Testing solar-powered EVs :)

Hi:) Right now, electric cars may not emit greenhouse gases themselves, but the coal-fired power plants that provide the electricity that fuels those cars do. That may be the ugly reality now, but ideally in the not too far future, EVs will juice up with clean, renewable energy. One Japanese town is getting a jump on that beautiful future by serving as a testing ground for solar-powered electric vehicles.

Tsukuba City, Japan, which is near Tokyo, is playing host to a project brought together by various companies, including Mazda, Think Global, EnerDel and Itochu. As part of this project, Mazda2 vehicles have been outfitted with electric drivetrains built by Think, using EnerDel lithium ion batteries.

These cars will solely fuel-up at rapid-charging stations powered by solar-powered stationary grid storage units. The charging stations will use DC current to facilitate a quick charge. The cars will be tested by the Tsukuba City community in a ZipCar-type set up. The residents will have smart cards that grant them access to the cars and charging stations, track the charges and bill them for their use.

The Kerry-Lieberman Bill: Is it a 'disaster' or a 'jumpstart'?

Hi:) Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) will unveil their bipartisan climate and energy bill, the American Power Act, today without the support of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who helped craft the bill but dropped his support earlier this month, at least for now.
The bill would set the first nationwide limits on carbon pollution emitted from power plants and factories, through a cap-and-trade system that has worked to control other pollutants, like gases that cause acid rain and smog. But in the process it would override more aggressive state programs and some existing Clean Air Act efforts, and it would aim for a 17% nationwide reduction in carbon pollution by 2020–less than the reduction needed to avert the worst consequences of climate change, according to authorities on climate science. The bill would also restrict offshore oil drilling by allowing states to veto their neighbors' plans to expand offshore oil drilling, but it would not restrict exploration outright. The bill would also invest in new nuclear power plants.
These are among the issues that divide environmental advocates as they react to the bill.
The Center for Biological Diversity calls the bill 'a disaster for the climate,' that 'moves us one baby step forward and at least three giant steps back in any rational effort to address the climate crisis.' Friends of Earth calls the bill 'dangerous,' arguing that it would undercut existing efforts to reduce carbon pollution while handing 'billions in giveaways to corporate polluters, including the oil, coal, nuclear and agribusiness industries.'
But 21 prominent environmental groups from Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection and the National Audubon Society to the Union of Concerned Scientists World Wildlife Fund, welcomed the bill as a good step forward:
'Today's action by (Kerry and Lieberman) jumpstarts the Senate debate over America's energy future,' they said. 'Their unwavering leadership has been critical to the progress made thus far. It is time for America's leaders to get serious about a comprehensive clean energy and climate policy that will reduce our oil dependence, enhance our security, revitalize our economy and protect our environment.'
Individually, though, several groups echoed some of the same concerns voiced by the more outspoken organizations. The Sierra Club, for instance, said 'we regret that bitter opposition from the dirty energy sources of the past like coal, oil and nuclear has watered down this proposal in order to unduly subsidize energy technologies which already receive an unfair public bailout... Furthermore, this is no substitute for a moratorium on off-shore drilling–which is the only way that we can ensure that the kind of disaster we are experiencing in the Gulf does not happen again.'
What do you think?
And what's more, what can you do? We have a few ideas:
Arm yourself against climate skeptics:
Global Warming: Fact or Myth?
Learn the surprising ways U.S. residents as a whole contribute to global warming:
Everything You Know About Going Green Is Wrong.
See what you can do to really help with 15 actions that will really reduce your carbon footprint, including the
Two Chicken Global Warming Solution.
More from The Daily Green

• 13 Species That Won't Survive Global Warming
• 15 Steps that Actually Help the Environment
• 10 Vacations Endangered by Climate Change and Other Threats
• 10 Idiot-Proof Going Green Tips
• How to Start Your Own Organic Garden

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc
"

Depopulation may be harming the Amazon

Urbanization may be having unexpected impacts in the Amazon rainforest by leaving forest areas vulnerable to exploitation by outsiders, report researchers writing in Conservation Letters. Conducting field surveys during the course of 10,000-kilometers of travel along remote Amazon rivers, Luke Parry of Lancaster University found that a sharp decrease in rural habitation has not been accompanied by a decline in harvesting of wildlife and forest resources, indicating that urban populations exact a heavy toll on distant forests through hunting, fishing, logging, and harvesting of non-timber forest products."

Sumatran rhino loses pregnancy

Hi:) Rhino conservationists' hopes were dampened today by news that Ratu, a female Sumatran rhino, had lost her pregnancy. Just months after the announcement of the pregnancy—the first at Indonesia’s Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park—Ratu lost the embryo. Still, say conservationists, the very fact that Ratu became pregnant at all should keep hope alive for the beleaguered species.

US gun, guitar, and furniture-manufactures must declare basic information about wood sources :)

Hi:) "In May of last year federal agents raided Gibson Guitar headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee after they received information that the guitar-giant was using illegally logged rosewood from Madagascar in the construction of their musical instruments. The scandal forced Gibson's CEO to take a leave of absence as a member of Rainforest Alliance."

First-ever photo of rare and spectacular hummingbird from Colombia :)

"A conservationist has taken the first-ever photos of a living Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus) in the El Dorado Nature Reserve in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia, reports ProAves, a bird conservation group."

Rockhopper penguins benefit from new park in Argentina :)

Hi:) Southern rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) are easily distinguished by the spiked plumes on their head, their neon-yellow eyebrows, and red eyes. But these wild-looking penguins are also endangered: the IUCN Red List classifies them as Vulnerable to extinction due to pollution and drowning by fishing nets."

When it comes to Yellow Fever, conserving howler monkeys saves lives :)

Hi:) Abundant and diverse wildlife help people in many ways: for example bees pollinate plants, birds and mammals disperse seeds, bats control pest populations, and both plants and animals have produced life-saving medicines and technological advances. But how could howler monkeys save people from a Yellow Fever outbreak? A new study in the open-access journal Tropical Conservation Science explores the link between howler monkeys, mosquitoes, and humans during a recent yellow fever outbreak in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil."

Top Nine Ways To Reduce Cancer Risk

Hi:) In its annual President's Report on Cancer, a high-level government panel said that exposure to common chemicals like Bisphenol A and formaldehyde, and to radiation from medical exams were causing cancers at a rate that was 'grossly underestimated.' The Environmental Working Group offers these nine ways to reduce cancer risk:

Four of every 10 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, and two of every 10 will die of it. But there are some things you can do to reduce the risk. First, talk to your doctor about lifestyle changes that are known to make a difference – stopping smoking, reducing drinking, losing weight, exercising and eating right.

But according to a new report from the President’s Cancer Panel, environmental toxins also play a significant and under-recognized role in cancer, causing “grievous harm” to untold numbers of people. Environmental Working Group’s own research has found that children are born “pre-polluted” with up to 200 industrial chemicals, pesticides and contaminants that have been found to cause cancer in lab studies or in people.

Here are some simple things you can do to reduce your exposures:

1. Filter your tap water.
Common carcinogens in tap water include arsenic, chromium, and chemical byproducts that form when water is disinfected. A simple carbon filter or pitcher can help reduce the levels of these contaminants. If your water is polluted with arsenic or chromium, a reverse osmosis filter will help. Learn about your tap water and home water filters at EWG’s National Tap Water Database.

2. Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets.
Those built before 2005 are coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing.

3. Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals.
'Fluorochemicals' related to Teflon and Scotchgard are used in stain repellants on carpets and couches and in greaseproof coatings for packaged and fast foods. To avoid them, avoid greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home. Download EWG’s Guide to PFCs.

4. Stay safe in the sun.
More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. To protect your skin from the sun’s cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, seek shade, wear protective clothing and use a safe and effective sunscreen from EWG’s sunscreen database, or check out The Daily Green's list of 14 safe, natural sunscreens
.
5. Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products.
Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat. Try one of these vegetarian recipes even a meat-eater can love.

6. Eat EWG’s Clean 15. Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Eating from EWG’s Clean 15 list of the least contaminated fruits and vegetables will help cut your pesticide exposures. (And for EWG’s Dirty Dozen, buy organic.) Learn more at EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, and check out the dirty dozen foods most likely to have high pesticide residue.

7. Cut your exposures to BPA.
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in some hard plastic water bottles, canned infant formula, and canned foods. It may increase the risk of reproductive system cancers. To avoid it, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA.

8. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics.
Use EWG’s Skin Deep cosmetic database to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you’re shopping, don’t buy products that list ingredients with “PEG” or “-eth” in their name. Check out more safe makeup tips, from Stacy Malkan, of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and see the 8 Commandments of Natural Beauty.

9. Read the warnings.
Some products list warnings of cancer risks – read the label before you buy. Californians will see a “Proposition 65” warning label on products that contain chemicals the state has identified as cancer-causing.

Brazil On Palm Oil

Hi:) Palm oil production has long been a contentious issue and a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the oil's renewable source and application as biofuel make it an appealing alternative, but on the other, some of the most devastating deforestation has occurred to cultivate it. But in a policy move designed to both protect its remaining forests and replenish parts already lost, Brazil announced today a plan to expand its palm oil cultivation into previously deforested regions, promising a sustainable alternative to the destructive methods practiced in other parts of the world.

The Program for Sustainable Production of Palm Oil, announced by Brazilian President Lula da Silva, is novel in its approach to protecting standing forests while allowing cultivation in areas that have been deforested in the past, namely for use as short-lived sugarcane plantations or lumber operations. The program would allow palm oil to be produced without the net negative impact from its cultivation seen in Indonesia and Malaysia, where rainforests are cleared for palm plantations.

Emily Deschanel

 

Hi:) Actress Emily Deschanel's focus is slightly different in the real world. A vegan since her teen years, Deschanel is an outspoken advocate for a number of animal rights causes including working towards ending factory farming and speaking out about the Great Ape Protection Act.