Michael Crichton died yesterday of cancer at age 66. Crichton was a favorite while I was growing up and was probably a big influence in my decision to pursue science as a career. I blazed through The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park, Eaters of the Dead, Prey, and others. I thought Prey was pretty cool in [...]
Posts Tagged ‘environmentalism’
Rest in peace, Michael Crichton
Posted: 5 November 2008 in UncategorizedTags: books, cynicism, environmentalism, global warming, michael crichton, morality, sci-fi
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The Typical American Meal
Posted: 2 April 2008 in UncategorizedTags: amazon, biofuels, consumerism, deforestation, environmentalism, green, green technologies, rain forest
Back in the so-called good old days, when American meals weren’t trendy blends of saffron and wild salmon, we ate meat and potatoes. And corn. And maybe cornbread if you lived in the South, or else this dry, flavorless, yellow cornish bread if you lived in the North. Corn was a common side dish on [...]
Flow my tears, the Coral Reef said
Posted: 30 January 2008 in UncategorizedTags: algae, coral reefs, environmentalism, marine biology, reef bleaching, roberto danovaro, sunbathing, sunscreen
I felt like this was too important not to mention. Four common ingredients in sunscreen are the cause of coral reef death according to a recent study. The chemicals wash off of swimmers’ bodies and activate dormant viruses in symbiotic algae that live on the reefs. This symbiotic algae provides reefs with food. It also [...]
Polar Bears
Posted: 20 December 2007 in UncategorizedTags: climate change, endangered species, environmentalism, extinction, global warming, polar bears
Polar bears depend on the Arctic ocean habitat for their survival and things are looking pretty grim for them with global warming, toxins in the food chain, and disturbances due to oil and gas drilling. The US Geological Survey has said that they could be extinct by 2050 if we do not take steps to [...]
When will China self-destruct?
Posted: 14 October 2007 in UncategorizedTags: big corporations, catastrophe, china, corruption, cyanobacteria, environmentalism, lake tai, pollution, prison, wu lihong
I think it’s only a matter of time before a giant ecological disaster kills multiple millions of people in China. Just recently, the third largest lake in China has become overwhelmed by toxic cyanobacteria. The two million residents of the area surrounding Lake Tai can no longer rely on their main source of water due [...]
World ecological debt
Posted: 11 October 2007 in UncategorizedTags: debt, ecological footprint, ecology, economics, environmentalism, interdependence, quiz, world ecological debt day
October 6th was World Ecological Debt Day — the date on which the world officially begins living beyond its means. Renewable resources are used up and we begin eating into natural resources. According to nef, where I got the wonderful word clonetown (meaning the big shops in suburbia that you see everywhere — and it [...]
We are screwed
Posted: 9 October 2007 in UncategorizedTags: bees, biology, bumblebees, environmentalism, fatalism, global warming, honeybees, pollinators, stupidity
Not only are honeybees disappearing, but bumblebees are going the way of the dinosaurs too. Bumblebees pollinate roughly 15% of crops, which are worth about $3 billion dollars. While there isn’t a definitive cause yet, the National Academy of Sciences has reported that a combination of habitat loss due to housing developments, intensive agriculture, pesticides, [...]
Maybe you’ll listen if you’re under water
Posted: 24 September 2007 in UncategorizedTags: big corporations, climate change, environmentalism, evil politicians, global warming
If sea levels rise one meter, we could see a lot of stuff disappear beneath the waves, including Wall Street. Maybe then corporations and certain politicians would listen to reason. A bunch of historical landmarks would be affected as well, including Jamestown.
Eastern US getting harder to breathe in
Posted: 14 September 2007 in UncategorizedTags: asheville, columbus, environmentalism, global warming, greenville, north carolina, ohio, pollution, south carolina
The National Resources Defense Council is reporting on a study that looked at ten eastern US cities are found they are going to see more red alert days during the summer for air quality. They found that rising temperatures due to global warming will lead to a decrease in the number of good air days [...]
The Federal Government Hates West Virginia
Posted: 10 September 2007 in UncategorizedTags: appalachia, bush administration, environmentalism, mining, mountaintop removal, pollution, W, west virginia
A few weeks ago, I talked about mountaintop removal mining and how it was raping West Virginia’s mountains. Wired has posted a gallery including some pictures before and after. And of course, now the government has recently announced regulations to allow more mountaintop removal mining and to allow it closer to streams. So, luckily for [...]
