Shell Found Less Than Half as much Oil as it Pumped
Royal Dutch/Shell's proved reserves last year stood at 11.9 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) at the end of 2004, equal to less than nine years' production at average 2004 rates. Other companies are also struggling to find as much new oil as planned. More here. Have we passed "peak oil", the point at which we have reached our peak rate of oil extraction, and extraction will decline from here on? For this to happen when demand is as high as ever in the United States and elsewhere, and is rapidly growing in developing countries such as China, is very worrying.
Tsunami Soil Damage by Salt Not As Severe as Thought
81 percent of agricultural land in India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand will be able to be planted this season. 22,000 acres of fields have been lost, mostly in the Indonesian province of Aceh. More here.
Meanwhile Japan has unveiled a stop-gap tsunami warning system plan whereby it will send at-risk Indian Ocean nations warnings of impending tsunami within half an hour by fax. More here.
Biologists Seek Protection for 17 Species of Kansas Fish
28 more species are also being considered for elevation of their risk categories under the Endangered Species Act. More here.
In the meantime, a conservative legal foundation is seeking to have the federal protected status of 42 species rescinded so that development can take place. More here.
Officials in Colorado also want protections for the endangered lynx to be eased, as there has been a successful program to bring lynx in from Canada. More here.
Governor OKs the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Health Plan
"This comprehensive plan lays the foundation for more efficient cooperation among local, state, federal and tribal governments, landowners and communities," said Governor Richardson. More here.
U.S. Government to ban Ozone-Damaging Asthma Inhalers in 2009
The albuterol inhalers were exempted from measures to reduce the use of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants because of their essential use. Alternatives are becoming available however, and there will be help for people unable to afford the additional cost. More here.
The announcement comes at a time when has been concern about declines in ozone levels (more here).
U.S. Growers Change Planting Plans Because of Disease, Prices
A combination of the rapidly spreading Asian rust disease and low prices has caused growers to decide to plant fewer soybeans this year. They will plant more cotton and corn, but less winter wheat. More here.
Elephant Gets Own Exercise Treadmill
Maggie the elephant at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage is all alone and is kept in during the colder months, so she hasn't had much exercise and is overweight. Rather than send her somewhere warmer where she would have company, the zoo has had a purpose-built treadmill made for her. Do you think that this is the best solution? More here.
Washington Bill Requiring 'Green' State Buildings Awaits Signing
When signed, this bill will make Washington the first state to require schools, universities and other public buildings to meet energy efficiency, water conservation and other environmental standards. More here.
Record Maine Lobster Catch in 2004
The record has been achieved in spite of warnings that lobster is overfished. More here.
Global Warming: Carbon dioxide continues its rise
The BBC reports that data from the US government's Climate Monitoring Diagnostics Laboratory, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), at from Mauna Loa shows that carbon dioxide levels continue to rise. Measurements have been taken on the site, which is far from major sources or sinks of pollution, every single year since 1958. More here.
Meanwhile, a Japanese government panel has approved a preliminary plan to lower emissions from cars, buildings and factories over the next five years to meet targets set by the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. It will promote energy-saving appliances, low-pollution equipment and renewable energy. More here.
Pollution: EPA Says Children May Be More Vulnerable than Adults to Carcinogens
Previously the EPA had assumed that adults and children were eeually at risk. The newswire does not mention which polluting chemicals were mentioned in the report, but mercury is known to be dangerous to the development of children.
Major War Brewing over Efforts to Save Spokane River
Environmental Groups and Avista, Spokane's electrical utility, differ over the future of the river, whether to use it for fish and recreation or for electricity generation. More here. The dispute comes at a time when high levels of toxins have been found in the river's fish (more here).
Have we passed "peak oil", the point at which we have reached our peak rate of oil extraction
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