A recent CBS 60 Minutes video focuses on the California water battle that some characterize as the “farmer vs. fish” debate. I highly recommend watching, especially if you’re a newcomer to this debate.
To simplify (and to skip over 100 years of California history of water wars), there are farmers in the San Joaquin Valley who [...]
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: California water, conservation, Delta, delta smelt, farmers, San Joaquin Valley, Schwartzenegger
The world’s second largest tea company, Tetley Tea, announced it will source all its tea from Rainforest Alliance certified farms by 2016.
The Rainforest Alliance currently has 215,000 acres of Rainforest Alliance-certified farms in Kenya, Tanzania, Argentina, India and Indonesia. This New York based non-profit certifies farms around the world that meet the specific environmental, social and economic standards of [...]
Categories: Exciting New Developments Tags: conservation, environmental, Rainforest, sustainable, Wildlife
Sharks.
They’re charismatic creatures we feature in our movies, on calendars, and in any respectable oceans documentary. They scare, fascinate, and intrigue us. They’re also vitally important to the food webs they exist in. Think it’d be nice to not fear great whites? Well, take a top predator out, and whatever the sharks used to eat [...]
The LA Times Greenspace blog is reporting that wolves might be making their way back to Colorado. And they might be keeping an even more rare species company: a rancher who is hoping for their return and thinks actually its pretty logical.
I happen to agree, and not just because I’m some crunchy environmentalist. Sure, it’s great [...]
Categories: Uncategorized species Tags: colorado, conservation, habitat, keystone species, ranchers, wilderness, Wildlife, wolf, wolves
On a trip up the California coast to Jenner (where the Russian River pours into the sea), I saw harbor seals, great barrel-shaped waves, and tremendous flocks of birds fighting the fierce Pacific winds.
I also saw an example of modern conservation in action: a fisherman and abalone diver who agreed that the current Marine Life [...]
Categories: Fisheries Uncategorized Tags: bluefin tuna, california, conservation, Enviornment, fishery, fishing, jenner, marine, marine life protection act, MLPA, MPA, north coast, sea otter, Sustainability, trawl, trawling
Driven by consumer demand, more corporations are adopting sustainable business practices, Retailers carrying food products are particularly engaged in this process.
Recently, Target and Safeway announced that they would discontinue carrying farm-raised seafood and switch to wild caught. Environmentalists have been pushing for this, criticizing that net-pens salmon farms, which release pollution, chemicals and parasites into the [...]
Categories: Making a Difference Sustainability Tags: conservation, ecosystems, environment, environmentalists, oceans, pollution, salmon, Sustainability, sustainable
A group of students at the University of Pennsylvania are about to become Eco-reps, volunteers from three Penn residence halls and one fraternity that educate their peers about sustainability and of Penn’s Climate Action Plan commitments.
Twenty seven students in all - ten students in U of P’s Hill College House, ten in Kings Court English College House, six in Rodin College [...]
Categories: Exciting New Developments Making a Difference Tags: conservation, electronics, energy, environment, environmental, green, Recycling, Sustainability, sustainable
During my recent trip to Costa Rica, I visited three eco-resorts. All were based around the idea of sustainability, but how this played out was gloriously diverse.
You wouldn’t call Lapa Rios – the 2nd eco-resort on my “tour” -a luxury resort. Yet its charm and beauty make it a first class green destination.
Unlike Arenas del [...]
Categories: Eco-tourism Uncategorized Tags: conservation, electricity, green, internet, organic, Rainforest, Solar, Sustainability, sustainable, Wildlife
Southwest Airlines, famous for their low fares and offbeat cabin announcements, is going boldly into the green horizon.
They’ve announced the addition of their green plane – a Boeing 737-700 which, they say, achieves a weight savings of of almost five pounds per seat, saving fuel and reducing emissions, and uses recyclable materials.
Some of these eco-friendly [...]
Categories: Observations Tags: biofuel, conservation, eco-friendly, energy, environmental, green, recyclable, Sustainability
During her detailed presentation at today’s conference, Gina Guillen – senior advisor to the Costa Rican Minister of Tourism – discussed the challenges and benefits of eco-tourism.
Eco-tourism, Guillen said, generated over $1 million in revenues last year. This went to help conservation efforts.
She discussed the Blue Flag certification program, which helps protect Costa Rica’s oceans, [...]
