Jan 12th, 2011 at 7:30AM:
The terrible floods in Queensland, Australia, have destroyed thousands of homes, done billions of dollars of damage, and have left at least a dozen people dead. Queensland is a major coal exporter, and with the rising waters hampering shipments and flooding mines, world coal prices have risen. A major consumer of Queensland coal are Asian steel mills, which are already feeling the pinch. This ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
environment posts
Australia floods leave tourist industry in peril
Jan 12th, 2011 at 7:30AM:
The terrible floods in Queensland, Australia, have destroyed thousands of homes, done billions of dollars of damage, and have left at least a dozen people dead. Queensland is a major coal exporter, and with the rising waters hampering shipments and flooding mines, world coal prices have risen. A major consumer of Queensland coal are Asian steel mills, which are already feeling the pinch. This ...British team sets new speed record for Antarctic crossing
Dec 27th, 2010 at 8:00AM: In late November, a group of British adventurers and scientists set off on a mission to the interior of the Antarctic continent in specially designed research vehicles. Their plan was to undertake several environmental research experiments while journeying through one of the most in hospitable environments on the planet, but they also managed to set a new speed record for an Antarctic crossing at ...Controversy over development near Victoria Falls
Nov 13th, 2010 at 9:00AM:
Environmentalists are complaining that the tour company Shearwater Adventures has violated national and international law by expanding their luxury resort into the rainforest near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Shearwater has constructed a new restaurant, bar, kitchen, and information center next to the public entrance to the World Heritage Site. A lawyer for Shearwater insists the development is ...Historic town fights federal government and lead poisoning
Nov 10th, 2010 at 11:30AM: You may never have heard of Caledonia, Missouri, but it's one of the most historic spots in the state. While the town has fewer than two hundred residents, its tiny downtown is filled with old homes and shops. It boasts 33 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and a steady stream of visitors who take up the town's invitation to "step back in time".
Sadly, that all might be in ...IAATO explains climate change for Antarctic travelers
Nov 10th, 2010 at 8:30AM: The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) continues to be a great source of information and education for travelers heading south to the frozen continent. Last week we told you about their efforts to keep the sailors aboard private yachts, well informed of the issues involved with navigating the Antarctic waters, helping to make the region even safer for travel. But beyond ...Ship made of plastic bottles completes trans-Pacific voyage
Jul 27th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Way back in March we told you about the Plastiki, a ship made almost entirely out of plastic bottles, that was setting out from San Francisco to complete a crossing of the Pacific Ocean. The plan was for the ship, and her crew, to sail to Sydney, Australia, by way of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, in an effort to raise awareness of the impact that we are having on the Earth's environment, most ...Ghost Forest brings attention to rainforest threat
Jul 12th, 2010 at 4:30PM:
A Ghost Forest is stalking Europe.
Giant trees from Ghana have appeared in Copenhagen, Trafalgar Square in London, and now Oxford. It's called the Ghost Forest Art Project, and it's an innovative way to bring the plight of the world's rainforests to public attention.
Artist Angela Palmer wanted to share her concern with the public about tropical rainforests, which are disappearing fast. An ...From the shores of Louisiana: What fuels energy change?
Jul 10th, 2010 at 10:00AM: Born in the Natal province of South Africa, Ivor van Heerden has been an adopted Louisianan for more than thirty years. During his years here he's been head of the state's coastal restoration program, on the staff at LSU, co-director of the state's hurricane center and a head of Team Louisiana, which investigated the hows and whys of the levee failures during Hurricane Katrina.
Also along the ...Solar-powered plane flies at night
Jul 8th, 2010 at 12:30PM:
An airplane that relies entirely on solar energy has flown for 24 hours straight, cruising along happily through the darkness and emerging into the dawn with three hours left in its batteries. Once the sun rose, of course, the batteries immediately began to recharge.
The Solar Impulse is the product of the same great minds that brought you the cuckoo clock--the Swiss! The entire wingspan is ...Environmentalists protest BP art sponsorship
Jun 26th, 2010 at 1:00PM: If you're planning to see some art in the United Kingdom this summer, you might have to walk through a picket line.
Environmental groups are protesting BP's sponsorship of exhibitions and galleries across the UK, saying the oil giant is trying to clean up its image despite being responsible for the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.
Protests have already taken place at the ...Altamira prehistoric painted cave to reopen
Jun 9th, 2010 at 4:00PM:
One of Europe's most breathtaking examples of prehistoric art will soon be accessible to the public.
The Paleolithic cave art at Altamira, in the Cantabria region of northern Spain, will soon be open to visitors. Altamira's paintings of bison, deer, and other animals date from 14,000 to 20,000 years ago and are some of the best preserved of all prehistoric cave art. Even more intriguing are ...China has world's most polluted city, thanks to coal mining
Jun 7th, 2010 at 11:30AM:
Cigarettes have gotten really pricey, but here's a solution: take a trip to China. The city of Linfen, in Shanxi Province, has been named the "world's most polluted city" by the World Bank, as the air quality is the equivalent of inhaling three packs of cigarettes a day. Coal is China's main source of energy, and Shanxi Province is the leading coal producer. The same World Bank survey noted ...
Good Beach Guide names best British beaches
May 30th, 2010 at 10:00AM: The United Kingdom generally isn't the first place people think of when they decide to go to the beach. Indeed, the beaches of Spain, France, and Cyprus are filled with lobster-red Brits, so it appears the locals agree, but the Good Beach Guide, published by the Marine Conservation Society, says the UK's beaches are improving, at least in terms of water quality.
The latest report reveals that ...Travel Trends: Cruising in Alaska is up, so why are people angry?
Apr 23rd, 2010 at 11:55AM: Alaska: The "Last Frontier."
It's a trip of a lifetime for many of us. We imagine towering snow covered peaks with flowing glaciers draping down their sides, eagles soaring overhead while brown bears pluck spawning salmon from wild rivers right in front of our camera lenses. In short, we dream of a pure untouched landscape straight from a lost primordial world. And in truth, this beauty and ...Plant a tree, help fight climate change
Apr 22nd, 2010 at 3:45PM: video_writer(12644);
We live in a "Golden Age" of travel. Never before in history have so many people traveled so widely, easily, quickly or cheaply. But this convenience comes with a hidden price. All those vehicles that take us there - the planes and cars - play a significant role in the gradual warming of our planet. In honor of Earth Day, the Conservation Fund is offering a way for you to ...
Namibia clamps down on poaching in national parks
Apr 13th, 2010 at 9:00AM: There's been a rise in poaching in Southern Africa in recent years. Hunters are killing rare animals and selling their pelts, ivory, and other body parts to a multibillion dollar international network of dealers. The southwestern African nation of Namibia, however, has managed to avoid this trend.
This is due to strong criminal penalties and new measures implemented by the Ministry of ...Mountainfilm Festival announces special guests for 2010
Mar 25th, 2010 at 8:00AM: The Moutainfilm Festival, held annually in Telluride, Colorado, is an amazing mix of art, culture, adventure and environmental responsibility. Now in its 32nd year, the festival has become one of the top spots for photographers, filmmakers, explorers, and adventurers of all types to congregate and share their latest creations, while discussing important issues of the day. One of the centerpieces ...Fairmont asks for a dollar, offers the ocean
Mar 14th, 2010 at 10:00AM: Next month, look for something new coming from kitchens across the Fairmont chain. Chefs at these upscale properties will be showing off their skills not only with seafood but the sustainable variety. So, when you cut into your fish of choice, you'll be experiencing both culinary and environmental bliss. Throughout April, Fairmont will be inviting guests in its dining rooms do donate merely $1 to ...Scientists struggle to preserve Grand Canyon wildlife
Feb 7th, 2010 at 2:00PM: The Grand Canyon needs more water.
That's the assessment of a U.S. Geological Survey report that studied the results of a 2008 experiment. A controlled flood let more water through Glen Canyon Dam in order to replicate the effects of annual flooding from before the dam was built. Sediment from the flood increased the size of sandbars along the path of the river. These sandbars are an essential ...Underwater sculpture garden helps save Cancun's coral reefs
Nov 27th, 2009 at 11:30AM: Cancun's famous coral reefs have been hit hard lately by storms and pollution, and the Mexican government has come up with an interesting way to let the reefs heal while still attracting visitors. They're creating an underwater sculpture garden that will bring back the tourists and encourage growth of new coral. It's the brainchild of the Mexican government and artist Jason de Caires Taylor, who ...
