Brad

Forget all the fancy global warming science, the Earth’s ice cream is melting. This unique viewpoint on global warming presents the case and asks what would you think about the temperature in your freezer if you found your ice cream was melting. Obviously, you see it as conclusive proof that your freezer is too warm. The Earth’s ice cream, aka the arctic ice pack, high altitude glaciers all over the world, Greenland’s ice sheet, et al, is melting. So why do fewer people in 2009 believe that global warming is taking place than those that believed it in 2008? The answer is the deafening roar of politically and financially motivated global warming deniers who are committing crimes against humanity with their call to inaction. Global warming will (and already is) kill people, millions of people. The longer we wait to take action the more people are condemned to die. The debate ended long ago, those who still deny global warming cannot be reasoned with. It is time for action, we need strong climate protection legislation and the EPA to step up with CO2 emissions regulations. Now!

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has a new high tech weapon against whalers, the Ady Gil. The Ady Gil is the newly renamed vessel formerly known as the Earth Race that set a speed record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe in 2008. The high tech vessel is outfitted with a Kevlar skin and a matte black paint that will help to hide it from radar. The unique trimaran design of the ship makes it look futuristic and fearsome in keeping with the SSCS flag which it will fly. The SSCS flag of course is s stylized rendition of the old skull and crossbones flown by colonial era pirates. The SSCS has used tactics similar to those pirates in the past. Boarding ships, ramming them, and cutting fishing nets loose from vessels they felt were operating illegally. This time, the SSCS is aiming the Ady Gil and the vessel Steve Irwin at the Japanese whaling fleet, which holds an International Whaling Commission permit to harvest 1000 whales this year as a part of a “research” mission. The SSCS claims that the research permit is just an excuse to kill and harvest whales for the commercial market in Japan. Watch the web for future events related to this showdown. It should happen some time in December.

I recently had the opportunity to discuss the current situation in the Galapagos Islands with an acquaintance who is a professional nature photographer and who had just returned from the islands. He highlighted a number of issues that are facing the Galapagos Islands at the present time. Population pressures and the high number of tourists visiting the islands are posing a serious threat to the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos. The most serious threat of all, however, is the perception among local Galapaguenos that the Ecuadorian government cares more for a tortoise egg than it does for the human beings who inhabit the islands. This perception is exacerbated by the Ecuadorian government’s policy of deporting people from the islands to control population pressures, while constantly increasing the limit on the number of tourists who are allowed to visit the park. Since each tourist pays a surcharge to the government, it is clear to see the motivation of those setting the policies. This is the cause of growing resentment among the people of the Galapagos Islands who feel that high-end tourism benefits rich politicians in mainland Ecuador, but does little or nothing to help the villagers climb out of poverty. Meanwhile, High-end cruise ships bring tourists to the Galapagos in a manner that prevents any interaction with the local economy. Locals say the cruise ships drop off their trash on the Galapagos and take away scarce fresh water from the islands. Something has got to give soon…

Click the link to read more about how the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands is being threatened by rising population pressures and the wrong kind of tourism.

recently had the opportunity to visit the bird banding research station at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island. This was my first opportunity to observe mist nets in use and to observe wild birds being tagged. It was a wonderful learning experience and a chance to see wild birds closer than you would in any other circumstance that I can imagine.

The bird banding research station at Plum Island is run by the Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center and is closed to the public except by prior arrangement. You can read about the bird banding research station and view a slideshow of birds being caught in the mist nets and processed before being released.

A number of Eco writers and blogs on the internet are getting upset over the NASA LCROSS mission to send a spent rocket stage crashing into the moon to see if there is water vapor in the sut that it kicks up when it crashes. They say NASA is bombing the moon and that this is an environmental tragedy. They are wrong. There is no more environmental damage than there would be from writing your name in the sand at the beach. The moon is a barren, dust-covered rock. FInding water on the moon, however, could mean less water is tken from Earth for future space missions and even to support lunar colonies. It means manned rockets would need to burn less rocket fuel to get into orbit since they could pick up fuel, oxygen and water while they are up their and won’t have to carry it up against Earth’s gravity. Read what the mistakes and crazy rumors being published about NASA bombing the moon.

Buying local goods and produce is good for the environment. It reduces the use of fossil fuels used to transport the goods from place to place. That applies no matter what kind of product is being purchased. Buying locally grown foods, however, has other advantages as well. First, foods that are transported from distant locations are more likely to come from large scale factory farms. Many, not all but many, of these factory farms treat animals worse as if they were expendable machines. They are often housed in cruel inhumane conditions so bad that you would go to jail if you treated your dog the same way. Yet, these factory farms have thousands and thousands of animals that are mistreated and even dying and have complete immunity from any and all animal protection laws.

Locally purchased meat and eggs supports the smaller local farmer with  traditional open field farming operations. These types of traditional farms are far more humane places for chickens, cattle, and other animals. The conditions inside factory farms are often absolutely deplorable in terms of not only the conditions for the animals, but also in terms of cleanliness and hygiene. Check out this link for a detailed report on the conditions inside the factory farm egg producer that supplies eggs to Dunkin Donuts, including an undercover video and photos from inside the facility.

A complete review of the ship Atlantic Queen II and whale watching experience of August 6th. Those aboard the ship saw 30 whales include numerous displays of bubble net feed in which two whales would work together to build a column of bubbles around a school of fish and then the whales would charge up through the column sided by side with mouths gaping wide to gulp up 18,000 gallons of seawater and fish. The seawater was expelled through the baleen filters in their mouth which hold the fish inside to be swallowed. One whale was lying on its back and slamming its tail on the water’s surface. There were alos many, many hundredss of Sooty and Greater Shearwaters, and Wilson’s Storm-Petrels feeding alongside the whales. Two Northern Gannetts flew by the ship as well.
For video of the whale’s acrobatics and a picture slide show of the whales and pelagic birds click here.

With a little practice, anyone can learn to identify any of the four species of Terns that are found in the waters off the cooast of New England and New Hampshire. There are four specific things to look for: the bill, the upper wing surface, the lower wing surface, and the tail. The way they fly can also be a quick way to spot the Roseate Tern from amongst a large group of Common Terns. Because Terns are ocean birds, the best way to see them is usually to go on a whale watch tour.

Terns breed on small rocky offshore islands. These breeding colonies can be disturbed by human activities, so it is of paramount importance to the survival of these species that Tern breeding colonies be kept undisturbed. If you should find a Tern breeding colony, any offshore island with large numbers of Terns on and around it, do not go ashore. Use a good set of good birdwatching binoculars or cameras to observe the Terns instead. Not only will you be helping to safegaurd the nesting site, but you will be protecting yourself as well. Terns tend to dive at intruders on their islands and will actually strike them in the head with their bills as they dive past. This activity is the reason that many of the scientists who carefully study the bird’s breeding colonies, wear hardhats to prevent injury.

Learn how to identify the Common Tern.

In our attempt to help birds with birdfeeders, we may be increasing the likelihood that they will crash into our windows. Millions of birds are killed each year by flying into windows that look like just more open sky because they are so reflective from the outside. Here’s a simple recommended solution to help save birds, one at a time.
Prevent Birds from flying into your windows.

Invasive species are those plants or animals that have been artificially transported to a place outside of their natural range and in which they have no or few natural predators or other constraints upon their population growth. Even the smallest of these invasive species can cause tremendous damage to the new areas. Take for example the Japanese Beetle. This insect pest has become so common in many parts of the United States that people forget that it isn’t native ot North America and has only been here since about 1920. Each year the Japanese Beetle causes untold millions of dollars of damage to backyard gardens and commercial farms alike.
Larger invasive species may either eat or outcompete native species. The Asian Swamp Eel in NJ poses such a threat to turtles, fish, and many other native species that some have advocated turning the tables and adding the Asian Swamp Eel to local restaurant menus.
Florida, because of it’s tropical nature and vast expanse of swampland, is having a particular problem with pythons. Pythons are often imported as pets, but may grow too big for their owners to handle. As a result many are released into the wild each year. In the Florida swamps, a mature python instantly becomes the top predator in the ecosystem. Florida pythons have even been known to feast on alligators, although most of their diet consists of birds, small mammals, and anything else they can swallow whole.
Florida is now licensing hunters to trap and kill the invasive python in an effort to eradicate them from the state. Meanwhile, however, it is still legal to import pythons for the pet industry, so even if they are completely wiped out of the Florida swamps, they will likely be reintroduced as new pet owners find the snakes too hard to handle when they start growing longer than ten feet. Snakes are longlived and choosing to take a python or other large non-native snake as a pet is a long term decision. If you can’t envision your living conditions, financial outlook, or family situation ten years or more down the road, then buying one of these exotic large snakes is definitely the wrong choice.





A new report by the US Fish and Wildlife Service shows that birdwatchers spend more than $35 billion dollars each year in pursuit of their hobby. This translates into big business for many states that draw large numbers of out of state birders and show that states and local communities have a strong financial incentive to protect bird habitat and promote it for public use. Working with local land conservation agencies should be a strong priority for communities that want to attract birding dollars to their local buinesses. Read the full report on the business of birdwatching here.

There’s more to having a birdbath in your backyard than just setting it out there. Birdbaths require regular maintenance in order to serve their purpose without becoming fouled with bird poop and algae. Here are some handy backyard birdbath maintenance tips.