Environ News

Jason deCaires Taylor discusses his underwater sculpture exhibition in the clear waters of Cancun in the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula that he hopes will attract tourists, while showcasing the process of reef evolution. The British artist plans to place 400 life size figure statues on the seabed of the National Marine Park on the west coast of Isla Mujeres. Source: Reuters

It looks like plastic, and feels like plastic, but is not the regular plastic that environmentalists love to hate. Cereplast products are made from organic resins and rely on far fewer petrochemicals than the real thing – what’s more, they are mostly biodegradable. Source: AFP

The ancient village of Misa Rumi, high in the Andean mountains of Argentina, finds itself at the cutting edge of solar energy technology. Source: Reuters

To some, he’s a throwback; to others, he’s a sage. In a country that has embraced GMOs and junk food, Virginian farmer Joel Salatin fights for sustainable agriculture and local consumption. Source: AFP

The Philippine government says at least 246 people have died in flooding caused after Tropical Storm Ketsana struck on Saturday. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) blamed the massive flooding caused by the unprecedented storm on environmental degradation and climate change. “The DENR takes note of these tragic consequences of environmental degradation and climate change which is the cause of all these problems,” DENR Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. said, adding: “Nature is getting back at us in a very violent manner because of our neglect, abuse, and inability to protect the environment.” Video source: Reuters

Scientists believe a period of global warming contributed to the rise of the Incan Empire by allowing the ancient civilization to plant crops at higher altitudes and bump up their food production.

The environmental group Greenpeace accuses HP of backtracking on a promise to rid its PCs of toxic chemicals by 2009.

World Environment Day on 5th June sees the worldwide release of a movie billed by producers as “the greatest green event ever”, a high-budget documentary to save the planet from Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

Some people love it, most hate it, but direct mail, commonly known as ‘junk’ mail, is here to stay and it may be a boon for the troubled U.S. economy. Ben Gruber reports.

Recycling isn’t just about throwing papers and bottles into a bag and leaving it on the curb. There’s more science to it than you think.