Thursday, 07 Sep 2006

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Methane emissions from Siberian bogs are "time bomb," scientists warn

Thawing Siberian bogs may be releasing up to five times more methane than previously thought, potentially creating a vicious cycle wherein more warming releases more methane, which causes more warming, which ... well, you get the picture. "It is a ticking time bomb," says Katey Walter, lead author of a study on the phenomenon in Nature. The focus of the study was yedoma, a type of permafrost that flash-froze 40,000 years ago, trapping carbon-rich plants. These days, the not-so-perma permafrost melts in summer; if it's underwater, like in the Siberian lakes, the carbon is released as methane, which has 23 times more heat-trapping capacity than carbon dioxide. But, good news: the bogs only emit about 4 million tons of methane per year, compared to over 330 million tons contributed each year by human activity. Oh wait, that's not good news at all.

Eur-eek!-a

Fat new oil deposits found in the Gulf of Mexico

Beneath some 20,000 feet of earth and 7,000 feet of water, 175 miles off the U.S. coast in the Gulf of Mexico, lies an enormous field of oil and gas -- enough to potentially double U.S. oil reserves. The lucky SOBs who found it are oil giant Chevron and partners Devon Energy Corp. and Statoil ASA, via the modestly named Jack No. 2 test well. Petro-experts predict that the field found by Jack No. 2 will ultimately produce anywhere from 3 billion to 15 billion barrels, the high end of which could match or exceed previous record holder Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. Of course, this kind of ultra-deepwater drilling is extremely tech-intensive and pricey; it's only worth it if oil stays at or above $40 per barrel. And production won't be online for three to five years or so. And the U.S. uses 7.5 billion barrels of crude a year, so even 15 billion would only get us two years. And other U.S. fields are declining. But never mind all that: no addict's going to turn down a stash this big!

Ivory Cower

Ivory Coast government resigns after dumped toxic-waste sickens hundreds

Fumes from toxic waste that was recently dumped around Abidjan, Ivory Coast, have killed three people and sickened more than 1,500. Under criticism that the government failed to act decisively, Ivorian Interim Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny took the unprecedented step of dissolving his cabinet, and will form a new government today. (Perhaps other ineffectual governments should take note?) Toxic gasoline residue was unloaded from a ship on Aug. 19 and dumped at seven or eight sites near residential areas of Abidjan. The company that chartered the ship said the residue was "a mixture of gasoline, water, and caustic washings"; the French consulate in Abidjan said the waste contained hydrogen sulfide and organochloride. Residents are suffering from nausea, respiratory problems, diarrhea, and nosebleeds. Street protests to draw attention to the problem have, ironically, blockaded doctors from areas where medical help is needed. Several people have been arrested in connection with the dumping.

Fool Me Rice

Unapproved GM rice from China pops up in European stores

A variety of genetically modified rice from China has made it into Asian specialty stores and Asian restaurants in the E.U. -- and the Europeans ain't too happy about it. A new report from Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth claims that some rice noodles imported into France, Germany, and Britain contain a strain of GM rice which is not approved for human consumption in the E.U. -- or in China, for that matter. Activists worry that Cry1Ac, the appropriately named compound present in the Chinese GM rice, could cause allergic reactions, though there have been no reports yet of anaphylactic events. For its part, China denies that its GM rice could have reached European markets. Just a week ago, Europe tightened requirements on imports of U.S. long-grain rice because of possible GM contamination. "This latest illegal GM contamination scandal shows that the biotech industry cannot be trusted. How many more foods around the world have been contaminated by unlicensed GM crops?" asked Clare Oxborrow of Friends of the Earth.

Green Is the New Camouflage

U.S. general in Iraq calls for renewable power

The latest dirty hippie to issue an urgent call for renewable power is ... U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer. The top U.S. commander in western Iraq recently sent the Pentagon a "Priority 1" request for solar panels and wind turbines to augment traditional diesel generators. (What's next, Major, wheatgrass chai lattes in the mess hall? Hemp uniforms?) Not only are generators huge fuel guzzlers, but they have a hot "thermal signature" that can call enemy attention to U.S. outposts. Also, the U.S. military spends more on transporting fuel than it does on fuel itself. "By reducing the need for [petroleum] at our outlying bases, we can decrease the frequency of logistics convoys on the road, thereby reducing the danger to our marines, soldiers, and sailors," says Zilmer's memo. It adds, "Without this solution, personnel loss rates are likely to continue at their current rate. Continued casualty accumulation exhibits potential to jeopardize mission success." That's one way of putting it.