The sun is seen rising behind the funnels of the brown-coal Hazelwood Power Station in Latrobe Valley, 93 miles east of Melbourne, Australia, on July 4, 2008. Australia should adopt a broad-based carbon-emissions trading sceme that includes energy and transport, but compensates industries whose offshore rivals do not adopt emissions curbs, an official report said on Friday. The 600-page draft report urged Australia to go further than its current goal to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 60% by 2050, and warned of a major dent to the economy if it avoids the hard decisions on climate change.
Image courtesy of Reuters / Mick Tsikas

Amazing Golden Ray Migration

The Telegraph just posted some photos of the migration of golden rays (also known as cownose rays) off the coast of Mexico. It's guaranteed to restore your sense of wonder at the world.
Images courtesy of Sandra Critelli / Barcroft Media

The Wave of Whale Killing Continues as the International Whaling Commission Meeting in Chile Fails to Halt Japanese Hunters

Workers butcher a Baird's beaked whale in Minamiboso, Japan, on June 28, 2008.
Courtesy of Reuters / Toru Hanai

Pressure to ban plastic bags in stores keeps on building worldwide

Just recently Whole Foods Market, the organic food store chain, has joined the growing number of retailers who are currently banning plastic bags in store, opting instead for reusable green bags or paper bags. The US supermarket chain approached its customers nationwide with several ‘plastic bag bans’ trial runs, which all produced positive results, ensuring their customers’ support for the eco-friendly initiative.
This is what Michael Besancon, a regional president of Whole Foods and the leader of an environmental task force has to say in favour of alternatives to plastic bags:
“The fact of plastic bags is they are not something that has been around forever,” “It was paper for many, many years. It’s not really a hardship.”

via [ New York Times ]

Similarly, in Australia environmental pressure groups seek for a total ban of plastic bags be enforced, after a voluntary scheme among large retailers to reduce their use failed to meet targets.
Following the example of the Irish government, the state of Victoria will impose a 10 cent levy per bag at the checkout from January 2009.

via [ The Age ]

Nokia installs energy savings alerts to mobiles / Nokia installa un sistema d'allarme per il risparmio energetico sui nuovi cellulari

apparently Nokia will be the fist phone maker company to install energy savings alerts to its next generations mobiles. Supposedly this new feature will save enough energy to power 85000 homes a year.

... worth investigating further, it could be the next must have thing for all electric appliances.