa Mansfield of LAGreenLiving.com writes “Sustainable Shindigs”: Whether you’re celebrating solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or just the fact that you survived holiday shopping at the mall – you can still party in a green way. Follow our simple steps for throwing a green get-together, from the planning process to the invites, from decorations to food, from transportation to clean-up.

Harlan Weikle presents Rwanda to Darfur, an unbroken discord On April 6, 1994, the killing began… Rwanda, was it just a precursor to the human and environmental disaster, which continues to plague Africa more than a decade later.

Sally Kneidel writes Check out Veggie Revolution this week. Harlan Weikle of Greener Magazine has posted an article (Dec 5) about Asian rice harvests threatened by pollution, and a Nov 26 article and NPR link honoring three women who are environmental activists.

Crafty Green Poet (Juliet Wilson) presents Crafty Green Christmas 1 – Wrapping Gifts The first in a series of three or four Crafty Green Christmas posts. This one focuses on wrapping gifts in reused wrapping paper.

Don Bosch over at The Evangelical Ecologist has a lengthy post on the impending Supreme Court decision on whether EPA has to regulate greenhouse gasses from cars and other mobile sources. Tons of links, including a transcription of EPA’s submission to the Supreme Court docket.

When people get a new computer, often their old computer ends up going to the landfill. That’s a shame because there are a lot of options out there which will keep the computer out of the landfill and bring it new life. Jeffrey Strain presents 15 Places To Give Old Computers New Life posted at Personal Finance Advice

And finally discover how much water goes into all sorts of everyday beverages through growing and processint in, “How Much Water Do You Drink” at www.water.groxie.com

Well that’s it for the 57th Carnival of Green!

Remember sign up for www.OrganicAuthority.com’s newsletter to receive tasty organic recipes and simple tips and tricks on how to live organic and green.

Get healthy, and go organic!

Warmly,
Laura Lynn Klein
Publisher
www.OrganicAuthority.com

A Life Among Whales

March 31st, 2006 - Barbara Feiner

Acclaimed biologist Dr. Roger Payne, author of Among Whales, received the 2006 Earthwatch Film Award for his documentary, A Life Among Whales. The film chronicles his quest to understand and conserve the world’s whales—an important topic for those who believe in protecting the environment and organic living.

“Like all large animals, whales are threatened by human competition and habitat degradation,” says Dr. Payne, founder and president of Ocean Alliance. “But their most immediate challenge is that whaling is increasing exponentially. We need to restart the ‘save the whales’ movement. This, and the other environmental crises that mankind has generated, are not insurmountable problems; they represent the most singular opportunity for greatness ever offered to any generation in any civilization.”

“Documentary films help broadcast the inspiring power of nature,” says Ed Wilson, president and CEO of Earthwatch, an organization that recruits ordinary people to join scientific expeditions around the globe and one of the world’s largest nonprofit supporters of marine mammal research. “This is particularly important when dealing with marine issues, as so few people get the chance to witness this unique environment first hand. As we mark our 35th year, Earthwatch is increasing its focus on improving awareness and management of our oceans. Dr. Payne’s life work is a stellar example of how to engage the public in addressing these issues. From whales burdened by toxic chemicals to coral reefs overcome by climate change, we know the larger part of our blue planet is in trouble.”

Dr. Payne is best known for his studies of whale behavior, especially early recordings of humpback whale songs, and for his theory that the sounds of fin and blue whales can be heard across oceans. He is concerned about the efforts of whaling nations, such as Japan, to shift the balance in the International Whaling Commission and potentially overthrow the moratorium on commercial whaling.

“Unless we get off our chairs and start persuading responsible nations to support whales, the whaling nations will have a majority in the International Whaling Commission in a year or two,” he says. “That will enable them to institute new laws, like throwing out the conservationists who are currently allowed to observe meetings and lobby delegates.”

Global Warming Endangers Yet Another Species

Carnival of the Green # 57

A Life Among Whales

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