The serious decline in bee population here and in Europe is drawing more attention, as bee keepers have managed to effectively communicate the size of the problem to a few scientists. They in turn are struggling to get those who control the purse strings in government to take this grave problem much more seriously. Most don’t really appreciate the vital role the humble honey bee plays in the very survival of humans and other animals on this planet.

• Bee Emergency

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Paper or Plastic. Arghh! Sure, paper is biodegradable, but, the trees cut down, and the general pollution required to make a paper bag is not negligible. Why don’t they make paper bags out of something like hemp, or some other pulpy crop, rather than trees? I think it is about time for that, don’t you? Of course, there are still issues of fertilizer abuse and paper-making pollution, but I think any civilization that can get us to the moon can handle that too, no?

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Great news! One of Spain’s Canary Islands has managed to obtain all of its energy needs from hydroelectricity and wind power.

• Island Fully Powered by Renewables

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So you’ve replaced most of your home’s incandescent light bulbs with the new, highly efficient and rather curly fluorescent variety. Good for you! You will be using less energy and spending less of your paycheck each month because of your environmentally wise choice. However, and there always seems to be a however, be careful with those things! They contain mercury, from 1 to 6 milligrams per bulb, so if you break one, be careful about cleaning it up, as it is a well-known health hazard, especially to children. Discussions are well under way as to the best way to deal with these bulbs after they burn out, but the most important thing is for you not to throw them into the trash. Look for a recycling program for fluorescent bulbs in your neighborhood and keep that mercury from getting into our air and groundwater.

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More bad news for nature and conservationists:

• 2007 Gutting of Endandered Species Act

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Philly, the great historical city that is the home of the Liberty Bell, the U.S. Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence, not to
mention some good Philly cheese steak subs, has Bald Eagles! for the first time in something like 200 years. This noble creature is the very symbol of the (at least historic) American commitment to peace backed by strength, as seen in the U.S. Seal, and suggested by an olive branch in the eagle’s right talon and a bundle of arrows in its left. The Bald eagle has fought its way back from extinction in order to nest in this old city of the east. Unfortunately, the very symbol of the US may no longer be protected as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Further, the standard threat of developers may end all of this tragically. Unregulated development is paving over all of the natural beauty of this great country of ours, and so I ask, “Who speaks for the trees?”, or the Eagles for that matter? Maybe the Philly Eagles football team can adopt the pair, and in concert with naturalists, find them a safe Philly home?

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It looks like some rare killer whales have made a quick visit to one of my favorite California Bays:

• Killer Whales in Monterey Bay

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Actually, it’s really a pelagic sea slug, not a dragon, but one of the coolest sea slugs I have seen. It’s in the nudibranchia order, so
it’s bound to be rather exotic looking. They can be found from California to Australia and are worth getting to know a little better, especially in order to gaze upon their colorful beauty.

Blue Sea Dragon

Nudibranches

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Ornithologists have come to the conclusion after some clever experiments that nuthatches understand the language of chickadees. They seem to be able to interpret chickadee warning calls for small predators, the kind that signal other chickadees to mob the threat and try to drive it away.

Nuthatches Understand Chickadee

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Viewing the stars is a fun, year-round activity. One doesn’t need an arsenal of gadgets to view them, but some can really help to enhance the experience.

• Great Astronomy Tools


• Wiki Sky

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