TheRenewablePlanet.com

Global Warming Hoax Emails Leak

David — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:46:00 GMT

Thousands of emails and other electronic documents from one of the leading climate charge research centers have been posted online. The content of these emails is said to draw into question the validity of global warming and the claims that have been made by climate change researchers. The emails were sent by some of the top climate change scientists in the nation and they are purported to contain numerous references to attempts to silence those who deny climate change (or at least the idea that...(read more)

Best Leonid Meteor Shower Time

Christie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:57:00 GMT

In case you missed it last night, the annual Leonid meteor shower continues tonight through to November 20 in the skies over the world. If you plan on doing some meteor gazing, you have three more nights to catch them, and the best time to see the meteor shower is after 1:30am. Last night from an urban park at midnight, friends and I saw no less than six amazing starburst-esque meteors light up the sky in less than an hour; so imagine what I could have seen in a rural spot even later at night! For...(read more)

Leonid Meteor Shower November 2009

Christie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:05:00 GMT

The Leonid meteor shower is on full display tonight after midnight EST, so be ready to see some amazing meteor action in the skies over North America! While the Leonid meteor shower typically lasts from November 13 to 20, tonight is pegged as the peak of the annual meteor shower, and skywatchers anticipate ideal viewing conditions with the clear forcast and the fact that it's a new moon. Watchers can see the spectacle of debris and dust particles from Comet Tempel-Tuttle hitting our atmosphere at...(read more)

Carbon trapped in Cities more than Rain forests

Michael — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Carbon dioxide is the most prevalent greenhouse gas in the Earth’s atmosphere, so reducing production and trapping any existing CO2 is something on the agenda for everyone looking to fight climate change. Conventional ideas for doing this included planting more trees, but a recent study has been looking at intentionally storing carbon in cities as another way to combat global warming. Galina Churkina of the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research in Germany has been leading a study exploring...(read more)

H1N1 Swine Flu Expected to kill 30,000+ This Winter

Michael — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:42:00 GMT

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are worried that the H1N1 virus or swine flu may be responsible for anywhere from 30,000 to 90,000 deaths this winter. Estimates from the World Health Organization include projections of 1 in 3 people becoming infected before the expected pandemic runs its course to the tune of about two billion infected people worldwide. The seasonal flu by comparison is responsible for approximately 36,000 deaths in the United States with several hundred...(read more)

Albino Humpback Whale Migaloo Spotted off Australian Coast

Christie — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:14:00 GMT

The all-white humpback whale named Migaloo was spotted after a two year abscence off the coast of Australia. A fan favorite among whale watchers and scientists, many consider Migaloo to be the only albino humpback whale in the world, which has earned the 20-year-old whale the honor of being called the 8th wonder of the world among whale aficionados. Visit Migaloo's website for more details about the giant white humpback. Migaloo's two year abscence had some researchers worried about his health -...(read more)

PETA's 'Save the Whales' Billboard: Offensive or not?

Christie — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:40:00 GMT

Animal rights organization PETA has stirred up controversy again with their new Save the Whales billboard, which targets fat women and promotes vegetarianism. The illustration on the billboard depicts an overweight bikini-clad woman at the beach with the tag line "Save The Whales, Lose The Blubber: Go Vegetarian." While PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) are known for its edgy tactics, a host of internet commenters and feminists say the Jacksonville, Florida billboard crosses the...(read more)

NOAA declares July Warmest Global Ocean Surface Temp. on Record

Michael — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:32:00 GMT

NOAA - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (also responsible for the recent NOAA Hurricane forecast of reduced hurricanes this year) declared that this past July broke previous records for the warmest global ocean surface temperature. The previous record was established in 1998. However, the combined average global land and water temperature ranked fifth warmest overall since the global temperature tracking began in 1880. Contributing to the warmer than normal ocean temperature: El...(read more)

The Cove: Award winning docudrama to save the dolphins

Christie — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:51:00 GMT

Must-see award-winning documentary The Cove stirs up dark waters around dolphin capture and slaughter. Action-packed dolphin doc The Cove follows activists as they attempt to infiltrate a highly guarded cove in Taji, Japan where more than 20,000 dolphins a year are caught and killed for their mercury contaminated meat (often passed off as whale meat), then fed to Japanese school children. While most dolphins caught in Taji are slaughtered for meat, the “best” specimens are sold for upwards of $150,000...(read more)

Perseid Meteror Shower Best Viewed Tuesday PM August 11, 2009

Michael — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:05:00 GMT

Stargazers will be in for a treat Tuesday night when the annual Perseid meteor shower occurs. Unlike the July 2009 solar eclipse , this meteor shower will be visible from anywhere in the world; with the possibility of seeing up to 80 meteors per hour flash across the sky. The highest concentration of meteors will occur on Wednesday during the afternoon rendering them effectively invisible for meteor shower enthusiasts. This is expected to be a banner year for viewing the meteors because the experts...(read more)

Genetically Engineered Corn "Calls" for Help From Predators

Michael — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:11:00 GMT

Scientists have created a mutant strain of corn that can signal when it’s under attack according to a new study. This feat has been achieved by augmenting natural defenses that are already present in the corn to emit a sort of ‘distress call’ when beetle larvae attack. The corn releases a gassy chemical compound into the soil that alerts parasitic nematodes (also called roundworms) to do what they do best - kill the beetle larvae - generally within three days after receiving the signal. The bio-engineered...(read more)

Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Solving the Mystery

Christie — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:40:00 GMT

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is finally getting some attention from the scientific community. We talked about the island of trash in a previous post, outlining its massive size (twice the size of Texas by some estimates) and its unknown origins. Today, researchers will embark on a mission to uncover the mystery behind the giant convergence of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean. So far, scientists believe the mass is made up of plastic, small and large pieces, coming from storm drains and rivers...(read more)

Refrigerator Recycling: The New "Cash for Clunkers"

Emily — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:00:00 GMT

The much-heralded "Cash for Clunkers" or CARS program might be out of money just a week after its launch, but a similar program targeting old refrigerators is steadily growing. According to Sam Sirkin, program development manager for refrigerator and freezer recylcer Jaco Environmental, the number of utilities his company works with has tripled in the last three years, and the numbers of states has more than doubled. At the end of July, New Jersey launched its refrigerator recycling initiative as...(read more)

Cash for Clunkers Suspended? Has the Money Already Run Out?

David — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:10:00 GMT

The federal government’s popular (albeit controversial) “ Cash for Clunkers ” program may be on the verge of collapse amid rumors that the money has run out already. The program has only been up and running for a week. It was initially conceived as a way to help the auto industry get through its current economic struggles. The program was met with much hoopla (and a fair amount of criticism), but it seems like it may not come close to living up to the hype. Late last night, the White House announced...(read more)

Cash for Clunkers List Changes

Michael — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:08:00 GMT

For those that have been following our coverage on the Cash for Clunkers program , also known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) - there was a recent update to the list of cars that are eligible for the rebate. As a result the mileage rates for approximately 100 older vehicles have changed, rendering many as ineligible. The changes were a result of a double-check on over 30,000 fuel efficiency stats from cars built since 1984 by the Environmental Protection Agency . “As a result of the review,...(read more)

350ppm: NASA's Maximum Carbon Dioxide Level for the Earth - Where Do We Stand?

David — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:25:00 GMT

A few years ago, scientists in the Arctic made a startling discovery. They noticed that the Arctic ice was melting. This alone wasn't surprising. The scientists expected the Arctic ice to be melting, as they were well aware of rising global temperatures. However, it was the speed at which the ice was melting that was so surprising. The Arctic ice was melting at a rate that far exceeded even the most pessimistic climate models at the time. It was clear that the models of climate change at the time...(read more)

Cash For Clunkers Stimulus: Start Your Engines

Christie — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:17:00 GMT

The Cash For Clunkers stimulus program starts today**! Officially known as Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), the federal program was officially signed into law today by President Obama. The CARS program, modeled after similar successful European initiatives , is intended to encourage drivers to trade in their older, less fuel efficient vehicles for new cars with better fuel economy - for a credit worth up to $4,500 on new car purchases. Cash For Clunkers puts cars, trucks, SUVs and minivans into...(read more)

Nurse Shark left to rot on street in downtown Miami

Michael — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:40:00 GMT

Two vagrant men ditched a four and a half foot shark, leaving it to rot in downtown Miami, Florida after several unsuccessful attempts to sell it to fish markets for $10. The carcass of the shark was found in the middle of the street, but there is some speculation that it was dragged there after being dumped into some nearby bushes. However, that’s not the worst part of the story. Apparently, the shark was dragged onto a transit ‘metro-mover’ train while it was still alive, bleeding and gasping for...(read more)

The Colony: Discovery Channel's New Post-Apocalyptic Reality Show

Christie — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:39:00 GMT

Just when you thought reality TV was running out of steam, a new groundbreaking reality series from Discovery Channel called The Colony puts an interesting spin on the Survivor/Big Brother reality model. The Colony , which premiered last night at 10PM ET/PT, follows 10 strangers confined to an LA warehouse with scarce food and water for two months as they try to establish their own society in a post-apocalyptic world. Catch the trailer here. The Colony will try to construct how a global catastrophe...(read more)

Eclipse Video and Other Updates on Solar Eclipse July 2009

Emily — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:24:00 GMT

Well, the century's longest total solar eclipse is now over. Thousands turned out in various locations worldwide to see this rare celestial event. Some, however, were disappointed, when dense clouds prevented viewing of the partial eclipse that should have been visible from Hyderabad and the surrounding area. Lucky viewers in Varanasi, India, were delighted to see totality at around 6:26 this morning. Although North Americans weren't able to get a firsthand view of the eclipse due to its location,...(read more)

Solar Eclipse July 2009 Time Will Be Longest of Century

Emily — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:30:00 GMT

The longest solar eclipse of the century is less than 24 hours away! According to experts, the total solar eclipse taking place Wednesday, July 22, 2009, will last over 6 1/2 minutes. Total contact time will be almost 3 hours, from approximately 0h30minutes to 3h00m Universal Time (times are approximate and vary according to expert; some have contact starting as late as 0h55m and ending after 4h00m UT). The eclipse is part of the Saros cycle , which also includes the record-setting July 1991 solar...(read more)

Alaska Blob: Video Update

Christie — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:40:00 GMT

It seems the giant gelatinous mass moving slowly through the Chukchi Sea just north of the Bering strait has scientists baffled. First reports assured that the black goo is not oil, but could be algae - now, no one is quite sure what's making up the several miles wide mass. The only thing people seem to agree on is that it's likely of biological origin - and boy does it stink. A recent YouTube video shot on July 11 attempts to show the blob's size, but to be honest it's tough to see much or get an...(read more)

Giant Squid Invade San Diego!

David — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:33:00 GMT

Thousands of Humboldt Squid, also known as Giant Squid, Jumbo Squid or Flying Squid, have recently been spotted off the coast of San Diego, California. Some have washed up dead on the shore and others have been observed in the water by divers. This is unnerving because Humboldt Squid aren’t native to the area and have been known to attack humans. Native to the deep sea off the coast of Mexico , it’s unusual for Humboldt Squid to have migrated in such large numbers to the shallow waters of the Southern...(read more)

Alaska Blob: What the Hell is It?

Christie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:54:00 GMT

Alaska blob sightings abound! It seems there is a large unidentified black blob slowly working its way down the Arctic Ocean's Chukchi Sea north of the Bering Strait. According reports from the Anchorage Daily news, Coast Guard representative Terry Hasenaur said of the blob, "It's definitely not an oil product of any kind. It has no characteristics of an oil, or a hazardous substance, for that matter." But he says, "It's certainly biological." While the unidentified black substance does not appear...(read more)

Farm Aid 2009 to ft. Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews, Neil Young & more

Christie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:19:00 GMT

St.Louis Missouri will host the annual Farm Aid concert to benefit American farmers on October 4th. Backed by board of directors members and core performers like Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, Farm Aid 2009 promises to be a rootin' tootin' good time. As the longest-running benefit concert series, Farm Aid has raised nearly $35 million since 1985 for family farmers struggling to keep their small agriculture businesses alive in the face of government regulation and industrial...(read more)