June 2012 Archives

Protea obtusifolia in the De Hoop Nature Reserve,Western Cape,
South Africa
Photograph by Kent Holsinger
Click on the image for a high-resolution image in a new window.

Five years ago the U.S. Senate's unanimous approval and designation of the final week in June as "National Pollinator Week" marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator Week has now grown to be an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles. The growing concern for pollinators is a sign of progress, but it is vital that we continue to maximize our collective effort. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture signs the proclamation every year.

With the Bee Smart™ Pollinator Gardener's easy user interface, browse through a database of nearly 1,000 native plants. Filter your plants by what pollinators you want to attract, light and soil requirements, bloom color, and plant type. This is an excellent plant reference to attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, beetles, bats, and other pollinators to the garden, farm, school and every landscape.

Distribution of journal publications in different fields. (from Nature). Click on the image to see a larger version.

Scarcely any other wood expresses such an enigmatic beauty as ancient wetland oak. The sought-after and extremely rare pieces of wood have been buried for as many as 8,000 years in German bogs and marshes. A sensitive and masterly touch is demanded if the gold leaf is to mold perfectly to the grain of the oak.

The gold leaves are applied by hand using a fine squirrel-hair brush in a technique that dates back to the Egyptians. Such extraordinary craft demands particular artistry and skill and is mastered today by only a select few. Layer upon layer of 24K gold leaf is applied to the pen barrel in an intricate and detailed process and embedded in resin. This reveals a unique pattern of reflections that only the purest gold can produce.

Each individually numbered Graf Von Faber-Castell 2012 Pen of the Year pen holds an 18K gold, bi-color nib and is accented with 24K gold-plated fittings. The masterpiece is crowned by a chessboard-faceted citrine gemstone set in the cap. A certificate, signed personally by the gilder, attests to the authenticity of the 24K leaf gilding and the 1,700 year old German oak.

Envisaged as a summit involving head of state, it will mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. (source)

• Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan, which aims to integrate sustainability into business models, has led to savings of over US $10 million dollars annually. At the same time, their "one rinse" washing formulas, which save an average of 30 litres per wash, are now used across 12.5 million households worldwide - a 60 per cent increase over 2010.
• AVIVA, who launched its insurance product for Low-Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services in 2011, expects the sector to grow by an estimated UK £45 billion by 2015, supported by government decisions and financial incentives.
• PUMA conducted the first Environmental Porfit and Loss Account in 2010, in collaboration with Pricewaterhousecooper and Trucost. The value of environmental impact was calculated at €145 million (seen as negative financial impact). Using the tool allows PUMA to reduce future financial loss while strengthening its operating margin by taking into account emerging risks. The company committed itself to having 50 per cent of its products made from sustainable materials by 2015.
• IGeneral Motors saved more than US $30 million in 6 years through their resource productivity programme, they also reduced waste volume by 40 per cent.

• In China, the Zhangzidao Fishery Group saw revenues grow by 40 per cent annually between 2005 and 2010 (compared to the industry's 13 per cent average) through offering an alternative to monoculture methods. The integrated Multi-Tropic Aquaculture approach employed by the company provided for a more balanced ecosystem, taking into account local conditions and environmental quality.
• The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation ensures a sustainable income for more than 27,000 coffee growers with its Rainforest Alliance certified coffee, as part of the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality^TM program

On this year's top 10 new species list are a sneezing monkey, a beautiful but venomous jellyfish, an underworld worm and a fungus named for a popular TV cartoon character. The top 10 new species also include a night-blooming orchid, an ancient walking cactus creature and a tiny wasp. Rounding out this year's list are a vibrant poppy, a giant millipede and a blue tarantula.

"The top 10 is intended to bring attention to the biodiversity crisis and the unsung species explorers and museums who continue a 250-year tradition of discovering and describing the millions of kinds of plants, animals and microbes with whom we share this planet," said Quentin Wheeler, an entomologist who directs the International Institute for Species Exploration at ASU. (source)

The composite image at the left shows each of the top 10 species for 2011. There's also a photo gallery on-line that provides a little more information about each of them. There are also YouTube videos of the sneezing monkey and the Bonaire banded box jelly. Click through to watch them.