Download August 2013 News

GREEN FEATURES
Serial No. 14 (Aug 2013)
ECOLOGICAL NEWS
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/10141221/Recycle-foodwaste-to-hit-climate-change-targets-say-advisers.html
The Telegraph 1 Aug 2013
Recycle food waste to hit climate change targets, say advisers
Britain is on course to miss 2025 climate change targets unless households start to collect food
waste separately, insulate their lofts and drive more efficiently, Government advisers have said.
The Committee on Climate Change, which monitors the Government’s progress on cutting
carbon, said targets up to 2017 will only be comfortably met because the recession means the
UK is using less energy – not just because more wind farms were built.
Targets to cut greenhouse gases in half by 2025 will fail unless more is done to cut energy use
through improving the efficiency of homes and cars, increasing use of public transport, cutting
food waste and switching to renewables…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc010813C.htm
By Countercurrents.org 1 August 2013 Countercurrents.org
Dams Contribute To GHG Emissions
With the "green" reputation of large hydroelectric dams already in question, scientists are
reporting that millions of smaller dams on rivers around the world make an important
contribution to the greenhouse gases linked to global climate change.
The study report appears in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology. The study
shows that more methane than previously believed bubbles out of the water behind small dams.
Andreas Maeck and colleagues point out that the large reservoirs of water behind the world's
50,000 large dams are a known source of methane. Like carbon dioxide, methane is one of the
greenhouse gases, which trap heat near Earth's surface and contribute to global warming.
Methane, however, has a warming effect 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. The
methane comes from organic matter in the sediments that accumulate behind dams. That
knowledge led to questions about hydroelectric power's image as a green and nonpolluting
energy source…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc010813B.htm
By Countercurrents.org 1 August 2013 Countercurrents.org
Planting Trees In Arid Regions Could Mitigate Climate Crisis
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Press clippings compiled by SADED, Delhi.
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‘Source’ for reference. SADED does not claim copyright on the articles collected for non-commercial purpose to
generate awareness among the people.
(These articles do not reflect the official views of SADED. We are not responsible for the authenticity of the
contents, and are also not responsible for the use which might be made of the information contained herein.)
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As the world starts feeling the effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide and consequent
global temperature rise, researchers are looking for a Plan B to mitigate climate change. A group
of German scientists has now come up with an environmental-friendly method that they say
could do just that. The technique, dubbed carbon farming, consists in planting trees in arid
regions on a large scale to capture CO2…
"Carbon farming addresses the root source of climate change: the emission of carbon dioxide by
human activities," says first-author Klaus Becker of the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart…
When it comes to sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, the team shows that Jatropha curcas
does it better. This small tree is very resistant to aridity so it can be planted in hot and dry land in
soil unsuitable for food production. The plant does need water to grow though, so coastal areas
where desalinated seawater can be made available are ideal…
"To our knowledge, this is the first time experts in irrigation, desalination, carbon sequestration,
economics and atmospheric sciences have come together to analyze the feasibility of a largescale plantation to capture carbon dioxide in a comprehensive manner…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya010813.htm
By Dr Gideon Polya 1 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
Gigantic Cost Of Requisite Climate Change Action Threatens
Massive Intergenerational Inequity And Intergenerational Injustice
Climate change inaction is threatening massive intergenerational inequity and intergenerational
injustice. Despoilation of the environment due to greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution and resultant
climate change are the legacies to future generations of current climate criminal, carbon pollution
profligacy and climate change inaction…
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Its-a-car-its-a-cycle-It-is-a-blend-anorganic-bike/articleshow/21543658.cms
The Times of India AP | Aug 2, 2013
It’s a car, it’s a cycle: It is a blend, an organic bike
RESTON (VIRGINIA): A Massachusetts man is taking his car-bicycle blend Organic Transit
Vehicle'' - also known as an ELF bike - on a 1,200-mile trip from North Carolina to
Massachusetts this summer, turning heads as the unusual-looking green vehicle zips through city
streets.
What Mark Stewart is driving looks like a cross between a bicycle and a car with solar panels, a
gently humming motor and a futuristic shape. It's a "green'' option for today's commuters…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc020813B.htm
By Countercurrents.org 2 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
Climate Crisis Increases Risk Of War And Civil Unrest 56 Percent
Violence will rise with climate crisis, increasing between now and 2050 with warmer
temperatures and extreme rainfall patterns, said scientists.
Scientists have analyzed data from studies on a wide range of issues including ancient wars, road
rage, and even pitchers throwing at batters in Major League Baseball, to quantify the potential
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influence of climate warming on human conflict.
The incidence of war and civil unrest may increase by as much as 56 percent in the next four
decades due to warmer temperature and extreme rainfall patterns predicted by climate change
scientists, they said…
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201308050112.html
SciDev.Net 2 Aug 2013 Wagdy Sawahel
Africa: Off-Grid Solar Sterilisers Could Aid Remote Areas
Cairo — A solar-powered steriliser could provide remote areas in the developing world with a
portable, off-grid solution for sanitising medical instruments and equipment, according to a
study…
Now, researchers from Rice University in the United States have developed two prototype
sterilisation devices that harness the sun's power: one to sanitise medical equipment and the other
to sterilise human waste without the need for an external electricity source…
Source: http://www.scidev.net/global/energy/multimedia/energy-in-mid-air.html
SciDev.Net 3 Ag 2013 Lou Del Bello
Energy in mid-air
Harvesting wind at high altitude may be the next big thing in the field of renewables because it is
a more efficient and flexible alternative to conventional wind turbines. And according to
researchers at the Technology University of Delft, in the Netherlands, it can work for African
countries, providing remote communities, still not connected to the main electricity grid, with
their energy needs.
In Delft, researchers are studying kite power generators as a way to harvest the strong, more
constant wind currents blowing at an altitude of thousands of meters above the ground. On a
windy summer's day, Lou del Bello visited an open field next to the faculty of Aerospace
Engineering, where a new launching method for the kites was being tested…
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2383472/Global-warming-happening10-times-faster-time-Earths-history-climate-experts-claim.html
Mail Online Aug 5 2013 By Sarah Griffiths
Global warming is happening is '10 times faster than at any time in the Earth's history',
climate experts claim
American scientists said if temperatures keep rising at the current rapid pace, significant stress
will be places on terrestrial ecosystems.
Animals face needing to move toward the poles or higher in the mountains by at least one
kilometre a year, the study claims.
Climatologists at Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment believe extreme weather events
are expected to become more severe and frequent…
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130806203148.htm
ScienceDaily Science News Aug. 6, 2013
Study Questions Nature's Ability to 'Self-Correct' Climate Change
Forests have a limited capacity to soak up atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to a new study
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from Northern Arizona University.
The study, available online in the journal New Phytologist, aimed to explore how rising
atmospheric carbon dioxide could alter the carbon and nitrogen content of ecosystems…
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130806171643.htm
ScienceDaily Science News Aug. 6, 2013
One Tree's Architecture Reveals Secrets of a Forest
Behind the dazzling variety of shapes and forms found in trees hides a remarkably similar
architecture based on fundamental, shared principles, UA ecologists have discovered.
Researchers in the University of Arizona's department of ecology and evolutionary biology have
found that despite differences in appearance, trees across species share remarkably similar
architecture and can tell scientists a lot about an entire forest…
Source: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-sun-magnetic-field-flip.html#ajTabs
(Phys.org) Aug 06, 2013 Dr. Tony Phillips
The Sun's magnetic field is about to flip
Something big is about to happen on the sun. According to measurements from NASA-supported
observatories, the sun's vast magnetic field is about to flip.
"It looks like we're no more than 3 to 4 months away from a complete field reversal," says solar
physicist Todd Hoeksema of Stanford University. "This change will have ripple effects
throughout the solar system."…
"The sun's polar magnetic fields weaken, go to zero, and then emerge again with the opposite
polarity. This is a regular part of the solar cycle."…
During field reversals, the current sheet becomes very wavy. Scherrer likens the undulations to
the seams on a baseball. As Earth orbits the sun, we dip in and out of the current sheet.
Transitions from one side to another can stir up stormy space weather around our planet…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc070813A.htm
By Countercurrents.org 7 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
Warming Oceans Impact Breeding Patterns And Habitat Of Marine Life
Warming oceans are causing marine species to change breeding times and shift homes with
expected substantial consequences for the broader marine landscape, according to a new global
study…
Professor Parmesan said: "This is the first comprehensive documentation of what is happening in
our marine systems in relation to climate change. What it reveals is that the changes that are
occurring on land are being matched by the oceans. And far from being a buffer and displaying
more minor changes, what we're seeing is a far stronger response from the oceans."…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc080813.htm
By Countercurrents.org 8 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
State Of The Climate Report Reveals A World On The Brink
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Worldwide, 2012 was among the 10 warmest years on record according to the 2012 State of the
Climate report, which has been compiled by 384 scientists from 52 countries. The peer-reviewed
report, with scientists from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. serving as
lead editors, has been released on August 6, 2013 by the American Meteorological Society
(AMS)…
In 2012, conditions in the Arctic were a major climate-incident. The region experienced
unprecedented change and broke several related records. Sea ice shrank to its smallest “summer
minimum” extent since satellite records began 34 years ago. In addition, more than 97 percent of
the Greenland ice sheet showed some form of melt during the summer, four times greater than
the 1981–2010 average melt extent…
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2013/08/08/3820421.htm
ABC Environment 8 Aug. 2013 Robin Mellon
A building plan that does more with less
A plan released today shows how Australian households could cut their energy bills in half. It's
an example of what we'll need to cope with the 'new normal'.
FROM INDUSTRY SLOW-DOWNS to rising electricity prices, and from fewer new builds to
cost-of-living budgets, there are belts being tightened across the nation.
And the signs indicate that this is not a temporary aberration. This is likely to be the 'new normal'
— at least for some time.
This being the case, we need to adopt the basic rule of 'doing more using less', rather than just
waiting for things to come good…
Our buildings, and in particular our existing and older buildings, hold within them massive
potential to do more using less - and to be more efficient, healthy, productive and resilient
places…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc090813D.htm
By Countercurrents.org 9 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
Dust Accelerates Melting Of Himalayan Glaciers
Ramesh Singh at the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences of Chapman University in
California said: Dust enhances water vapor and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere resulting in
the warming up of the troposphere, especially in the western parts of the Himalayan region
accelerating the melting of glaciers.
He added that pollution in the Indo-Gangetic plains from industrial activities, biomass burning
and sometimes forest fires further contributed to the warming of troposphere and the Himalayan
snow/glaciers…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/gpi090813.htm
By Greenpeace India 9 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
Protesters Demand Withdrawal Of Biotechnology Regulatory Authority Bill (BRAI)
On the eve of Quit India Day, August 8, over 2,000 citizens from 20 states came together at
Jantar Mantar, Delhi for a day-long protest and march demanding that GMOs and multinational
seed giant, Monsanto quit India. The delegation marched to Parliament also asking the
government to withdraw the BRAI bill 2013. An Indian flag made out of organic cotton, which
does not come from Monsanto's patented cotton seed, was an important symbol of the event.
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This flag was later gifted to the Prime Minister's delegate, urging him to unfurl this non-Bt
cotton flag on Independence Day.
The protest comes after the Union government recently introduced the BRAI Bill, 2013 in
Parliament in the last budget session. This Bill has been facing strong opposition inside
parliament and outside as it will facilitate the fast track entry of GM food crops into our
agriculture. The Bill proposes to set up a centralised single window clearance system which is
designed to lower the bar for GM crop approvals with no independent long-term safety
assessments or need assessment of a particular GM product. It also takes away the decisionmaking power of state governments on open field trials in their states. Furthermore, it proposes
to override the RTI Act. The bill is currently under review of the Parliamentary Standing
committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forest…
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2013/08/09/3821327.htm
ABC Environment 9 Aug. 2013 Ben Heard
Renewable versus nuclear is the wrong battle
Nuclear power is in the best position to replace coal-fired electricity: it's reliable, proven and the
infrastructure already exists.
IF YOU SUPPORT NUCLEAR power generation for Australia you are not alone. Nearly two
fifths of Australians agree with you, while one fifth is not sure and the last two fifths report being
not in favour. But we seem to approach discussion of nuclear power as though walking on egg
shells, fearful of spiteful responses from a majority our friends, neighbours, stakeholders and
constituents. The fear is misplaced…
Nuclear reactors closely resemble that which we must replace. They provide medium to large
generation capacity with very high reliability from an amazingly dense fuel source. Using
nuclear means minimal bets on technological uncertainty and minimal changes to the system
itself…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya100813.htm
By Dr Gideon Polya 10 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
100 Ideas For Climate Change Activists Trying To Save The Biosphere And Humanity
Around the world there are many climate change activists passionately committed to effective
world action over the worsening threat from man-made climate change to species, ecosystems,
the Biosphere and Humanity. However those who are scientifically trained despair over the huge
gap between the dire reality of worsening climate change as perceived by scientists and the
short-term, business as usual policies of populist politicians and their largely ignorant and
wishful thinking electorates.
Thus the recent pre-election decision in Australia of Labor Prime Minister Kevin “I love coal”
Rudd to terminate the Carbon Tax, slashing the Carbon Price from $25 per tonne CO2-e to an
EU $6 per tonne CO2-e found immediate electoral approval…
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/nip-this-in-thebud/article5013917.ece
The Hindu 12 August 2013 Aruna Rodrigues
Nip this in the bud
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Genetically modified crops, whose ecological effects are irreversible, could become a mainstay
of Indian agriculture thanks to collusion between the government and the biotech industry.
The final report of the Supreme Court-appointed Technical Expert Committee (TEC) on field
trials of genetically modified crops is packed with revelations on what is wrong with institutional
governance and regulation in India when it comes to GMOs (genetically-modified organisms).
The report’s release late last month came days before biotech giant Monsanto decided not to
submit any further applications for GMOs to the European Union; a decision forced by nonacceptance on scientific grounds and rejection by civil society…
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/bt-cotton-replaces-indigenous-varieties-inflagmaking/article5014098.ece?textsize=large&test=1
The Hindu 12 August 2013 Sharath S. Srivatsa
Bt cotton replaces indigenous varieties in flag-making
The Indian tricolour may have lost its indigenous connection with the ‘desi’ cotton variety, with
the use of Bt cotton — a proprietary technology of an American seed company.
Jayadhar, a popular variety of cotton grown in Karnataka that was also earlier used in making
flags, has been replaced by Bt cotton.
“Quality of cotton is determined by length, strength and appearance, and Bt cotton provides all
these qualities. The national flag needs to be stronger. We mainly process Bt cotton and buy
other varieties if they are available,” an official at the Central Sliver Plant in Chitradurga said…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc120813B.htm
By Countercurrents.org 12 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
Glaciers Feeding Ganga And Indus Will Decrease As Himalaya Glacial Melt Set To Peak
By 2070
Himalaya glaciers are vital sources of fresh water for Bangladesh , China , India , Nepal and
Pakistan
The size of the glaciers in the watershed of the Indus and the Ganges will decrease during the
21st century as Himalaya glacial melting will peak around 2070, said scientists…
The river systems fed by the Himalaya glaciers are a vital source of water, food and energy for
hundreds of millions of people downstream in the adjoining areas…
Source: http://www.scidev.net/global/technology/opinion/why-ngos-label-technology-as-nastyor-nice.html
SciDev.Net 13 August 2013 Andrew Testa/Panos
Why NGOs label technology as nasty or nice
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'Nice' technologies tend to be dispersed; 'nasty' ones to be centrally controlled
Activist NGOs must think about the social impact of new tech
To focus on the right issues they need capacity to keep up with science
There's real substance behind activists' polarised views of new technology, says Oxfam adviser
Duncan Green.
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NGOs and activists often seem to hold contradictory views about science and technology,
dividing the world up into 'nice' and 'nasty' technologies. Anything to do with mobile phones,
crowdsourcing, 'small is beautiful' technology, renewables or labour-saving wonders such as
washing machines is typically met with approval. Not so with nuclear power, big dams,
nanotechnology, geoengineering and, of course, genetic modification (GM)…
New technologies may be exciting, but they are often also disruptive. Some can have disastrous
consequences (think biological weapons), while others are forces for good — sooner or later.
New technologies may be only temporarily nasty — engines of what the economist Joseph
Schumpeter called the 'creative destruction' that drives economic progress. Take the synthetic
fertilisers that made ghost towns of Chile's thriving nitrate mines in the early twentieth century;
they also triggered a productivity boom in European agriculture that fed millions…
Nice technologies seem to have certain characteristics in common: they tend to be dispersed,
both in terms of production (small-scale renewables) and use (mobile phones); people can decide
whether or not to use them; and if something goes wrong, their adoption can be reversed.
Nasty technologies, on the other hand, tend to be controlled by a small number of large
companies (GM) and are sometimes irreversible in their consequences (Fukushima,
Chernobyl)…
Source: http://www.scidev.net/global/climate-change/news/caribbean-policymakers-get-climateadaptation-tool.html
SciDev.Net 13 August 2013 Xavier Cervera / Panos
Caribbean policymakers get climate adaptation tool
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CCORAL helps decision-makers screen activities for climate change influence
It is aimed at policy and research users in the Caribbean to help with project and strategy
plans
There is potential to extend the tool to more countries and regions
[BOGOTA] A decision-support website has been launched to help policymakers in the
Caribbean build resilience to the risks that climate change poses to activities such as tourism
and agriculture.
The Caribbean Climate Online Risk and Adaptation TooL (CCORAL), unveiled last month (12
July) in Saint Lucía, allows users to identify whether their activity is likely to be influenced by
climate change and how to deal with this.
It helps project managers to understand climate influence on decisions, and to choose and apply
risk management processes.
The initial version has been developed for government users of any skill level for decisions about
projects, legislation, budgets and national planning.
The tool was developed by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, which
coordinates the region's response to climate change, and Acclimatise, a company that specialises
in adaptation and risk management…
Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/energy/power/generationbased-sops-announced-for-struggling-wind-power-sector/articleshow/21812402.cms
The Economic Times | 14 Aug, 2013 | Shreya Jai, ET Bureau
Generation-based sops announced for struggling wind power sector
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NEW DELHI: Breathing life back into the subsidy starved wind energy sector, the government
has approved the implementation of 'generation-based incentive (GBI)' that was announced in
the budget this year.
After a hiatus of one and a half year without any subsidy or incentive scheme, the wind power
sector would now be able to avail GBI with a retrospective effect. All the wind power projects
launched after April 1, 2012 are eligible for GBI…
In the first half of 2013-14, wind has been able to feed 512 mw against a target of 2,500 mw. The
current installed capacity of wind power in India is 19,564 mw, fifth largest in the world…
The Economic Times | 14 Aug, 2013 | Aleksander Yemelianekov RIBR
Sun, wind or shale will not dim the demand for ‘peaceful’ atom
IAEA Forum in St. Petersburg focuses on safety concerns and suggests a new strategy to
position atomic energy in the backdrop of renewed focus on renewable and ‘shale gas
revolution’
Neither the sun, nor the wind, nor shale gas will dislodge nuclear power from the global energy
balance. Contrary to skepticism among some sections, Yukiya Amano, the director general of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has predicted that the share of atomic energy will
continue to grow, and could even double by 2030. This was also the broad conclusion at the
“Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century” International Conference, held recently in St. Petersburg,
which attracted ministerial-level delegations from 89 countries worldwide.
Among those who participated were Indian experts headed by Ratan Kumar Sinha, chairman of
the Atomic Energy Commission of India and secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy…
According to the official figures declared by Amano, the total capacity of the nuclear power
plants currently in operation worldwide amounts to 372 gigawatts (GW). That figure is set to rise
by 80-90 GW in the foreseeable future.
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc140813C.htm
By Countercurrents.org 14 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
Soil Biodiversity Crucial To Fight Climate Crisis
Maintaining healthy soil biodiversity can play an important role in optimizing land management
programs to reap benefits from the living soil, said scientists at the University of Manchester and
Lancaster…
Until now most studies which have investigated the reduction of soil biodiversity and the way
this affects carbon and nitrogen cycling have been laboratory-based or focused on one group of
organisms in the soil rather than the wider picture. This is the first time researchers have looked
at the entire community of organisms. The team explored soil found under land used in various
ways including intensive wheat rotation farming and permanent grassland. It found there were
consistent links between soil organisms and soil food web properties and ecosystem functioning
on a large scale, across European countries…
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Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/struzik140813.htm
By Ed Struzik 14 August, 2013 Yale Environment 360
With Tar Sands Development, Growing Concern On Water Use
Environmental questions about Canada’s massive tar sands development have long centered on
greenhouse gas emissions. Now there are mounting concerns about the huge volumes of water
used by the oil industry and the impact on the vast Mackenzie River Basin.
Opposition to the mining of Alberta’s tar sands — and the Keystone and Gateway pipelines that
would carry their oil to the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean — has largely been focused on the
project’s greenhouse gas emissions and threats to pristine environments along the pipeline rightsof-way.
But another serious issue is coming to the fore — the massive amounts of freshwater being used
by the industry…
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Thanks-to-global-warming-appleslosing-their-crunch/articleshow/21853020.cms
The Times of India | AFP | 16 August 2013
Thanks to global warming, apples losing their crunch
PARIS: Global warming is causing apples to lose some of their crunch but is also making them
sweeter, a study said on Wednesday.
Analysing data gathered from 1970 to 2010 at two orchards in Japan, a research team said there
was clear evidence that climate change was having an effect on apple taste and texture…
The data collected over the years included measures of acid and sugar concentration, fruit
firmness and watercore -- a disease that causes water-soaked areas in the flesh of an apple. The
analysis showed a decrease in acidity, firmness and watercore, but a rise in sugar concentration
over time.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/brazilian-mechanic-develops-lightbulb-using-water-and-bottle-113081500647_1.html
Business Standard August 16, 2013 Press Trust of India | London August 15, 2013
Brazilian mechanic develops light bulb using water and bottle
A Brazilian mechanic has found a cheap and innovative way to produce light that is up to 40 or
60 watts - with just a plastic bottle, water and bleach.
The 'Moser lamp' developed by Alfredo Moser has taken off in thePhilippines, where a quarter of
the population lives below the poverty line, and electricity is unusually expensive, with the lamps
now fitted in 140,000 homes.
Moser's cheap and environmentally friendly invention is picking up steam in other developing
nations around the world...
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc160813B.htm
By Countercurrents.org 16 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org
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Heat Waves To Quadruple By 2040, Regardless Of Emissions Cuts
Extreme heat waves will increase over the next 30 years, regardless of the amount of carbon
emitted between now and then. The second half of 21st Century is likely to be seriously affected
by rising levels of greenhouse gases.
Citing a study Sophie Yeo reported in Responding to Climate Change:
Even if there is no increase in the amount of CO2, existing levels of climate change means that
the planet is already locked into a future where extreme heat waves, such as those experienced
by the US in 2012, will cover double the amount of global land by 2020. By 2040, they will
double…
Source: http://m.scidev.net/global/technology/news/mine-urban-waste-not-oceans-saycampaigners.html
SciDev.Net 16 Aug. 2013 Michelle Dobrovolny
Mine urban waste, not oceans, say campaigners
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Deep-sea mining should be cast aside for 'urban mining', say campaigners
E-waste could meet up to half the demand for metals used in electronics
But recycling must be regulated to ensure its safe and efficient
Controversial plans to mine the floor of the Pacific Ocean should not go ahead before Earth's
'urban mines' have been exploited, say campaigners…
Each year silver and gold worth US$21 billion is used in personal computers, mobile phones,
tablets and similar devices, creating precious metal 'deposits' that are up to 50 times richer than
ore mined from the ground, says Natalie Lowrey, a campaigner with the US-based Ocean
Foundation.
Recycling this metal, as well as that found in infrastructure like bridges and cables, is known as
urban mining…
While the demand for rare-earth minerals and the specialty metals used to make electronic
devices is one of the key factors driving up metal prices — and making deep-sea mining
potentially profitable — it is precisely these products that lack infrastructure for recycling.
"The vast majority of these discarded electronics are shipped to Africa and Asia for low-tech
recycling, which in effect is dumping e-waste for smash-and-burn scavenging by impoverished
populations," says Lowrey…
Source: http://m.scidev.net/global/climate-change/news/coastal-cities-to-pay-high-price-forclimate-change.html
SciDev.Net 18 Aug. 2013 Lou Del Bello
Coastal cities to pay high price for climate change
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Global flood damage could cost cities US$1 trillion per year, say researchers
Coastal cities in developing countries will be hardest hit
Policymakers need to take action and reduce risks in advance
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Global damage from flooding could cost coastal cities as much as US$1 trillion per year — and
developing countries will be hardest hit, a study warns.
According to the paper published today in Nature Climate Change, a "risk sensitive planning"
strategy is needed to protect coastal cities, which are increasingly at risk because of climate
change, subsidence and a growing population.
The researchers looked at the 136 largest coastal cities in the world and found that cities in
developing countries are particularly vulnerable to flood losses as they often lack resources for
long term planning…
Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=genetically-modified-crops-passbenefits-to-weeds
Scientific American | August 19, 2013 | Jane Qiu and Nature magazine
Genetically Modified Crops Pass Benefits to Weeds
Herbicide resistance and other genetic modifications could confer an advantage on plants
in the wild
A genetic-modification technique used widely to make crops herbicide resistant has been shown
to confer advantages on a weedy form of rice, even in the absence of the herbicide. The finding
suggests that the effects of such modification have the potential to extend beyond farms and into
the wild.
Several types of crops have been genetically modified to be resistant to glyphosate, an herbicide
first marketed under the trade name Roundup. This glyphosate resistance enables farmers to wipe
out most weeds from the fields without damaging their crops…
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/20/earth-overshoot-dayenvironmental-deficit
The Guardian
| 20 August 2013
| Andrew Simms
Never mind the economic deficit. What about the environmental one?
Today is Earth Overshoot Day, when we've consumed more natural resources than our
biosphere can replace over a year
Two contradictory ideas shape UK politics. First, the argument for austerity, that the nation
cannot and should not live beyond its financial means. Second, the notion that we can and must,
in effect, live beyond our environmental means. That is why any increase in our spending and
consumption is hailed as economic success.
Today, the world goes into ecological debt, or "overshoot" – an estimate of the moment in the
year when humanity has consumed more natural resources and created more waste than our
biosphere can replace and safely absorb over a 12-month period…
Source: http://www.scidev.net/global/medicine/news/gm-bacteria-could-help-mass-producehookworm-drugs.html
SciDev.Net | 20 August 2013 | Rodrigo de Oliveira Andrade
GM bacteria could help mass produce hookworm drugs
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GM bacteria similar to those used in food makes proteins against parasitic worms
The proteins are more effective in animal experiments than currently used drugs
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The work has yet to reach the pre-clinical stage but plans are underway
[SÃO PAULO] Researchers have produced a protein that kills parasitic intestinal worms, by
genetically engineering a bacterium similar to those used in probiotics — raising hopes of more
effective and safer therapies for infections that affect up to two billion people worldwide.
The protein, Cry5B, has previously been shown to kill parasitic worms. It is normally produced
by Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterium used as an insecticide and not considered safe for use in
people.
Bacteria containing Cry5B could be an ideal drug against human parasites, researchers say, as
they can be easily and cheaply produced in large quantities, as well as shipped and stored under
adverse conditions…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/yeo210813.htm
21 August 2013 | Sophie Yeo
Humanity Has Exhausted The Earth's Natural Resources
Responding to Climate Change
August 20 was Earth Overshoot Day – the day when use of the planet's resources outstrips
supply.
According to Global Footprint Network, the world had yielded up all the resources it can afford
for the year by 20 August, meaning that for the remaining four months, the planet is operating in
overdraft: the resources being drawn upon can no longer be replenished.
This means that the earth can no longer regenerate its resources at the speed at which humanity is
using them, leading to the cumulative depletion of the worlds forests and fisheries, for example,
along with a diminished capability for the earth to absorb waste CO2.
It is not a day that can be marked in a calendar, because it is never quite certain on what day of
the year it will fall…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/queally210813.htm
21 August, 2013 | Jon Queally | http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/08/21-0
International Alarms Go Up As Fukushima Alert Level Raised
In the most serious action since the nuclear plant was first damaged in 2011, Japan's Nuclear
Regulatory Authority is on the verge of raising the international alarm—and the official threat
level—over the spiraling crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
By elevating the severity status from level 1 to level 3 on the eight-level International Nuclear
and Radiological Event Scale (INES), the NRA has made a clear indication that the situation is
worsening more than two years after the initial disaster and following recent reports of newly
discovered leaks of highly radioactive water from several sources.
As Reuters reports, the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday
it viewed the situation at Fukushima "seriously" and was ready to help if called upon, while
nearby China said it was "shocked" to hear contaminated water was still leaking from the plant,
and urged Japan to provide information "in a timely, thorough and accurate way"…
Source: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html
Phys.org | 21 August 2013
Plants can change greenhouse gas emissions after warming
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(Phys.org) —Different moorland plants, particularly heather and cotton grass, can strongly
influence climate warming effects on greenhouse gas emissions, researchers from Lancaster
University, The University of Manchester and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology have
discovered.
The findings, published this week in leading journal Ecology Letters, show valuable carbon
stores, which lie deep below peaty moorlands, are at risk from changes in climate and from land
management techniques that alter plant diversity.
But the study found that the make-up of the plant community could also play a key role in
controlling greenhouse gas emissions from these carbon rich ecosystems, as not all vegetation
types respond in the same way to warming…
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/agriculture/organic-cultivation-learning-from-theenabavi-example/article5045359.ece
The Hindu | 22 August 2013 | M. J. Prabu
Organic cultivation: learning from the Enabavi example
Is it possible to get a good yield without using chemical fertilizers? Will a shift to organic affect
our food security? Can we manage insect pests without using pesticides? Will organic cultivation
still be profitable for farmers?
These are some of the often asked questions by farmers when problems of modern agriculture
are being discussed.
Enabavi, a small village in Warangal district, Andhra Pradesh promises to answer all these.
Situated off the Hyderabad-Warangal highway near Jangaon town, Enabavi is today an
inspiration for many other villages and farmers, thanks to the efforts of the local organization
called CROPS (Centre for Rural Operations Programmes Society) supported by the Centre for
Sustainable Agriculture (CSA)…
“Today, Enabavi has many valuable lessons to teach other farmers, not just on how to take up
sustainable farming. They also have lessons to share on social regulation, learning from each
other, the benefits of conviction born out of experience and most importantly, the way out of
agricultural distress by taking control over one’s own farming,” adds Dr. Ramanjaneyulu…
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/agriculture/electricity-generation-from-cattlewaste/article5045360.ece
The Hindu | August 22, 2013 | Ravinder Singh Grewal
Electricity generation from cattle waste
A project for electricity generation from cattle dung is currently being run at the Guru Angad
Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana.
The University has been encouraging farmers to use cattle dung for both bio gas generation and
electricity production.
As a demo model the University set up a plant with a capacity of 4,500 kg (daily) cattle dung in
its campus for farmers to see for themselves.
As of now the plant generates 240 KW hours of energy daily and with this a 40 KW bio gas
operated generator is being run for six hours daily to produce electricity.
The electricity is being used for chaffing green fodder, machine milking, operating the fans,
coolers and foggers installed inside the animal sheds.
The waste slurry obtained from the bio gas plant is used as manure for crops. The slurry is a
better fertilizer than the farm yard manure for crops…
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Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/a-leap-forward-in-flowbatteries/article5045351.ece
The Hindu | August 22, 2013 | Vasudevan Mukunth
A leap forward in ‘flow’ batteries
A membrane-less fuel cell may enable cheaper, large-scale renewable energy storage
The sources of power in the emerging renewable energy economy are intermittent. Wind energy
is dependent on winds that are often capricious, and solar power is suboptimal on cloudy days.
Such sources cannot be connected directly to the grid but instead to batteries which store power
from them and then discharge continuously.
To better make use of renewable sources of power, these batteries must have a higher power
density than normal batteries and must be very efficient…
Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, has now demonstrated a
quantum-leap in this arena: a membrane-less hydrogen-bromine fuel cell.
Conventional batteries include a porous membrane between the anode and the cathode to prevent
short-circuits while facilitating charge-carrying ions to move between them. However, such
membranes add to the battery’s weight, reduce its efficiency and, depending on their material,
bring along their share of structural defects and life-cycle limitations…
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/has-climate-change-alteredapples-taste/article5045355.ece
The Hindu | August 22, 2013 | Anjana Krishnan
Has climate change altered apples’ taste?
While it may not be evident, the taste and texture of apples may have undergone a considerable
change over the last many years due to climate change, says a new study conducted by Toshihiko
Sugiura and team at the National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation in Fujimoto,
Japan. The paper was published in Scientific Reports last week.
The study attributes the change in taste and texture — essential qualities for a fresh fruit — to the
increase in global temperature over the years, specifically during the maturation period of the
fruit…
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/going-beyond-electronics/article5045353.ece
The Hindu | August 22, 2013 | Shubashree Desikan
Going beyond electronics
One of the important challenges in electrical engineering is to make smaller and more
complicated electrical circuits. In this pursuit, University of Pennsylvania researchers have taken
a drastically different route — they replace electricity with light, which would enable them to go
to much smaller dimensions of circuitry.
A recent paper in the journal, Physical Review Letters, brings this advancement to the public
eye. Dubbed “metatronics” by the discoverer Nader Engheta, who is a professor in the electrical
engineering department of University of Pennsylvania, this is a nascent field in electrical
engineering and the discovery described in the paper is a milestone in this field…
Source: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-sustainability-aquaculture-production.html
Phys.org | 22 August 2013
Assessing the sustainability of aquaculture production
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Global consumption of seafood has risen dramatically over the last decade, due to a growing
population, increased affluence and changing eating habits - many now see seafood as a healthy
alternative to meat. The EU is the largest single regional importer, with many of its imports
coming from Asia.
The EU-funded project SEAT ('Sustainable Trade in Ethical Aquaculture') is building up an
understanding of new Asian aquatic food chains - and looking into their sustainability. The
international team's research covered the top four aquaculture products making their way into
European shops and restaurants: tilapia, pangasius (catfish), shrimps and prawns.
Source: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-ultrathin-carbon-membranes.html
Phys.org | 22 August 2013
Process devised for ultrathin carbon membranes
In the future, carbon nanomembranes are expected to be able to filter out very fine materials.
These separating layers are ultrathin, consisting of just one layer of molecules. In the long term,
they could allow to separate gases from one another, for example, filtering toxins from the air. At
present, the basic research is concerned with the production of nanomembranes…
Furthermore, graphene can be made from nanomembranes. Researchers worldwide are expecting graphene to have technically revolutionising properties, as it has an extremely high
tensile strength and can conduct electricity and heat very well…
Source: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-chemical-inexpensive-flexible-solar-cells.html
Phys.org | 22 August 2013
Chemical engineers' research may lead to inexpensive, flexible solar cells
(Phys.org) —Work by a team of chemical engineers at Penn State and Rice University may lead
to a new class of inexpensive organic solar cells.
"Imagine if you could make solar cells as easily as you can print posters or newspapers—you
could make sheets of this," said Enrique Gomez, assistant professor of chemical engineering. "It
represents a fundamental shift in the way in which we make solar cells."
Most solar cells today are inorganic and made of crystalline silicon. The problem with these,
Gomez explained, is that inorganic solar cells tend to be expensive, rigid and relatively
inefficient when it comes to converting sunlight into electricity…
Source: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-toxic-nanoparticles-human-food.html
Phys.org | 22 August 2013
Toxic nanoparticles might be entering human food supply, study finds
Over the last few years, the use of nanomaterials for water treatment, food packaging, pesticides,
cosmetics and other industries has increased. For example, farmers have used silver
nanoparticles as a pesticide because of their capability to suppress the growth of harmful
organisms. However, a growing concern is that these particles could pose a potential health risk
to humans and the environment. In a new study, researchers at the University of Missouri have
developed a reliable method for detecting silver nanoparticles in fresh produce and other food
products…
"The penetration of silver nanoparticles is dangerous to consumers because they have the ability
to relocate in the human body after digestion," Lin said…
When ingested, nanoparticles pass into the blood and lymph system, circulate through the body
and reach potentially sensitive sites such as the spleen, brain, liver and heart.
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The growing trend to use other types of nanoparticles has revolutionized the food industry by
enhancing flavors, improving supplement delivery, keeping food fresh longer and brightening
the colors of food. However, researchers worry that the use of silver nanoparticles could harm
the human body…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/gpi230813.htm
By Greenpeace India | 23 August, 2013 | Countercurrents.org
Over 4 Lakh People Demand The Withdrawal Of The BRAI Bill
As the deadline for public feedback on the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI)
Bill closes on August 25, a delegation from the Coalition for a GM free India and Greenpeace
India, delivered petitions from over 4 lakh people demanding the withdrawal of BRAI bill to the
Parliamentary Standing Committee of Science and Technology, Environment and Forests. The
BRAI bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha in April 2013, was later sent to the Standing
Committee to be reviewed…
The BRAI bill was first introduced by the Ministry of Science & Technology despite opposition
from both inside and outside the Parliament. It is controversial due to its proposal of an easy
single window approval mechanism for GM (Genetically Modified) crops in India and also
because BRAI will be located within the Ministry of Science and Technology, a promoter of GM
crops. This poses a serious conflict of interest as no promoter can be a fair regulator…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/iea250813.htm
By International Energy Agency 25 August, 2013 Iea.org
In 90 Minutes, Enough Sunlight Strikes The Earth To Provide The Entire Planet's Energy
Needs For One Year
In 90 minutes, enough sunlight strikes the earth to provide the entire planet's energy needs for
one year. While solar energy is abundant, it represents a tiny fraction of the world’s current
energy mix. But this is changing rapidly and is being driven by global action to improve energy
access and supply security, and to mitigate climate change.
Around the world, countries and companies are investing in solar generation capacity on an
unprecedented scale, and, as a consequence, costs continue to fall and technologies improve.
This publication gives an authoritative view of these technologies and market trends, in both
advanced and developing economies, while providing examples of the best and most advanced
practices. It also provides a unique guide for policy makers, industry representatives and
concerned stakeholders on how best to use, combine and successfully promote the major
categories of solar energy: solar heating and cooling, photovoltaic and solar thermal electricity,
as well as solar fuels…
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Depleting-white-cover-turns-Arcticgreen/articleshow/22059922.cms
The Times of India | TNN | Aug 26, 2013
Depleting white cover turns Arctic green
WASHINGTON: Loss of Arctic sea ice is leading to the greening of the Arctic, researchers,
including an Indian-origin scientist, have found.
Sea ice decline and warming trends are changing the vegetation in nearby arctic coastal areas,
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scientists say…
The review team analysed 10 years worth of data and research on the subject. The findings show
that sea ice loss is changing marine and terrestrial food chains. The noted sea-ice disappearance
means a loss of sea-ice algae, the underpinning of the marine food web…
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/cc260813A.htm
By Countercurrents.org | 26 August, 2013 | Countercurrents.org
Climate Crisis To Harm All Forms Of Marine Life, Finds Study
Scientists have found: Rising levels of carbon dioxide are harming all forms of marine life
because the oceans are acidifying as they absorb the gas. Scientists claim current rate of change
is likely to be more than 10 times faster than it has ever been in Earth’s history.
According to a study report titled Inhospitable Oceans, published on August 26 in Nature
Climate Change, molluscs, corals and a class of creatures called echinoderms that includes
starfish and sea urchins are the worst affected by the uptake of CO2 by the seas…
The researchers found: Creatures that show negative effects from acidification include
commercial species such as oysters and cod. Given the pace at which CO2 emissions are
growing, human emissions threaten to trigger extinctions at a faster pace than die-outs millions
of years ago…
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Grain-drain-Cheapest-cereals-in-India-are-themost-expensive-ones-in-US/articleshow/22067901.cms
The Times of India | Aug 26, 2013 | Chidanand Rajghatta, TNN
Grain drain: Cheapest cereals in India are the most expensive ones in US
WASHINGTON: What's cheap food for the poor in India is healthy and expensive nutrition for
the rich in the west. India's cheapest grains, ignored, disdained, and disappearing in much of the
country, are now much sought after cereals in America. They are priced some 500 times more
than what New Delhi will supply its poor under the food security legislation.
The UPA government's Food Security Bill promises the country's 810 million poor coarse grains
(such as sorghum or jowar, pearl millet or bajra, and finger millet or ragi) at Rs 1 per kg. That's
less than two US cents per kg at current exchange rates…
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Embracing-GMcrops/articleshow/22075657.cms
The Times of India | Aug 27, 2013 | Henry I Miller
Embracing GM crops
India has enjoyed signal successes with genetic engineering in agriculture, but its relationship
with this environmentally friendly, wealth-enhancing technology may be coming to an end. At
the very least, it is in disarray, the victim of activists' scaremongering and government pandering.
The recommendations of a technical expert committee (TEC) forwarded recently to the Supreme
Court are absurd. The TEC has called for an indefinite moratorium on field trials of genetically
engineered ("genetically modified" or "GM") crops until alleged deficiencies in the government's
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regulatory and safety systems have been addressed…
The Economic Times (Consumer Connect Initiative) | 28 August 2013
Ensuring Electic Environs
| Yasmin Taj
Keeping with the growing need to save the environment, climate control technologies maintain
temperature control and provide a cost effective system for consumers
With smart and energy efficient offices and homes gaining immense momentum, climate control
technologies are also becoming a crucial part of building sustainable structures. We are also
facing growing environmental pressures with climate change and ozone protection and hence,
there is an urgent need to create energy efficient buildings. Climate control technologies also
known as HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) or HVAC (heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning) provide products and services for all areas of the climate
control industry, including residential heating and cooling, commercial air conditioning, and
commercial and industrial refrigeration…
This symbiotic relationship – perhaps born of necessity – is a sign of good health for the country
and the Climate Control Technology market, and, in the long run, for the environment.
Climate control technologies or HVACR systems work in such a way as to reduce air
components that are potentially unhealthy and provide more comfort where there was none
before.
Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/brown300813.htm
30 August 2013 | Lester R. Brown | Inter Press Service
Rising Temperature, Rising Food Prices
Agriculture as it exists today developed over 11,000 years of rather remarkable climate stability.
It has evolved to maximize production within that climate system. Now, suddenly, the climate is
changing. With each passing year, the agricultural system is becoming more out of sync with the
climate system.
In generations past, when there was an extreme weather event, such as a monsoon failure in
India, a severe drought in Russia, or an intense heat wave in the U.S. Corn Belt, we knew that
things would shortly return to normal. But today there is no ‘normal' to return to. The earth's
climate is now in a constant state of flux, making it both unreliable and unpredictable…
As the earth's temperature rises, scientists expect heat waves to be both more frequent and more
intense. Stated otherwise, crop-shrinking heat waves will now become part of the agricultural
landscape. Among other things, this means that the world should increase its carryover stocks of
grain to provide adequate food security.
****
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