ENN rounds up the most important and compelling environmental news stories of the week. In the news April 9th - 13th: Renewable fuel standards, "green" weddings, lion protections, Schwarzenegger in Washington, and much more.
Top Ten Articles of the Week
In the news April 9th - 13th: Renewable fuel standards, "green" weddings, lion protections, Schwarzenegger in Washington, and much more.
1. Deforestation Effects Depend on Location
The effect of deforestation on climate depends on three things -- location, location and location. Environmentalists concerned about global warming have long encouraged preservation of forests because they absorb carbon dioxide, the most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. But the issue, like most things, may be more complicated than it first appears.
2. Warming Could Spark North American Water Scramble, UN Warns
Climate change could diminish North American water supplies and trigger disputes between the United States and Canada over water reserves already stressed by industry and agriculture, U.N. experts said Wednesday. Severe weather already costs North America tens of billions of dollars annually in productivity and damaged property, and those costs are expected to rise.
3. U.S. Offers Renewable Fuel Standards for Vehicles
The United States announced new standards for renewable fuels for cars and trucks Tuesday, but stopped short of committing to regulate greenhouse gases that spur global warming. The renewable fuel standards program aims to cut dependence on foreign oil and curb global warming pollution by expanding the use of ethanol and other alternative fuels, said Stephen Johnson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
4. British Brides Say 'I Do' to Green Weddings
Here comes the bride, all dressed in -- green. White weddings might have been the dream of fashionable brides of old. But the trendiest British weddings are now at least metaphorically green as couples seek to reduce the impact of their nuptials on the environment. That means everything from recycled wedding dresses and guests arriving by bicycle, to home-grown flowers and locally produced food for the wedding buffet.
5. Wild Horses Munch Desolate Marshland Back to Life
Close to the cathedral city of Canterbury, wild horses linked to sinister Nazi experiments are helping to bring wildlife and rare birds back to once desolate marshlands. In an intriguing ecological exercise that could revitalise the countryside, naturalistic grazing is the environmental buzzword -- the horses basically munch the marshes back to life.
6. ConocoPhillips Joins Climate Group, Supports Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
ConocoPhillips has joined several other major corporations urging Congress to require limits on greenhouse gases tied to global warming, the first major U.S. oil company to take such a stance. The company said Wednesday it has joined the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, an alliance of big business and environmental groups that in January sent a letter to President Bush stating that mandatory emissions caps are needed to reduce the flow of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.
7. Schwarzenegger in Washington: Make Environment Sexy
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told environmentalists Wednesday they needed to stop nagging and make their cause sexy, likening it to bodybuilding's evolution from a weird pursuit to mainstream. "Bodybuilding used to have a very sketchy image," the former bodybuilding champion told an environmental forum at Georgetown University. "... It had fanatics and it had weird people. ...But we changed that. ... It became sexy, attractive."
8. India Steps Up Protection for Rare Asiatic Lions
Hundreds of new guards and closed-circuit TV cameras will be used to protect rare Asiatic lions threatened by poachers and villagers in their only natural habitat, Indian officials said on Saturday. The government of the western state of Gujarat, where the Gir wildlife sanctuary is located, set up an Asiatic Lion Protection Cell after 10 lions were found dead during the last six weeks, six of them killed by poachers, they said.
9. Nissan, NEC To Produce Batteries for Ecologically Friendly Vehicles
Nissan and electronics maker NEC will produce batteries for ecologically friendly vehicles, the companies said Friday, signaling efforts by the Japanese automaker to catch up with rivals that have a head start in green technology.
10. Effort to Catalog Species Tops One Million
A worldwide scientific effort to catalog every living species has topped the 1 million milestone. Six years into the program the total has reached 1,009,000, researchers report. They hope to complete the listing by 2011, reaching an expected total of about 1.75 million species.
Photo: An Eastern Cottontail nestled in some grass. Cottontails are mostly nocturnal. Eastern Cottontails usually hop to get around, but they can run fast for short distances to avoid danger. They usually run in a zig-zag manner to break the scent trail. They can also leap up to 15 feet. Credit: William R. James/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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