Learning not to burn

As the dry season progresses in Trinidad, smoke becomes an ever-present feature.  While people blame “bush fires” on spontaneous combustion, most are either arson or agricultural fires.  While it always bothered me to see the landscape burn, it was the especially intense fire season of 1987 that really opened my eyes to the problem.
The Agricultural [...]

An end to Federal protection of wolves

The New York Times is reporting that wolves in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming have lost federal protection.
“Wolves are back,” said Lynn Scarlett, the deputy secretary of the Department of the Interior, in a telephone conference call with reporters. “Gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains are thriving and no longer need protection.”
The 66 wolves that [...]

Proposal to combat illegal logging

Logging is a major threat to tropical forests. Logging roads and clearings allow more light into the forest, resulting in a proliferation of undergrowth, and allows more desiccation during the dry season. Logging slash - large branches and the crown of the tree - are also left behind to dry out. All [...]

Guayanilla Windfarm EIS: Puerto Rican nightjar I

The proposed Windmar RE windfarm near Guayanilla occupies habitat of Caprimulgus noctitherus, the Puerto Rican nightjar or Guabairo. As a result of this, the Environmental Impact Statement addresses the potential impact of the project on this species. A consultant’s report* was prepared on behalf of Windmar RE by Paul Kerlinger of Kerlinger & [...]

Once again, Bush appointees alter scientific data to fit political agenda

The Bush administration has a habit of inserting political commissars into scientific agencies to limit deviations from the Party Line. One of the most notable examples was George Deutsch, the college drop-out who was appointed to censor statements by NASA scientists and who had the word “theory” inserted after every occurrence of “Big Bang” [...]

If first you don’t succeed, keep smearing (there’re a lot of stupid people out there)

As mentioned in the previous post, Al Gore’s dinner of Chilean Sea Bass (from a certified sustainable fishery) prompted a smear campaign. The critics either couldn’t be bothered to fact check their story, or chose to ignore the facts for maximum effect. Regardless, it has since been made very apparent that the fish [...]

Smearing Gore (yet again)

The non-stop smearing of Al Gore never ceases to amaze. Once again, Gore is “unmasked” as a hypocrite.

Just one week after Live Earth, his global musical spectacular to raise awareness of environmental issues, the former vice-president attended a rehearsal dinner for his daughter’s marriage that featured Chilean sea bass. … The reaction was swift: [...]