So I am almost positive that most of us have been on an airplane at least once in our lives. If not, think of all of your family and friends that have flown before. With hundreds of thousands of planes hitting the skyway each day, greenhouse gases can easily accumulate.

A modern day airplane (Photo credit: www.wikepedia.com)

Norway and Britian have decided to “buy emissions quotas to combat global warming.” Most concerning is the rise of fuel burnt on international flights releasing emissions. The airlines are exempt from “fighting climate change” under the U.N.’s Kyoto Protocol, but not for that long. The protocol expires in 2012. Athough that may seem like not too far away, again think about how many airplanes take off and land at O’Hare in just one day.

Norway has recently stated that they will “buy quotas for the emissions caused by the trip” when state employees travel abroad by plane.

Not only are governments doing this, but companies are too. They include: Avis Europe (car rentals) and Statoil (Norwegian oil group).

Hopefully, this will help reduce the amount of emissions, although I am still not completely sure of how this works. I don’t understand how paying for emissions is going to reduce them, but maybe the government is doing this as an incentive. I do know one thing for sure; greenhouse gases need to be lowered to prevent global warming.

Norway, UK Try to Tackle Planes’ Greenhouse Gases By: Alister Doyle http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11960

When I saw the heading of this article, I remember the movie that we watched right before Christmas Break. Right now there are about 200 million cane toads in Australia that have spread 1900 miles from northeast Queenslands to Darwin. Darwin is located in Australia’s tropical north. The cane toads were brought to Australia in 1935 in an attempt to control the cane beetle population.

The cane toads, whose skin is poisonous, have been killed by everything from golf clubs to air rifles. They are currently being caught in traps and plastic bags.

 picture from: http://en.wikipedia.org

Some peopl want the toads to be completely eliminated while some are not ready for them to leave. One lawmaker wanted a national attack on hte toads to be called for. However, this idea was withdrawn because of criticism by animal rights groups.

I don’t know what should be done about the cane toad issue in Australia. I guess that the government will have to take a closer look at what can be done to solve the issue. I am not sure whether the cane toads have done their job, but I do know that they have also decreased other populations. The people in Australia need to come to an agreement on what should be done that will satisfy all aspects.

Australia’s Military Asked to Battle Cane Toads  http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa012&articleID=FA93AC46951909A7575D591BC4D85CE6

Snow leopards are on the list of the most endangered big cats. There are only 3000 to 6000 snow leopards that are still in the wild. This is becasue poachers make thousands of dollars off of their coats. They are sold in the blackmarker in numerous places, particularily in China.

The snow leopards movements can be tracked by their communication method with other snow leopards. They leave marks on certain lenadscapes. Some of the marks they leave inlclude: shallow holes that they dig and scent marks they leave behind.

  Snow leopard  (photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org)

Becuase of these marks, researchers are better able to keep track of the snow leopard population. They are then better able to determine whether and where snow leopards are bing illegally hunted.

One organization aimed to deture people from poaching snow leopards “works with local herding families to make woll handicrafts sold in Mongolia and in the United States to relieve the economic pressure to poach.”

I think that it sad that people have to resort to killing innocent animals to make money. I do, however, understand that some of the poachers might not be able to take care of themselves and their families without killing the snow leopards. I think that the organization that helps families to make wool handicrafts is a really good idea. It gives them money and doesn’t force them to become poachers.

Protecting the Snow Leopard from Poachers by: Elizabeth Arnold                                     http://www.npr.org/templates/story.story.php?storyId=66267700

A fence in India that was put up about 3 years ago between the India – Pakistan border is now having some major impacts on the wildlife in the surrounding area. This  fencing was put up to stop “guerrilla activity linked to a separatist revolt.” The fence is about 8 feet high and stretches for about 460 miles in the region, dividing Kashmir.

This fence is not allowing for the free movement that the leopards and the black bears in the area are used to. They are now moving into villages and killing people. They are dragging people from their houses and mauling them.  At least 12 people have been killed by the wild animals. 5 of those 12 were killed last month and numerous others have been injured.

Photo credit: www.wikipedia.com

The number of bear and leopard populations have been increasing since a ban on hunting them was put in place in 1970; however, the number of pine forests have been decreasing, leaving the wild animals no where to go. There are approximately 8,000 leopards in India. The number of leopards in Kashmir is not known, along with the number of black bears in both places.

Control rooms are being set up and the authorities are educating the local people, cautioning them about the issue.

In approximately the last 10 months, six bears and leopards have been killed by villagers and authorities together.

I understand the concern about the militant groups crossing the border, but I think that a new solution needs to be developed. It is not fair that the wildlife in the area is suffering. Plus not only is the wildlife suffering by not being able to move freely and by being killed, but the people are being hurt. They are being seriously injured and even killed. Another solution needs to be found.

Information from: http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11708  Article: Fenced in, Kashmir’s Leopards, Bears Stalk Villages   By:Ashok Pahalwan

According to environmental groups, Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya will lose their ice covers withing 25 to 30 years.

WHY? Well, deforestation and industrial pollution is not stopped the ice will continue to disappear according to Fredrick Njau of the Kenyan Green Belt Movement. Statistics indicate that 82% or Kilimanjaro’s ice has already been lost over 80 years. Mount Kenya has lost 92% of its ice over 100 years.

RESULTS: “Both mountains are important water catchment areas in Kenya, with many rivers orginating from them. These rivers are major sources of water and powered generated dams.” Specifically 7 rivers depend on Mt. Kenya on which millions of people rely on.

WHATS BEING DONE: The World Bank will buy Kenya’s carbon through the carbon credits program, which gives money to countries who plant new trees. Hopefully the newly planted trees will absorb 800000 tons of carbon before the year 2017. This would help elimate industrial pollution causing the ice to melt, while raising money for Kenya.

The carbon cretdits seem like a really good sollution. I don’t know what type of restrictions are put on factories and such in countries like Kenya, but maybe that should be stricker than what it is now. It seems like the melting ice on the mountains would really affect the people of Kenya and I am surprised that people have not taken a stronger opposition to the deforestation and industrial pollution already. About 85% of both mountains ices have been lost already.

 Warning: Snows of Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya Vanishing       Associated Press  http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/