Just When The World Starts Making Some Progress..

Militia's in the countries of Africa hand over their captive child soldiers, Ecuador gives its' native species inalienable rights, President Obama takes the first steps toward a more energy efficient planet and then oil spills and kills hundreds of birds on Russia's shore.
The thing about this story is that the people responsible are not stepping up to take the necessary actions to rehabilitate the infected environment. The spill, in Aniva Bay on the south side of Sakhalin, Russia, took place six kilometers from the building of a major plant.
The Sakhalin II LNG plant {LNG stands for Liquefied Natural Gas} is, to be, the first of its kind in Russia. It will receive over an estimated 1,200 million barrels of crude oil and 500 billion cubic meters of natural gas, treat it and then send it through a process, a highly complex process, to liquefy natural gas. Sakhalin II is of vital importance to Russia's present energy policy. A policy created in 2000 with a goal they hope to reach by 2020. The plan goes as follows: an increase in energy efficiency, reducing the impact on the global environment, sustainable energy development and technological development, as well as improved effectiveness and competitiveness.
Wind direction had linked the spill to an oil tanker on route to the LNG plant. However, a spokesperson for Sakhalin II Energy project, said that, "There had not been a single incident connected with the spill of oil products into the Aniva Bay."
Shareholders for the plant include Shell (of course), Mitsui and the Mitsubishi Corporation.
One other thing with to story is this: the oil spill is immobilizing sea birds and making them very intising for the Steller's Sea Eagle. And besides being a gorgeous creature, the eagle is the islands leading wildlife attraction and will definitely choke and die if it eats the oil slicked prey.
Not leaving it up to large, irresponsible companies, the citizens have taken control to clean up their environment. "..The local population are trying to rescue the birds that are still alive and wash them," Vladimir Bardin, the head of the Sakhalin diving centre, has said.
Go HERE {to the WWF site} to read more about the Stellar's Sea Eagle and see what an amazing bird it is and how devastating it would be to loose them.
To Read more about Russia's Energy Policy Go HERE.

Ireland's Bright Idea

Energy hogging light bulbs are going to be banned from Ireland this coming year.
"Ultimately, it will lead to savings of more than 180 million euros (263 million dollars) a year for Irish consumers and reduce emissions in Ireland by 800,000 tonnes, or one percent of its total," environment minister John Gormley, who leads Ireland's Green Party, said in a statement on Thursday.
Ireland plans on making the switch permanently and will become the first country to do so. And in doing so, will become the first country to show the rest of the world how-to. This news comes after new research from GreenPeace found Ireland homes to use more energy per household then any other country in Europe. Source.

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Oil

Environmentalists, conservatists and Earth lovers alike are keeping optimistic about the latest price hike of crude oil. What would be the bright side of paying $100 a barrel when a little less then a year ago it was priced at $50 bucks?
Clean, renewable energy is getting a hefty increase of public affection.
"As-fired electricity becomes more expensive, there are more and more places where you can build wind farms that are competitive or cheaper," said Steven Sawyer, executive director the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
In 2007, complete installed wind power capacity increased from 74 gigawatts to between 92 and 93; approximately a 25% increase as compared to 2006.
But finding an alternative energy source is not the only conservation attention -grabber as a result of heightened oil prices. The recycling (I like to call: freecycling) biz gets a major boost in donated material, especially plastics. Plastic is made from oil and gas. When there is a price increase of plastic ingredients there is also a greater incentive to recover.
"Prices for plastics of all kinds have doubled in the last 10 years," says Peter Sundt, secretary general of the European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisations (EPRO).
One last positive before I point out a negative: An increase in oil prices also causes garbage programs to be more specific, meaning you can't throw out freecyclable material of any kind.
The negative to the heightened oil prices besides the obvious?
"High oil prices also make really nasty oil and petroleum development projects financially attractive," states Steven Sawyer. Source.

China Improves Their GPA by 3% Yet..

I really need to improve my headline wording.
China, actually, has improved their GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
by 3%.
See China set aim to reduce their energy consumption per unit of Gross Domestic Product by 20% and cut pollution emissions by 10% between 2006 and 2010 yet..
"..We have not yet completely reached our targets and if this trend doesn't reverse, it will have a great impact on our goals." stated Xie Zhenhua, the deputy head of the National Development Reform Commission. (That's him in the photo.)
Xie said China's energy consumption per unit GDP in the first nine months of this year was 3% lower than the same phase last year.
The entire year goal is 4%.
"The results of our energy consumption and emission reduction (efforts) are starting to show."
Even though China has failed to reach its goal of 4%, I commend their continuous effort to improve their current crisis. The Chinese government has set a pace to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve their energy consumption this past year by closing obsolete coal-fired plants and steel factories. Source.

Can Countries Cooperate for Conservation?

Representatives of Europe gathered together in Prague on Monday to discuss if a "nuclear energy renaissance" is possible in order to cut the European Unions dependence on exported energy. France, Finland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Italy and the Baltic countries were all called upon to support the "nuclear energy renaissance."
Partakers assembled at the European Energy Forum to discuss a common energy proposal and come up with a plan on ideas for 2020 as well as commercial cooperation with Russia. But the main concern?
"It is all a question of knowing if European countries truly want to cooperate," French foreign ministry representative Patrice Allard said.
World Peace in the form of energy conservation; I love it. The conference ended last night after 30 energy experts from various countries around Europe presented and debated a list of growing issues. There is no word yet on how the overall result of the conference went. I'll be sure to post as soon as I discover. Source.
Do you know how it all went down? Kady@SaveTheWorldorElse.com

Conserve Your Billboard

South Africa's electricity supplier, Eskom, portrays one way to conserve energy.