“Tarsiers under existential threat in Philippines” – AlJazeera English Video

 

UN Video: Sahel Drought

While videos like the above may not be “Trending” on sites like YouTube and Twitter, for the people who experience the depicted conditions in their daily life it is significant. Often, drought is seen as something that need not concern those living in North America or more urbanized regions with the infrastructure and electricity needed to contain and manage water resources. With that said, one should always be wary when having that sense of security as we all share this planet and none of us really know if we could end up like those depicted in this seemingly far-off world in the Sahel.

 

Kenya: Water

Case Study on Kenyan farmers now saving water after implementing a new system.

 

Guyana: Through NASA World Wind and Google Earth

Alongside Google, NASA has played a key role in reshaping our understanding of planet Earth and its position in our universe. Yet, is it still possible in the twenty-first century to have unexplored territory? Being integrated into the Amazon Rainforest ensures the possibility that potential new discoveries are certain in our future versus a figment of our past. Only by understanding the world we live in can we truly understand the role of lifeforms elsewhere.

NASA World Wind image of the Guyana region within South America

With so much foliage, what mysteries lie unearthed?

View Location:  3°58’25.75" N  59°20’21.33" W

Yet, deforestation still exists. Is it truly necessary to new discoveries by reshaping the environment it rests within?

Alternative approaches lead to alternative results. Hard work by a similar brush paints a picture where both the discoverer and the environment can co-exist.

 

Frozen in Time: Aftermath of Volcanic Eruption in Indonesia

If a picture tells a thousand words. This would speak volumes.

 

Indonesia Volcano Eruption: Associated Press Video

Associated Press coverage filming the effects of the volcanic eruption in Indonesia.

Indonesia Volcano Associated Press Video, posted with vodpod

 

INDONESIA – VOLCANO: Mount Merapi eruption France 24

INDONESIA – VOLCANO: Mount Merapi eruption Fran…, posted with vodpod

 

 

Video: Tomas Floods Hard-hit Haiti

Associated Press raw footage of recent flooding within Haiti.

Video: Tomas Floods Hard-hit Haiti, posted with vodpod

 

 

Iceland: Fishing For A Compromise

UKPA is reporting that “in the absence of a fish quota deal with the European Union, Iceland and the Faroes declared they were stepping up their mackerel catch – absorbing the bulk of the available North Atlantic Stock”. When it comes to fishing, cooperation is essential. Management are given a quota which has to respect current predictions concerning the estimated amount of fish available. Fines can be awarded if a quota is breached as quotas are partially intended to preserve the fishing environment from activities like overfishing that leaves an area barren. Additional information on fishing quotas can be found in this article by howstuffworks which describes quotas as,

limits put in place in a wide range of areas including the following:

• Size of the fish you can keep
• Total number or pounds you can keep
• Total number of fish you can keep
• Time period that it’s legal to fish
• Fishing methods
• Fishing equipment

According to Shetland Marine News “the disagreement started after Faroe more than tripled its catch from a quota of 25,000 tonnes to 85,000 tonnes while Iceland increased its 2010 quota by 6,500 per cent from 2,000 to 130,000 tonnes” yet an article from The Press and Journal is reporting that “they also claim the EU has ignored evidence of a substantial increase in mackerel in their waters.” Regardless of reason, overfishing has the potential to devastate future harvests. Ultimately, caution is best exercised in this scenario until a concrete decision is finalized.

 

Mexico – Blanketed By The Weather

 

The Los Angeles Times has recently released an article entitled Mexico, Central America struggle through deadly rainy season detailing how “heavy seasonal rainfall has set off deadly mudslides and widespread flooding across Central America and Mexico’s southeast, killing more than 50 people and displacing more than half a million.”

Just as Guatemala has been stricken by landslides and floods so too has Mexico become blanketed under the torrential rain resulting in widespread insecurity. According to an article released earlier today by the Associated Press, “tens of thousands of people have abandoned their homes across southern Mexico to escape flooding from weeks of torrential rains, and forecasts are predicting even more rainfall.”

Floods are starting to be a recurring event in parts of Mexico like Tabasco, which a BBC article reminds it’s readers “was the scene of devastating floods three years ago.” Yet hope is significant when it comes to learning from the past to minimize damage the future has to offer, and with widespread reports of “the worst to come” as the BBC quoted Tabasco Governor Andres Granier as saying, hope might the driving force affected by the flooding.