Do you think that the Atlantic Conveyor current will stop due to global warming, cutting Atlantic fish stocks and sending Europe into a big freeze?
EU Deplores Unauthorized Imports of GM Maize
Seed of BT10, a genetically modified maize made by Switzerland's Syngenta AG, has been imported into Spain and France and other countries for research purposes without approval by EU authorities. More here. Seed had also been used in the United States over the past 4 years (more here). In both cases the seed is believed to have entered the food chain.
Citrus Producer Seeks to Convert Orange Peel to Methanol Fuel
The nonprofit Florida Hydrogen Initiative Inc. has commissioned research and development which will demonstrate the practicality of using the methanol for fuel cells to be used on tourist shuttles. More here.
Snowplaners Sue Over Grand Teton Lake Ban
The lawsuit said that the National Park Service considered restricted usage as well as a total ban. Snow planes, which don't actually fly, are small propeller-driven craft on runners that use an airplane engine. The Park said that their noise disturbed the quiet serenity and beauty of the Grand Teton National Park. More here.
U.S.: Ships No Longer Allowed to Dump Ballast
A federal judge has told the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it may no longer exempt ships from the requirement to have a permit to dump any ballast water containing nonnative species that could harm local ecosystems. Such alien species can out-compete or eat native species, or clog up waterways and pipes, and often arrive in ballast from foreign ships. More here. Ships sailing the St. Lawrence Seaway may carry invasive species such as killer shrimp or monkey gobies on their way through the Great Lakes (more here) - 162 species have already been found.
Biologists Hope to Tag Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge Pelicans
Biologists were mystified when 28,000 pelicans left the refuge early last year, abandoning their eggs and young. If they return as usual around April 10 to 15, the biologists will be waiting for them with tags and cameras and fences for protection. Pelicans at other sites will be monitored for comparison. More here.
Asian Conference Measures to Stop Turtle Decline
The Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia Marine Turtle Memorandum of Understanding conference has declared 2006 the "Year of the Turtle" and plans to increase steps to reverse the dramatic declines in turtle populations in the region. More here.
Virginia Investigates Fish Deaths in Peninsula Waters
Hundreds have fished in the past 2 weeks. One possible cause is an algal bloom which can be caused by pollution, or pfiesteria, which thrive in algal blooms. Gill nets may have been responsible for some of the deaths. More here.
Expert Finds Dandruff in Air Pollutants
Aerosols are tiny particles in the air, and their nature is a factor in how the climate works. They can include bacteria, plant fragments, spores, fungi, fur, pollen, mineral dusts, clay, sea salt and dandruff. They can absorb heat or reflect it, and can affect the formation of raindrops and snowflakes. They also contribute to allergies. Ruprecht Jaenicke of the Institute for Atmospheric Physics at Mainz University in Germany has discovered that biological materials such as dandruff make up a far larger percentage of air pollutants than previously thought. More here.
Global Warming of Atlantic Could have Major Impact on Fish
Scientists fear that global warming may shut down the Atlantic Conveyor current that warms northern Europe as the Arctic polar icecap melts, increasing the salinity of the Atlantic. If so, plankton numbers will plummet, which would have a major impact on fish in the area. More here.
UK could miss Kyoto Target on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Government data on UK emissions of greenhouse gases for 2004 show that they rose 1.5% above those in 2003, and are the highest since 1997, when the Labour government came to power. Emissions were 12.6% below 1990 levels, and according to the Kyoto Protocol the UK must keep annual greenhouse emissions to 12.5% below 1990 levels during the period 2008-2012, according to the BBC. Labour will not now meet its unilateral target of 20%below 1990 by 2010. Nevertheless, progress is better than that of many countries.
UK delays electronic Waste Law
Manufacturers have had such difficulty preparing to recycle products that are returned to them at the end of their life that the new law has been postponed from August. Germany has also postponed its law. Both laws arise from the European Union directive, Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE). Sweden, in contrast, already has recycling programs in place and recycles more than half of electrical goods.
The EU plans to exclude elements such as chromium, lead, and cadmium from consumer electronics goods by 2006.
New Kind of Fish Discovered
A new species of fish has been announced by its discoverer, Dr. A Folo of the University of Uluru Department of Marine Biology. "It was quite unexpected", she said. "We were doing a training dive in an underground pool close to the campus when I spotted movement in the direction my torch was shining. I was amazed to realise that we had missed spotting this fish so close to home over so many years. The red pigment of its broader stripes, which it picks up from its surroundings, perfectly matches the background rock. The white stripes, like a tiger's, match the stalks of some of the plants. The blue colouring appears to be sexual in nature. It does not seem to make the
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