Little Green Databook 2007 focuses on emissions and energy

Read the full post at Biopact.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions – the principal man-made cause of global warming – continue to rise, with the world producing today 16 percent more CO2 than in 1990, according to the Little Green Data Book 2007, launched today on the occasion of the 15th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-15), which is focusing its deliberations on issues of energy and climate change.

In its eighth annual edition, the World Bank’s Little Green Data Book 2007 [*.pdf] is a pocket-sized quick reference on key environmental and development data for over 200 countries, based on the World Development Indicators 2007. Country, regional, and income group profiles provide a baseline for comparison on the state of the environment and its linkages with the economy and people.

Pesticide Terminator

Using in situ bioremediation to destroy pesticides in impacted soil is a cheaper, more permanent alternative to “dig-and-dump” treatment methods, write Alan Seech, PhD, and James Mueller, PhD, in the May issue of EP.

Bill-backers call for local growing, more organics

Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.

Last harvest, Jeff Miller packed organic vegetables into his pickup truck and drove to a farmers market in Palatine. Up at dawn. Behind a stall. Every Saturday, like clockwork. By the end of the season, the Grayslake farmer had pocketed $3,500.

Not bad for a novice working a 2-acre incubator farm. But Miller’s proceeds fell far short of the potential that Illinois farmers see if they could fully tap into the state’s organic produce market, with annual sales of $500 million. Instead, they produce about 5 percent of the organic food consumed in the state, they say, and 95 percent comes from other states.

“Ideally, I’d like to move to a 5-acre farm,” Miller said. “To do that we need more farmers markets, more marketing, more shipping and storage.”

After years toiling on tiny farms, organic growers such as Miller might finally get the help they need. For the first time in Illinois, a diverse set of allies, including green activists, small farmers, urban food-policy planners and, most recently, the Illinois Farm Bureau, has joined forces to change the way Illinois residents put food on the table.

Open Access and the Progress of Science

Read the full article in American Scientist.

There’s an old joke about asking the way to somewhere and being told it would be best not to start from where you are. It’s a good way to frame some thoughts about whether our present system of scholarly communication aids the progress of science or gets in the way.

If we could start now, equipped with the World Wide Web, computers in every laboratory or institution and a global view of the scientific research effort, would we come up with the system for communicating knowledge that we have today? The system we have, which originated as an exchange of letters and lectures among scattered peers, does some things well. But in its current form — a leviathan feeding on an interaction of market forces within and outside science — one can hardly argue that the system satisfies the needs of a modern scientific community. And new developments in the way science is done will make it even less fit for its original purpose in the years ahead.

ОКРУЖАЮЩАЯ СРЕДА И ЗДОРОВЬЕ

Этой теме посвящена межправительственная встреча, которая пройдет в Вене с 13 по 15 июня 2007 года. Ее участники обсудят прогресс в осуществлении мер, направленных на улучшение состояния окружающей среды и здоровья людей, принятых в 2004 году на четвертой министерской конвенции “Окружающая среда и здоровье”. Continue reading ОКРУЖАЮЩАЯ СРЕДА И ЗДОРОВЬЕ

CENN in the framework of its magazine “Caucasus Environment” launches articles and photos contest

Articles on global environmental problems, sustainable lifestyle, travell, ethnical groups, cultural and general exotics of the Caucasus are eligible to participate in the contest.
The magazine contains the following columns:
The main columns:

  • Global Environmental Problems
  • Sustainable Lifestyle
  • Traveler
  • Wonders of Nature (photos)
  • History and Nature
  • Technologies
  • Standpoint
  • Adventure
  • Local Community
  • Civil Society
  • Biodiversity
  • Discover

The article shall be developed specially for the contest and has never been published before. The articles shall be sent in English and Russian in the text format file. The illustrations shall be enclosed separately. The minor editing of articles is acceptable, if it requires major correction the article will be returned to the author. The editors of the magazine recommend all authors to follow the rules of article formatting specified below in order to avoid overpatching. The results of each contest will be disseminated through the organization web site within a month from announcement of the contest. The editors shall be entitled to publish the winner articles. Upon sending an article the author fully agrees with these terms. The author can decline publication of the article before announcement of the contest results. Complaints shall not be accepted after publication of the magazine.
The information on the main topic of the magazine will be disseminated through the CENN information network before the beginning of each contest. Authors from various countries are eligible to participate in this contest. The payment will be made on the basis of bilateral agreement with the organization. The honorariums will be received by the authors through bank transfer.

CRITERIA/RULES FOR ARTICLE FORMATTING:

  • Articles shall be submitted to the editors in the Word format.
  • The Word format file shall contain only the text / also indication of the space for photos, diagrams or graphs, e.g. photo 1.
  • Photos, graphs, diagrams shall be sent separately in jpg or tif  format and  supplied with a title corresponding to the number indicated in the text, e.g. photo 1, photo 2 and etc..
  • The name of the author of a photo as well as any specific information (organization and etc.) shall be submitted in a separate file.
  • The title of the article shall thoughtful reflecting the content of the article.
  • Brief overview – one – two sentences reflecting the content of the article and a brief explanation of how the article will attract the reader’s attention – shall be attached to the article.
  • Each author may submit unlimited number of articles.
  • The contest will be conducted periodically, and the information will be announced in advance (one week earlier).
  • The subject of the article shall be of current importance and at the most correspond with the popular scientific style.
  • The article shall be developed for the contest and has never been published before.
  • The rights on articles shall be transferred to magazine upon the payment.
  • The articles are being evaluated together with the editorial board.
  • The editors shall be entitled for minor editing (stylistics, grammar and etc.) of the articles.
  • Only articles received before the contest deadlines shall be considered.
  • The articles sent after the contest deadlines shall not be considered.

The editors will give the preference to the articles with not less than three photos enclosed.

ARTICLES:
Title
Font:   Times new roman (Russian); size: 14, capitals
Times new roman (English); size: 14, capitals
Subtitle
Font:  Times new roman (Russian);  size: 12, bold
Times new roman (English); size: 12, bold
Text
Font:  Times new roman (Russian); size: 12
Times new roman (English); size: 12
Signature
Below the title, font: Times new roman (Russian); size: 14, capitals.
Times new roman (English); size: 14, capitals
Article Size
2 pages in A4 format
Borders
2 cm from all sides
Spacing
Between the lines – 1
PHOTOS:
– The photos shall be submitted in jpg or tif format separately
– The photos shall meet the following requirements:
Photo for the column –
– Wonders of Nature
Size: 40X30 cm; resolution 300dpi/inch;
–  Panorama
Size: A3; resolution 300dpi/inch;
Small size photos
Size: vertical  – 20X30 cm; resolution 300dpi/inch;
horizontal – 30X20 cm; resolution 300dpi/inch;
Submit your article and become the contest participant!

Deadlines:
For the 19th issue: 01.04.07 – 30.04.07 inclusive
For the 20th issue: 01.07.07 – 31.07.07 inclusive
For the 21th issue: 01.10.07 – 31.10.07 inclusive

For additional information, please contact
Nino Lagidze, Editor
Mariam Murtskhvaladze, Editor Assistant
e-mail: nino.lagidze@cenn.org
e-mail. mari.murtskhvaladze@cenn.org
Tel.: (995 32) 75 19 03/04
Fax.: (995 32) 75 19 05
www.magazine.cenn.ge