Should Climate Scientists Fight Back or Press Forward?

Submitted by Nate Kharrl on Tue, 2010-03-09 21:33
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Should Climate Scientists Fight Back or Press Forward?

Climate scientists disagree on what to do to gain public support for global warming action. While some see a head-on-assault against skeptics as the only answer, others think that climate science would emerge from the battle worse for the wear.
James Inhofe, Climate Skeptic

Andrew Revkin of the New York Times Dot Earth blog revealed recently leaked email memos and publicly available written pieces that show climate scientists furiously debating the best strategy for reclaiming public support for green initiatives.

Japanese Town Defends Dolphin Slaughter Portrayed in Oscar-Winning Documentary

Submitted by Nate Kharrl on Tue, 2010-03-09 16:58
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Japanese Town Defends Dolphin Slaughter Portrayed in Oscar-Winning Documentary

Japanese officials and citizens of the sleepy fishing town of Taijii defend their annual dolphin hunt, as portrayed in the Oscar-winning documentary, "The Cove."
Taiji Dolphin Slaughter

Last weekend, the who's who of Western entertainment gathered in Los Angeles to cheer on the winners of coveted Oscar awards. The winner of the best documentary Oscar, "The Cove," got a much different reaction from the residents of the town that served as the film's location. That's because the documentary portrays the annual capture and slaughter of some 2,000 dolphins by Taiji fisherman in a secluded cove. The residents of this town are responsible for about 11% of Japan's annual dolphin take, but it is the only place that the ancient "oikomi" hunting method is used.

ARPA-E: Big Ideas, Big Risk, Little Funding

Submitted by Nate Kharrl on Tue, 2010-03-09 00:04
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ARPA-E: Big Ideas, Big Risk, Little Funding

The ARPA-E program has big dreams despite its miniscule budget. Find out more about the high-risk research being performed in America today.
Reasercher from the State of California

The federal government announced that $100 million in stimulus funds would be directed to the newly formed ARPA-E research program. Modeled after the Pentagon's DARPA program, whose high-risk research lead to the development of the internet, GPS, and large military advancements, the ARPA-E program contains research focused on energy security. These projects are expected to cover everything from renewable energy sources to new power-saving devices for computers and other thirsty electronics.

Taiji Dolphin Slaughter Film Wins Best Documentary Oscar

Submitted by ecofactory on Mon, 2010-03-08 06:22
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Taiji Dolphin Slaughter Film Wins Best Documentary Oscar

LOS ANGELES, California, March 8, 2010 (ENS) - "The Cove," an American film documenting the annual killing of dolphins in a cove near the Japanese village of Taiji, was awarded an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Sunday night by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Directed by former National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos, parts of the documentary were filmed secretly during 2007 using underwater microphones and high-definition cameras disguised as rocks.

Endangered Listing for Greater Sage-Grouse Warrented But Withheld

Submitted by ecofactory on Mon, 2010-03-08 06:18
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Endangered Listing for Greater Sage-Grouse Warrented But Withheld

WASHINGTON, DC, March 8, 2010 (ENS) - The greater sage-grouse "warrants" the protection of the Endangered Species Act but listing the species at this time is "precluded by the need to address higher priority species first," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Friday.

IWC Draft Document Promotes Regulated Whaling

Submitted by Nate Kharrl on Fri, 2010-03-05 17:07
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IWC Draft Document Promotes Regulated Whaling

A recent meeting of the International Whaling Convention drafted a plan to begin regulated whaling.
Photo credit: Michael Dawes

A special working group working to save the International Whaling Commission met in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida to propose a "package" that could bring whaling and anti-whaling countries closer together. Notes from the Chairman, which clearly state that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed," recognize that the body has not performed to the satisfaction of whaling and anti-whaling nations alike.

Luxury Hawaiian Resort in Legal Trouble Over Seabird Deaths

Submitted by ecofactory on Thu, 2010-03-04 14:00
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Luxury Hawaiian Resort in Legal Trouble Over Seabird Deaths

LIHUE, Kauai, March 4, 2010 (ENS) - Four conservation groups today advised the St. Regis Princeville Resort on Kauai's North Shore of their intent to sue over the resort's failure to prevent the deaths of rare native seabirds, in violation of the federal Endangered Species Act.

The St. Regis is owned by Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which also owns the Westin, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels, and Le Meridien brands.

EPA Takes Charge of Ten More Toxic Superfund Sites

Submitted by ecofactory on Thu, 2010-03-04 13:54
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EPA Takes Charge of Ten More Toxic Superfund Sites

WASHINGTON, DC, March 4, 2010 (ENS) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adding 10 new hazardous waste sites that pose risks to human health and the environment to the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. The listings make these sites eligible to receive federal funds for long-term cleanup while the EPA seeks to recover costs from the responsible parties.

British Hearing Leaves Climategate Professor Shaking

Submitted by Nate Kharrl on Tue, 2010-03-02 18:17
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British Hearing Leaves Climategate Professor Shaking

Phil Jones, the climate scientist at the epicenter of "Climategate," was shaken by the first public inquiry by British lawmakers and investigators.
House of Commons

British officials and lawmakers carried out the first hearing against climate scientist Phil Jones yesterday over uncertainties in his research results made public by leaked emails now known as "Climategate." Simon Hoggart of The Guardian described Jones as "taut, nervous, often miserable. Often his hands shook." Investigators say they avoided some of the most piercing, some say most critical, questions intentionally due to Jones' frail mental state. Since the scandal erupted last November, Jones has become the subject of scrutiny, scorn, and death threats.

Afghanistan Protects World's Least Known Bird, Rare Mammals

Submitted by ecofactory on Tue, 2010-03-02 15:15
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Afghanistan Protects World's Least Known Bird, Rare Mammals

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 2, 2010 (ENS) - The first breeding population of one of the world's least known birds, the large-billed reed-warbler, Acrocephalus orinus, has just been discovered in the remote, rugged Wakhan Corridor of the Pamir Mountains in northeastern Afghanistan.

On Sunday, Afghanistan's National Environment Protection Agency announced that it will expand its Protected Species List by adding the large-billed reed-warbler and an additional 14 species to the list. There are now a total of 48 protected species in Afghanistan.