Noble Discoverer by jkbrooks85 via flickr

Shell Oil to suspend drilling for 2013

Big news this week as Shell Oil Company announced the decision to suspend drilling in the Arctic Ocean for 2013. Give them some applause, if you’d like, for taking safety precautions, but hold off on the standing-ovation; they plan to resume drilling in 2014.

Big Food = Big Problems

Research by Oxfam America shows that big food companies like General Mills and Kellogg’s are “failing the poor.” This negative impact is a direct hit to their supply chains, which are made up of the folks in developing countries that supply the land, labor, water and commodities needed for production.

Shanghai, China adopting urban farming practices

Shanghai, China turns to urban farming as the city grows and demand for food rises. This is just one aspect of the Sustainable Urban Masterplan for Shanghai, which includes plans for vertical farms and community gardens.

Australia reef shallows at risk

Increasing evidence points to global warming as a major contributor to the impending extinction of the coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef is “likely to pass critical damage thresholds in roughly 30 years” due to extreme changes in acidity and temperature shifts.

shore crab by Diving Ben via flickr

Crabs bothered by noise pollution

Did you know that ship noise affects crab metabolism? A study out of the University of Bristol found that reducing harbor noises may lead to higher yields per season, as there’s no evidence of crab adaptation in the form of noise acclimatization.

feature coral image: Great Barrier Reef by Phil Camill via flickr