Envirocean

praxis89:

With each new decade, we are pretending like we don’t need the earth to live. We are becoming more and more detached from the land, which gives us all the natural resources we need to live. Primitive ways were the best days for our earth. #primitive #land #earth #nature #environment #globalwarming

Today scientists at West Antarctica’s Byrd research station revealed that local temperatures have risen 2.4 degrees C (4.3 degrees F) since the 1950’s. What could our world look like without icebergs and ice shelves? If we don’t do something, we’re on track to find out!

(via thatenvironmentalblog)

Boundaries have to be broken if we hope to make progress.

(via magister-zazu)

theapothecarysrose:

IN IRELAND, CARBON TAXES PAY OFF

The New York Times, Elizabeth Rosenthal:

Over the last three years, with its economy in tatters,Ireland embraced a novel strategy to help reduce its staggering deficit: charging households and businesses for the environmental damage they cause.

The government imposed taxes on most of the fossil fuels used by homes, offices, vehicles and farms, based on each fuel’s carbon dioxide emissions, a move that immediately drove up prices foroil, natural gas and kerosene. Household trash is weighed at the curb, and residents are billed for anything that is not being recycled.

The Irish now pay purchase taxes on new cars and yearly registration fees that rise steeply in proportion to the vehicle’s emissions.

Environmentally and economically, the new taxes have delivered results. Long one of Europe’s highest per-capita producers of greenhouse gases, with levels nearing those of the United States, Ireland hasseen its emissions dropmore than 15 percent since 2008.

Although much of that decline can be attributed to a recession, changes in behavior also played a major role, experts say, noting that the country’s emissions dropped 6.7 percent in 2011 even as the economy grew slightly.

“We are not saints like those Scandinavians — we were lapping up fossil fuels, buying bigger cars and homes, very American,” said Eamon Ryan, who was Ireland’s energy minister from 2007 to 2011. “We just set up a price signal that raised significant revenue and changed behavior. Now, we’re smashing through the environmental targets we set for ourselves.”

Read More

(via magister-zazu)

Seriously.

mothernaturenetwork:

Sweden runs out of garbage, forced to import from Norway

Sweden, a recycling-happy land where a quarter of a million homes are powered by the incineration of waste, is facing a unique dilemma: The nation has run out of much-needed fuel.

What an interesting dilemma. This could be a great opportunity for some countries to clean up their landfills by sending trash to Sweden What’s interesting is that this proves that completely eradicating trash is both unrealistic and harmful. Systems like Sweden’s of using trash as fuel is something that should be considered in countries who have an excess of trash, but maintaining a small, manageable levels of trash is useful. The balance between too much trash and not enough is something to consider.

newsweek:

Here’s the cover of this week’s Newsweek, the last print issue before we go all-digital in 2013. Yup, it’s a hashtag. Use it!

Its great to see a major magazine showing its commitment to sustainability by turning paper-less.

(via nickturse)

earthfix:

Also, check out this report from PBS News Hour (with contribution from EarthFix): http://earthfix.us/coral

kqedscience:

Nearly every coral reef could be dying by 2100 if current carbon dioxide emission trends continue, according to a new review of major climate models from around the world. The only way to maintain the current chemical environment in which reefs now live, the study suggests, would be to deeply cut emissions as soon as possible. It may even become necessary to actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, say with massive tree-planting efforts or machines.

Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Coral reefs are being hit hard by ocean acidification, and an immediate change needs to be made if we hope to preserve them.

(via thatenvironmentalblog)

makeanewbeginning:

Sign the petition

I’m not a Canadian, but if you are, I encourage you to partake in this petition!