Sea Snake

Reposting of an old blog post:

Back to the renewable energy theme, this time with the Pelamis Sea Snake.  The amount of electricity generated by this technology will be variable to a certain extent depending on the swell of the sea but it is likely to be more constant than wind energy and (hopefully) its variability will beat to a different rhythm.

The first film shows how the wave motion is converted to electricity and the second shows the first fully commercial implementation of this device at Aguçadoura n Portugal.

Shark Attack

Image via: Joe Chernov

Virunga - Draw the Line

Since news of Soco's intention to drill in the Virunga National Parkin the Congo broke on the 1st of August, the big hitters have stepped up to the mark in the form of a WWF campaign to prevent oil exploration going ahead.

Some may argue that the revenue earned from oil exploitation will help develop local communities.  Given the political situation in the country, local communities are likely to be treated as poorly as those in the Niger Delta by the large oil companies. As centrepiece of the campaign, WWF have published a report which shows the value of the reserve ($350 million/year) based on eco-tourism and other sustainable developments without the need to extract oil.

Please support this campaign by signing the WWF Draw the Line petition here.  At least 94,348 people have signed it already, will you be 100,000?

http://www.wwf.org.uk/how_you_can_help/virunga/

GM rice approval 'edging closer'

GM Rice Approval 'edging closer'

Scientists in the Philippines are weeks from submitting a genetically modified variety of rice to the authorities for biosafety evaluations.

This is an ethical minefield.  The rice in question is Golden Rice which has enhanced Vitamin A. Will this genetically modified rice really address the problems of malnutrition? If there is a chance it will reduce malnutrition, what right do we over-nourished Westerners have to stop it, despite the risks to the environment?

There are obviously other, better ways of tackling malnutrition while so many developed countries waste tremendous quantities of food. Ways which cover a broad spectrum of nutrients rather than focusing on only one vitamin.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23581877

Related Posts:
Aphid Resistant GM Wheat
The Time is Right for GM Crops
Can Organic Agriculture Feed the World?

Leaping Bengal Tiger Numbers

A good news story as the number of wild royal Bengal tigers in Nepal has increased to 198, a 63.6 per cent rise in five years. The only down side is the increased number of villagers killed by Tigers.

Royal Bengal tiger numbers in Nepal leap to 198 via The Independent

Oil Threat to Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the last refuges of the mighty Mountain Gorilla. Decades of civil war and armed resistance had taken its toll on gorilla numbers but the latest threat is resource exploitation, oil in particular.

'Oil threat' to Africa's oldest park via the BBC

The forest in the Congo basin is second only to the Amazon and is one of the planet's lungs.  It must be protected at all costs. But the DRC is a desperately poor country and its fragile government does not have control over many parts of the country.  We must therefore provide viable and sustainable alternatives to widespread resource exploitation.