September 2011
39 posts
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NYU study asks, can congestion fees reduce... →
The main methods for combating traffic are:
1. congestion pricing (fees charged to drive in heavy-traffic areas during peak hours)
2. land-use planning that makes it easier to walk, ride bicycles or use mass transit
In a NYU study comparing areas that used congestion pricing and those that didn’t, the researchers found reduction in vehicle-miles traveled is greater in traditional (dense...
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Boeing's New Green Plane: The 787 Dreamliner →
It’s long been in development but it’s finally here! The 787 Dreamliner is extremely fuel-efficient with an on-board atmosphere designed to cut down on jetlag. Japanese carrier ANA will operate the 787’s first passenger flight at the end of next month!
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Save Vanishing Species with Postal Stamps →
There’s a new postal stamp that will raise money for wildlife conservation, created by the Oklahoma City Zoo and the U.S. Postal Service.
The special semipostal stamps cost 55 cents each, 11 cents more than a regular stamp, and are available for purchase now, according to the postal service. The extra cost of the stamps will support efforts to save endangered animals such as apes,...
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Californians, vote for Assembly Bill 376 to ban... →
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WatchFuturist Alex Steffen explains the problems facing the world today and how we can solve them and create better, more sustainable cities.
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Scientist discovers you can create fuel by... →
Such a cool idea!
Prof. James Clark has discovered that high-power microwaves could be used to create gases from fruit peel, which can be distilled into fuel. He claims this method could also be used on other plant-based waste like coffee or nut shells to make fuel.
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Visiting the Turtle Hospital in Florida →
Really interesting tour through the Turtle Hospital in Marathon in Florida Keys.
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Salmon can sniff out predators! →
Using smell, they can detect whether predators have eaten salmon before.
The salmon’s avoidance behaviour was measured by recording how much time they spent in different parts of the tank.
They found the fish tended to avoid the water which had been scented by otters which had eaten salmon - around 85% of the time - but did not avoid water scented by non-salmon-eating otters.
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How penguins find a perfect partner →
Fascinating breakdown of how King Penguins find a mate in the Indian Ocean.
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How San Francisco Deals With Compost →
Check out the impressive process by which food scraps move from kitchens in San Francisco to a facility in Vacaville to farms.
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Making Headway in the Movement to Protect the... →
Mr. Knights, of WildAid, said that if the decimation of shark populations continued, all the money in the world would not provide shark fins for diners. “This is unsustainable,” he said, “and the question is, do you end it now or do you wait until there are no sharks left?”
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MaRS on Good World Games: Video games for social... →
This philosophy of “gaming for social good” has taken off in recent years, with games popping up seeking to tackle issues of hunger, poverty, community cohesion, environmental sustainability and education. Toronto-based Good World Games recently released My Conservation Park, a socially conscious game that sees players build and manage a wildlife reserve.
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The Globe & Mail on Good World Games: "Startup... →
Mark Evans profiles us in The Globe & Mail!
Serial entrepreneur Greg Sukornyk looked at the activities of charities online and the growing popularity of online gaming, and figured there was an opportunity to marry them in a way that could benefit charities while still entertaining game players. Since the first game was launched a couple of months ago…more than 10,000 people have played, while...
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Saving threatened pikas in the Rockies →
Not to be confused with this one!
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A review of "Demon Fish" in the New York Times →
Interesting review of Demon Fish, a book that attempts to explain the importance of shark conservation.
More than 73 million sharks are killed each year by fishermen who hack off their fins to sell as a coveted ingredient for soup. As many as 90 percent of sharks in the world’s open oceans have disappeared.
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Inside Social Games covers the... →
Captain Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and the TLC show Whale Wars officially endorsed the social game, MyConservationPark. Through a partnership with Sea Shepherd, developer Good World Games will donate 15% of earnings to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
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10 concepts for eco-friendly buses of the future →
Pictured above: The Setra Coach, a public transport design that can accommodate all with a comfortable and ‘green’ drive. The bus has a durable and strong superstructure with big windows that offer a great panoramic view. It’s powered by Lithium-ion batteries that are located under the luggage compartment.
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WatchFox News discuss videogames going green. Can’t say I agree with everything they’re saying here but it’s nice to see the topic being discussed on air.
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Examining Britain's Wildlife Revival →
I love hearing good news, don’t you?
The three main drivers of these comebacks and colonisations are legal action, habitat creation and climate change. Changes in the law have reduced both deliberate and unwitting pollution; with the banning of the agricultural chemical DDT in the early 1980s coming just in time to save the peregrine which, as a predator at the very top of the food...
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Humans Hardwired To Pay Attention to Animals →
Even looking at a picture of animals instantly makes our brain start working, according to a new study from Nature Neuroscience. Fascinating!
Even though we may not feel particularly moved by animal images, the researchers say the resulting brain activity occurs at a conscious level. The researchers stop short of saying that animals inherently trigger our emotions, but it’s possible...
