A research team from British Antarctic Survey and the University of Hamburg have completed the first “comprehensive inventory” of marine life and land species in Antarctica.

While the rest of the world is worried about a recession, the critters on the seabed are teaming. The group’s inventory includes over 1,200 marine and land species. Most of the creatures live on the deep seabed.

Let’s see, deep down in the sea where it’s cold as all cold can be and still we won’t leave them alone … for the sake of counting them, creating a list of what it is we don’t want to bother for fear we’ll cause them to go extinct.

So, here’s the question - How can humankind and creature kind interact without harming one another? I’m happy for the images, but what harm came to them while the list was being made? Who’s going down deep next?

More questions than answers.

Images via XinHuaNet

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Business is bad? Where is business bad? Not in the solar cell industry is business bad.

During the 3Q of this year, Japan’s fiscal 2Q shipments of solar cells to the European Union grew 44% on the year in power capacity terms. It now reaches 304,500kW says the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association.

Europe accounted for 60% of all shipments. Exports to the Old Country rose 53% from the same period last year. These shipments are the main engine for overall growth.

The market for solar cells is firm despite the global financial crisis. Hmm … anybody looking for a job?

Nobody knows whether shipments can keep up the pace. We could lay a bunch of economists end to end but they still wouldn’t be able to reach a conclusion.

Best business decision these days - think GREEN! - via Nikkei (sub req)

Image courtesy of Zruda

Sanyo Electric will release an electric hybrid bicycle that has a Lithium ion secondary battery and a twofold assist force, early next February 2009 in Japan.

Dubbed the “eneloop bike (product No: CY-SPA226)” it’s an industry’s first product that reflects revisions in the Road Traffic Law Enforcement Regulations that came into effect on Dec 1, 2008. The maximum drive assist ratio (motor drive force to human power) is 1:2 in Japan. The 26-inch bicycle will cost ¥136,290 (approx US$1,463, including tax).

The motor that drives the front wheel is brushless motor and has a rated output of 250W. The rated voltage and capacity of the Lithium-ion secondary battery increased 1.5 times to 25.9V and 6.0Ah, respectively. The charging time increased from two to 3.5 hours.

The eneloop bike uses the assist motor as a generator during braking and downhill riding for recharging and can run in:

1. Auto mode switches between assist and power generation automatically.
2. Power Up mode provides a continuous assist force = double human power.
3. Standard mode provides an assist equivalent to human power and recharges the battery when braking.

The cruising distance of the bike is 57km (33mi) without regenerative charging and it is 75km (60mi) in the Standard mode where regenerative charging occurs during braking. In the Auto mode, the travel distance reaches 100km.

Sanyo also released a model with a Ni-hydrogen secondary battery. But the cruising distance of this model in the Auto mode is only 53km.

The electric hybrid bicycle market sold 283,000 units in 2007. Sanyo hopes for 300,000 units in 2008.

Source: NikkeiBP

China is turning to ethanol-powered buses from Sweden to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An ethanol-powered bus made from up north - Sweden (the bus is the same color as Sweden’s flag) is seen on the streets of Beijing, capital of the middle kingdom.

An ethanol-powered environmentally-friendly bus can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet Euro-V emission standards. But, the 18 million people in Beijing will need more than just one of these buses, no?

China and India are the world’s biggest polluters these days. But, China is making an attempt…or so I feel from my reading. Yeah, the country could do more. Gosh, I could do more.

We wonder, how many more buses China is planning on buying from Sweden or otherwise?

Images courtesy of [Asianewsphoto]

Unusual Collection of Interests to Discuss Land Use and Environmental Issues at This Week’s Hurricane Science for Safety Forum.

Attendees of this week’s Hurricane Science for Safety Forum in Orlando, FL, will see what happens when you get environmentalists, free market thinkers, and insurance interests together to discuss vital issues like protecting sensitive wetlands, minimizing the damage and loss of life from hurricanes, promoting conservation and sustainability, and long term financial security for home- and business-owners.

Gathering these strange bedfellows to discuss critical environmental and landuse issues may look like the recipe for a catfight. However, event organizers are confident that common ground can be identified, and the discussions will focus on developing constructive, solutions based strategies to balance the needs of communities with protection of sensitive coastline

Panelists will include Eli Lehrer from the Competitive Enterprise Institute, David Conrad and Amanda Staudt from the National Wildlife Federation, Sarah Owen Gledhill from the Florida Wildlife Federation, and Catharine Ransom from the Reinsurance Association of America.

Attending delegates represent business organizations, environmental groups, insurers, manufacturers, the legal community and others.

If you are not able to make the event in person, a virtual conference center is now available, and it will be updated following the conclusion of each forum event. Visit the virtual conference center or add the conference center RSS feed to get updates as-they happen.

Reporting: Ray Richardson, WeatherPredict Consulting Inc.

When the Earth fights back, it ain’t pretty. What could be worse than too much snow on Mt. Everest? How about too much water in Venice?

Venice is suffering from its worst flooding in 22 years. In the Renaissance city water stood more than 1.5 meter deep. Authorities worried that the sea lapping at the lagoon city would rise to 1.60 meters, a 30-year high mark. Residents and tourists were told to stay indoors. Nearly all the streets of Venice, including the central tourist district, were under water including the famous Piazza San Marco.

The situation was complicated by a national strike of the city’s “vaporetto” water bus service.

Experts say the high sea levels were caused by persistently high southerly winds and heavy rain and snowfall in northern Italy. Venice has been wrestling with the threat of rising sea levels. Presently, raising the buildings is the only option. The United Nations cultural organization UNESCO has already warned that Venice, one of its designated World Heritage sites, is threatened by climate change.

Maybe, it’s too late for Venice? Let’s hope not!

Images and video, courtesy of Daisuke Ido & Ethan Hein

These are the Pygmy Tarsiers and recently, scientists have found three of these alive in the Indonesian forests.

So what is so special about them? Well, the last time someone saw one of these alive was apparently way back in 1921 and while that does not mean they are extinct, it has been hard to find a considerable population of these tiny cute (or scary, depending on your perception) creatures since many decades now.

The Tarsiers are primates, most closely related to lemurs, and are unusual because of their sharp claws and weight - just 2 ounces. Their big eyes and the light bodies allows them to jump at night from tree to tree in search of food.

These small creatures were believed to be driven towards extinction with large forest areas in Indonesia being cleared in the 1960’s and 70’s for industrial use, but apparently the tiny guys are hanging on, as scientists found them, at an altitude of over 6,900 feet on top of tree tops with misty air around them.

Scientists have tagged the three Pygmy Tarsiers they found and is hoped that more of these little guys are hanging on to dear life. We may not lose them after all and hopefully protecting the Indonesian rainforests will help them grow in number. - via TreeHugger

Uncovered in south west China last year, Odontochelys semistestacea seems to be the oldest known turtle fossil - believed to date 220 million years back. More important it was used to put back the pieces regarding the evolution of the turtle shell.

Since long, paleontologists have been debating over the course of how the turtle developed its shell as some claimed that it evolved from underneath the body, while the other talked about it having been an extension of the scaly skin on top. And now we have the answer.

The uncovered fossil definitively supported the theory that the shell would have formed from below as extensions of the backbone and ribs, rather than as bony plates from the skin as others have theorized.

The fossil with its half formed lower shell and an absent upper shell proved the fact that it was the lower shell that first came into existence as a defensive mechanism of marine animals to protect themselves from attacks coming from the depths of the sea. As they started evolving as land creatures, the upper shell became an equally important form of defense and continued the evolution into its next step.

This also suggested to the team of scientists from Canada, China and the US who undertook this extensive research that the earliest turtles were indeed marine creatures and later moved onto land.

Source: DailyMail

So, you really think you are green, eh? Just how green are you? Fellows, no need to read any further. Ladies - how about reusable maxi pads - made in Japan - where being clean and being eco-friendly go together?

The pads, and this is more information than any man would want to know, come in many different designs, including Alice in Wonderland. They come with detergent so they can be used and rewashed. They also challenge even the heartiest green advocates in their commitment to the environment.

Seriously, just how far can this go?

Please don’t anybody ask me how I found this at Rinkya.

Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina is one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes on the planet, with vast stretches of unending snow-covered peaks and valleys hidden deep in the heart of the mighty and often unforgiving Andes.

Both stirring our imagination and challenging our survival skills, this amazing panorama can be as deadly to a lost tourist as it is a delight to the ones that have learnt to capture its effervescent glory in their camera lenses. It is in this untouched paradise that the spectacle called “Los Glaciares” finds its existence and this unmatched show of glacier extravaganza is as delightful and magnificent as the Andes that shelter it.

Parque Nacional Los Glaciares is an incredible journey into the heart of the biggest ice cap on the planet that falls outside the Antarctic and Greenland region. Thanks to its natural brilliance, part of the 4459 square kilometers have been marked out in 1981 as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Every single inch of the unending white magic is equally enthralling for tourists and ecologists alike, because the giant ice cap feeds about 47 glaciers which start from a height of just 1500 feet above sea level.

The Los Glaciares National Park mainly consists of two parts which subsequently lead to the two rivers of Lake Argentino in the South and Lake Viedma in the North. The northern part consists of the popular Viedma glacier and is pretty overwhelming spot that is a must for all adventure seekers and trekking enthusiasts while the southern part of the ice cap consists of smaller glaciers like the Perito Moreno Glacier, Upsala Glacier, and Spegazzini Glacier.

A ‘once in a lifetime’ boat ride between these glaciers to reach the inaccessible spots will be the highlight of your trip as each and every moment will be etched in your memory for eternity due to the sheer unadulterated beauty of this timeless land.

The whole area is a major attraction for international tourists and words cannot describe enough the simple, elegant and extraordinary beauty of this amazing land that is protected from human meddling. If you want to experience the best “White Magic” on the planet without making a tedious trip to the Poles, then a trip to Los Glaciares will quench your thirst.

Check out more pictures after the break. Read more »