You may forward Planet Waves Monsanto Eco to your friends. They can sign up for this free environmental newsletter from Planet Waves. Dear Friend and Reader: NASA is set to launch a satellite July 2 that will inventory places on Earth that absorb carbon from the atmosphere (known as sinks) and those that emit carbon (known as sources), in an effort to gather data that will aid in predicting global warming effects, The Guardian reported June 30. Called OCO-2, or the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, it will use onboard spectrometers to take hundreds of thousands of measurements daily.
This is the second attempt at launching an orbiting carbon observatory; the 2009 OCO craft failed to reach orbit. OCO-2’s planned July 1 launch was scrubbed due to an issue with the system controlling water flow on the launch pad. The July 2 launch is scheduled for 2:56 am PDT. What will OCO-2 detect while flying over Pennsylvania? Hundreds of thousands of abandoned and plugged oil and gas wells across that state -- and, by extension, across the United States -- may be leaking methane, suggests a study of 19 such wells conducted by Mary Kang of Princeton University, The Guardian reported June 20. Methane is about 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide in causing global warming over a span of 100 years (and 84 times more potent over 20 years). Yet the federal Environmental Protection Agency rarely considers methane leaks from oil and gas wells in its greenhouse gas inventories, since state regulations focus on fluid leaks, not gases.
Stressing its importance, Robert Jackson, a professor of global environmental change at Duke University, said, "The total emissions could be as much as one eighth of all methane released by human activities in the state." Lawrence Cathles, a Cornell University professor who downplayed Kang’s findings, told The Guardian: "What matters is how methane leakage changes in the future," adding, "If the well leakage is significant, reducing it in historic wells might reduce greenhouse forcing somewhat." Texas-Sized Weed Problem Prompts ‘Emergency’ Herbicide Request Regulators at the Texas Department of Agriculture filed a petition with the EPA on June 18 requesting emergency use of the hazardous herbicide propazine to kill glyphosate-resistant "super weeds," EcoWatch reported. Three million acres of genetically engineered cotton have been infested by pigweed, a highly invasive plant known to be resistant to Monsanto's best-selling Roundup. Bill Freese, science policy analyst at Center for Food Safety, warns, "Herbicide-resistant crops lead to increased herbicide use and this is just the beginning. Monsanto, Dow Chemical and other pesticide-seed giants have developed a host of genetically engineered crops that will trigger a huge spike in the use of toxic weed-killers."
Telltale Tail-Feathers Concern Fukushima Ornithologists Researchers with the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology have detected abnormalities in small migratory birds found in and around the Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, Asahi Shimbun reported June 25. On Oct. 24, 2011, following the meltdowns at Fukushima, a small migratory bird, the common reed bunting, was found with uneven tail feathers that had a moth-eaten appearance. "The tail feathers on the chicks and the adults have different shapes, so we monitor them closely," said Kiyoaki Ozaki, deputy director-general of the Yamashina Institute. "But this sort of abnormality hasn't been reported before. I've seen thousands of the birds, but it was the first time for me to see tail feathers like these."
More than 2,000 visitors have rushed to the Jardin des Plantes in Nantes, France, to view a large flower dubbed “Titan’s Penis” before its bloom fades for another decade, the AFP reported June 30. Known scientifically as Amorphophallus titanium, the unusual phallus-shaped flower began blooming on Sunday. The flower only lasts 24-48 hours. Endemic to western Sumatra, several botanical gardens possess one. The biggest flower in the world, “Titan’s Penis” can reach heights of three meters (nearly 10 feet); Nantes’ specimen is only 1.6 meters. Size jokes aside, its odor might be more impressive: it is also called a “corpse flower,” after its stench like rotting flesh. Said one visitor named Christian Hamon, "It is a pretty flower, well-designed, well-structured." As always, nature’s beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Please send ideas for items to include in Planet Waves Monsanto Eco to eco@planetwaves.net. Yours & truly,  Amanda Painter and the ECO editorial team You may forward Planet Waves Monsanto Eco to your friends. They can sign up for this free environmental newsletter from Planet Waves. Planet Waves Monsanto Watch (ISSN 1933-9135) is published each Tuesday evening in Kingston, New York by Planet Waves, Inc. Editor and Publisher: Eric Francis Coppolino. Business Manager: Chelsea Bottinelli. Web Developer: Anatoly Ryzhenko. Research, Writing and Editing: Planet Waves Monsanto Watch is produced by a team consisting of Elizabeth Michaud, Amanda Moreno, Amanda Painter, Amy Elliot, Carol van Strum, Len Wallick and Chad Woodward.  Outside of the Box, Beyond the Grand Cross: The Mars Effect 2014 Astrology Readings Now Available for Half Price Dear Friend and Client: It's been quite a year so far. You know you're in a different place compared to where you were six months ago, yet you may be wondering whether you're actually any closer to your goals or to working out unresolved situations. Now would be an excellent time to check in with your astrology.
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