EARTH Portation curated news: EARTH PORTATION curated News January 17th

AIR - Beijing Gets Hit With First Off-The-Charts Air Pollution Day Of The Year

A tourist with a protective mask watches the buildings at the Bund under heavy haze in Shanghai, China, Friday, Dec. 20, 2013. CREDIT: AP Photo/Eugene HoshikoIt may be a new year, but Beijing is starting 2014 still struggling with an old problem — off-the-charts air pollution. On Thursday, the city issued its first warning of the year for a wave of dangerous smog that exceeded the worst threshold in the warning system. Concentrations of PM2.5, a ...

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/16/3171681/dangerou

AIR - Heavy Smog Prompts Beijing to Televise Sunsets

It might be the only sun residents in Beijing see for some time. Continue reading .. ...
http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/heavy-smog-p

AIR - This scary map shows the health impacts of coal power plants in China

Air pollution from coal power plants has gotten so bad in China that it often ranks as the #1 cause of social unrest. This map shows the heavy health toll .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/health/scary-map-shows-health-impa

ANIMALS - Chimps can use gestures to communicate in hunt for food

Chimpanzees are capable of using gestures to communicate as they pursue specific goals, such as finding a hidden piece of food, according to a new study .. ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140117104038.ht

ANIMALS - Dolphin-power sufficient for propulsion without tricks

For 60 years the world has believed that dolphins did not have enough muscle to propel them at high speed and that they were resorting to some fluid-flow trickery to pull off their impressive performance. But Frank Fish from West Chester University, USA, never believed it and now he has proved that not only do dolphins have sufficient muscle power, but also they routinely produce ten times more power than the fittest human athletes .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-dolphin-power-sufficient-propul

ANIMALS - Dolphins Are 10 Times Stronger Than Human Athletes

Dolphins produce an eyebrow-raising amount of power, much more than Olympic athletes. Continue reading .. ...
http://news.discovery.com/adventure/travel/dolphins-are-10-t

ANIMALS - Sludge as new sentinel for human health risks

In a new study, a strong overlap is observed between chemicals found in biological samples taken from the human population and those detected in municipal biosolids. These findings suggest that analysis of sludge may provide a useful surrogate for the assessment of human exposure and bioaccumulation of potentially hazardous substances .. ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140116162210.ht

BEES - Sweet Science: Honeybees Outfitted With Sensors

Honeybees in Australia are getting high-tech gear that could save their lives. Continue reading .. ...
http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/sweet-scienc

BOOKS - Book Excerpt: The Extraordinary Healing Power of Ordinary Things

Larry Dossey on the healing power of tears as an expression of love and caring .. ...
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/books/excerpts.php?id

BOOKS - Print book reading tops in US despite rise of tablets

A Pew Research Center study release on Thursday showed that US readers reach for ink-and-paper books despite the rising popularity of tablets and digital works .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-tops-tablets.htm

CLIMATE - How Wall Street Can Solve the Climate Crisis

Money for clean energy projects is down. But among investors, attention to climate change is growing.ShutterstockOne of the hard truths about climate change solutions—whether they’re solar panels, protective seawalls, or carbon-sucking golf balls—is that somebody has to pay for them. This week the UN’s climate chief, Christiana Figueres, told Climate Desk that global investment in clean energy technologies needs to reach $1 trillion per year

http://climatedesk.org/2014/01/how-wall-street-can-solve-the

CLIMATE - The First Lawsuit Against Obama’s New Coal Limits Just Got Filed

Well, that didn’t take long.lewismd13/FlickrIn December 2012, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., dismissed a suit by the company behind a proposed new coal plant in Texas that sought to block new carbon dioxide pollution limits on power plants proposed by the EPA. The court’s reasoning was that any appeal would have to wait until after the rules were finalized, not simply proposed. So last week, after the EPA published an updated versio ...

http://climatedesk.org/2014/01/the-first-lawsuit-against-oba

EARTH - Geologist helps identify dangerous earthquake fault

(Phys.org) —The discovery of a previously unknown active fault in Nepal means that the Himalayan country's most populated region is at greater risk for life-threatening earthquakes and catastrophic flooding than previously thought, according to newly published research co-authored by a University of Kansas geologist .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-geologist-dangerous-earthquake-

EARTH - Photo: Amazing Amazon sunset

A spectacular view of the Amazon jungle in Bolivia .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows/natural-sciences/photo-

EARTH - Strides in Earthquake Science

Twenty years ago, a fault that scientists didn't even know existed slipped, triggering a massive 6.7 magnitude earthquake centered beneath the San Fernando Valley, with shockwaves rippling throughout the greater Los Angeles area .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-earthquake-science.htm

EARTH - Study: Violence, infectious disease and climate change contributed to Indus civilization collapse

A new study on the human skeletal remains from the ancient Indus city of Harappa provides evidence that inter-personal violence and infectious diseases played a role in the demise of the Indus, or Harappan Civilization around 4,000 years ago .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-violence-infectious-disease-cli

ECONOMICS - Pope Francis Replaces Vatican Bank Board

Continuing a crackdown on corruption, Pope Francis replaced four of five supervisory board members and capped spending in support of sainthood candidate .. ...
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-17/pope-francis

ECONOMICS - Three reasons to raise the federal minimum wage

Leading economists, including Lisa M. Lynch, dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, sent a joint letter this week to President Obama and congressional leaders in support of the Fair Minimum Wage Act. The proposed legislation would incrementally raise the federal minimum hourly wage from $7.25 to $10.10 by 2016 .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-federal-minimum-wage.htm

ECONOMICS - UK law to stop further sales of booze to drunk customers routinely flouted

Bar tenders in clubs and pubs are routinely flouting UK legislation intended to prevent further sales of alcohol to those who are already drunk, reveals a study of purchase patterns in one UK city, published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health .. ...
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-01-uk-law-sales-booze-dru

ECONOMICS - A new and innovative timebanking initiative TIME BANK
http://www.trwco.org/

EDUCATION - Online Courses in Philippines

Careerline Courses is an online college providing distance education courses. Our courses are entirely by distance education which can be taken online or by correspondence .. ...
http://www.good.is/posts/online-courses-in-philippine

EDUCATION - So you think you can teach middle school?

Do you want to become a public middle school teacher? Do you think you can handle thirty rambunctious teenagers in a classroom? Before you sign up for this assignment, let me explain why each grade is very, very different .. ...
http://www.good.is/posts/so-you-think-you-can-teach-middle-s

EDUCATION - Teachers Are Awesome: America's Oldest Working Educator Turns 100

New Jersey teacher “Granny” Zhelesnik celebrated her 100th birthday this month surrounded by her students. "I suppose it’s the children," Zhelesnik told NJ.Com when asked what keeps her going. "It’s a great life watching children grow up," she added. And, if you need more proof that it's never too late to follow your dreams, what's especially inspiring about Zhelesnik is that she didn't even start teaching until she was 81-years-old .. ...
http://www.good.is/posts/teachers-are-awesome-america-s-olde

ENERGY - BP Energy Outlook Predict Emissions To Soar 29% By 2030

BP Energy released their BP Energy Outlook 2035 on Wednesday, outlining global energy demand predictions for the coming decades, as well as showing that global carbon dioxide emissions are expected to grow by 29% by 2035.According to the report, global energy demand continues to grow, but is looking to slow soon, as the current growth is primarily being driven by emerging economies, such as China and India.The report predicts that global en .. ...
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/17/bp-energy-outlook-predic

ENERGY - Japanese Government Approves Revival Plan For Owner Of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant

CREDIT: Associated PressOn Wednesday Japan’s trade ministry approved a 10-year business plan for Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), owner of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northeast Japan that went into meltdown after being devastated by an earthquake and tsunami off Japan’s eastern coast nearly three years ago. The plan is Tepco’s second attempt at proposing a new path forward. The first plan was discarded after it was made clear that ...

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/16/3171861/japan-te

ENERGY - OptiSense: Enlightening the Smart Grid With Optics

When it comes to measuring voltage, current and other grid-power properties, tiny differences in accuracy can add up to a difference of millions of dollars in the value of the smart grid projects they support. The question has always been whether accuracy can be achieved in a reliable form -- and at the right cost. OptiSense Networks, a startup that’s spent the past twelve years bringing a unique electro-optical sensor technology from laboratory ...

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/OptiSense-Enligh

ENERGY - Peak Oil Is Irrelevant

Let’s call fossil fuels what they are: weapons of mass destruction. And they need to be neutralized .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/fossil-fuels/peak-oil-irrelevant.h

ENVIRONMENT - 4 ways the Pacific trade deal is awful for the environment

Environmental groups have big concerns with the Trans-Pacific Partnership .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/environmental-policy/4-ways-pacifi

ENVIRONMENT - California Governor Expected to Declare Drought Emergency

By Sharon BernsteinSACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown is expected to declare a drought emergency for the parched state on Friday, allowing him to seek federal help as the state faces its third dry winter in a row, according to a Democratic political source and local media.California has just completed what may turn out to be the driest year on record in many areas, leaving water reservoirs with a fraction of their ...
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=california-

ENVIRONMENT - Engineer designs digital solution for pesticide drift

(Phys.org) —It's a problem that plagues farmers and haunts environmentalists: how to reduce pesticide applications and ensure they are used most effectively. A Cornell engineer has come up with a novel, high-tech solution, using ultrasound sensors to better match sprays to their vineyard and orchard targets .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-digital-solution-pesticide-drif

FASHION - On DesignBoom: A wooden bow-tie. Hot or not?

We love recycling and repurposing, but are not sure about this one. What do you think .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-fashion/designboom-woo

FASHION - The China Luxury Downturn Is Real - Global Luxury Brands Must Adjust

?? (ch? k?): To Eat Bitterness. For centuries Chinese people have used this term to teach and remind themselves and their children that it is important to endure hardship, to develop a thick skin and to keep persevering no matter how many obstacles are put in your way, and ultimately you will get through tough times and succeed .. ...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelzakkour/2014/01/17/the-ch

GARDENS - 'Use less peat' call to UK gardeners

Britain's gardeners are still using too much peat compost, despite more than 30 years of campaigns, according to the Royal Horticultural Society .
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25760294#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&amp

MOVIES - Call for Entries: Short Films about Food, Farming, and Sustainability

If you’re a filmmaker or aspire to be one, and you’re interested in sustainable food and farming, here’s an opportunity to get one of your short films noticed. The Real Food Media Film Contest is looking for captivating short films that can spark action and inspire change in the way we think and talk about and work on food system issues.This short film contest is taking submissions that range in length from 30 seconds to 4 minutes long, using one ...

http://ecopreneurist.com/2014/01/16/real-food-media-film-con

MOVIES - Feature Film Review: Summer in February

A relatively alluring period drama set in an artist's colony in Cornwall in 1913 .. ...
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/films.php?id=25

MOVIES - Someone's making a "romantic" remake of 1984 with Kristen Stewart

Oh my god. OH MY GOD. Okay. Deep breath. For the full effect of this news, I'm going to have to let US Magazine explain it, because I think it most effectively sells the horror of what's happening here.Read more... .. ...

http://io9.com/someones-making-a-romantic-remake-of-1984-wit

MUSIC - Rdio now lets you listen to tunes for free on the web

Good news, Rdio loyalists: Spotify users aren't the only ones who are now able to stream music for the unbeatable price of free. Presumably as a result of the Cumulus Media deal revealed earlier this year, Rdio customers can now listen to the .. .. ...

http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/16/rdio-free-web/?ncid=rss_t

MUSIC - Geometry of Music: Tri-Tone Duality of Music

There is a primary relationship in music (and therefore all sonic phenomena) called the tri-tone, wherein two notes are opposite each other within the 12-tone music scale. There are six pairs of these tri-tone notes altogether.
http://cosmometry.net/tri-tone-duality-of-music

http://sitsshow.blogspot.com/2014/01/geometry-of-music-tri-tone-duality-of.html

PERMACULTURE - In the field, the right flower arrangement can improve organic pest control

Studies conducted in an organic lettuce field managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicate that there's more to sweet alyssum than just good looks. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) horticulturist Eric Brennan has identified ways to improve how the pretty white flowers control aphid pests that prey on lettuce leaves. ARS is USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-field-pest.htm

SCIENCE - Breakthrough: Now we can sequence a human genome for just $1000

It took the Human Genome Project ten years, and close to three billion dollars, to sequence the first human genome. Now, in a major milestone for biotechnology, a company has introduced a machine that it claims can sequence an entire human genome in a matter of hours, for less than $1,000.Read more... .. ...

http://io9.com/breakthrough-now-we-can-sequence-a-human-geno

SCIENCE - Special yeast reduce alcohol, improve wine

A team of researchers has taken a giant step towards controlling a growing problem in the wine community. They have identified special yeast that produce a lower level of alcohol, helping to preserve the flavor .. ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140116162214.ht

SCIENCE - What you think is right may actually be wrong – here's why

We like to think that we reach conclusions by reviewing facts, weighing evidence and analysing arguments. But this is not how humans usually operate, particularly when decisions are important or need to be made quickly .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-wrong.htm

SPACE - Japan to tackle space junk with.... a giant net

It's magnetic, and first trial run starts next month .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/japan-tackle-spac

SPACE - NASA wants to put your name on a spacecraft headed to an asteroid

Forget those dime-a-dozen "name a star" gifts -- wouldn't you rather put your name on a spacecraft that advances human understanding? NASA certainly thinks you do. It's teaming up with the Planetary Society to etch your name on chips inside its .. .. ...

http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/15/nasa-puts-your-name-on-sp

SPACE - The Man Who Takes "Selfies" of Earth for NASA

NASA is well-known for its lunar landings and missions to Mars. But the agency makes major use of its space expertise running satellites that monitor the Earth, its climate and its weather. [More] .. ...
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-man-who

SUSTAINABILITY - 10 Low-tech tactics for living more sustainably

While advances in energy technology and smart home apps and devices have given us additional tools for living more sustainably, low-tech and simple solutions can make a difference too .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/10-low-tech-tacti

SUSTAINABILITY - Small rocket stove makes for an efficient offgrid or camping stove

Interest in rocket stoves is growing, and with good reason, as they're fast, efficient, and cleaner-burning than most other options. Here's a small affordable model for camping or emergency preparedness .. ...

http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/small-rocket-stov

URBAN - 12 Ways We'll Keep High and Dry When Oceans Rise

Architects are taking a proactive approach to the dilemma of rising seas by designing floating homes, schools, farms and energy plants .. ...
http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/12-ways-well

URBAN - Build it and they will believe, says defiant China tycoon

A Chinese multi-millionaire who built himself an Egyptian pyramid and a replica of Versailles vows to construct the world's tallest building in just six months—despite authorities preventing work amid safety concerns .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-defiant-china-tycoon.htm

URBAN - Buildings vulnerable 20 years after LA earthquake

Twenty years after a strong earthquake struck Los Angeles and surrounding communities, engineers say buildings around the region remain vulnerable .. ...
http://phys.org/news/2014-01-vulnerable-years-la-earthquake.

URBAN - Cities or Suburbs, Which is Better for the Environment?

It’s a question that comes up every few “friendly debates” over environmental issues like suburban sprawl, wetland conservation, etc. Which is really better for the environment, cities or suburbs?The answer, of course, depends on who you ask and what you mean by “better”. In the case of climate-altering greenhouse emissions, though, I think we can all agree that fewer=better, and you might be surprised to find that the “cities or suburbs” .. .. .. ...