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Water

water conservation keeps rivers and lakes cleanThe average American uses approximately 126 gallons of water per day, making us the largest water consumers per capita in the world. Canadians are a close second, while many European countries use half as much water we do, and most developing countries use less than 15 gallons each day.

When you are living out of a canoe or kayak, you haul your own water from the rivers and lakes you travel on and quickly realize how little water you really need. Amy and I can easily get by on 3 gallons of water per day for washing, cooking, and drinking.

Now I am not suggesting that you tell the utility company to turn off your water, because you are going to start hauling it from the nearest stream.  But there are plenty of ways to conserve water, which in the end is good for the environment and your wallet.

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US oil spill in Loop Current 'heading for Florida'

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Agence France-Presse: The Gulf of Mexico oil spill has entered the Loop Current, a powerful conveyor belt that flows clockwise around the Gulf towards Florida, the European Space Agency said Wednesday. Scientists monitoring the massive slick via ESA satellites say that oil has for the first time hit the current and is likely to reach Florida within six days. "We have visible proof that at least oil from the surface of the water has reached the current," said Bertrand Chapron, a scientist at the ...

Google-funded hot rock 'water' drill could reduce cost of geothermal energy

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Guardian: A novel drill that is inspired by a jet engine and uses super-heated water to carve through rock could help harness to make clean energy from underground rocks more economically viable, according to its backers at Google. Potter Drilling is part-funded by Google.org - the internet search giant's philanthropic arm - and wants to use its technology to develop geothermal energy, which involves tapping the energy from hot rocks deep in the Earth. Geothermal energy is seen by ...

Fishing Ban Is Expanded as Spill's Impact Becomes More Evident

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New York Times: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration greatly expanded the fishing ban in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday in response to spreading oil from the BP well blowout. The prohibited area now covers 19 percent of the gulf, nearly double what it was, according to the agency. Officials are already seeing some impact on fish and wildlife in the region. Rowan W. Gould, the acting director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, said 156 sea turtle fatalities had been recorded in the gulf ...

Wave power firms roll out next-generation devices

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Business Green: Scotland's dream of becoming the "Saudi Arabia of marine energy" took another step towards reality this week after two of the UK's leading wave energy firms unveiled full-scale demonstration devices. E.ON and Pelamis yesterday launched the first prototype of the 750kW Pelamis P2 marine hydropower device, which the two companies hailed as the first wave energy generator to be purchased by a commercial utility. The P2 will be towed from Edinburgh to the European Marine Energy ...

Glacier National Park loses 2 more glaciers due to climate change

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Thaindian News: The US Geological Survey has said that the Glacier National Park has lost 2 more glaciers, due to climatic changes. The US Geological Survey also hinted that by the end of the decade, the Park might lose all of its glaciers too. The glaciers are being lost, as the increase in the temperatures in the park, were in reality twice as that of the rest of the globe. These findings were made public, when the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization (RMCO) and Natural Resources Defense Council ...

Tribes of Amazon Find an Ally Out of 'Avatar'

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New York Times: They came from the far reaches of the Amazon, traveling in small boats and canoes for up to three days to discuss their fate. James Cameron, the Hollywood titan, stood before them with orange warrior streaks painted on his face, comparing the threats on their lands to a snake eating its prey. "The snake kills by squeezing very slowly,' Mr. Cameron said to more than 70 indigenous people, some holding spears and bows and arrows, under a tree here along the Xingu River. "This is how the ...

Philippines: Philexport calls for urgent government response on brewing power, water supply crisis

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Manilla Bulletin: The Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport) has called for an urgent government response to address issues arising from rapidly changing climate patterns like the brewing power and fresh water supply crises in the country. "The intermittent power outages in Luzon and crippling brownouts in Mindanao, coupled with long dry spell drying lakes, killing plants, fowls and animals in the Cagayan Valley and some regions in Mindanao stare us on the face today,' said Philexport ...