Posts in category: Environment
Environment 08/08/2008
The Air Car is Coming.
I’m not going to re-write th whole CNN story, but you should check it out.
Some bullet points though:
• The car would be powered by a combination of compressed air and fuel and will achieve 100+ mpg.
• Zero Pollution Motors out of New York are pledging to deliver the first models in 2010 at a price tag of less than $18,000.
• The six-seater planned for the U.S. market would be able to reach speeds of more than 90 mph and have a range of more than 800 miles thanks to a dual energy engine.
• It would run purely on compressed air when driven at speeds less than 35 mph.
• An on-board compressor would refill the air tank while the car is running, or owners could refill it by plugging it into a power outlet for four hours.
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Environment 08/05/2008
Burn
Someone set the “somewhere” boat on fire. That can’t be good for the reef or environment in any way.
Why didn’t Rip Curl pay a tug boat to pull that thing off the reef? Where was the fleet of Indies Traders? Couldn’t they tug it out?
According to photographer Greg Weatherall, “It was hit with a Molotov cocktail moments after several WCT surfers were on board doing photo shoots. The entire thing is fully alight and will burn throughout the night.”
Check out the story on Surfline for more info.
[ photo: Greg Weatherall ]
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Environment 06/05/2008
Hey, Cool, Some More Shark News...
Decided to check out the Rincon Surf Blog, and was greeted with this nice image. What the hell is up with the sharks lately? Please go away.
With water temps as low as 50° in recent weeks, it should come as no surprise that we are now beginning to see signs of physical evidence corroborating reports of the presence of great white sharks in our local waters. For several months now, shark warning flyers have been posted up at The Ranch, and some surfers have claimed them being nothing more than ‘fear mongers’. The above photo of an adult sea lion estimated at 300 lbs. was taken yesterday at Sands. Judging by the diameter of the bite wound, there is only one animal that could be the culprit. Please exercise caution when venturing into the surf as apparently the so-called ‘Red Triangle’ has shifted South by a few hundred miles, a byproduct of the cold water anomoly…
[ via: Rincon Surf Blog ]
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Environment 06/05/2008
Mexico To Tag Sharks After Deadly Attacks
Biologists in Mexico plan to tag hundreds of sharks off the Pacific Coast to help understand the cause of a rare spate of deadly attacks on humans, the local government said on Tuesday. Sharks near the south-western resort of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo killed two surfers and maimed another in the past few weeks, the first fatal shark attacks along Mexico’s Pacific coast in 30 years, according to official records.
Biologists plan to tag sharks and ask fisherman to look out for them and report back on their movements. A smaller group of sharks will be tagged with electronic devices that would transmit data on their behaviour and locations to biologists via radio frequencies. The tagging is expected to begin in about two months and the study should last a year. We need to get to the ‘why’ these animals are coming so close to Guerrero’s shores.
Shark experts believe unusually cool sea-surface temperatures could be partly responsible for the attacks, but they also note that a dearth of data about sharks in the region makes it difficult to reach conclusions. The researchers plan to use a special baited fishing line to catch sharks in the area and then tag and release them. Fishermen who come across tagged sharks will be compensated for reporting their location. More expensive telemetric tags on a smaller number of sharks will emit radio frequencies that scientists can track.
Surfer Bruce Grimes from Texas recently became the third person to be bitten by a shark since late April. Grimes survived the attack but needed 100 stitches in his arm.
[ via: surfers village ]
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Environment 04/02/2008
Dirty Harry Terminated
In a move that surprised Clint Eastwood, Governornator Arnold Schwarzenegger formally dismissed the legendary actor from the state parks board. The removal comes in the wake of Eastwood’s opposition to a plan to build a toll road through San Onofre State Beach, a park in Orange County that is popular for its surfing and scenery. Throwing some additional drama into the mix, the Governor also dismissed his brother-in-law Bobby Shriver — another individual that opposed the construction plans.
“‘You’re not going to get people who are interested in state parks who want to build freeways through state parks,’ Eastwood said. ‘So I don’t know what the big surprise was there.’ Several environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Surfrider Foundation and the California State Parks Foundation, said they submitted a letter to state Senate leaders Tuesday requesting a hearing into the oversight of state parks. They based their request on Schwarzenegger’s treatment of the two commissioners, his proposal to close 48 parks because of the state’s fiscal crisis and his support for development in parks.”
Of course, Eastwood’s conservationist ways can sometimes be compromised. Readers will remember his plans last summer to build a golf course in an area of protected forest along the California coastline — with up to 18,000 trees slated to be removed. That proposal was eventually shot down by the California Coastal Commission. Still, his overall record is what counts to most.
“From everything I saw, he was a terrific parks commissioner,” said Peter Douglas, the Coastal Commission’s executive director. “It just happened that when he was calling the shots on that project at Pebble Beach, he wasn’t listening to what we were saying about what the law allows and doesn’t allow. But that’s behind us now.”
[ via: ecorazzi ]
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Environment 02/20/2008
2008's Meanest and Greenest cars
The ACEEE (American Council for an energy Efficient Economy) has named 2008 Meanest and Greenest cars, and it’s bad news for all you Touareg fans (all 6 of you). With gas now over $100 a barrel, no wonder the Honda Civic GX is completely sold out and back-ordered.
Greenest Vehicles of 2008
01) Honda Civic GX
02) Toyota Prius
03) Honda Civic Hybrid
04) Smart ForTwo
05) Toyota Yaris
06) Nissan Altima Hybrid
07) Toyota Corolla
08) Mini Cooper / Clubman
09) Ford Focus
10 Toyota Camry Hybrid
11) Honda Civic
12) Honda Fit
Meanest Vehicles for the Environment in 2008
01) Volkswagen Touareg
02) Bugatti Veyron
03) Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI
04) Jeep Grand Cherokee
05) Mercedes-Benz R320 CDI
06) Lamborghini Murcielago / Murcielago Roadster
07) Mercedes-Benz ML320 CDI
08) Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG
09) Hummer H2
10) GMC Yukon 2500
11) Bentley Azure
12) Bentley Arnage
[ via: autobloggreen.com ]
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Environment 02/07/2008
Trestles Saved! For Now. . .
This gallery is brought to you by surfingthemag.com
Surfers and environmentalists threw a roadblock in front of a proposed toll road through one of the world’s best surf breaks — but backers say they will fight on.
The California Coastal Commission voted 8-2 late Wednesday against the project, which critics said would wipe out about a dozen endangered or threatened coastal species, decimate an ancient Indian burial ground and block sediment that creates world-class waves at San Onofre State Beach.
The panel’s vote means that commissioners found the project doesn’t meet with the legal requirements of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act and California’s Coastal Act.
But toll road officials said they will file an appeal next week with the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to keep the $875 million project alive.
“It’s not over yet,” said Lance MacLean, chairman of the Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency. “We still believe firmly that our project as proposed provides the best traffic relief in the most environmentally sound way.”
An estimated 3,000 people — surfers, environmentalists, commuters, union activists and tribal members — showed up for the marathon commission hearing, some with surfboards in tow.
[ via: ap.google.com ]
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Environment 02/06/2008
Toll Road Will Definitely Impact the Surf at Trestles!
This just in… Surfrider Foundation has received a copy of an addendum that was just released by the California Coastal commission staff and submitted to the commissioners for tomorrows meeting.
It states:
“A review of the TCA’s newly submitted Runoff Management Plan reveals that it is quite probable an increase in fine sediment will occur. Additionally, the flow velocities in San Mateo Creek are likely to be reduced. Either result will impact the continued existence of the cobble delta. Therefore, the Commission concludes that the proposed toll road will likely affect the specific mix of sediments, sands and cobbles thus resulting in an impact to the surfing resources.”
The report then goes on to say:
“If adverse effects occurred, they would be unmitigable and irreversible.”
Again, this is the finding of the California Coastal Commission staff – an independent and non-partisan agency whose sole responsibility is to safeguard our beaches and coastlines, by enforcing the Califirnia Coastal Act.
Don’t let Trestles be destroyed! If you live anywhere near Southern California, and want to help save one of the best breaks on the planet, please attend the Coastal Commission hearing today and let your voice be heard!
Click for more info and details on todays hearings:
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Environment 01/31/2008
Patagonia named EcoBrand of the Year
Patagonia wins Volvo Sport Design Award for EcoBrand of the Year at ISPO ’08
Over the past 12 months, Patagonia has supported environmental activist groups around the world with a total of US$2.5 million. This amount adds up to the “earth tax,” which the founder and owner of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, committed himself to pay. Since 1984, Patagonia has been actively saving the environment by attributing one percent of the company’s annual profit to projects in the fields of natural preservation and re-naturalization. As part of the program, Patagonia so far has contributed more than US$25 million to environmental causes.
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