A Walk in the Woods

After spending two decades in England, Bill Bryson returns to the U.S., where he decides the best way to reconnect with his homeland is to hike the Appalachian Trail with one of his oldest friends. To be released on September 2nd.

Ukrainian folk music - DakhaBrakha

I recently heard this band on Paul Krugman's New York Times blog - described as "ethno chaos":http://www.dakhabrakha.com.ua/eng/band

I want a hat like that!

Eagles in Ohio

My friend Jane is at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in Ohio this week and she has seen eagles!

Photos: Jane Masterson

One-on-one reading

Abigail reading "Bravo" by Ginger Foglesong Guy: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061731808

The National Trust and Fracking

It looks as though the UK National Trust have changed their stance on the subject of fracking: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1355806169828/

"We have a presumption against fracking on our land because natural gas is a fossil gas and if it were proposed today on our land, we would say no.

The mining process on land not owned by us could also give rise to potential environmental and landscape impacts and we would object if they adversely affected our places.

 Carbon capture and storage technology might one day address the greenhouse gas problems of burning a fossil fuel but this is still a long way off. If evidence becomes available regarding our environmental and landscape concerns relating to the extraction process, that might address these. Evidence about the impacts of fracking may therefore change over time but until that happens we fundamentally object to fracking on our land."

Progress?

French roof tops go green

The French come up with another great idea: rooftops on new buildings in commercial zones across France must be partially covered in plants or solar panels.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/03/20/3636746/franch-rooftops-go-green/

"Green roofs, which cover rooftop space with a layer of grasses, shrubs, flowers, and other forms of flora, offer a number of benefits. They create an insulating effect, reducing the amount of energy needed to heat or cool a building depending on the season. They increase local access to green space, which often comes at a premium in urban environments. They retain rainwater, thus decreasing runoff and any related drainage issues. They provide a space for urban wildlife, such as birds, to congregate and even nest, and they reduce air pollution by acting as natural filters."

Caffeine kick

Baby robins in a nest

We found a robin's nest with three babies this morning:  http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-robin

Photo: Mark Oreglia

Voices from the Gasfields

A video the UK and Australian governments do not want us to see:

If you don't have time for the full version, here's a trailer:

France to force supermarkets to give unsold food to charity

The French get it right yet again: see following link:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/22/france-to-force-big-supermarkets-to-give-away-unsold-food-to-charity

Another article in The Guardian earlier this year: world leaders urged to tackle food waste and cut emissions: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/26/world-leaders-urged-to-tackle-food-waste-to-save-billions-and-cut-emissions

France says "non" to "le fracking"...

The French have seen the light:

Santa Barbara oil spill

So mad -- and sad -- to hear the news about the oil spill from a broken pipeline on the pristine Santa Barbara coastline -- yet more damage by the profit and greed-ridden oil industry.  Did they learn any lessons from the 1969 oil spill in exactly the same place?  Nope!!!

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/20/408176115/oil-spill-off-california-coast-fouls-4-miles-of-coastline?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=environment

Information on the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill here: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_Santa_Barbara_oil_spill 

Below: An oil-covered pelican rescued by Reeve Woolpert, photo by David Yamamoto.

Two cool posters

Two cool posters spotted on Facebook this week:

Arctic oil drilling protests

SEATTLE (AP) — Neither a protest by hundreds of demonstrators nor a permit violation notice from the city will halt Royal Dutch Shell's use of a Seattle seaport terminal as it prepares for exploratory oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean, spokesmen say.  Link to last week's protests : http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32770382

Limestone mine on treaty-protected land

A group of American Indians in Michigan have lost their bid to block a land transfer of nearly 9,000 acres to a company proposing a limestone mine—the “largest single public land deal in Michigan history,” according to the Detroit Free Press. http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/04/14/michigan-sells-treaty-protected-pristine-public-land-limestone-mine-159996

Brown-headed cowbird

We spotted a brown-headed cowbird on yesterday's walk at the Museum of Science and Industry:
http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/brown-headed-cowbird 

Photo: Marge Ishmael

Audobon: Centuries ago this bird probably followed bison herds on the Great Plains, feeding on insects flushed from the grass by the grazers. Today it follows cattle, and occurs abundantly from coast to coast. Its spread has represented bad news for other songbirds: Cowbirds lay their eggs in nests of other birds. Heavy parasitism by cowbirds has pushed some species to the status of "endangered" and has probably hurt populations of some others.

Marla and the Bees

Marla Spivak is an entomologist who is developing practical applications to protect honey bee populations from decimation by disease while making fundamental contributions to our understanding of bee biology. - See more at: http://www.macfound.org/fellows/43/#sthash.OCalKGKO.dpuf

Marla Spivak is an entomologist who is developing practical applications to protect honey bee populations from decimation by disease while making fundamental contributions to our understanding of bee biology. - See more at: http://www.macfound.org/fellows/43/#sthash.OCalKGKO.dpuf

Marla Spivak researches bees’ behavior and biology in an effort to preserve this threatened, but ecologically essential, insect.

Why we should listen -- Bees pollinate a third of our food supply -- they don’t just make honey! -- but colonies have been disappearing at alarming rates in many parts of the world due to the accumulated effects of parasitic mites, viral and bacterial diseases, and exposure to pesticides and herbicides. Marla Spivak, University of Minnesota professor of entomology and 2010 MacArthur Fellow, tries as much as possible to think like bees in her work to protect them. They’re “highly social and complex” creatures, she says, which fuels her interest and her research.

Fracking could cause respiratory issues and air pollution

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2015/05/13/Fracking-may-cause-air-pollution-respiratory-issues/5771431531914/

"A new study finds air contaminants from fracking exceed levels approved as safe by the Environmental Protection Agency and may pose health risks to people."

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Portland withdraw his support for a propane terminal proposed by the Pembina Pipeline Corp.  Mayor Hales announced that he was no longer backing the plan to build the terminal at the Port of Portland, and he urged the company to withdraw its application for a required land-use change that must be approved by the City Council. At the time, Hales said the project does not meet Portland’s environmental standards, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by burning fossil fuels, like propane.  http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/13/portland-oregon-canada-fracking-gas-pembina 

Palm warbler

Jane, Karin and I parked in the Museum of Science and Industry car park this afternoon and walked by the side of the East Lagoon of the Wooded Isle.  The lagoon is starting to fill up again, due to heavy rains over the past week, and there were many birds around, including this palm warbler: http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/palm-warbler

Photo: Marge Ishmael

Deforestation (WWF report)

WWF: Deforestation is not just a conservation issue. It’s a social and economic issue. Forests play an important role in our daily lives – from the air we breathe to the desk we use.

A new WWF report shows that most of the deforestation between 2010 and 2030 will take place in 11 places, 10 of which are in the tropics. These are the places where urgent action is needed to save forests. There are solutions! Check out the report http://pand.as/1Iw40Pe to learn more and help spread the word.

Can civilization continue?

Dr. James G. Dyke is Lecturer of Complex Systems Simulation for Geography at the University of Southampton: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/cip/information_for_students/find_your_degree/modules/global_challenges.page

Photo: www.iflscience.com

Related article on the iflscience website:
http://www.iflscience.com/environment/can-civilisation-continue-earth-system-scientist-explains

Raccoon and hummingbird

Assorted visitors to our yard today included a raccoon and a hummingbird:

Photos: Marge Ishmael

Dogwoods in bloom!

My favorite dogwood trees are in bloom this weekend:

Photos: Marge Ishmael

4.0 Quake rocks North Texas

The U.S. Geological Survey seismologist says Thursday evening’s 4.0-magnitude earthquake in North Texas wasn’t at all surprising.  http://rt.com/usa/256925-texas-earthquake-fracking-debate/

And this week's Scientific American describes how fracking takes place disproportionately in poor, rural areas. No surprise there!  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/poor-communities-bear-greatest-burden-from-fracking/

"A majority of people living in these rural areas are hardworking, generational farmers. According to the Pennsylvania farm Bureau the average net cash income per farm is $18,567, just below the poverty line," Massaro said. "By signing leases with oil and natural gas operators here in the Commonwealth, these farmers have been able to buy new state of the art equipment and pay off debt which has made their lives that much easier." 

Marbled Godwit

Yesterday we visited the new turtle habitat at Jackson Park's Wooded Isle and saw a Marbled Godwit: http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/marbled-godwit

Photo: Jane Masterson

It reminded me of a curlew (photo below) but with a straight beak:

Airline takes on big game hunters

So glad to read that South African Airlines recently banned the transport of wild animal hunting trophies: http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/04/30/south-africa-airline-bans-hunting-trophies

"It just got harder for big game hunters to bring endangered animal trophies back home from South Africa to hang on their wall."

Fracking chemicals found in Pennsylvania drinking water

Interesting New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/science/earth/fracking-chemicals-detected-in-pennsylvania-drinking-water.html?_r=0

"The paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, addresses a longstanding question about potential risks to underground drinking water from the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The authors suggested a chain of events by which the drilling chemical ended up in a homeowner’s water supply."

Baby opossums eating watermelon

This is just too cute:

Indiana Dunes Birding Festival

The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival will take place 7-10 May, 2015:
http://www.indunesbirdingfestival.com/index.html