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2) World’s Largest Wind Farm to Be Built in the US

3) BC Upham, triplepundit.com 12/14/09

5) Miller Chapter 17

6) Area Covered: Regional- Oregon

7) Next year, the construction on the world's largest wind farm will begin in Oregon. The farm will have 845 MW of capacity by using 338 of General Electric's 2.5 MW turbines. It is predicted that the farm will produce 2 billion kilowatt-hours per year which will power 235,000 homes. This 2 billion dollar project will generate 400 jobs during construction and 35 to maintain the farm. According to USA today, most of the permits needed for the project have already been obtained which is crucial to the progression of this task.

8) I think that this is very important in moving our country towards cleaner energy. The technology for green electricity has been known but knot implemented to it's fullest potential; this project will influence other states and areas to use greener technology.

9) 2.5 MW turbines: These are General Electrics new wind turbines. They have higher energy capture, reliability and efficiency than the previous models.

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2) CAMBODIA: Once ‘Extinct’ Crocodile Claws Its Way Back to Survival - IPS ipsnews.net

3) ipsnews.net Nov. 20, 2009

5) Miller Chapter 11

6) Area covered: regional- Southeast Asia

7) Siamese Crocodiles once inhabited an area that stretched far and wide across Southeast Asia. Due to habitat loss and poaching, the siamese crocs were named extinct in the wild. They were illegally hunted for their skin which is much softer than other crocodiles. This declaration occurred 20 years ago; although in 2000 several dozen of them were found living in Southwest Cambodia. Scientists feared the crocs found were a hybrid animal but DNA tests confirmed that they are indeed siamese crocodiles. The estimated population of these animals is 250 which are residing mostly in Cambodia. Scientists say that the news is very encouraging and shows that it is possible for the crocs to claw their way back from the brink of extinction. One last important point about the remaining crocodiles is that the mature adults that do exist are not genetically related which will increase the genetic diversity when breeding.

8) It is nice to see that a species thought to be extinct has independantly worked its way back into the ecosystem successfully. It gives hope for other critically endangered species by demonstrating that it is possible to re-establish a population after 99% of the original population is gone.

9) Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature: an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. IUCN's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable

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NRDC: Press Release - Killing Carp: Chicago Canal Poisoned to Keep Invasive Fish Out of Great Lakes


3) nrdc.org Dec. 2, 2009


5) Miller Chapter 11

6) Regional Area: Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal and Lake Michigan

7) Lake Michigan's ecosystem is already extremely damaged by the introduction of many invasive species. This is due to the canals that took the lake out of isolation and linked the lake with other water ways. The largest problem that is being faced right now is the Asian Carp. This fish is on its way towards Lake Michigan and it poses a big threat to the already hurt ecosystem. The Carp reproduces rapidly, filter feeds 40% of their body weight each day, and may eventually out-compete native species. To stop this, state and federal agencies have begun to poison the Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal to prevent the carp from entering the lake while maintenance is performed on an electrical barrier intended to keep the fish out.

8) I think that this is a good idea because the asian carp could be detrimental to the lake Michigan ecosystem. The poison may not be a good idea because the poison may travel down or up stream and even into the lake; but the electrical barrier is something that wont harm a lot of the aquatic life in the area.

9)Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal: The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, historically known as the Chicago Drainage Canal, is the only shipping link between the Great Lakes (specifically Lake Michigan by way of the Chicago River) and the Mississippi River system, by way of the Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers.

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