Five endangered Chinese turtles born in U.S. zoo

http://news.yahoo.com/five-endangered-chinese-turtles-born-u-zoo-191207001.html


For the first time, 5 endangered Chinese big-headed turtles were born in a U.S. zoo, in the Wildlife Conservation Society's Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn. These hatchlings are extremely significant since so many turtles and tortoises face extinction. These turtles are green and are called bigheaded because their heads are too large to put into their shells. They are popular pets in China and Southeast Asia, which contributes to their endangered status. There are a total of 15 big-headed turtles in New York City, which aims to bolter turtle numbers and hopefully prevent extinction.

On World Population Day, Unpacking 9.6 Billion by 2050

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/1307011-population-census-united-nations-un-demographics-world-population-day-birthrate/


It is an undeniable fact. The human population is experiencing exponential growth and is straining the  planet's natural resources. The UN estimates that by 2050, there will be 9.6 billion people on earth, an increase from the 2000 projection of 8.9 billion. However, there are three main projections that define the growth; high medium and low. The high is predicting 10.9 billion while the low is predicting 8.3 billion. It all depends on women have a half a child more or less. The middle on is the one that attracts the most attention. The HIV virus is expected to be a major factor in the population growth since it is so widespread and has no known cure. This are also just estimates, it all depends on fertility rate and standard of living there is plenty of room for error. For all we know a great catastrophe could wipe us out.

Another rotten Grinch tale

http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/46747

This year's Christmas might be without Christmas trees for some Americans. A fungus called Phytophthora root rot is afflicting trees in Oregon and in North Carolina, affecting nearly all Christmas tree species. Tree farms are most susceptible because of density and the soil is usually poorly drained. What makes this so deadly is that it is difficult to detect, and can only be done through a laboratory analysis. there is also no known cure for the root rot. If this is not contained, more than 304 million dollars could be lost in Oregon alone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is spreading word of this fungus in order to get firm aware and regularly check their trees.

Eco-Fruit Farming: Reducing Pesticides while Promoting Best Farming Techniques

http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/46657

Nowadays, it is becoming harder to grow our food without pesticides. In a 2005 study about apples, it was shown that that 98% of apples contained pesticides in it. The farmer's yield is great, while there are hazardous material in the produce. However, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Integrated Agriculture Systems (CIAS) is working with several apple growers in order to wean farmers of overusing pesticides. Instead, they will use better farming techniques in order to have greater yields. Some techniques include better weather predictions and insects traps in order to reduce pesticide use. As a result, pesticide use has been decreased by 46% where this program had been used.

Ultraviolet nets significantly reduce sea turtle bycatch

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/46669

Bycatch is the act of fishermen accidently catching an unwanted species and throwing it back in the sea, usually dead or close to death. Many species are significantly declining due to bycatch, particularly sea turtles. However, there is good news. It was discovered that leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles are sensitive to ultraviolet light, while many desired fish absorb the ultraviolet light and are not affected by the UV. Nets equipped with this new technology show that by catch has been slashed, with no effect on desired fish catch. It also turns out that the by catch of sea birds is also declining due to this new method. This technology would bring a great benefit tov populations decimated by climate change, overhunting and until recently bycatch.

Spotted: Rare Cat Species Captured on Camera in Borneo

http://news.yahoo.com/spotted-rare-cat-species-captured-camera-borneo-142902954.html


In a heavily logged part of Northern Borneo, scientists had dismal hopes of finding the elusive bay cat, a species thought to number around 2,500 individuals. However, scientists received much more than they anticipated. Not only did scientists capture a bay cat, they also documented four other rare cat species on their camera. They recorded the Sunda clouded leopard, a leopard cat, flat-headed cat and the marbled cat. Three of these four cat species are considered vulnerable to extinction. This concentration of rare cat species has never been recorded before, particularly in the heavily logged island of Borneo. Hopefully with this new information, we can better protect these magnificent cat species.

How Does a Tick Do Its Dirty Work? Research Video Offers a Clue

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/30/science/earth/how-does-a-tick-do-its-dirty-work-research-video-offers-a-clue.html?ref=science&_r=0



So how does a tick pierce the skin and start feeding on a creatures blood. It turns out that tick have twin saws to break the skin. These twin saws also help the tick remained settled for days as it feeds on its victims blood. The tick that carries Lyme disease, such as the wood and deer tick, are about as big as a sesame seed, making it even deadlier since wounds could go unnoticed. About 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported each year in the U.S., however experts believe that there are more than 300,000 cases in the Northeast and Midwest alone each year. The tick is just an amazing tool of evolution that is unlikely to go extinct because of its simplistic lifestyle and ability to adapt and obtain resources.

Oil and gas development is key to US future. Don't ban it. Regulate it.

http://news.yahoo.com/oil-gas-development-key-us-future-dont-ban-144811377--politics.html
This article is discussing all of the benefits of drilling more for oil and gas. It states that by 2040, 80% of the world's energy will still come from fossil fuels. The U.S. has enough oil and natural gas to supply the whole world. Thanks to new technologies, we can extract oil and gas at unreachable places. However, I think this article is a bunch of bullcrap and is classified as junk media.This article was sponsored by Wellborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley, P.C., an oil and gas company. Because of this, it can be inferred this article is highly biased.This article is stating none of the risks of fracking, such as pollution of our water supply.It also misleading. It states that these resources will help America energy independent. What this really means is that they sell it to foreign nations and little will go to the ordinary Americans. This article is constantly using fear, such as the power of oil, in order to scare people in order to support this. I just hope our government makes the right decision for once on this issue.

Moose Die-Off Alarms Scientists

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/science/earth/something-is-killing-off-the-moose.html?ref=science&_r=0


All across North America, moose are dying at alarming rates and no one has a definite answer. However, climate change is a widely accepted theory in the declining moose population. Moose cant survive in winters where it above 23 F, any higher stresses the animals out because they have to use extra energy to cool down. Another part to this climate change hypothesis is that less snow in fall means a spike in population of winter ticks, a devastating parasite that is causing moose populations to crash in New Hampshire. In British Columbia, pine bark beetles, which thrive in warmer climates, are pushing into moose territory destroying moose habitat. This leaves moose in the open of humans and the natural elements. Since many of the moose die off in the fall, this case needs further study. However, the tick problem is relevant because moose didn't evolve to groom tick off of them. Its up to the people of New Hampshire to decide what to do. 

Woolly Mammoth Comeback? 5 Ethical Challenges
http://news.yahoo.com/woolly-mammoth-comeback-5-ethical-challenges-123927991.html


It is no longer science fiction, humans are now playing God. It is becoming possible to clone species such as Woolly Mammoths that are extinct. However, there is great debate over practical and ethical issues about bringing the species back. There are many key questions to this issue. Where would the woolly mammoths live? What would the mammoths eat? If they proliferate, would we treat them as pests? Would de-extinction detract from modern conservation efforts? Would the 21st-century microbial world suit the woolly mammoth digestive tract? I don't know why people are considering releasing these animals on the Great Plain, this article makes a great point. The Great Plains is mostly overrun by humans and mammoths would be like an invasive species. I personally believe that they shouldn't de-extinct these animals because they have been gone for 10,00 years, where would they fit in our world. A very interesting point they made is how would the mammoth survive without its original microbes. It makes me wonder if it could even survive with todays bacteria. Hopefully, these scientists make the right decision.

Ukraine moves closer to second shale gas deal

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-moves-closer-second-shale-gas-deal-175500998--finance.html

 

 

 

If you think the exploitation of shale for its natural is gas is just occurring in U.S., then you are wrong. Currently, the Ukrainian Government voted 66-3 to allow the U.S. cooperation Chevron to allow drilling for natural gas in the Olesska field. This is the second shale exploitation that has been allowed by the Ukrainian Government in order to reduce its dependence on Russia for its energy. The total investment of this project is about 10 billion dollars. The Ukrainian Government claims that its also wants to diversify its energy production. I personally believe that Ukraine should observe how the natural gas cooperations are affecting the U.S.A and then make the decision to allow exploitation of its natural gas.  

In Bronx River, Helping Oysters Stage Comeback
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/nyregion/in-bronx-river-helping-oysters-stage-comeback.html?ref=science&_r=0
During the 1970s, the overfished and polluted Bronx River didn't support much life. However, small reefs of oysters survived, a remnant of the once millions of oysters in New York harbor. Now, 40 years later, non-profit groups are relocating farm raised oysters and dumping them in the Bronx River. A one-ace reef has already been established in the river off of Soundview Park. These oysters are not meant for eating or pearls: they are meant for a natural filtration fro the river and its reef would hopefully restore the Bronx River to its natural state.

The Future of Canada’s Oil Sands Industry: Environmental Pressures Are Creating Uncertainty

By Matt Smith - September 18, 2013 | See also: SUATHCVESU

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There are a range of issues that have brought the viability and sustainability of Canada’s now-booming oil sands industry into question. In a previous article, I investigated the issue of high development and production costs. An equally pressing issue that has brought the sustainability of oil sands production into question — potentially confirming Jeremy Grantham’s claim that oil sands assets will become “stranded” assets — is the environmental impact.
Opposition to oil sands development continues to growAlready some politicians, business leaders, academics, and environmental activists assert that oil sands production is more environmentally damaging than other sources of unconventional and conventional oil production. They also claim that it is one of the most inefficient means of oil production, not only worsening the environmental impact but also driving production costs higher.
Among the most prominent are former U.S. Vice President and noted environmental campaigner Al Gore and fund manager Jeremy Grantham. Grantham’s concerns about the high levels of greenhouse gas emissions — in particular those produced by the lower-grade oil that comes from oil sands — led him to publicly claim that the industry is not sustainable.
He then said that companies involved in the industry are a poor investment, because oil sands assets could become costly liabilities for those companies over the next two decades. There are also growing concerns about the inefficient, resource-intensive nature of oil sands production.
In a March 2013 op-ed for The New York Times, Thomas Homer-Dixon, a teacher of global governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, claimed that nearly 42% of Canadians are opposed to the industry on environmental concerns. Furthermore, the largest consumer of Canada’s oil, the United States, currently has a president committed to reducing carbon emissions. (We’ve already seen President Obama take a critical view of the Keystone pipeline project.)
Just how inefficient is oil sands production?The process for extracting oil from oil sands is highly water- and energy-intensive. In order to produce one barrel of oil, two to four barrels of water are required. This has created huge tailing dams filled with toxic water, which cover around 70 square miles. Already, two of those tailings dams are so large that they are allegedly visible from space to the naked eye.
In comparison to conventional oil production, oil sands production is extremely energy-intensive. Only five barrels of oil are produced for every unit of energy used; conventional oil production yields 25 barrels of oil for every unit of energy used. As a result, Alberta — the heart of the oil sands industry — received the dubious distinction of being the leading per-capita producer of carbon dioxide in Canada.
Add all of that up and it means greater public scrutiny of the industry. It also means that the Canadian government will eventually introduce tighter environmental controls, which in turn would curtail production and increase costs, impacting profitability. Already industry participants are being asked to introduce a triple-bottom-line.
A “triple-bottom-line” requires a company to take into account the economic, environmental, and social aspects of oil sands production when calculating their bottom-line. While this has added additional development and production costs, it’s had its intended consequence of more rapidly moving the majority of industry participants toward developing sustainable and responsible production.
Canada’s oil sands industry is reducing its environmental footprintMany of the issues relating to environmental damage have been recognized by industry participants, and they are already striving to make production more sustainable. A few examples include improved tailings management; reclamation projects; and introducing more environmentally friendly methods of oil production than mining, such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (which produces a tremendous amount of oil using a modest amount of water, leaving a relatively small surface footprint).
Many participants in the oil sands industry have moved to using steam-assisted gravity drainage as a primary method of oil production. This includes Athabasca Oil Sands (TSX:ATH), which has committed to using steam-assisted gravity drainage as its primary method of production. Athabasca Oil Sands has also committed to not using any surface water in its production process and recycling 95% of the water used.
Canada’s largest energy company, Suncor (TSX:SU), has spent more than $1.3 billion on developing more environmentally-friendly methods of production and minimizing the company’s environmental footprint. This includes the development of its TRO tailings management technology.
Suncor expects this technology to dramatically accelerate the reclamation of tailings ponds and mined lands and to reduce the need for future tailings ponds. It has also implemented a water management strategy, which is a region-wide approach aimed at reducing freshwater withdrawal and recycling wastewater.
The measures taken by Suncor were recently recognized in Sustainalytics list of Canada’s 50 most socially responsible corporations. It also recognized the measures that Cenovus (TSX:CVE) (NYSE:CVE) has taken. Cenovus’ Foster Creek and Christina Lake operations were recognized for having one of the lowest and most efficient “steam-to-oil” ratios in the industry. It was also recognized for fresh water use at its oil sands operations constituting less than 5% of all water used.
Foolish final thoughtsClearly, environmental sustainability is a significant issue faced by the oil sands industry, and industry participants are focused on reducing the impact of development and production and reducing their environmental footprint.
This is good news for prospective investors. In my mind, it also brings into question the veracity of Grantham’s statement that oil sands assets will become “stranded assets” over the next decade.
Canada = fueling a global shift in energyDisclosure: Matt Smith does not own shares of any companies

SUMMARY

Canada is facing the difficult decision all countries face, oil or the environment. A huge uncertainty is facing the Canadian providence of Alberta, where 90% of the oil sands are located. Oil sand are an unconventional method of obtaining oil. It requires huge amounts of energy to obtained, is even more damaging to the environment than conventional ways of obtaining oil, and is an unfortunate way of stating how desperate we are for oil. However, opposition is growing against the oil sands project: 42% of Canadians oppose the operation and key politicians such as Al Gore is rallying public support against it. The Canadian government is issuing tougher environmental policies, which makes it more expensive for the companies to pursue the operation and could possible lead to the abandonment of the oil sands project in the best case scenario. Energy companies such as Suncor and Cenvous have already been spending huge sums of money on becoming more environmentally friendly. hopefully the good people of Canada will make the right decision for this operation.