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Practicum Essay

Take a look at what I’ve been working on outside the classroom.

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Happy Poinsettia Day! 

Did you know poinsettia flowers aren’t red? The red parts of the plant that look like petals are actually modified leaves, called bracts. The true flower in the center of the plant is yellow. In the U.S., we celebrate Poinsettia Day on December 12 to mark the death of Joel Poinsett, the statesman and amateur botanist who brought the plant to the U.S. from Mexico. But in Mexico, people display the poinsettia today for a completely different reason: to mark the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, also on December 12. (Photo: Scott Bauer/USDA) #PoinsettiaDay

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This cup of yogurt from 1976  just washed up on the beach and is going viral. Plastic litter takes thousands of years to decompose. Read more

follow @the-future-now

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Canada could face “20 Standing Rocks,” said a Mohawk chief in response to the Justin Trudeau government’s revelation Thursday it doesn’t plan to include consent as part of its consultation approach with First Nations on major resource projects.

Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr told reporters Thursday the Trudeau government believes it only needs to accommodate and consult First Nations before proceeding with major resource development projects and not obtain “free prior and informed consent.”

It’s a position at odds with Supreme Court of Canada rulings which have stated that obtaining consent is part of the consultation spectrum the Crown faces when dealing with First Nations on issues that impact rights, title and territory. The position also undercuts a key element of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which the Trudeau government has claimed it plans to embrace as part of its efforts toward reconciliation.

Kanesatake Grand Chief Serge Simon said he’s not surprised the Trudeau government says it does not believe it needs to obtain consent to proceed with major projects that impact Indigenous territories.

“New infrastructure to bring in more oil from the tar sands? Forget it, it’s not going to happen,” said Simon, who is grand chief for the Mohawk community at the centre of the 1990 Oka crisis. “I don’t care what Jim Carr says that no consent is necessary….. Consent, it’s what we are demanding and he will never get our consent, not for something like this…. What if we gave Canada 20 Standing Rocks? I wonder if his position will change then?”

Simon was referring to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe which is currently trying to stop construction of an oil pipeline through North Dakota. The Standing Rock’s opposition to the pipeline triggered a historic Native American-led movement that has led to intense clashes with U.S. authorities and hundreds of arrests.

“We always knew the Trudeau government, a lot of his ministers, are influenced by the fossil fuel industry and a prime minister is only as good as how he handles the economy,” said Simon. “If we keep doing this, our children and their children are going to suffer the brunt of climate change.”

Continue Reading.

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Bill Nye wants young people to vote. Don’t let him down. 

Do it for the environment, do it for the Science guy; do it for Science.

The chart above is what the US electoral map would look like if only millennials voted.

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I encourage people to speak up and to talk about the importance of scientific integrity and, if they see that being undermined, to say something about it.

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, Read more.  (via climatetruth)

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“In a major victory for environmentalists, the federal government said Thursday it will not renew two mineral leases held by Twin Metals Minnesota, saying its proposed copper mine near Ely poses too great a risk of contaminating the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness…

A Forest Service spokeswoman said the decision is not unprecedented, but added: “It is uncommon for the Forest Service to withhold consent for hard rock mining lease renewals, except in situations like this, where there are unique and irreplaceable environmental values at risk.”“

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Blog 12: Air and Atmosphere Pollution

Final blog for my intro to environmental studies class! Thanks for following along. 

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Connecting with Communities: Promoting Recreation at Jupiter Inlet

The Southeastern States District Office hosted an American Conservation Experience (ACE) youth crew at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area (ONA) in south Florida. Their focus was on clearing and stabilizing a mile-long administrative access trail that will ultimately be added to the publicly-accessible trail system within the ONA. While the crew’s labor mainly consisted of clearing and grubbing an existing trail bed, they also assisted with exotic invasive vegetation control and resolving a few erosion and stability issues along the trail.

“Having trails at the ONA allows the local communities to get out and enjoy their public lands,” said Peter De Witt, ONA site manager. “This in turn fosters site stewardship, leading to a greater appreciation for the site within the community. So adding additional miles of trail to this site, which is literally on the doorstep of hundreds of thousands of people, is a great way we can connect with new sections of the community every day.”

The BLM’s “Connecting with Communities” Recreation Strategy leverages the resources of the Recreation & Visitor Services Program to better engage with communities, service providers and other partners to deliver recreational opportunities and experiences that communities value most. 

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There were many things wrong with the environment in 1970. Here are five ways our world has changed for the better since then, thanks in part to the EPA.

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6 Fascinating National Park Museums

Looking to enrich your national park experience? Discover the history of each national park, from the 5.3 million items at Yellowstone Heritage & Research Center to the ship models and sailor artwork displayed at the Maritime Museum.

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Autumn contrast by (RonographyHK)

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Blog 11: Energy Sources and Issues

Blog 11 for Enviro Studies. 

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Hanging Lobster Claw or False Bird of Paradise (Heliconia rostrata).Hanging Lobster Claw is a herbaceous perennial native to Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, and naturalized in Puerto Rico. Unlike other Heliconia the downward facing flowers supply nectar to tropical birds. Photo, Kai Yan, Joseph Wong.

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Larger Brain Size Linked to Longer Life in Deer

The size of a female animals’ brain may determine whether they live longer and have more healthy offspring, according to new research led by the University of Cambridge.

The research is in Royal Society Open Science. (full open access)

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America’s Last Remaining Glaciers

From tidewater glaciers formed by the flow between mountains and sea to a glaciated mountain that resides above a volcano, these glaciers represent some of the iciest forces of nature. When you’re craving colder weather or a magnificent display of ice and snow, go on a glacier hunt at these national parks.