Chevron sues ex- lawyer Nov 17, 2009
The ongoing case seeks to hold Chevron accountable for polluting a corner of the Amazon rain forest. Texaco drilled for oil there between 1964 and 1992 before turning over operations to the state-run oil company, Petroecuador. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Business)
From the space race to human race Nov 17, 2009
We must have to put effort to save our rainforest, marine environment, biodiversity. That is world political leader must take initiative to reduce 25 percent green house gas emission by 2050 to avoid serious changes in the earth's climate system. (BBC News -- Science)
Next 'super food': maqui Nov 17, 2009
c) The Amazon rain forest in Guyana. d) The Finger Lakes of upstate New York. (Honolulu Advertiser)
For the environment Nov 17, 2009
Niaulani Forest WorkDay, volunteers needed to preserve the rainforest; 9 a.m.-12 p.m. third Sunday of each month, Volcano Art Center, Niaulani campus, Volcano Village, Big Island; 808-967-8222. TUESDAYS AT KANAHA, weekly beach cleanup and plant maintenance, coordinated by Community Pride at Kanaha Beach Park, Maui, 8-10 a.m. Tuesdays at the park; Valerie Vines Magee, 808-264-1454. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Shooters kill hippo in NT outback Nov 16, 2009
Nico Courtney, 27, was out spotlighting for pigs with mates in the Douglas Daly region on Saturday night when he accidentally shot the vulnerable African rainforest dweller. Stories about sightings of African wildlife wandering the NT outback have long been shared amongst locals. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Ghost trees 'haunt' London square Nov 16, 2009
Stumps of 10 trees from a rainforest, complete with their roots, have been placed in Trafalgar Square to highlight the issue of climate change. Laser beams will mark the height the trees would have reached in comparison to Nelson's Column. (BBC News)
Haunting scene as ghost trees appear in Trafalgar Square Nov 16, 2009
Stumps of 10 trees from a rainforest, complete with their roots, will be placed around Trafalgar Square to highlight the issue of climate change ... The trees, logged legally in Ghana, will highlight deforestation in countries like Ghana which has lost 90% of its rainforest in the past 50 years ... Ms Palmer said: "The concept is to present a series of rainforest tree stumps as a 'ghost forest' - using the negative space created by the missing trunks as a metaphor for climate change, the absence... (BBC News -- UK)
Green energy Nov 16, 2009
Rainforests could be traded on world market ... Businesses will only pay to protect rainforests if it means they can avoid making more costly reductions to their own emissions ... Rainforests "might be a big part of the potential supply, but it could swamp all the demand", he says. (BBC News -- Americas)
Biofuels research: How green is green? Nov 16, 2009
And the rising demand for ethanol is pushing up the price of the land needed to grow corn, from which almost all ethanol is manufactured, and may even lead to deforestation in the world's rain forests as humans seek more land to grow crops for fuel as well as food. The quest for more land pushes up land prices, which makes food more expensive - especially for poor people. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Perak promotes its 10 icons to tourists Nov 15, 2009
She said the 10 icons were the Royal Belum world's oldest rainforest, the Gua Tempurung largest limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia, the Matang mangrove swamp forest, the Taiping Zoo, the Perak Herbal Park, the Orang Utan Island at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort, the Felda Residence Hotsprings in Sungai Klah, Sungkai; the royal town of Kuala Kangsar, Pangkor Island and Ipoh, which is well known for its beautiful limestone hills and diversity of food. She also said it was hoped that more lowcost... (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
$10 million forest lab receives funding Nov 15, 2009
en Latinee Experimental Forest, established by the Forest Service in June, and house the Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center director's office. The center is a joint venture among the Forest Service, UAS and four additional agencies set up to study rain forest ecosystems. (Juneau Empire)
On the Copenhagen Agenda, Reducing Deforestation May Still Succeed Nov 15, 2009
A deforested area of rain forest in southern Para state, Brazil. JEFFERSON RUDDY / AFP / Getty. (Time.com)
Ucluelet, BC Travel Guide Nov 15, 2009
Broken up into phases, the first, Lighthouse Loop, winds through temperate rainforest and along the jagged coastline past Amphitrite Lighthouse, showcasing unbeatable views of the intense, foaming sea from clifftop perches and viewpoints ... Boasting pristine beaches and old-growth rainforest, Pacific Rim National Park is a must-see for any visitor to Vancouver Island s western limits ... Although Incinerator Rock offers the most direct beach access, with parking just off the sand, those with... (Suite101.com)
France, Brazil unveil policy for climate conference: Sarkozy Nov 15, 2009
A handout picture from the Brazilian Environment Ministry shows a deforested area in the rainforest in southern Para state in 2008. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said France and Brazil have adopted a common policy for next week's global warming summit in Copenhagen. (Yahoo! Asia News)
How area's limestone affects rainfall (2) Nov 15, 2009
Boerne locals are frequently told that they live at the edge of a desert, and its true that the region can hardly be referred to as tropical - there is nothing of rainforest history in the areas makeup. Nevertheless, the Hill Country enjoys a certain amount of meteorological notoriety when it comes to water - water that is intrinsically tied to the rock itself. (Boerne Star, TX)
Brazil to offer carbon cut of 36% at UN climate meet Nov 15, 2009
Brazil posted encouraging news on that front this week, when it said Thursday it had experienced the smallest loss of the rainforest over the past year in more than two decades. The remainder of the cuts would come from making efforts in farming, industry and improving energy efficiency. (Yahoo! Asia News)
Honeymoon Resorts on Queensland's G... Nov 14, 2009
The following list presents some of the best from the perfect island getaway, to the inner city adventure, to beach and rainforest resorts ... Located on the picturesque South Stradbroke Island, with dazzling white sand beaches, lush rainforest and clear ocean waters, this Island getaway offers couples a perfect chance to have some secluded us time ... Songbirds Rainforest Retreat. (Suite101.com)
Brazil proposes carbon cut target Nov 14, 2009
The government here announced this week that deforestation in the rainforest was its lowest level since monitoring first began 21 years ago. Deforestation is blamed for more than half of Brazil's greenhouse gas emissions. (BBC News -- Americas)
Cibola grad takes Ghana study trip Nov 14, 2009
Layer after layer of intricate details were jumbled together into a huge mass of green rainforest. Mushrooms grew an inch high on fallen leaves, while buttresses of trees grew 120 feet wide. (Yuma Daily Sun, AZ)
Rare Headshrinking Footage Confirmed? Nov 14, 2009
SOUND: Deep within the worlds largest rain forest live a people that once practiced the infamous ritual ... The film was made in 1961 by Polish Explorer Edmundo Bielawski, who, with a team of seven, set out to explore and document the worlds largest rain forest: The Amazon. (National Geographic)
Five Places: As green as it gets Nov 14, 2009
Take the "living roof," the vehicle recharging stations, insulation made of recycled jeans and the four-story rain forest and you have arguably the world's greenest museum. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Science)
Fewer trees cut down in Amazon Nov 14, 2009
BRASILIA: Brazil's sprawling Amazon jungle this year lost 7000 square kilometres of rainforest, a huge area but also a whopping 45 per cent drop from last year's losses. It's by far the best result we've seen since [the study began] in 1988,'' the director of Brazil's National Institute of Space Research, Gilberto Camara, told the President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and his Environment Minister at a meeting. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
New Orchid Deception Found: Wearing The Scent Of Hornet's Prey Nov 14, 2009
Borneo's rain forests are also home to some extremely rare species of orchids, all highly valued for their exotic aromas and aesthetic. (Apr. (Science Daily)
Green museums and more in San Francisco Nov 14, 2009
Discuss what you and the kids can do at home to help mitigate the impact of climate change and then step inside a living rainforest complete with croaking frogs, chirping birds and hundreds of butterflies. Follow a boardwalk through a mangrove lagoon where sharks, rays and sea turtles swim beneath you. (CNN -- Travel)
Thrifty makeover Nov 14, 2009
It was given the name, an acronym for World of Wonder, by the pupils, who now have a space which brings learning to life by transporting them to outer space, a rainforest, an ocean, or a desert. Created by two former theatre lighting designers, Ben Willetts and Cathy Cross, who now run 4D Creative in Manchester, the WOW. (BBC News -- UK)
1 dead, 15 hurt in eastern Oregon van rollover Nov 13, 2009
A plane that went missing over the Amazon made an emergency river landing in a remote part of the rain forest and nine of the 11 people aboard survived, the Brazilian air force said Friday. Members of the Matis Indian tribe found the plane and the survivors in a sprawling jungle reservation, the air force said in a statement. (Fresno Bee -- Nation)
Fewer tress cut down in Brazil's Amazon jungle Nov 13, 2009
A view of a deforested area on the border of Xingu river in the Amazon rainforest, northern Brazil in 2005. Brazil's sprawling Amazon jungle this year lost 7,000 square kilometers (2,700 square miles) of rain forest, a huge area but also a whopping 45 percent drop from 2008 losses, an official reported Thursday. (Yahoo! Asia News)
Black Carbon: A Visible but Overlooked Factor in Warming Nov 13, 2009
Reducing deforestation will help the burning of tropical rain forests is a big contributor to the black carbon load. Next, diesel filters in cars can be upgraded, and biomass-burning stoves can be exchanged for technology that uses solar power or natural gas. (Time.com)
Five CREMAs inaugurated at Ainyinase Nov 13, 2009
Nana Nsiah, Executive Director of the Wildlife Division, said the Ankasa Conservation Area is a largely untouched evergreen rainforest and the country's most biologically diverse and internationally important protected area with more than 800 species of plants including some endemics ones. He said the area is endowed with rare and endemic fauna such as 68 species of mammals, more than 180 species of birds and 600 species of butterflies. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN: Trucks, trains and the rain forest trees Nov 13, 2009
Without a new system for economic development in the timber-rich tropics, you can kiss the rain forests goodbye ... Flying in here by prop plane from Manaus, you can understand why the Amazon rain forest is considered one of the lungs of the world ... Even from 20,000 feet, all you see in every direction is an unbroken expanse of rain forest treetops that, from the air, looks like a vast and endless carpet of broccoli. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Brazil: Big drop in Amazon deforestation Nov 13, 2009
But Paulo Gustavo, environmental policy director of Conservation International, said a major factor is the drop in world prices for beef, soy and other products that drive people to clear land for agriculture in the rainforest. "The police control has improved a little, there has been success in controlling deforestation," Gustavo said. (MSNBC -- International)
Amazon deforestation 'record low' Nov 13, 2009
Brazil's disappearing rainforests have been a concern for decades. The rate of deforestation in the Amazon has dropped by 45% and is the lowest on record since monitoring began 21 years ago, Brazil's government says. (BBC News -- Americas)
Southern Caribbean cruise, from $609 Nov 13, 2009
After that, the ship will dock in Castries, St. Lucia where travelers can explore a tropical rainforest, a drive-in volcano, or relax on St. Lucias unspoiled beaches before sailing on to Basseterre, St. Kitts. This area is well known for its eco-tourism and a relaxed, un-crowded atmosphere. (MSNBC -- Travel)
Baby Animals on "The Early Show" Nov 13, 2009
Magill explained this monkey lives in the trees of the tropical rainforests. The mona monkey, he said, was introduced to the island of Grenada during the slave trade. (CBS News -- Early Show)
Scientist: CO2 not causing global warming... Nov 13, 2009
If we want to decrease CO2 levels then maybe we should stop cutting down the rain forests and other natural foliage across the planet. Natural occurrences of volcano's are just one of the many natural ways CO2 increases. (The Drudge Report)
California Academy of Sciences becomes first aquarium in US to breed dwarf cuttlefish Nov 13, 2009
The original Steinhart Aquarium opened in Golden Gate Park in 1923, and today it houses a stunning new suite of exhibits, including the world's deepest living reef tank, a four-level rainforest display, and a unique, ever-changing Water Planet exhibit. About the California Academy of Sciences. (EurekAlert!)
How We Make Decisions Nov 12, 2009
With the money you save you can buy a chunk of the rainforest or carbon credits. You don't buy a Prius because you want to do all you can to save the environment; you also want other people to see you in the Prius. (Time.com)
Central Africa's tropical Congo Basin was arid, treeless in Late Jurassic Nov 11, 2009
The Congo Basin with its massive, lush tropical rain forest was far different 150 million to 200 million years ago. At that time Africa and South America were part of the single continent Gondwana. (EurekAlert!)
Antarctica's ice loss helps offset global warming: study Nov 11, 2009
To put it in perspective, this is equivalent to the CO2-storing capacity of between 6,000 and 17,000 hectares (15,000 and 42,500 acres) of tropical rainforest, according to the paper. The tally is minute compared to the quantities of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels and deforestation, which amounted to 8. (Yahoo! Asia News)
New fossil plant discovery links Patagonia to New Guinea in a warmer past Nov 11, 2009
The lush, possibly montane, rainforest environment indicated by Papuacedrus helps to explain this stunning richness from the Eocene. "The revision [of this species] not only forces a major shift in biogeographic affinity (Patagonia to New Guinea), but also provides a decisive boost to important hypotheses of rainforest climates during the Eocene in Patagonia that had not been fully substantiated in previous work," Wilf said. (EurekAlert!)
California farmers need help Nov 11, 2009
And, more food is imported from foreign countries where rain forests are cleared for farmland, and cancer-causing chemicals are used. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi flies over these farmers going from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. all the time. (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
Our Wings Have Been Clipped Nov 11, 2009
When I mentioned a skywalk over the rain forest, he balked. We settled on Oahu and Maui, where we could keep our feet on the ground, and wouldn't have to fend off donkey-sized mosquitoes and poisonous tree frogs. (Missourian Publishing, MO)
300 youth to be employed in afforestation Nov 11, 2009
Kwaebibirem in Akan means tropical rain forest and as the name depic= ts, the district used to have a great deal of virgin forests. But as a result of timber harvesting; -mainly by illegal chainsaw operators- bad farming practices; diamond mining; and recently gold minin= g, the district has lost virtually all its forests. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Keng Yaik warns of ramification of attack Nov 10, 2009
While some may consider the attack as a non-major issue as 90% of palm oil is used as food, he said the allegations on the use of palm oil as energy which entailed the release of more greenhouse gas (GHG), rain forest destruction and high biodiversity areas must be dealt with accordingly. First, we cannot neglect but must take advantage of any new market opportunities for palm oil, including its use as biofuel, to support future increase in palm oil production, Lim said in his keynote address at... (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Business)
HOLLISTON PTSA: Notes for November Nov 9, 2009
They are planning new curriculum and a series of presentations to share what they have learned about the rain forest, conservation and research methodology. They recently visited the Adams School to discuss their experiences and show slides of their trip to sixth-graders, who are studying the region in social studies. (Holliston Tab, MA)
Special camp to teach youngsters about protecting the environment Nov 9, 2009
Participants aged between 10 and 17 years will be exposed to and given the opportunity to learn why and how they can protect and preserve the abundance and variety of species, ecosystems and diversity of the rainforest. Saving the earth: Stanleick (left) and Yawa CEO Adly Mohd shaking hands to seal the two organisations collaboration. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
SP Setia builds on winning formula Nov 9, 2009
4ha rainforest, lush greenery, smaller landscaped parks as well as water features that include rivers, lakes and well-manicured canals. All retention ponds were also converted into waterways and canals. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Business)
Maps of the World for Children Nov 8, 2009
Why are there tropical rainforests ... Why are the tropical rainforests near the equator. (Suite101.com)
"The September Issue" Nov 8, 2009
It's the suit in which the indigenous inhabitants of Ecuador's Amazonian jungle are on the verge of winning a massive judgment from Chevron -- a court-appointed expert has suggested $27 billion -- for the poisoning of their homeland, previously among the most pristine and biodiverse rain forest regions on the planet ... She and Sting have been talking about the rain forest and the rights of indigenous people for many years, long before celebrity drive-by cause-embracing had become favorable. (Salon)
Gardens can yield beauty aids Nov 8, 2009
And expect more ingredients as global barriers are blurred, says Dr. Gruenweld, who collaborated with Oxford University-based Gerry Bodeker, also an adjunct professor in public health at Columbia University, on Health and Beauty from the Rainforest (Didier Millet). In Malaysia, Dr. Gruenwald notes, there's a long tradition of treating beauty both topically and through diet -- often doubling up on the same herbs, oils and extracts. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Legionnaires' disease blamed for 2 Ill. deaths Nov 8, 2009
The nursing home has a rain forest, waterfall and spa in its atrium. Those have all been shut down. (The Pantagraph newspaper)
Tea Parties, the Berlin Wall, and the Forgotten Rain Forest Nov 7, 2009
We may not hear about rain forest destruction as often as we used to, but the problem still existsand Copenhagen negotiators and Sting are on it. 6) "? How do we make sure Afghan police officers aren't Taliban?" by Christopher Beam. (Slate)
Ants are friendly to some trees, but not others Nov 7, 2009
But while researching ant-plants in the Amazonian rainforests of Peru, Douglas Yu of the University of East Anglia and Glenn Shepard of Sao Paulo University were tipped off by the local people about a strange phenomenon. The natives showed the researchers several non-myrmecophyte trees with swollen scars called galls on their trunks and branches. (EurekAlert!)
Audio slideshow Nov 7, 2009
Brazil's government wants to repave the almost impassable BR-319 route between Porto Velho and Manaus - but the plan is controversial because the 900 km (560 mile) road cuts right through the Amazon rainforest. BBC journalist Ben Sutherland has travelled along the route. (BBC News -- Americas)
Which Hawaii for you? Nov 7, 2009
Its breathtaking, three-mile long caldera is part of , where lush rain forest alternates with stark lava fields and active steam vents. Located 30 miles from Hilo and 95 miles from Kailua-Kona the Big Island's main resort areas the park makes an easy day trip ($10 per vehicle). (MSNBC -- Travel)
From the African Rain Forest to Sunset Boulevard, "PUNCTURED HOPE" is Screening in Los Angeles Nov 7, 2009
"market" : {"NAME" : "U.S.", "ID" : "us_market", "TZ" : "ET", "TZOFFSET" : "-18000", "open" : "", "close" : "", "flags" : {}} , "STREAMER_SERVER" : "http://streamerapi.finance.yahoo.com","arrowAsChangeSign" : false,"throttleInterval": "1000". Search for share prices. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Uganda: Bill Threatens Progress on HIV/AIDS Nov 6, 2009
A villager carries a bag of rice as he walks on a cable bridge at Lutueng rainforest in Pidie district, Indonesia's Aceh province, November 5, 2009. Picture taken November 5, 2009. (AlertNet)
Santiago de Compostela, Spain Nov 6, 2009
Most people picture Spain as a hot, arid land, but if Europe had a rain forest, it would be here. Rain off the Atlantic has colored Santiago s granite green with moss. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Travel)
It's all happening at the zoo Nov 6, 2009
Today, the zoo is a nonprofit operated by the East Bay Zoological Society, where visitors can see birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and arthropods native to the African savanna, the world's rain forests and beyond ... Wayne and Gladys Valley Children's Zoo, Oakland Zoo: Enter the heat and humidity of the Reptile and Amphibian House to view a black tree monitor native to New Guinea, a golden mantella frog native to the tropical rain forests of Madagascar and other reptiles and amphibians in... (San Francisco Chronicle -- Travel)
"Sesame Street" Celebrates 40th Birthday Nov 6, 2009
After sizing up a beach and a swamp for his new habitat, Big Bird chooses a rain forest. But then he comes to his senses with a musical number. (CBS News -- Entertainment)
Climate change biggest health threat to children this century - Save the Children Nov 6, 2009
Reuters AlertNet - Climate change biggest health threat to children this century. Fri, 6 Nov 08:40:36 GMT. (AlertNet)
'Weird Creatures' Finds a Mole Lizard Nov 5, 2009
From the rainforests of Borneo to the Australian outback, host Nick Baker explorers some of the remotest corners of the Earth every Wednesday at 9PM. On last week's premier episode of the third season, Nick flew to Australia just after breeding time for a rare sighting of an extremely endangered fish the leafy seahorse. On the next show, he drives to Mexico's Baja peninsula in search of the elusive mole lizard. (Fox News)
1 World Trading Co. brings eco-biz to Portsmouth Nov 5, 2009
The bracelet has painted glass beads (joined with pieces of bauxite) representing the ocean, rainforest, animals, people, the stars, planets and fair trade. It includes an explanatory card and sells for $10. (Seacoast New Hampshire)
New fuel for debate Nov 5, 2009
Cartwright predicted that large-scale biofuel plantings would lead to the destruction of rainforest destruction as more land is pushed into production to meet world food demand ... The issue of rainforest destruction is becoming a major factor in the biofuel debate ... So, farmers in Brazil could just chop down trees in rainforests and sell them as credits for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (Hanford Sentinal, CA)
Coral reef troubles warn of disaster Nov 5, 2009
Providing a safe harbor where more than a quarter of all marine life can feed, spawn and raise their young, reefs' ecological diversity rivals that of the world's lushest rainforests. Unlike the forests, however, the relative remoteness of many reefs seemed to promise a small degree of protection for these fragile ecosystems. (Herald Online, SC -- Opinion)
