Everyone Can Save the Planet
Climate change is a global problem, and yet each one of us has the power to make a difference. Even small changes in our daily behaviour can help prevent greenhouse gas emissions without affecting our quality of life. In fact, they can help save us money.
Tenerife Takes Action to Protect the Environment
Author: Roger MunnsTenerife is just one of the seven Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, yet it is making a huge impact on the environment. Tenerife has a commitment to the private and public sector to go green and do whatever they can to protect the environment of the island.
Tenerife and Tourism
The island of Tenerife is completely dependent on tourism. Tenerife has been a favorite destination for UK visitors for some time. Known as a Paradise Island, Tenerife is sunny year-round, which makes it the perfect destination for relaxing in the sun anytime of the year. Their goal is to keep it that way.
Going green and protecting the environment is one way that Tenerife can protect its status as a hot holiday spot. The island is vulnerable because it is so dependent on tourism. Changing climates could easily put them out of business and entirely change the nature of the island. Rising temperature alone could make relaxing on the beach an unbearable past-time.
Traveling to and around Tenerife
A ferry boat is available to take holidaymakers to the island of Tenerife from the mainland. The ferry goes to either Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Los Cristanos. Nearly half a million visitors come to the island of Tenerife via cruise ships. Of course, flights to Tenerife are also still available.
The main method of transportation on the island of Tenerife is buses. An elaborate fleet of newer buses provide transportation for one location to another on the island. There are some cars on the island that are available. There are also plans for a light rail network to connect the capital with the south side of the island. The idea is to reduce the amount of carbon emissions in the air caused by ground travel.
Tenerife Goes Green
Tenerife is doing a lot to protect its beautiful and natural environment. They've made a commitment to individuals and companies to go beyond the basics and protect the environment of the island with aggressive tactics.
Some of the things they are currently doing:
* The island uses water purification and its natural reserves from underground.
* They use recycling as a means to cut back on using natural resources.
* They use desalination.
* They are cutting back on carbon emissions.
* They use an elaborate bus network to minimize traffic on the island.
* It is home to tropical pilot whales, which is a huge attraction for holiday-makers. They protect their habitat.
* Half of the island is listed as either a national park or nature reserves.
* The island has been using renewable energy since the plan was devised back in 1990.
In addition to protecting the island's natural surroundings, Tenerife is dedicated to preserving its heritage and culture.
Tenerife as a Role Model for Protecting the Environment
While we all have seen some of the effects of global warming, Tenerife has taken action to protect the environment and retain the beauty and reputation of the island. The steps they've taken to reduce emissions and balance carbon in the air is admirable. Their actions serve as a role model for how the world needs to react to her changing environment.
About the Author:
Yourtenerife.net offers potential visitors news and information about Tenerife, and includes reviews for hotels in Tenerife.
Quick Tips: Stop Junk Mail
Keep a low profile: Every time you share your address - from entering a contest or shopping online - you are giving up valuable information for direct mailing companies. And those who aren't interested in mailing to you, are very interested in sharing you address (for a profit) to someone who is! Try your best to limit who you disclose your contact information to.
And when you're asked for your number or postal/zip code while in the check-out line politely say no. They use this information to track customers; the phone number can be entered into a database for future telemarketing (annoying), and the postal/zip code will determine where in the city to send flyers (terrible for the environment!).
And when you're asked for your number or postal/zip code while in the check-out line politely say no. They use this information to track customers; the phone number can be entered into a database for future telemarketing (annoying), and the postal/zip code will determine where in the city to send flyers (terrible for the environment!).
Boston Harbor a “No Discharge” Designation
With state and local backing, EPA is designating Boston Harbor as a “No Discharge” area. This status means that discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage are prohibited within these Massachusetts state waters, including the Towns and Cities of Boston, Braintree, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Hingham, Hull, Milton, Newton, Quincy, Watertown, Weymouth, and Winthrop.
In May, the Mass. Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), in partnership with the Cities of Boston and Quincy, and the Urban Harbor Institute, petitioned EPA to approve the No Discharge designation. Following consideration of the request, and a 30-day public review and comment period, EPA will approve the request to protect these coastal waters from boat sewage.
“Designating a major urban shipping waterway like Boston Harbor as a no discharge area is an important milestone in EPA’s effort to protect the entire New England coastline from boat sewage,” said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. “Once again, we are seeing forward-looking New Englanders showing the way to the rest of the country about how we can better protect our environment.”
City of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said, “Designation of Boston Harbor as a No-Discharge Area puts an exclamation point on the work that’s already been done to bring this jewel of our city back. This summer more than ever, Boston’s beaches and islands will be a destination for residents trying to beat the heat and show the kids a fun time without having to fill the tank. The City of Boston has committed to providing more pumpout facilities including a new pumpout boat to ensure that, from the beaches of South Boston to Spectacle Island, Boston Harbor is an even cleaner and more vibrant place for our residents, families and visitors to enjoy.”
"As a Charlestown resident and a recreational boater, I know what an asset a clean Boston Harbor is, and this designation will help keep these waters clean," said Ian Bowles, Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, which includes the Office of Coastal Zone Management. "One-third of the Massachusetts coast is now designated as NDA, and we are well on our way to Governor Patrick's goal of all of the Commonwealth's coastal waters becoming discharge-free."
To quality for a No Discharge designation, the applicant must show there are enough “pumpout” facilities where boaters can get their sewage holding tanks pumped out. This particular area has an estimated 8,720 boats, of which only 4,047 are large enough to have a head or toilet on board. There are a total of 35 pumpout facilities in the designated area available to the boating community. In addition, there are four pending pumpout facilities which should be operational this boating season.
Boat sewage can lead to health problems for swimmers, closed shellfish beds and the overall degradation of marine habitats.
The Urban Harbors Institute, the City of Boston, and the City of Quincy initiated the No Discharge Area designation process in the summer of 2007 to safeguard local marine resources.
Many other areas in New England already have designated their coastal waters as No Discharge areas, or are in the process of doing so. These include:
- All state marine waters of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire;
- In Massachusetts: Harwich, Waquoit Bay, Nantucket Harbor, Wellfleet, Barnstable, and
- Buzzards Bay (including Wareham and Westport), Plymouth/Duxbury/Kingston area; the
- Harbors of Scituate/Marshfield/Cohasset, and Salem Sound;
- In Maine, Casco Bay;
- Lake Champlain and Lake Memphremagog in Vermont.
Leave it to the kids
The green movement to save the earth is growing by leaps and bounds. Kids are also hearing the message but many are doing a lot more than just listening. They are taking action to save the planet for future generations.
Must see: Sharkwater
I saw Sharkwater the other week and I swear I haven`t been the same since. If any movie can persuade people to take action to protect this world (and that means protecting one of the most misunderstood animals in the world) it is this one.Having garnered 21 awards at film festivals around the world, filmmaker Rob Stewart’s epic journey Sharkwater puts him on the front lines to save the planet. Part biologist, part investigative reporter, Stewart follows the trail of the multi-billion dollar shark fin trade and sets off a chain of events that has to be seen to be believed. His adventure becomes a dangerous mission involving espionage, corrupt governments, mafia rings, his arrest and a glimpse at his own mortality.
In an effort to protect sharks, Stewart teams up with renegade conservationist Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. A confrontation between the Sea Shepherd and shark poachers in Guatemala results in a dramatic confrontation with a pirate Guatemalan fishing boat. But that’s just the beginning. As they become involved in a gunboat chase, face corrupt court systems and attempted murder charges, they are forced to flee for their lives.
Filmed in 15 countries in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes you to the most shark-rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world’s shark populations. What one comes away with is a story about the beauty of life on earth and our role in protecting its amazing balance.
Purchase the book: Sharkwater: The Photographs
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Purchase the movie: Sharkwater
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Visit the official website: here.
.Purchase the movie: Sharkwater
.Visit the official website: here.
Eco-Bunnies save Earth ... Day
The Eco-Bunnies are back! And this time they save the EARTH...day festivities.
Protecting the Beluga
Biologists study the Beluga whale in Russia's White Sea region as a way of preserving one of its unique breeding grounds. The project to study the whales receives aid from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). It aims to protect natural habitat as Russia plans to develop energy reserves in the Barents Sea. The IFAW hopes the Solevetsky island will be declared a UNESCO heritage site.
Pelican's making a comeback
The brown pelican has made a dramatic recovery since the early 1970s. Now, they number more than 600,000 in the western hemisphere. Simon Perez reports.
Climate change: the ugly truth
The World Wildlife Fund has revealed the ugly face of Climate Change. Looks a little like Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper if you ask us!
DIY: Make your own bags!
Still not able to break that plastic bag habit? Well, maybe it's time."In the marine environment plastic bag litter is lethal, killing many birds, whales, seals and turtles every year. After an animal is killed by plastic bags its body decomposes and the plastic is released back into the environment where it can kill again." and "A Bryde's whale died on a Cairns beach after ingesting 6 square metres of plastic - including plastic bags. Such obstructions in animals can cause severe pain, distress and death." (Planet Ark)
"Every time we use a new plastic bag they go and get more petroleum from the Middle East and bring it over in tankers," said Stephanie Barger, executive director of Earth Resource Foundation in Costa Mesa, Calif. "We are extracting and destroying the Earth to use a plastic bag for 10 minutes." (seattlepi.nwsource.com)
But all is not lost! Most stores are now providing a re-usable, and inexpensive, alternative that you can purchase right there at the register. Or, even better, you can put some of those creative skills to good use and make your own bag (and a couple for your friends!).
One great site is morsbags.com. With step by step instructions, including templates and a flash animated how-to, you'll be up and running in no time.
Or if you have a few old pillow cases around the house, why not re-use them? TipNut.com has a great project waiting for you.
And for all you knitters our there, try your hand at the Turkish Stitch String Bag from tiajudy.com!
Eco-bunnies know how it's done
Being a bunny isn't all about hopping around and eating carrots. Well mostly, but we do other stuff too. We are spreading the word about the effects of carbon emissions on the environment and encourage everybody to offset those emissions whenever they can. We recommend zeroing out emissions through The Conservation Fund's Go Zero program. It's kinda funny when you think about it: decreasing your impact on the environment actually impacts the environment!
Will Ferrell as Dubya on Global Warming
The Commander-in-Chief of the World discusses global warming. Will Ferrell's imitation is uncannily close to the real thing.
From "eek!" to "I love you"
Insects often scare or annoy, but bugs are a much needed part of our environment.
Giraffe masterminds circus break-out
Fifteen camels, two zebras and several llamas and pot-bellied pigs escaped from a circus visiting Amsterdam."We suspect that a giraffe kicked open a pen," claimed Dutch police, adding that the animals did not get far before they were rounded up and returned to the circus.
And you thought the coyote was wily ...
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