1440 http://www.islaearth.org/ en-us 2006 Catalina Island Conservancy Isla Earth Exploring Environmental Issues of Global Importance. Isla Earth, a production of the Catalina Island Conservancy, is a radio series exploring environmental issues of local, national, and global importance. Our mission is to increase ecological awareness, deepen understanding, and encourage environmentally sustainable choices. no Catalina Island Conservancy Alien mussels are muscling their way into our waterways. And like unwelcome guests, once the move in, they're almost impossible to move out! We're talking about zebra and quagga mussels, natives of Eurasia. Discovered in the Great Lakes during the eighties, they quickly spread throughout the East. Now, Oregon State University scientists say they're ready to invade the Great Plains and Southwest. So far, these prolific misplaced mussels have caused millions of dollars in damage to marine structures and equipment. They've also caused extensive ecological damage by pushing out other species like clams and native mussels. While some have spread through adjoining waterways, alien mussels are often spread by hitchhiking from one place to another on watercraft. Before leaving a lake or river, inspect and clean your clothing, gear, boat, trailer and your pets to eliminate organic material -- including mud that can contain mussel larvae. Remove water from your equipment and clean it with hot water, salt water or vinegar, and never dump unused baitwater or bilgewater. Following these guidelines can help prevent the vast ecological damage caused when alien mussels invade. Script by Stephen Webb http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1328256000 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:59 Catalina Island Conservancy Smile, whale shark, you're on candid camera -- the high seas version. Whale sharks are truly impressive creatures, growing up to 66 feet long and weighing as much as 20 tons. They are known as "gentle giants" due to their docile nature, and tourists to the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia love to photograph and even swim with them. Unfortunately, whale sharks are also considered to be relatively rare. So in 1995, hundreds of photographers began taking pictures of them. Focusing on the speckles and stripes on their skins that are as unique as human fingerprints, the group compiled more than 5100 underwater photographs. By positively identifying individuals, they determined that -- at least in Ningaloo -- the whale shark population was healthy and increasing. Unfortunately, whale sharks in tropical waters off the western Atlantic and southern Pacific, are still hunted for their fins and meat. The group hopes their fascinating images can be used to promote ecotourism as an alternative to hunting. You can protect a whale shark by adopting it. Or, if you're a sea-faring adventurer with a camera, you can contribute to the whale shark photo librarylike tourists from 37 countries already have. Script by Stephen Webb http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1328169600 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 03:01 Catalina Island Conservancy Alternative fuels are more environmentally friendly than petroleum products, right? Actually, that's not always the case. A group of eco-focused scientists recently released a study of what we have come to call "alternative fuels," and the list includes some surprising polluters. First, take coal converted to liquid. It's frequently billed as a clean alternative to diesel gas, and a viable replacement for petroleum. But producing it can generate 80 percent MORE greenhouse gasses than petroleum diesel. And gas derived from tar sand? The study by the Union of Concerned Scientists says that this thick oil, that's mined rather than pumped, generates more greenhouse gasses than petroleum production. Then there's ethanol from corn. That one's "iffy." It can produce more or less greenhouse gasses than oil, depending on how it's manufactured. Add it all up, and the scientists say it's the equivalent of putting 34 million more cars on the road. But there are alternative alternatives. The study estimates that ethanol made from grass clippings or wood chips could cut greenhouse gasses by a full 85 percent. Grass clippings. Now THAT's a "green" fuel source. By Gail Davis http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1328083200 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:57 Catalina Island Conservancy Is that monthly home heating bill burning a hole in your wallet? I thought so. With the economic uncertainties of recent months, we all get that sinking feeling when we see the bottom line rise. But wait! You don't have to be a victim of high heating costs. One of the best investments you can make is a programmable thermostat. Set your heating thermostat at no more than 60 degrees while you're asleep or when you leave the house and voila, you can save a couple of bucks. According to the Department of Energy's "Energy Star Program," a programmable thermostat can cut fuel bills by as much as 10 percent. Here's another easy tip. Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees. This is the optimal temperature for disinfecting and cleaning. For each 10 degree Fahrenheit reduction in water temperature, you can save three to five percent in energy costs each month. So don't get hot under the collar about high energy costs. A small adjustment of your thermostat and water heater dials will save energy, and cold, hard cash. Script by Bob Rhein http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1327996800 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:59 Catalina Island Conservancy It's stocky and dark brown with a long bushy tail, and fur softer than a mink's. Meet the Pacific Fisher. This handsome, otter-like critter related to weasels and wolverines is considered one of the rarest carnivores in the Pacific Northwest. Trapping decimated their numbers through the early 1930s, and logging and development have since kept their numbers very low. Like any carnivore, the Pacific Fisher is important to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Its claim to fame is that it's the only animal that can regularly kill porcupines with repeated bites to the face. Yikes. Give that a try! Fishers love the old growth forests and nest in rotting logs or tree cavities -- and, they don't eat fish. Their name is thought to come from the French word fichet, the name for the pelt of a European polecat. The Pacific Fisher is already protected in Washington, Idaho and Oregon, and recently, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition to protect Fishers under the California Endangered Species Act. There's still time to save this ancient forest dweller, and you can help. Script by Bob Rhein http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1327910400 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:57 Catalina Island Conservancy To prepare for climate change, sometimes it's good to get down to the bare bones. Fish bones, that is. Scientists in Scandinavia are trying to predict how climate change will effect fish populations in the northern oceans. Ecologists and historians have been working together to analyze records, registries, and ancient fish bones to see which fish might become more common as the world and its waters continue to warm. They've identified more than a 100,000 fish bones from as far back as 9,000 years ago. The bones belong to fish like anchovies and black sea bream that thrived during the previous warm periods in our prehistory, and are now returning to northern waters as the ocean loses its chill. They also found that cool-water cod lived happily in the warmer waters of the past, and may do just fine in the future. As marine ecosystems continue to change with the climate, conservation strategies will have to change as well. The final volume on fish bones -- 14 papers, edited by Henn Ojaveer and Brian R. MacKenzie -- is one more tool for us to better manage precious marine resources. By Elizabeth Katt-Reinders http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1327651200 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:59 Catalina Island Conservancy In the early 1980's, it looked like the Pacific Northwest might lose all its old growth forests to logging. Enter, The Northwest Forest Plan. Adopted in 1994, the plan aimed to protect species by managing harvests within a 24.4 million acre habitat in Oregon, Washington and Northern California. But the plan proved difficult to implement, since little is known about many of the three hundred rare plant and animal species living there! Recently, researchers compiled a book that, by including many different voices, sheds new light on protecting species unique to old growth forests. Martin Raphael and Randy Molina's "Conservation of Rare or Little Known Species" features leading ecologists, biologists, botanists, economists and sociologists discussing widely varied conservation approaches. It also explores the practical considerations for implementing those approaches. One observation the book makes is that focusing on protecting a single species can be costly and inefficient. Instead, it gives examples of how protecting key habitats and locations will protect more species over the long run. Script by Stephen Webb http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1327564800 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:57 Catalina Island Conservancy Reusable cloth grocery bags are popular, but are they really better than paper or plastic? Environmental analyst Kumar Venkat, of Portland-based Clean Metrics recently blogged that a typical cotton bag would have to be used 100-plus times to match the carbon footprint of a thin-film, single-use plastic bag, and 30 times to break even with paper. He says that's assuming the cloth bag gets washed rarely, and eventually goes into a landfill. Venkat concluded that overall, the option with the smallest carbon footprint is reusable plastic bags, made from polypropylene and not the more common filmy single-use bags. So is that it for cloth bags? The Portland Oregonian asked several experts and concluded that from a trash perspective any reusable bag is always better than single-use plastic bags, because they're less likely to wind up as litter. It also notes cloth bags are great, unless people accumulate more than they use, negating the benefits of buying it in the first place. Bottom line, any option that cuts down on single-use bags benefits the environment. So next time you head off to the market, be sure to take your reusable bags, plastic or cloth. Script by Gail Davis http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1327478400 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:56 Catalina Island Conservancy With wind turbine blades approaching 90 feet in length whipping around at 150 miles an hour, they've been called everything from "raptor-matics" to "cuisinarts of the sky." But considering all the good windmills do for our environment by providing clean, renewable energy, is the cost in bird deaths worth the price? Early evidence of high rates of bird mortality came from California's Altamont Pass where a fifty acre wind farm was built across a major international migratory bird route -- probably not the best choice of locations. However, a more recent study conducted by the Bonneville Power Administration concluded that raptor deaths -- in particular -- have been "relatively low at all newer generation wind plants" in the U.S. due to improvements in windmill technology and "better siting." It also reported that wind projects are now being continuously monitored and enhanced to further avoid bird deaths and injuries. It's true that windmills and birds, still clash. But as windmills produce an ever-increasing portion of our nation's environmentally friendly energy, it's good to know they're being made friendlier for our flying, feathered friends. Script by Stephen Webb http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1327392000 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:57 Catalina Island Conservancy Farming has always been subject to the uncertainties of weather and market conditions. But farmers in Huron County, Michigan, have found something they finally can count on. The wind! Blowing across Lake Huron, the wind there is always ripe for harvesting. A patch of 32 turbines have already been planted. And plans for 42 more are underway. Bob Krohn, a farmer in the area, anticipates reaping up to $30,000 per year from just three windmills on his property. It's a welcome source of revenue where incomes are fifteen percent below the national average. Michigan is another in a growing list of farm belt states like Texas, Iowa, Minnesota and others, where wind power is becoming a major industry. Many of these states require utilities to generate a certain percentage of electricity from alternative sources. Other than concerns about creating hazards for birds, windmills are readily accepted in rural areas. In fact, some see them as a way of preserving our rich agricultural heritage. After all, what would you prefer in your backyard? A subdivision of homes, coal-burning power plant, or wind turbines? Script by Stephen Webb http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1327305600 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:57 Catalina Island Conservancy Giant pandas are about as cute as an animal can get -- and, just as endangered. Population estimates of pandas in the wild range from just 1,600 to 3,000. Part of the challenge is that they can't live just anywhere. Panda habitat has to offer lots of choice bamboo, an ideal temperature -- and mature trees strong enough to hold a napping panda. To better understand pandas and their habitat needs, Michigan State University Researcher Vanessa Hull is in the remote mountains of Sichuan, China. Her goal is to fit four wild pandas with Global Positioning System-equipped collars to track their movements. Chinese forestry officials have another approach to studying panda movement -- they simply look for their dung. By locating panda droppings, researchers have already discovered that pandas are returning to a few regions they had once deserted; areas recently restored and protected by the Chinese government. But overall, times are tough for pandas. Logging and farming -- and even tourism throughout China -- have destroyed huge areas of prime panda habitat. Studies like Hull's hope to unlock keys to the survival of these magnificent animals. Script by Bob Rhein http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1327046400 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:55 Catalina Island Conservancy Probably the last place you'd expect to see a photo I.D. would be in the wilds of India -- featuring a photo of a male Asian elephant no less. But it's true. Researchers from the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society have developed individual photo identification cards for wild elephants in southern India. This is a region rife with poachers intent on harvesting the tusks of these intelligent creatures. And these particular tusks are especially valuable given that, unlike African elephants, only males of the Asian species tend to have large, pronounced tusks. Each I.D. card records the physical characteristics of the elephant and when and where they were photographed and subsequently re-photographed by researchers. By being able to identify individual elephants, scientists can get a better idea of survival rates, and movement patterns of the pachyderms. Indian zoologists estimate that as of last year, there were about 23,900 elephants in their country. Unlike our photo I.D. cards, the elephants don't actually have to carry theirs -- the researchers keep 'em. Although, I guess they could put it in their trunk (er, sorry about that...) Script by Bob Rhein http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1326960000 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:53 Catalina Island Conservancy Welcome to Isla Earth. Or should I say, Aloha? It turns out that one of the world's top Earth Friendly getaways is the Mauna Lani Resort on the Kohala Coast of Hawaii's Big Island. Condé Nast Traveler magazine, which keeps track of these things, says the resort generates the most solar electric power of any luxury resort in the world. The hotel has dedicated three acres for a photovoltaic system that directly converts sunlight into electricity. This system supplies electricity and powers the resort's water pumping system. Over the next 25 years, it's estimated that the Mauna Lani's solar system will have saved the Big Island's microclimate from having to absorb 12 thousand tons of carbon dioxide -- the greenhouse gas most closely associated with global warming. The resort also racked up points with Condé Nast because it's a captive breeding site for the endangered sea turtle. Turtles raised in saltwater ponds are released as part of the hotel's annual Fourth of July Sea Turtle Independence Day Celebration, raising awareness for this recovering species. So as you're planning your vacation, check out Condé Nast's Green List featuring eco-friendly vacation spots online. Until next time, Alooooooha! Script by Bob Rhein http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1326873600 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:58 Catalina Island Conservancy To anyone who's ever gone skinny-dipping in a pond, the green stuff floating on top is really disgusting. But to Professor Dave Bayless, blue-green algae -- or "pond scum," as it's commonly called, may just be the Great Green Hope. It turns out that the goo could help reduce power plant greenhouse emissions, as well as our reliance on fossil fuels for transportation. Bayless and his colleagues developed a photo bioreactor that circulates CO2 across large fabric membranes covered with algae. Through the process of photosynthesis, the CO2 is absorbed into the algae as they grow. The algal biomass can then be harvested and made into biofuel. Bayless says a bioreactor containing more than a million acres of membranes could absorb all of the CO2 from a typical coal-fired power plant. Plus, the algae harvested from a bioreactor that size could produce up to 50,000 gallons of biofuel per acre per year. While other similar projects don't go quite that far, algae can make more biofuel per acre than corn, rapeseed or any other crop. Test facilities are already online. And Bayless says a full scale version could quickly follow. Pond scum fuel? Who knew. Script by Stephen Webb http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1326787200 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:57 Catalina Island Conservancy The biggest power plant on earth is high in the sky -- it's the sun. But, we only get one percent of our energy from it because it typically costs more than other sources of power. A Dutch researcher wants to change that. Martin Aagesen has developed a material called "nano flakes" he believes could make solar energy more competitive. Engineered at the molecular level using nano technology, he says nanoflakes have "the potential to convert 30 percent of solar energy into electricity -- which is twice what we can convert today." Nano flakes would also reduce the amount of silicon required in solar cells -- their most expensive component -- lowering the price of manufacturing them. Other scientists are using nano technology to make solar cells that can be sprayed on, embedded in roofing materials, rolled out in thin plastic sheets and even painted onto houses. It's impossible to predict whether any of these approaches will make it to market. But with so much research focused on making sustainable, non-polluting solar power more affordable -- there's a good chance someday you'll be getting your electricity from the sun -- the solar system's largest utility. Script by Stephen Webb http://www.islaearth.org/radio/show.php?_sid=1326700800 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 02:57