Green Options

Even if the U.S. government continues its pseudo protection to save the planet’s wildlife and natural resources they can be thanked indirectly as they recently created a new National Wildlife Refuge System Coloring Book. Most people might not be aware of the U.S. Refuge System, which includes more than 540 refuges, with at least one in every state and one about an hour’s drive from most metropolitan areas. Here in the Bay Area we have a few including Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newark.

Scientists have found that Killer Whales in the North Atlantic Ocean differ in both diet and genetic makeup. In fact, they’re in the process of splitting into two different species all together.

Researchers examined the teeth of 62 whale skeletons, some that were hundreds of years old. They found that “type 1″ whales had longer teeth with significant wear in comparison to “type 2.” Type 2 whales fed on a combination of seals and fish. But type 1 whales stuck to dolphins and smaller whales, like that of Antarctic orcas.

The ancient lake sturgeon, a threatened species, is making a modest comeback in the Great Lakes after more than a century of overharvest and habitat destruction.

Even as news spreads of the possible imminent invasion of giant Asian carp in the Great Lakes, there’s also good news — the mammoth, native lake sturgeon is making a comeback, breeding where it hasn’t in decades. Once regarded by European settlers in the region as a trash fish, the sturgeon has long been venerated by Native Americans. Concerted habitat restoration and restocking programs have given new life to the fish, which can live over 100 years and grow to weights of 200 pounds and lengths of greater than six feet. In fact, one Michigan angler a few years ago mistook a resting sturgeon for a floating log — until it swam away.

The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly species was identified in September by Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department biologists. 1934 was the last Maine sighting of the butterfly.  The recent finding was in the hardwood swamps of Berwick and Wells.

Bighead carp are one of two non-native species of Asian carp causing widespread concern among Great Lakes advocates. The other is silver carp.

Great Lakes advocates are calling it a “conservation emergency” now that non-native Asian carp have been detected within seven miles of Lake Michigan. They want an immediate closure of locks and gateways leading to the lake in a literally”last-ditch” attempt to keep the fish out.

The fear is that the giant fish will disrupt the valuable Great Lakes sport fishery by outcompeting species at the top of the Lake Michigan food web, consuming the forage fish the established species depend on — and like many of the other 180 non-native aquatic species already in the Great Lakes, causing general ecosystem disruption.

Writing for GreenOptions I sometimes get contacted by PR firms wanting to promote projects. Sight unseen I usually shrug them off, I happen to only write about items that I have seen or used, and can feel good about endorsing. When MSNBC contacted me the other day with a preview of a new special on animal conservation, I figured it was probably more of the same stories I have seen over and over again. However, when I watched the preview it sucked me in. It is hosted by Jeff Corwin, a famous naturalist you have probably seen on TV. I can say wholeheartedly that this looks like something that I can feel good about endorsing.

Every 20 minutes a species will go extinct, 20,000 species this year, and this Sunday, November 22, 8PM Eastern MSNBC will be airing “100 Heartbeats” hosted by Jeff Corwin to fight back. You can watch the preview here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33490448#33490448

There is a lot of confusion and disinformation circulating today about seeds and the ethics of their commercial sale.  Actually a healthy, commercial seed industry is critical for agricultural sustainability.  Because seeds are such a fundamental component of the sustainability of our food supply, this area deserves careful thought and accurate information even if you are never going to farm or even garden. I’ll try to address some of the modern “myths” about this.  I’ll talk about “farmer-saved seed,” and “hybrid seed.” In a later post I’ll talk about “GMO seed,” and the mythical “Terminator Technology.”  But first a little history.

Seed-bearing plants start showing up in the fossil record ~350 million years ago, first as gymnosperms like cycads, conifers… and eventually, flowering plants (angiosperms) like most of the living plants today.  Other than pine nuts and sea weed, I can’t think of any crops that are not angiosperms (Contest! - 5 virtual sustainability points to someone who can come up with another non-angiosperm crop plant)

Jarrod Diamond’s wonderful book, “Guns, Germs and Steel” talks about how the initially accidental and later intentional collection and planting of seeds is what made human civilization possible - the move beyond the hunter/gatherer state that happened about 10,000 years ago in the “fertile crescent.”

In 2007 federal protections were dropped for the protection of Yellowstone grizzlies. Ever since then, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition have been fighting to give protection back to the bears. They argued that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) failed to address the loss of essential food sources for the bears, whitebark pine seeds and cutthroat trout.

On Monday, September 21 they finally achieved what they were fighting for when Judge Donald Molloy ruled that inadequate regulatory mechanisms were put in place to manage the bears. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and six other groups, represented by Earthjustice, have a similar case pending in Idaho.

Environmental care is a practical, worldly thing. But it is also a step in one’s personal evolution. On the one hand, it is a practical response to the environmental problems we are facing. It is also a foresighted response to the issues (economic and environmental) that we might be facing if we don’t think more about the environment we live in and rely on. But, on the other hand, it is much more than that.

According to reports, 13 cheetal and one swamp deer died Friday evening under “mysterious circumstances” at the Kanpur Zoo.  Viscera samples and stomach content have been sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI). Results are expected sometime within the next two weeks.  The samples will also be tested at the Lucknow forensic science lab to rule out “sabotage.”  

Communities of all sorts are being disturbed by the fires in California. As another result of climate change, bird communities are expected to see some big changes in other ways, according to a new report released on September 1.