July 22, 2008

Scientists: Vanishing wetlands could release “carbon bomb”

Draining marshes and other wetlands could hasten climate change, a group of experts meeting in Brazil this week warned.

Wetlands contain 771 tons of carbon dioxide and methane, said scientists gathered in the central western town of Cuiaba for a four-day wetlands-preservation conference hosted by the United Nations University and Brazil's Federal University of Mato Grasso (UFMT). The world's remaining wetlands hold about one-fifth of the world's carbon, an amount equivalent to that currently in the atmosphere. ...

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July 24, 2008

Gassing Up With Garbage

After years of false starts, a new industry selling motor fuel made from waste is getting a big push in the United States, with the first commercial sales possible within months.

Many companies have announced plans to build plants that would take in material like wood chips, garbage or crop waste and turn out motor fuels. About 28 small plants are in advanced planning, under construction or, in a handful of cases, already up and running in test mode. ...

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July 24, 2008

California joins big carbon-trade partnership

California, six other Western states and four Canadian provinces launched plans on Wednesday for one of the world's largest carbon-trading systems, a sweeping effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

The North American program, like a similar market-based system in Europe, focuses on heavy polluters such as electric utilities, oil refineries and large industrial and commercial facilities. ...

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July 24, 2008

Raindrops Keep Falling in My Tank

MY rainwater collection tour started one morning last week with a cup plant, Silphium perfoliatum, in Lenny Librizzi's front garden on Staten Island. This prairie plant's daisy-like flowers bloomed way over our heads, and its oval leaves joined at the stem like big hands, cupping about half an inch of the rain that had fallen the night before.

"The insects and birds know they can go there for water," said Mr. Librizzi, who is a bit obsessed with this precious resource. ...

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