08 - Sunday 8th July
This archive of news stories on energy related topics came from RSS feeds from the most relevant government institution. These press releases date from 9th July 2012 and no guarantee can be provided on the accuracy of these stories from the Green Deal Group. Click on the relevant links for more information and the corresponding article.
- Dhole (Cuon alpinus) Conservation
South-east Asia is the habitat for the endangered dhole (Cuon alpinus), a red dog which is also known as the Asiatic or Indian wild dog.
Sun 8th Jul 2012 6:21pm - 100 years ago: Ghost moth hovers at its peril
Originally published in the Manchester Guardian on 13 July 1912
At dusk the male ghost moth hovers, swinging slightly to and fro, above the long damp grass; in the half light its white wings give it a peculiarly ghostly appearance. The strange flight is said to be a nuptial exhibition, and the female, which is darker and is marked on the wings, flies quickly and directly towards the hovering male. The thick and greasy body of the ghost is appreciated by bats, and the male when hovering is more easily captured than the swiftly flying female; I have found a big collection of the wings of males beneath the feeding-places of bats, but seldom found those of the females amongst them. Another conspicuous moth at the present time is the sulphur-coloured swallow-tail moth, a very handsome fly. The contrast between the noticeable perfect insect and its excellently protected looper caterpillar is very remarkable. This, one of the largest and most twig-like of the "stick caterpillars," is common on the ivy.
F.E. - I think that the flock of birds seen between Mayfield and Longsight were probably Canada geese and not wild ducks. The fact that there were about a hundred birds, flying in a chevron, suggests these geese, which have begun their daily movements, rather than ducks, which are not yet passing in any numbers.
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Sun 8th Jul 2012 10:30pm - Pollutionwatch: Diesel cars emit more nitrogen oxides than petrol cars
Unseasonably wet and windy weather led to low air pollution during June. Short periods of moderate air pollution were measured in London and Sheffield, and both Port Talbot and Grangemouth experienced pollution from industry. Fine weather from the 19th to 22nd caused a brief return to more typical June pollution when summer-time smog formed over the Midlands, East Anglia and southern England as far west as Bournemouth.
Low air pollution for a month is good news but pollution exposure over many years is thought to have greater health impact than short peaks. At the end of June, the EU refused to give the UK more time to meet limits for long-term public exposure to nitrogen dioxide. Originally set in 1999, these limits should have been met by 2010. Urban nitrogen dioxide is mainly from traffic. While exhaust catalysts have decreased total nitrogen oxides from petrol cars by around 96%, real-world tests show that pollution controls on diesel cars are not as effective. New diesels produce similar nitrogen oxides to those bought 15 years ago. Typical modern diesel cars emit around 20 times more nitrogen oxides than petrol cars. Less traffic would be the most effective way to decrease air pollution but is difficult to achieve quickly. Electric cars require new charging points. Offering incentives for small petrol and petrol hybrid cars, as well as reversing the trend towards more diesel vehicles, could be a practical route to controlling urban nitrogen dioxide.
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Sun 8th Jul 2012 10:30pm