Forests provide many important goods, such as timber and paper. They also supply essential services—for example, they filter water, control water runoff, protect soil, regulate climate, cycle and store nutrients, and provide habitat for countless animal species and space for recreation. Human demand for their products, though, keeps them in a state of decline globally.
: TRENDING Global Warming Election 2012 Mitt Romney extreme weather Droughts ThinkProgress Climate Progress Climate Progress Climate Economy Health Justice LGBT Security Election Alyssa Buy The Amazon Best Seller That Can Change Your Life Romney Mocks Obama's Pledge To Address Global Warming Why The Arctic Sea Ice Death Spiral Matters Hurricane Isaac Caps Off Americaâ s Summer of Extreme Weather By Climate Guest Blogger on Aug 31, 2012 at 11:36 am by James Bradbury and Forbes Tompkins , via the World Resources Institute Almost seven years ago to the day since Hurricane Katrina made landfall , a new hurricane came ashore on the Gulf Coast near New Orleans . While Hurricane Isaac has been much less intense than Katrina , it has caused serious damage , with heavy rains , storm surge , and
Jennie Wetter, Director of Public Policy at the Population Institute, sent the following announcement about the 33rd annual Global Media Awards. Please nominate anybody you feel is deserving using the outlined criteria. Pictured below are Bill Ryerson and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and UNPFA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin at the 32nd annual Global [...]
I’ve just returned from a 6-week trip to the United States and I am now dealing with the intensity of things left undone for so long [sigh]. But that trip was interesting for many reasons. First, and as I’ve already posted, I finished a book with Paul Ehrlich that will be out sometime early in [...]
: : TRENDING Global Warming Election 2012 Mitt Romney extreme weather Droughts ThinkProgress Climate Progress Climate Progress Climate Economy Health Justice LGBT Security Election Alyssa Buy The Amazon Best Seller That Can Change Your Life Romney Mocks Obama's Pledge To Address Global Warming Why The Arctic Sea Ice Death Spiral Matters August 31 News : Global Food Prices Rose 10 Percent In July World Bank Issues Hunger Warning By Stephen Lacey on Aug 31, 2012 at 8:22 am Global food prices jumped 10 in July from the month before , driven up by the severe Midwest drought which has pushed the price of grains to record levels , the World Bank reported Thursday . Los Angeles Times The World Bank issued a global hunger warning last night after severe droughts in the US and eastern Europe sent
How much solar power does the sun provide to us? A nearly limitless amount: this infographic puts it into perspective.
: : TRENDING Global Warming Election 2012 Mitt Romney extreme weather Droughts ThinkProgress Climate Progress Climate Progress Climate Economy Health Justice LGBT Security Election Alyssa Buy The Amazon Best Seller That Can Change Your Life Romney Mocks Obama's Pledge To Address Global Warming Why The Arctic Sea Ice Death Spiral Matters Cleantech Experts On Romney’s Energy Plan : A Political Document Not Worth Serious Analysis’ By Climate Guest Blogger on Aug 30, 2012 at 12:21 pm by Walter Frick , via BostInno The central energy challenge we face as a nation and a planet is the transition away from fossil fuels , which contribute to climate change , to clean sources of energy . The most important debates in this area concern just how quickly this must be accomplished and how to do it in
Hand washing your clothes is a greener option in the developed world; in parts of the developing world, though, it's the only option. The Up-Stream is a cheap, human-powered washing machine that could make laundry more efficient for the world's poorest people.
Chances are you are environmentally responsible to one degree or another. You recycle your trash, purchase energy efficient light bulbs, buy natural cleaning supplies, all with the goal of leaving the world a better place for our children. But one way to make a big impact that you might have overlooked is by encouraging your children to lead eco-friendly lives. By leading the next generation to understand and care about the environment as much as we do, you can help your children to grow up into environmentally conscious adults. 
: . : TRENDING Global Warming Election 2012 Mitt Romney extreme weather Droughts ThinkProgress Climate Progress Climate Progress Climate Economy Health Justice LGBT Security Election Alyssa Buy The Amazon Best Seller That Can Change Your Life Romney Mocks Obama's Pledge To Address Global Warming Why The Arctic Sea Ice Death Spiral Matters Renewable Electricity Nearly Doubles Under Obama : I Think They’re The Future . They’re Worth Fighting For’ By Stephen Lacey on Aug 29, 2012 at 9:53 am Non-hydro renewable electricity generation has nearly doubled since President Obama took office , reaching 5.75 percent of net electricity , according to figures from the Energy Information . Administration In 2008, before Obama entered the White House , non-hydro resources like solar , wind , geothermal ,Welcome to steamy August, when the last thing you want is for your air conditioner to conk out on you -- especially with this summer’s record temps across t he country. Whether you rely on a window unit or central air, easy A/C maintenance tips will keep the cool air flowing when you need it. We asked the pros for easy ways to ensure your system is running through Labor Day and beyond.
Fellow blogger Beth Terry has largely eliminated plastic from her life. Her new book Plastic Free shows you how you can do this, too, and the many reasons you might want to.
A geeky post - the type that we all love! Read more...
If your aquatic plants look lackluster, aren’t as lush as you’d like or are failing to produce those show-stopping blooms, they might need a little help – and that’s where fertilizers come to the rescue.
I get called a doomsday merchant a lot, mainly because there’s not a lot of good news out there when it comes to biodiversity these days. However, now and again there is a success story worth shouting from the rooftops. This latest post comes from my PhD student, Jarod Lyon (also of the Arthur Rylah Institute [...]
What's the value of a tree? Traditional economics will figure that value based on the amount of lumber (or other products) that can be made from that tree... after it's been harvested. But what if that tree is part of a landscape that defines your way of life? 
Here are six super simple, functional upcycling hacks based around common objects to help you organize clutter around the house.
I've never done very well with the whole "Wordless Wednesday" thing - guess I just have too much to say! But it's always good to just shut up and enjoy sometimes...
Ageing in Asia is an opportunity for savvy business types. Read more...
You might remember that I’ve been in California for several weeks now. The principal reason for my visit was to finish a book that Paul Ehrlich and I started last year. So, without the major distractions of everyday university life, I’ve spent much of my time lately at Stanford University in a little office next [...]
The United States had been one of the few developed countries to maintain fertility rates at close to replacement level. However, the average number of births per woman there is projected to fall to 1.87 this year and 1.86 next year according to consulting firm Demographic Intelligence. Surprisingly, it is now below that of even the British and the French (both at 2.0). The rates are a 25 year low and, sadly, seem in some part to be due to the recession and a rising cost of living and having children. Read more...
I should have published these ages ago, but like many things I have should have done earlier, I didn’t. I also apologise for a bit of silence over the past week. After coming back from the ESP Conference in Portland, I’m now back at Stanford University working with Paul Ehrlich trying to finish our book (no sneak [...]
I’ve just spent nearly an entire week trying to get my head around ecosystem services (ES). You’d think that would have been a given based on my experience, my research, my writings and the fact that I’ve just spent the last week with 400 ES specialists from around the world at the 5th international Ecosystem [...]