Written by Allison Boyer
Published on March 31st, 2009
A California woman has been accused of importing guitar picks, which wouldn’t be a big deal – if they weren’t made from endangered turtle shells.
Qing Song, 54, of Santa Rose allegedly imported picks that were made of the raw shells of Hawksbill sea turtles. Although many musicians prefer shell picks over plastic picks, trading or selling anything made from an endangered species is illegal without a permit for specific approved purposes.
Song supposedly sold 74 picks and was in possession of nearly 900 more picks. She’s been charged with two misdemeanors and a felony count. The picks came from China and were sold in California.
Image via Dan Hershman.
Written by Jennifer Lance
Published on January 4th, 2009
Californians throw away millions of dollars of unclaimed bottle refunds each year when they place recycling in the garbage.
These unclaimed funds called California Redemption Value (CRV) are now being used to fund recycling projects at no expense to the state’s general fund. California recycles more than any other state in the union.
Via: Environmental News Service
Written by Jennifer Lance
Published on December 27th, 2008
Coal is making a comeback as a home heating fuel in the Northeast, Midwest, and Alaska, because it is cheap, plentiful, and locally-mined.
According to the New York Times:
Burning coal at home was once commonplace, of course, but the practice had been declining for decades. Coal consumption for residential use hit a low of 258,000 tons in 2006 — then started to rise. It jumped 9 percent in 2007, according to the Energy Information Administration, and 10 percent more in the first eight months of 2008.
Retailers of home indoor coal stoves have seen the greatest sales increase in 30 years, and many models are on backorder until March.
Image: Jen SFO-BCN on Flickr under a Creative Commons License
Written by Jennifer Lance
Published on October 20th, 2008
Freshman entering the University of New England and Ripon College are given free bikes if they promise to leave their cars at home. At Ripon College, 200 Trek mountain bikes, helmets and locks were given to freshman that signed up for the program. Dr. David C. Joyce, Ripon’s president and competitive mountain biker, explained, “We did it as a means of reducing the need for parking, but as we looked at it from the standpoint of fitness, health and sustainability, we realized we have the opportunity to create a change.”
Via: New York Times
Image: University of New England
Written by Jerry James Stone
Published on September 26th, 2008
Apple finally listens to Greenpeace. The iPhone maker is rumored to release their next-gen MacBook with eco-friendly aluminum.
AppleInsider claims that the next version of Apple’s MacBook is ready to start production stateside, and that the iPhone maker has upgraded the laptop eco wise. The notebook’s plastic parts have been replaced by more eco-friendly aluminum. This news comes on the heels of announcing a greener iPod Nano last month - which also comes in green! This is a nice step forward considering the bad marks Apple has gotten in the past by Greenpeace.
Image source: Brianfit from Flickr
Written by Adam Williams
Published on September 23rd, 2008
According to GreenUpgrader, synthetic trees developed by Dr. Klaus Lackner could be an environmental boon built to scrub the atmosphere of our CO2 excesses:
“The idea is that air would flow through the vanes of these structures. Flowing through sodium hydroxide (NaOH) which is inside the synthetic tree CO2 would chemically react to create sodium carbonate liquid which condenses and collects at the bottom of the synthetic tree.”
Written by Jennifer Lance
Published on September 22nd, 2008
California, the world’s sixth largest economy, is expected to grow as a result of a global warming law. AB32 requires a 25 percent cut in industrial greenhouse gases by 2020. Two new studies released by the California Air Resources Board claims the economy and public health will benefit from emissions reductions as a result of the law. Economic production will increase by $27 billion and overall personal income by $14 billion. It is predicted 300 premature deaths will be eliminated statewide.
Image: Earth 911
Via: Truthout
Written by Adam Williams
Published on September 18th, 2008
A Georgian train station in Abkhazia has fallen into disrepair — or is it natural repair? — since the years that the elite of Soviet society used it en route to luxurious retreats. It is The World Without Us in action.
Related post:
The Case of the Missing Humans: Alan Weisman’s ‘The World Without Us’
Sources: Design Under Sky and Environmental Graffiti
Written by Jennifer Lance
Published on September 17th, 2008
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a scathing critique of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today for failing to control the export of toxic e-waste to third world countries. Discarded computers, televisions, cellphones, etc. contain hazardous heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium which are dismantled under unsafe conditions in other countries where they enter into the air and water. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard L. Berman (D-Calif.), who commissioned the report, stated,”It’s a really inadequate situation that we’ve allowed to continue. We have a regulation where, as far as I can tell, there’s no effort to enforce it.”
Via: Truthout
Image: United Nations University
Written by Jennifer Lance
Published on September 16th, 2008
In an uncharacteristic move, the Bush administration announced today they are withdrawing attempts to remove gray wolves living in the Northern Rockies from the endangered species list. Such a rule would have opened the way for public hunting of wolves in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming this fall.
Via: Seattle PI
Image: Treehugger
