23) Breeding Bees Resistant to the Varroa Mite

Beekeeper Rodger Dewhurst has taken it upon himself to save our honeybees from the clutches of the varroa mite by breeding varroa-tolerant native bees, Apis mellifera mellifera. Varroa mites are 2mm wide and feed off developing bees in brood cells and on adults by attaching themselves to their fleshy tissue. They weaken the bees' immune system and are vectors for other viruses and diseases such as Deformed Wing Virus. Within their hives, native bees are known to store two weeks' worth of pollen, the protein-rich food that is vital for their development. Thus, they can carry on replenishing the colony's population, especially important in the spring and summer when worker bees will only live up to six weeks. The behaviors Rodger has been implementing into his bees for 18 years are called 'grooming' 'biting' and 'hygienic cleaning' and have been developed by bees throughout their 10 million year history but are now being adapted to fight off varroa mites. These behaviors are not only passed down genetically but also learned from one bee to another. Rodger hopes to inspire other beekeepers to look for this amazing behavior within their colonies. As with the example of the dolphins' behavior, the behavior of the bees and how it can be explored even further with patience and time to its full extent and to help them defend themselves against mites is incredibly useful to them and to us.

Link to site: http://www.theecologist.org/how_to_make_a_difference/wildlife/649951/photo_gallery_breeding_bees_resistant_to_the_varroa_mite.html

22) Warning Over Contaminated Whale Meat

The Faroese government is being accused of ignoring scientific evidence over safety of whale meat as record number of pilot whales are slaughtered. Despite repeated scientific warnings over the foodstuff's high levels of contamination from mercury and other chemicals, the government is putting the health of consumers at risk by allowing the sale and consumption of the highly controversial whale meat. The hunt which is carried out annually is opposed by environmental and animal welfare campaigners who say the whale killing is cruel and unnecessary. The Faroese authorities maintain the hunt is sustainable and an important food source for the islands. Due to their position near the top of the marine food chain, pilot whales accumulate higher levels of mercury contaminants and organochlorines that are potentially harmful to human health. In 2008 the Faroe Island's chief medical officer recommended that pilot whale meat should no longer be used for human consumption because of the significant threat it poses. The Faroese government acknowledges that pilot whale meat and blubber can have high levels of contamination, but recommends consumers be guided by advice it issued in 1998 stating that one or two pilot whale meals per month are safe to consume. Part of me feels horrified by the slaughter of these whales but another part of me feels that we slaughter chickens and cows for our consumption and not as many people are writing articles on it or protesting how horrific the conditions they live in are, so I'd be a hypocrite if I say it disgusts me that people want to eat whale meat but I enjoy eating beef and chicken and don't care much how they are killed as long as I get to eat it. I guess it is a matter of taste and what kind of meat do people prefer to eat.

Link to site: http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/687202/warning_over_contaminated_whale_meat_as_faroe_islands_killing_continues.html

21) Deformed Toad Artist

New York artist, activist and ecological researcher Brandon Ballengee blends science with art by photographing deformities among amphibian populations known as the Malamp project. "The Case of the Deviant Toad" his first London solo exhibition, was the artistic result of his 'eco-actions' and study of UK toad populations. Ballengee worked for over two years to study possible causes of toads with deformities including parasites, predators or chemical pollution. "The Case of the Deviant Toad" represents the artistic leg of the project and it was a spotlight on amphibian deformity with its high-resolution scanner photos and preserved specimens of deformed toads. Ballengee developed a chemical process that stains the bones and cartilage with colours and leaves the skin transparent. The stained amphibians are then scanned at very high resolution and turned into large-scale watercolor prints scaled up to the size of a human toddler attempting to evoke empathy rather than fear. Resembling X-rays, the disturbing, yet beautiful images are unique, intended to recall the individuality of the life of every frog.

After browsing through the images of the frogs and reading about the artist's process, I think it is a great way to raise awareness of what is happening to these toads. I think art as a way of protesting the effects of global warming on the environment is a great way to reach the public and create reactions.

Link to site: http://www.theecologist.org/how_to_make_a_difference/wildlife/451908/deformed_toad_artist_hopes_to_win_public_sympathy_for_amphibians.html

20) Nonstick Pans can Affect our Hormones

A group of chemicals found in common household items may be having dangerous effects on our hormones, new research shows. A study on sheep and cells grown in the laboratory by Norwegian vets found that perfluorinated compounds found in water resistant clothes and non-stick frying pans can affect the body's steroid hormones including estrogen, testosterone and cortisol. These hormones are necessary for regulating a number of bodily functions in humans and animals, including our ability to reproduce. The research also discovered similar effects caused by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a group of chemicals that have been banned since the 1970s but continue to persist in the environment. To regulate he use of PFCs one could try to limit the use of clothes treated with water and grease repellent containing PFCs. It may also be wise to use cookware coated with non-stick "Teflon"-type coatings with care, especially when damaged. Alternatively, one may consider going back to the good old-fashioned cast iron frying pan. The DuPont corporation, which produces Teflon products disputed the findings saying that 'while some associations have been reported, no human effects are known to be caused byPFOA (the PFC chemical in Teflon products)'. Ever since my mom read about Teflo products being bad for your health she has changed to cast irons and stainless steel which do not release as many chemicals into the food as Teflon. However, like the article says, the incremental risks are small but regardless, a little bit at a time can add up to a lot so I rather follow my mom's advice and not use Teflon products to look after my health in the future.

Link to site: http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/570519/nonstick_pans_can_affect_our_hormones_new_research_suggests.html

19) Eco-clothes!

Eco360 Trust produces recycled shirts with 5 major benefits to the environment, society and to companies promoting their green practices. Eco360 Trust is a campaign of the non-profit Institute for Sustainable Communication which advises professionals on sustainability issues. Eco360 Trust raises funds for ISC's education program by producing customized performance apparel made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles. All net proceeds pay for college scholarships for low income students.

The 5 benefits of the Eco360 shirts are:

1. The shirts are made out of 100% recycled PET
2. The e360s save fresh water. they are printed digitally so no fresh water is used to dye the fabric
3. The e360s create U.S. jobs
4. The e360s support education for low-income students
5. The e360s help companies improve their credibility by putting their sustainability commitment into practice

These shirts sound like an awesome deal plus the designs are very cool. I will be definitively getting one when they are more available in the market. After visiting the website I saw they currently have 6 designs available, each is $37.00 and they have six different names for six different causes they support or colors they represent in the environment: sky, cloud, meadow, water, soil and moss :)

Link to site: http://eco360.me/

18) One Scientist's Hobby: Recreating the Ice Age

This weekend on the news I stumbled upon an article that talked about Russian scientist, Sergey Zimov, trying to recreate the ice age by relocating animals such as wild horses, moose, reindeer, bison and deer, back to the place where they once roamed in millions to demonstrate that by filling the vast emptiness of Siberia with grass-eating animals will slow down global warming. This seems like an interesting theory and of course one I would be willing to support, after all, animals once roamed free and the Earth looked better than ever before we started destroying it. Herbivores keep wild grass short and healthy sending up fresh shoots through the summer and autumn. In the winter, the animals trample and flatten the snow that otherwise would insulate the ground from the cold air. That helps prevent the frozen ground, or permafrost, from thawing and releasing powerful greenhouse gases. Today, Zimov has 70 animals in the park and some like the wild horses come regularly to a cabin where a caretaker stays year-round. The cost of bringing more animals to Siberia seems to be the problem as 1,000 bison from North America would cost $1 million to bring, but this theory, if proven correct, would mean that scientists from other parts of the world could do the same thing to areas that have been affected by the lack of animals grazing around.

Link to site: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101127/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_ice_age_park

17) Earth as Art

Looking through National Geographic's website this week I came across the Earth as Art gallery in which pictures from the Earth-observing Landsat satellites, jointly managed by NASA and the USGS take pictures of the Earth that are so beautiful they can be described as art. The pictures range from congregations of greenish phytoplankton in Sweden's dark water, to an ancient and eroded meteor crater in the Algerian Sahara. These pictures were taken from 2002-to present. They show just another view of how beautiful our planet is, the wonderful things that go on in the environment and hopefully will raise awareness to better care for our Earth.

Link to online gallery: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/11/photogalleries/101119-satellite-pictures-earth-as-art-australia-glaciers-mountains-clouds/#/earth-art-van-gogh-gotland-sweden-island-phytoplankton-bloom_29158_600x450.jpg