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Could Quotas Keep Fish on the Menu?

Giving a man a fish — not teaching him how to do it — may actually be a better way to preserve the world's dwindling fish stocks, according to a new study published in Science on Sept. 19.

From Time:

"Scientists and fishermen have known for years that global fish populations are in bad shape. According to one bleak 2006 study, all of the world's major commercial fisheries could collapse by 2048 because of overfishing and loss of habitat. Now a team of economists and biologists say they know one way to prevent the loss of this crucial resource in global waters: more quotas. Read the entire article here...

5 Incredible Underwater Habitats

We look at five habitats underwater that show it is possibe to live submerged beneath the waves.

From environmentalgraffiti:

"Recently, hurricanes, floods and torrential rains have resulted in vast areas of land, sometimes whole villages and cities, being engulfed in water. The devastation is often catastrophic. People are left homeless and destitute, with little to call their own. The effects of these disasters leave their mark long after the waters have subsided. But what if there was a way out, an alternative? What if we fulfilled the dreams of Jules Verne, and many like him, and succeeded in living under the oceans. For a long time it was never thought truly possible, now it’s quickly becoming a reality. Read the entire article and see the pictures here...

Earth's Air Divided by Chemical Equator

Scientists have found a temporary "chemical equator" that separates the heavily polluted air of the Northern Hemisphere from the cleaner air of the Southern Hemisphere over the Western Pacific — only it isn't where they expected to find it.

From LiveScience:

The Northern Hemisphere tends to have more polluted air than the Southern Hemisphere because it has more cities, more population in those cities on average and more industry. And each hemisphere's air masses tend to stay segregated from one another. That allows scientists to "see" chemical boundaries between the air masses of hemispheres by monitoring big changes in levels of air pollution.  Read the entire article here...

The Birth of an Ocean

Formation of an ocean is a rare event, one few scientists have ever witnessed. Yet this geophysical nativity is unfolding today in one of the hottest and most inhospitable corners of the globe. Visit the site in safety through this extraordinary photographic essay.

From Sciam:

In northeastern Ethiopia one of the earth’s driest deserts is making way for a new ocean. This region of the African continent, known to geologists as the Afar Depression, is pulling apart in two directions—a process that is gradually thinning the earth’s rocky outer skin. The continental crust under Afar is a mere 20 kilometers from top to bottom, less than half its original thickness, and parts of the area are over 100 meters below sea level. Low hills to the east are all that stops the Red Sea from encroaching. Read the entire article here...

Plastics in our Oceans

From the Ocean Watch Essays

"Imagine the massive breadth and spread of our great state of Texas. Now imagine every milli-inch of that piled high with trash: bottle caps, cigarettes, cigarette lighters, tampon applicators, plastic nets, discarded flip flops, Frisbees, soda bottles, milk jugs, diapers, six-pack rings, busted tennis rackets, empty pens, shampoo bottles, empty squeeze bottles of jam, you name it.  Now take that image, double it, and plunk into the water.  That’s what is floating around the eastern corner of a 10-million-square-mile oval known as the North Pacific subtropical gyre.  Nicknamed the “Eastern Garbage Patch,” this buoyant stew of toxic pollution—most of which is plastic—is only one of five such garbage heaps caught in the swirling high-pressure currents characteristic of gyres.  The others reside in the South Pacific, the North and South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean. And each year, perhaps unwittingly, each one of us adds to plastic to the heap... Read More.

Green Basics by Treehugger

Treehugger has put together some very informative, yet to-the-point backgrounders on eco-related processes. Here are some of my favorites:

CFL Bulbs or Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs: Energy Savings, Mercury, Recycling and More

Hybrid-Electric Cars: How They Work, Battery Technology and More

Ethanol: How the Fuel is Produced, Growing Corn and Other Feedstocks, and More

Compost: How to Make It, Bins, Piles and More

Biodiesel: How It's Made, Environmental Impact, Where to Find a Fueling Station, and More

Get Rid of Rust and Save the Earth

If we are removing rust particularly from our equipment and appliances, we want to be very attentive that we will not scrape the surface and so we are likely to wipe more slowly as we get rid of the rust. For example, we do not lay a hand on anything rusty because it is rather tricky to remove once it has tainted your skin or clothing. There is also a disagreeable smell coupled with rust. It is also dangerous to breathe in or ingest this form of substance. Rust removal is by no means a trouble-free job because it can produce results that we want to avoid as much as possible.

At the same time, we are very much aware of the effects of household cleaners on the environment. The fact that household cleaners are among the major pollutants inside our homes is alarming given that we always use commercial cleaners. Common cleaning agents have a tendency to contain toxic and harmful chemicals that not only threats our wellbeing but also harms the delicate environment. We want to clean our household because we value the welfare of every individual living inside but at the same time we agonize that we might throw in to indoor pollution.

Developments in science have created cleaning agents from all natural and organic substances that would also shield the person managing it. Not like the customary cleaners, they do not release harmful and toxic materials that might damage vital organs such as our lungs. These products are not likely to be carcinogenic or cause other ailments like asthma or aggravate the conditions of those inhabitants who are immunocompromised. Luckily we are now offered a new range of products such as a rust remover that not only effectively neutralizes and removes the rust from any type of surface but it also is very safe for the environment.

A typical contemporary household will show off furniture, fixtures or appliances that include a metal or iron element. Rust is the normal effect of oxidation of such elements and so in order to guarantee lasting function of our assets we make efforts to divest them of rust. With the latest cleaners close by, rust can easily be eliminated without having to scrub vigorously. To do such a thing might scratch or spoil some precious property. Rust can be removed easily with the latest line of cleaners and with the understanding that these products are ecologically safe to use, we are certain that our precious metal and iron possessions can continue to be of use to us.

As long as we are equipped with the right product there is no likelihood that we might harm ourselves and the environment. We can care for Mother Earth and still enjoy living life without distressing over rust. The new and enhanced rust cleaner can be applied without the need for severe scouring and what’s more it can be finished in half the time.

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A Smart Move to Natural Cleaning Products

Once again it is that time of the year for that cleaning up project but you totally can't stand that toxic odor of a recently swabbed flooring or wall and you recognize that most cleaning agents can be noxious both indoors and outside the home and you certainly do not want to add to a budding ecological problem.  You also can not probably even utilize conventional household cleaning products for the reason that the chemical fumes or gases that make you bodily ill.  These are only some of the basis to take a look at natural cleaning products.

 

There are a lot of meanings for the phrase environmentally safe cleaning product.  To put it briefly it simply means that environmentally safe cleaning products are those that does not discharge a lot of harsh chemicals or fumes and does not smell a lot if at all possible.  It also is harmless if ever a child or a pet were to consume it meaning that it would not injure them.  If it was trickled or it washed into the water system then it would not damage the water and for sure the environment. 

 

The situation is in a really rough shape from climate change, pollution and deforestation.  Now from corner to corner of the world the public are becoming conscious how their every day choices influence the environment.  Our choices can come back to haunt us and harm the welfare of our family.  Most of us want to make a difference and you can begin now.  There are at the moment non-toxic lines for every brand of product and the plan is that you can have your dream house and keep on living in it without having to worry about damaging the environment.  Try and look up some of these products up for keeping everything in tip-top shape while protecting yourself and the environment.  Household cleaning products such as mold killer are now safe to use not only indoors but also outdoors as well.

 

Understandably some consumers are somewhat hesitant because there are also myths relating to organically formulated household cleaners out there.  For one, the myth that these environmentally safe products are too pricey and they do not work wonderfully for what they are invented to do.  There may be a point for argument’s sake but they are very good quality products and to toy with the wellbeing of your family for the sake of practicality is like declaring you do not put significance on the life of all living thing.  But with the incredible advances in science and technology, there are now products that are not only efficient but very safe as well. 

 

Companies that make paint products are also coming up with enhancements in turn to care for the environment.  They would rather do research and produce environmentally safe products than have the largest class-action lawsuit that could in fact destroy their business.  For example there are now mold remediation products that totally removes any traces of mold and mildew and the worry of every homeowner for their wellbeing is easily and practically assured because these products are also very affordable to come by.

EcoFlip.org is the eco-friendly alternative to online local classifieds! 

Top 10 Least Walkable U.S. Cities

From TreeHugger

When Walk Score recently released their ranking of the ten most walkable U.S. cities there was no doubt that folks in places like San Francisco, Boston and New York City could look with satisfaction upon their city as a paradise for bipedalism. But when we took a look at the rankings it became clear that there was quite a spread between some of the most and least friendly areas for walking in which to live. In fact, it’s not so improbable to imagine that some citizens of major U.S. cities often feel like the person pictured here when compared to their counterparts in those where walking is a way of life.

But the question is whether your city makes the list of our least walkable U.S. cities?

So here’s the list, created by Walk Score, of the least walkable major cities in the U.S., with Jacksonville, Florida earning the dubious distinction of being our least walkable U.S. city.

Top 10 Least Walkable U.S. Cities
1. Jacksonville
2. Nashville
3. Charlotte
4. Indianapolis
5. Oklahoma City
6. Memphis
7. Kansas City
8. Fort Worth
9. El Paso
10. Mesa

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So here’s the list, created by Walk Score, of the least walkable major cities in the U.S., with Jacksonville, Florida earning the dubious distinction of being our least walkable U.S. city.

Top 10 Least Walkable U.S. Cities
1. Jacksonville
2. Nashville
3. Charlotte
4. Indianapolis
5. Oklahoma City
6. Memphis
7. Kansas City
8. Fort Worth
9. El Paso
10. Mesa

Chipotle Grilled on Tomatoes

From Grist

Chipotle Grill has received a lot of good press over its efforts to support local food systems in the areas where it operates. Even I've gotten into the act. In a post back in March, I reported on a conversation I had had with a Chipotle PR person:

I told her that as long as Chipotle was committed to paying a fair price to farmers -- and not merely using them them for marketing leverage -- I thought the company could play a constructive role in a nationwide transition to a truly sustainable ag. We'll see.

Well, not so fast. From the excellent group blog The Pump Handle, in a post by Celeste Monforton, I learn that Chipotle has refused to sign on to a deal to pay a an extra penny per pound for tomatoes from Florida, where farmworkers toil under brutal conditions for sub-poverty wages.

By pinching that penny per pound, Chipotle fails to meet the standards of such model corporate citizens as McDonald's and and Burger King -- both of which have agreed to the higher price.

To get the details on Chipotle's inglorious holdout, read Celeste's linked post above and check out the website of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which has heroically faced down some of the globe's biggest and most retrograde food corporations to get something approaching a living wage for Florida's ruthlessly exploited farmworkers.

If Chipotle is at all serious about its pledge to serve "food with integrity," it will stop dickering around and pay up in Florida.

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