Monthly Archives: March 2012

40% of amphibians face imminent extinction

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

Wake, D. 2 Mar 2012. Facing Extinction in Real Time. Science vol 335, 1052-53. Throughout the world, amphibians are in decline, and many species—perhaps 40%—face imminent extinction. Recent studies have discovered why amphibians are dying. The amphibian decline is happening … Continue reading →

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Hunting can drive species extinct

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

14 Jan 2009. Humans’ prey species evolving dangerously fast. NewScientist. Hunters and fishermen go after the largest catches they can find, which is driving evolution in a way unlike anything else on Earth, and the rapid changes triggered in wild … Continue reading →

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Acidification of our oceans: unprecedented rate in past 300 million years

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

Acid stats 30% rise in acidity since preindustrial times (13 July 2012. Sciencevol 337:146) 150% increase by 2100 (13 July 2012. Sciencevol 337:146) Hönisch, Bärbel, et al. 2 Mar 2012. The Geological Record of Ocean Acidification. Science vol 335 #6072 … Continue reading →

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Extreme heat lowers wheat yields

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

3 Feb 2012.  Extreme heat ages vital crop. New Scientist. Global warming will have a bad effect on heat-sensitive wheat, slashing yields even more than was originally feared IT COULD be much harder than we thought to feed everyone in … Continue reading →

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Floods and water-borne disease

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

Our clean water infrastructure built a century ago is rusting and eroding apart, making the invasion of disease causing micro-organisms during floods even more likely. excerpt from Before the Lights Go Out: Conquering the Energy Crisis Before It Conquers Us … Continue reading →

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2001 Strategic Energy Policy Challenges for the 21st Century

Posted on March 22, 2012 by

The government has known for a long time that an energy crisis was approaching as is shown in this document. 2001 Strategic Energy Policy Challenges for the 21st Century Report of an Independent Task Force  Sponsored by the  James A. … Continue reading →

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Biodiversity in glacier-fed rivers threatened by climate change

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

So many of these articles belong in several different places, the web of life is hard to categorize and put in one spot. 16 Mar 2012. “Glacial river biodiversity”. Nature Climate Change. Glacial melt water increases biodiversity in mountainous freshwater … Continue reading →

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Mao’s War Against Nature

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

Mao’s War Against Nature: Politics and the Environment in Revolutionary China by Judith Shapiro. 2001.  Cambridge University Press (book review by Alice Friedemann) The main thesis of this book is that when free speech is squelched, the consequences can be … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Books | 1 Comment

Sharon Astyk on coping with collapse

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

Summary of 19 Mar 2012 ASPO Peak Oil Review editorial “Collapse? Really?”: If a collapse of some sort does happen, what helps? Social support systems and safety nets strengthened Making medical care, food and shelter available small-scale agriculture in urban … Continue reading →

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Sharon Astyk on stages of Collapse

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

Astyk, Sharon. 19 Mar 2012. Commentary: Collapse? Really? ASPO Peak Oil Review. 1. People get really mad at their government. This usually leads to some measure of civil unrest, and often changes of government, some of which are meaningful and … Continue reading →

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