How To: Do Things You Didn’t Know You Could

Finding out how to do anything useful is always great. It’s not like having to learn stuff in school, and you come to find out, everything you spent all of that time learning, is only useful playing Trivial Persuit! So much for getting straight A’s on your report cards, but at least when you play Trivial Persuit, you’re a winner every time.

Did you know your body emits electrical energy? Of course you did, because you did get straight A’s in school. Yes, but did you know you could you use your own body to charge your phone? Pretty cool huh? Here are a few How To videos, to help you out in a pinch, or if you want to amaze your friends at parties.
Human Energy Charges Cell Phone… WOW!

How to Charge an iPod using electrolytes and an onion

Uploaded on Nov 10, 2007

In this episode we show you how to charge your iPod (or other mp3 player) for up to 20 minutes using electrolytes derived from Gatorade or Powerade which are then stored within the cells of an onion.

How to view blocked numbers

Change traffic lights with a universal remote!

I don’t really advise doing this, at least during the daytime, when you may cause more harm than fun. But the idea is a great one.


 

Ultra – Ever Dry Superhydrophobic coating

The Official Ultra-Ever Dry Video – Superhydrophobic coating – Repels almost any liquid!
ultratechvideo

Published on Nov 12, 2012
Ultra-Ever Dry is a superhydrophobic (water) and oleophobic (hydrocarbons) coating that will completely repel almost any liquid. Ultra-Ever Dry uses proprietary nanotechnology to coat an object and create a barrier of air on its surface. This barrier repels water, oil and other liquids unlike any coating seen before. The other breakthrough associated with Ultra-Ever Dry is the superior coating adherence and abrasion resistance allowing it to be used in all kinds of applications where durability is required. Keep your stuff Ever Dry and neverwet!

For more information visit us at: www.UltraEverDry.com
Email: info@ultraeverdry.com

ULTRA-EVER DRY HOTLINE: 800.764.9566 • 904.854.4334

 

Ultra-Ever Dry is a superhydrophobic (water) and oleophobic (hydrocarbons) coating that will completely repel almost any liquid. Ultra-Ever Dry uses proprietary nanotechnology to coat an object and create a barrier of air on its surface. This barrier repels water, oil and other liquids unlike any coating seen before. The other breakthrough associated with Ultra-Ever Dry is the superior coating adherence and abrasion resistance allowing it to be used in all kinds of applications!

Anti-Wetting

The superhydrophobic coating keeps objects dry, water and many other liquids simply repel off.
Anti-Icing

The superhydrophobic properties of Ultra-Ever dry keeps coated materials completely dry, eliminating the formation of ice.
Anti-Corrosion

Maximum corrosion protection since the superhydrophobic coating ensures water and moisture never actually contact the base material.
Anti-Contamination

Dust, dirt, water and other liquids that contain bacteria or radiation never actually contact the surface of the coated material so bacteria and radiation is greatly diminished or eliminated and easy to decontaminate to sterile, if needed.
Self-Cleaning

The Ultra-Ever Dry repels dirty water and thick oils, and remains clean and virtually bacteria-free. When dust, dirt or other molecules accumulate on a superhyrophobic coated surface, a light spray of water or a blast of air grabs the dust and removes it.
Self-Cleaning

The Ultra-Ever Dry repels dirty water and thick oils, and remains clean and virtually bacteria-free. When dust, dirt or other molecules accumulate on a superhyrophobic coated surface, a light spray of water or a blast of air grabs the dust and removes it.
FIND OUT MORE
1-888-765-3370
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR
http://www.ultraeverdrystore.com/

Build a DIY solar-powered backyard tiller

Here is a quiet, light weight portable garden tiller for small jobs around your place.  The build is simple and the cost really is minimal.

Build a DIY solar-powered backyard tiller

http://www.treehugger.com/solar-technology/diy-solar-powered-backyard-tiller.html

Derek Markham (@derekmarkham)
Technology / Solar Technology
March 24, 2015
Share on Facebook
DIY solar tiller

DIY solar tiller
© Dennis Evers
Instead of adding a lot of noise and pollution to your backyard garden with a gas-powered tiller, build a DIY solar-powered version that’s clean and quiet.

One of the surest signs of spring is the Saturday morning roar of two-stroke gas engines coming from lawns, gardens, and backyards, as people start to till their gardens, cut their grass, and trim the weeds. The lightweight small gas engines that power rototillers, lawnmowers, and weedeaters are handy, as they can drastically cut the time needed for yard maintenance, but they also come at a price, both financially and environmentally.

Many of these small internal combustion engines used for yardwork can release as much as 30% of the fuel/oil mixture as unburned pollutants into the atmosphere due to incomplete combustion, which not only wastes fuel and money, but also contributes to air pollution.

“USEPA estimates that a gasoline powered lawn mower emits 11 times the air pollution of a new car for each hour of operation.” – EPA

Solar energy is a great clean power solution for some of these small garden tasks, but there really aren’t a whole lot of options for solar-powered home yard machines available just yet. However, just as the solar lawnmower project demonstrates, building a DIY solar tiller could be an option for the green and clean homeowner, as one resourceful tinkerer illustrates below.

Dennis “Bones” Evers, a Colorado prepper, converted a conventional garden tiller into a completely solar-powered version, using only scrounged parts and taking about 6 hours to complete:

I asked Evers about some of the details of his solar tiller, because the video doesn’t give the specs on the components he used, to which he replied, “This is one of the easier, yet more rewarding projects I have done,” along with some more info on the build:

“It [the solar panel] is a 5 Watt panel, and I use a simple blocking diode (one way) instead of a solar controller. The batteries are two [12V] 5 Ah computer backup batteries that provide enough power to till several beds. I could easily add two more batteries, but as it is it is very easy to use and transport. I salvaged 120 batteries that were perfect and was looking for projects to use them up. One is a four battery micro welder that works fantastic for field repairs.

The motor is a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower starter. I just got in from my garden and it works fantastic. I just leave it out in the garden facing south and use it when I need it. If a person wanted a bigger one, you could easily upgrade with a larger starter from a Ford or Chevy and a full size battery.”

https://proficientprepping.wordpress.com/
Evers documents his DIY projects at Proficient Prepping, so if you’re looking for some pointers or ideas about building your own home and garden gear, including solar hot water and solar electric systems, or emergency preparedness, head over there and dive in.

Malware! Your Computer Is Infected!

If you suddenly have a bunch of pop-ups, pages opening up, even though you never hit any link, and warnings about your computer being infected, it is.
Don’t call the numbers provided by the message! Those are scammer numbers to sell you free stuff, and they want to get into your computer, so they can leave they’re own bugs in it.

If you have malware go to http://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/ , and get their free download. Follow the directions all of the way through. Now before you delete all of the things that program found, highlight what it is, and copy the names of the malware onto a notepad, or wordpad document, and go to Google/ search and see where that takes you.

I recommend you go to http://malwaretips.com/blogs/malware-removal-guide-for-windows/
and follow this blogs instructions. It will take 4 or 5 different cleaners to remove the malware. I am going to give you a list of links for these cleaners. Some of them are free, and unfortunatly some aren’t.

Once your computer is infected, you may never get rid of it all. The new crap that is infecting your machine is tenacious as hell…
It will take a coulpe of hours to run the cleaners through your computer, and hopefully you will at least regain some control over it.

I recommend you go to http://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/ , and read some of they’re blog. If you have the names of the malware, type it into they’re search place, and the information you need will magically appear.

Here are some of the cleaners, and tools you will probably have to use to remove the malware.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/

http://www.surfright.nl/en/downloads This is hitman pro. When you use it, where it says USER ID type in FREE TRIAL, or free version and they will let you use it for 30 days.

https://toolslib.net/downloads/finish/1/ This is ADW CLEANER. It will be the first one you run, after you’ve identified your particular infection.

This one will be number two. http://malwaretips.com/blogs/pup-optional-mindspark-removal/#junkware

This is number three, but if you did what I said earlier, you already have this.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/

This is number four. http://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/

These are some others, but they will cost money. You may have to actually buy some of these to rid yourself of the malware.
A note: I still have to scan my computer every week, and I am still pulling malware out of it. Good luck, and have a nice day!

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-adware-popup-ads/

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-tech-support-scam-popups/

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/malware-removal-guide-for-windows/

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/settingupdate-theupdatercheck-com-removal/

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-fake-flash-player-update/

More Intelligently Made Objects ! Opportunity ~Sol 3954 ~

I have a bunch of stuff to take care of today, so feel free to watch a couple of videos and make some popcorn. I just swept the place out, and caught all of the spiders that were running around in here.

Today we all can just space out! Are the new plans to go to Mars because too many anomalies have been found? Is any of this stuff for real? If there are intelligent beings on the Red Planet, does it make a difference to you?
One of these videos would suggest the video was actually shot here on “the pretty blue planet” Earth.

Some of the things shown are definitely not to be believed, so as usual you can watch and just try to be entertained. Y’all have a great day.

Opportunity ~Sol 3954 ~ More Intelligently Made Objects !
MARS Anomalies
Subscribed
This is really long, more than 30 minutes.

Tiny excavator shovel And machine carved metal. Mars msl 817
Published on Mar 2, 2015
Is this a part of a shovel or maybe a teeth from a “shovel wheel” ??
Look also at the anomaly at the end of the video that looks like a foot and machine carved metal.
NASA link.:

Martian skull ?? Msl 378

Published on Mar 7, 2015
Did Mars anomaly hunter Rory o´brien find a skull on this Msl 378 image from Curiosity.
As usual you decide what you see.
NASA link

Mars curiosity rover 2015- Persons are in rover picture
realitychange

Why Do I Need A New Charger?

Here is the most popular question about new technology, and the products we are encouraged to buy. ” Why does every new item need a new style of charging cord? ” Even gadgets of the same make seem to require you to purchase a new charger, as the older style doesn’t work on the new model.

The answer is only too obvious, but it raises the question, aren’t these big businesses making plenty of money, selling us ” new and improved ” gadgetry? I am constantly amazed with all of the changes that are made to virtually the same products. There is no reason to change the simple things, like charging cords.

Most of the new tech items are using the USB port type chargers, and have the ability to recharge from a laptop, or a wall mount type charger, although the basic amperage may be different. Usually there is a safety feature installed to prevent your device from accepting too much voltage.

All of the phones use the same voltage batteries, but the battery designs are different, so you can’t use the old one you have. That way you have to buy a new one, and that generates more revenues for the parent company. Most of the laptops, and notebooks use a battery that ranges from 5 volts to 20 volts, depending on the device.
Almost all of the phones use a 3.6 volt battery. For those not in the know, it takes more voltage than what the battery voltage is, to fully charge. That is why chargers for your phone say they deliver 5 volts, while the battery is only 3.6 volts.

iClever® Intocircuit Power Castle PC26000 26000mAh External Battery Pack/High Capacity Power Bank Charger for Laptops, Notebooks, Netbooks, Tablets and Smart Phones. Compatible with HP, Dell, Toshiba, Acer, Samsung, Sony, Gateway Laptops; Google Nexus 7 Tablets; iPad 4,3,2, iPad mini, iPad Air, iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5S, 5C, 5 (Lightning Cable not Provided), Samsung Galaxy S6 S5 S4,S3, Note 4 3 2; HTC One M8 M9 and More

Here’s how to charge any battery enough to keep doing the important stuff.

Fact 1: All past and future rechargeable batteries can be safely trickle charged if you don’t overcharge them. Trickle means low current, like half an amp for an average camera or phone battery.
Fact 2: Small incandescent bulbs such as flashlight bulbs and christmas tree mini lights make great current regulators.

You can plug any USB device into any USB cable and into any USB port, and nothing will blow up — and in fact, using a more powerful charger should speed up battery charging.
Comparative power supplies
Power Supply Tension (volts) Ampere
USB 1.0 5.0In 0.5A
USB 2.0 5.0In 0.5A
USB 3.0 5.0In 0.9A
Wall Charger iPhone 5.0In 1.0A
Wall charger for iPad 5,1In 2.1A
Wall charger for Amazon 5.0In 0.85A

There are three types of USB plugs 1.0 2.0 3.0 The 1.0 is the original largest type. the 2.0 is the smaller one that was introduced a few years ago, and the 3.0 is the smallest type.

Why Every New Macbook Needs a Different Goddamn Charger

Strange Objects & Tool – Curiosity Rover Mission

Strange Objects & Tool / Handle On SOL 925 Of Curiosity Rover Mission

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e44RWIkSX6s&list=TLCjfTNEw0zfQ

Published on Mar 20, 2015

This whole area has caught my eye. It almost looks like coral or possibly something that has been under water. I didn’t mention this in the video but there also seems to be tracks from something other then the rover maybe? Could just be the soil. It also looks like this area had been very ornately carved. To the bottom right of the image is a perfectly straight cylinder that looks to be a tool of some sort. You surely could surely pick it up and turn it into a pret

What Is This Object On The Moon? Anomaly? Submitted By John e

Published on Mar 18, 2015
This was sent to me by a friend of mine named John Endersby. He is an amateur astronomer who lives in a great area to catch images of the Moon and Sun with his telescope. During the lunar eclipse of 8/10/14 he caught this with his telescope and webcam.

The quality is not sharp sharp but we would love to hear your comments on what you think this huge thing is! He has not seen it since that day or in any footage since then other then the image from the UFO article that is in the video. Enjoy and please comment below!

John’s Photos: https://www.facebook.com/john.endersb…

WUITS Article and Enhanced Images: whatsupinthesky.com/index.php/2013-04-24­-00-44-09/moon/836-what-is-this-on-the-m­oon-possible-anomaly-submitted-by-subscr­iber-john-e

Request that I review a picture or send me a video tip by emailing me at will@willfarrar.net and sending me what you have along with the links! Also check me out online at:

http://www.whatsupinthesky.com – Anomaly Website

http://www.willfarrar.net – Personal Website

http://www.facebook.com/willfarrar – My Facebook Page

http://www.mikeejonesmemorial.com – Scholarship for Music

http://www.youtube.com/WhatsUpInTheSky37 – My Channel

http://www.facebook.com/energyfield – Energy Field Information Network (WhatsUpInTheSky)

Grasshopper 325m Test | Single Camera (Hexacopter)

http://www.space.com/23193-spacex-grasshopper-rocket-highest-hop-video.html

Published on Jul 7, 2013
On June 14, SpaceX’s Grasshopper flew 325 m (1066 feet)–higher than Manhattan’s Chrysler Building–before smoothly landing back on the pad. For the first time in this test, Grasshopper made use of its full navigation sensor suite with the F9-R closed loop control flight algorithms to accomplish a precision landing. Most rockets are equipped with sensors to determine position, but these sensors are generally not accurate enough to accomplish the type of precision landing necessary with Grasshopper.

photo-Grasshopper 325m Test -  www.wordy.photos

Grasshopper 325m Test – http://www.wordy.photos

Previous Grasshopper tests relied on the other rocket sensors but for this test, an additional, higher accuracy sensor was in the control loop. In other words, SpaceX was directly controlling the vehicle based on new sensor readings, adding a new level of accuracy in sensing the distance between Grasshopper and the ground, enabling a more precise landing.

photo-Grasshopper 325m Test -   www.diseno-art.com

Grasshopper 325m Test – http://www.diseno-art.com

Grasshopper is a 10-story Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle designed to test the technologies needed to return a rocket back to Earth intact. While most rockets are designed to burn up on atmosphere reentry, SpaceX rockets are being designed not only to withstand reentry, but also to return to the launch pad for a vertical landing. The Grasshopper VTVL vehicle represents a critical step towards this goal.

photo--Grasshopper 325m Test - Google Search  www.diseno-art.com

-Grasshopper 325m Test – Google Search http://www.diseno-art.com

Grasshopper consists of a Falcon 9 rocket first stage tank, Merlin 1D engine, four steel and aluminum landing legs with hydraulic dampers, and a steel support structure.

Jarte – Better Than Word pad

http://www.jarte.com/store.html
Jarte – Better Than Word pad
I don’t know how everyone else is writing their posts, I don’t get to sit behind them and see what program they’re using. I didn’t like Office, and Open Office, the free program was just as much a pain, as the Microsoft program was. I never liked notepad, as it always wrapped the sentences. So for years I have used Word pad, which is a great program, except…..

Word pad has great features, and is a well written program, utilizing an engine that functions extremely well. It is versatile and always reminds me when I need to save my work. My only complaint with Word pad is it didn’t come with a spell- check feature, and that will be it’s downfall!

When I want a document for purposes other than a post for this site, I would have to pretend I was creating a new post, so I could edit the document, as this site has a spell-check function, and lets me know when the wording is not right. Word pad doesn’t have those features. Apparently Word pad doesn’t have many features other document editing programs have, so I have changed to a new program!
http://www.jarte.com/?so=j&ed=s&ve=53

Jarte \jär · ‘tay\ noun (est. 2001) 1. A free word processor based on the Microsoft Word Pad word processing engine built into Windows. 2. A fast starting, easy to use word processor that expands well beyond the Word Pad feature set. 3. A small, portable, touch enabled word processor whose documents are fully compatible with Word and Word Pad.

“It’s one of life’s little ironies that in a country with free speech, a program called Word costs over a hundred dollars. Fortunately, we also have Carolina Road Software and their free-of-charge word processor, Jarte.”
—PC World magazine

The Jarte word processor relieves that problem by including only the features likely to be needed by real people. Jarte is designed for students, writers, small business people, and home users. But what really makes Jarte special is the unique way it makes the features that are included easily accessible.

You expect a word processor to be able to handle Word documents, font and paragraph formatting, spell checking, print preview, and more. While Jarte performs all the standard functions well, the most important aspect of Jarte is the numerous small details that make it an efficient and enjoyable tool for creating documents. Small details like:

photo--Jarte Plus Store

-Jarte Plus Store

Tabbed document windows for easy access to your open documents
Larger buttons for the most commonly used functions
Instant dictionary and thesaurus word lookup (integrates with free WordWeb)
Spell check and text search tools that do not park themselves on top of the text you are trying to edit
Single click bookmarking that make bookmarks both useful and usable
Instant access to the documents and folders you designate as your favorites
Instant access to the fonts you designate as your favorites
Use of the mouse scroll wheel button to copy and paste text
It is Jarte’s thoughtful details that will leave you wondering how you lived with that cumbersome office word processor for so long.

Take it With You!

Jarte may be the best word processor available for mobile PCs. Jarte takes up very little space on your SSD or hard drive, it runs quickly and efficiently, and Jarte’s compact display is perfect for small screen PCs. Jarte supports touch screen gestures, such as finger swipe scrolling and pinch zoom, for use on tablet PCs such as Microsoft’s Surface Pro. Jarte is an ideal word processor for mobile PCs!

Jarte may also be the best portable word processor available. Jarte can easily be run directly from a USB flash drive (or even a DropBox folder), so your word processor is always ready for you no matter what PC you’re using, providing the ultimate experience in portable word processing.

Stable WordPad Editing Engine

At the heart of Jarte sits the same word processing engine used by Windows’ WordPad. The difference is that Jarte builds far more capability around the WordPad editing engine than the WordPad program itself does. The significance of this fact is that Jarte users are secure in the knowledge that Jarte is making use of the same reliable, time tested editing engine used by millions of other Windows users all over the world. If you have tried other alternative word processors and found them to be unstable that may be in part due to their use of unreliable, home grown editing engines.

Microsoft is continually upgrading the WordPad editing engine, although you would never know it by examining WordPad. The WordPad program itself has not changed since it was first introduced. Jarte, on the other hand, continues to evolve and take advantage of useful features as Microsoft adds them to the WordPad editing engine.

Jarte is a Free Word Processor? What’s the Catch?

Yes, Jarte is completely free. There are no ads, no trial period, no nag screens, and no crippling of essential features. We do sell a separate edition of Jarte called Jarte Plus for those who want more. Many of Jarte’s regular users have been more than willing to pay the small price for the extra bells and whistles provided by Jarte Plus.

Whether or not you choose to upgrade to Jarte Plus, we hope you will go forth and free other weary souls from their corporate office word processors by introducing them to Jarte —the word processor for the rest of us.3/20/2015

Endangered Earth Online

Suit Launched to Protect Pollinators, Frogs From New Pesticide

Karner blue butterfly

The Center for Biological Diversity and other public-interest groups notified the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday of our intent to sue over its failure to protect a range of federally protected species — including bees, butterflies, amphibians and birds — from a powerful, newly approved insecticide called “insecticide.”

Even though the EPA recognized the chemical could harm endangered species, it didn’t consult with any wildlife agencies to protect those species. The insect poison could be particularly harmful to solitary bees that are often important crop pollinators — 4,000 species of which live in the United States.

“This systemic insecticide makes a plant highly toxic to any birds, butterflies and bees that feed on it, but the EPA has turned a blind eye and approved it without considering how it will hurt imperiled wildlife like the endangered Karner blue butterfly,” said Lori Ann Burd, director of the Center’s new Environmental Health program. “It’s our government’s duty to investigate how dangerous insecticides might affect wildlife — not just rubberstamp their approval.”

Read more in The Oregonian.


Feds Ban Imports on Four Large Constrictor Snakes — Thank You

Reticulated python

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has just made it illegal to import four kinds of nonnative constrictor snakes — or sell them across state lines — by adding them to the list of “injurious” wildlife under a law called the Lacey Act. This should prevent widespread introduction of these exotic animals, which can be extremely destructive to U.S. ecosystems and our own native species.

In 2010 scientists identified nine snakes as posing an unacceptable risk of establishing invasive populations; two years later the agency said four of those species would be listed as “injurious”: Burmese pythons, yellow anacondas, and northern and southern African pythons. And now the Service has announced that it will list four of the remaining five snakes under the Lacey Act — the reticulated python, DeSchauensee’s anaconda, green anaconda and Beni anaconda.

Last summer the Center submitted comments on a proposed rule that identified numerous scientific studies documenting the risk posed by exotic constrictor snakes. About 30,000 Center supporters backed our efforts, writing to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to ask that the remaining snakes be listed as injurious. The Center — and the snakes that won’t be trafficked — thank you.

Read more in The New York Times.


Help Bring Northwest Grizzly Bears Back From the Brink — Take Action

Grizzly bear cub

The grizzly bears of the Pacific Northwest could soon get some much-needed help from the feds: The National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service have declared they’ll be teaming up to restore a healthy grizzly population to the North Cascades, bringing in bears from neighboring areas. Now the agencies need to hear from you to know these massive, iconic bears have your full support.

The rugged North Cascades mountain range is key to grizzly survival in the lower 48, according to scientists … but only six bears are currently living there. Since they earned Endangered Species Act protection in 1975, grizzlies have begun to recover — but some populations could still disappear, so they all must be expanded to counter threats like climate change, development and logging.

The Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service have waited years to invite public input on their plan for Cascades grizzlies — so we have to act quickly.

Voice your support now for grizzly recovery in the Cascades to keep this project and these bears moving forward.


Become a Monthly Sustainer

San Leandro City Council Says No to Dangerous Oil Train Project

Oil train

San Leandro, Calif., became the latest city to oppose a proposed Phillips 66 oil train offloading facility in San Luis Obispo County when its city council unanimously passed a resolution Monday urging county supervisors to deny the project’s permit. The San Leandro Teachers’ Association and San Leandro Unified School District are also opposed.

If approved the facility would bring mile-long oil trains, carrying 2.5 million gallons of crude, through densely populated areas nearly every day. Oil train traffic in the United States has increased more than 4,000 percent since 2008 — bringing with it a steep rise in derailments, spills and explosions, with more oil spilled in rail accidents in 2013 than in the previous four decades combined.

“I look out my classroom door every day at the trains going by on the Capitol Corridor,” said schoolteacher Claudia McDonagh. “With the recent exploding derailments in West Virginia and Illinois it becomes easy to imagine one of those mile-long oil bomb trains coming off the tracks and into my classroom.”

Read more in our press release.

Oil Waste Is Contaminating California’s Underground Water, Officials Admit

Contaminated water

Facing tough questions from California lawmakers, state regulators admitted last week that oil companies are contaminating underground water by dumping billions of gallons of toxic waste into protected aquifers.

Documents obtained by the Center had already shown that oil companies were allowed to drill about 2,400 illegal injection wells for waste disposal or oil production into protected aquifers, including many with water clean enough to drink.

But last week’s state Senate hearing confirmed the dire consequences. “We believe that any injection into the aquifers that are non-exempt has contaminated those aquifers,” water official Jonathan Bishop told lawmakers.

This illegal dumping contaminates water because fracking flowback and other oil waste contain cancer-causing chemicals like benzene. But Gov. Jerry Brown’s oil regulators have so far shut down just 23 of the illegal wells, so we have much more work to do.

“If Gov. Brown doesn’t halt fracking and illegal waste water injection, Californians will bitterly regret the damage done to our water supply,” said the Center’s Kassie Siegel.

Learn more about these illegal oil industry wells via our new interactive map.


Help Give Away New Endangered Species Condoms for Earth Day — Sign Up Now

Endangered Species Condoms

At the very first Earth Day in 1970, the world’s rapidly growing human population was a central part of the conversation. But now, 45 years and 3.5 billion more people later, population growth is rarely talked about.

You can help change that by joining the Center’s Endangered Species Condoms project.

Every year we give away tens of thousands of free condoms in packages featuring wildlife threatened by humans’ runaway population and overconsumption. And this Earth Day we’re launching a new lineup of Endangered Species Condoms with different species; new artwork; new slogans; and new, sustainable, fair-trade Sustain brand condoms — but we need volunteers to help us distribute them at events and in communities across the country.

The deadline to sign up to be an Earth Day condom distributor is March 25. Even if you’ve signed up in the past, we need you to confirm your contact information and current mailing address. Sign up to volunteer and get a sneak preview of our new condom designs.


Take Action

Dozens Die in South Pacific Superstorm, Island President Faults Climate Change

Cyclone

When Cyclone Pam hit the South Pacific island of Vanuatu last weekend, at least 24 people died — and the massive storm flattened buildings, wrecked infrastructure, and left more than 3,000 survivors displaced.

Right after the storm hit, Vanuatu President Baldwin Lonsdale warned that climate change was contributing to more extreme weather conditions, specifically cyclone seasons, in his region — like those that caused Pam. In an affecting speech, he also lamented other climate change-related phenomena threatening his country.

“We see the level of sea rise,” Lonsdale said. “The cyclone seasons, the warm, the rain, all this is affected. … This year we have more than in any year. … Yes, climate change is contributing to this. I am very emotional. … We do not know if our families are safe. As the leader of the nation, my heart hurts for the people.”

Read more in The Guardian.


Wild & Weird: Did Man’s Best Friend Cause the Neanderthal Extinction?

Neanderthals

For millennia Neanderthals raised their young, buried their dead, hunted, laughed and lived in the presence of a daunting variety of Pleistocene Eurasian megafauna: giant cave bears, saber-toothed tigers, huge lions, woolly rhinos and leopards. But then, some 40,000 years ago — in what amounts to the blink of an eye in evolutionary time — Neanderthals and that host of megafauna nearly all fell to extinction. No single prevailing theory has yet explained the event.

But we do know that modern humans showed up in Neanderthal territory not long before the Neanderthals disappeared. A new book by retired anthropology professor Pat Shipman puts forth the hypothesis that modern humans, and their alliance with another apex predator, the wolf-dog, allowed the newcomers to hunt more efficiently than Neanderthals. Through domestication of wolves, humans were able to hunt many species, like mammoths, that Neanderthals rarely challenged.

Read more on Pat Shipman’s book The Invaders: How Humans and Their Dogs Drove Neanderthals to Extinction, including an interview with the author, in National Geographic.


Kierán Suckling
@KieranSuckling
Executive Director

Here is the link to the web site http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

There are many more issues going on, so don’t hesitate to take a look at the web site.