The Transportation Research Board released their 3rd edition of Commuting in America. Among their findings, a 50% increase in "extreme commuters", those with a one way commute of more than 60 minutes; 8% of Americans are now in this category. 25 years ago, 1 in 5 commeters carpooled. Today, only 1 in 10. And the dominant commuting pattern is now suburb to suburb or city to suburb. [via NPR]

What does your commute look like?

It looks like environmental candidates did well at the state and federal level, but we'll have even more information in the coming days.  To view complete results of NC General Assembly races, visit the News and Observer's election results website.

The desire to stop construction of a mountainous landfill in Brunswick County hardly qualifies as "controversial..."

The editorial in the Wilmington Star explains the position:

Every state legislator who represents Brunswick County supports bills that would let the Brunswick County Commissioners stop the landfill. And the commissioners would: unanimously.

Many Brunswick County residents oppose it, as do many residents of New Hanover County.

Cape Fear River Watch says it never supported it.

That doesn't sound like controversy.

The editorial further notes:

Sure, a few people support the erection of a mountain of shredded automobile remains. A lot of them hope to make money from it.

Sadly enough, this is happening across eastern NC. Citizens, elected officials, organizations and businesses are opposed to incoming mega-dumps. But the few who stand to make money from the importing of waste seem to be yelling more loudly. Tell us what you think. Is the importing of waste a controversial issue?

The turtle is considered a supernatural animal and holds a special position in the spiritual life of Vietnamese. Biologist Ha Dinh Duc, who has been studying the giant turtles of the lake for years, says that the turtle from the legend still lives in the lake.

"I don’t know why but when I first saw him in 1991 he left a deep impression, so I went back home and marked the day on my calendar. It seems there is an invisible bond between me and the turtle. There used to be four turtles, but now there is only one."

Though the "international turtle community is skeptical," Professor Duc is lobbying for it to be recognized as a distinct species, Rafetus Leloii, named after the late emperor.

"He is part of the legend, but he is also a living thing, and all living things have to die. But when that day comes we will loose a lot, and the people will forget. Now when the turtle floats to the surface, he reminds people of our heritage and our victory in the 15th century. It is like a chain without a cut, but when the turtle dies that chain will be cut."

One visitor to the temple on the lake said:

"I don’t think it is as old as they say, but I do believe it is special – holy even. And I will be sad if he dies, because either way the legend is part of history. But even if he does die he will still live forever in our hearts."

It seems that we, in this country, focus too much on the heady work of scientific proof, ethical debates, and cost benefit analyses, and forget to honor the living creatures of this planet for what they mean to us historically, what the bring to us spiritually, and the impression they leave in our hearts.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to join us last night. Erin and I had a good time and loved meeting you all. We look forward to working together during this session of the NC General Assembly!

[...] Here are some ideas for some things & ways you can help keep some junk out of our waste stream. Please, do yourself, your garbage collector and the planet a favor, and think twice before throwing stuff out today.

1) The Ecopod makes recycling fun and reduces the volume of your recyclables.
2) With programs from Dell, Apple (remember, iPod has its own program) and more, there's no excuse not to recycle your computer.
3) While we're on the topic of technology, why not recycle your electronic media.
4) You may not have any yet, but you will soon, so brush up on recycling your Christmas cards.
5) Review Recycle: The Essential Guide for some fun facts, figures and tips for further recycling.

Happy recycling!

Approximately 66 percent of U.S. Latinos—25.6 million people—live in areas that do not meet the federal government’s air quality standards. These include the U.S.-Mexico border region, the Central Valley of California, and the cities of Chicago, New York, Phoenix, and Houston.

Very recently, Radio Bilingϋe (a non-profit public radio network), launched their newest service: Aire Libre, a Spanish-written website focused on air quality and asthma in California. This new site features reports, radio segments, news stories, and educational messages targeted toward Latinos living in California who are concerned with adverse health effects associated with poor air quality.

While this is a wonderful resource, it makes me wonder why there aren't more services like this available for Latinos living in North Carolina...especially since the "Latino population of North Carolina is the fastest growing of any state in the country," according to our friends at El Pueblo.

If you're interested in learning more about ways to connect to NC's Latino community, check out the bilingual publication Protect Your Health and Environment/Protegiendo su Salud y el Ambiente (pdf document), that a few groups right here in North Carolina put together a few years ago to provide basic information in English and Spanish on environmental health threats to Latinos in our state. Also, be sure to check out the Agricultural Resources Center's Spanish website, full of information in Spanish on pesticides.

If you know of other resources in the state, please post them here!

This fall, the NC Conservation Network is hosting our first ever online auction, and I need your help to find a few good items to auction off.  I'm looking for sustainable holiday gifts like:

• nature photographs
• composting tools
• rafting trips
• weekends at your beach or mountain house
• handmade or one-of-a-kind items
• tickets to a Hurricanes or Panthers game
• camping equipment

...or anything else fun you can think of!  If you have anything you'd like to donate, please just email me at heather@ncconservationnetwork.org.

I've already found a few auction items and you can preview them on the auction site.  And be sure to keep checking back in -- I'm adding new items all the time.

We greatly appreciate the support of Care2, ecoLogical Home Ideas, E/The Environmental Magazine, Larry's Beans, and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.  Thanks to them, the net proceeds from this auction will go directly to support the NC Conservation Network and our work to protect North Carolina's air, water, and quality of life. 

On April 18, 2009, at the end of the first one hundred days of the new administration and congress, students, community leaders, activists, citizens and elected officials will convene in congressional districts across the country for a Nation-Wide Town Hall Meeting on climate change and America's clean energy future. These events will bring communities together with their elected representatives to discuss ideas and solutions for building a just and sustainable clean energy economy.

Focus the Nation is working on bringing these empowering events to North Carolina, but needs organizers and volunteers to join the effort. The town hall campaign seeks active individuals, to step into leadership positions, and organize an event in their community. By getting involved you can make sure the North Carolina delegation is engaged on climate change, amplify the voice of your community, and distinguish yourself as a leader within the climate movement.

Those who join the effort will have access to the Focus the Nation online organizing community, and will work in solidarity with organizers from across the country, giving each event a national impact. Multiple organizing resources will be provided by the Focus the Nation staff, and organizers will receive support as they plan their event, execute it, and build momentum afterwards. You can find more info about becoming an organizer, or about attending events near your community at www.focusthenation.org.

Will you become a part of the clean energy movement? If so, contact Mark Kimbrell, Focus the Nation’s Southeast Organizer, at 503-241-4368 or mark[at]focusthenation.org.

There has never been a better time to engage your community on these incredibly important issues. Make clean energy solutions and green jobs a reality throughout North Carolina.

The connection makes sense, considering the recent MTV/CBS poll that asked America’s youth, “Which is the most important problem your generation will have to deal with?” For the first time ever, the environment was the number one answer. An overwhelming 81 percent also said that steps need to be taken right away to counter global warming.

The new campaign, launched in May 2006 and named think MTV, highlights five major social causes but focuses on the environment with their Break the Addiction Challenge to fight global warming:

The Break the Addiction Challenge offers cash prizes to schools, colleges and universities with outstanding achievement in reducing global warming emissions and reversing their schools’ bad energy habits.

Already, schools all over the country are taking part in this crusade to fight climate change in a country that is rapidly contributing to the warming taking place. Additional schools interested in getting involved should check out the Campus Climate Challenge.

Wow. All of this from the network that brought us Madonna's scandelous videos, Remote Control, Hammer Pants, and The Osbournes?

Maybe they really have come a long way.

The expedition found a new type of honeyeater bird with a bright orange patch on its face, known only to local people and the first new bird species documented on the island in over 60 years. They also found more than 20 new species of frog, four new species of butterfly and plants including five new palms.

And they took the first photographs of "Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise" (pictured at right), which appears in 19th century collections but whose home had previously been unknown.

The expedition also spotted a rare tree kangaroo and found that many of the animals were unafraid of humans.  For more details on the trip and the scientists' discoveries, read Conservation International's press release. 

Although many knew him as the man who popularized "crikey", Erwin was also an acclaimed naturalist and conservationist (check out the foundation he started here).  Sometimes a divisive figure, he had many many fans and will be missed.

So what's in traditional cleaners that's so bad?  According to the article:

Just a whiff of chlorine bleach can irritate the eyes and nose, according to the American Lung Association.

Other organic cleaning advocates focus on different chemicals. Stephanie Leynes, founder of Healthy Home Products, which markets organic cleaning products, puts anything containing petroleum at the top of her no-no list. At least one study supported by the National Cancer Institute cited exposure to certain petroleum products as a possible precursor to renal cancer.

And just as physicians worry that overuse of antibiotics will lead to the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant infection, household cleaning experts fear that overusing anti-bacterial cleansers will lead to the development of disinfectant-resistant bacteria.

Ellen Sanbeck, the author of the upcoming book, "Organic Housecleaning," shares several ideas for chemical-free cleaning including using white vinegar to clean bathroom surfaces, wiping mirrors with cheap vodka, and washing her dogs with snow (seriously). 

What are your non-toxic tips?