Environment

Are zoos’ conservation efforts miraculous, or are they an exercise in futility? — I was at the zoo the other day, for the first time in a while. It was a beautiful day, and I saw a lot of cool animals. But by the time I left, I felt really sad. I’m lucky to live in a city with a great zoo. It’s…

Cattle ranching is easily the highest climate-impact global food source. — By Michael Sutherland According to one estimate, methane (CH4, the primary component of natural gas) accounts for roughly 11% of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. Over a 100-year period, methane is estimated to be 28–34 times as potent a greenhouse insulator as carbon dioxide; over a shorter time span…

Catastrophic Flooding in the Pacific Northwest — Published in the EarthSphere Blog A text recently popped up from my long-time friend, fellow geologist, and nature photographer— CF Lovelace. He pointed me to a recent article by Rebecca Latson — Exploring Along The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail — Part 1. It was a great article with…

7 gentle ways to inspire us to make environmentally friendly choices — Credit: This article is based on the scientific “Nudging to get our food choices on a sustainable track” by Jolien Vandenbroele. (Full citations and link available at the end of the article) With the number of people on our planet growing, the first solution that comes to mind may be…

“Delight in Disorder” — When I planted my small herb garden, I put wooden partitions between my five herbs. “And don’t think outside your box,” I told them. The Chives and Thyme took note and kept well within their boxes. The Rosemary grew tall and wide but didn’t stray outside its home. As always…