Archive for the ‘ Flora ’ Category

PALM OIL: the bigger picture

PALM OIL PLANTATIONS, THE ILLUSION of SUSTAINABILTY…. Environmentalists see the establishment of oil palm plantations as a new threat to the world's largest rainforests and their biodiversity. The potential for palm oil plantations in the Brazilian Amazon is vast: the Woods Hole Research Center estimates that 2.283 million square kilometers (881,000 sq miles) of forest land in the region is suitable for oil palm, an area far greater in extent than that which could be converted for soy (390,000 sq km) or sugar cane (1.988 million sq km). Woods Hole calculates this area of forest locks up some 42.5 billion tons (gigatons) of carbon in aboveground biomass, or roughly six times 2006 global emissions... Read more [...]

Humans Change the World! Where do we stand with fresh water? Will there be enough for a more crowded world?

Sandra Postel, founder of the Global Water Policy Project, is recognized as one of the world's most respected authorities on fresh water issues and is hailed for her "inspiring, innovative, and practical approach" to promoting the preservation and sustainable use of Earth’s freshwater. For more than 25 years, Postel has lectured, taught, and written prolifically on the geography of water stress and the implications for food and agriculture... Read more [...]

Endangered Forests

GreenDustries is thrilled with the new policy at Georgia-Pacific that increases protection for millions of acres of the South’s natural hardwood forests. It lets us know that others in industry, like us, believe we must rein in the pillaging of forests to save tomorrow’s forests today – and it is a giant leap in the battle toward understanding of the important role forests play in our planet’s environment.

What the new policy means is that Georgia-Pacific will not purchase trees from Endangered Forests and Special Areas, or from new pine plantations established at the expense of natural hardwood forests. The policy statement was developed in consultation with environmental groups Dogwood Alliance, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Rainforest Action Network.

While GP’s new forest policy applies to all of its operations, as a first step in implementing its commitment on Endangered Forests and Special Areas, GP worked with the environmental groups and scientists to identify 11 Endangered Forests and Special Areas totaling 600,000 acres in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Eco-Region, as well as 90 million acres of natural hardwood forests in the Southern region. Endangered Forests and Special Areas in other regions are to be mapped in a similar process, over the coming years.

According to the Dogwood Alliance website: “No other U.S. company has demonstrated this level of initiative in mapping unique forests across such a broad region,” said Debbie Hammel, NRDC Senior Resource Specialist... Read more [...]

HERE ON EARTH: Galapagos and Everglades

Animal DiversityCOMPARING EARTH'S ECO SYSTEM TO THE ECO SYSTEM OF AN AQUARIUM the planted aquarium thrives on perfect balance of it's own ecological system just like nature. Most beautiful tanks shows harmony of life that balances everything. Shifts in the balance will show on your tank, calling for proper attention and measures to be taken. Excessive algae, plant meltdowns, sudden deaths of fishes or shrimps, plants discoloring, lack of plant photosynthesis all points to shift of this balance. It doesn't take rocket science to remedy them, just some care and right advice from your local planted tank specialist.

In my opinion, the planted aquarium is the best classroom for conservation and ... Read more [...]