Pacific Spirit Marine Institute
Marauding Band of Jellyfish Wipes Out Entire Stock of Salmon in Northern Ireland.
Monday, November 26, 2007
All is lost.
After swooping in and killing the entire stock of 120,000 mature salmon at the Glenarm Bay organic aqua farm belonging to Northern Salmon Company. Although this was a devasting blow, the company still had young salmon at Red Bay which would have reached maturity in autumn 2008. The company thought they may be able to hang on until then, but that is no longer the case. All is now lost.
The jellyfish took their plundering directly to the juvenile salmon aqua farm at Red Bay days later and wiped them out as well.
According to Mark McCaughan, the Chief Fisheries Officer, Department of Agriculture Northern Ireland "It's an unusual natural phenomenon which is unprecedented in Northern Ireland."
Nothing could have prevented the attack.
The jellyfish surrounded the salmon cages by the billions, blocking tide movement, the salmon were stung and asphyxiated. Dead dead dead. Now the 120,000 200 tonnes of mature salmon will be sent to Co. Meath to be incinerated presumably the same fate will meet the juvenile salmon from Red Bay as well.
The Queen's 80th birthday party guests were served Glenarm salmon. It was said to be one of the highlights of her birthday banquet. The Glenarm salmon had been gaining world wide fans of the product said to be simply the best. The product was making great inroads toward placing Northern Ireland on the map with delectable food stuffs for export.
The density of the jellyfish was such that 3 boats sent by Northern Salmon Co. to attempt a rescue were unable to move through the billions of jellyfish. The attack lasted nearly 7 hours with the jellyfish covering an area in the sea of 10 square miles and they were 35 feet deep.
These jellyfish which are Mauve Stingers can grow to be 10cm in diameter.
Jellyfish have been creating more and more problems in the past few years. Scientists say millions of Juvenile jellyfish have been swept into unfamiliar neighborhoods by unusually strong Atlantic Currents maybe caused by the changing climate.
In 2005 a swarm of jellyfish collected in a Swedish nuclear reactor's cooling system prompting the Oskarshamn plant to shut down one of its 3 reactors. The plant cools its reactors with water from the Baltic Sea.
In Orange County California Millions of jellyfish appeared as if by magic or as fire Capt. Jim Turner in Newport Beach put it "like Mary Poppins" in 2005 also. California jellyfish seam to be more laid back than their marauding cousins in the Atlantic.
The species that hit the California coast were 'giant black jellyfish. Giant compared to what? They had a canopy about 3 feet wide, and their tentacles were reaching up to 12 feet in length.
At the time scientists had only even known of this species for about 10 years, so they took the opportunity to catch and study these guys. Dennis Kelly, head of the Marine Science Department at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, speaking in Californese said "This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime-like-thing."
Japanese fishermen have been dealing with the Jumbo Jellyfish problem which started in 2002. Oddly there isn't a culinary market for these Jumbo Jellyfish and one wonders why Japan hasn't made an effort to turn peoples buns toward jellyfish on a kaiser roll instead of whale meat.
China has had its own problems with jellyfish invasions too.
Photo thanks and notes. Belfast Telegraph
Labels: aquaculture, Climate Change, jellyfish, nuclear, open water aquaculture
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Marauding Band of Jellyfish Wipes Out Entire Stock of Salmon in Northern Ireland.
posted by Pacific Spirit on Monday, November 26, 2007
Antarctica Takes An Environmental Bullet, the 3rd fired in 9 months. MS Explorer Sinks!
Friday, November 23, 2007
The MS Explorer is sunk. It didn't take very long for her to go down either; less than 24 hours after she hit some ice and began taking on the frigid waters of Antarctica, she had disappeared from sight.
According to the Associated Press Chilean navy vessels lost sight of the Canadian owned MS Explorer. "Our units in the area aren't seeing anything" "The Explorer is not visible any longer."
This isn't the first time this year that a ship has been in distress in Antarctica. Last February the Nisshin Maru, the Japanese whaling factory ship caught fire, and was dead in the water for 10 days. The Norwegian cruise ship MS Nordkapp ran aground off a a small island in Antartica.
The Nisshin Maru lost one crew. Fire on the whale meat canning ship was steeped in controversy and accusations of terrorism and sabotage. Luckily there was only the loss of one human soul in 3 potentially horrific incidents. All these incidents took place in 9 months leads me to question the sanity of 'tourism' in one of the most ecologically precarious places on the planet. 9 months is really a misrepresentation when November to April are the accessible months in the Antarctic.
The fact that ship emissions represent a major portion of global nitrogen and sulfur, both known to contribute to global climate changes, it's makes no sense to beef up the emissions in Antarctica buy hauling in ship load after ship load of tourists compounding emissions in this vulnerable area.
Emissions aside, accidents just such as the one that befell the Explorer today are environmental disasters waiting to happen. This ship was rated 1A1 ice A with a double hull. What good did that do her?
PSMI at this time doesn't know how much fuel and what type of fuel the MS Explorer was burning. We'll try to find more information as the night progresses.
In the mean time...Things aren't adding up for me.
Labels: Antarctic, Climate Change, Cruise Ships, Global Warming, MS Explorer, Nisshin Maru, Sinking
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Antarctica Takes An Environmental Bullet, the 3rd fired in 9 months. MS Explorer Sinks!
posted by Pacific Spirit on Friday, November 23, 2007
Ship Sinking In Antarctica has 1A1 ice A rating, and a double hull! Collision with ice creats GAP in Explorer!
Lloyd's List has discovered that the vessel had 5 deficiencies at its last inspection including missing search and rescue plans and lifeboat maintenance problems.
YIKES!
Watertight door described as 'not required', and fire safety measure also attracted criticism.
The M/S Explorer is said to be equipped with an ice hardened double hull. This ice hardened double hull has an ice rating of 1A1 ice A. This fact seems to be a safety selling point but, it didn't do much good protecting her early this morning. The Explorer also brings along a large fleet of clean 4-stroke burning engined Zodiacs.
The Maritime Coastguard Agency is reporting 152 passengers and crew have been rescued by Endeavour, and the MS Nordnorge will collect passengers.
Quoting the GAP adventures website, "A voyage aboard the G.A.P. Adventures' M/S Explorer is an expedition in the truest sense of the word."
Indeed! An adventure to be sure, 100 + passengers being transferred to Norweigian Ship 'Nordnorge' may be thinking they have just escaped the expedition from hell. With water temperatures of 30 degrees F. and 23 degree air temps, being aboard a sinking ship, in one of the most remote locations of earth, isn't an adventure for which any right thinking adventurer would want to pay.
It's interesting to note that GAP Adventures is a member of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators, but the IAATO issues only safety 'guidelines'. There are no legal requirements to adhere to the guidelines.
Susan Hayes, Gap Adventures is reporting that the Cruise Ship 'Explorer' is taking on water, it's listing at 40 degrees, at the moment but, it isn't sinking. Hayes was spinning a very loose weave when she told CNN news in a phone interview that the ship had not hit an iceberg.
Hayes said the ship started taking on water at 3:00 AM GMT., she also said that the Explorer did not hit an iceberg.
Ah, it's a delicate balance trying to avoid looking just incompetent as opposed to just inadequate. The feeling that this top notch rating of 1A1 ice A double hulled ship could be adequate protection against 'hole's the size of a fist' made by as Hayes says 'a piece of ice' is certainly what the GAP website seems to imply. Even the Titanic was not impervious to an Ice Berg, but remember the word coming from GAP is, the Explorer didn't hit an iceberg, but a piece of ice.
So much for 1A1 ice A ratings.
The Explorer is said to be the first expedition ship ever constructed, and not converted from a freighter or research vessel, therefore she was specifically designed for challenging environments.
The orange spot is the current location of the Explorer.
Naturally it would be bad for business if the ship just actually ran into an iceberg, on the other hand how much confidence can be instilled in, adventurers if the ship sinks from a hole the size of a fist? As Hayes said the ship did not hit an iceberg.
Video clip shows the Explorer clearly in trouble. The environmental impact is not being discussed at this time. The Explorer may not sink. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
Photo thanks www.bt.no
Labels: Antartic, Explorer, Lloyds List, Nordnorge, Sinking
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Ship Sinking In Antarctica has 1A1 ice A rating, and a double hull! Collision with ice creats GAP in Explorer!
posted by Pacific Spirit on Friday, November 23, 2007
Is Japanese Whaling a sustainable industry?
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The meat from the slaughtered whales is sold to restaurants and supermarkets and the profits are used to fund future hunts. Nice work if you can get it! But, read further for the catch.
The Nisshin Maru has left Japan and is now heading towards the coast of Antarctica to begin the largest hunt for whales since 1963. Japan still uses the tired 'Scientific' whale hunt label to continue bringing death and destruction, mutilation and torture to the giants of the sea. But, so does Iceland. Norway on the other hand doesn't try to mask it's whaling behind the transparent sham of science. They just call their whaling 'commercial'.
Let's face it. The claim that Japan has made over the years that whaling is a Japanese tradition going back to the early 1600's is a poor excuse. Defecating in a hole was a tradition dating back even longer. I don't see anyone making a claim they should return to their old traditional toilet habits.
Adding insult to the injury that is about to take place, the SeaShepard is reporting that as the Nisshin Maru pulled out of port while crowds of well wishers were flying balloons with smiling whale pictures and cheering. One more nice touch was a brass band that played "Popeye the Sailor Man" on the dock!
Killing more than 1,000 whales will only serve to partially satiate some people's desire to eat whale sandwiches at fast food restaurants. I contend that anyone that would find a whale sandwich desirable dinning fare, just might consider eating their own grandmother on a bun. Not before, however, they examined her earwax to determine her true age. Before you think I've gone bonkers, the examination of the whale's earwax to determine age is one of the scientific probs said to be done by Japan.
Japan has killed 10,500 whales since the moratorium on commercial whaling took effect. Greenpeace has said Japan has close to 4.000 tons of whale meat in cold storage.
Iceland and Norway are also whaling. In 2006 Norway increased its quota from 797 to 1,052 whales in what was considered to be a political statement. Apparently that 'statement' backfired because demand for the meat by the Norwegian public is down. Sue fisher from the Whale and Dolphin conservation Society said 'Middlemen can't see the meat already caught and have run out of storage space."
Iceland still using the scientific exemption for their actions would, however, like to export their 'science' to Japan. Japan is still the world's largest market for whale meat. All of this flies in the face of 'science'.
Iceland announced plans to export whale meat from it's scientific whaling program to the Faroe Islands. Apparently they'll eat anything there too. The Faroe Islands maintain they are exempt from regulations prohibiting the importation of whale meat.
Arni Finnsson from Iceland Nature Conservation Association says "There is no market for this meat in Iceland, there is no possibility to export it to Japan; the government appears to have listened to fishermen who are blaming whales for eating all the fish."
Photo thanks arigon.multiply
Labels: Iceland, Japan, Nisshin Maru, Norway, Whaling
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Is Japanese Whaling a sustainable industry?
posted by Pacific Spirit on Tuesday, November 20, 2007
IPCC Report! Earth's Ready To Start Handing Out Pink Slips!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Mother Earth will make her position, as the Ultimate Despot, known one way or another. Just as a fetus signals its mother host with what is known as the quickening, our mother host earth has been signaling her guests, that's us, with a type of quickening of her own.
The IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has presented its 4th and final report for 2007 on Climate Change in Valencia, Spain. The report was compiled from thousands of pages of research data taking place over some 6 years. The research leaves no room for denial that mankind is getting ready to receive its eviction notice from the womb of its Mother Earth.
This report will be in the hands of 10,000 delegates expected in Bali December 3rd through the 14th when they gather to beat, whip and discuss ad nauseam the could'a, should'a, would'a of climate change and its 'potential' affect on humanity.
In many ways this final report of 2007 gives hope to humanity that something really meaningful will take place in the effort to bring the earth’s inhabitants into complete alignment on the climate change front.
Quotes from the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali Webpage.
"Our Goals must be nothing short of a real breakthrough in Bali." Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General.
"...the Bali climate conference so crucial to the future of humankind." H.E. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia.
"...therefore climate change is accelerating." Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the IPCC.
'The consequences of global climate change are so pressing that it doesn't matter who is responsible for the past, what matters is who is responsible for the future..." "But one responsibility we all have, and that is action...action, action, action!" Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California.
Many of the words used in reporting the conclusions of the final report lean on the old familiar non-committal language of the past such as 'potential', 'could lead to' and 'unless'.
Pacific Spirit Marine Institute would like to see language erring on the side of substance and action such as; 'will lead to' 'until' and 'evidence'.
We have long past the time for speculating on the 'might', 'could' and 'may' language of Global Warming and Climate Change.
There is evidence man made pollution, greenhouse gases and the wanton disregard for the planet we have shown during the industrial age have lead us down a path of destruction. Every person in the developed nations needs to immediately cease and desist walking with blinders on.
Begin taking steps at home to start giving aide and comfort to the earth. She is not our enemy.
Every sheet of paper, every can or bottle that ends up in your personal garbage can should break your heart to the point of taking action.
It's a lofty idea to think that 10,000 delegates from around the world will travel to Bali and solve the problems we are facing, but 10,000 delegates is the picture of trying to build an elephant by committee. Before they have even touched pen to paper they 10,000 extra people traveling to one location have already added to the problem of pollution.
Restoring health to the oceans will go a long way toward helping to heal the rest of the planet's problems. Politics, industry and man's penchant for over-indulgence all go hand in hand hurling us into a future we cannot contemplate.
Reduce Reuse Recycle.
Photo Thanks: NASA.gov
Labels: Climate Change, Global Warming, IPCC, U.N. Climate Change Summit
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
IPCC Report! Earth's Ready To Start Handing Out Pink Slips!
posted by Pacific Spirit on Monday, November 19, 2007
U.S. Dollar Falls as Yellowstone Caldera Rises!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Rumblings that Yellowstone getting ready to blow have been swirling around for several years just outside of the mainstream media in the U.S. Yesterday a report was released on the status of the molten rock under Yellowstone National Park.
The U.S. hasn't experienced much good news in recent months and this report doesn't appear to have much good news regarding when volcanic or hydrothermal eruptions could occur. In another Orwellian attempt to quell the lunatic fringe the U.S. gets quasi official word that Yellowstone poses no imminent threat to the environment.
"A volcano that could - in an instant - change our world forever" says the official web feature of Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone InDepth.
You see, in 2003 park rangers noted a rapid rise in ground temperature in an area previously dormant. Some geysers suddenly came to life and others simply boiled themselves dry. Denise Herman recounts how he was talking with visitors one morning in July, in the area of Corporal Geyser and noticed trees emitting a maple syrup smell. Meaning? The heat under them was cooking the sap of the trees themselves. He found the temperature of the earth just a few centimeters below his feet was 200 degrees Fahrenheit, the boiling point of water at that altitude.
His finding caused the park to temporarily close that trail so visitors wouldn't be burned. This discovery launched an investigation into exactly how faithful Old Faithful might continue to be and what may be the result of the rapid changes might mean.
The fact that Yellowstone and all of it's wonders lie atop what may be the world's largest volcano is cause enough for study, but with the rapid changes taking place these days closer monitoring of the situation at Yellowstone is becoming more important than ever.
The most recent report in the journal Science is doing little to quell the feeling Yellowstone is a pressure cooker waiting to blow!
"There is no evidence of an imminent volcanic eruption or hydrothermal explosion. That's the bottom line", Reuters reported Robert Smith, University of Utah seismologist as saying in a statement.
Comforting words coming from Smith until he further says, "But we have no idea how long this process goes on before there either is an eruption of the inflow of molten rock stops and the caldera deflates again."
Isn't the bottom line actually something quite different than "There is no evidence of an imminent volcanic eruption or hydrothermal explosion"?
Satellite readings show in a 2 1/2 year period the caldera in Yellowstone has risen 7 inches, the biggest rise ever measured. This rise measured from mid-2004 through 2006. As we approach 2008, one wonders what the rise, if any, has been in the subsequent 2 years. I've been unable to find this information.
Over 3 million people come to Yellowstone National Park annually. 3 million tourists equals a lot of money.
Jake Lownstern, Yellowstone volcano Observatory Scientist in Charge says, "...All of this geological activity that in other places might mean an eruption was coming but in Yellowstone it just means that's the way the place works."
I'm left with a hollow feeling wondering: What makes science different at Yellowstone than any other place?
One thing everyone does agree on is, it's not a matter of 'if' this, possibly the largest volcano on earth will erupt changing the world as we know it in an instant, but, 'when'.
Yellowstone is alive. It is a geologic park that is active, and changing on a daily basis. Since it's been known for some 30 years that Yellowstone is actually a huge volcanic system many eyes are trained on it's activity. We will, at least, have plenty of warning should scientists suspect Yellowstone is preparing to blow it's cork again.
Caldera : a volcanic crater that has a diameter many times that of the vent and is formed by the collapse of the central part of a volcano or by explosions of extraordinary violence. Merriam Webster
Photo thanks: National Parks Service
Labels: Yellowstone
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
U.S. Dollar Falls as Yellowstone Caldera Rises!
posted by Pacific Spirit on Saturday, November 10, 2007
Global Warming and Polar Bear Reports: You get what you pay for after all!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
When you care enough to give the very best, don't call on Hallmark, call Willie Soon.
Senators John D. Rockefeller and Olympia Snowe have written a scathing letter to Rex Tillerson, CEO of ExxonMobil. Reading Tillerson the riot act, Rockefeller and Snowe are point blank accusing ExxonMobil of 'longstanding support of a small cadre of global climate change skeptics'.
Hot words to be sure the letter goes on to say, ...'ExxonMobil has helped foster the perception that the United States is insensitive to a matter of great urgency for all of mankind...'
The Senators call ExxonMobil's support of the global warming 'deniers', dangerous.
Clearly the old saying, if you can dazzle them with your brilliance baffle them with your bullsh**, requires more than one astrophysicist 'in pocket'.
So where is this all leading? It's leading straight to the Hudson Bay in Canada and the Polar Bears that are skating on thin ice.
Congressman Brad Miller (D-NC) has sent a letter to ExxonMobil requesting 'all records since 2002 related to their support for scientists working on polar bears and other Arctic animals.'
Miller, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and oversight is demanding that ExxonMobil explain just how it came to be that ExxonMobil funded an astrophysicist to research on polar bears!
"The subcommittee wants to understand how ExxonMobil decided to fund an astrophysicist to do research on polar bears,"
In 2006 Interior Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would begin gathering information and undertaking analyses before making a decision whether to add polar bears to the list of endangered species. In his announcement, Kempthorne, used the words 'melting', 'receding sea ice', loss of ice, decline of ice, thinning ice, reduction of ice and reduced ice. He pointed out analysis of what may be causing melting,receding, thinning etc. beyond the scope of the Endangered Species Act review process, and these things are discussed in 'other' analyses undertaken by the Bush Administration.
Kempthorne stated "our goal ultimately is to combine the best science available with the power of working hand in hand with states, tribes, foreign countries, industry, and other partners to minimize the threats to polar bears and conserve this great icon of the Arctic for future generations".
The best science available, or in any case the best science ExxonMobil can buy from an astrophysicist.
In Miller's letter to Tillerson, ExxonMobil CEO he points out that Willie Soon's articles published in Ecological Complexity is a 'viewpoint' not a peer-reviewed scientific article. "To the lay person, this "viewpoint" is indistinguishable from a peer-reviewed journal article.
Miller asserts ExxonMobil should come clean, "If the Governor of Alaska and the Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game cannot tell whether this paper is science or an elaborate editorial, what would a less sophisticated audience think?" "This essay, funded in part with ExxonMobil money is now a key exhibit for those who oppose a listing of the polar bear as threatened and deny that climate change is eroding the Bear's habitat."
Miller's request has a due date of November 6, 2007...
Read the entire letter written by Sens. Snowe and Rockefeller to Tillerson at http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=9acba744-802a-23ad-47be-2683985c724e
Read the Department of the interior's Dec.27,2006 press release at http://www.doi.gov/news/06_News_Releases/061227.html
Read Congressman Miller's letter to Tillerson at http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/File/ForReleases/miller_exxonmobil_response_01jun07.pdf
Photo Thanks pb-scott-schilebe-usfws.
Labels: Brad Miller, DOI, ExxonMobil, Global Warming, John D. Rockefeller, Olympia Snowe, Polar Bear, Polar Bear Memo, Willie Soon
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Global Warming and Polar Bear Reports: You get what you pay for after all!
posted by Pacific Spirit on Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Polar Bears and ExxonMobil:You Get What You Pay For After All
Monday, November 5, 2007
When you care enough to give the very best, don't call on Hallmark, call Willie Soon.
Senators John D. Rockefeller and Olympia Snowe have written a scathing letter to Rex Tillerson, CEO of ExxonMobil. Reading Tillerson the riot act, Rockefeller and Snowe are point blank accusing ExxonMobil of 'longstanding support of a small cadre of global climate change skeptics'.
Hot words to be sure the letter goes on to say, ...'ExxonMobil has helped foster the perception that the United States is insensitive to a matter of great urgency for all of mankind...'
The Senators call ExxonMobil's support of the global warming 'deniers', dangerous.
Clearly the old saying, if you can dazzle them with your brilliance baffle them with your bullsh**, requires more than one astrophysicist 'in pocket'.
So where is this all leading? It's leading straight to the Hudson Bay in Canada and the Polar Bears that are skating on thin ice.
Congressman Brad Miller (D-NC) has sent a letter to ExxonMobil requesting 'all records since 2002 related to their support for scientists working on polar bears and other Arctic animals.'
Miller, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and oversight is demanding that ExxonMobil explain just how it came to be that ExxonMobil funded an astrophysicist to research on polar bears!
"The subcommittee wants to understand how ExxonMobil decided to fund an astrophysicist to do research on polar bears,"
In 2006 Interior Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would begin gathering information and undertaking analyses before making a decision whether to add polar bears to the list of endangered species. In his announcement, Kempthorne, used the words 'melting', 'receding sea ice', loss of ice, decline of ice, thinning ice, reduction of ice and reduced ice. He pointed out analysis of what may be causing melting,receding, thinning etc. beyond the scope of the Endangered Species Act review process, and these things are discussed in 'other' analyses undertaken by the Bush Administration.
Kempthorne stated "our goal ultimately is to combine the best science available with the power of working hand in hand with states, tribes, foreign countries, industry, and other partners to minimize the threats to polar bears and conserve this great icon of the Arctic for future generations".
The best science available, or in any case the best science ExxonMobil can buy from an astrophysicist.
In Miller's letter to Tillerson, ExxonMobil CEO he points out that Willie Soon's articles published in Ecological Complexity is a 'viewpoint' not a peer-reviewed scientific article. "To the lay person, this "viewpoint" is indistinguishable from a peer-reviewed journal article.
Miller asserts ExxonMobil should come clean, "If the Governor of Alaska and the Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game cannot tell whether this paper is science or an elaborate editorial, what would a less sophisticated audience think?" "This essay, funded in part with ExxonMobil money is now a key exhibit for those who oppose a listing of the polar bear as threatened and deny that climate change is eroding the Bear's habitat."
Miller's request has a due date of November 6, 2007...
Read the entire letter written by Sens. Snowe and Rockefeller to Tillerson at http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=9acba744-802a-23ad-47be-2683985c724e
Read the Department of the interior's Dec.27,2006 press release at http://www.doi.gov/news/06_News_Releases/061227.html
Read Congressman Miller's letter to Tillerson at http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/File/ForReleases/miller_exxonmobil_response_01jun07.pdf
Photo Thanks pb-scott-schilebe-usfws
Labels: Brad Miller, ExxonMobil, Global Warming, John D. Rockefeller, Olympia Snowe, Polar Bear, Polar Bear Memo, Polar Bears, Willie Soon
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Polar Bears and ExxonMobil:You Get What You Pay For After All
posted by Pacific Spirit on Monday, November 05, 2007
Not Even Robin Hood Can Escape Global Warming!
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Robin Hood is seeking to grab money collected by the British National Lottery from the rich as well as the poor. Though this time he hopes to keep it for his own good cause.
A 50 million pound grant from the BIG Lottery is up for grabs. The National Lottery gives out money to good causes. The British National Lottery has awarded 280,000 grants so far. "Living Landmarks" was launched last year, a TV program aimed at communities across Britain to work together to improve life and the environment.
Last week the committee selected Sherwood Forest along with 4 other project for a shot at 100 Million grant. Viewers across the nation will cast their vote for the winner in December. Sherwood Forest has a clock counting down the days, minutes, and second until the BIG vote begins for the BIG Lottery money.
There are blogs and myspace sites seeking to gain steam for the beloved forest. Supporters of the Sherwood Forest Project can cast their votes via cell phones or computer when the time comes. Hopes are high that this money will go a long way to put the forest right again. Their goal is to transform Sherwood Forest into a world-class sustainable destination and inspirational community resource.
Once more than 100,000 acres, the Sherwood Forest spread from Nottingham shire to Sheffield; more than enough room to hide Robin and his merry band. Sadly, today the core of the forest is only about 450 acres.
The forest is in desperate need of being regenerated. Global warming, carving the land up for industry as well as residences are taking a toll on the once giant forest. There are currently only 997 ancient oaks left in the core of Sherwood Forest. Only about 450 of those oaks are still living.
The giant oaks live about 900 years, spending about 300 years growing and 300 of their remaining years slowly dying. Rangers in the Forest report that of those 450, only 250 are in good shape, 200 are in peril, and the rest are standing dead wood. The standing dead oaks are home to a vast array of forest creatures and are badly needed to maintain habitat for those creatures to survive and thrive.
Many historians believe that some of these standing oaks could have been seedlings when Robin Hood wed the lovely Maid Marion.
In the 13Th century 100,000 acres of Oaks may have provided Robin Hood plenty of room to hide with his merry band but 450 sad and declining acres won't hide much these days.
If you were ever a child, I'll bet you will be pulling for Robin Hood's old haunting grounds to become the BIG Lottery winner.
Photo Thanks readwritethink.org
Labels: Ancient Oaks, British National Lottery, Giant Oaks, Global Warming, Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Not Even Robin Hood Can Escape Global Warming!
posted by Pacific Spirit on Sunday, November 04, 2007
British Rationing Food: The War On Global Warming Underway?
Friday, November 2, 2007
The British are no strangers to food rationing. In fact they are well known for their ability to hunker down and do what it takes to contribute to the war effort. The British refused to be starved into submission during WWII, and it looks like they aren't going to let a little thing like climate change loosen their stiff upper lips.
Brittan's Environment minister has called on the public to stop their wasteful ways and cut back on the amount of food they are tossing in the dust bins.
The minister is warning that food scraps are an even larger problem than food packaging when it comes to stressing the environment. She says, "We cannot fail to do what is necessary".
Waste & Resources Action Programme has come up with a slogan for the British: "Love Food, Hate Waste".
Enlisting the help of the famous Hell's Kitchen chef Marco Pierre White, the full court press is on to remind the Brits "There's a use for everything." People are over shopping and throwing away as much as 1 bag full out of 3 that come home from the market. Over shopping and proper food refrigeration seems to be 2 major issues.
Several popular TV chefs, cricket stars, and actors are busy creating the new London Blitz: Plan your shopping, use your food before it goes bad and learn to make more meals from leftovers.
Waste & Resources Action Programme says half the people under 24 years old have very poor cooking skills and is providing recipes for "Luxury from leftovers".
The Minister for Climate change also said, "At this rate we will not have a place to live which is habitable if we don't address climate change globally and the UK has to make its contribution."
Leave it to the thrifty Britons to roll up their sleeves and pitch right in helping to fight the war on global climate change. The Minister, Joan Ruddock says research has shown that 1/3 of the food purchased is thrown away to rot in land fills and emit methane gas which is fueling global warming.
Ruddock is calling for a 'cultural' movement against these wasteful and expensive practices.
In the U.S. there are a spattering of ads reminding people to stop buying every thing they lay eyes upon. Feed the pig is the motto making reference to the piggy banks we used to have when we were little tykes. These ads are sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and have less to do with protecting the climate than protecting America's economy.
Americans are being reminded to do everything necessary to prop up the economy, while the British are being reminded to help save the planet....
Your homework: Compare and contrast and eat that left over chicken from last night!
Labels: British, Climate Change, Global Warming, Hell's Kitchen UK, landfill, Methane, Nuclear waste, Waste Resources
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
British Rationing Food: The War On Global Warming Underway?
posted by Pacific Spirit on Friday, November 02, 2007
Congress Considers Legislation to Combat Global Warming
Thursday, November 1, 2007
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Association of Evangelicals, National Council of Churches and the Union for Reform Judaism all say Congress should REQUIRE a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
New environmental and climate policies will put additional pressures on, already vulnerable low-income families, which will inevitably result in higher energy prices.
The group of church leaders is seeking to have 40% of the emissions-related revenues from climate change legislation directed to help the poor deal with rising energy costs. Right now the bill calls for 5% of additional revenues to go to helping the poor.
The church leaders sticking their noses into government which is happening more and more, are claiming while they don't agree on much they do agree on the need to protect G-d's creation. Rev. Michael Livingston, president of the National Council of Churches says, "It has become clear that global warming will have devastating impact on those in poverty around the world."
Bishop Thomas Wenksi of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said, "Those who contribute least to the problem (global warming) are likely to suffer the most."
84% of evangelicals support mandatory limits on greenhouse gases Richard Cizik vice president for governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals says it's a matter "of moral leadership."
The average net income of Megachurches was 4.8 million anually. These churches alone numbered 740 and only accounted for 1% of churches in the U.S. and did not reflect any Catholic congregations. These figures were based on a survey done in 2003.
Churches thoughout the world have armies of non-paid, loyal volunteers working tirelessly for their 'corporations'. Maybe earmarking 40% of their collection plate revenues for low income energy costs would actaully show 'moral leadership'.
The Warner (R-Va), Lieberman (I-Ct) ACSA, Amreica's Climate Security Act, seeks to reduce U.S. greenhouse emissions by as much as 70% or the 2005 levels by 2050.
That is a steep reduction no doubt, but 2050 is a long way away.
One co-sponsor of the ACSA Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) says "It is imperative that our nation acts now to address the concerns over growing greenhouse gas emissions, while carefully addressing the effects it could have on working families and our economy."
Labels: Carbon-credit, carbon-trading market, Climate Change, Congress, Global Warming, greenhouse gas, Leiberman, Mega Church, Warner
© 2007, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Congress Considers Legislation to Combat Global Warming
posted by Pacific Spirit on Thursday, November 01, 2007
