Thanks, Nancy!

Posted by: eddiebear at 03:52 PM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
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I'm sure you've heard this before, I remember hearing about this in both high school and college science classes.  We were all told how we had to control pollution because trace amounts of chemicals in the environment were causing frogs to be deformed, born less one or more legs. 

Well, like most things that environmentalists say, that was utter bullshit.  As it turns out, mutations aren't the cause of the lost leg to begin with, dragonfly nymphs (larvae) are.  What happens is the larvae attack tadpoles in the early stage of a tadpole's development.  The dragonfly larvae will eat the developing legs of a tadpole, the reason being that the legs of a tadpole develop their poison glands in their legs later than their bodies.  It also takes time for the tadpole to develop the regenerative capabilities of a frog, so if a larvae eats the leg at the right stage of development, it won't grow back, many die, but a few make it, and thus, the one legged frogs.  

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 09:29 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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If Mother Gaia really wanted us to drive Priuses, this would never have happened.

Posted by: Alice H at 06:09 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Fuck off. Seriously. FUCK OFF!

"Single use plastic bags which choke marine life, should be banned or phased out rapidly everywhere. There is simply zero justification for manufacturing them anymore, anywhere," said Achim Steiner, executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme. His office advises U.N. member states on environmental policies.

Steiner's declaration accompanied a UNEP report that identifies plastic as the most pervasive form of ocean litter. According to the report, "Plastic, the most prevalent component of marine debris, poses hazards because it persists so long in the ocean, degrading into tinier and tinier bits that can be consumed by the smallest marine life at the base of the food web."

The ban is already being tested in China, where retailers giving out thin bags can be fined up to $1,464. According to one nationwide survey, 40 billion fewer plastic bags were given out in grocery stores after the law's enactment. In addition, Ireland managed to cut single-use plastic bag consumption 90 percent by levying a fee on each bag that consumers use.

In the United States, only San Francisco has completely banned plastic bags. Los Angeles will do so in 2010. Also, Washington, D.C.'s city council is set to vote on a five-cent-a-bag tax later this month. On first reading, the bill passed unanimously. Similar proposals have failed in New York and Philadelphia.

Keith Christman, senior director for the plastics division of the American Chemistry Council, responded that the term "single-use" is misleading because most people actually reuse plastic bags, "for example, to line their trash cans."

"A ban on plastic bags could also cause some unintended consequences," he said. In particular, the increased demand for paper bags would double greenhouse emissions and create "a dramatic increase in waste," Christman said.

No shit, Sherlock!

I always love the whole unintended consequences bit that crops up as a result of do-gooder leftist crapola.

Posted by: eddiebear at 01:57 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Why am I not surprised by this?

The Devens Enterprise Commission, which regulates the plant and other businesses on what used to be Fort Devens, has already slapped the company with two noise ordinance violations.

“This green-energy company has polluted the neighborhood with noise, and it seems not to be working very hard to correct this,” Perry said.

Evergreen spokesman Chris Lawson disagreed and, after downplaying the noise problem, said the company is “really fully committed to working with the community.”

But that’s not enough for neighbors, who initially thought the noise was related to the massive plant’s construction, which began last July. By January, however, nearby residents realized the noise stemmed from the manufacturing process and began complaining.

“Imagine tuning your radio to a station that gets only static,” said Jay Wallace, co-owner of Dunroven Farm. “Then imagine having to listen to that 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s what we are living with.”

Since the neighbors complained, the company has installed sound-dampening devices, replaced defective blower units, and changed its gas delivery schedules, Lawson said. The company has also hired a noise consultant.

But neighbors say the noise problem hasn’t gotten any better and that could mean trouble for Evergreen.

The plant’s temporary occupancy permit expires this month, and the enterprise commission has told neighbors the plant won’t get a permanent occupancy permit until the noise levels drop, Wallace said. The company also faces possible daily fines for noise violations.

Posted by: eddiebear at 11:11 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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