Ocean life on the brink of mass extinctions: study

Small waves crash over rocks across the harbour from the Sydney city skyline May 23, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Tim Wimborne

 OSLO (Reuters) - Life in the oceans is at imminent risk of the worst spate of extinctions in millions of years due to threats such as climate change and over-fishing, a study showed on Tuesday.

Time was running short to counter hazards such as a collapse of coral reefs or a spread of low-oxygen "dead zones," according to the study led by the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO).

"We now face losing marine species and entire marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs, within a single generation," according to the study by 27 experts to be presented to the United Nations.

"Unless action is taken now, the consequences of our activities are at a high risk of causing, through the combined effects of climate change, over-exploitation, pollution and habitat loss, the next globally significant extinction event in the ocean," it said.

Scientists list five mass extinctions over 600 million years -- most recently when the dinosaurs vanished 65 million years ago, apparently after an asteroid struck. Among others, the Permian period abruptly ended 250 million years ago.

"The findings are shocking," Alex Rogers, scientific director of IPSO, wrote of the conclusions from a 2011 workshop of ocean experts staged by IPSO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at Oxford University.

Fish are the main source of protein for a fifth of the world's population and the seas cycle oxygen and help absorb carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas from human activities.

OXYGEN

Jelle Bijma, of the Alfred Wegener Institute, said the seas faced a "deadly trio" of threats of higher temperatures, acidification and lack of oxygen, known as anoxia, that had featured in several past mass extinctions.

A build-up of carbon dioxide, blamed by the U.N. panel of climate scientists on human use of fossil fuels, is heating the planet. Absorbed into the oceans, it causes acidification, while run-off of fertilizers and pollution stokes anoxia.

"From a geological point of view, mass extinctions happen overnight, but on human timescales we may not realize that we are in the middle of such an event," Bijma wrote.

The study said that over-fishing is the easiest for governments to reverse -- countering global warming means a shift from fossil fuels, for instance, toward cleaner energies such as wind and solar power.

"Unlike climate change, it can be directly, immediately and effectively tackled by policy change," said William Cheung of the University of East Anglia.

"Over-fishing is now estimated to account for over 60 percent of the known local and global extinction of marine fishes," he wrote.

Among examples of over-fishing are the Chinese bahaba that can grow 2 meters long. Prices per kilo (2.2 lbs) for its swim bladder -- meant to have medicinal properties -- have risen from a few dollars in the 1930s to $20,000-$70,000.

Read the full article here

The truth about the Samsung deal

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Samsung C&T CEO Chi Sung Ha shake hands in Toronto January 21, 2010.

MARK BLINCH/REUTERS

Cheol Woo Lee is feeling betrayed these days.
The senior vice-president of Samsung C&T understands why Ontarians are getting frustrated by higher energy bills, but he’s disturbed that his company is taking much of the blame.
He’s embarrassed that Samsung – its well-known brand and international reputation—has become a political punching bag to win votes. The unfolding drama is being watched closely at the company’s headquarters in South Korea.
“We haven’t received one cent of money from Ontario,” said Lee, chatting over coffee at a downtown hotel. “We’ve only been spending money—and big money so far. Why do we have to be blamed or criticized?”
He was talking about the well publicized but often mischaracterized “Samsung deal,” frequently referred to in the media and by Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak as that $7-billion “sweetheart” deal signed back in January 2010 by the McGuinty government.
Hudak has said he will kill the deal if elected in October. Even if Hudak is bluffing, Lee said irreparable damage has been done. “The comment has affected our projects seriously. Our partners, our investors, are considering very seriously whether Samsung can manage the situation.”
You’d think, the way it has been framed, that Samsung stands to get $7 billion from the deal, but in fact it’s the other way around – the agreement requires that a Samsung-led consortium deliver $7 billion in investment to Ontario.
This will involve developing 2,000 megawatts of wind power projects, 500 megawatts of solar, and arranging for a manufacturing supply chain that will provide wind turbines and solar panels for those projects. In all, Samsung’s efforts and promised investments are expected to deliver 2,140 direct jobs and 13,860 indirect jobs.
In return, the company gets a premium – called an “economic development adder” – that’s expected to amount to $437 million during the first 20 years of operation of its wind and solar projects. That works out to about $22 million a year, on top of feed-in-tariff rates that apply to all solar and wind projects.

Read the full story here

Another opinion about the Green Energy Act – Looking at overall costs and benefits

There has been a lot of talk about how the Feed-In-Tariff being the main culprit in the rising energy prices, here’s a fresh view on the topic.
If you look at the FIT program as a stimulus package that came amidst the recession then it’s benefits should also be analyzed from a “cure to a recession” standpoint and we can see:

• Green energy creates 12 times more jobs per kWh than nuclear and 15 times more than natural gas. The articles gives a figure of 1200 jobs in Kitchener-Waterloo area alone quoting the mayor.
• The highest tariff of 80.2c is paid for small projects to individual home owners. These people then spend the money on goods and services putting it back in the economy. It is estimated that $1 paid to a homeowner contributes a minimum of $7 to the economy by recirculating.

There is an additional benefit that the article fails to mention – lower health care costs. Since green energy causes 0 pollution, it works towards reducing respiratory sicknesses associated with burning carbon based fuels such as gas and coal. It’s a real cost the provincial government has to bear.
Read the full article by Derek Satnick here: The Green Energy Act is Saving us Money!

Solar industry ponders Ontario media campaign

The Canadian Solar Industry Association is trying to raise $2 million from its members to mount a media campaign in Ontario, promoting the benefits of solar.
A message to members says the campaign is needed because “our industry has become threatened due to political rhetoric and a misunderstanding within the province of the value we have created.”
“It is now a critical time to speak out and clarify these misapprehensions,” says the letter from association president Elizabeth McDonald.
“This is not a political campaign but an information campaign – we must remain non-partisan,” it says. The letter names no political party.
But Ontario’s Conservative party leader Tim Hudak has taken dead aim at the energy policies of the current Liberal government, which have promoted solar energy and offered solar producers premium prices for their power.
An Ontario election is scheduled for Oct. 6.
Hudak has vowed to cancel the province’s feed-in tariff rates, which pay solar producers prices ranging from 44.3 cents to 80.2 cents a kilowatt hour for electricity. To qualify, power developers must source a large portion of their equipment in Ontario.
Hudak also says he’ll cancel the province’s agreement with the South Korean firm Samsung, which includes a big commitment to manufacture solar equipment and develop solar power.
In an interview, McDonald said solar needs to concentrate on two key demographic segments.
“The first one is women 25 to 65, who are very, very supportive of renewable energy and the environmental impact, but know very little.”
“The second would be men over 35 who are very concerned about money, but don’t understand actually how things work, etcetera,” she said.
“We felt that if there was going to be a lot of discussion about the impact of solar, about what solar costs, what jobs have been created, that we should be the ones who are telling the story.”
The association wants its members to work locally, pointing out jobs that are being created by firms in their communities, McDonald said.
Polling done for the association has disclosed broad support for renewable energy, but little detailed understanding of the benefits, including the jobs being created, she said:
“There’s so much going on, it’s about time everybody understood.”
If CanSIA succeeds in raising the $2 million from its members, about 75 per cent would be spent on “media buys – mostly television,” McDonald’s letter says.
“This is predicated on a campaign that will have a real, material and measurable effect on public and political opinion.”
Several companies have already offered up to $50,000 each toward the cost of the campaign, the letter says.
Link to the story

Is SOLAR really increasing our Hydro bills???

Renewable energy is taking a beating in the press lately, misinformation is being reported and repeated by those who have an interest
in non renewable energy.

Scan_ 0001 is the Ontario Power Authority's proposed energy supply by 2030. Please note that solar only represents 1.5% of the
mix by 2030, how can it be blamed for the increase in your hydro bill when it represents less than 0.4% today???????

We are foolish and insane to continue pooping in our nest as we have for the past 150 years. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the ongoing Fukushima nuclear disaster are recent examples of our fallibility.

We have come to a most important juncture. Our population has multiplied exponentially, we have used up most of our planet's resources
and have created so much pollution that new diseases are showing up everywhere. We are on a destructive path and soon the planet will become uninhabitable for humans or beasts. If Global warming doesn't get us our bad habits will.

The time for change is now and we are up to it if we commit to truth, transparency and a determined focus to improve the state of
the world for us and future generations.

Technologies are available today; see "Suppressed technologies" www.brasschecktv.com;  to replace oil, gas and nuclear and that is
without any innovations which will undoubtedly develop as we commit to a better future. Many of these technologies have been
suppressed because they threaten those who benefit from keeping us trapped in a cycle of wars and economic crisis thus profiting
from the suffering of the masses in the interest of a few.

Free energy is available all around us in the form of flowing waters (hydro power), sunlight (solar), wind (wind turbines), in the
ground (geothermal heating and cooling) and fuels made from many sources including methane made from feces and food waste
(bio digestion), and algae (not from corn) Ethanol . These are only a few of the existing alternatives, many others are being
developed and improved.

Hydro: The hydro power tunnel in Niagara Falls broke through on May 13th. 2011 http://www.niagarafrontier.com/tunnel.html
Quebec derives 94% of it's power from water and they are the first province to put a moratorium on nuclear. Ontario has 90% of nuclear
plants (20) in Canada yet the only moratorium is on offshore wind turbines. 

Solar: 175 kW installation on barn roofs in Cobden, ON (IMG_0313) this farm also includes a 500 kW bio digester making methane gas
from cow manure and restaurant wastes. The solar systems on pedestals (IMG_0361) are 2 axis 10 kW tracking systems which can provide power for 2 homes if they were using energy efficiently. The cost of solar will continue to fall, we will be able to buy solar panels at $1 per
watt soon, they sell for $3 or more at the present.

Solar Thermal: heats water very effictively and can do it throughout the year. Most households will profit from installing a solar thermal
system on their roof or property (IMG_0730) is a commercial solar thermal system.

Wind: turbines are becoming more and more efficient bringing down the cost of power. (PA210020) photo of a few of the hundreds of
wind turbines producing Safe Green Renewable energy while earning money for cash strapped Ontario farmers in South Western Ontario.
Take a Sunday ride along Hwy 3 on the shores of Lake Erie from Blenheim to Leamington to see how the Green Energy Act and Fit program are benefiting our farmers and creating employment.

Fuel: future transportation will not use so called fossil fuels as existing suppressed technologies are employed. Fuels such as Biogas made
from our waste products including mining existing garbage dumps, Water based fuels which supply Hydrogen as we drive, Compressed air
transportation, Ethanol made from algae instead of corn  http://embowered.com/vertical-algae-bioreactor/ Magnetic energy reaching nearly perpetual motion efficiency and many others being held very close to the chest until the environment becomes more welcoming.

Geothermal: The earth holds a tremendous source of savings for heating and cooling our homes and businesses (IMG_9791 & IMG_9889)
are an example of a geothermal system installation in a 10,000 sq. ft. home that has improved the family's wellbeing and saves them 75%
of their energy costs.

LED lighting: reduces energy use by up to 90% and LED's last a minimum of 50,000 hours making them extremely efficient and cost
effective. Why are compact florescent bulbs being promoted instead when they have been proven to cause negative health responses?
In B.C. a grant system encourages the population to install LED's why not in Ontario?    


It seems that those forming future policies lack foresight, are living in the middle ages and have little faith in our ingenuity.
We are placing our future in the hands of those who lack vision and are blinded by the influence of the corrupt energy merchants.

Stop Darlington Declaration -URGENT PLEASE SIGN -

Please help build a safe, affordable and green electricity system in Ontario by having your organization, association, or friends, and family endorse the Darlington Declaration.
Please add your voice to those opposing the construction of new reactors in Ontario and working for a greener Ontario.

You can find and endorse the Darlington Declaration here:
http://stopdarlington.org/declaration/

As you are probably aware, the Ontario government’s plan to build new reactors will block the long-term expansion of safer green energy options, create radioactive wastes and
impose Fukushima-type accident risks on Canadian society for generations.

This is unacceptable when we have safe and affordable options.

By adding your voice to others opposing new reactors at Darlington, we can collectively tell our political leaders that We Choose Green Energy.

If you’d like to learn more about the hazards of building new reactors at Darlington or updates on the work to stop Darlington, please visit
http://stopdarlington.org
If you have questions about the Declaration, please feel free to
contact me at: steve.cornwell@greenpeace.org

Thanks for your support building a greener future

Choose Green Energy: Please Sign The Darlington Declaration

Nuclear Threats to the Great Lakes and Transition to Clean Safe Energy International Roundtable

Saturday, May 14, 9 am - 5 pm
Henry Ford Community College, Society of Mechanical Engineers (SME) Bldg., 5101 Evergreen Rd. Dearborn, Michigan

Scheduled speakers:
Dr. Gordon Edwards - President of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility - to address the radioactive contamination of the Earth and its Waters - accidental or deliberate?
Brennain Lloyd - Community organizer with Northwatch, who has worked for more than two decades on nuclear waste issues in Canada, including those at the Bruce nuclear complex on Lake Huron speaking on the risks of a proposed deep underground radioactive dump by Lake Huron.
Michael Keegan - Co Chair of Don’t Waste Michigan & Chair of Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes on why we should oppose a proposed new reactor at Monroe and the 20-year re-license for Davis-Besse near Toledo.
Kevin Kamps - Radioactive Waste Watchdog from Beyond Nuclear to discuss reactor waste policy in the Great Lakes and nationally.
Greg Laskowsky - Henry Ford Community College, Lead Instructor, Energy Technology - Energy & Technology Department will discuss the renewable energy options available.
Kathleen Law - Former Michigan legislator who introduced the first German style renewable energy bill in North America and since adopted by Ontario
Victor McManemy - Great Lakes songwriter, troubadour, historian, musician and advocate for Indigenous Peoples

Sponsored by Sierra Club - S.E. Michigan Group, Sierra Club of Canada, Ohio Sierra Club Nuclear Issues Committee, and Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination

For info, Ed McArdle 313-388-6645 / ecoguy2@netzero.net - or Kay Cumbow 810-346-4513 at kcumbow@greatlakes.net