In China, more than 10,000 homes have been destroyed as a result of an earthquake that struck in southwest China.

The quake left more than 300 people injured when it hit Yunnan province in southwest China Thursday evening. The quake was a 6.0-magnitude according to Xinhua. The U.S. Geological Survey gave a figure of 5.7. (more…)

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The summit of the Group of Eight industrial nations – the G8 – being held in Italy has agreed to try limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) and also cut greenhouse-gas emissions in the member-nations by 80%.

The goal of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius was adopted, for the first time, by the United States, Russia, Japan and Canada. This target had already been agreed on in 1996 by the European Union and its G8 member-countries, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy.

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Peak Oil has been a theory of immense discussion and though I don’t get much of it, the comprehension that it has something to do with maximum oil production around the globe is ample for me and for the rest of you. I may not understand the basics of Peak Oil, but what I do know is that the global oil reserves are diminishing fast. Indeed, the heavy oil consumption now leaves us at a point where only half of the earths’ oil reserves are left.

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Looking for the happiest place on Earth? Look no further.

Costa Rica is officially happiest place on earth. It is also one of the most environmentally friendly, too says a new survey by a British non-governmental group.

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The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has come out with an amazing new map that covers 99% of the Earth’s surface and highlights elevations of almost every place on the planet.

NASA created the Global Digital Elevation Model using around 1.3 million images collected by a Japanese camera aboard its spacecraft – Terra.

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United States President Barak Obama says that the legislation on climate change, along with his plan for fuel efficiency of automobiles, will save as much oil as the US imports from the Persian Gulf countries. Thus, President Obama said in an interview that if the proposal becomes law, the United States would greatly reduce its dependence on foreign oil.

Obama on Oil Cuts

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Here at Greenpacks, the animals that share our planet are our friends. We not only have a responsibility to care for our planet for those we leave behind, our children and their children, but also for those who have no control over how we abuse it, how we infringe on their habitats, how we make life miserable for them. Besides, animals were here first … at least by a day.

Most of us cannot venture into the wilderness of Alaska or Montana or the Patagonia or the Alps or the Gobi Desert like places. So, we need to rely on zoos and photos to get a glimpse of our animal friends. And, for what it’s worth, the photos might be the better option. I have been to our local Zoo- San Francisco – and the animals there look woefully unhappy.

So, I looked around to see what I can see, find what there is to find, and have come up with my 10 best places to find World Wildlife Photography. Not in order (because they are all good) here they are.

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They say the balance of power shifts with the control over natural gases and oil reserves. It might be the right notion with Russia, US, Canada and Denmark staking their claim over the region that falls north of the Arctic Circle.

These countries would get back to staking their claims as scientists from the USGS in collaboration with international researchers have revealed that the Arctic may hold twice the oil previously found there. Not just the oil reserves, the sedimentary basins in the area, also house natural gas reserves.

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There was an earthquake in the Honduras – 7.1 Magnitude.

A sure fire indication of what can happen when Mother Nature gets angry. That is, if you want to personify nature.

People were running around the city in their pajamas, reminding me of a Taiwanese friend who told me she would never sleep naked for fear an earthquake would wake her and she would have to run out in the street in the buff. The image alone of her running around was…well…never mind.

Three deaths have been reported.  A man died of an apparent heart attack, a 15-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl.

The U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado indicates that the epicenter was 80 miles northeast of La Ceiba, Honduras, and 200 miles from Tegucigalpa, the capital city.

A tsunami watch was put into effect for Honduras, Belize and Guatemala but then lifted.

National Emergency Minister made a radio plea, “I urge you not to panic, but to remain calm.  Your government is monitoring the situation and will be keeping you informed.”

The USGS reported a magnitude 4.8 aftershock off Honduras about three hours after the first quake.

Scientists haven’t had much success when it comes to interpreting climate change patterns. Well, maybe they could never establish a relationship between climate change science and the ice clouds.

But now, a team led by Kerri Pratt, a Ph.D. student of atmospheric chemistry and Professor Kim Prather, got an opportunity to collect water droplets and ice crystals from an aircraft flying through skies over Wyoming.

A bunch of cool clouds

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