Topic: Environmental Issues and Protection

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Where gas prices are highest

Gasoline is a very visible price, and closely watched by many drivers. Petroleum prices impact many products, from food to industrial production. While the cost of crude is the major factor in gasoline price volatility, some countries levy taxes on fossil fuels. Here are ten countries where high gas prices are the norm, according to British insurance firm Staveley Head.
Top 10 most expensive car repair mistakes

Better built cars and an uncertain economy mean that Americans are holding onto their cars for longer than ever and are doing more of their own repairs. Nearly half of those who already do their own auto repairs say they are doing more of them themselves this year; 3 in 4 of those who rely on a mechanic say that economic conditions are making them more likely to attempt their own repairs, according to a recent survey by AutoMD.com. But there are mistakes that even the most seasoned do-it-yourselfers can make. Whether you like to go under the hood or take your vehicle to the shop, here are 10 expensive repair and maintenance mistakes to avoid:
One World Trade Center and the four other tallest buildings in America

The new One World Trade Center tower is taking over as New York City’s tallest from the Empire State Building. But it’s not the country’s tallest. Here are the five tallest buildings in the country.
Earth Day: Five ways we affect the planet

The late Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D) of Wisconsin organized the first Earth Day in 1970 after the devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif. The event started as an environmental teach-in, with some 20 million Americans taking part on college campuses across the United States. Today, 500 million people in 175 countries observe Earth Day on April 22 as a way to celebrate the natural world and raise awareness of the environment. How much do humans affect the earth? Click below to find out.
How much do you know about Earth Day? Take our quiz!

April 22 marks the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, a day intended to inspire awareness and promote appreciation for the environment. So it's time to test your knowledge of Earth Day history, trivia and statistics.

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In Gear
Used car prices: Some models could plummet $900 in June

Used car prices have already begun to drop after a surge earlier this year. Easier credit, lower gas prices are among the factors easing still high used car prices.
4 ways to save Rio+20 summit on sustainable development

As 'Elders,' even our optimism is being seriously tested by the lack of urgency about the Rio+20 summit on sustainable development in June. To succeed, the summit must start by setting goals, just as the UN did with its 'Millennium Development Goals' – with some targets now being met.
Latin America Monitor
Brazilian activist flees Amazon home after threats from illegal loggers

Some 1,000 land activists have been murdered in Brazil the past two decades, and the latest threats highlight the government's failure to protect activists, according to InSight Crime.
Climate change: Arctic passes 400 parts per million milestone

Arctic monitoring stations show carbon dioxide levels are now above 400 parts per million. Carbon dioxide is the chief climate-change gas and stays in the atmosphere for 100 years. Before the Industrial Age, carbon dioxide levels were 275 ppm.
Consumer Energy Report
Oil subsidies: Surprise! Liberals are fans, too.

When asked if the federal government should eliminate subsidies for oil companies, most would respond with a resounding 'yes.' But such a policy would have unwelcome unintended consequences, and not just for billionaire oil tycoons.
Voracious kudzu bugs spread across South. Are they boon or bane?

The nubbin-sized Japanese invader arrived on American shores somewhere near Atlanta in 2009. Today it’s eating pesky kudzu across at least three states. Unfortunately, it’s chowing on soybean crops, too.
In Brazil, a showdown over rainforest deforestation

Brazil's president is scheduled to sign a reform package today that could retroactively legalize the deforestation of millions of acres in the Amazon.
Modern Parenthood
US Navy uses new online game to gather energy security solutions

A new online game developed by the US Navy creates a platform for older kids to contribute ideas on how the military can lessen its dependence on oil, supplementing its current research on energy security.
Los Angeles to become largest US city banning plastic bags

The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-to-1 to move forward with a controversial ban on single-use plastic grocery bags. Critics say it’s an example of regulatory overreach.
Rich-poor divide bogs down UN climate talks

Developing nations say the industrialized world - responsible for most of the emissions historically - should bear the brunt of the emissions cuts while developed nations want to make sure that fast-growing economies like China and India don't get off too easy.
Where gas prices are highest

Gasoline is a very visible price, and closely watched by many drivers. Petroleum prices impact many products, from food to industrial production. While the cost of crude is the major factor in gasoline price volatility, some countries levy taxes on fossil fuels. Here are ten countries where high gas prices are the norm, according to British insurance firm Staveley Head.
Change Agent
Community radio cuts disaster risk in flood-prone Bangladesh

Radio stations that broadcast in local dialects along Bangladesh’s coast warn residents about storms and help farmers cope with erratic weather.
Readers Write: Natural gas won't save America

Letters to the Editor for the weekly print issue of May 21, 2012: Natural gas is a stopgap at best. What are the long-term risks of fracking? The real issue is the huge quantity of water used and chemically contaminated in the fracking process.
Top 10 most expensive car repair mistakes

Better built cars and an uncertain economy mean that Americans are holding onto their cars for longer than ever and are doing more of their own repairs. Nearly half of those who already do their own auto repairs say they are doing more of them themselves this year; 3 in 4 of those who rely on a mechanic say that economic conditions are making them more likely to attempt their own repairs, according to a recent survey by AutoMD.com. But there are mistakes that even the most seasoned do-it-yourselfers can make. Whether you like to go under the hood or take your vehicle to the shop, here are 10 expensive repair and maintenance mistakes to avoid:
Green Economics
Anti-dumping policies can have environmental consequences

Anti-dumping laws don't protect the environment in every industry. In some cases, such restrictions can actually do harm.
Twice as many mega rainstorms in Midwest in past 50 years

Wisconsin saw the biggest rise (203 percent) in extreme rainstorms – 3 inches of rain or more in a day, new study says. Climate change is behind more Midwest flooding, say scientists.
Change Agent
New ideas reduce waste and spoilage after the harvest

A new kind of bag for cowpeas in western Africa cuts weevil infestations and boosts incomes and productivity. Research on how to better grow crops is now being joined by research on how to reduce waste and spoilage after harvest.
Change Agent
Solar-powered phones recharge Kenya's conversations

An inexpensive solar cell phone made of recycled materials opens new opportunities for people in rural Kenya.
In Gear
New world record: 1,626 miles on one tank of gas

Helen and John Taylor drove the longest distance without refueling of anyone in the world. Their car, a diesel-powered Volkswagen Passat, got an average 84.1 miles per gallon.  
Green accounting of economic growth

A World Bank study offers a new attempt to reconcile growth-oriented economics with Earth-oriented environmentalism. But can economists put price tags on nature?
Antarctic ice sheet at risk, say scientists

A new study points out an unexpected weakness in the Antarctic ice sheet, which could melt rapidly within the next century, say scientists.
Warm water threatens vast Anatarctic ice shelf (+video)

A new study indicates that a large ice sheet is at risk. Warm water from below is causing it to melt.
Did gassy dinosaurs cause global warming?

A new study found that giant plant-eating dinosaurs could have produced giant quantities of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Scientists: Dinosaur flatulence may have warmed Earth (+video)

Like gigantic, long-necked, prehistoric cows, sauropod dinosaurs roamed widely around the Earth 150 million years ago, scientists reported in the journal Current Biology on Monday.
Heartland Institute's digital billboards make bombastic comparisons (+video)

New billboards designed by the Heartland Institute compare climate scientists to the Unabomber, and other mass murderers. Climate scientists and other writers respond.