Your Questions About Green Living

Will 2010 be known as “The Year Global Warming Died”?

“The chief defence offered by the warmists to all those [2009] revelations centred on the IPCC’s last 2007 report is that they were only a few marginal mistakes scattered through a vast, 3,000-page document.

“OK, they say, it might have been wrong to predict

that the Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035;

that global warming was about to destroy 40 per cent of the Amazon rainforest and cut African crop yields by 50 per cent;

that sea levels were rising dangerously;

that hurricanes, droughts and other “extreme weather events” were getting worse.

“These were a handful of isolated errors in a massive report; behind them the mighty edifice of global warming orthodoxy remains unscathed. The “science is settled”, the “consensus” is intact.

“But this completely misses the point. Put the errors together and it can be seen that one after another they tick off all the central, iconic issues of the entire global warming saga. Apart from those non-vanishing polar bears, no fears of climate change have been played on more insistently than these: the destruction of Himalayan glaciers and Amazonian rainforest; famine in Africa; fast-rising sea levels; the threat of hurricanes, droughts, floods and heatwaves all becoming more frequent.

“All these alarms were given special prominence in the IPCC’s 2007 report and each of them has now been shown to be based, not on hard evidence, but on scare stories, derived not from proper scientists but from environmental activists. Those glaciers are not vanishing; the damage to the rainforest is not from climate change but logging and agriculture; African crop yields are more likely to increase than diminish; the modest rise in sea levels is slowing not accelerating; hurricane activity is lower than it was 60 years ago; droughts were more frequent in the past; there has been no increase in floods or heatwaves.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/7332803/A-perfect-storm-is-brewing-for-the-IPCC.html

Montessori Model United Nations HELP PLEASE!!!?

Montessori Model United Nations HELP PLEASE!!!?
My country is Gabon the Location is Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea. Kind of confusing, I know. So my paper’s due Tuesday September 27th 2011 2:15 pm. and need as many questions as you can answer submitted. Here are some of the basic questions:

Allies/Blocs:_________________________…

Ports/waterways:______________________…

Infrastructure status:_________________________________…

U.N. dues payment status:____________________

Environmental stance; e.g., problems, innovations:_____

Standard of living (UNDP Annual Report):______________

Has the United Nations ever cited this country for human rights violations? If so, what were the circumstances?__________________________…

What are problems/threats that currently seem to affect this nation?_________________________________…

Ethnic/cultural issues:_________________________________…

Refugees problems:_______________________________…

Trade blocs/association:______________________…

Balance of payments/trade:_________________________…

Military organization:___________________________…

Military expenditures (percent spent on defense):_____

Major weapons, arsenal, nuclear, capability, etc: ________________________________________…

Percent of GNP spent of ODA (Overseas Development Aid): ________________________________________…

Economic system:_________________________________…

IMF, WB, GATT positions (debtor nation? Donor nation?): __________________________________ ________________________________________…

Energy sources (both the type of energy and its origin): _____________________________________

Major conflicts both past and present: ________________________________________… ________________________________________… ________________________________________…

Based on your research, what do you feel as the heart of this nations identity?: ________________ ________________________________________…

Development status:_______________________________

U.N. peacekeeping role (Blue Helmets):_____________

Has the U.N. ever had to intervene in any conflict involving this nation? If so, where the circumstances?: ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Also if you can answer any that would be fantastic! Thanks for all your help.

” A perfect storm is brewing for the IPCC “, does this make you feel sorry for the Warmers?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/7332803/A-perfect-storm-is-brewing-for-the-IPCC.html

” The chief defence offered by the warmists to all those revelations centred on the IPCC’s last 2007 report is that they were only a few marginal mistakes scattered through a vast, 3,000-page document. OK, they say, it might have been wrong to predict that the Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035; that global warming was about to destroy 40 per cent of the Amazon rainforest and cut African crop yields by 50 per cent; that sea levels were rising dangerously; that hurricanes, droughts and other “extreme weather events” were getting worse. These were a handful of isolated errors in a massive report; behind them the mighty edifice of global warming orthodoxy remains unscathed. The “science is settled”, the “consensus” is intact.

But this completely misses the point. Put the errors together and it can be seen that one after another they tick off all the central, iconic issues of the entire global warming saga. Apart from those non-vanishing polar bears, no fears of climate change have been played on more insistently than these: the destruction of Himalayan glaciers and Amazonian rainforest; famine in Africa; fast-rising sea levels; the threat of hurricanes, droughts, floods and heatwaves all becoming more frequent.
All these alarms were given special prominence in the IPCC’s 2007 report and each of them has now been shown to be based, not on hard evidence, but on scare stories, derived not from proper scientists but from environmental activists. Those glaciers are not vanishing; the damage to the rainforest is not from climate change but logging and agriculture; African crop yields are more likely to increase than diminish; the modest rise in sea levels is slowing not accelerating; hurricane activity is lower than it was 60 years ago; droughts were more frequent in the past; there has been no increase in floods or heatwaves.
Furthermore, it has also emerged in almost every case that the decision to include these scare stories rather than hard scientific evidence was deliberate. As several IPCC scientists have pointed out about the scare over Himalayan glaciers, for instance, those responsible for including it were well aware that proper science said something quite different. But it was inserted nevertheless – because that was the story wanted by those in charge. ”

So there is now going to be an international investigation.

What do you think of this?

Can you please grade my SAT essay.?

Quote: The old saying, “be careful what you wish for,” maybe an appropriate warning. The drive to achieve a particular goal can dangerously narrow ones perspective and encourage the fantasy that success in one endeavour will solve all of life’s difficulties. In fact, success can sometimes have unexpected consequences. Those who propel themselves toward the achievement of one goal often find that their lives are worse once “success” is achieved than they were before.
Assignment: Can success be disastrous? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from reading, studies, experience, or observations.
My Response:
Although many may think success can clear all problems, in truth, success narrows ones perspective and can lead to disaster. So, the saying “Be careful what you wish for” is apt. I would like to support my view using the story of Macbeth, the success and disaster in Lake Victoria and the recent hurricane, Katrina in USA.
My first example is from the literary work, “Macbeth” written by William Shakespeare. In it, Macbeth wanted to become the king and ‘becoming the king’ was his success. He achieved success and he gained many enemies in his path to success and he was never happy after he got success. He had to feel tensed every moment thinking Macduff or Banquo would usurp his throne. His position as a general was a happy one and kingship only brought him sadness and eventually death. One has to be careful with choosing one’s success.
My second example is from Lake Victoria. Nile Perch is a fish which grows well, breeds at high rate and whose meat is very delicious. The colonial powers of Africa introduced it into Lake Victoria for commercial purposes. The lake which was deserted earlier attracted tourists and gained the countries a sum of 600 million $. But, Nile Perch, a predator of cichlids, started eating the existing population of cichlids in the lake. This led to extinction of cichlids and Nile perch eventually perished of hunger. Cichlids which eat the plankton and smaller fish were no longer present and this led to exponential increase of algae and ferns. Algae covered the entire surface inhibiting the sunlight and air to enter the lake. Lack of lighting and fresh air in the water led to other species of fish to perish. And finally, Lake Victoria became a lake with no aqua life in it. The commercial success led to environmental disaster and eventually a great ecological imbalance.
Very recently, many heard of the hurricane Katrina which created havoc in USA. Although, many may get amazed about why a natural disaster made up to the human success-failure list, human’s lack of foresight led to such a disaster. Americans drenched many small islands in the mouth of Lake Mississippi to allow the sea water to enter the main land. They wished to avoid cost of transportation of goods from coastal areas to internal lands. But, the salty marshes and the mud acted as sponges for the storm and with their absence, the storm entered the main land creating the havoc. Human actions exacerbated the disaster. Katrina killed about a 1000 people in New Orleans. This was successful economically but failed environmentally.
With this, one is clear that one has to be careful in selecting what one’s success is. Else, it can lead to adverse effects. When once tries to succeed, one needs to consider the long-time effects of that success.
I think my intro is pretty boring and my conclusion is pretty short, I would be grateful if you give me tips to develop the above mentioned parts as well and Please grade it on a scale from 1-6

Ever think of WHY Somali Pirates Are Doing What their Doing?…..?

I mean, no one seems to realize and want to know WHY Somali pirates are hijacking ships.

Its mostly because of environmental protection.

Waste dumping

Following the massive tsunami of December 2004, there have emerged allegations that after the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in the late 1980s, Somalia’s long, remote shoreline was used as a dump site for the disposal of toxic waste. The huge waves which battered northern Somalia after the tsunami are believed to have stirred up tonnes of nuclear and toxic waste that was illegally dumped in Somali waters by several European firms. The European Green Party followed up these revelations by presenting before the press and the European Parliament in Strasbourg copies of contracts signed by two European companies—the Italian Swiss firm, Achair Partners, and an Italian waste broker, Progresso—and representatives of the warlords then in power, to accept 10 million tonnes of toxic waste in exchange for $80 million (then about £60 million). According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) assessment mission, there are far higher than normal cases of respiratory infections, mouth ulcers and bleeding, abdominal haemorrhages and unusual skin infections among many inhabitants of the areas around the northeastern towns of Hobbio and Benadir on the Indian Ocean coast—diseases consistent with radiation sickness. UNEP continues that the current situation along the Somali coastline poses a very serious environmental hazard not only in Somalia but also in the eastern Africa sub-region.

Under Article 9(1)(d) of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, it is illegal for “any transboundary movement of hazardous wastes or other wastes: that results in deliberate disposal (e.g. dumping) of hazardous wastes or other wastes in contravention of this Convention and of general principles of international law”.

According to Nick Nuttall of the United Nations Environmental Programme, “Somalia has been used as a dumping ground for hazardous waste starting in the early 1990s, and continuing through the civil war there,” and “European companies found it to be very cheap to get rid of the waste, costing as little as $2.50 a tonne, where waste disposal costs in Europe are something like $1000 a tonne.”

Illegal fishing

At the same time, illegal trawlers began fishing Somalia’s seas with an estimated $300 million of tuna, shrimp, and lobster being taken each year depleting stocks previously available to local fishermen. Through interception with speedboats, Somali fishermen tried to either dissuade the dumpers and trawlers or levy a “tax” on them as compensation. In an interview, Sugule Ali, one of the pirate leaders explained “We don’t consider ourselves sea bandits. We consider sea bandits (to be) those who illegally fish and dump in our seas.” Peter Lehr, a Somalia piracy expert at the University of St. Andrews says “It’s almost like a resource swap, Somalis collect up to $100 million a year from pirate ransoms off their coasts and the Europeans and Asians poach around $300 million a year in fish from Somali waters.”

According to Roger Middleton of Chatham House, “The problem of overfishing and illegal fishing in Somali waters, is a very serious one, and does affect the livelihoods of people inside Somalia […] the dumping of toxic waste on Somalia’s shores is a very serious issue, which will continue to affect people in Somalia long after the war has ended, and piracy is resolved.”To lure fish to their traps, foreign trawlers reportedly also use fishing equipment under prohibition such as nets with very small mesh sizes and sophisticated underwater lighting systems.

Under Article 56(1)(b)(iii) of the Law of the Sea Convention:

“In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State has jurisdiction as provided for in the relevant provisions of this Convention with regard to the protection and preservation of the marine environment”.

Article 57 of the Convention in turn outlines the limit of that jurisdiction:

“The exclusive economic zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured”.