An ocean of poison - Environment, Science & Technology. Eight hours on a zodiac inflatable boat on the Juan de Fuca Strait off the coast of B.C., and Dr. Peter Ross has yet to spot a killer whale. At this time of year, the animals are hardly elusive. They return to the waters between Vancouver Island and Washington state every summer to hunt big, fat chinook salmon, which make up 60 per cent of their diet. In July, Victoria’s whale tour operators—which send out a new boat every hour—claim a 93 per cent success rate. Spotting a pod is “pretty much a guarantee,” says Ross, a crew-cut, fortysomething marine mammal toxicologist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. But B.C.’s 85 southern resident killer whales have not been seen in three days, and it’s putting some people on edge.
Last year, seven southern residents disappeared, the biggest recorded one-year loss in a decade. The killer whale is a powerful messenger. Coral, with its calcium carbonate skeleton, may seem an obvious victim, but there have been some surprises. 22 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Compost. Composting is a way of utilizing microorganisms to break down and decompose organic matter. The unique benefits of composting include a reduction of waste needlessly going into landfills and the production of a free stable, organic soil amendment that can’t be beat. Many people compost their yard waste and kitchen scraps, but there are many other materials that are generally thrown away that could easily be converted into compost and given back to the soil instead and far stranger ways to compost than most people realize.
Hair and Nail Clippings (images via: klauspost, madaise, dvdmerwe, recyclethis, aprillynn77, joeshlabotnik, nightrose, massimobarbieri, skychen) Human hair is a rich source of nitrogen and can be added to a compost pile or bin. Beer, Wine and Brewery Waste (images via: t-loe, sondyaustin, roblisameehan) As unlikely as it is that you would have any beer or wine going to waste, if you did, it could be added to the compost. Vaccum Cleaner “Dirt” (images via: dnamichaud) Tidal Talk Online. North Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club. Earthjustice: Environmental Law: Because the Earth Needs a Good Lawyer. Care2 - largest online community for healthy and green living, human rights and animal welfare. Sierra Club Home Page: Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet. Earthjustice: Environmental Law: Because the Earth Needs a Good Lawyer. Independent news on natural health, nutrition and more.
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