We Are All Going to Die From Global Warming and This is Our Last Chance By Lance Winslow

Do you believe in Global Warming; if not they call you stupid? But whose really mentally challenged here? You know, it's pretty amazing that you can no longer have a meaningful discussion on Climate Change, but why is this? It's because those who believe in it have adopted it as some sort of religion. A religion to heal the planet. Now mind you I do not like pollution either, and I am all for cleaning it up.

What bothers me is the thought that we would systematically destroy human civilizations and our energy infrastructure in preparation for a Global Warming Holocaust, for if it were true, that's the last thing you would wish to do.

The Global Warming alarmist scam is nothing more than a group who borrowed an old theory and are using it to wrestle control from the large oil companies and industrial base here in the US. It has been joined by other nations who find themselves far behind the United State's economic might.

Further, of course the planet goes thru cycles, ice ages, warming periods, it's been going on some 5.5 Billion years and will continue with or without humans on the surface of the planet. Science has been hijacked and it is just disgusting, it seems this doom and gloom is Y2K all over again, cold war fear or an asteroid will hit the Earth tomorrow.

Now then, with that said, yes lets reduce pollution, that's the right thing to do, but let us do it with a sound energy policy and not thru crisis when everything costs more and change moves too fast. Remember, even if Global Warming was a reality, the worst thing you could do is tear down civilization now to prepare for the inevitable later anyway.

Please read; "Blue Planet in Green Shackles" and you will begin to see how deep this problem goes.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Blog Content Service. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net.

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Global Warming - A Phenomenon You and I Can't Afford to Ignore By Edwin Kierulf

We've been warned; global warming is a phenomenon you and I can't afford to ignore. Now it's up to us to do something about it. Former U.S. vice president Al Gore's documentary movie " An Inconvenient Truth" gives an eloquent presentation of the causes and effects of global warming.

You might think this doesn't concern you and it's not important enough to merit your attention. You might think this is not interesting because you don't understand and you haven't got a clue whether this affects you personally or not.

Well, my friend, you got another thing coming. Here's one of the many reasons why you should be concerned. Today, the ice shelves in the Arctic and Antarctic are melting at a considerable pace as a result of global warming. Sea-based ice shelves don't pose a threat to you per se, but once they melt away, this gives way for the land-based ice shelves to slide their way into the sea.

Once they do, sea levels worldwide will rise 20 feet and you, my friend, will be grossly affected if you currently live in a coastal area. As of now, many islanders in the south pacific are forced to leave their homes and relocate to New Zealand and elsewhere because of rising sea levels.

Now you might ask, "Who's the culprit?" Actually, we are. We collectively produce 70 million tons of carbon dioxide worldwide per day and these contribute immensely to a rise in temperature globally. Some of the CO2 find their way into the world's oceans and affect sea creatures by increasing the acidity level of their habitat.

The clock is ticking...this might be the last chance for us to so something about it. So what do we do? Interestingly enough, the solutions, as presented by Mr. Gore, are doable, if only we have the will to do them. And if I may add, please plant a tree.

Edwin Kierulf

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If you want to learn more about what you can do to minimize global warming, please log on to http://www.climatecrisis.net

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Time-Tested Solutions For Global Warming By Nathalie Fiset

Increased global temperature, a rise in the sea levels, extreme conditions of the weather. These are all attributed to a single factor - global warming. Global warming or greenhouse effect has been going on for centuries. For thousands of years, the earth's temperature continues to rise and it's not stopping. Although the catastrophic events are commonly linked with this global problem, scientists worldwide still have uncertainties as to the relation of global warming to these events AND if there's even a definite solution to global warming.

There are two possible solution to the effects of global warming as proposed by experts. It could be in the form of mitigation or through adaptation. Under the mitigation response, several actions are done to alleviate the effects of global warming, if not to totally eradicate it. The steps that could be undertaken in this response are to reduce the consumption of energy and to use appliances that are energy efficient; you could also look for other possible energy sources or alternatives that can be used to replace the present source of fuel. Possible ‘other' sources of energy are solar energy (with this, pollution is decreased, thus, global warming could be controlled), wind energy, hydropower, and geothermal power, to name a few. These energy sources are reusable and highly available, not to add that they are clean sources of fuel.

Another solution for global warming is the use of other sources of energy. Other possible sources of energy that can be used are nuclear energy and biofuels. These two can be used to replace fossil fuels that take a much longer time to develop. Nuclear energy, though, is still under much consideration because of its negative effects to people and to the environment. There is no contestation as to the power that nuclear energy would be able to produce that would give electrical power. But as to the safety of this source of power, there is still much debate. Biofuel, on the other hand, is safe, economical and it is easy to produce. Methane is the main biofuel that can be produced from plant and animal wastes, and this proves to be a lot more environment-friendly than burning fossil fuels.

Another step that ingenious minds have created is capturing carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) and properly storing them for future use. We have a high concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere, so to help in improving the climate, it should be controlled. And when needed, CO2 can also be used together with methane to make biogas. Aside from carbon capture, people have also set up the so-called Geoengineering where the main goal of this form of science is to study the effects and solutions in atmospheric problems.

In the adaptation response, people look for ways on reducing the effects of the problem and addressing the issues on these problems one-step at a time. In mitigation, people are bent on stopping or postponing the effects of global warming. In search for a better term, adaptation is like ‘playing it cool' for now then slowly doing some actions to lessen global warming effects. So in adaptation, they have the thought that glaciers are melting anyway even if we stop our consumption of fossil fuels now so why not go on with modern progress? All they have to concentrate on is how to ‘cope' with the effects. Both mitigation and adaptation would mean people who would join hands in fighting a common enemy.

Another way to defend ourselves from the ravages of global warming is for concerned lawmakers to create legislations that would ensure the responsible use of what's left of our fossil fuel resources. With this comes the equal responsibility of not using products or taking part in activities that would further ruin our planet's balance.

And, at the end of it all, the best person that could make a difference and help in making the solution for global warming possible would be you. You could start with yourself, and within your home, all the practices that would provide solutions to the worsening condition of planet earth, which is greenhouse effect.

Global warming solutions are not yet thoroughly proven, let alone totally administered. It is an ever-present problem. No matter what we do, it is there and there is no escaping it. And although it will take years, lots of it, before global warming will even begin to become a terrifying threat, still, it wouldn't hurt if we lift a finger now.

For more information now go to: http://www.solutionstoearthdestruction.com/Global-Solution-Warming.html http://www.solutionstoearthdestruction.com/Benefit-Of-Deforestation.html

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Global Warming Poses Serious Consequences for the Environment In The Future By Joshua Spaulding

In case you have been out of the loop, global warming is gradually becoming a serious concern to our environment and our planet as a whole. In general, global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collection in the atmosphere. As it collects and builds up, it is little by little trapping the sun’s heat and warming up the planet.

So what does this mean for the environment? It is indeed warming up, but not so much that it is considerably noticeable. However, scientists predict that at this rate the average global temperature will be 3 to 9 degrees higher by the end of the century. In result of these rising temperatures, many states in the U.S. are already showing signs of the effects with some of the worst wildfire seasons ever in 2002.

In the same year, drought caused severe dust storms in states like Montana and Colorado, and floods created millions of dollars in damage to the states of Texas, Montana and North Dakota. Because of the continuous rise in heat, many mountains have been affected by their snow totals. Since 1950, snow accumulation has declined by 60 percent in some mountains and many winter seasons have become shorter.

Outside of the U.S., global warming has caused more than 20,000 deaths in Europe just in 2003 because of extreme heat waves. What is the scariest of all facts is the decline of the Arctic’s perennial polar ice cap. At this rate, it is declining at 9 percent per decade.

Every year, scientists learn more about the direct effects of global warming on the environment and what society can do to help the cause. There is no denying the fact that global warming is a serious issue and if it continues on the path it is heading, there is much more devastation to come. Some of the consequences that are to come include melting glaciers and severe droughts causing water shortages, rising sea levels will flood the Eastern coastal seaboard and warmer sea surface levels will fuel more intense hurricanes.

Today’s unstable weather and the futures predicted weather pattern can certainly cause a major catastrophe if we as society don’t stop it today. Things as simple as using a fluorescent light bulb over an incandescent light bulb can preserve energy. By saving energy, it will eliminate a ton of carbon dioxide pollution that is released into the air.

Little by little, more information is being released to the public about global warming and people are gradually becoming more aware of the problem. There is no room to wait for tomorrow to begin saving energy because the future lies within our hands. All it takes is a little effort from everyone in the world to save the future of the planet from the horrific consequences global warming could potentially have.

Browse through hundreds of Environmental Articles including Environmental Causes and Organizations. Learn what you can do to help provide a better Environment for our Children at http://www.articlesarea.com/

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Things You Must Know To Have A Healthy Pregnancy by Sunita Biddu

Many people do not understand how to check that they are pregnant. They sit around long enough until they are too into several months of pregnancy before they get to the doctor to confirm what they have been suspecting all through out. Pregnancy is supposed to be a very exiting period, full of expectations and planning. There are sure signs that should send you to the doctor for check up. By being keen enough to your body you should be able to see the signs and start taking care of yourself in time.

Signs of pregnancy

Morning sickness is a sort of fever that causes nausea mostly during the morning hours or evening. If this condition should persist for a week, then you should visit the doctor or take a pregnancy test.

You will also have mood swings and cravings, these are almost sure to prove the pregnancy to you. Thirdly, and most profoundly, you will miss your periods. During your cycle, mostly it is 28 days; you will realize that a delay of up to fourteen days, this is the fertilization period, coupled with the above signs should prove pregnancy to you.

Pregnancy is a sacred time to the woman; it is a period when there is the development of a new human being! At this period, all care should be taken to ensure that the mother to be is well dieted, and her health checked regularly to ensure a proper development of the baby.

Pregnancy symptoms vary from woman to woman and depend on the environment that they live in. Once you realize that you are pregnant, it is very important that you get three things. One is the care of a prenatal agency or doctor.

Pre Natal Care

During pregnancy, there is so much confusion in what goes on in and around the body. These strange to the body changes are bound to create anxiety and panic if there is no proper pregnancy advice, and then it is almost certain that you will get problems during this period and during child birth.

Family and friends Support

Secondly, you will need to have a support group or person. These you can get from the many friends and family you have. Mothers and older married or people with children of their own are the best in this support group as they will offer help based on experience. Pregnancy symptoms may be hard to see and know unless, you were expecting or planning a pregnancy, but there are simple pregnancy tests that can be purchased and used in the home.

Books and Journals

Thirdly, books and pregnancy journals will help a great deal, as you read of how others managed their pregnancy symptoms, went past pregnancy and managed successful child birth. Though this is just the first part of the journey!

The Myth of the Oil Crisis by Robin M. Mills

There are some things most people today know about oil.

* Global oil output is going to plummet * Prices are going to rise forever * The transition to alternative energy will be long and painful * There will be more "oil wars" and industrial civilization may collapse * Oil and gas will cause catastrophic climate change

The problem is that these ideas are wrong. Oil "ran out" first in 1885, and perhaps another five times since then. Every time, new finds, new technologies and changes in oil use confounded the pessimists.

Oil prices above $140 per barrel seem to encourage the growing belief that we are approaching "peak oil" and that supply cannot increase any more. But what has changed since 1998 when oil cost $10 a barrel? Just that a long period of under-investment in new energy supplies collided with rapid growth in Asia (and, easily forgotten, the USA). It takes years to turn the energy super-tanker around, to develop new oil fields, even though there is plenty in the ground.

There is a real debate over how much oil the world holds. But ideas of a vast conspiracy involving some mix of OPEC, the US government and "Big Oil" to exaggerate oil reserves are fantasy. Official figures are, if anything, somewhat under-stated, and, as recent massive finds in deep water offshore Brazil show, new exploration frontiers still exist. Out-dated environmental moratoria in the USA could be lifted to yield more domestic hydrocarbons. New technologies continue to wring more out of old fields. Most importantly, "unconventional" oil sources hold many times the volumes of conventional oil - from the famous Albertan "oil sands", to fuels from natural gas, coal and plants, to "cooking" oil out of shales that hold trillions of barrels in the USA alone.

So there is no need to fight "resource wars" to "secure" oil. Invading oil-rich countries is vastly expensive and makes oil supplies less, not more, secure. The Middle East is a growing part of the world economy, not a nest of terrorists, desperate to cut off oil supplies in order to bankrupt themselves and invite vengeance. Propping up dictators in return for energy "favours' is not a valid long-term strategy either. The West, China, India and the oil exporters will gain far more from co-operating on energy, than following the mirage of "energy independence".

Should "we" invest massively to move to a renewable energy system? Well, we already are -- $100 billion in 2006 alone, and not only in the West, but in China, India, Brazil and other rising powers. It's hard to grow renewable energy any faster. Renewables are clearly a key part of powering the future, and of fighting global warming, but oil (and gas, and coal) are going to be the main sources of energy for decades to come. Capturing the carbon dioxide from fossil fuels, and storing it underground, is entirely practical and should be a major part of climate change policy. Renewable energy and hydrocarbons are not enemies -- we need to use them both.

So the "end of oil" is not imminent -- neither is the collapse of industrial civilization. Even if oil supplies started declining, we could fill the gap with improved efficiency and new energy sources. It's neither necessary nor desirable for us to go back to some "Year Zero" of pre-modern society. Oil will never "run out"; it will be replaced, probably decades hence, by something better. That is the best and most positive reply to fears about the "end of oil".

©2008 Robin M. Mills

Author Bio Robin M. Mills is an oil industry professional with a background in both geology and economics. Currently, he is Senior Evaluation Manager for Dubai Energy. Previously, he worked for Shell. Mills is a member of the International Association for Energy Economics and Association of International Petroleum Negotiators. He holds a Master's Degree in Geological Sciences from Cambridge University.

Simple Solution to Squash Global Warming By Ryan Rodgers

Global Warming has become a huge issue these days. What most people do not realize is that global warming and cooling is a cycle that the earth has gone through for millions of years. Right now, the earth is in its warming phase and us humans are accelerating that phase to a pace that the earth may not be able to cope with. In fact the earth is warming faster than it ever has in the past, due to human emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

What can we do? There are all kinds of things; creating new technology that reduces the output of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere seems to be all the hype. Using wind energy, solar panels, hybrid cars, water power, but there is a simpler, easier, low cost solution that is often overlooked, Planting Trees.

Imagine how many trees humans have removed from the Earth, or just in the US alone, over the past 2000 years, to build our cities, homes, and farms.

Now is the time to do something about it and every tree counts, here are some interesting facts and figures:

•Trees provide shade and shelter, reducing yearly heating and cooling costs by 2 billion dollars.
•In one year, a single tree can absorb as much carbon as is produced by a car driving 26,000 miles.
•In 50 years one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen.
•By cooling the air and ground around them, the shade from trees helps cool the Earth's temperature.
•One person causes about 10 tons of carbon dioxide to be emitted a year. One tree removes about 1 ton of CO2 per year. So, planting 10 trees per person will remove each that person's carbon debt for the year.

Now is the time to do your part to help curb global warming! For more information on topic, for our views on this topic, or to donate to a worthy cause, go to www.greenifynow.org For every $2 you donate, greenifynow.org will plant one tree in the US where it is needed most Our short term goal is to plant ONE MILLION trees in the US.. Imagine if all 300 million people in the US just planted one tree. The impact on the global environment would be HUGE!

•ONE MILLION trees would remove ONE MILLION tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere per year.
•Multiply that number by 300...
•Each tree planted for $2 is worth $167,000 in 50 years. Look at that ROI for the environment!

Ryan Rodgers
rrodgers@greenifynow.org
http://www.greenifynow.org

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Global Warming Charts By Ian Pennington

Global warming charts are tools that show graphs or illustrations representing the cause and rise in temperature of the environment due to global warming. You can look at it to fully understand what is happening in the world. Since global warming is a much popular phrase nowadays, connoting to the environmental threats and the frightening climate changes, using these charts will surely help people to have a bigger view of the extent of global warming. These charts aim to clearly impart the disastrous effects and the direct results of global warming. Aside from that, it will help people to see the areas in their daily lifestyle that must be changed. This is imperative as people seldom think about how their lives affect the environment.

The different global warming charts show the varying ways on how people look at the world. They are also interpreted in various ways. You can find here thermal imaging charts, pie graphs, and even diverse statistics. All the information relayed by these charts is presented in a more understandable manner so that anyone looking at them will easily grasp. You can view the different charts about global warming in different sites. Whatever you choose, one thing is for sure; you will get accurate information with regards to global warming and its effects.

More than just giving a comprehensive data about the extent of global warming and how people contribute to it, global warming charts also feed statistics. Among the vital entries stated in these include: the man-made and natural factors, climatic data, sources of greenhouse gases found in homes, global temperatures and other important details. Using these facts, you can see and analyze the best way out of this global warming problem. However, even these charts prove to be useful in informing people about the severity of global warming, all can be put into waste if one will not act on the problem. So, the best thing to do is know the things that should be done to stop global warming.

By paying attention to the information stated in all global warming charts, it is hard to deny the accumulated data that shows the impact of human technology to the environment. Warming of the climate is undeniable since it is now evident from the observations and obviously in the charts. Increase in global average air and ocean temperatures, fast melting of snow and ice and the rising sea levels. Though it sure will be difficult to totally stop global warming-causing human activities, mankind should start acting now. The final solution is to create a non-polluting and non-combustible source of power that will not affect the environment.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about global warming charts, please visit My Global Warming Impact for current articles and discussions.

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Animals Affected by Global Warming By Ian Pennington

Today, natural phenomena seem to get intensified, as manifested on the physical and chemical conditions of the earth's atmosphere. Several disturbances are not just evident to humans but to all living things and among the most significant problems ever occurred is global warming. The blame for this natural problem should only be given to people, who ruthlessly destroy the environment. The cruelty of people reaches every living thing from pole to pole as recent reports say that polar bears got stranded on small islands of ice, and most of these poor animals are dying and drowning. The animals affected by global warming are apparently innocent; ironically, they are always the first ones who suffer.

Global warming can cause habitat displacement, which is a great problem in the ecosystem. Imagine how animals affected by global warming get through such situation. These animals have spent millions of years in their respective ecosystems and then abruptly, their adaptation will shift. This is more illustrated by how ice gives way to water in the polar bear habitat. Beyond habitat displacement, experts agree that global warming results a shift in timing of many natural cyclical events in any animal's life. For example are the birds that have altered timing of long-held migratory and reproductive routines, bettering syncing up under warm climate. Some hibernating animals too are ending their slumbers earlier because of warmer spring temperatures.

Animals affected by global warming can sometimes move into new places and continue to thrive. However, parallel human population growth may mean that many land areas that are suitable for such "refugee wildlife" are already cluttered with industrial and residential developments. According to researches, when different species share the same habitat, they will respond in dissimilar ways while tearing apart the future ecological communities' millennia.

Most researches will testify the intensity of changes happening in the lives of animals affected by global warming. Thousands of struggling species suffer from extinction, in fact, as of 2003, 80% some 1,500 wildlife species sampled show signs of stress to climate change. Hence, we can possibly determine the situation of the innocent animals in 10 years or so. If the big polar bears undergo great sufferings from today's problem in global warming, what more will other smaller species feel then? The Defenders of Wildlife, an environmental movement, gathered statistics about some of the wildlife species that are hardest hit by global warming. Along with the polar bears on the list are the toads, penguins, arctic foxes, tree swallows, gray wolves, salmon, and painted turtles. Nonetheless, there is still hope if we still want to save the lives of these animals and other future victims. That is, if we will take decisive steps to reverse global warming. Let us stop razing the environment and fear God, for He will punish the destroyers at the end of time.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about global warming and animals, please visit Global Warming Impact for current articles and discussions.

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Solutions of Global Warming By Ian Pennington

The effects of global warming could be seen all around the world because on deserts, water scarcity is becoming more severe, and on tropical countries summer season are being lengthened. These things occur because the atmosphere's absorption capacity is enhanced by both natural and man-made global warming causes. Earth quakes, eruption and green house effects diminish the world balance and human activities continually add to pollution and environmental contamination. Now that we are already experiencing these unlikely effects, we should look out for the proper solutions of global warming.

The first remedy presented for global warming is the use of renewable energies such as solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy and bio-gas. The substitution of these elements to the use of oil and other fuels would greatly decrease pollution thereby lessening global warming and its effect. The use of renewable energy could lessen the accumulation of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other by-products produced during fuel burning process or combustion. The second solution of global warming lies on human being because their actions are great contributor to pollution. Humans should develop self discipline, should learn energy conservation for these could also reduce global warming.

These solutions of global warming cannot be done by one time effort because these should be carried out on a long time process. People should be used to these changes and adopt it on their daily lives because if we will just do it for several days, there will be reduction only, not solution or eradication. Today we should start the campaign to make these known to everybody so that each of us could take part on this worldwide problem. We should start these campaigns ourselves, then to our family and lastly let's extend it to our society and to the whole world. All of us should fully understand what global warming is all about, what are its signs, what are its possible solutions and what should we do now - the full understanding of the problem is also the remedy itself.

Our present world could still take back what it has lost if we will all act to preserve, protect and maintain our environment. The plants could blossom once again and animals and human beings could procreate pro-create. Starting today let's not loss in our mind the solutions of global warming so that we will always be responsible on everything that we do. We will carry the guilt always to prevent ourselves from anything that could contribute and worsen our current situation today. Once we have inculcated these in ourselves and start to implement it, no doubt our world will be a better place for their will be no threats of drought, famine and of course the issue today, global warming.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about global warming solutions, please visit Global Warming News Online for current articles and discussions.

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Alarming Global Warming Statistics By Bryan Wong

According to NASA, the hottest year on record was 2005, which matched 1998. Twice in the last ten years, we've had the hottest temperatures on average ever recorded in our planet's history. That is very likely more than just a coincidence.

In fact, the past nine years have all been among the 25 warmest years on record, a streak which is unprecedented in the historical record. For that to happen, it's likely there has to be an underlying factor, and that factor seems to be global warming.

U.S. and global annual temperatures are now around 1.0 F degrees warmer than they were in 1900. The rate of warming has accelerated over the past 30 years, increasing at a rate of three times faster than the century-scale trend. It's likely the increase in CO2 emissions has something to do with that rate increase.

According to an MIT study, there's been a 100% increase in the intensity and duration of hurricanes and tropical storms since the 1970s, most likely due to the increased amount of CO2 emissions to our atmosphere, which has increased the Earth's surface temperature, and warmer weather is believed to increase the intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes.

In fact, the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by 31% between 1800 and 2000, going from 280 parts per million to 367 parts per million. Scientists predict that carbon dioxide levels could be as high as 970 parts per million by the year 2100.

According to the National Climactic Data Centre estimates, $100 billion of damage was caused by hurricanes hitting the U.S. coast in 2005 alone. The increase in severity of the hurricanes and tropical storms is most likely due to the increase of CO2 emissions, which heats up the Earth's near-surface temperatures. In fact, the average surface temperature has increased by about 0.6 C (1.0 F) over the last 100 years. This is likely why snow cover and ice extent have decreased over the past few decades.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey predictions, Glacier National Park will have no glaciers left by the year 2030, further showing the rapidity of global warming and the impact it can have on our planet in the very near future.

According to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, 400,000 square miles of Arctic sea ice have melted, which is threatening polar bear habitats and further accelerating global warming worldwide. That amount of Arctic sea ice is approximately the size of the state of Texas, and we've lost that in just the last 30 years, further emphasizing that we need to take action now before the damage becomes too severe for our efforts to really matter.

The sea level has risen by 4?-8? (10-20 cm) over the past 100 years, which is likely due to the melting of the polar glaciers, which is likely due to the increase in the Earth's near-surface temperature, and that's being increased by the increase in CO2 emissions into Earth's atmosphere. This can lead to devastating effects for coastal communities because the sea level is rising, which means that when the sea comes in-tide, more erosion can occur, and if coastal communities are present, more damage done to them. In addition, losing the glaciers reduces the amount of usable fresh water on our planet.

It is also projected that 15-37% of all plant and animal species could be wiped out by global warming by the year 2050, which could further cause considerable damage to our planet's ecosystem.

The United States is ranked nr.1 among large nations of being a global warming polluter, contributing 25% of emissions, even though the U.S. only makes up 5% of the world's population. This provides more evidence that the U.S. Government must do more to combat global warming. In fact, six former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leaders say that the U.S. is not doing enough to fight global warming. The fact that there have been NO bills passed by the U.S. Congress to cut global warming pollution further confirms what many EPA leaders are saying.

As you can see, there is statistical evidence that proves that global warming is causing changes to our planet, and changes that will do more harm than good. Governments and individuals need to pay close attention to these statistics in order to figure out ways to reverse the disturbing trends that are now occurring. The sooner we take heed of these statistics and implement changes that address global warming, the quicker we can reverse the disturbing trends and the less damage will occur to our planet and way of life.

Bryan Wong is the owner of the global warming website http://www.geteasyinfo.com/globalwarming - A great website that shares quality Info, News and TIPS on Global Warming.

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Hurricanes: Are They Getting Worse? by Ellen Bell

Since the year 2000, it seems that tropical storms and hurricanes are occurring more frequently, and with more intensity. Are hurricane seasons getting progressively worse? There are many differing opinions within the scientific community. To form your own opinion, it’s helpful to review the number and types of storms we’ve experienced in this decade.

The first year of the new millennium saw a total of 4 tropical depressions, 7 tropical storms, and 8 hurricanes. The most significant storm of the 2000 season was Hurricane Keith, which caused numerous fatalities and was blamed for large amounts of damage in Belize, Nicaragua, and Honduras.

The 2001 season was an unusual year, with no storms actually making landfall in the United States. However, even though the eye never moved over U.S. soil, Hurricane Allison still caused widespread flooding in Houston, Texas. Hurricane Iris caused major damage in Belize when it made landfall there as a Category 4 storm. Hurricane Michelle was also a severe storm, causing numerous deaths and major damage in Jamaica, Cuba, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

During the first 21 days of September 2002, there were 8 newly formed storms, which made that month a record.

The 2003 Atlantic hurricane season was another record-breaker. Traditionally, the hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. However, in 2003, Storm Ana formed on April 20th, which launched the season early for the first time in fifty years. During 2003, there were 21 tropical cyclones, 16 of which formed into named storms and 7 of which reached hurricane status. The strongest of these was Hurricane Isabel, which formed near the Lesser Antilles and landed in South Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane. Isabel caused $3.6 billion in damage and was blamed for 51 deaths in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States.

The 2004 hurricane season was another extended year, with the season extended into December. Hurricane Otto was responsible for this extension, with the storm lasting two days into the month of December. 2004 was also noted as one of the most costly and deadly years on record, with 3,132 deaths and roughly $50 billion U.S. dollars in damage caused by hurricanes and tropical storms.

The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was noted as "most active," with 5 storms making U.S. landfall: Dennis, Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. The most catastrophic effects of the season were felt in New Orleans and neighboring areas of the Louisiana coast when a 30-foot storm surge from Hurricane Katrina caused widespread flooding and deaths.

The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season was a much less active season than 2005. Like 2001, it was an unusual year in that no hurricanes actually made U.S. landfall.

In 2007, the season was off to an early start with the formation of subtropical storm Andrea on May 9, 2007. The season also ran late that year, with tropical storm Olga developing on December 11, after the season was officially over. Overall damage was estimated at $7.5 billion U.S. dollars, and the death toll was recorded at 416. Also noteworthy is the fact that 2007 was one of four years that had more than one Category 5 storm. 2007 was also the second season on record in which more than one storm made U.S. landfall on the same day (Felix and Henrietta).

Are hurricanes and other tropical storms getting worse? Much of the U.S. public might believe so, particularly with the shock of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which made headlines for many months after the storm. In fact, to this day, New Orleans has still not fully recovered from that storm. As to whether or not tropical storms are actually becoming more frequent and more severe, we're not really sure yet. One thing we do know is that record-keeping is far more accurate today than it was some fifty years ago. Only time will tell what the pattern of hurricanes may do in coming years. In the meantime, we can learn from the past by preparing ourselves for the future.

The Bad Things That Global Warming Can Do To Your Health by Janet Martin

It is common to see news in the paper or on television about flashfloods in the country or in other parts of the world. These are all caused by changes in the weather and environment which are usually attributed to global warming. Although you may know that these phenomena are serious and can wreak havoc in the future, you may not be aware that environmental changes may actually have a direct effect on your health. While the melting of the polar caps should be a cause for alarm, you should be more concerned about the little changes in your body that global warming can bring.

Here are some health concerns linked to environmental changes:

Extreme Rashes

Due to the rise in greenhouse gases, deadlier strains of poison ivy are on the rise. As a result, the rashes expected from more lethal strains would be worse. A Duke University study found that urushiol oil, which is the one responsible for making poison ivy dangerous, when exposed to higher levels of carbon dioxide are 30% more potent than those that are exposed in prevalent CO2 levels. In fact, some experts believe that the toxicity of poison in plants like poison ivy is already higher today than decades ago.

Heatstroke

For the past few years, more and more people in the US have died from heatstroke. The people who are at a higher risk of getting heatstroke are the elderly and the very young children. One of the main reasons why temperature is high in some places in the country, particularly during summer, is that changes in climatic patterns are affecting the region's nighttime cooling. In Europe back in 2003, figures have shown that about 35,000 people were killed during heat waves.

Skin Cancer

Experts have estimated that over 1 million new cases of skin cancer will be reported in the US in 2008. In fact, this type of cancer is the most common in the country today. Although efforts in dramatically reducing the production of chlorofluourocarbons (more commonly known as CFCs) were successful, the damage has already been done in the ozone layer. As a result, more deadly ultraviolet rays are penetrating the earth.

Toxic Seafood

The rising ocean temperature is making sea-borne bacteria flourish. In the past decade, you will see a rising trend of red tide outbreaks in clams, oysters, mussels and other shellfishes that did not only affect fish, but also humans. Aside from making shellfish unfit to eat, these sedimentary organisms are also responsible for turning regular mercury into methylmercury, a more toxic form, which can be found in aquatic animals like shark, tilefish, tuna, king mackerel and swordfish.

Severe Allergic Reactions

People allergic to pollen are sneezing and coughing a lot more as the spring and summer seasons seem to be longer due to global warming. The increase in CO2 is also making plants produce bigger and more pollen. Furthermore, the greenhouse gases are also encouraging more fungi spores to grow.

What You Need To Do

The first thing you need to do is to start caring for the environment. The little things that you do in saving electricity and resources or minimizing garbage and pollution can go a long way in stopping the further deterioration of the planet.

Secondly, it would be wise for you to start protecting yourself from the harmful rays of the sun by using sunscreen every time you go outdoors during the day. Make sure that the sun block that you buy protects you from both UVA and UVB rays.

Lastly, boost your health by eating right and exercising daily. You may also perform detoxification at least once or twice a year to make sure that the toxins inside you will be safely eliminated out of your body and system. One product that can help you undergo detoxification with ease is Colpurin. For more information about Colpurin, simply click on to http://www.colpurin.com/.

Another Striking Sign of Global Warming by Mark Boardman

As the world continues to heat up the impacts are becoming more obvious. This week a huge sheet of ice has broken away from an ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic.

Giant sheets of ice measuring almost seven square miles, which is 20 square kilometres , have come adrift of the largest ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic. This is consistent with climatic warming models and as a consequence scientists warn that more could follow later this year as the summer wears on.

The ice broke away from the ice shelf on Ward Hunt Island in one of the more remote parts of northern Canada. The dislodged ice sheets have formed two floating ice islands measuring roughly 1.9 and 5.4 square miles each.

In recent decades the Arctic temperatures have risen at a greater rate than the global average which has exacerbated the problems arising in these polar regions as a result of climate change. This was the largest break of ice since the Ayles ice shelf broke away in 2005, resulting in a 25 square mile floating ice island.

The Ward Hunt shelf, measuring around 155 square miles, is one of five lying along Ellesmere island in the northern Arctic. Scientists had already identified deep fissures in the Ward Hunt shelf and as the break occurred between these two large cracks there is a fear that more could follow in the next few months before the winter freeze sets in.

At one time Ellesmere Island was home to a massive ice shelf measuring approximately 3,500 square miles. Today all that remains of that enormous ice shelf are five much smaller sheets which cover under 400 square miles in total. This is also consistent with the ever decreasing amount of sea ice to be found in the Arctic ocean.

It is believed that a strong southerly wind was the trigger for the final break off of this latest ice sheet. And as the worlds' temperatures continue to rise the ice that is there is not being reinforced during the winter months. It would likely take many years of colder temperatures to return the Arctic ice sheet to its former state, but with global temperatures continuing to rise the majority of models are predicting the possible complete disappearance of the Arctic sea ice. There are a few models which predict a possible cooling trend due to various factors including sun spot activity and the disruption of ocean currents, but these are currently in the vast minority.

Ice shelves are large platforms of thick sea ice that once floated on the surface of the oceans. This sea ice collides with the land and, combined with accumulating snow and freezing melt water, forms into a thick ice shelf over the course of thousands of years. It is only in the last 100 years or so that Ellesmere Island hasn't been completely ringed by a single massive ice shelf. It was then that the ice broke into 5 separate sheets, the largest of which was Ward Hunt.

MODERN EPOCH AIR TRADING by Michael Kerjman

Climate change, global warming, ozone depletion...

It seems these expressions are so popular and commonly used to, that even hard-parting nightclub goers hear this stuff while enjoying lovely tunes.

Avoiding sophistications of super-professional texts, some thoughts on a widely-discussed climate-change-linked carbon emission topic had been submitted to the Climate Change Minister-and context might surely be of some interest to anyone - especially, those thinking that paying more brings about better results definitely.

COMMENTS on EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME DISCUSSION PAPER by Michael Kerjman MIEAust CPEng MISMS MMVEA(USA) MBDP(UK) etc.

Had since the dawn of a planetary history all used to producing any page of a response to the Discussion Paper gradually-exhausted-natural-resources' and linked pollution's volumes integrated, an enormous amount of carbon emissions released requires obviously a sharp to the point reality-based applied engineering approach to climate-change-initiated fears round a globe intensified steadily by some influential administrators, lawyers and educators benefiting from playing English professionally while, in this case, attempting to impose a next financial burden on others predominantly.

Of climate-change-related papers and carbon-trading-scheme speculations following the produce on a topic up to date, the most impression is a total sin evil humans have been committing by ruining a planet with their activities and even their mere presence on.

However, it is not so simplistic: gravity, electro-magnetism and geo-mechanical characteristics are inextricably linked and mutually transforming each other features as solar radiation and space rays add significantly to a global reality where ozone depletion and climate change have been natural processes following the unstoppable deteriorating of the biosphere being accustomed.

Therefore, decreasing industrial gas exhaust in environment is an issue humanity-protecting rather than preventing a geo-cosmic destruction.

Therefore, a local effect of emissions cannot be tackled by paying the distant outsiders for deploying their quote on emitting into the universe somewhere.

Therefore, the more geographically distant carbon-dollar recipient(s) is (are) - the more extensive donor's exchange can originate in situ de facto.

Therefore, in a legal environment of a vogue enterprise collective responsibility, money itself substitutes neither clean-up technology nor an air quality itself.

Therefore, in any locality, nationally, a local air quality reflects foremost a local level of industrialization, local types of technological processes and local clean-up techniques whilst none can and does clean atmospheric air at any level and to any degree anywhere around the Earth.

Therefore, demanding cash for re-saleable, money-convertible atmospheric exhaust licensing is akin selling the shares for using an air, which was so far free for use even in the most feudal Dark Ages being already supposedly overcame by human rights delighted modern societies.

Therefore, a physics open object shared universally, Earth atmosphere hardly behaves utterly-predictably, which to some extent explains already misfortunes of the introduced pilot emissions trading schemes in Canada and the European Union.

Therefore, a point of following into someone's misguiding footsteps is unclear if no coherent scientific opinion regarding a climate change outcome existed: planetary cooling rather than global warming had more recently been seen as a realm of a next epoch on the Earth.

Therefore, against extremes -either warming or cooling oncoming, planetary strata are a natural protector, and shifting planetary magnetic poles indicate dramatic changes in global environment upon all the natural history known.

Therefore, an accumulated-carbon-emissions-future-efficient utilization is not a-stand-alone-complex, but a vital practical task sustaining a very existence of generations oncoming, a constituent of and a major concern for adaptation to the inevitable, which is a global climate change.

What is next?

A responsible signatory to unrealistic climate change international treaties should be prepared to a factual extortion of own national resources under umbrella of "an international emission trading scheme" if related international pacts do not collapse till 2030 naturally.

At a national level such a "trading" is a next dollar turnover around itself, stimulating inflation and tackling no environment protection problem but a playground for worldwide viciously hypothesising only the nature's decrees.

Perhaps, practically enforcing anti-smoking legislation in public places will bring about much more positive results, both financial and clean air/climate change related than an overseas-minded nonsense of an atmospheric air trading in any form at any level.

On a usual basis of "pay-as-you-go", accumulating carbon emissions for further utilization is seen to be a realistic path for the future national well-being on a way of an adaptation of natural terrestrial developments.

Declare War on Drugs in Drinking Water! by Olivia Romero

Have you read about this recently? Studies conducted by the National Geological Survey and the Environmental Protection Agency have detected drugs in drinking water. It isn't enough that we have to worry about industrial pollution fouling our water. Now, every time we pour ourselves a glass of water from our tap, we have to wonder if we're getting unwanted doses of antibiotics, anti depressants, and contraceptives.

The topic of drugs found in drinking water was raised as far back as 2000. USA Today reported on the medical community's uneasiness about the possible effects of antibiotics in drinking water. The concern was that even low levels of antibiotics could contribute to the creation of micro organisms...super bugs...that could be resistant to antibiotic treatment. The story implied that medical science might not be able to fight these super bugs, putting many lives at risk.

If you stop to think about it, it really isn't that surprising that these drugs have turned up in our drinking water. Pharmaceutical drugs make up a major component of what we take into our bodies on a regular basis. As these substances pass through our bodies, they end up in our water supplies. This water is then recycled and reused. Unfortunately, removing drugs in drinking water is currently beyond the capabilities of our municipal treatment facilities.

At the present time, because there isn't enough hard data available, we just don't know how drugs found in drinking water can effect our health. But sitting around, waiting for the results of scientific studies doesn't make sense. Its possible to take action and declare war on drugs in drinking water today! There are many quality home water filtration solutions that are specifically designed to remove the synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs) that make up these pharmaceutical drugs.

In addition to protecting you and your family from drugs in drinking water, these water filtration systems are effective at filtering out other common toxic contaminants found in most drinking water supplies. If you do a little research you can even find systems that are certified for the reduction of VOCs (volatile organic chemicals) and THMs.

You may be surprised to find out, like I did, that a quality home water filtration system is quite affordable. They are also fairly simple to install and are low maintenance.

I don't know about you, but living with even the possibility of drugs in drinking water just isn't an option.

Article authored by Olivia Romero - http://www.cleancoolwater.com - "There are many important reasons why we need clean, healthy water but there's one which has to rank as the most important of them all..."

How to Lend a Helping Hand Today â€" Three Main Ways by Nathalie Fiset

Global warming. Worldwide oil and food price hikes. Inflation. Water shortage. Severe climate changes. Increased poverty. These are just some of the problems our world is facing today. Indeed, with all the global economic, political, social and environmental crises, life has become harder than ever, and more and more people are struggling just to survive, which is also why there has never been a better time to stretch out a helping hand.

Why Help?

Of course, you might be asking yourself: Why should I consider helping others? After all, you, too, might be going through some tough times. Still, there are several reasons why many people go on helping others, and why you, too, might want to consider lending a helping hand.

For one, helping others can allow you to make new acquaintances, possibly even new friends who might also be able to help you out someday when it’s your turn to be in need. Even if they won’t be able to repay you, you’re bound to be rewarded in one way or another as you go along. After all, what goes around comes around, or so the Karmic law states.

Helping others enables you to share your good fortune with others, too, so you won’t be seen as greedy and so you can make good use of your resources.

Most importantly, helping others can leave you with a feeling of peace and fulfillment, even happiness, just by knowing that you’ve made at least one more person’s life a bit better. For those who keep on helping others, this is the greatest reward of all.

Donate in Kind

Next, you might ask yourself: But how do I lend a helping hand? There are, of course, many ways in order to help others. However, there are three main ways of helping.

The first main way you can help is by making donations in kind or in property. This simply means giving away the things you don’t need to other people who need them or can make better use of them. For example, you can give away your old clothes to the homeless shelter instead of piling them up at the back of your closet, or give away the children’s books and toys which your kids have outgrown to your local orphanage. You can even just simply give the excess food you have to a less fortunate neighbor, which is better than dumping it in the trash bin.

Put Your Money Where it Matters

If you don’t have old stuff to give away, you can also just help by making donations in cash. In fact, this may even be easier for you since most charitable organizations accept cash. As a bonus, it’s easier to get a tax deduction for cash donations, too, compared to property donations which usually require either a personal or professional assessment of the value of the property.

You don’t have to donate a huge amount of cash to lend a helping hand, either. Rather, any amount you give can go a long way in helping others.

Share Your Time and Skills

The third main way of helping others is by sharing your skills and your free time, particularly by being a volunteer. This can be the most fulfilling way of helping others, too, since you are truly sharing a part of yourself, instead of just what you have.

It isn’t hard to be a volunteer, either. In fact, it is simply a matter of looking for the perfect volunteer opportunity by considering what skills you have, the amount of time you can spare, and most importantly, your passion. For example, if you like children, you can volunteer at your local orphanage, or if you’re good at dealing with elderly people, you can help out at a nearby nursing home.

Of course, you can simply volunteer around your neighborhood, like doing the gardening for an elderly couple or walking the dog for a sick neighbor.

Every Little Act Helps

Indeed, no act of helping is too great or too small. It doesn’t even matter how many people you help or who you’re helping. What is important is that you do help others and hopefully, they, in turn, will be inspired to help other people, too, so that the world can still be a nice place to live in no matter how tough times get.

Plastic Pollution And The Plight Of The Planet by Marlene Affeld

By negligently discarding plastic, especially plastic water bottles, fishing gear and plastic bags, people are unknowingly causing the deaths of millions of mammals, fish, birds and reptiles every year. We defile the face of the earth with plastic refuse. Since the invention of plastic earlier this century, it has become a popular material used in a wide variety of unique and innovative applications. Plastic is used to make, or wrap around, many of the items we buy or use. The problem comes when we no longer want these items and how we dispose of them, particularly the throwaway plastic material used in wrapping or packaging. Plastic is handy, lightweight and easily discarded. Too easily discarded. Plastics are not themselves the problem. They are useful materials which can be produced with relatively little damage to the environment. The problem is the excessive use of plastics in one-time applications together with careless disposal. Take a look around you. Plastic bags can readily be seen hanging from the branches of trees, flying about on windy days, settled amongst grasses and floating on streams. They clog up drains causing water and sewage to overflow and become the breeding grounds of germs and bacteria that spread disease. Plastics are utilized because they are easy and inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable. Unfortunately these same useful qualities make plastic an overwhelming pollution problem. Inferior quality and low cost means plastic is readily discarded. Plastics take around 300 years to photo degrade. Plastics long life assures it survival in the environment for extended periods where it can do great harm. Because plastic does not easily decompose and requires high energy ultra-violet light to break down, the volume of plastic waste in the world's oceans is steadily increasing. Plastic is now found in virtually all the oceans and rivers of the world, even the most remote and once pristine. American oceanographer Charles Moore says the amount of plastic pollution in the worlds oceans is so extensive it's beyond cleaning up. A toxic plastic 'graveyard' double the size of Texas swirls in the waters of the Pacific between San Francisco and Hawaii. There his crew found that the water contained over 40 parts of plastic for every part plankton, with a fivefold increase in the amount of plastic between 1997 and 2007. Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. That is an unconscionable amount of waste, so much that more than one million bags are used every minute and their impact on the planet is devastating. Plastic bags are only part of the problem. America alone, yearly produces in excess of 800,000 tons of plastic bottle pollution. World-wide our precious planet is defaced and poisoned with more than 100 million tons of plastic pollution annually. According to the California Costal Commission, over 80% of refuse within waterways, most of it being plastic, originates on land rather than coming from boats. Plastic affects marine wildlife in deadly ways: entangling creatures and by being consumed. Turtles are particularly devastated by plastic pollution. All seven of the world's turtle species are already endangered or threatened for a multitude of reasons. Turtles become entangled in plastic fishing nets, and many sea turtles have been found dead with plastic garbage bags in their stomachs. Studies indicate turtles mistake these floating semi-transparent bags for jellyfish and eat them. The turtles die an inhumane death from choking or from being unable to eat. A dead turtle found off the coast Hawaii was found to have more than 1000 pieces of plastic in its stomach including part of a comb, a toy truck wheel and lank of nylon rope. There is great environmental concern about the effect of plastic trash on all marine mammals. These elegant creatures are already under threat for a variety of other reasons: e.g. seal and whale populations have been decimated by unregulated hunting. A recent study concluded that in excess of 100,000 marine mammals die needlessly each year from the deadly effects of plastic pollution. World-wide over 100 bird species are known to ingest plastic particles. This includes 36 species found off the coast of South Africa. A recent study of blue petrel hatchlings at South Africa's remote Marion Island showed that 90% of the chicks examined had plastic in their digestive systems, apparently fed to them accidentally by their parents. South African seabirds are among the worst affected in the world. Plastics remain in the bird's stomachs, impeding digestion and causing starvation. Scientific studies are not conclusive about how much plastic birds and fish are consuming, however scientist agree that plastic in seafood is likely to be harmful for people. Plastic is compared with better understood toxic materials such as mercury. Plastic acts like a sponge when in contact with poisons such as PCBs, concentrating them at levels that are millions of time more than in seawater. The ingredients in plastic have been linked to cancer and reproductive abnormalities. Bisphenol A, found in plastic water bottles, has been shown to produce cancer in lab rats, to disrupt hormone levels and is associated with diabetes and obesity. Scientists also voice concerns that the massive swirls of floating plastic could contribute to global warming by creating a dense shade canopy that makes it difficult for plankton to grow. Let's look at a few different ways where "Together We Can Make A Difference". The crisis of plastic pollution demands urgent study and action. Businesses should be encouraged to reduce the amount of plastic used in packaging and to re-cycle. Plastic wrapping and bags should be required to carry a warning label advising of the dangers of plastic pollution and shoppers should be encouraged to use eco-friendly shopping bags of organic, natural materials or recycled plastic fibers. Tell this to our law makers. The situation only continues to worsen. We must act now! When a tax levy was imposed on plastic bags in Ireland, usage dropped by 90 percent. Several other countries have already banned the use of plastic bags with significant impact. America must follow their example. Support re-cycling programs and promote environmental awareness in your local community. Be pro-active in asking governments to make changes and consumers to re-think their attitudes. Purchase products requiring less plastic packaging and inform store management why you are doing so. We can speak with a loud voice when we speak with our "dollars". Choose to drink tap or carbon filtered water from a glass lined reusable container. If you do purchase plastic bottled, dispose to the container properly. Recycle. With the increase in environmental awareness, it has become obvious that there is more that we can do to create a sustainable society. If everyone of us would take a few tiny steps, make a few different choices and consciously consider our impact on the planet, there might be a way to restore the world to its original beauty and resources.

Creating An Intimate Relationship The Earth by Bart Sharp

The most powerful living being in this reality is the earth. Its potency is so immense and an integral part of our lives that most forget about its relevance in our lives. The philosophies of our western cultures for most part take its presence for granted. It is their loss as they miss the wonderful secrets that the earth has to offer. Although its powers are often subtle the earth’s energetic source has capacities of unimaginable proportions.

There are activities that you can do to facilitate the earth’s presence into your life. An easy technique is pulling energy from the earth into your body. Visualize a place in the earth. I like to use the core center of the earth or the earth that is directly under my feet. I imagine immense amounts of energy coming from that place up through the earth and into my body. If I am sitting it comes up through my coccyx or perineum. Where I focus my attention the energy goes there. A favorite place for me is to fill my second chakra with the earth’s energy. This connects to the functions of sexual energy and personal power. I allow it to fill that area to maximum intensity then I move onto other areas of my body. It always feels wonderful to fill my body completely with the earth.

One may ask, “How can our bodies do such a thing as ‘pull energy’ from the earth?” Our bodies are amazing instruments that do a lot of things that we are not currently accessing. The body is a catalyst of energetic transformation, where we put our consciousness we can change it. Therefore we can put our attention into the earth and we then begin to receive its expanded being. Of course most people’s attention is connected to the worry, sadness, stress and/or anger so they bring that into their body instead of something cool like our planet.

The earth is a good place to let go of your anger or sadness into the ground. That kind of emotional energy is like a fertilizer for the earth, it can easily transform into its own kind of power. All you have to do sit or lay on the earth and relax into your self. Then begin to relive the story of what happen that made you angry. What you are wishing to obtain is the visceral intensity of the body memory of your anger. The purpose of reliving the story is to stimulate that, once you feel the anger in you stop re-traumatizing yourself with the past experience and remain focused on the body’s feelings. When you perceive that you are in touch with the physical experience of the suppressed anger imagine the energy releasing out of you and into the earth.

My release usually feels like a stream of emotions that pour out of me. It usually takes a minute or a few for it all to release. But for some deep emotional pains I have spent a few hours releasing. Afterwards I generally feel a huge weight released that allows something more infinite to come into my life.

Cultures across the globe have found ways to emulate the earth’s energy so that they can live in a connection to its consciousness. One technique that I find interesting is the low guttural chants of the Tibetan Monks. According to Greg Braden the purpose of the extreme bass chanting is to create harmony through out earth. If you allow the chant to be felt beyond your ears and actually feel it resonate in your body you will feel a soothing frequency. It is a basic vibration of the earth, as the planet seems to have many. Once you identify the vibration in your body you can duplicate it any time you wish. You will not need the monks to stimulate you. What I have found is that practicing the vibration can create more inner presence, a better connection to the earth and release emotional distress. One of the easiest ways to learn how to connect to the earth’s presence is through trees. Trees seem to link up with humans easier especially trees that are grown through nature (as opposed to a nursery) but have lived in the presence of people. My favorite place to commune with trees is at a local greenbelt that is wild yet has a daily influx of hikers.

What I do is simple: I relax, lean against the tree and then ask my body to perceive the energy of the tree. I might even ask, “Body, will you connect to the energy of this tree” or “Hey, what’s up?” Then I sit quietly in an inward state of being. What I generally feel is an energetic change in my body. My body is empathing the energy of the tree. It basically feels much slower and more relaxed than my body (although small plants have a faster vibration). As I experience different varieties, sizes and shapes of trees I find that they are all different. Even the same species vary. As I have become more skilled the trees tell me simple messages about their lives.

What I have learned about me through these interactions is my body is a sensory organ. It can pick up and interpret the energy of almost any living thing or being. Communication with trees opened me up to that possibility. Trees are less defensive than any other living being. Their openness makes them a good starter to developing psychic abilities. Once I learned about the energy of trees the energy of people became easier to read into.

One of the important lessons that I have learned from the earth is that people and the earth have a symbiotic relationship. As we evolve, or devolve, the earth changes to our energy. What I have learned from that is to keep growing and facilitating others to transform. As we do that our vibrational patterns move to greater ease and joy.

The best way that I create changes is by always looking at my own emotional blockages. It is basic stuff that most do not address such as: looking at my suppressed anger, the traumas of my life, guilt and finding ways to let them go. What begins to show up in my life is more happiness and a natural progression to communion with the earth’s presence. Of course, I am in nature regularly to remind me of its greatness. Now it feels like it is never far away no matter where I am located.

How to Travel Carbon Light - 3 Steps to Lowering Your Travel Carbon Emissions by John Spillman

We should all be concerned with Global Warming and each do what we can to reduce the amount of CO2 released into our atmosphere. There are three steps you can use to lower your impact while traveling; using carbon offsets for travel to your destination, choosing carbon light accommodations, and paying attention to how you move about your destination.

Air Travel Carbon Offsets

It is difficult to get around the emissions that the airplane produces while shuttling you to your destination. Currently the best option is for you to purchase a carbon offset. There are numerous non profit organizations that use the money from your carbon offset donation to aid in the development of sustainable energy sources such as wind power or solar electric generation. Other carbon offset programs plant trees to soak up the carbon produced during your flight. Carbon offsets are not that expensive either. A carbon offset calculated on Carbonfund.org for a roundtrip flight from San Francisco to Paris would be only $11. Of course carbon offset can also be used for any travel mode that produces carbon emission be it by car, train, or ship.

Accommodation

A potentially less polluting lodging option to consider is a vacation apartment or home. When you stay in a vacation rental you are in control of the energy use - just as you are in your own home. Hotels use a tremendous amount of energy for heat, air conditioning, daily linen changes, and all the other services they offer. Your vacation rental will not be consuming huge amounts of electricity 24/7 365 days a year as the hotel does. You can conscientiously limit the amount energy you use by turning off the heating or Air conditioning while you are out visiting the sights. You can use the linens and towels just as you do at home.

Of course we all love to eat out and enjoy the cuisine of the region we are visiting but restaurants also use and waste large amounts of energy contributing to CO2 emissions due to climate control and keeping the kitchen and dining area ON constantly. With a vacation rental you do not have to eat all of your meals in restaurants, with your own kitchen available you can fix some of your meals further lowering your energy use and carbon load. Buying local produce at farmers markets will even further reduce your carbon footprint. Locally grown produce produces much less greenhouse gases due to shorter transportation distances.

Renting a vacation rental in a foreign land is not difficult as you might think. One can find excellent online reservation sites to book directly with the owners such as slowtrav.com or greatrentals.com. If you would like a little more help there are numerous agencies that know the properties well and can assist you in finding the best rental for your needs.

Destination Transportation

While visiting your destination of course the cleanest way to get around will be to walk, bike, take the bus, street tram, or use the metro trains in the cities. In larger European cities such as Paris or Berlin you can take advantage of the street bike rental programs. Bikes are parked throughout the city ready to ride with the swipe of a credit card. Bike to your destination and simply lock the bike up and you are on your way. Not only will you be doing the planet a favor but you gain the potential for discovering a unique sight or connecting with the locals when you are not trapped inside a car or taxi. If your accommodations are not located near public transportation and you must rent a car you can minimize the carbon emissions by requesting a Diesel vehicle. In certain destinations you can even rent Hybrid vehicles which of course reduce the carbon footprint even further.

We can all make a difference to help clean our air and reduce global warming emissions by the choices we make when we spend our money. We hope you find these ideas helpful for planning your next trip so that you can travel carbon light.

Self service bike rentals:

Paris http://www.velib.fr Berlin http://www.callabike-interaktiv.de/kundenbuchung/ Barcelonahttp://www.bicing.com

Carbon Offset programs:

Green Tagshttp://www.greentagsusa.org TerraPasshttp://www.terrapass.com GoZero http://www.conservationfund.org/gozero Climate Carehttp://www.climatecare.org/ Treeflights http://www.treeflights.com/ Carbon Footprinthttp://www.carbonfootprint.com/

Vacation Rentals:

Slow Travelhttp://www.slowtrav.com Great Rentalshttp://www.greatrentals.com

World Variations in Green Home Building

Every day, it seems like citizens and governments all over the world are becoming increasingly aware of the need to conserve. And while America is focusing more on the environment than it used to (with its newly popular green home building initiatives in particular), the U.S. is still behind the times when it comes to conservation. Europe in particular has been leading the way in green home building and especially in energy conservation for many years.

Energy Conservation in Europe

Europe is at the forefront of the green movement, including green home design... and with good reason. Because on the continent, gasoline, natural gases, and energy costs significantly more than it does in America, and it has been that way for many years. Because of this, both individual Europeans and European governments are much more energy conscious than Americans. This is seen in European culture in a lot of ways.

A big thing that separates Europe from the U.S. in energy conservation is a massive network of railroads and other forms of public transport. In addition to mass transit in essentially every major European city, the continent also boasts a well utilized long distance passenger rail service. And even though there are plenty of individually owned vehicles in European countries, most cities in Europe boast a higher percentage of mass transit users (and bicycle riders) than the United States.

European energy consciousness is also visible in the way Europeans build their homes. In Europe (especially in larger cities), they use green home building in a very practical, widespread, and simplistic way. Most people residing in a large European city live in a much smaller space than the average U.S. home. In addition, most European houses, apartments, and businesses use simple green home building ideas to keep their spaces cool in summer instead of the air conditioning so common in the U.S. These include roll down screens, patio shading, double windows, and more.Green Home Building in America

To sum it up: in Europe, the people have been conscious of the need to switch off the lights when they are not using them for decades... because they needed to save money. In the U.S., people are just getting used to not seeing energy as something that will always be inexpensive and easily available, and are slowly developing a better instinct for conservation. This changing mindset is evidenced by the increasing popularity of green home building.

The green home building concepts being used in America revolve around simple ideas, such as less square footage, improved insulation, and smarter positioning to the sun, as well as the use of alternative energy sources like solar paneling. Green home building also incorporates more complex concepts, such as the use of sustainable materials and less harmful products, to protect the environment and conserve energy in the long run. America is a little behind, but with luck will start catching up to the standard set by Europe.

For more concerning green home building, see http://www.GreenHomeGuide.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Al_Zan

IFC Focus On Philippines, Papua New Guinea And Indonesia

The IFC is expanding its role in sustainable development of mining in Asia and this year is focusing on South East Asia, particularly Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Indonesia.

IFC senior investment officer Karsten Fuelster, based in Jakarta, says each of these countries has significant mining prospects but they also face challenges such as developing regulatory frameworks and evolving social and environmental standards.

IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and its role is to finance private sector projects in developing countries. It acts as a partner to achieve international standards in corporate governance and environmental and social practices. Its objective is poverty alleviation through private sector investments.

Karsten Fuelster says: "We are looking at investment opportunities where our global environmental and social expertise can help mining companies implement projects in challenging environments and where we can act as a catalyst in raising project funding."

IFC finances advanced mining exploration as well as mine construction and operation through a variety of financial products ranging from equity, mezzanine, subordinated to senior debt. IFC also invests in mining services, mine expansion and provides corporate funding. Increasingly, it is looking to make equity investments in junior companies during the early stages of project development. In these cases, IFC typically supports the completion of feasibility studies and assists in setting-up community development programs that help to secure a "social licence to operate" among local people.

As an example of the IFC's focus on sustainable mining through early equity investments, Karsten Fuelster says: "We have recently invested in Far East Energy Corporation, a coal bed methane exploration project in China, promoting cleaner energy technology in a country that seeks to produce energy in ever cleaner ways."

A sustainable approach to mining is no longer an altruistic endeavour - it is a business imperative. IFC points out that mining companies are guests in remote impoverished areas, often for 20-40 years. To ensure long-term success, mining operations must be strategic, transparent and equipped with qualified human resources to address the challenge of making mining sustainable in the long-term.

IFC has developed performance standards for corporations covering social and environment assessment and management systems. Effective local stakeholder management happens by design and many problems are avoidable with good planning, starting as early as during the exploration stage. Karsten Fuelster explains: "The earlier we engage with companies the more we can support their project development and assist in addressing environmental and social issues."

As of June 2006, IFC's investment portfolio in all industry sectors in East Asia and the Pacific stood at US$3253 million, with almost US$1500 million in China, US$606 million in Indonesia, US$407 million in the Philippines, US$20 in Thailand, and US$104 million in Vietnam.
"We are looking selectively at investment opportunities throughout Asia and are currently talking to a number of potential clients. With IFC's financial, technical, environmental and social in-house expertise, we offer an attractive value proposition to clients," Karsten Fuelster says.

Yolanda Torrisi - Managing Editor and Director of The ASIA Miner, the international online mining magazine and Mining News service for Mining Asia.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yolanda_Torrisi

New Technology Offers Clean Environements for Commercial Buildings

ith the current climate of energy efficiency so high up on everyone's agenda, from both consumer and commercial points of view, a new report makes for surprising reading. According to Robert Chiste, CEO of New Jersey-based clean technology company Comverge, businesses are once again guilty of losing focus on energy saving methods. What makes this even more surprising is that thanks to the new technology that's available today, a clean and energy efficient workspace has never been easier to achieve.

Of course, the other benefit of having clean technology is that apart from the costs it will save your company, it also cuts down the effect of both air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. With this in mind, these are just some of the ways you can use clean energy and save on your business energy costs at the same time:

Fuel Cell Technology
One of the newest advances, fuel cells generate clean energy by combining a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen, which in turn produces electricity. Because they emit no air whatsoever, they're highly efficient as well as reliable, and can make a difference of 33% in your overall energy costs.

Silicon Wafer PV Solar Cells
Although they can sometimes be less popular due to the high cost of crystalline silicon, newer materials such as amorphous silicon has seen this form of energy saving increase its usage again. However, for maximum benefit, silicon wafer PV solar cells are still best used for powering anything that uses under 50 watts.

Tankless Electric Water Heaters
Ideal for residential as well as commercial buildings, tankless electric water heaters offers one of the best energy management systems available today. Not only are they fairly inexpensive at around $700-800, but they are also rated 98% efficient at saving energy. They also don't require ventilation, due to them being electric, so once more they're being far more environmentally conscious.

LED Lighting
One of the key factors in any area of energy management is lighting. After all, regardless if it's a one-bedroom home or a large hundred-acre stretch of land full of commercial buildings, you're going to need light in your everyday comings and goings. By switching to LED lights, your efficiency rating will skyrocket. For example, a normal 45-watt bulb will use 21,681 kWh per year. Compare that to an LED light bulb, which only needs 2.75 watts to emit the same light, and you can see the difference immediately. If you want to take it an extra step when it comes to your energy costs, by installing solar- powered LED lights, you can save just under $30 per year, per bulb.

Structural Soy-based Insulation
Made from renewable soybeans, this new method of insulation can grow to at least 100 times its size, to ensure that every shell is completely sealed on walls, windows and doors. Its green credentials include zero damage to the ozone, due to its non-CFC use, and it can make as much as 50% savings on your utility bills. This is achieved by lowering the size requirements of HVAC units, should you be thinking of using them as well.

From energy savings to clean technology, these new methods of cutting down on waste are finding themselves more in demand every day. With the difference they make to commercial buildings and their business energy costs, it's not too much of a surprise.

About the Author

Danny Brown is the owner and Managing Director of Press Release PR, providing search engine optimized press releases and SEO-friendly web content for the commercial and consumer market. With a BA in English and a Certified Associate of Marketing degree, Danny now resides in Canada, where Press Release PR continues to draw plaudits and clients alike.

What is the Outlook for the Availability of Fossil Fuels?

I think this article is comparable to the people who slow down on the highway to look at an automobile accident. You are not involved in the accident, yet you surely are curious about what is happening. At the present time we can sense the presence of a disaster, but we do not have enough information to feel that we can get involved. My push to adopt renewable energies is based on our continued polluting of the environment with the burning of fossil fuels. We know that we must slow down this pollution so that our quality of life will not be severely degraded. There is another piece of information needed to prod us into action, and that is how long do we have before we run out of fossil fuels? As a current member of the earth, I am concerned that we leave future generation's sufficient energy to bridge the gap from fossil to renewable fuels. This, to me, is looking at the car wreck. How long do we have until we are the ones involved in the wreck?

The majority of Americans now think that climate change is a problem and that global warming is real. But there still is not a sense of urgency. Every year the US emits CO2 that equals the equivalent weight of 1.2 billion elephants (2 trillion pounds using average size elephants). It is time to stop ignoring 1.2 billion elephants in the room. It is time to implement a plan that will adopt renewable energies at a pace to stabilize the environment from CO2 pollution and then, hopefully, start to reduce the amount of pollution we must derive this plan with an eye to how long our reserves of fossil fuels will last. Once we derive this plan we then can look at future generations and inform them "Here is the plan".

The development of modern civilization has been dependent on both the availability and the advancement of energy. We have witnessed a progression from animal and steam power to the internal combustion engine and electricity generation and to the harnessing of alternative sources of energy. Because of our reliance on energy sources, it is also important to understand the impact of energy use on the environment. All aspects of energy, the way it is produced, distributed, and consumed, can affect local, regional, and global environments through land use and degradation, air pollution and global climate change via greenhouse gas emissions. Over the foreseeable future, it is very likely that fossil fuels will remain our largest source of energy. However, fossil fuels are finite resources and there is concern not only about both domestic supply and U.S. reliance on foreign supplies but, also, with the increasing cost of these fuels.

The research on the longevity of fossil fuels is an exciting adventure in itself. I will touch on some of the theories before I conclude this series of articles. Given the slack of a decade or two, the best summation of the longevity of fossil fuels is presented in "Wikipedia, Fossil fuel: Years of production left in the ground with the most optimistic reserve estimates (Oil & Gas Journal, World Oil)".

Oil: = 45 years Gas: = 72 years Coal: = 252 years

With the slack of plus or minus 10 years, most projections are consistent with the Wikipedia numbers. . The popular Hubert peak theory projects that for any given geographical area, from an individual oil-producing region to the planet as a whole, the rate of petroleum oil production tend to follow a bell-shaped curve. "Olduvai revisited 2008" from The Oil Drum blog is an amazing study. This theory was first laid out by Richard Duncan in1989 when he observed that world energy per capita had been declining for a decade. The Olduvai waveform for oil starts in 1950 which is consistent with the Wikipedia projections that the waveform will be completed by 2053.

The energy consumption of a nation is proportional to its Gross National Product (GNP).i.e. (The higher the GNP of a nation, then the higher its consumption.).To maintain our accustomed standard of living, we require the amount of energy that we are burning now to maintain our lifestyles. With the depletion of fossil fuels this will require renewable fuels to fill in the gap.

How do we hammer this information into a plan? A roadmap needs to be derived that utilizes the adoption of solar, wind, geothermal and biomass energies into our energy consumptions needs. Technologies such as stuffing CO2 into caves should not be adopted until they are proven. A plan that incorporates renewable energies with fossils fuels usage would be more realistic for our country to follow.

How do we proceed?

We must continue tax incentives for the renewable energy sectors to incubate their growth. Our House of Representatives in Congress has passed a bill to renew the energy tax incentives that are due to expire December 31, 2008. President Bush threatens to veto this bill because it taxes the Oil Industry $19 billion dollars from multi-billion dollar profits. The president's premise is that the oil companies require these profits to continue exploration of new oil. Politics aside, we desperately need to find new sources of renewable energy.

We need to demand that our local and national leaders produce renewable energy action plans. There are pockets of leadership like Arizona and California. This leadership needs to be at a national level to be successful for the USA. Once this is accomplished we will be well on our way for future generations.

About the Author

have a BS and MS in Metallurgical Engineering. Thirty six years spent in the development of semiconductors. Business experience in start up business plan. Currently, an oyster farmer and interested in helping the environment by deploying solar energy. Visit my Blog, http://environmentalhelp.typepad.com/ for continued information on renewable energy E Mail: p_calhoun@bellsouth.net

Energy Wise Home Improvements

If you're a homeowner, you're well aware than energy costs are on the rise. Your home improvement plans should include ways to incorporate cosmetic improvements and energy efficient changes. Investing a few dollars today can quickly pay off with savings on your monthly utility costs and your mortgage.

It takes money to make money, and your energy saving home improvements will require a certain amount of cash outlay. If you don't have a large budget on hand, there are options available.

If you are making plans to renew or refinance your mortgage, talk to your bank about borrowing a little extra to invest in making your home more energy wise. These improvements will immediately lower your monthly energy bills, and the interest on your home equity loan and mortgage may be tax deductible.

Energy Efficient Mortgages

An energy efficient mortgage is another good option to consider. Think about your car, and the real costs like maintenance and operating expenses that come with it. The same holds true for a home. Utility costs are always going up, so you'll need to factor this into your estimated costs of home ownership. An Energy Efficient Mortgage, or E. E. M., can increase your comfort and save you money whether you are buying, selling, refinancing or remodeling your home.

This type of plan is available with most home mortgages and can provide special benefits to borrowers who are either buying energy efficient homes or installing energy efficient improvements. When you utility bills are lower, you'll have more money in your pocket at the end of each month. Then, you are free to allocate a larger portion of your income to housing expenses.

There are many benefits to financing your energy efficient home improvements through an EEM:

* Qualifying for a larger loan amount allows you to purchase a better, more energy efficient home.

* Your cost-effective energy saving measures may factor in to your mortgage.

* Improving and updating older homes can make them more comfortable and efficient

* Stretch your debt-to-income qualifying ratio with a loan for energy-efficient homes.

* This type of plan can increase your overall buying power.

Other Financing Options

Some utility providers and energy-efficient businesses offer loans and incentives to homeowners. As a property owner, you can use these incentives for projects like new heating and air conditioning systems, insulation, windows and other energy efficiency improvements. You might also find a range of improvements offered by utility companies to help you enjoy greater efficiency. In the United States, the Edison Electric Institute (E. E. I.) provides a list of member company programs that offer energy efficient services to businesses, homeowners and industrial plants.

Many more energy efficient services and ideas are available online. Try searching for information on the National Energy Affordability and Accessibility Project (N. E. A. P. P) site.

If you're thinking of renovating, make energy efficient home improvements your first priority. Your monthly savings will quickly make up for the initial building costs, and you'll be helping to preserve our priceless energy resources.

About the Author

Author Tobias Reibber is a writer for a variety of web magazines, on family matter and home repair topics.

Panama Vs Costa Rica: Deforestation - Reforestation The Role You Can Play and How You Can Benefit

Deforestation in Indonesia:
In an article in Newsday, Edward A. Gargan, says that in Bangsri, Indonesia has the last great teakwood forest. The wood ends up in places like Abdul Jambari's garden furniture workshop. For about $100, Jambari's chair will sit on a patio or deck somewhere in the United States or Europe. But that chair and the 4,000 others that are part of Jambari's latest export shipment, have left behind a swath of utter devastation, one of thousands that afflict this archipelago and spell the end of the majestic forests that once blanketed Indonesia. Their disappearance also means the extinction of innumerable animal and plant species indigenous to this country. One-tenth of the tropical forests are located in Indonesia. In an unpublished report, the World Bank found that all the lowland forests in one of Indonesia's largest islands, Sumatra, will be extinct this decade, and that unless the government acts immediately to stop rampant illegal logging, "the only extensive forests that will remain in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Selawesi in the second decade of the new millennium will be the low-stature forests of the mountains."

Deforestation in Costa Rica:

In Costa Rica, people have denuded the forests to provide pastureland for cattle ranching. Pristine forests fell to make way for a world-wide demand for beef. Since the end of World War II, approximately 80% of the forests of Costa Rica have disappeared. Many people considered bananas or coffee, or even sugar cane, as the prime exports of Costa Rica. Sadly, the fact became apparent that top soil, the very life source to Costa Rica's agriculture, was becoming the prime export. Down from the denuded hills into the streams and out to the oceans, top soil was disappearing from the land mass, year after year. The deforestation of tropical rain forests is a threat to life worldwide. Deforestation has profound effects on global climate and causes the extinction of thousands of species annually. Stopping deforestation in the tropics has become an international movement and has promoted the search for ways to reverse its effects.

Reforestation in Central America:

The Costa Rican government, in a typically pragmatic approach to the problem, has offered excellent incentives for those interested parties who wish to assist in the reversal of the denuding of the country. The Forestry Law of Costa Rica, Article #70, recognizes Investor Status, for the development of reforestation projects, to any person who invests a minimum amount of US$100,000.00 to apply for "Permanent Resident Investor Status" in Costa Rica.

The individual must be present in Costa Rica for a minimum of one day each year to have their 'Cedula' (ID card) stamped, but the investor has the right to live and work in Costa Rica. The spouse and any children under the age of 18 have the right to live in Costa Rica (as well as children under age 25 if full time students and living with cedula holder). In addition it is granting tax free returns of dividends.

The Republic of Panama offers similar migratory status for investors of reforestation in that country.

It is a real win-win situation. The hills that covered with forests today were bare 10 years ago. Now they are green again growing a profit-crop for everybody.

Why Not Teak

Despite all of the above positive facts Teak reforestation continues to suffer a bad reputation in certain un-informed circles. The bad reputation can be traced to the early and mid 1970's when promoters were projecting unrealistic growth projections coupled with unrealistic prices. In an article of Dr. Raymond Keogh in Teak he says: "Growth rates which exceed an average of twenty cubic meters per hectare per year in twenty years are unlikely to be encountered". But Teak has been particularly favored as the type of tree to use in plantations for various reasons: it grows fast; it has a worldwide reputation as a species, and few if any natural enemies. Teak does not support combustion (won't burn) and there is rapid growth in demand and price.

Costa Rica has a number of conditions that lend itself to the growing of teak such as the perfect climate with a pronounced dry season and a reliable rainy season which are both required for the growth of ideal teak, an excellent labor force, excellent Forestry Engineers who are all Government qualified, stable Government which ensures the viability of the growth. The perfect plantation sites for teak reforestation are found on those soils worn out by overgrazing cattle. Land and soil which has suffered many years of constant use and possible abuse and can no longer support a walking crop lends itself perfectly to site preparation for long term teak growing. No longer can a person consider the merits of 100 year old teak versus plantation teak. Doing so would be a case of comparing the unobtainable to the available.

Intensification of teak plantations

The rotation of new high-intensity teak plantations is generally between 20 and 25 years (Torres, 1999; Ugalde Arias and Pérez Cordero, 1999), which is three to four times shorter than for older low-intensity plantations. The expected mean annual increment (MAI) is more than 10 m3 per hectare per year (as compared with 3 to 8 m3 per hectare per year in low-intensity plantations on good sites) (Subramanian et al., 1999; Maitre, 1983). With intensive management, there is growing concern about the adverse effects of short-rotation monoculture, particularly on the environmental and productive sustainability of successive rotations with high nutrient uptake. The decline in productivity during the second rotation was already an important concern many decades ago (Blanford, 1933; Davis, 1940). The evidence suggests that this is most often a result of the failure to implement various prescriptions (Evans, 1999).

Nevertheless, the current intensification calls for more studies on soil properties, nutrient cycles and possible impacts on productivity. Other concerns related to intensive management include the narrowing of the genetic base in production stands and its consequences for long-term productivity, and environmental impacts of application of fertilizers and pesticides. Growth rates and yield under different conditions and treatments are of particular interest, particularly in the context of increasing investment in teak and unrealistic claims of productivity (Gangopa-dhyay, 1997).

Expansion of teak to areas with diverse ecological conditions Many of the new high-intensity plantations are in areas that would have been considered marginal for teak growing two decades ago. Some plantation sites in Latin America are in areas with extremely high rainfall (over 4 000 mm per year) and no or very slight dry seasons. These conditions are not found in the natural range of distribution of the species but seem favorable to its growth. However, as most research has been done in other areas, new problems could be encountered.

Particular attention to pest and disease monitoring is especially called for in plantations newly established in ecological conditions that are marginal for the species. In Côte d'Ivoire, for example, root rot disease caused important damage in a young plantation at the limit between the evergreen and the mixed deciduous forest zones. This type of problem could be related to environmental factors but could also result from inadequate silvicultural practices (lack of thinning). Pest and disease problems may be aggravated by the low level of genetic diversity of the selected planting material used in high-yielding plantations. Integrated pest management (IPM) research is thus indispensable to expanding the frontier of teak planting, as well as additional research on provenance or genetic material and site matching.

Marketing in a global economy

A related issue is marketing of teak wood, especially in the context of the emergence of new production centers and, more important, the growth of farm planting. No systematic studies are available on the future demand for teak, specifically taking into account the potential changes in consumption pattern, including the potential for substitution. There is also an urgent need to develop information systems that focus on assessing and analyzing supply, demand, prices, etc. and that make the information accessible to those involved in cultivation, processing and marketing of teak wood. (C.T.S. Nair and O. Souvannavong C.T.S. Nair is Senior Forestry Officer in the Forestry Planning and Statistics Branch, FAO Forestry Department. Oudara Souvannavong is Senior Forestry Officer in the Forest Conservation, Research and Education Service, FAO Forestry Department.)

A Viable Alternative: Paulownia Elongata

With an extraordinary growth rate and huge air filtering leaves that convert carbon into oxygen at a higher rate than almost any other tree, Royal Empress Trees are rapidly becoming an important part of the solution to reducing our impact on the Earth. Paulownia trees are your best choice for a fast growing, beautiful tree that is unsurpassed in its ability to help our environment simply by growing. Lumber from Paulownia trees has been greatly revered in Japan and China for centuries. With the decline of our native forests to the lumber industry, Paulownia trees have come into the spotlight worldwide for their ability to produce high quality timber at a much faster rate than any other hardwood tree.

Environmental Qualities for Micro Industry:

Growth Rate * Grows 10-15 feet a year * Can grow to a harvestable sized timber tree in 7-10 years. Regeneration * Tree should be cut back to the ground in early spring of year two for even faster growth. * Paulownia trees can regenerate up to 7 times from 1 stump. Animal Fodder * The leaves of the Paulownia are high in protein (21%) and nutrients, providing a good fodder for livestock. Intercropping * Paulownia trees are excellent for intercropping (growing different crops together in same field). They are used widely in China by farmers who plant them in the fields and grow grain crops beneath them. The trees roots go very deep and do not compete with the crops for water and nutrients. * Grain crops planted beneath Paulownia trees have a higher yield because the trees improve the climate and reduce the damaging effects of strong winds. * When the leaves drop they decompose quickly and release valuable nutrients back into the soil. * After 8-10 years the trees can be cut for timber and become an added income for the farmers. They will regenerate again from the cut stumps, saving the cost of replanting the fields. * In China, paulownia trees are being used successfully in agroforestry projects and for intercropping with agricultural crops on close to 5 million acres of farmland.

Environmental Qualities and Statistics of Paulownia Trees:

Paulownia is truly a remarkable solution to some of the world's most pressing social, environmental and economic problems holding a record of 31 feet in 7 months. Paulownia grows successfully in many regions of the world and has found many friends over the last ten years since it became accessible. It is widely used to beautify cities and proven to reduce air pollution especially CO2. It is highly sought after as it is considered to bring good luck where ever it is planted. * Each tree removes 48 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year. (115,200 lbs. per acre per year) * Each tree releases about 13 lbs. of oxygen per day. (31,200 lbs. per acre per day) * Each acre of trees will scrub 13 tons of harmful CO2, gases and dust from the air per year. * Each tree can absorb 24 gallons of wastewater per day. (57,600 gallons per acre per day) * Gentle on the earth, few surface roots, long taproot that helps to lower water table and prevent salinity. A very clean tree, no berries, no sap drop, drops its leaves in autumn and they disintegrate within a few days. * Non evasive water sensitive root systems. * Public Health Benefit - CSIRO studies confirm eucalyptus react with pollution causing problems for asthma sufferers. Paulownia absorbs more pollution and has a very low pollen count. * The paulownia has a beautiful flower in the fall generally a lavender color it is eatable and has medicinal qualities known for it association with the lungs. Mix with protein foods for a cure for bronchitis and many other lung associated problems. Conclusion: Although Teak attractive production numbers per hectare and reasonable financial return for managed forests paulownia is a better financial investment and proves to be beneficial instead of detrimental to the environment. The rotation of new high-intensity teak plantations is generally between 20 and 25 years (Torres, 1999; Ugalde Arias and Pérez Cordero, 1999), which is three to four times shorter than for older low-intensity plantations. The expected mean annual increment (MAI) is more than 10 m3 per hectare per year (as compared with 3 to 8 m3 per hectare per year in low-intensity plantations on good sites) (Subramanian et al., 1999; Maitre, 1983). With intensive management, there is growing concern about the adverse effects of short-rotation monoculture, particularly on the environmental and productive sustainability of successive rotations with high nutrient uptake. The decline in productivity during the second rotation was already an important concern many decades ago (Blanford, 1933; Davis, 1940). Paulownia elongata every ten years can produce approximately 680 cubic meters of lumber every ten years while teak takes 20-25 years to produce approximately 380 cubic meters of lumber in twice the time. The current and present world market price for paulownia is higher than that of teak.

After selective harvesting of teak there will be a new expense for replanting, not so for paulownia elongata not to speak of the related environmental benefits.

If you would like further information on paulownia elongata in Panama, it's environmental and investment benefits, reforestation and investment incentives offered by the Government of Panama you might want to contact PanAmerican Properties, Inc or look at their paulownia web site http://www.paulownianow.org and how they are working with the Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) Panama and the underserved populations of the country to offer new socio and economic opportunities for the neediest sectors of Panamanian society.






About the Author
avid W Morris is an international development specialist with The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) and author of several publications on socio economic development. David is a regular contributor to online article sites on the topics of on line education, underserved peoples, scholarship and educational excellence, continuing education programs and on line TOEFL and language development. David W Morris is also a successful online adviser.