Conservation in Madagascar Madagascar has suffered environmental degradation over a significant part of its land mass. Forests that once blanketed the eastern third of the island have now been degraded, fragmented, and converted to scrub land. Spiny forests in the south are rapidly giving way to "cactus scrub" as indigenous vegetation is cut and burned for subsistence charcoal production. Viewed from above, Madagascar's rivers look as if they are bleeding the country to death as soil is eroded away from the central highlands. Each year as much as a third of the country burns and 1 percent of its remaining forests are leveled. This ecological decline has not been ignored. At present, more dollars are pouring into conservation efforts in Madagascar than any other part of Africa. Next >> Conservation index Parks in Madagascar | Madagascar's Parks Service Ecotourism hints | Being an ethical traveler Find a mistake?
A bit of green :: Crafts :: Plastic Cup Lamp Now that my university is closed for winter holidays, I finally have more free time to do all the crafty things I’ve been wanting to. One of these is a lamp made from plastic cups I’ve seen at taf, the art foundation, in the Monastiraki region in the center of Athens. When I first saw it at taf, I was amazed; I looked closely and I couldn’t believe my eyes! Disclaimer: There have been some concerns about the safety of this construction (see the comment of user “when” below for example). I only needed a couple of things: 200-250 large plastic cups (recyclable, at least )600-700 staplesa staplera lamp socket, lamp cord and plug – mine came from a broken IKEA lamp! That’s all you will need. Start stapling the cups together as shown. Staple again and again and again… Until your lamp goes from this… …to this! Staple carefully the last cups to form the top of the sphere (if it’s a sphere, because it’s likely that it won’t be that round if some cups aren’t perfectly aligned). You might also like:
The Ecology of Work | Curtis White Environmentalism can't succeed until it confronts the destructive nature of modern work—and supplants it by Curtis White Art by Teun Hocks Last of a two-part series. See The Idols of Environmentalism for part one. I ENVIRONMENTALISTS SEE THE ASPHALTING of the country as a sin against the world of nature, but we should also see in it a kind of damage that has been done to humans, for what precedes environmental degradation is the debasement of the human world. We are not the creators of our own world; we merely perform functions in a system into which we were born. Challenging our place in this system as mere isolated functions (whether as workers or consumers) is a daunting task, especially for environmentalists, who tend to think that human problems are the concern of somebody else (labor unions, the ACLU, Amnesty International, Habitat for Humanity, etc.). II HERE’S A BALD ASSERTION FOR WHICH I have no proof scientific or otherwise: a human society would never willingly harm nature.
UK and World Weather Forecast: radar, severe warnings, and more Global Environment - Biodiversity - Decidious Forest Biome This biome is found in three separate regions in the northern hemisphere. The types of trees you can find in these three regions are broad leafed deciduous trees and some of the evergreen species. The trees are more commonly known as ash, beech, birch and northern arrowwood. Also found in this biome are wild flowers such as oxlip, bluebells, painted trillium and primrose. The soil is very fertile. There are many types of animals in the deciduous forest ranging from mammals like deer to bugs like mosquitoes. A few common animals found in the deciduous forest are, deer, gray squirrels, mice raccoons, salamanders, snakes, robins, frogs and many types of insects. Most deciduous forests are found in Eastern North America somewhere around 35-48° N, and Europe and Asia around 45-60° N. The average temperature is around 50° F (about 10° C).
10 World’s Greenest Countries The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a method of measuring the performance of national governments related to environmental policies. Yale University and Columbia University release the EPI every year during the World Economic Forum, ranking 163 countries according to 25 indicators. The final mark shows how close the country is to accomplish the environmental goals. 1. www.metrolic.com Iceland is considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful countries because of the breathtaking nature, but they can still enjoy that due to the high level of accomplishing the environmental policy goals. 2. Switzerland was leading the EPI list years ago, but now has fallen to the second place just due to incredible Iceland performance. 3. www.thundafunda.com Costa Rica government is strongly committed to following the Icelandic example for use of renewable energy sources. 4. www.sputcom3.co.uk 5. www.boxturtlebulletin.com 6. www.wallcoo.net 7. www.ontfin.com 8. www.globalissuesat-cz.blogspot.com
Earthquake Swarm A series of earthquakes have been experienced in Arkansas and are slowly becoming the norm, though the reason as to why there have been so many remains elusive. According to the most recent geological report by the USGS, Arkansas has been experiencing about two-to-seven earthquakes a day ranging from about 1.8-4.0 on the richter scale, and the trend doesn't seem likely to stop with up to two dozen quakes sometimes being reported in a given day. More than 800 earth quakes have been reported across the region in the past six months, and the region experienced its largest quake yet this past Sunday reaching nearly 5.0 on the ricter scale. Geologists have presented two possibilities for the constant earth flux, one being that this is a natural event such as a swarm of similar quakes that occurred in the 1980s that hit Enola, Arkansas. The other theory points to a natural gas exploration technique called "fracking" as a possible cause.
Weather: Interactive weather world map, short and long range forecasts for the UK and abroad Sky News UK Weather Forecast Temperatures over parts of the country dropped back to minus 4C on Thursday night, so it was a chilly start in many spots, but sunny. That sunshine will help push temperatures up to around 14C at best, but that should feel quite pleasant in light winds. It will be warmest over parts of the north and west, whilst North Sea Coasts will be cooler at times, with an on shore breeze. Through the afternoon, cloud will bubble up over central, southern and south-eastern areas; this will disappear this evening. So, it will be another chilly night tonight, with a touch of frost in rural areas. The emphasis on Saturday’s weather will be on dry conditions once again, with the best of the sunshine in the north and west. Central, southern and south-eastern areas will be more cloudy with one or two isolated showers.
BBC - Natural History Museum surveys New Forest biodiversity A snapshot of biodiversity in the New Forest is being taken by experts from the Natural History Museum. As part of a large-scale study project, they will revisit the area in 10 years' time to map any changes in the landscape. Forty plots within six habitats across the forest are being used to sample lichens, algae, insects and soil. A parallel project is taking place in Paraguay later this year. Ongoing study It is hoped this data will provide a baseline from which comparisons can be made when the study is repeated in 10 years time. Ian Barker, New Forest National Park Authority ecologist said: "The New Forest continues to be a magnificent landscape with an abundance of really special wildlife. "Insects, lichen and soils - which are the building blocks of biodiversity are often overlooked because people are generally more interested in the bigger species such as birds. The New Forest is the most densely populated national park in the UK and has over 13 million visitors each year.
SCIENCE FOCUS: DEAD ZONES — GES DISC: Goddard Earth Sciences, Data & Information Services Center Info Home page for information about educational resources and outreach activities of the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) provides a broad variety of data to scientists around the world. In addition to the data, the GES DISC has created several different tools that enable data users to categorize, view, order, visualize, and analyze the large volume of data it holds. The data and tools at the GES DISC also provide multiple ways in which teachers and students can gain insight into the interconnected spheres of Earth’s environment – the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. Data for Education GES DIRECTS (GES DISC Resources for Education & Career Training for Scientists) – in preparation Current Education and Outreach Activities At the GES DISC: Multimedia and Social Media: NASA GES DISC on Twitter NASA Giovanni on Twitter NASA GES DISC YouTube Channel
Trouble in Farm City, and How You Can Help – EcoLocalizer Food Published on April 7th, 2011 | by Patricia Larenas Oakland Urban Farmer Novella Carpenter Urban farmer extraordinaire, Novella Carpenter, has recently hit a wall of bureaucracy with the city of Oakland that threatens the very existence of her small farm. Carpenter is the author of the popular and engaging book “Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer”, and has been raising food on an open parcel of land that she owns in Oakland. Although the city of Oakland is slated to change the law to allow growing vegetables, the one banning livestock will remain. “The deal is that growing any food on an ‘empty lot’ in the City of Oakland is illegal. Transforming More Vacant Lots into Urban Farms Why should we care or act to help prevent the death of this small urban farm? Farms are no longer way out in the country somewhere; they might be on your city street corner, or growing atop the suburban neighborhood rooftop next door. Cover via Amazon Photo: Michelle Renee’s Gardening About the Author
Botany Department, Smithsonian Institution Ocean Biogeographic Information System
Natural lovers., All natural beauties to be experienced by each individual., by mdspatsy Apr 7