Once the Obama administration kicked it up a notch with a new WhiteHouse.gov website, I’ve noticed more and more non-federal government sites being updated as well.

The latest from S.C. is Green IT – an online services savings calculator. Huh? It tells you how much you can save by staying home and using the state’s websites for as much business as possible. Green ’cause it cuts down on emissions, and IT ’cause it’s a website.

eGovernment services, or government services that are provided online, can save you time and help save the environment. A new tool at http://www.SC.gov allows citizens to calculate their savings from using an online service by entering a few travel related factors to determine the amount of savings and the positive effect of those savings on the environment.   Read more...

In a not-often-seen move, U.S. Senators have sided with environmentalists and passed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act.

The Act passing is a win-win for everybody: it not only keeps us at the forefront of understanding threats to the ocean and finding new ways to address emerging problems, but also promotes knowledge of how CO2 absorption is affecting ocean ecosystems, protects important coastal and estuarine areas that are under threat, and it improves exploration, research, mapping & observation.

“This wise decision could not have come a moment sooner… These challenges can only be solved if scientists and ocean experts have the information they need to intelligently inform their decisions.” – Laura Burton Capps, Ocean Conservancy Sen. VP   Read more...

Univ. of Chicago scientists have determined that the ocean is growing more acidic faster than anyone previously thought. Also, they claim the increased ocean acidity is tied to increased levels of atmospheric CO2, and have published a paper about their research at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

This image of Tatoosh Island off Washington state is where the study was conducted. The study discovered that the number of mussels and stalked barnacles fell whenever ocean acidity increased. Under those same conditions, populations of smaller, shelled species and non-calcareous algae increased. “Many sea creatures have shells or skeletons made of calcium carbonate, which the acid can dissolve. Therefore, the increased acidity of the ocean could interfere with many critical ocean processes such as coral reef building or shellfish harvesting.”, said Catherine Pfister, Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago and a co-author of the study.   Read more...

Remember, the oceans make up 70% of this big blue marble, and without fish, we wouldn’t survive here for long.

“Experts predict that over the next century, steady increases in carbon dioxide emissions and the continued rise in the acidity of the oceans will cause most of the world’s fisheries to experience a total bottom-up collapse – a state that could last for millions of years.” – A Sea Change

“In the future, it is very likely that rising temperatures will lead to more frequent heat waves, and virtually certain that the seas will rise, which could leave low-lying nations awash in seawater.” NASA’s global warming library

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