Amazon in danger as Brazil moves forward with bill, critics say

SAO PAULO, Brazil — The Brazilian government is pressing forward with controversial legislation that critics say will lead to widespread destruction of the Amazon rain forest.

 

The update to the country's 1965 Forestry Code would reduce both the amount of vegetation landowners must preserve and the future penalties paid for those who currently flout environmental laws. After valuable wood is sold, much of the land in deforested areas ends up being cleared for grazing cattle and agriculture. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-brazil-forests-20120529,0,2383595.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Vincent Bevins

Scientists find what made some whales the largest animals on Earth

U.S. and Canadian researchers have discovered a grapefruit-sized organ in the chin of rorqual (baleen) whales that controls the expansion of their massive jaws during feeding and that has allowed them to become the largest animals on Earth.

Rorqual whales include blue, humpback and fin whales, and the largest of them, blue whales, can grow to more than 100 feet in length and a weight of more than 150 tons.  http://www.latimes.com/news/science/

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times -Science Now by Thomas H. Maugh II

Commercial space race gets crowded behind SpaceX

WASHINGTON—A privately built space capsule that's zipping its way to the International Space Station has also launched something else: A new for-profit space race.

The capsule called Dragon was due to arrive near the space station for tests early Thursday and dock on Friday with its load of supplies. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. -- run by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk -- was hired by NASA to deliver cargo and eventually astronauts to the orbital outpost. http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2012/05/23/commercial_space_race_gets_crowded_behind_spacex/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Seth Borenstein/AP science writer

 

Solar plane begins 1st transcontinental flight

GENEVA—An experimental solar-powered airplane took off from Switzerland on its first transcontinental flight Thursday, aiming to reach North Africa next week.

Pilot Andre Borschberg planned to take the jumbo jet-size Solar Impulse plane on its first leg to Madrid, Spain, by Friday. His colleague Bertrand Piccard will take the helm of the aircraft for the second stretch of its 2,500-kilometer (1,554-mile) journey to the Moroccan capital Rabat. http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2012/05/24/solar_plane_begins_1st_transcontinental_flight/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Frank Jordans/Associated Press

 

 

 

EPA: Pinal County must lower dust level

 

After two years of warnings, Pinal County has been ordered to clean up its air.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has declared that portions of western Pinal County are violating its coarse-dust standard, which limits the amount of PM-10, particles 10 micrometers or less in diameter, present in the air.

Affected are the most populous areas of Pinal County, including the San Tan Valley area, Maricopa, Casa Grande and portions of Coolidge, Florence and Eloy.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2012/05/23/20120523epa-pinal-county-must-lower-dust-level.html#ixzz1vnG7gnyN

Article courtesy of The Arizona Republic by Lindsey Collom

 

L.A. OKs ban on plastic bags at checkout

Los Angeles became the largest city in the nation to approve a ban on plastic bags at supermarket checkout lines, handing a hard-fought victory to environmentalists and promising to change the way Angelenos do their grocery shopping.

The City Council voted 13 to 1 to phase out plastic bags over the next 16 months at an estimated 7,500 stores, meaning shoppers will need to bring reusable bags or purchase paper bags for 10 cents each.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0524-bag-ban-20120524,0,6541830.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by David Zahniser and Abby Sewell

 

 

The machine that makes recycling a game

SHANKER SAHAI, founder of Cambridge start-up Greenbean Recycle, is turning the drudgery of recycling bottles and cans into an eco-game, a sort of FarmVille of trash disposal.

The new company has created a high-tech machine that is both recycling depot and arcade game. A barcode reader counts each bottle or can, gives instant green feedback - “one aluminum can, 500 watts saved’’ - and electronically transfers the 5 cent deposit to a PayPal or other account.

Recyclers can track their progress online, compare stats with friends, and win prizes. Users can connect via Facebook, and Sahai intends to give machines Twitter accounts: “50 containers recycled today.  http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2012/05/20/the_machine_that_makes_recycling_a_game/