Philips’ EnduraLED A21 | Image via nytimes.comBright Lights
Early next fall, Philips will begin marketing its new LED lamp that has a light output equal to that of a 75-watt incandescent bulb. Those who purchase this lamp are expected to save $160. (Link)
Salmon > Sea Lions
After failed attempts to humanely prevent a group of California sea lions from eating endangered salmon at the base of the Bonneville Dam, officials from the NOAA’s (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries Service have authorized the killing of the sea lions in order to prevent further deterioration of the salmon population. (Link)
Taking Advantage of Warming
Competition for resources is increasing in the Arctic Circle, where ice is rapidly disappearing. This is in an area that, until recently, was covered in a thick sheet of ice. Oil companies are attempting to gain the exploration rights to Greenland’s hydrocarbon-rich Baffin Bay. U.S. and Canadian diplomats are attempting to gain navigation rights to a sea route in the Canadian Arctic that would shorten shipping time and lower fuel costs for tankers. Denmark and Russia are also competing for the underlying seabed, which has the potential for abundant fisheries and natural gas deposits. As the ice melts and more natural resources become accessible, a rivalry of the Arctic states is beginning to arise. (Link)
Pesticide Report
A lobbying campaign by the produce industry is attempting to convince the USDA to tone down its 200-page annual report on pesticide residue in produce. (Link)
Fungus Energy
Will the fungus Aspergillus niger be the future of “green” chemical production? Its many enzymes can be used to break down plant cell walls to free sugars that can be fermented into biofuels, giving the fungus the potential for industrial energy applications. (Link)
