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THE EARTH NEWS

Ozone Hole (Dark Blue)
"The
issue is whether the environment is part of the economy
or the economy is part of the environment
Lester R. Brown."
Ask not what your Earth can do for you. Ask what you can
do for your Earth.
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2003
THIRD WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD—"2002
second warmest, 1999 warmest."
World Meteorological Org., Dec 16, 2003
GLOBAL WARMING ACCELERATING—"Compared to the 1980s,
most of the Arctic warmed significantly over the last
decade, with the biggest temperature increases occurring
over North America."
NASA, Oct. 23, 2003
AMAZON FOREST DESTRUCTION ACCELERATING—"'We are
going to take emergency action', Brazil's Environment
Minister Marina Silva told reporters. In the past year
the area cut down was slightly smaller than Haiti."
NewScientist, June 27, 2003
1997 Kyoto Treaty Still Not Signed by Biggest Pullutos
U.S. and Russia
OZONE LAYER BEGINNING TO RECOVER?— "NASA satellite
observations have provided the first evidence the rate
of ozone depletion in the Earth's upper atmosphere is
decreasing. This may indicate the first stage of ozone
layer recovery
NASA, July 29."
CARBON DIOXIDE
NOT MAIN CAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING?—"Rapid warming in
recent decades has been driven mainly by non-CO2
greenhouse gases such as chlorofluorocarbons, CH4,
and N2O,
not by the products of fossil fuel burning, CO2
and aerosols
source."
Abstract:
Hansen,
et al. More about
CFCs
CH4
N2O
SOLAR CAR AVERAGES 58 MPH IN RACE—"The Dutch solar
car finished first in the World Solar Challenge
esa.int, Oct 22."
DAIMLER-CHRYSLER GOING GREEN?—"On-road real-world
experience with more than 100 fuel cell cars, vans and
transit buses by the end of 2004."
PRNewswire, Nov. 16
THOUSAND A DAY—"Nearly 1,000 whales dolphins and
porpoises drown every day when they become entangled in fishing gear
WorldWildlifeFund, June 12."
RE-ENDANGERED FORESTS— "The Bush administration, seeing
the forests as a resource for economic growth, has
proposed a dramatic increase in resource extraction
NFPA."
MAJOR OIL SPILL OFF SPAIN AS ANOTHER PAST-DATE
RUSTBUCKET SINKS—"...could be twice the size of the 1989
Exxon Valdez spill off Alaska
source."
CANADA'S PINE TREES FACING DISASTER—"In 1998, the number
of newly attacked trees was 10 in BNP; in 1999 the
number rose to 80–90. In 2000 the numbers are over 500
source."
CANADIANS (#1 ENERGY USERS PER-CAPITA) EXPERIMENT WITH
OFF-GRID LIVING—Group of eco-pioneers are "not connected
to hydro, sewage or water lines. 'I run my vehicle on
used vegetable oil from grease dumpsters of fast food
restaurants'
CBC."
WORLD
BANK ADOPTS UTOPIAN CAPITALISM FOREST
STRATEGY—"Increasing the livelihoods of some 500 million
people
living in extreme poverty who depend on forests, while improving the
environmental protection of
forests in the developing world. It reflects a vision of
growth that is socially responsible and environmentally
friendly
source."
ALL
US FRESH-WATER STREAMS POLLUTED?—source.
Full Report
25% OF US BIRDS IN DECLINE?—Audubon
Soc."
EarthNews
47% OF
EARTH'S PLANTS ENDANGERED?—"Human activities are
threatening to wipe out as many as one-half of the
Earth's plant species, a study suggests
source."
GREENPEACE
& GLOBAL BUSINESS GROUP ENGAGED IN JOINT EARTH SUMMIT
ACTION—"A group representing
160 multinationals made a joint statement with the
environmental group Greenpeace calling on world leaders
for an international system
for halting global warming
source."
EARTH SUMMIT 2002 WAS BIG ENERGY USER—The
Summit will produce approx 289,619 tonnes CO2
from all the flights venues, accommodation and ground
transport. That’s equivalent to:-
- The annual CO2
emissions from approximately 13,164 US citizens
- The annual CO2
emissions from more than 371,306 African citizens
- The annual CO2
emissions from approximately 26,305 UK citizens
- The annual emissions from 86,196 cars driven in the UK
futureforests."
EarthDept.
NEW ENVIRONMENT-
MONITORING SATELLITE SHOWS ANARCTIC ICE SHELF BREAKUP
MORE SEVERE THAN THOUGHT— "The Antarctic Penininsula has
experienced exceptional atmospheric warming over the
last decades, triggering the retreat and break-up of the
ice shelves. The launch of Envisat occurred just in time
to capture the disintegration of the Larsen B ice shelf.
This 400 km wide ASAR image of 18 March 2002 (orbit 246)
shows that the collapsed ice shelf has fractured into
thousands of small icebergs, drifting eastwards into the
Weddell Sea. This kind of breakup is quite different
from the periodic calving processes taking place 1000 km
further south which have led to the presence of the
large drifting icebergs seen in the image
source." FFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING 'CLEARLY
VISIBLE'—"Although we are only at an early stage in the
projected trends of global warming, ecological responses
to recent climate change are already clearly visible
source."
JANUARY WARMEST IN 123-YEAR GLOBAL RECORD BOOK—"The
contiguous United States experienced record warmth
during the November 2001 through January 2002
three-month period...The January global temperature was
the warmest in the 123-year surface record
source."
BUSH IN CHINA VIEWS
US-MADE NATURAL GAS ENGINE WIDELY USED IN BEIJING—"The
engine has been installed on more than 1,840 buses in
the Chinese capital
source."
US NATIONAL CENTER
FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH SAYS 4 - 7°F GLOBAL
WARMING 90% LIKELY BY 2100—"There's a nine out of ten
chance that global average temperatures will rise 3–9°
Fahrenheit over the coming century, with a 4–7° increase
most likely,
according to a new probability analysis by scientists in
the United States and Europe. As early as 2030 the
planet is likely to heat up 1–2°, say the scientists. A
1° temperature rise was observed over the past century
source."
EXEMPTION EXCHANGE
NOW ON LINE—"This time saving, online system will enable
participants in the sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen
oxide (NOx) markets to record trades directly on the
Internet instead of submitting paper forms to EPA for
processing
source."
VENICE ENVIRONMENTAL
EMERGENCY—"Italy declared a state of environmental
emergency in Venice, one of its most popular tourist
destinations, and two other cities on Thursday, paving
the way for urgent measures to tackle pollution
source."
INTEL CHMN. & WIFE
GIVE $260M FOR CONSERVATION—"Gordon and Betty Moore
Foundation is providing Conservation International with
the largest gift ever given to a private conservation
group, with a series of grants totaling up to $261
million over 10 years. With an alliance of conservation
partners, CI aims to secure $1.5 billion in private
investments over the next 10 years, and leverage another
$4.5 billion from the public sector
source."
US GOVT. IN TWO VICTORIES AGAINST BIG NEW
YORK POLLUTOS— (1) Re GE: "It is estimated that more
than one million pounds of PCBs were discharged into the
Hudson River from two General Electric (GE) capacitor
manufacturing plants in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls,
New York over a 30-year period ending in 1977...Women of
child-bearing age and children under the age of 15
should not eat any fish caught below the Sherman Dam
located just above Glens Falls, New York
source." (2) Re
ExxonMobil: "MOBIL admits liability for discharging
hazardous wastes from 1991 to1993 into two large
artificial ponds on the site without a permit and
without the protections required by law. The
government's investigation disclosed that MOBIL
generated the benzene-contaminated wastes at its Port
Mobil Terminal Facility. Benzene, a known human
carcinogen, became a regulated hazardous waste under
RCRA in 1990
source."
"The issue is whether the environment is part of the
economy or the economy is part of the environment
source."
GREENPEACE UNVEILS MAJOR INVESTIGATION: EXXON/MOBIL
CAUSED CLIMATE TREATY TO BE FATALLY FLAWED THEN US
GOVERNMENT REFUSED TO SIGN IT BECAUSE IT WAS "FATALLY
FLAWED"— "For more than a decade, ExxonMobil (or Esso in
Europe) has been working consistently and systematically
to derail any international action to tackle global
warming. While ExxonMobil’s opposition to Kyoto is no
secret, this briefing shows how it has made a concerted
effort to turn its interests into government policy,
steering the US away from international action, not only
through direct lobbying but also through covert funding
source." EXXON/MOBIL'S PROFITS MADE HISTORY
AT $5.1 BILLION IN JUST THREE MONTHS & US BUDGET SURPLUS
COULD TOTAL $5.6 TRILLION IN TEN YEARS—"Such surpluses
are projected to rise in the future, approaching $889
billion in 2011 and accumulating to $5.6 trillion over
the 2002-2011 period
source." But corp. and country are powerless
to spend a penny on their grandchildren's environment.
Our
Quick-Click Poll found only 50% thought the
surplus should be spent on cleaning up the environment.
See
Wealth & Power: Assets or
Addictions?
JUDICIALWATCH
SUES US VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY RE SECRET ENERGY MEETINGS—
"Judicial Watch is concerned that energy policy is being
made in secret by individuals and interests with a
financial and political stake in particular
policies...the law requires that the American people be
kept informed about these deliberations
source." The lawsuit deals with, among other
matters, "...the concurrent ownership of shares of stock
in energy industry enterprises by key administration and
White House officials and personnel
source."DURING ELECTION CAMPAIGN US DEFENSE
DEPT. AWARDED $7 Bil CONTRACT TO CORP. IN WHICH CHENEY
IS STOCKHOLDER— Electronic Data Systems Corp. website
says he's still on Board of Directors and still owns
5,743 shares in EDS
source. His shares have risen more than 80%
since the award of the contract
source. EDS had sustained considerable losses
prior to the award of the contract
source, the largest ever awarded by the US.
Cheney is former US Secretary of Defense. US WATCHDOG
GROUP SAYS BUSH & CHENEY ACCEPTED $10 MILLION FROM
DONORS WHO DID NOT NAME THEIR EMPLOYER OR OCCUPATION—US
election laws require that a donor's occupation and
employer be fully disclosed
source."
NASA SCIENTIST
SUGGESTS CFCs AND NOT CO2 COULD BE CAUSE OF
GLOBAL WARMING—Is the main cause of the Ozone depletion
also the main cause of global warming? "CO2
emission has leveled off and even dropped since the 70s.
Yet global warming continues." Graph illustrates
greater levels
of CFC emission
source.
WASHINGTON THINKTANK
HINTS AT EARTH EMERGENCY QUESTION—"Signs of accelerated
ecological decline have coincided with a loss of
political momentum on environmental issues... This
failure calls into question whether the world will be
able to turn these trends around before the economy
suffers irreversible damage source." full statement
GLOBAL WARMING INDEX? Four NASA scientists have
constructed a
Common Sense Climate Index derived from temperature
and precipitation measurements which may possibly serve
as a much needed 'Global Warming Index'
source.
UN INTERGOVERNMENTAL
REPORT ON CLIMATE CHANGE RELEASED Sees more severe
consequences than other studies source.
WEBSITE GATHERS ARGUMENTS DEBUNKING GLOBAL
WARMING—"Yes, carbon dioxide in the air has increased in
the last century due to the use of fossil fuels. Yes,
global average temperature has increased 0.8° F in the
same century. Unfortunately, the temperature increase
came first: most of the temperature increase was before
1940, and most of the new carbon dioxide was added after
1960. Would you trust a "scientist" who said the result
came before the cause?
source."
BBC's
POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE Short background on climate
change for the general reader.
UN EARTH SUMMIT 2002—Good collection of background
links.
SATELLITE VERIFIES INCREASES IN GREENHOUSE GASES—
Japanese study of past and present spectography finds,
"direct evidence for a significant increase in the
greenhouse effect, with atmospheric levels of methane,
carbon dioxide, ozone and chlorofluoro- carbons all seen
to have increased source." See also Earth Emergency?
SHOCKING DEFORESTATION MAP
22 TRILLION ACRES OF FOREST WERE LOST IN THE
1990s ALONE source.
OZONE HOLE LARGEST
EVER (See animation at top of this column.) Darker blue
area is the ozone hole.) It is now three times the size
of the US. "What's unexpected," NASA says, "is how big
it is this year source." UN experts say
it is growing earlier in the year than usual. The hole
is large enough now to be above the Chilean town of
Punta Arenas whose 120,000 residents are forced to don
sombreros, sunglasses, sunblock lotions and extra
clothing.
OCEAN REPORT SEES
"ECOLOGICAL ROULETTE" ALONG US COASTS—James Carlton,
Ph.D. says, "...hundreds of species arrive each day by
way of ships’ ballast waters, fishing activities, and
other means. Once an introduced crab, fish, or seaweed
takes hold in a coastal area, it can cause tremendous
environmental disruption and result in millions of
dollars in damage
source."
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Albert Gore's
LINKS:
EnvironmentalNewsNetwork
EcoNet
SEU Times
globalwarming.org
See also Wealth & Power: Assets or
Addictions?
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