Guy Harvey, Giving Sharks a Fighting Change in Shark Tournaments

With shark populations around the world continuing to spiral downward, the result of devastating commercial fishing techniques and an exotic taste for 'shark-fin soup', marine scientists such as Dr. Guy Harvey, are working around the clock to give these magnificent animals a fighting chance for survival. In his latest mission, Dr. Harvey—better known throughout the world as a celebrated and award-winning marine wildlife artist—has brought his cause into the epicenter of one of the nation's oldest and largest shark fishing tournaments in Ocean City, Maryland on June 15-19. Thanks in part to Dr. Harvey's efforts and a willingness to continue to adapt by the tournament founders and organizers, The Ocean City Shark Tournament's cash and prize package payment in the catch and release division has increased to over $15,000. Last month, the Second Annual Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, a catch and release only tournament, was held on the West Coast of Florida in Punta Gorda. The tournament—created as a model for catch and release only shark tournament formats—drew some 3,000 competitors and spectators and paid out over $15,000 in cash and prizes. The Ocean City Shark Tournament will continue to feature two divisions that allow anglers to bring sharks to the scales. However, knowing that competitors tend to pursue whatever division has the biggest payout, tournament directors are looking to make the release division cash and prizes so attractive that, by their own choosing, fishermen will voluntarily opt to release more sharks. In 30 years, the Ocean City Shark Tournament has evolved from a small "club" event to one of the largest shark tournaments along the East Coast. In the early years, only trophies and new rods and reels were given out to winners. Last year, more than $142,000 was awarded to the top anglers in the tournament. Dr. Harvey, founder of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University and the internationally regarded Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF), in recent years has joined the growing ranks of individuals and organizations calling for strict regulations to ban the commercial fishing of all sharks in The Bahamas. Scientists with the International Union for Conservation of Nature have estimated that 30 percent of shark and ray species around the world are threatened or near threatened with extinction. The loss of these animals could cause irreversible damage to the ocean's ecosystem and result in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in the tourist trade. Dr. Harvey's message regarding shark protection initiatives is heard loud and clear in the recently released documentary "This is Your Ocean: Sharks", co-staring fellow artist Wyland and photographer Jim Abernathy. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPdZVnkoMCM[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn6kCzgurCA[/youtube]

Melvin Wylie

Huatulco in Southern Mexico EarthCheck's Gold Certification

HUATULCO, Mexico, June 3 - The coastal paradise, Huatulco in southern Mexico, became the first destination in the Americas to receive EarthCheck's Gold certification today, in yet another display of Mexico's sustainable tourism credentials. Huatulco received the prestigious certification for meeting the rigorous sustainable tourism requirements of EarthCheck across a range of aspects such as environmental legislation, energy usage, water conservation, wastewater management, biodiversity, and waste reduction. Speaking at the EarthCheck Sustainable Tourism Forum, also held this year in Huatulco, Adriana Perez Quesnel, director of the Fondo Nacional del Fomento al Turismo (FONATUR), said, "We are immensely proud to receive this certification and even more so to be the first destination in the Americas to do so. This achievement is a clear demonstration of how government, the private sector and local communities can work together to deliver significant benefits to the world in which we live." "FONATUR has driven sustainable practice in the Mexican tourism industry and has forged a vision of respect for nature conservation in Integrally Planned Resorts, to promote tourism, help strengthen the local economy and promote local traditions and culture." Huatulco has gained EarthCheck certification for the previous five consecutive years. As a result of the certification, Huatulco will be one of 13 global destinations featured on a new program on the Discovery Channel in 2012. The documentary will be broadcast to over 200 million people over the next two years. "In Mexico alone, EarthCheck member organizations have saved a combined total of 26,349,880 kg of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) since data started being collected in 2003," explained EarthCheck Ambassador, Gustavo Ramos Fumagalli. "They have also reduced water consumption by 2,196, 674,635L of water, dramatically reducing pressure on natural resources in a country that is familiar with the unforgiving effects of drought." To meet Earth Check's strict requirements, Huatulco constructed new water management infrastructure including:

• 17 km of storm protection channels,
• 23 re-lift stations for sewage treatment and management and
• Harvesting structures which collect storm water runoff.

In May 2011, Mexico was also recognized by the Rainforest Alliance in New York for its achievements in sustainable tourism in the Mayakoba region and the forestry practices of the Mexican government.

Melvin Wylie

Canadian Geese Feces Can Equal 94% E. Coli in the Summer

ARVADA, Colo., June 2, 2011 - United States Wildlife Service demonstrated the presence of human pathogenic E. Coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter bacteria in geese feces. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/researchreports/report06.pdf According to the Center for Disease Control, Campylobacter, E. Coli, Cryptosporidium and Salmonella are just a few of the many health issues. http://www.cdc.gov/search.do?q=geese+feces&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&ud=1&site=default_collection Majestic and full grown the Canadian Geese eat 2.5 lbs of grass a day, leaving frequent deposits at the rate of 2 lbs a day. Ed Tomlinson of Arvada, Colorado says, "The Canadian geese population is doubling every 5 years or so and is a public health hazard. It's a controversial subject but in overpopulated golf courses, airports, parks, businesses, HOAs, and playgrounds the Department of Wildlife must allow more permits to fill local food banks nationwide." Best results? Lasers at night that disturb their sleep. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/9/pdf/goose%20conflicts/gooseconflict-11.pdf Water ropes work for months, and then the ropes deteriorate.

1. Many localities are oiling the eggs with vegetable oil. That keeps the egg from gaining oxygen through the shell.
2. There are food type chemicals that can be spread around on grassy areas and this inhibits reproduction.
3. Native American Indians in Washington D.C. are harvesting them yearly, having them tested, dressing them and giving them to local food banks. They can only be rounded up during their molting season during the summer when they can't fly. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/about_aphis/programs_offices/anawg/downloads/ANAWG_newsletter_September_2009.pdf
4. There are lots of devices available. Some of these are hazing, using dogs, falcons, cardboard alligators, electronic-predator calls/eyes at night/geese warnings, fake predator signs, all kinds of noise makers, and different varieties of grass. Testing results are mixed or are short-lived as the geese get used to it.
5. Trapping is generally illegal. Killing is prohibited unless you get a United States Department of Wildlife permit.

  Background State and federal laws generally protect Canadian Geese. They were an endangered species in the 50's and reintroduced to the United States. The geese used to pass through the United States each year, but many are now staying year-round.

Melvin Wylie

New NASA Map Reveals Patterns of Tropical Forest Carbon Storage

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 31, 2011 - A NASA-led research team has used a variety of NASA satellite data to create the most precise map ever produced depicting the amount and location of carbon stored in Earth's tropical forests. The data are expected to provide a baseline for ongoing carbon monitoring and research and serve as a useful resource for managing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. The new map, created from ground- and space-based data, shows for the first time the distribution of carbon stored in forests across more than 75 tropical countries. Most of that carbon is stored in the extensive forests of Latin America. "This is a benchmark map that can be used as a basis for comparison in the future when the forest cover and its carbon stock change," said Sassan Saatchi of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., who led the research. "The map shows not only the amount of carbon stored in the forest, but also the accuracy of the estimate." The study was published May 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Deforestation and forest degradation contribute 15 to 20 percent of global carbon emissions, and most of that contribution comes from tropical regions. Tropical forests store large amounts of carbon in the wood and roots of their trees. When the trees are cut and decompose or are burned, the carbon is released to the atmosphere. Previous studies have estimated the carbon stored in forests on local and large scales within a single continent, but there existed no systematic way of looking at all tropical forests. To measure the size of the trees, scientists typically use a ground-based technique, which gives a good estimate of how much carbon they contain. But this technique is limited because the structure of the forest is extremely variable and the number of ground sites is very limited. To arrive at a carbon map that spans three continents, the team used data from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System lidar on NASA's ICESat satellite. The researchers looked at information on the height of treetops from more than 3 million measurements. With the help of corresponding ground data, they calculated the amount of above-ground biomass and thus the amount of carbon it contained. The team then extrapolated these data over the varying landscape to produce a seamless map, using NASA imagery from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft, the QuikScat scatterometer satellite and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The map reveals that in the early 2000s, forests in the 75 tropical countries studied contained 247 billion tons of carbon. For perspective, about 10 billion tons of carbon is released annually to the atmosphere from combined fossil fuel burning and land use changes. The researchers found that forests in Latin America hold 49 percent of the carbon in the world's tropical forests. For example, Brazil's carbon stock alone, at 61 billion tons, almost equals all of the carbon stock in sub-Saharan Africa, at 62 billion tons. "These patterns of carbon storage, which we really didn't know before, depend on climate, soil, topography and the history of human or natural disturbance of the forests," Saatchi said. "Areas often impacted by disturbance, human or natural, have lower carbon storage." The carbon numbers, along with information about the uncertainty of the measurements, are important for countries planning to participate in the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) program. REDD+ is an international effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests. It offers incentives for countries to preserve their forestland in the interest of reducing carbon emissions and investing in low-carbon paths of development. The map also provides a better indication of the health and longevity of forests and how they contribute to the global carbon cycle and overall functioning of the Earth system. The next step in Saatchi's research is to compare the carbon map with satellite observations of deforestation to identify source locations of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere.

Melvin Wylie

Vermont Enacts First-in-Nation Solar Registration

WILLISTON, Vt., May 31, 2011 - Vermont has enacted a first-in-the-nation registration process for small solar systems, providing a national model for mitigating costly local solar permitting. H.56, signed into law by Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin May 25, establishes a simple registration process for solar systems 5kW and smaller. The process, which replaces permitting, allows solar customers to install the system 10 days after completing a registration form and certificate of compliance with interconnection requirements. The utility has 10 days to raise any interconnection issues, otherwise a Certificate of Public Good is granted and project may be installed. A recent study earlier this year produced by SunRun found that permitting adds an average cost of $2,500 to each solar installation and that streamlining the often cumbersome process would provide a $1 billion stimulus to the solar industry over the next five years. The report finds that the additional installation cost— $.50 per watt— is due to wide permitting variations not connected to safety, excessive fees, and an unnecessarily slow process. The report cites that Germany has a 40 percent installation price advantage over the United States. Vermont already has a much more cost-effective, free statewide permitting process than most states. "Cutting unnecessary red tape and costly permitting for small renewables should be a national priority. It will help us meet our energy needs and make domestic solar competitive worldwide," said David Blittersdorf, president and CEO of AllEarth Renewables, manufacturer and installer of the AllSun Tracker. Mark Sinclair, executive director of Clean Energy States Alliance, says "solar registration is an innovative way to address the high costs and long timeframes that are often associated with installing small-scale renewable energy systems." The registration process will go into effect January 2012. Vermont's legislation also expands the state's successful net metering program by establishing a statewide solar customer benefit, which gives solar a minimum value of $0.20, increasing the allowable size of net metering projects from 250kW to 500kW, increasing the per utility net metering cap from 2 percent to 4 percent, and improving group net metering billing. "Vermont has lead the way in creating an installation environment that encourages solar development by reducing permitting time and resources. This continues that leadership," said Martha Staskus, chair of Renewable Energy Vermont, the state's renewable trade association.

Melvin Wylie

PepsiCo's Frito-Lay Modesto, Calif., gets LEED Gold

May 26, 2011 - PepsiCo's Frito-Lay Modesto, Calif., facility has become the state's first food manufacturing site to be awarded LEED® Gold existing building from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), as verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Frito-Lay North America now has eight certified LEED® Gold existing buildings across the country with manufacturing sites in Casa Grande, Ariz., Topeka, Kan., Perry, Ga., Beloit, Wis., Jonesboro, Ark., Killingly, Conn., and its Plano, Texas-based headquarters. "Today, Frito-Lay Modesto continues its legacy of sustainability by becoming the state's first food manufacturing LEED Gold certified existing building," said Tom Melead, maintenance and engineering director, Frito-Lay Modesto. "It is only through the dedication and desire of our team members that we were able to retrofit this 21-year-old building and solidify Frito-Lay's place as a leader in sustainability in Stanislaus County and the State of California." "Frito-Lay's certification shows tremendous leadership in greening an existing building, which makes up the vast majority of the U.S. building stock," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "Greening our existing buildings helps save money and energy, creates healthier places to live, work and learn - all while addressing our single greatest opportunity to help solve the climate change equation." To achieve LEED certification, the company's Modesto sustainability strategy included implementing a number of green design and construction features, and water reduction technologies and practices. Energy reduction: The Frito-Lay Modesto facility has reduced its natural gas consumption by 25% per pound of product and its electricity use by 24% per pound of product since 1999 by installing new technologies such as the 1MW photovoltaic solar system which generates nearly 25% of the facility's electrical requirements when in operation, high efficiency lighting throughout the plant and a thermal solar system which generates steam to help cook our chips. These and other initiatives greatly reduce the facility's emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. Water reduction: The facility has reduced its water consumption by nearly 36% per pound of product since 1999 by implementing technologies that reduce water used in its corn cooking and potato chip processing. The facility also implemented automatic sinks and hand washing stations with low-flow fixtures. Recycling: More than 98% of the Modesto facility's solid waste is diverted from landfills. The site achieved this milestone through many initiatives including an employee-led recycling program, reusing cardboard shipping boxes multiple times, and allocating waste product for use in animal feed. Frito-Lay Modesto has been a part of the Stanislaus County community for 21 years. The more than 340,000 square foot building sits on approximately 80 acres of land. Frito-Lay Modesto produces some of America's favorite snacks including Lay's and Ruffles potato chips, Sunchips, Tostitos tortilla chips, Doritos tortilla chips and Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks.

Melvin Wylie

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Melvin Wylie