Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Frogs and yams in danger; Can't a gibbon get some love?

Another batch of articles links for you, dear readers.

First up, this week's Extinction Countdown stories for Scientific American:

I yam what I yam--and what I yam is endangered and under-researched

Bad news for crested gibbons, the forgotten apes [I was disappointed this one didn't generate more readers and comments, but then again, the point of the story is that no one cares about gibbons, so I guess I wasn't surprised.]

Are Frogs Injurious Species?

Next, two Green Tips blogs from the virtual pages of Green Hands USA:

Eco-Aware Moms Pick Greenest Food Brands

New Book Smartens You Up About Solar Power

And finally, here's a long-delayed comic-book review written for Joe Bob Briggs:

Blood Orange #1

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Bumblebees, eco-friendly fur, zombies and more

I'm working on several new features at the moment, which I'll link to here as they appear. Meanwhile, here are last week's articles:

First up, as always, my Extinction Countdown columns for Scientific American:

Horn of rarity: Asia's 'unicorn' resurfaces after 10 years--then dies

Cost to save the world's tigers: $10,000 each per year (or just pennies a day!)

British bumblebees are inbreeding themselves into extinction

Next we've got a few fun pieces for Mother Nature Network:

Got brains? New college course digs deep into zombies

Can fur be eco-friendly?

Last but not least, here are my most recent items for Green Hands USA, including my first "green music" story:

New Book Smartens You Up About Solar Power

Reverb Seeks Volunteers for Campus Consciousness Tour

College Students: Win an iPad by Being Green

Enjoy!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Lots of new "green" articles

It's been a busy few weeks at the Platt keyboard, all in the "green" arena.

First up, several new "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

Reefs at risk: Roundup at the not-so-OK coral corral

Close call for endangered moapa dace as fire destroys only habitat

Dammed if they don't: Cost to protect endangered sturgeon in South Carolina could be $100 million, utility says

Toxic avenger: One man's desperate idea to save the rhinos--poison their horns (this was the most popular story on their site for four days running)

Report: 21 percent of Africa's freshwater species threatened with extinction

Deepwater doom: Extinction threat for world's smallest sea horse

Next up, my first article for Mother Nature Network:

Does this Gulf seafood smell good to you?

And, the first of many new Green Tips blogs for Green Hands USA, where I am now the site's Editorial Director:

Yes, Your Individual Actions Make a Difference

Finally, here's a non-green item, a long-delayed book review for the Joe Bob Briggs website (written around 2004, just posted now):

Showcase Presents: Jonah Hex Volume 1

Enjoy the reading!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

From the archives: The Pick Up Artists

This fun feature appeared at Tonic.com in July 2010:

Pick Up Artists: Driving Across America, Picking Up Garbage

They've picked up 37,000 pounds of garbage so far, and they're just getting started.

When most people see a fast-food bag fluttering on the corner of the highway, they probably shake their heads and keep on driving.

The Pick Up Artists aren't most people. These four young environmentalists are driving across America, conducting roadside cleanups and spreading the word about reducing waste.



Read the rest here.