The Trump administration wants to make it easier for oil companies to drill in national forests by squashing environmental reviews, public comments periods, and any oversight by the US Forest Service.
wallup.net
This would spell disaster for forests and the climate. Putting more carbon emissions in the air and out of its natural forest storage is absolutely the last thing this world or communities need!
Oil and gas developers would then be able to clear huge swaths of forests for toxic well pads, roads, and pipelines without much oversight.
If we’re going to save our special places and tackle the climate crisis, we need to stop dangerous oil and gas production in ALL our public lands and waters.
We need our Rainforests, without them animals would be extinct, air would also be hard to come by. Trees and other plants are what give us Oxygen. Please think of our future, please sign the petition to stop oil and gas drilling in ALL our public lands and waters.
Amazon is the largest retailer in the world. We are all happy and grateful to have them especially when you don’t have the time or patience to go around shopping all the things you need. But unfortunately every time you order, tons of single use plastic arrives with your products.
Let’s ask the company to reduce the amount of plastic used and avoid it when it is not necessary.
Let’s ask them to stop using the plastic, bubble bags and switch to more eco friendly solutions.
We cannot afford to keep polluting our planet at this rate and everyone but especially large corporations have the moral obligation to lead by example.
The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton shared a photo of a dead baby sea turtle next to the pieces of plastic that were found inside its body. The turtle washed ashore in Boca Raton. (Gumbo Limbo Nature Center / Courtesy)
Dozens of tiny pieces of plastic dot the counter top next to the dead baby sea turtle.
The 104 remnants, which range from a wrapper to a twist tie used in trash bags, were found inside a baby sea turtle that washed ashore in Boca Raton this week.
”We found a piece of a balloon. There was a wrapper that goes on the outside of bottles,” said Whitney Crowder, a sea turtle rehabilitation coordinator at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca.
After the center shared a photo of the turtle next to the bits of plastic on Facebook, the image went viral, having been shared more than 3,100 times.
This is why we need to keep plastic out of the oceans and upcycle/recycle and reuse everything, in order to keep the carbon footprint prints low and or nonexistent. Not to mention it will keep plastic from hurting our animal life.
Why is it that “Hunters” have to always kill and do taxidermy to their kill? Why can’t the alligator be captured and relocated so it does no harm, or doesn’t become harmed by others. It’s not that difficult, Australia Animal Control etc, does this all the time with animals. Does anyone realize the more we kill predators, the more the ecosystem becomes unbalanced, or is our country this stupid? (Rhetoric)
I don’t even know why I am surprised anymore, I shouldn’t expect anything less.
SANTEE, S.C. — A group of hunters caught a huge alligator in South Carolina and now their Facebook post is going viral. George Mourounas posted the photos on Sunday and they have been shared more than 9,000 times. The huge alligator was caught in Santee. Mourounas said the alligator was 12 feet 6 inches long…
A toxic blue-green algae that is potentially lethal to dogs has been found in three New York City park ponds––the latest place it’s cropped up after leaving a trail of sick and dead pets across North Carolina, Texas and Georgia.
According to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the blue-green algae was found in two Central Park ponds and another pond in Prospect Park.
Blue-green algae, also known as Cyanobacteria, is a microorganism that is caused by high nutrients, stagnant water, high temperatures and low oxygen, according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
“Algae is a natural occurrence that blooms heavily in warm weather and sunlight. Most urban ponds have water high in nutrients like phosphorus, which encourage algae growth,” a statement said. “Most algae are harmless and are important parts of aquatic ecosystems, but blooms that produce blue-green algae (BGA) can be toxic.”
BlackRock, the world’s largest investment firm, has more money invested in the fossil fuel and agribusiness industries – the biggest drivers of climate change – than any other company in the world. That means that BlackRock’s portfolio constitutes a huge liability for putting the planet on a path towards runaway climate change — in fact, BlackRock contributes more to climate change than almost any other company on Earth.
The Amazon rainforest and its Indigenous inhabitants are under acute threat from BlackRock, taking advantage of Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s removal of environmental barriers to economic activities in the Amazon.
And now they will have even more access to deforestation and destruction.
Bolsonaro has advocated for the opening of new areas of the Amazon rainforest to agriculture and industry. As a result, BlackRock announced plans to expand its operations in Brazil after Bolsonaro was elected. Moves like this signal strong support for Bolsonaro, whose toxic rhetoric is inspiring violence against indigenous communities in the Amazon and beyond.
As one of the largest investors in Brazil’s agribusiness industry, BlackRock could use its financial clout to curb, not encourage, further forest destruction. It must divest from companies that continue these horrendous practices.
Join us in this fight to protect the Amazon and curb climate change!
What is spotted lanternfly? The spotted lanternfly resembles a moth when it jumps or flies, but in reality, it is neither a fly nor a moth. It is a type of planthopper that belongs to the Order Hemiptera (cicadas, leafhoppers, and aphids). The adults prefer to feed primarily on the non-native host plant “tree of heaven” (Allianthus altissima) while the immature stages (or nymphs) will feed on a wide range of trees, fruits, and even grape vines. Spotted lanternfly egg masses (or clusters of eggs) are brown, seed-like in appearance, and about 1-inch long. They are covered in a mud-like secretion that helps them stay glued to a surface in a mass. After they hatch, the nymphs go through 4 growth phases, or instars. Immature nymphs are black with white spots, and they gain red markings at they mature through the 4th instar. Late stage nymphs are about ½-inch in length. Adult spotted lanternflies are 1-inch long, have brownish forewings with black spots and hindwings that are red with black spots.
What trees do they damage? Spotted lanternflies will feed on a variety of host plants from May through November, and their feeding preferences change as they mature. Nymphs will feed on a wide-range of host plants while the adults target only a few species. There are over 65 known species of plants that the SLF will feed on, including ornamental trees (like lilac and dogwood), fruit trees, vines (like grapes), small fruits (such as blueberries), hops, and several vegetables.
Preferred plant species for SLF nymphs: Tree of heaven Willow Maple Poplar Prunus spp. (plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots) Apple Pine Grape vines Preferred tree species for SLF adults: Tree of heaven Willow
In addition to this information many of the East Coast farmers and businesses rely on these trees for financial stability. More over, this makes up approximately, 65 percent of the East Coasts economy.
How to control spotted lanternfly
There are 5 steps that need to be taken to help control and prevent the spread of spotted lanternfly.
Stop the spread. If you live in or visit areas of the U.S. where SLF has been found, check any outdoor items for egg masses before moving them. This includes vehicles, firewood, outdoor furniture, picnic tables, boats, and children’s toys.
Remove the eggs. From late September through May, be on the lookout for egg masses. The egg masses can be scraped off surfaces using a knife or a thin plastic card. The egg masses should be sealed in a plastic bag or placed directly into hand sanitizer or alcohol to kill them before they are disposed of.
Remove tree of heaven. From mid-summer through early-fall, cut down high-risk host plants for the adult SLF, like tree of heaven. To prevent the SLF from damaging other plants on your property, only remove about 90% of the host trees and use the remaining 10% as “trap trees” so you can control the adult SLFs. Cut down the trees and then treat the stumps with a tough brush killer, like Ortho® MAX® Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer Concentrate, following label directions. Note: Tree of heaven is difficult to control and may require several applications to fully kill the root system. Remember, if you live in a quarantined county in PA, the wood cannot be removed from the quarantined area.
The Spotted Lanternfly has invaded the East Coast of the United States. This type of insect has no natural predators here and is an invasive species. The CDC and the Department Of Agriculture are urging residents throughout the East Coast to kill singles on sight and report infestations. The LanternFly, if not eradicated can destroy plant life, such as crops, trees and other resources we need to sustain livability.
In a Facebook post early Friday morning, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture warned that spotted lanternfly nymphs are beginning to change colors and are becoming more destructive.
“They’re growing! And…changing? #SpottedLanternfly nymphs are beginning to turn red,” the post warned. If you see a #BadBug that looks like this, kill singles and report infestations!!!
The egg masses from spotted lanternflies can generally be seen on various species of trees through the month of May, before the lanternfly begins to hatch.
Nymphs first appear black with white spots and are wingless, but ultimately develops red patches and white spots as they mature. At this point, the Department of Agriculture says:
Nymphs are now over a half-inch inch long
Jump readily when approached or touched
Adult spotted lanternflies begin appearing in July. At rest, they are large bugs sporting grayish wings with black spots, and the tips are black and gray.
When flying or startled, the insect will display vibrant red hind wings Adults are around 1 inch long and a half inch wide with wings folded Adults can jump several feet when startled or approached Officials are urging anyone who sees this invasive bug to kill if possible and to report infestations online at https://extension.psu.edu/.
The state continues to fight the spread of the spotted lanternfly. In April, the Department of Agriculture began requiring businesses to have a permit to move goods and vehicles within and out of the lanternfly quarantine zone, which includes Lehigh and Northampton counties and most of eastern Pennsylvania. Inspectors continue to be on the lookout for businesses to make sure they have a permit that indicates the company has completed training on the quarantine rules.
Businesses face deadline to get spotted lanternfly permit Officials are reminding any business without a permit to obtain one and learn the basics of spotting the spotted lanternfly.
Origin and distribution Spotted lanternfly is native to China and is present in Southeast Asia. It was first reported in South Korea in 2006 and rapidly spread to different parts of the country.
Host range Spotted lanternfly feeds on a variety of host plants including fruit trees, ornamental trees, woody trees, and vines. Apples, birch, cherry, dogwood, grapes, Korean Evodia, lilac, maple, poplar, stone fruits, and tree-of-heaven are among more than 70 species of hosts attacked by this pest. Tree-of-heaven, which contains high concentrations of cytotoxic alkaloids, is one of the favorite hosts. This is probably why spotted lanternfly is considered poisonous and used in traditional Chinese medicine. Other preferred hosts such as Korean Evodia (Bebe tree) are also used in oriental medicine suggesting that spotted lanternfly has a high preference for hosts that contain toxic secondary metabolites. Observations in South Korea also indicate that spotted lanternfly appears to have a wider host range early in life as young nymphs and a narrow range as they grow older, especially before egg laying. Choosing plants with toxic metabolites for egg laying is thought to be a mechanism of defense to protect from natural enemies. Although grape vine does not have toxic metabolites like these other hosts, spotted lanternfly showed a strong preference in studies conducted in South Korea. Sugar content of the host plant also appears to play a role in their choice with a preference for hosts containing high sucrose and fructose content.
Damage Adults and nymphs feed on phloem tissues of foliage and young stems with their piercing and sucking mouth-parts and excrete large quantities of liquid. Due to the sugar content of the liquid, plant parts covered with spotted lanternfly excretion harbor mold growth, which could hinder plant growth or even cause death.
Scientists/biologists are working on a way to cull the lanternflies numbers. Right now they believe a fungus and a local wasp species are able to decrease the lanternflies numbers. When we receive more information pertaining to the certainty we will update.
ABINGTON, PA — West Nile Virus has been confirmed in mosquitoes in Abington and Whitemarsh townships, the state announced on Tuesday. The discovery marks the first cases of West Nile in Montgomery County in 2019. One positive sample was found in each township, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The specific locations were not disclosed. A total of eight positives were found around the state in the most recent round of testing done by the state’s West Nile Control Program.
Officials with the DEP and the Montgomery County Department of Health are responding to the samples “as needed.” No chemical spraying has yet been announced. West Nile virus appeared for the first time in Pennsylvania in birds, mosquitoes and a horse in 2000.
It is most commonly spread to humans by infected mosquitoes. It can cause febrile illness, encephalitis, or meningitis, according to the CDC.
The best way to control mosquitoes is still to get rid of standing water on your property.
The following guidelines have been offered to help residents minimize their risk:
• Limit outdoor activities at dawn and dusk during warmer months since most types of mosquitoes bite most frequently during these times. Be aware though that some types of mosquitoes bite most frequently during the daytime.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and socks. Choose clothing that is light colored and made of tightly woven material.
• Stay in places with air conditioning and window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
• Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are outside.
• Cover or empty containers such as trash cans, wading pools, wheelbarrows, and pots.
• Turn containers upside down when not in use so they don’t collect water.
• Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers.
• Get rid of old tires.
• Change the water in bird baths every three to five days.
• Check storm drains, window wells, and underneath leaky faucets for standing water.
Guardians Of Life 
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