Japan Clears up Only 5% of Tsunami Rubble

Japan has cleared up just five percent of the rubble left by last year’s earthquake and tsunami, amid fears it has been contaminated following the Fukushima nuclear accident. The disasters which devastated the northeastern coastal communities last year, left almost 23 million tonnes of rubble in the hardest-hit prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima alone.

Probe Urged on Black Sand Mining

Black sand mining still persists in the Philippines, despite the existence of Batas Pambansa Blg. 265 that prohibits the extraction of gravel and sand and other activities since it erodes the natural beauty of beaches, and resulted to flooding and the occurrence of more waves nearer to the shores.

Mapping the World’s Forests in Three Dimensions

Trees cool and moisten our air and fill it with oxygen. They calm the winds and shade the land from sunlight. They shelter countless species, anchor the soil, and slow the movement of water. They provide food, fuel, medicines, and building materials for human activity. The coastal Pacific Northwest of the USA has the tallest trees in North America, averaging as much as 40 meters in height. It has the densest biomass in the country, but for centuries, it also has been a much-tapped resource.

Minority Partner to Pay $90 Million Over Oil Spill

A minority partner in BP’s blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico agreed Friday to pay $90 million in a settlement with the federal government and Gulf states over the 2010 oil spill. It includes the largest civil penalty ever recovered under the federal Clean Water Act.

Hawaii Plastic Bag Fees Gain Support

A proposal to collect fees from customers who choose disposable paper and plastic shopping bags is gaining support as it works its way through Hawaii’s Legislature.

Staghorn Coral Transplanted to Threatened Reef

In a delicate operation at sea, healthy staghorn coral were transplanted to a threatened reef off the Broward County coast, Florida, by researchers at Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center and its internal National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI).