Musk Oxen Live to Tell a Survivors’ Tale

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/science/14angier.html?_r=1&ref=science

While countless numbers of artic animals have become extinct over the history of the earth, Musk Oxen have succeeded in surviving, and it is likely they will live on for many more years to come. Although they live in extremely cold areas, these big animals have adaptations, such as two coats of fur, to keep them warm. Their thick fur also doubles as protection from swarms of mosquitoes in the warmer months. Musk oxen are also able to keep warm by theoretically "shutting down" their body in the winter, standing as still as possible and releasing very little heat. Scientists did observe that many of these animals' teeth were beginning to rot and decay, but this seemed to have no effect on their ability to survive. When there are so many concerns about decreasing biodiversity on Earth, it's comforting to know that animals such as the Musk Oxen have the potential to remain a fixture in the ecosystem.

The Benefits of Plastics Recycling: Why Recycle Plastics?

http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/benefits-of-plastics-recycling.htm

This article discusses the need for people to recycle plastic and the specific reasons why it should be done. The public's increased use of plastic products makes it necessary for used plastic to be reused to make new products. There is no reason why people should not be recycling plastic; it is an incredibly easy thing to do. The increasing amounts of plastic that is making its way into our water supply is alarming, and will not stop unless people take it upon themselves to make a change.

Copenhagen: Global Population Control Program Suggested To Stop Climate Change

http://www.prisonplanet.com/copenhagen-global-population-control-program-suggested-to-stop-climate-change.html

The Chinese government believes that their one child policy is a shining example of the right way to handle explosive population growth, and that they are a positive example to the rest of the world. Although their policy has seen success, it disregards the human rights that are guaranteed to citizens of other countries, such as the United States. Mandating only one child per couple is not a democratic practice, and it is not likely that Americans will be willing to partake in this way of life. This policy in China also includes some corrupt and inhuman aspects, which were mentioned in the article. This includes forced abortions and sterilizations, as well as the murdering of female children once they are born. In the powerful democratic countries of the world, this policy will not be accepted, and population control will have to be dealt with in another way.

New Hurdle for California Condors May Be DDT From Years Ago

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/science/16condors.html?ref=science

It was recently discovered that the eggs of California condors are extremely thin and fragile, which is most likely a direct effect from the use of DDT before it was banned in the United States over 30 years ago. The California condor is an endangered bird species that is making a significant comeback after at one point reaching an extremely low population. However, the effect that DDT has on its eggs is a continuing threat to its survival. This is a perfect example of how the past actions of humans carry a lot of weight in the big picture. The use of this deadly pesticide was banned in 1972, but we still see its harmful effects on the wildlife around us. This should be a warning to the human race that our actions have severe consequences in the environment for the years to come.

California Officials Tackle a Toothy Lake Predator

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/us/12pike.html?ref=invasive_species

In the early 1990s, the northern pike fish was somehow introduced to Lake Davis, a Sierra Nevada reservoir in California. These fish became extremely overpopulated and cause much damage to the natural ecosystem of this lake. They are known to eat anything that comes in their path, including small dogs. Since they are so disruptive, people have been using methods such as poison, electro-fishing, explosives and decidedly low-tech nets to try and eliminate the prominence of these fish. This has only created a tiny dent in their population, and people are constantly working to eliminate these fish. This is an example of the dangers of introducing a species to an environment where it has no natural predators to keep its population in check.

Rescuing the Yellow-Legged Frog

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/10/01/science/20101005-frogs/index.html?ref=science#

The yellow legged frog is an endangered species that lives in the lake basins of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Compared to the last 100 years, these frogs have seen a 96% decline in the past 10 years. At this rate, they are expected to become extinct within 5 years. At first, non-native trout introduced to the area were blamed for their disappearance, but it was soon discovered that a fungal disease called chytrid was the culprit. Recently, scientists discovered a symbiotic bacterium that counteracted this deadly fungus. It was tested on these frogs, but the results will not be known until the next generations of tadpoles are born in the spring. This is an example of the bleak future of amphibians, and human efforts to save them, although it may already be too late.

Navajos Hope to Shift From Coal to Wind and Sun

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/science/earth/26navajo.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=science

The Navajos, who are Native Americans who live in a reservation spanning through Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, are looking to end their use of coal and replace it with solar and wind-powered energy. This is due to the fact that their air and water supply have become extremely polluted, and that the health of coal miners has become an issue. Although many are worried about the economic suffering bound to occer after the discontinuation of coal mining, an overwhelming majority of the Navojos realize that this switch is necessary to create a more sustainable ecosystem. This shows that although many of the world's ecosystems are going into decline, unnoticed by many humans, some people actually do care about the problems that coal mining is causing the environment and the health of humans. If the Navajos successfully convert to Wind and Sun fueled energy, they will be a positive example for many other socieites to follow.

Astronomers Say They've Found Oldest Galaxy So Far

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/20/science/space/AP-US-SCI-Oldest-Galaxy.html?_r=1&ref=science

I find new discoveries in astronomy fascinating! The fact that scientists have found a galaxy that is the oldest one detected yet is absolutely mind blowing, because it not only shows how vast and old the universe is, but also shows how little we as humans really know about the universe. I liked how in the article the author compared this galaxy's age to a four year old boy in the life span of an adult, making large amounts of times more comprehendible to the reader. There is so much that in unknown out there, and it's a huge step to have found more information that can lead to the discovery of something amazing.

School cafeterias to try psychology in lunch line

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/school-cafeterias-to-try-psychology-in-lunch-line-1.2353811

I find the solution to childhood obesity being tricking kids into eating healthy is obscene. Although it may work temporarily to get kids to eat healthy foods, they are not going to have people monitoring their eating habits their entire lives. Children need to learn how to eat healthy on their own and so that it is there own choice in order for a healthy lifestyle to last a lifetime. Also, I find it ridiculous that the kids quoted in this article are high school aged. By then, I doubt that any psychology will work on them, due to the fact that they should be aware of what is healthy and what is not. I personally believe that healthy eating does not come from school cafeterias, but by the choices that people make at home and out in public. School's need to lay off trying to trick kids into eating healthy and just make it their own choice to live a healthy life.

Obama on Climate Change Strategy

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/obama-on-climate-change-strategy/?scp=3&sq=environment&st=cse

I feel that this article on Obama's "climate change strategy" is extremely vague, which, in my opinion, symbolizes many things Obama does or says. Nothing in this article gives the reader the slightest clue as to what he is specifically going to do, all Obama keeps on mentioning when he was quoted is all of the positive changes our economy and environment will see. A big part of Obama's approach to presidency is making change for the better, and although I agree with that philosophy, the act of constantly talking about it isn't going to get anything done. As a nation, we need to stop worrying about how we as individuals look or sound and actually go something that is good for the country. Many people, not just Obama, have a desire to appeal to a certain group of people, but in the end, saying all of the right things won't do a thing unless someone takes action.

China to stick with one-child policy

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/27/AR2010092700300.html?sub=AR

Although it sounds like a violation of rights, I believe that it is smart of China to continue their one child per couple policy. The world population is increasing at an astronomical rate, which is causing many environmental issues. If the Chinese government does not limit the number of children that are born, the population will become so high that the country will be unable to support all of their people, and many will starve and die of disease. However, this policy is causing a number of problems, one of them being that there will be an insufficient number of young people to take care of the elderly in the next generation. Also, due to the fact that many Chinese people prefer boys over girls, many baby girls are aborted, which is causing a gender imbalance. Despite these issues, some method of population control is necessary to ensure the continuation of society in China. However, although the Chinese having this policy does not bother me, I honestly don't think I would like it in the United State, because I feel that it is up to the individual to decide how many children they would like to have. I realize that many others feel this way about this issue, which will make a policy like this very difficult to establish in the United States, due to the fact that we are a democracy, unlike the communist government in China.

Cleaner for the Environment, Not for the Dishes

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/science/earth/19clean.html?_r=1&ref=science

This article poses an interesting question: Is it worth it for a product to suffer in respect to its quality in order to become more environmentally friendly? In this article, the new phosphorus-free formula of Cascade dishwasher detergent was used as an example. Although the new product lacks in phosphorous, which is know to pollute water supplies, many customers claimed that the effectiveness on dishes is very poor. As many companies try to "go green," they often consciously decide to make their product more expensive, less convenient, and less effective. This is a trade off that many customers are not willing to make, including many who purchased the new Cascade dishwasher detergent. This example proves that change made to preserve the environment is very difficult to make, and not even worth it to some. In my opinion, companies and individual people need to either figure out how to make products that are both effective and environmentally safe, or they just need to make a sacrifice and use less than ideal products. Otherwise, the environment will continue to be depleted and polluted.

New rules slow Gulf drilling pace in shallow water

http://www.newsday.com/business/new-rules-slow-gulf-drilling-pace-in-shallow-water-1.2286133

This article about the government making it more difficult to clean up the oil spill really bothers me. Five million gallons of oil are being dumped in the ocean, causing severe economic issues as well as the death of wildlife and the pollution of the ocean, and all the government can think about are formalities and new laws. These new rules, which require drilling executives to submit detailed accounts of their response plans and estimates for how much it will cost, are costing millions of dollars, causing layoffs to be made, and greatly delaying the cleanup process. Although there have been cases where attempts to clean up have failed or even make things worse, such as a recent fire on an oil and gas platform, I firmly believe that taking immediate action will be the best way to clean up the entire mess. Accidents are bound to happen, but being too cautious and political is an accident in itself. The more things that people do, the greater chance that positive changes can be made. Sitting around and carefully planning what to do only gives time for this disaster to get worse. I fear that the government is trying to control the oil spill clean up process to show their complete power over the BP, and they have less interest in actually getting the job done. If this attitude carries over to other aspects of life as well, our country will soon be in big trouble. I feel that it is time for the government to stop being so ridiculous, and for them to actually help progress being made rather than delaying it. In this issue, time is of the essence, and the quicker people take action, the sooner the environment will recover from the oil spill.