Halibut Herald December 3

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ALIBUT HERALD December 3, 2009

Bambi & Thumper in real life (IRL!)

No other words needed. http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/01/real-life-bambi-thumper.html

The GOOD Guide to COP15: All You Need to Know About the Copenhagen Conference

5 Climate Desires: A Holiday Wish List for Copenhagen We’ve almost made it to Copenhagen for COP15, and the news in the month or so leading up to it has been… mixed. The following is a wish list from EcoPolitology: The Politics of Energy & The Environment.

If you're late arriving to the COP15 party, and need to get caught up on what the political fuss is about, there's still time to get your head straight: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/11/good-has-thegoods-on-cop15.php Or try out this “non-wonky crib sheet”: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/11/mostly-non-wonkycop15-crib-sheet.php Or the always reliable, Grist.org guide to COP15: http://www.grist.org/topic/copenhagen-climate-talks

1. Countries that lack hard, binding targets — like the U.S., China and recent failure Australia — make firm commitments to remedy that situation. 2. Right-leaning “news” outlets like Fox News keep their mouths generally shut. 3. That we stop talking about “climategate.” 4. A climate adaptation fund for poor, at-risk countries, is formally approved. 5. The news coverage of the conference raises the overall journalistic discourse on climate change. Interesting ideas like this could help an often unqualified media in writing about actual science without screwing it up too terribly. READ ON: http://ecopolitology.org/2009/12/02/5climate-desires-a-holiday-wish-list-for-copenhagen

Public Attitudes Toward Climate Change: Findings from a World Bank Multi-Country Poll A new poll of 15 nations, most of them in the developing world, finds that majorities of the people canvassed want their governments to take steps to fight climate change, even if that entails costs. READ ON: http://bit.ly/5NwrDs

Copenhagen Climate Change Talks MUST FAIL, Says Top Scientist James Hansen ‘We don’t have a leader who is able to grasp [the issue] and say what is really needed. Instead we are trying to continue business as usual,’ say James Hansen. READ ON: http://greenhouseneutralfoundation.org/articles/2009/12/03/copenhagen-climate-change-talks-must-fail-says-topscientist-james-hansen/

Flexible, Thin Batteries Made from Algae

Nanotechnologists at Uppsala University in Sweden have discovered that algae cellulose has 100 times the surface area of paper cellulose making it suitable for battery production. The paper-thin algae battery is made by layering extraordinarily minute layers of conducting polymer and algae cellulose fibers. The results are a battery that charges faster than traditional batteries (eight seconds) and holds more energy. Researchers state the batteries are “very easy to make”. READ ON: http://greenlivingideas.com/topics/technology/flexible-thinbatteries-algae

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Have a Slow Holiday

Let's face it: With all that rushing, consuming, and bargainhunting, the holidays can be darn stressful. So this year, following the best of the methodology pioneered by the revolutionary Slow Food Movement, TreeHugger is taking them back. True luxury is taking the time to enjoy, the time to savor the moment. Each of these gifts--selected for thoughtfulness, longevity, and quality over quantity--have this goal in mind. READ ON: http://www.treehugger.com/giftguide/

First Living Building Successfully 'Grown'

Introducing the 'living building'--where trees are actually grown into the structure of a building and melded with cables and metal supports, giving a whole new meaning to the term 'green building'. The prototype for this new design has just been built in Germany. READ ON: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/09/firstliving-building-grown.php

CO2 Accountability @ Worlds Fingertip’s with Commute Greener App by Volvo

Commute Greener! turns your mobile phone into a CO2 calculator. Helping you to reduce personal and global CO2 footprints! DOWNLOAD NOW: http://www.commutegreener.com/#Login-1948 LEARN MORE: http://www.volvo.com/group/global/engb/productsandservices/industrialitsolutions/commutegreener.ht m

DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments

Sustainability Planning Toolkit

ICLEI's Sustainability Planning Toolkit, based on the model pioneered by City of New York's PlaNYC, contains comprehensive, step-by-step guidance to develop a sustainability plan for cities, towns, and counties of all sizes. It follows a proven, straightforward, and flexible process to create a successful, long-term plan that brings together environmental, economic, and social initiatives under one holistic vision to improve the livability of communities and create lasting benefits. READ ON: http://www.icleiusa.org/action-center/planning/sustainability-planningtoolkit

READ ON: http://www.mnn.com/family/holiday/ph otos/diy-christmas-treeornaments/crafting-for-christmas

The End of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon?

Nanotechnology in 24 seconds/7 words, courtesy of Wade Adams and the Ig Nobels

Market forces and Brazil's political will are converging in an unprecedented opportunity to end deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon with 80 percent of the forest still standing. READ ON: http://www.physorg.com/news179088334.html

READ ON: http://2020science.org/2009/11/30/nanotechnology-in-24seconds7-words-courtesy-of-wade-adams-and-the-ignobels/#ixzz0YfyRytqO

A Change in Tune: Blue Whales are Singing More Deeply than They Used To

First Comprehensive Review of the State of Antarctica's Climate Presents the latest research from the icy continent, identifies areas for future scientific research, and addresses the urgent questions that policy makers have about Antarctic melting, sea-level rise and biodiversity.

The tonal frequency of blue whale songs is decreasing around the world, according to a study in Endangered Species Research. The most extensively monitored type of song, recorded in the eastern North Pacific, dropped in tonal frequency by 31% between 1963 and 2008. The other six song types also have steadily moved to lower frequencies, the researchers found. READ ON: http://journalwatch.conservationmag azine.org/2009/12/01/a-change-intune/

Since 1980 there has been a 10% increase in Antarctic sea ice extent, particularly in the Ross Sea region, as a result of the stronger winds around the continent (due to the ozone hole) READ ON: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 09/11/091130192921.htm

A Decade of Discovery World Ocean Census Book: A Global Survey of Marine Life

VanAqua’s Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking (POST) Project have played a part in making this census possible. Check out the book review here: http://www.coml.org/resultspublications/worldoceancensus

Abstaining Blue Footed Boobies Get Sexier (Video)

Now this is a new angle on abstinence, at least, in the kingdom. Male bluefooted boobies who abstain from sex for a year develop a brighter, more attractive shade of blue in their feet. READ ON & WATCH: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/02/abstaining-blue-footedbo_n_377630.html

King Crab Family Bigger Than Ever

Prepare for a Lobster-Full Future: Acidic Oceans Could Help Some Critters

Scientists now think that acidifying oceans may allow these select crustaceans to build stronger shells and exoskeletons, instead of making them more brittle. Carbon dioxide (CO2)—the notorious byproduct of fossil fuel burning—dissolves in the ocean. That makes the ocean more acidic. It also reduces the number of socalled carbonate ions in seawater, and these ions are among the primary materials that sea creatures use to build their calcium carbonate shells and skeletons. READ ON: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/12/0 2/prepare-for-a-lobster-full-future-acidic-oceanscould-help-some-critters/

Timelapse of Swarming Monster Worms and Sea Stars - BBC One

Four new species of king crab, all from the deep sea. READ ON: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/09120210 1747.htm

650 Million Years In 1:20 Min.

Three-foot nemertean worms and carnivorous sea stars prowl the Antarctic in search of flesh. Finding a dead seal, the sea stars inject it with digestive juices ... then suck it up like soup. WATCH VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG17TsgV_qI

Wail for Whales: Stealth Boat to Blast Japanese (Whalers)

How earth became what it is today, and how it will be in the future WATCH VIDEO: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8266a_650-millionyears-in-120-min_tech

JAPANESE whalers have seen a lot from opponents in the Antarctic: rotten butter in bottles, smoke bombs, propeller entanglements, even the odd bare bottom.But they haven't seen anything like the Ady Gil. Nor heard anything like a hair-raising Maori haka this outrageous black speedboat plans to blow in their direction when it finds them. READ ON: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.a u/national/wail-for-whalesstealth-boat-to-blast-japanese20091201-k1j4.html

Archival Photo

Construction of BC Tel Pool seen from inside Open Ocean Foyer, 1965.

Library News For more library news, book reviews, access to our online catalogue and much more, visit us on the aquanet: http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/default.aspx Get your up-to-the minutes news via RSS feed from the library’s What’s new pages. Currently, there are two What’s new pages running a variety of interesting news feeds What’s New – Animals and Nature – for news about birds, reptiles, marine mammals, and places such as the Arctic http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/WhatsNewAnimalsandNature.aspx What’s New – Business and General – for news about business, finance, tourism, visitor experience and marketing http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/What%27sNewBGN.aspx News on Environmental conservation and education will soon be available via the Conservation Current http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/ConservationCurrent/Pages/Default.aspx Did you know that the Library has access to over 100 journals and magazines?? At least 80 of these are available full text online. For a complete hyperlinked list, visit the library journals page on Aquanet: http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/Journals.aspx As well, you can find new books and movies listed on this page of Aquanet: http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/LibraryCatalogue.aspx

Events From Earth to Ocean: Stories from Gwaii Haanas Parks Canada has identified the waters around Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (Queen Charlotte Islands) as a potential national marine conservation area reserve. To present the stories of Gwaii Haanas, Parks Canada has partnered with The Vancouver Aquarium to offer a unique speaker series open to the public. Participation is free, though seats are limited. Each engaging event allows audience members to explore a different aspect of the region and understand the benefits of its protection. Starting in September, join us to find out more about:

Session 4: Healthy oceans, healthy people Monday December 7 Whether it’s dining out or reporting a whale sighting, your actions can make a difference to our oceans. Join us for this special conclusion to find out what you can do to help Each session takes place at The Vancouver Aquarium from 7 – 9 pm. Please enter at the AquaQuest Administrative Entrance.

To

confirm

your

seat,

email:

[email protected]

Please identify which session you would like to attend. Seating is limited.

or

call

604-659-3432.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UVy7uUceXw

The VAHC meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Aquatic Planet classroom on the first Wednesday of each month. Meet at the Aquaquest reception entrance. Talks generally get going around 8 p.m. after a hobby club Q & A session. The talks/meetings are free to attend, but if you find yourself coming to quite a few, a membership to the club is always a great idea (a mere $20/year!)