Author: Adam Clare

One Day, One Country, Six Million Trees

Macedonia is a country of only two million and they managed to plant six million trees in just one day!

Thousands of Macedonians took to the hills and forests on Wednesday to plant six million trees in a single day as part of a mass reforestation drive in the Balkan country.
The main aim of the campaign was to replant Macedonia’s forests after extensive wild fires over the past two summers, and organisers trumpeted the scheme’s environmental benefits at a time of global warming.
“Our goal is to make Macedonia “greener” and make people more aware of the needs of this planet”, said Macedonian opera singer Boris Trajanov, who initiated the project.

Jelly Balls – Nature’s Carbon Sequestration

Some researchers off the coast of Australia think that jelly balls is Earth’s way to fight global warming – neat!

By eating the algae, the salps turn the algae and their carbon dioxide into faeces which drops to the ocean floor. They also take carbon to the floor with them when they die after a short two-week life cycle.

This is thought to be a natural form of carbon sequestration similar to what scientists are trying to do with carbon capture from emission sources such as power stations.

Dr Baird said Australian salps are biologically closer to vertebrates such as humans than to jellyfish because they have the rudiments of a primitive nervous system.

‘They are interesting because they are the fastest reproducing multi-celled animal on the planet and can double their numbers several times a day.’

Organic Farming Uses Less Water

In case you needed yet another reason to buy organic food it has come to light that organic farming uses less water than factory/industrial farming.

A study released by Cornell University Professor David Pimentel in 2005 reported that organic farming produces the same corn and soybean yields as conventional farming and uses 30 percent less energy and less water. Moreover, because organic farming systems do not use pesticides, they also yield healthier produce and do not contribute to groundwater pollution.

In addition to its conservation of water, organic farming has also been praised for the economic opportunities it creates for farmers in developing countries. Those farmers have not only found an international market for their organic products, but in draught-ridden India, organic rice farmers have found that using less water is not only a necessity, but is also financially practical. Indian rice farmers cited in a 2007 World Wildlife Foundation study claimed that the system of rice intensification (SRI) helped them yield more crop with less water.

Solar Powered City in Japan

A community in Japan has put solar panels on nearly every house and they love it! A short article on the solar powered houses shows that in order for the system to be rolled out elsewhere more support from all levels of government are needed. It’s great to see pilot projects like this proving that these types of energy systems work.

Located 50 miles northwest of Tokyo, Pal Town dubbed “Solar City,” received free solar panels in 2002 through a 9.7 billion yen state-backed research on how to ensure a steady supply and avoid blackouts. Lots of small solar power generators are connected to the power grid.
Three-quarters of Pal Town’s homes are covered by solar panels, which are distributed for free and have become one of the main draw-cards for residents keen to minimize their power bills..