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Environmental Issues and News
Fri, 06 Jan 2012 Updated At 16:39:00 GMT
Desperation shows aft
The last twelve months have seen a worrying descent in the fortunes of t
Mercury caused mass e
For the first time, scientists say that huge levels of mercury from volc
Run Don't Walk
Biomedical engineers Dr. Gregory Sawicki and Dr. Dominic Farris have loo
River water hundreds
Freshwater from Russian rivers that should have ended up in the Eurasian
Green Blogs
Fri, 06 Jan 2012 Updated At 13:19:00 GMT
Green Opinions
A brand new magnificent image of the Omega Nebula has been taken by the European Southern Observatory using their VLT (Very Large Telescope.)Green Opinions >> Spectacular New Image of the Omega Nebula
Green Living Blog
The greatest concern currently facing most forested lands is logging, and it is an industry that is quite large in Canada. Although the Boreal Forest has not been subject to the massive operations that are decimating other forests around the world, it is estimated that up to 1% of the land included in this region is being permanently lost each year.Green Living >> Protecting Canada's Boreal Forest
Ecotourism Blog
Yr Hen Stablau is an energy-efficient holiday cottage near Machynlleth and the Centre for Alternative Technology, Mid Wales.Ecotourism >> Yr Hen Stablau, the energy-efficient holiday cottage
Eco-Friendly Gadgets Blog
A look at the new Samsung Ecobubble energy saving washing machine.Eco-Friendly Gadgets >> Samsung Ecobubble takes the trouble out of washing
Eco-Friendly Fashion Blog
Jewelry designer Jes MaHarry has pretty much made the job for potential engagement ring hunters easy offering unique, one of a kind and eco-friendly designs.Eco-Friendly Fashion >> Eco-friendly engagement rings and jewelry by Jes MaHarry
Encyclopaedia of Environmental Issues
The Earth Times aims to provide you with current environmental news coverage and green blogs to give you the background information needed to better understand what can sometimes be enormously complicated and controversial environmental issues.
Our encyclopaedia or guide to environmental issues and to some extent environmental concerns, is a relatively new addition to the site that we hope will give you the knowledge to understand these global environmental issues in the rapidly changing world around you.
Written to be understandable, without the need to hold a degree in climate change science on the effects of global warming, biology or ecology, The Earth Times Encyclopaedia tries to make sense of these environmental problems, conservation topics and environmental issues that more and more people are becoming engaged and familiar with as they try to make a difference to our planet.
From untangling climate change to helping you find an environmental organization you can be happy supporting we do hope you find The Earth Times Encyclopaedia on environmental issues a useful resource to highlight environmental sustainability for a greener life.
We will be constantly adding to the contents of the encyclopaedia and hope it will complement our environment news when covering any issue relating to nature and the environment. If you do have any suggestions on environment related topics you would like to see added, we would love to hear from you.
The Earth Times - Serving the Planet.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity can be defined as a measure of the comparative diversity among organisms present in a particular ecosystem, biome or planet. However, biodiversity can also be described as the quantity of an environment’s species, genes and ecosystems.Biodiversity >>
Climate Change Issues
There are various issues involved in the long-term change in the distribution of weather patterns that is known as climate change. These include man made climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, ozone depletion, efficient energy use, fossil fuels and their phase-out in favour of renewable energy sources.Climate Change Issues >>
Conservation Issues
The conservation movement aims to protect natural resources such as animal and plant species and their habitats. Conservation is a fairly broad term and can be almost interchangeable with the idea of environmentalism or the environmental movement as a whole - it is safe to assume that all environmentalists want to conserve the natural environment. Conservation Issues >>
Coral Reefs
Underwater coral reefs are created when corals, which are colonies of tiny living animals, secrete calcium carbonate. Despite being found in waters that provide hardly any nutrients, coral reefs are among the world’s most diverse, albeit fragile ecosystems, being particularly sensitive to water temperature. Coral Reefs >>
Desertification
Desertification is the process by which habitable and fertile land turns into desert. Desertification can occur as a result of both destructive use of the land by humans and variations in climate, with possible causes including drought, deforestation and overgrazing. Desertification >>
Ecosystems
An ecosystem is an integrated biological environment that consists of all of the species that live in a particular habitat. It also includes the non-living, physical components and processes of that environment that the organisms are affected by and interact with, including air, sunlight, soil and water. Ecosystems >>
Endangered Species
An endangered species is one that is at risk of extinction. This could be due to insufficient numbers of that species remaining in order to reproduce enough offspring to ensure its survival, while changing predation or environmental parameters can also pose a threat to particular organisms. Endangered Species >>
Energy Issues
Issues exist regarding the generation and use of energy, including the environmental impact of energy sources such as fossil fuels, nuclear power, wind power, solar power and biomass. Related major energy issues include national energy policies, reliance on foreign energy sources and poorer countries’ energy needs. Energy Issues >>
Environmental Business
There are various environmental issues that are pertinent to businesses. These include energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, planning for the impacts of climate change, environmental permitting, the threat to businesses and their critical infrastructure from rising sea levels and flooding and water regulations. Environmental Business >>
Environmental Health
Environmental health is an area of public health that concerns the health effects on humans of aspects of the natural and built environment. Issues in environmental health include indoor and outdoor air quality, food safety, noise pollution control, safe drinking water and housing. Environmental Health >>
Environmental Organisations
Environmental organisations aim to analyse, monitor or protect the environment in case of its degradation or misuse, or to lobby on environmental issues. Environmental organisations can be charities, trusts, governmental or non-governmental, and may operate on a local, regional, national or global basis. Environmental Organisations >>
Environmental Disasters
Environmental disasters are disasters caused to the natural environment by human activity. Environmental disasters caused by industrial activity, agriculture, pollution or the depletion of natural resources can have a significant impact on a region’s biodiversity, agriculture and economy, often leading to the deaths of animals and plants. Environmental Disasters >>
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of catching or attempting to catch fish. The long-term sustainability of present levels of fishing has been questioned in recent years due to issues like overfishing, bycatch, fishing discards due to Government quotas and guidelines, climate change, marine pollution and fish farming. Fishing >>
Genetic Engineering
Genetic engineering involves the deliberate and somewhat unnatural manipulation by humans of an organism’s genetic structure. This modification results in changes in the affected organism’s characteristics, with one of the most controversial and best-known applications of genetic engineering being genetically modified food. Genetic Engineering >>
Sustainable Transport
Sustainable transport or ‘green transport’ can be defined as a method of transport that has a low environmental impact. Obvious examples of sustainable transport include walking and cycling. Other sustainable transportation methods are green vehicles such as hybrid or electric cars, car pooling or sharing, transit oriented development and systems for urban transport that combine fuel-efficiency, space-saving and the encouragement of healthy lifestyles.Sustainable Transport >>
Habitat Loss & Degradation
Habitat loss and degradation involve a natural habitat being rendered functionally unable to support a present species. This process leads to a reduction in biodiversity due to the tendency for the species for which a given site was a natural habitat to be displaced or destroyed. Habitat Loss & Degradation >>
Mass Extinction
Mass extinction can be defined as a sudden decrease in the total number of species in a comparatively short time period. There have been five mass extinction events in the last 540 million years that involved the deaths of more than half of all animal speciesMass Extinction >>
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters are disasters caused by natural hazards such as floods, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, landslides or tornados. Natural disasters involve substantial physical damage, injuries and/or loss of life, and occur when natural hazards meet the vulnerability of the affected population. Natural Disasters >>
Oceans
Oceans are very large bodies of saline water that are principal parts of the hydrosphere. Along with smaller seas, oceans make up the continuous body of water that is known as the World Ocean. See below for our guide to the environmental issues associated with oceans and the marine life who inhabit them.Oceans >>
Pollution
Pollution is the process by which harmful substances or products are introduced into the natural environment. Pollution, which can come in the form of chemical substances or energy such as heat, noise or light, causes disorder and instability to ecosystems. Pollution >>
Nuclear Issues
There are various environmental issues that concern nuclear power. Although nuclear energy provides environmental benefits, for example in the form of zero carbon dioxide emissions and no notable nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxides or particulates, its spent fuel is radioactive and can still cause environmental damage. Nuclear Issues >>
Recycling
Recycling can be defined as making used or waste materials suitable for reuse by processing them into new products. Compared to virgin production, recycling allows for a reduction in energy usage, air pollution, water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling >>
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is energy that is derived from naturally replenished, or renewable, natural resources such as wind, rain, ocean tides or sunlight. Sources of renewable energy, which is also referred to as soft energy, include both traditional and new renewables such as geothermal, modern biomass and biofuels. Renewable Energy >>
Rainforests
Rainforests are defined as forests that experience heavy annual rainfall. Rainforests are referred to as such if they receive a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm (68-78 inches), and are generally found close to the sea or in the mountainous regions that receive the most rain. Rainforests >>
Waste Issues
There are various issues associated with the management of waste, including in its processing, collection, transport, disposal, recycling and monitoring. Major waste issues include rubbish collections, the use of plastic carrier bags, the amount of waste sent to landfill, electronic or e-waste and the management of hazardous or toxic waste. Waste Issues >>
Extreme Weather
Extreme weather is the term used to describe historically extreme weather conditions. It is often unseasonal, and can come in such forms as heat waves, cold waves, floods, wildfires, cyclones or tornadoes, with a given event being determined as extreme on the basis of its climatological distribution.Extreme Weather >>
Food & Water Security
Food and water security can be defined as the availability to a population of a sufficient quantity and quality of nutritious food and potable water. To be food-secure and water-secure means living neither in hunger or thirst, nor in fear of starvation or severe dehydration.Food & Water Security >>
- Business News
Facebook and Greenpeace firm friends in promoting clean energy ...
Social website Facebook and eco-charity Greenpeace have come together to promote ways of saving energy and generating clean energy, ending a two-year lobbying campaign by 700,000 Greenpeace 'friends.'
Read the full Story >>
- Climate News
Climate change extinction risk 'greatly underestimated' ...
Many previous predictions of animal and plant extinction due to climate change have not taken the effects of movement and competition into account, say US ecologists.
Read the full Story >>
- Conservation News
Record illegal ivory seizures in 2011 ...
Record large seizures of illegal ivory last year, from around 2,500 elephants, have made it a grim year, say conservationists. At least 13 seizures have been made of more than 800kg of ivory - more than double the previous year.
Read the full Story >>
- Energy News
New breakthrough in solar technology ...
A new prototype solar cell has been designed by researchers at the University of Florida. They claim that it sees new levels of efficiency and could be made using a roll-to-roll process.
Read the full Story >>
- Health News
Calories, not protein, causes weight gain ...
You will be interested to know the new findings from a study conducted with 25 healthy individuals who were put into a controlled setting and fed random diets. It was found that those consuming low protein diets had less weight gain compared to the individuals who had normal and high protein diets.
Read the full Story >>
- Nature News
Big teeth and strong arms of saber-toothed cat ...
Saber-toothed cats and similar prehistoric predators had large teeth and strong forearms, but their canines were fragile and liable to break, according to a new study
Read the full Story >>
- Politics News
COP17: Saving Tomorrow, Tomorrow ...
COP17 has been all talk, little action. Governments are listening to big polluters, not the people, leading to weak, tentative agreements, activists assert.
Read the full Story >>
- Pollution News
Nitrate contamination of UK water 'may get worse' fear ...
Reductions in the use of nitrates in agriculture can take decades to take effect in rivers and groundwater, a UK study suggests.
Read the full Story >>
- SciTech News
Leaping Lizards and Self-righting Robots ...
A multidisciplinary team of researchers have investigated how lizards use their tails to improve their ability to jump successfully. The separation between biology and engineering has been ignored in an interdisciplinary research project carried out at UC Berkeley.
Read the full Story >>
- Going Green News
Green policies are not to blame for your heating bills ...
A report from the Committee on Climate Change shows that gas prices are the main factor in heating bill increases, rather than environmental policies.
Read the full Story >>
A 'bear raid' and the global economy
New evidence of illegal practices behind the economic crisis of 2007. The debacle has been justly attributed to questionable practices in the mortgage market and the financial sector - in other words, to bankers' greed and lack of adequate oversight.
Previous Business environmental news headlines:
No rising pattern of extreme rainfall in India
There is no evidence of rising patterns of extreme rainfall across India, but there are indications of greater spatial variability, according to a new study.
Previous Climate environmental news headlines:
Spoon-billed Sandpipers Star at Slimbridge
Whether pollution or simply habitat loss is responsible for almost the last spoon-billed sandpiper has yet to be investigated. The sooner we find ways of preserving in order to conserve, the better!
Previous Conservation environmental news headlines:
Jet stream winds show less renewable energy potential
High-speed jet stream winds in the upper atmosphere would produce 200-times less renewable energy than previously thought and wreak havock on the climate and weather, German scientists claim.
Previous Energy environmental news headlines:
Avoiding accidents on ice
With relatively warm temperatures, more accidents are occurring on ice. Now the National Drowning Prevention Alliance has provided hints on how to stay safe on bodies of frozen water.
Previous Health environmental news headlines:
Vent beasts give clues to a whole new biogeography
The Galapagos trench and many other Pacific, Indian Ocean (possibly related to a SW Pacific biogeographic province) and mid-Atlantic trenches have been slowly 'unearthed', until recently the faunal diversity was found to be centred on the Antarctic Ocean.
Previous Nature environmental news headlines:
Positive of COP 17: Increase in Women Leadership
In the midst of dreary news regarding Canada's bail-out, EU's turn-around and well same old same old US irresponsibility, a light shines through all the negativity, women are increasingly occupying high profile leadership positions and COP pronounces this. Namely, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Patricia Espinosa and Christiana Figueres.
Previous Politics environmental news headlines:
Pollution from the Stratosphere
Now oxidised mercury seems to be raining down on us, especially in certain parts of America and near the tropics. Recently, the Dead Sea was found to have one of the highest oxidised mercury levels outside the polar regions.
Previous Pollution environmental news headlines:
An Ichthyosaur and other Tales
Valentin Fischer of the University of Liege, with several others, including Darren Naisch of the School of Earth Sciences at Southampton University, have illuminated the dark recesses of ichthyosaur biology with the unveiling of a new species.
Previous SciTech environmental news headlines:
Aquaculture: How green is your farmed fish?
Most eco-labels are little better than farmed fish when it comes to protecting the ocean, a new study from Victoria University, Canada, claims.
