“True Reusable Bags” believes that reusable shopping bags should be made in the USA, help clean our environment, and contribute to our children’s future. Therefore, every bag is 100% truly recyclable and made in the USA from recycled materials that have been diverted away from local waste streams.

As the first U.S. manufacturer to receive the Environmentally Preferred Rating (EPR), as an endorsed partner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and as a recycler, they support these claims with the most conscientious policies in the industry.

With their manufacturing and distribution facility conveniently located in Los Angeles, CA, “True Reusable Bags” offers reusable bag solutions nationwide. With 170,000 square feet of building space supported by more than 200 employees, they are positioned to meet the growing demands of their clients.

”True Reusable Bags” sources its own recycled materials locally to manufacture them into reusable bags with the lowest environmental footprint. Every purchase and reuse of “True Reusable Bags” helps reduce plastic trash. Each bag diverts plastic trash that is collected locally to make the 100% recycled reusable bags.  As an officially licensed recycler, they have the unique ability to source their own recycled materials. They can take post-consumer recycled materials and businesses’ recycled packaging materials to create new stock printed and customized reusable bags; closed loop recycling at its best. With high quality printing and extrusion ensuring efficiency and superior performance, advanced technology enables “True Reusable Bags” to offer competitive solutions against imports and other competitors.

Grocery stores, retail stores, and restaurants can now offer customers an inexpensive reusable shopping bag solution that is better for the environment and meets reusable bag standards. Less costly on your budget and the environment, the strong bag holds over 22 lbs, is safe (no toxic lead or heavy metals,) clean (does not harbor bacteria,) washable, and always 100% recyclable.

“True Reusable Bags” helps charity organizations, schools and sports teams raise revenue for their worthy causes and local communities.

Their philosophy is: “Do right for your own sake and be happy in knowing that your neighbor will certainly share in the benefits resulting.” – Mark Twain

Joseph DuMond, an animal behaviorist, released six monkeys into the wilds of dense South Florida in 1933, never realizing his endeavors would help shape the attitudes of many in the primatological and zoological fields. What he did over seventy five years ago signified the beginning of the larger thriving group of primates that runs free at Monkey Jungle today.  Monkey Jungle is a primate “biopark” – a place where monkeys and apes thrive; conservationists study, train and conduct projects; and where visitors can explore and learn.  

Situated off of U.S. 1 in South Dade County, Monkey Jungle was an innovator of many of the concepts currently seen in the design of zoological parks. It is home to nearly 400 primates, most running free on a 30 acre reserve. It is one of the few protected habitats for endangered primates in the United States and the only one that the general public can explore.

Visitors are greeted by the Java monkey troop, now numbering in the 80’s. The Java monkeys forage through the Jungle eating natural foods. They are skilled divers in the wild, collecting crabs and other shellfish along the riverbanks and mangrove swamps.

The 30 species of primates represented at Monkey Jungle include gibbons, guenons and spider monkeys. The Golden Lion Tamarin is native to the Brazilian jungle. Threatened with extinction, Monkey Jungle proudly participates in an international effort to save the tiny creature. Since primates are becoming increasingly scarce in the wild, Monkey Jungle devotes considerable effort to breeding them.

The Orang-Utan, or Pongo Pygmaeus, is found in the forests of Borneo. Orang-Utans spend nearly all their time in the trees, rarely descending to the ground. A large part of their diet consists of ripe fruit and adults usually forage and live alone. The most stable groupings are females and dependent infants. Due primarily to habitat destruction, these apes are severely endangered. Despite international law, illegal trade continues.

As forest dwelling primates, orangutans are entirely dependent on the forest for their survival. Unfortunately, Indonesia and Malaysia have some of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, and logging, both legal and illegal, has seen wild populations decimated. Forest conversion for pulp and paper and palm oil plantations now pose an even bigger threat, and it is believed up to 1,000 orangutans are also killed every year, either for the pet trade, for consumption or as agricultural pests.

As part of the park’s continuing effort to promote the understanding of primates, Monkey Jungle has given a new look at the lifestyle of the orangutan. Always unpredictable, visitors often witness impromptu acts by Mei, a very lovable ape.

Recently, Monkey Jungle expanded its primate conservation mission to include parrots from around the world. Monkey Jungle and Wings of Love Foundation, a non-profit organization, have created a sanctuary for captive parrots that have been displaced or can no longer be cared for by their owners.

To adopt a primate or participate in a volunteer program, please contact Monkey Jungle.  Every little bit helps.  www.monkeyjungle.com

“Green” was a big winner at the summer 2011 New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF.)   Of some 200 participants in the “SustainAbility: design for a better world®” display, seven have been designated as achieving SustainAbility3 – the highest level of sustainability for their products, production processes and business practices.

Launched in 2007, NYIGF’s SustainAbility: design for a better world showcases global gift and home industry suppliers whose products or production processes are eco-friendly, as well as companies whose business practices are socially responsible, philanthropic or fair-trade oriented. A zero-tolerance policy was enacted in 2010 for any products with VOC; lead (for baby, children and food-related products); aniline dyes, formaldehyde and chlorine (for textiles); and PVC, without recommendation for use and disposal.

NYIGF’s “Degrees of SustainAbility” initiative outlines industry-specific criteria for identification of green products and producers. A three-tiered ranking indicates the extent to which a product/producer/manufacturer complies with these standards.  Ilene Shaw of Shaw&Co!Productions curates the exhibit and designates each participants’ ranking.  She has devoted her 20-year career to the advocacy of good design.

“These companies incorporate sustainability on multiple levels, by using renewable resources and manufacturing with alternative energy sources,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “Additionally, many are fostering economic development through Fair Trade business relationships, or supporting charitable organizations.”

The seven highest-ranking companies and products are:

Blood Orange Personal Body Care by 80 Acres of McEvoy Ranch

This product line produced by 80 Acres of McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma, California, is made using ingredients derived from plants which have high crop yields and are organically grown without herbicides, pesticides or bleach. It is free of parabens and phthalates. With refreshing citrus essential oils and hints of neroli, vetiver and jasmine, Blood Orange evokes the citrus groves and wild jasmine that grow on the ranch. The bottles are made from a minimum of 50% post consumer recycled content, and the boxes are composed of 100% post-consumer recycled paper. McEvoy Ranch operates a wind turbine designed to meet 100% of its energy needs. The products are all made in northern California in small batches, using certified organic ingredients from local sources whenever possible. www.mcevoyranch.com

Re-Purposed and Recycled Drinking Cups and Vessels by Aid To Artisans

There is no garbage collection in the Wei Nain region of Colombia, so plastic bottles litter the community. With the guidance of designer Miguel Calvo, local women artisans collect and recycle this material to make cups. Aid to Artisans (ATA), an international nonprofit organization, is a recognized leader in economic development for the craft sector. By linking artisans to new markets and buyers to culturally meaningful and innovative products, ATA helps artisans build profitable craft businesses. They combine a passion for the deep-rooted cultures and handmade traditions of the developing world with a commitment to building profitable businesses. Environmentally sound practices are at the foundation of their methodology. www.aidtoartisans.org

By the Sea Notecard Set by Annie Catherine Inc.

This set was designed by Catherine Breer using FSC-certified paper. It is produced by JS McCarthy Printers in a plant whose electricity is generated entirely by wind power. The products are made locally in Maine near the company’s warehouse. Donations are made to local charitable organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Club of Maine, the Salvation Army and Goodwill. All of annie|catherine’s products are made by your friends and neighbors right here in the USA. All incorporate recycled materials and/or paper. In addition, by continually donating to organizations that enrich the lives of others, annie|catherine continues to nurture the people and ideals they care so deeply about.    www.anniecatherine.com

Carolina Canines for Veterans by Harry Barker

For three New York International Gift Fairs, Harry Barker has been the only pet product company selected for their special exhibition – SustainAbility: Design for a Better World. These dog treats are designed and manufactured by Harry Barker in the USA from veterinarian-approved, all-natural ingredients. The tin is made from recycled steel and is recyclable. The treats are packed by people with disabilities as part of a skills training program through The Hope Center of Charleston. The line includes a full array of eco-friendly products: beds, blankets, toys, 100% recycled plastic collars and leashes and organic cotton totes. A portion of the proceeds is donated to Carolina Canines for Veterans (CCV), a national program which provides service dogs for wounded veterans. “Harry Barker was born from the belief that pets are part of our families and that they deserve the best the world has to offer.”  www.harrybarker.com

Christmas Gift Collection by Potting Shed Creations Ltd.

These self-contained kits are designed by Ann Killen and produced by hand with recycled, repurposed or sustainable materials. The bamboo container can be composted after use. The OMRI-listed soil and coconut husks can be reused or composted. The ribbon is from recycled plastic bottles and can be used again. The product was designed with minimal packaging, resulting in less waste. This company supports local and regional non-profit organizations. www.pottingshedcreations.com

The Pop Art Collection by Sobral USA

Alegria was created to showcase the work of a diverse and remarkably talented group of artists and craftspeople. Made of a unique, lightweight resin sourced from vegetable-based alcohol, each piece of Sobral jewelry is crafted by hand in Carlos Sobral’s workshop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Unlike most resin artists, Sobral uses only environmentally friendly, raw materials considered as waste; 80% from wheat and corn-based alcohol and 20% from petroleum byproducts. Sobral’s dyes are vegetable-based, and the gift-wrapping and packaging materials are environmentally friendly as well. Sobral uses hydro-electricity generated from a nearby waterfall to power his workshop, and recycles the water used in the cooling and polishing processes. All scraps also are recycled. Employees – mostly local women – are allowed to work from home in order to care for their families. They receive training, meals, medical care and a retirement plan, which are rare benefits in Brazil.  They donate 100% of all after-tax profits to an organization that provides health care and schooling to Brazilian children in need. www.alegriaimports.net

Tay Revitalizing Cleanser by Tay Skincare

These products are designed by Sarah Tay and manufactured by Tay LLC from vegan-certified organic and natural ingredients, without parabens, synthetic fragrances or dyes, petrochemicals, or glycolene propyl. The ingredients are obtained from Fair Trade sources, such as the pure Shea butter from the West Africa Womens’ Co-op in West Ghana. These formulas are produced in hydro-power facilities. The offices run on Green Mountain Power’s wind-power energy. The packaging is sustainable, biodegradable bamboo and PET plastic. Customers can order refill pouches, mail the bottle back to the company for recycling, or recycle the components themselves. Find them on facebook and twitter.  www.tayeveryday.com

SustainAbility: design for a better world was on display in the Javits Center North Connector from Saturday, August 13 through Wednesday, August 17.  For more information visit: http://nyigf.com/TheShow/Sustainability.aspx.

In February 2008, Boynton Beach adopted a resolution making the commitment to improve and sustain the environmental needs of the City. The City Commission recognizes the importance of environmental stewardship regarding energy, water, air, land, waste and sustainable construction. Other communities across the country have also established that environmentally sound practices will save money, energy and resources over time. Environmental improvement is a critical and timely issue that should foster cooperation between citizens, businesses, and government.

The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) recently approved the City’s amendment to its Energy Block Grant, which will enable the City to move forward with three new projects. These include an HVAC retrofit at the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum and Learning Center; motion sensor installations at City facilities, and solar water heaters and photovoltaic technology at Fire Station #5.

Boynton Beach first received an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Allocation of $658,900 in 2009 from the DOE through ARRA Stimulus Funding. Part of that money was used to complete a required Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy for submittal to DOE; conduct a Greenhouse Gas Emissions inventory; and develop a long-term Climate Action Plan. After completing these projects and an energy efficiency retrofit at the City’s Ezell Hester, Jr. Center that included replacing internal and ball field lighting, installation of lighting motion sensors and replacement of old appliances with Energy Star appliances, the City was left with over $90,000 for additional projects. This past February, the City Commission approved three additional sustainability projects to be submitted to the DOE as an amendment to the original grant.

The HVAC upgrade at the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum and Learning Center will replace older, less efficient condensing units, cooling coils and gas reheat coils. The project is estimated to cost $26,236 and is expected to save over $3,300 annually and reduce CO2e by 29.618 metric tons. CO2e is an abbreviation of “carbon dioxide equivalent” and is the internationally recognized measure of greenhouse emissions.

Installing motion sensors at 284 high traffic areas throughout City owned facilities to provide automatic on/off control of lighting is estimated to cost $32,740 and is expected to save over $2,600 and nearly 25,000 kWh a year. The proposed CO2e reduction is 17.800 metric tons.

Finally, installation of Solar Heating and Photovoltaic Panel Systems at Fire State #5 on High Ridge Rd. and Gateway Blvd. is estimated to cost $32,000 and should save the City approximately 75-80 percent of the current cost to heat water. The photovoltaic system will offset approximately $90 per month of the building’s electrical costs with 14,325 kWh saved and a reduction of 10.3 metric tons of CO2e. The public will be able to monitor the energy production, energy savings and carbon offset in “real time” on the City’s website.

As part of the City of Boynton Beach’s Climate Action Plan, the City Commission adopted a Green Building Program on 4/27/11, making it only the second of its kind in the entire nation. The new program incorporates the International Green Construction Code (IGCC), which was released in 2010 by the Code Council to aid in the construction of sustainable buildings in the business and residential sectors. Among its goals are to decrease energy usage and carbon footprints.

Adoption of the program puts the City ahead of the State of Florida, which is tracking the same IGCC Green Building Program that Boynton Beach adopted. Legislation pending through Florida House Bill 849 and Florida Senate Bill 396 would amend the definition of “sustainable building rating” to include the International Green Construction Code. As part of its new Green Building Program, Boynton Beach will be the first city in the ccountry to add fees to help fund “green” building incentives.

More information on the International Green Construction Code is available at http://www.iccsafe.org.

Want to help keep Boynton’s beaches clean? Join the “Sand Sifters.” For more information, visit www.sandsifters.org/  and http://www.seaangels.org/

From necessities such as water and sewer, garbage and trash pickup, police and fire protection and code compliance, to amenities such as golf, tennis, library services, and oceanfront and special events, the City’s elected officials and employees are dedicated to making Boynton Beach a great city in which to live, work, play and learn.

There is a lot going on in Washington D.C. these days with all of the talk about the budget.  Some of it relates to trying to put a stranglehold on the EPA’s ability to regulate carbon pollution under the provisions of The Clean Air Act.  Quite frankly, I think that there is a certain segment that would like to just deny global warming issues and get rid of any type of regulations in that arena.  Just prior to the shutdown of the government, reports sustainableBusiness.com on April 11, 2011, the provisions blocking the EPA were not passed, however, this came at the price of an animal being taken off of the endangered species list through Congressional legislation, as a result of politics rather than scientific research and recommendation.

The Northern Rockies gray wolf was removed from the endangered list leaving it open to extinction at the mercy of the states of Idaho and Montana who anxiously await their massacre according to sustainableBusiness.com.

Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) inserted the stealth attack on the wolves, leaving them at the mercy of states that plan to kill hundreds of them.

It is a shameful day for this nation when both parties unite behind the slaughter of an endangered species – without public hearing or debate.

On numerous occasions, things get hidden in with legislation with the drafters hoping that no one will notice or trying to exert their leverage by stopping something major with a piece of legislation that is unrelated to the matter at hand.  My mother calls this “PORK”.  She says that we have to get rid of the “PORK”  in government and just say it like it is and legislate out in the open.  In this case getting the “PORK” out would have been better for the Northern Rockies gray wolf who now faces extinction at the hands of Montana, Idaho and whomever else decides to take aim at it. If they do it here, were else will they get away with it?

Kobayashi Noodle Company, Ltd. is manufacturing the industry’s first gluten-free 100% brown rice “fettuccine” style noodles.  Other varieties include white rice “fettuccine” style noodles, and both brown and white rice “angel-hair” pasta.  They are all natural, gluten and chemical free. Packed fresh, simply drop in boiling water and they are ready to eat in just three minutes!  The pastas are steamed and sterilized after packaging, giving them a twelve month shelf life. 

I spent some time in Manhattan with Satoru Inukai, the Assistant Manager of Kobayashi Noodle Company.  He enjoys working with this Japanese product that he believes in, and has the confidence to represent.  Toshio Kobayashi owns the company, which is more than 70 years old.  Their main products are Ramen noodles and fresh wheat pasta.  Grown in Gifu Prefecture, about 2 ½ hours from Tokyo, this farming region is known for excellent rice production.  In 2006, Toshio Kobayashi, inspired by a friend who is a Celiac, decided to create a gluten-free, more health conscious line of pastas for those that were never able to enjoy noodles.  The company built a new, gluten-free facility to accommodate production. With seven varieties of fresh, gluten-free, healthy pastas, they appeal to a broad market.  Kobayashi is #1 in quality and convenience, owning their market.

The demand in the United States is great due to the large population on diabetic diets.  A recipe like “Brown-Rice Noodle Sushi” is one of several tasty suggestions.  I had the privilege of trying the “Brown-Rice Pasta Gluten-Free Fettuccine with Flourless Basil-Pesto Sauce.”  It is delicious!      

For recipe ideas and to learn more about Kobayashi Noodle Company and distribution opportunities, please visit http://www.kobayashiseimen.jp

This past May, I described my stay at the eco-friendly brand of the Starwood Westin group of hotels called Element by Westin.  I was looking for a hotel near Tufts University, where my son was graduating from college.  The Element, located in Lexington, MA, gave me the opportunity to learn about what it is like to stay in an eco-friendly hotel.  You can find my post here at  .http://trypeas.com/2010/06/in-the-element-2/.

Since that time, a new location was opened close to home in Manhattan. Nestled away on the west side of 39^th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in Manhattan, past the lights of Times Square, we found the most recent addition to the Element family, Element New York Times Square West.  While the hotel opened in November of 2010, in time for the holiday season, the official opening celebration was held recently and Karen and I were invited to attend. Lexington, MA, is a suburban area with lots of room and so it was interesting to see the difference between a suburban and urban hotel. No matter the setting, the concept is the same.  According to the company,

Element Hotels is the only major hotel brand to mandate that all properties pursue the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for high-performance buildings.  Featuring light-filled public spaces, a wealth of amenities and sustainable design features throughout, Element Hotels offer guests a renewing experience at an affordable price point.

When we first arrived, after passing the vibrant lights of Times Square, we pulled up to the hotel.  I thought there would be lots of fanfare in the form of eco-friendly marquis lighting.  Instead it was very “eco-chic,”  with approximately 400 guest rooms.  A pleasant doorman opened our taxi door and ushered us into the front door.  While  staff was there to greet us for the celebration, we returned later to get the feel for the hotel entry.

There was a lot of activity going on in the lobby.  Guests were sitting around enjoying the happy hour presentation that is a part of the regular hotel routine from Monday to Thursday.  In addition, breakfast is served there on a daily basis. You could feel the positive energy in the room.  No matter what the age group, and it was mixed, you knew you were in a “hip” place.  The décor was sleek modern, with soothing earth tones that complemented the sustainable design and eco-friendly practices.  Not far from the front door is a little” gourmet pantry” with organic and non-organic snacks and light bites to bring up to your guest room.  Close by, we came upon a couple of urban bicycles with helmets for use by guests to ride around the city.  Let’s hear it for leg power!!! Near there was the front desk.  While there were staff checking in guests, there is also the option of checking yourself in.  Using the computer provided, you can handle your check-in on your own and out will come your credit card key.

There is also a business center with beautiful Apple computers for guests to go online.  You can stay connected even though you are away. A contemporary sitting area with comfortable couches and a flat screen TV with the option of using a Wii gives you some of the comforts of home.  During the day, the natural light allows for gathering and conversation without lots of artificial lighting.  However, wherever you go in the hotel, the lighting is compact fluorescent or some other form of energy efficient lighting.

We walked to the back of the hotel and stepped into the terrace meeting room, the perfect place to have a group of about 50 people gather together.  There were light bites being passed around with local organic wines from places like Shinn EstateVineyards located on Long Island in Mattituck, NY, an eco-friendly place Karen visited and wrote about in this posting last June at   http://trypeas.com/2010/06/saving-the-planet-with-each-sip/.  The roof of the room was glass which provided an incredible view of the buildings around the hotel.

Usually you see other buildings out of windows not the roof, so the skyline became a part of the interest in the room.  Since it was evening it provided a unique effect.  During the day, the natural light provides enough light so reliance on electricity is reduced.  On the wall, for decoration and branding, was a large art piece of the hotel symbol, made out of numerous plastic bottles.  It is a very fitting design for the room and the hotel, a reminder of the sustainable tenets upon which the hotel is based.  We met Jeff Reich-Hale, the hotel sales manager who took us on a tour so we could see what the Element has to offer its guests.

The elevator lowered us down one level to the motion fitness center.  This is a full fitness center, very clean and neat with state-of-the-art equipment including flat screen TV’s by the exercise bikes. For those people who feel the need to work out after working out walking around New York City, this center will provide a welcome place to work up a sweat.  After leaving the fitness center, we went to see the conference rooms.  There are two fully equipped conference rooms for approximately 12 attendees.  It is a great place to get your staff together for a quick meeting or presentation.  The washrooms were not far from the conference rooms and contained motion sensor faucets, and toilets with 2 buttons, allowing for a more or less water to be used.  The décor had a very “Zen like” feeling with the way that the tile was installed, in a pattern of one tile above another in a perfect,  straight line.

Afterwards, we went up to check out a guest room on the 37^th floor.  The guest room was a one bedroom. The size of the room was more than ample.  It contained a little sitting area and efficiency kitchen that had a stove, microwave, dishwasher and the same refrigerator I have in my apartment.  It is stocked with eco-friendly soaps and paper goods, cooking equipment- everything to make you feel at home.  The bathroom had a very large stall shower along and contained pump bottles loaded with shower gel and shampoo.  A much more eco-friendly way to supply the products that normally come in the little bottles that everyone uses or takes when they stay at a hotel.  Way to keep those bottles out of our landfills!!! The bedroom had one of those delightful Heavenly®  Beds with a view of New York that was spectacular along with a flat screen TV mounted on the wall.

After visiting the room, we were taken up to the roof where there is a roof top sitting area that overlooks the city.  It was a clear evening, and we were able to see the bright lights and the Hudson River.  In the summer, it will be quite a treat to hang out up there and take in the views while leisurely engaging in conversation or enjoying a drink.  It was quite a treat to be able to look out at the New York skyline. For me, no matter how often I see it, I am always amazed and see something new and wonderful.

If you are looking for a hotel in New York that is different and offers the chance to meet your needs of a place to stay as well as supporting the changes necessary to reduce our carbon footprint, the Element is the place to stay.  You will like the hotel because it offers great accommodations, friendly staff and the chance to feel that you are pampering yourself and the environment. For a glimpse of what is waiting for you as a guest at the Element New York Times Square West, check out Karen’s photos on Flickr at the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/planetsixtysix/sets/72157626087617457/with/5504443781/. Please leave us a comment and let us know what you think.

Last night I had the pleasure of dining at Café D’Alsace on the upper east side of Manhattan.  My mother sat in the back seat of my car, eyes shut, hands clutching anything she could find that didn’t move, as I drove her into the city in the pouring rain to enjoy dinner with her grandchildren.  It was well worth it!  My son selected this restaurant, one of his neighborhood favorites.  The food is fresh and delicious.  All the desserts, including the ice cream and sorbets, are prepared in their kitchen. 

Café D’Alsace is one of nine restaurants that make up the Tour de France Restaurant Group.  All the restaurants in the group have been certified by the Green Restaurant Association, a U.S. non-profit organization that provides services in research, consulting, education, marketing and community organizing.  The GRA provides a convenient and cost-effective way for restaurants, manufacturers, distributors, and consumers to become more environmentally responsible.   Certified green restaurants must achieve points in the following categories:   Water Efficiency, Waste Reduction & Recycling, Sustainable Furnishings and Building Materials, Sustainable Food, Energy, Disposables and Chemical & Pollution Reduction.  Additionally, they must have a full-scale recycling program, be free of polystyrene foam (Styrofoam,) and receive yearly environmental education.  No small task, but well worth the effort… Café D’Alsace earned “charter” certification.

Visit Café D’Alsace to experience Chef Philippe Roussel’s expertise in Alsatian cuisine  www.cafedalsace.com  For more information on how to find a green restaurant in your neighborhood, visit www.dinegreen.com

To view a colorful variety of menu selections , please check out  http://www.flickr.com/photos/planetsixtysix/sets/72157626223421830/

Recently, Gautam Naik, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, wrote a column entitled ” Last Year Tied 2005 For Hottest on Record.” In this column, he described the results of the most recent assessment by U.S.  government scientists to the effect that “…the combined global land and ocean surface temperature for 2010 was 1.12 degrees Fahrenheit (0.62 degrees Celsius) above the 20th-century average.  The government scientists that he was referring to are researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the US Commerce Department.  I went to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website to see what they were saying in depth. For those people who are interested in climate issues, this portal, which was only recently initiated in 2010, contains a bevy of information on climate change and the issues that are associated with it.

Whether you are a business person, a teacher or a lay person with an interest in climate challenge, you can find an assortment of videos, images and articles from our national scientists involved in documenting the adverse effects of climate challenge on our oceans and the atmosphere.  There is a magazine called Climate Watch, a series of educational materials for teachers to use in their classrooms, past and present climate information, a list of events such as hearings at which scientists will testify about climate issues, and more.  This is a fascinating site with a plethora of information.  If you are an ordinary citizen interested in climate information or a business seeking out information on renewable energy technology, you will most likely find what you are looking for in this website. Take the time and look around to learn from our scientists about the issues and concepts involved in climate change.

Approximately 73 million sharks a year are killed just for their fins, to make shark fin soup. With the help of Ellen Pikitch, a shark expert at Stony Brook University, part of the State University of New York education system, a 2000 law tried to curb this practice. The industry found loopholes in the law and finally Congress has wisely voted to close them.

The Shark Conservation Act was introduced by Reps. Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, Eni Faleomavaega, D-American Samoa, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass and will require all sharks caught in U.S. waters to be landed with their fins still attached. The law targets a practice called shark finning, the removal and retention of shark fins and the discarding at sea of the rest of the body. This causes the shark to sink toward the ocean floor, with no means of swimming or defense. Regulations previously prohibited finning practices in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and now also apply to the Pacific.

Opposing shark finning is the humane thing to do. The number of shark attacks on humans is tiny compared to our impact on them. The other reason to oppose this practice is: overfishing of sharks has led to the upset of entire marine ecosystems. As sharks disappear, the species they eat will multiply. That is not good for lower species and upsets the balance of nature.

Pikitch, the executive director of the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, fought for the 2000 law, but people still craving the Asian delicacy found ways around it. The market for fins is still strong and they sell for more than $200 a pound. A bowl of Shark Fin soup can cost as much as $100.

Once the new bill becomes law, ships will not legally be able to bring shark fins to shore in United States ports if they are separate from the body of the shark. That will slow down both the fin harvest and the practice of ships harvesting and transferring the fins to other “non-fishing” vessels that then claim exemption from the law.

Changing the U.S. law won’t prevent other nations from harvesting fins, but it is a good start. Environmental advocates hope that the new legislation will extend internationally.