Green Man Blog - Guest Articles

India fury over US 'double standards' on BP and Bhopal

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 06:08:00 -0700

by Jason Burke. Indians have reacted with fury to President Barack Obama's tough stance against BP, accusing the US of double standards over industrial accidents after the failure to convict Americans involved in the Bhopal disaster of 1984 or to obtain what many view as adequate compensation for victims.

The anger goes beyond that of campaigners or activists with some of India's best-known writers and journalists weighing in.

"It looks like Indian children's lives are cheaper than [those of] fish," Chetan Bhagat, the country's best-selling writer, said. "Obama should bang his fist on the table. If he can do that for fish, how about our kids? Or are they only Indians?"

Continue reading "India fury over US 'double standards' on BP and Bhopal"

Natural hot reservoirs harnessed by scientists to service Pennine eco-village

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 07:01:00 -0700

by Martin Wainwright. Warm as bathwater, the first gusher from Britain's new "underground central heating system" showered over a Pennine field today, while scientists and engineers applauded.

Tapped a kilometre down, hot reservoirs in granite fissures below Weardale are set to service a new "eco-village" in the valley, and provide the country's first naturally warm spa since the Romans at Bath.

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10 Things You Can Get From Going Natural At Home

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:15:00 -0700

Note: Today's guest article is from Jay Chua:

People are always talking about living green. From the food they eat, the clothes they wear, and now even in the decors they have at home. There’s really something about going green that makes everybody interested and willing to change their old home decors to those which can be labeled as green. It all starts from using naturally made furniture like wood and bamboo. Proper installation, landscaping, and the choice of decors and furniture are also put into consideration. So why is everybody into green home decors? What can you gain from them? Here are 10 things you can get from having them at home:

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Can I go camping and be green?

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 16:06:00 -0700

by Lucy Siegle. Entrepreneur Alain Dominique Perrin recently launched a luxury campsite with ecological leanings on an exclusive French island. He has cheekily called it Original Camping, as if he can brand the tradition of sleeping under canvas.

Camping has lots of non-branded sustainable prefixes – low-impact, no-impact, wild, wilderness, leave-no-trace – highlighting the fact that using the natural environment as a temporary home is a fast-track way to destroy it. Researchers have found lower vegetation growth rates and depleted soils three years after camping has ended on a site. From chopping down trees for firewood to leaving litter, it can be a toxic time bomb.

You could do worse than a serviced site with toilets and designated pitches so you don't wipe out biodiverse vegetation. But if you must go off the beaten track, never burn rubbish; use the site loos, however revolting; utilise wood already on the ground to make fires; and don't take your toiletries. Shampoo, toothpaste and shower gel all contain chemicals toxic to aquatic life.

Most formative experiences of camping will be at a music festival, where cleaning teams are faced with hundreds of abandoned radios and nylon tents. On average 2,000 tents are left at the Reading and Leeds festivals.

You could go for a soulpad.co.uk canvas bell tent: it will be erected for you and you can take it home afterwards. Similarly, belltent.co.uk has beautiful canvas and wood tents, and good information on low-impact camping. For a complete wild camping guide, go to www.mcofs.org.uk. For further information still, ask a scout – the original happy camper.

If you have any ethical questions, email lucy.siegle@observer.co.uk

Lucy Siegle

guardian.co.uk© Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Large blue butterfly flying high again

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 01:52:00 -0700

Record-breaking numbers of the rare large blue butterfly are expected to emerge in Somerset this month, after more than 20,000 eggs were counted there last summer. by Patrick Barkham

This year's fine spring weather is expected to help the butterfly break records at Collard Hill, near Glastonbury, where it was successfully reintroduced in 2000 after becoming extinct in Britain in 1979.

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Japanese cinemas drop dolphin slaughter film

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:00:00 -0700

by Justin McCurry. Cinemas in Japan have cancelled plans to show an Oscar-winning film about the country's annual slaughter of thousands of dolphins after far-right campaigners threatened to disrupt the screenings.

Unplugged, the Japanese distributor of The Cove, said three cinemas had cancelled screenings amid fears they would be disrupted by ultra-nationalists, who have denounced the film as "anti-Japanese".

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BP oil spill estimates double

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:07:00 -0700

by Helen Pidd. The oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico is even worse than previously thought, with twice as much oil spewing into the ocean than earlier estimations suggested, figures show.

Latest estimates from scientists studying the disaster for the US government suggest 160-380 million litres (42-100 million US gallons) of oil have already entered the Gulf. Most experts believe there is more oil gushing into the sea in an hour than officials originally said was spilling in an entire day.

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Cyclists strip off for World Naked Bike Ride

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:17:16 -0700

from the UK Guardian. When it comes to bikes, I'm always game for a new experience. But the World Naked Bike Ride, an annual protest about the vulnerability of cyclists, always seemed like a bridge too far.

As a concept it's brilliant – it reminds everyone that we are nothing but frail flesh and bone, exposed to the dangers of the sturdy metal traffic. But I was a tad shy.

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The Facts Behind Solar Polar

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 06:48:21 -0700

Our guest article today is from Barbara Young. Barbara writes about solar power, and here she gives us the basic facts, history, and technology concerning this important power source.

Solar energy is radiant energy which is produced by the sun. Each day the sun radiates, or sends out, an incredible volume of energy. The sun radiates more energy in a second than people have used since the beginning of time!

The energy of the sun originates from within the sun itself. Like other stars, the sun is known as a big ball of gases––mostly hydrogen and helium atoms. The hydrogen atoms in the sun’s core combine to form helium and generate energy in a process called nuclear fusion.

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Snakes declining at alarming rate, say scientists

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:00:56 -0700

by Juliette Jowit. The widespread disappearance of snakes will be one impact of climate change that some people may find it hard to regret. But as vital predators in sensitive habitats such as rice fields, their decline will have wider ecological consequence, say scientists.

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Australia to ask international court to ban Japan whaling in Southern Ocean

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 06:33:00 -0700

Japan's whaling programme faces a potentially decisive legal challenge next week, after Australia said today it would turn to the international court of justice to end Tokyo's annual whale culls in the Southern Ocean. by Justin McCurry

Australia's environment minister, Peter Garrett, said the decision proved his country's commitment to "bring to an end Japan's programme of so-called scientific whaling".

Japan kills just under 1,000 mainly minke whales in the Antarctic every year, using a provision in the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling that allows it to conduct "lethal research" into the mammals. The meat from the hunts is sold in restaurants and supermarkets.

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Nigeria's agony dwarfs the Gulf oil spill. The US and Europe ignore it

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Sun, 30 May 2010 06:04:00 -0700

The Deepwater Horizon disaster caused headlines around the world, yet the people who live in the Niger delta have had to live with environmental catastrophes for decades. by John Vidal

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Green Burial: An Eco-Friendly Alternative to Modern Funerals

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Thu, 06 May 2010 02:05:00 -0700

The following is a guest article by Jane Hillhouse:

Green Burial: An Eco-Friendly Alternative to Modern Funerals by Jane Hillhouse

Until the early 1800s, end of life arrangements were made at home. Families arranged home funerals and buried their dead in the family plot. This natural approach was the societal norm, and families had a more harmonious relationship with end of life practices and rituals.

The Civil War changed all this; as the deceased traveled long distances from the battlefield on journeys that could last days or weeks, the practice of embalming with arsenic, mercury and other toxic chemicals to preserve the bodies on their long journeys home formed the basis for the modern funeral industry.

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State Wildlife Agencies Face Reform Challenges

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:10:00 -0700

The following is a guest article by Katherine McGill:

State Wildlife Agencies Face Reform Challenges by Katherine McGill

State Wildlife Agencies know the challenge: Figure out how to survive the decline of the sporting income and cash in on the larger contingency of other wildlife enthusiasts. But can old dogs learn diverse new tricks?

Five U.S. wildlife officials declare "a fundamental overhaul" is required to sustain the Institution of State Wildlife Management Agencies (SWAs) into the 21st Century.

Their statements, announced in the February edition of Journal of Wildlife Management, are backed by human dimensions studies regarding government agency management. Top wildlife management professionals will be engaged in a workshop for this challenge later this month at a national conference.

The challenge presented in "A Conservation Institution for the 21st Century," is a mighty reforming one. Politically driven management has always tipped towards the recreational sport industries - the financially sustaining, but now declining, backbone of SWA's.

Socioeconomic changes haven't happened suddenly. Every five years the United States Fish & Wildlife Service publishes a national census of wildlife enthusiast and economic statistics. Hunters have been leaving the forest and the wildlife viewers are venturing farther in. Yet, long before any statistical change occurred the non-sporting enthusiasts greatly exceeded the hunters.

"We can no longer rely on our most committed constituency to carry the brunt of the financial burden and subsequently be the primary beneficiaries," the article states. Well, considering the long standing lopsided statistics, it seems fair to reply "It's about time".

Clearly the hunters will not be left bereft. Hunting and Fishing will remain a vital aspect of wildlife management and recreation. Trapping, however, may be in the line of fire for many animal welfare organizations and public opinions claiming this practice is too barbaric and inhumane; no longer acceptable to that overwhelming majority of wildlife enthusiasts our newly overhauling State Wildlife Agencies (SWAs) must begin including into the fold. Will they be heard?

Seeking "broader based funding" is one of the four areas the authors declare is needed to reform the SWAs. Trustee-based governance, multidisciplinary science, and involvement of diverse stakeholders complete the challenge.

Diverse stakeholders - that's you. Every citizen is a stakeholder in our wildlife resource. Our society now speaks up about energy resources, our effects on climate change, and just about anything else we wish to.

What about the wildlife, will you speak up for it now that the Institution claims that both it, and the wildlife itself, need all of us to succeed into the 21st century? They hope you will, because the biggest enemy ready to pounce on this successful involvement is apathy.

Katherine McGill is a founding member of the National Urban Wildlife Coalition, and is passionate about understanding our backyard wild animals. An activist, author, and educational speaker, Katherine strives to renew appreciation for wildlife. Her children's book, "Heavenly Animals", was published in 2009. Contact Katherine at kmcg9@aol.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katherine_McGill
http://EzineArticles.com/?State-Wildlife-Agencies-Face-Reform-Challenges&id=4179114

Violets are Yellow ...And White ... And Blue

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:00:13 -0700

The following is a guest article by Chuck Bonner:

Violets are Yellow ... And White ... And Blue: The Multicolored Wild Violets of New Hampshire by Chuck Bonner

In this article, we will see what makes a plant a "violet," and it's not the color. We will also see some representative wild violets, and when and where to find them.

Not all violets are blue. So what characteristics define a plant as a violet?

Continue reading "Violets are Yellow ...And White ... And Blue "

Green, From The Ground Up

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:25:00 -0700

The following is a guest article by Keith Charles:

Green, From the Ground Up by Keith Charles

There is an African saying that goes "the length of a frog can only be determined after it dies" and another that says "smooth seas do not make skillful sailors". I could not help but marvel at the wisdom in some of these old heads and how they always seem to leave something that eventually, when given enough time, explains itself. Our fevered rush to make our earth green, sustainable and to a great extent, livable is one such "I told you so" moments for these African wise men.

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Living on the Thames

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:06:35 -0700

Note: the following lovely article is from Suzanne Charlton. Suzanne and her husband, Rob, live on a narrowboat on the river Thames. Many readers probably know about Great Britain's canal system and the narrowboats, and in this article Suzanne writes about what it's like to live aboard a narrowboat. Suzanne also writes on her own blog, Narrowboat: The Green Man

The Green Man.

Living in tune with nature is rather easy to do when living on a river. The good ship The Green Man is moored on the Thames near Oxford, England. ‘Ship’ is not really a good way to describe the vessel.

It is a 55ft narrowboat. It is only 6ft wide. If I stand inside I can reach out and touch both sides. To be honest, it is like living in a corridor, but a beautiful corridor made seemingly smaller by sharing it with 2 cats and a Morris dancing husband.

Continue reading "Living on the Thames"

Are You Sure it was a Coyote? How to Tell a Coyote from a Dog.

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:53:00 -0700

Note: The following article is from Chuck Bonner, a lifelong hiker and amateur naturalist who writes extensively on nature, hiking, and more at HikingWithChuck.com. Chuck is also the author of Noticing Nature, available at Amazon.com.

A coyote attacking a sheep. His "elbow" is a couple of inches below the underline of his chest. Photo by U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, public domain.

Whenever anyone tells of seeing a coyote in a heavily populated area, they are met with the inevitable question, "Are you sure it wasn't a dog?" The response is usually short on specifics but long on emphasis: "It didn't look like a dog." But, of course, a coyote does look like a dog. Just not exactly.

One commonly cited difference is that a coyote has longer legs than a dog has. I've used that description myself, but I always felt a little uncertain. "Longer legs" isn't quite accurate. A coyote is somewhat longer than it is tall, and so is a typical dog.

Continue reading "Are You Sure it was a Coyote? How to Tell a Coyote from a Dog."

Wind and Sun Power Coming to Ohio

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:16:39 -0700

The following is a guest article by Elysia Niemi:

Ohio Receives $13 Million For Solar and Wind Projects
Author: Elysia Niemi

Cleveland, Ohio - Governor Ted Strickland today announced that 25 Ohio projects will receive more than $13 million in grant awards funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's State Energy Program.

"We are shaping Ohio's future by strengthening our advanced energy economy today. Supporting the growing wind and solar industries creates jobs, creates energy and reduces costs for hard-working Ohioans," Strickland said. "These Recovery Act-funded projects take the state another vital step toward our goal of making Ohio a world center for advanced energy."

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Top Reasons to Conserve Energy and Go Green

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:54:57 -0700

The following is a guest article by Brent Crouch:

Every year, newspapers and magazines crown one word or phrase the official buzzword of that year. Often times, the winning phrase comes from a movie or television show, but this year, the phrase on everyone's mind has been "going green."

Thanks to outrageous fuel costs that have made everything from heating our homes to driving our cars a trial, there is a genuine movement within the United States to head towards renewable, clean energy like never before.

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Oceanic Trenches

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:46:44 -0700

Guest article by Bispo Barbosa

The Challenger Deep in the Marianas Trench adjacent to the Philippines is the deepest place on earth, reaching 10.7 km below the surface, a vertical relief greater than that of Mount Everest.

The Puerto Rican Trench reaches a depth of 8.4 km. The 5,900 km Peru-Chile Trench is the longest; it is bordered by volcanoes on South America.

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A Brown Recluse

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:34:00 -0700

The following is a guest article by Thomas Martincis

The Brown Recluse Spider
By Thomas Martincic

As the husband of a Brown Recluse bite victim, I know firsthand how frightening it can be to be bitten, how important it is to get educated about these spiders, and the need to be prepared for the unexpected.

The Brown Recluse Spider is so named because it is by nature, "reclusive." Because it likes to hide during the day in clothes, shoes, boxes and other out of the way places where bites are most likely to occur through unintentional contact, it is regarded by many as the most dangerous spider here the United States.

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Solar PV in India - About to Explode?

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:50:00 -0700

The following is a guest article by Renga Nathan:

Solar PV in India - About to Explode?

By Renga Nathan

India formally launched its National Solar Mission in Jan 2010. This ambitious programme is expected to provide significant incentives to encourage large-scale investments for the production of solar energy. The goal of the mission is to increase the installed capacity of solar energy for electricity generation from a paltry 2 MW currently to 20,000 MW (20 GW) by 2022.
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Plastic Pollution and the Plight of the Planet

nospam@example.com (Green Man) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 02:27:00 -0700

The following is a guest article by Marlene Affeld:

Plastic Pollution and the Plight of the Planet

By: Marlene Affeld

By negligently discarding plastic, especially plastic water bottles, fishing gear and plastic bags, people are unknowingly causing the deaths of millions of mammals, fish, birds and reptiles every year.

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