(CNN) -- A piece of ice four times the size of Manhattan island has broken away from an ice shelf in Greenland, according to scientists in the U.S.

The 260 square-kilometer (100 square miles) ice island separated from the Petermann Glacier in northern Greenland early on Thursday, researchers based at the University of Delaware said.

The ice island, which is about half the height of the Empire State Building, is the biggest piece of ice to break away from the Arctic icecap since 1962 and amounts to a quarter of the Petermann 70-kilometer floating ice shelf, according to research leader Andreas Muenchow.

"The freshwater stored in this ice island could keep the Delaware or Hudson rivers flowing for more than two years. It could also keep all U.S. public tap water flowing for 120 days," Muenchow said.

Muenchow's team is studying ice in the Nares Strait separating Greenland from Canada, about 1,000 kilometers south of the North Pole.

Satellite data from NASA's MODIS-Aqua satellite revealed the initial rupture which was confirmed within hours by Trudy Wohlleben of the Canadian Ice Service, according to the University of Delaware website.

Muenchow said the island could block the Nares Strait as it drifts south, or break into smaller islands and continue towards the open waters of the Atlantic.

"In Nares Strait, the ice island will encounter real islands that are all much smaller in size," he said.

"The newly born ice island may become land-fast, block the channel, or it may break into smaller pieces as it is propelled south by the prevailing ocean currents. From there, it will likely follow along the coasts of Baffin Island and Labrador, to reach the Atlantic within the next two years."

Environmentalists say ice melt is being caused by global warming with Arctic temperatures in the 1990s reaching their warmest level of any decade in at least 2,000 years, according to a study published in 2009.

Current trends could see the Arctic Ocean become ice free in summer months within decades, researchers predict.

Global Warming is REAL! Why do the Global Warming deniers, comprised of about 1% of the scientific community, think they have intellectual superiority to the other 99% of the scientists? You know, the thousands of pHD's who are supposedly all wrong? Gimme a freakin' break.

The Summer of 2010 is the hottest on record. It's official. When will people start realizing that climate change and global warming are in fact real? Maybe if something happens like in the movies "2012" or "The Day After Tomorrow" people will believe. Nah. Heck, if we can go through the worst ecological disaster in our history in the BP Deepwater Horizon fiasco and act like the oil is gone all of a sudden, then I guess we're dumb enough to deny anything while we're being driven to extinction.

Hey Global Warming deniers, I'm firing a shot over your collective bow and I hope you get it right between the eyes. Yes, I'm saying it, you're all a bunch of morons. If you don't like it tough doo-doo! If you don't like my take then leave a comment and tell me why you're not a moron. While you're at it, back it up with something besides nonsensical psycho babble. Try science. If you're clinging to religion to make your argument don't waste your time or mine. This is solely a scientific issue and as such I expect you to make your argument solely with scientific evidence.  Somehow I don't think we'll see any comments...

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL VIDEO STORY FROM ABC NEWS

Global land and ocean surface temperatures in the first half of 2010 were the warmest January-June on record, the federal climate service reported Thursday.

January-June temperatures averaged 57.5 degrees Fahrenheit — 1.22 degrees F above the 20th Century average, according to the National Climatic Data Center. Its records go back to 1880.

That broke the previous record of 1.19 degrees F above average set in 1998.

In addition, last month was the warmest June on record at 61.1 degrees F — 1.22 degrees F above the 20th Century average.

2010 has also surpassed 1998 for the most "warmest months" in any calendar year, the center stated.

"Each of the 10 warmest average global temperatures recorded since 1880 have occurred in the last fifteen years," it added. "The warmest year-to-date on record, through June, was 1998, and 2010 is warmer so far."

The warmest year on record is 2005, but that record could fall as well.

The center also reported opposite ice developments on opposite sides of the globe:

• Arctic sea ice covered an average of 4.2 million square miles during June — "10.6 percent below the 1979-2000 average extent and the lowest June extent since records began in 1979. This was also the 19th consecutive June with below-average Arctic sea ice extent."
• "Antarctic sea ice extent in June was above average, 8.3 percent above the 1979-2000 average — resulting in the largest June extent on record."

The center, which calls itself "the largest active archive of weather data," gets monthly updates from national weather bureaus around the world.

Courtesy of MSNBC.com

If you take all the abandoned and classified former industrial sites and dumps across the U.S. and add them together, you get 14 million acres of cheap, available land that could be used as sites for new solar installations and wind farms.  Right now the U.S. EPA is pushing forward with just such a plan, with the National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) helping to assess brownfields and Superfund sites for renewable energy. The program is called Re-Powering America’s Land. It also has a green jobs angle, through  Recovery Act funding. Many of the potential sites are located in or near existing communities and could provide new jobs for local residents.

But wait, there’s more.  In addition to providing new green jobs and clean energy for local use or the wider grid, the program also focuses on green remediation, which uses renewable energy to power equipment used for site cleanup. When you add that up – harvesting clean energy from land that is blighted and usable for not much else, while creating jobs and restoring the site, you gotta wonder why anybody would want to continue blowing up America’s mountains, compromising our water supply, and destroying the Gulf of Mexico in pursuit of fossil fuels.

Reclaiming Land for Renewable Energy

Among the 14 million acres of classified land in the U.S., conditions at the sites can vary widely.  Along with brownfields and Superfund sites, EPA and NREL are also looking at land classified under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.  That means the sites can range from  individual abandoned factories with little or no hazardous materials involved, to part of a toxic stew that blights an entire region, such as the Hazleton area in Pennsylvania which includes the Jeddo Mine Tunnel, notorious for releasing millions of gallons of contaminated water from abandoned mines every day for the past 100 years.

Finding a Place for Solar Arrays  and Wind Farms

In addition to assessing the sites for factors that would enhance (or impede) energy harvesting from the sun and wind, EPA and NREL are also looking at the type of installation that a particular site could host.  The typical solar installation, for example, does not require a foundation to be dug, so it could easily be installed on top of a capped landfill.  For wind turbines, a system of concrete footings and supporting wires could be constructed, instead of drilling into contaminated soil.

A New Energy Future

It could be said – so I’ll say it – that at one time fossil fuels saved the U.S. from becoming a barren wasteland devoid of trees.  Seriously, it is hard to imagine how we could have powered up to this point without burning every stick of wood across the country.  But times change, and our fossil fuel friends have outlived their stay.  They were in marginal use at the birth of this country, and as we push into a new energy future they will return to that status.  It’s only a question of when, not if.

Courtesy of Tina Casey @ Clean Technica.com

 

If you haven't already done so, you must

watch GASLAND by Josh Fox. You can watch the TRAILER here:

GASLAND TRAILER

what you think.It's airing on HBO for the next 2 years at different

times. Check HBO programming for details and showtimes.

Tell us what you think too! Enjoy.

Clean your car the green way. Conserve our most precious resource water the next time when you wash your car by using Eco Touch car care products. You can find Eco Touch at Whole Food Markets and other retailers. To learn more go to www.ecotouch.net

Today is the day. We need to VOICE our support to our state Senators for a comprehensive clean energy bill. Call your state Senators office at Senator switchboard at 202-224-3121. We can make a difference for the future generations. Share with your family and friends.

Text Wildlife to 20222 to donate $10 to NWF for oil spill clean up efforts.

Give these guys a hand! Not all Parrotheads just party and listen to Buffett! Check out the Charlotte Harbor Parrot Head Club in Charlotte County, FL.

How many of you think this would be a great idea for the WHOLE country? Tell me your thoughts by leaving a comment!

LEE COUNTY,FL: Many people have wanted to go green, but thought it would cost too much. On the governor's desk is a bill that would allow the county to pay upfront for solar upgrades and homeowners to pay back a percentage annually.

Lee County resident Mike O'Neil has a family of six.

"Five of them are women, and I don't know how many showers a month they take. But it's more than 30," he said.

He says his electric bill always makes him cringe.  And while he works in the solar industry, he says he simply can't afford the latest and greatest upgrades on his own home.

But a bill that landed on Governor Charlie Crist's desk Monday is geared towards homeowners like him.

"Makes it affordable to people who can't afford it right now and the ones who need it the most," said Reed Wilson, of the Florida Green Team.

The PACE, or Property Assessed Clean Energy, Program uses county bond money to pay for energy upgrades and hurricane protection up front.

Then, the amount is tacked onto that homeowner's property tax annually for 20 years. If you move, the balance is tacked onto the next owner.

The PACE Program is different from Florida's solar rebates, which are so oversubscribed that thousands of homeowner's won't be repaid for solar improvements made last year.

"The PACE program has more promise. There's the devil in the details though," said Wilson.

Those details include things like who pays for the upgrades if the home goes into foreclosure? And how will the county raise bond money?

Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah says the county is looking at having private companies fund bonds up front.

Then, those bonds can be used to purchase solar water heaters, roof panels, even solar pool heaters.

O'Neil says he'll be first to apply.

"I feel like what I'm doing is showing my children what they're learning is what we should be doing because it's what I'm doing," he said.

If Governor Crist signs the bill, funding could be available within three to six months.

Courtesy of NBC-2.com Fort Myers, FL

Regardless of the vehicle you drive, there are ways to drive more efficiently that can yield big savings over the course of a year. Not only will you save money on gas but you'll help conserve natural resources and lower pollution.

Vehicle miles driven have steadily increased over the years which is increasing impacts to our planet. Now is a better time than ever to practice driving more efficiently.

Driving efficiently has even spawned its own sport: “HYPERMILING”

Hypermiling techniques are yielding less consumption and less pollution. It's no wonder the term was selected in 2008 as the best new word of the year by New Oxford American Dictionary.

Although hypermiling may not be for everyone,  there are things that we all can do to save fuel. Check out some of our favorite ways to drive greener:

Controlled Accelerations

By accelerating slow and steady to cruising speed, our vehicle works more efficiently at becoming an object in motion from an object at rest. If we gun the gas and try to get to speed quickly, there is a greater chance of having to slow down again and losing that momentum.

Empty Out The Trunk

An extra 100 pounds in the trunk will reduce your fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent in the typical vehicle.

Still carrying around that camping gear from last summer in the trunk? Golf clubs taken up permanent residence in the back seat? For each and every extra pound you carry, you pay the price to accelerate it and slow it back down each time you drive. Cut down on the "JUNK IN YOUR TRUNK!"

Turn Off The Air Conditioning

Air conditioning in a vehicle can increase fuel consumption by up to 10 percent. Imagine if you suddenly had 10 percent of last year's gas money in your hand!

Keep the Vehicle Maintained

It's important that vehicles are serviced at regular intervals. Dirty oil is not only bad for your vehicle, but requires more energy to work through sludge. Dirty air filters can affect miles per gallon. Our real world experience on a 1,200 mile trip netted an extra 5 mpg! We got 35mpg on the way there and 40mpg on the way back! Now that's some big savings just from changing your air filter!! Vehicle maintenance saves money, save the environment and may potentially save you from large repair bills and / or from being stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Keep the Vehicle Streamlined

A vehicle that moves through the air more efficiently takes less energy to push translating to less fuel consumption. Keep the windows rolled up. Open windows create drag and decrease fuel economy. The same can be said of sunroofs at highway speeds.

Keep your vehicle streamlined by removing those roof and bike racks when not in use. Such racks interrupt the flow of air, creating drag. Another thing to consider is the racks add weight to the vehicle, again costing more in energy to move the vehicle.

If your vehicle tends to look like it won the mud bog championships, give it a bath. An irregular surface from caked mud and dirt can create drag tool.

Slow down

In a typical family sedan, every 10 miles per hour you drive over 60 is like the price of gasoline going up about 54 cents a gallon. CNN Money

The faster your vehicle moves through the air, the greater drag it creates in the surrounding air. By slowing down, the vehicle encounters less resistance and uses less energy for the same amount of work. A reduction of 20-mph in your regular highway speed can yield measurable savings in a short time.

Coasting To A Stop

When you see a red light or stop sign coming up, let off the gas and coast to a stop instead of hitting the brakes at the last second. Doing so saves both gas and brake wear and the planet saves on valuable resources.

Know When To Use Cruise Control

Cruise control can be a valuable tool to maintain a steady speed (and avoid speeding) but lacks the ability to see the hill looming up ahead. You'll coast halfway up the hill and as the car slows down it engages full throttle, demanding the vehicle speed immediately increase along with fuel consumption.

By anticipating the hills and valleys you can drive more efficiently by slightly increasing the vehicle speed as required to climb the hill without a major loss of momentum. In areas where the roads tend to be up and down or crowded it makes more sense to turn off the cruise control and drive smarter.

Turn It Off

If you are stopped on the road for an extended period of time – such as a train passing, road construction, or an accident – turn the vehicle off after 20 seconds or more if possible. This saves idle time fuel, potential overheating and emissions. Idling vehicles consume more gas than moving vehicles.

Avoid Drive Thru's

A fast food drive thru requires you to waste fuel as you wait in line for the pickup. Parking the vehicle and walking in saves that fuel and burns a few calories too!

Check Tire Pressure

Properly inflated tires can reduce fuel consumption by up to 3 percent WikiHow

This a commonly known item to check, but it gets overlooked. A low tire creates more rolling resistance, thereby reducing your miles per gallon. By keeping your tires properly inflated your vehicle rolls more efficiently. That's how we roll!

AVOID OVERINFLATING TIRES, IT IS UNSAFE!

Make Driving Count

One of the best ways to drive greener is not drive at all. Combining chores to a single trip can save greatly on fuel AND your valuable time.

Make It a Game

Make saving gas a game. Track fuel used or miles driven this week, and see if you can beat it next week. Set goals for yourself along with rewards. You can even involve your friends and have a weekly or monthly Green Driver award. Nobody said being a smarter driver had to be boring.

By following these tips you may find you can save a surprising amount of money and help the planet too! Try these and give us your feedback. We'd like to hear your driving greener stories!

 

Cape Wind Approved by Federal Government as America’s First Offshore Wind Farm; Project will Add Clean Energy Jobs for Region
Thursday, April 29, 2010

BOSTON, MA, APRIL 28, 2010 – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced his approval of Cape Wind with a favorable Record of Decision for the project to be constructed on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound off the coast of Massachusetts.

“Secretary Salazar’s decision today to approve Cape Wind has launched the American offshore wind industry. It allows our nation to harness an abundant and inexhaustible clean energy source for greater energy independence, a healthier environment and green jobs,” said Cape Wind President Jim Gordon.

Reflecting on the near decade long permitting path for Cape wind, Gordon said, “Going first is never easy and Cape Wind is proud of the role we played in raising awareness for what will become a major component of our energy future and in helping the United States develop a regulatory framework for this new exciting industry.

“What enabled Cape Wind to reach this crucial milestone is the steadfast support of leading environmental, labor, health and trade organizations and the support of the overwhelming majority of Massachusetts citizens who have repeatedly made their voices heard. We also appreciate Governor Deval Patrick’s support, vision and leadership to make Massachusetts a global leader in offshore renewables and the clean energy economy. Thank you to all those who made this day possible,” Gordon added.

“While this project was exhaustively analyzed and debated and even with Federal and State approvals demonstrating the significant environmental and economic benefits of Cape Wind, we recognize there are some local opponents who disagree, with Secretary Salazar’s decision. We appreciate their involvement in helping to shape the project and we now reach out to ask them to join the community and country in ushering in a new era of environmental stewardship, energy security and prosperity,” Gordon added.

Looking ahead, Gordon said, “We hope to begin construction of Cape Wind before the end of the year.”

Cape Wind completed State and local permitting in 2009.

Cape Wind’s proposal to build America’s first offshore wind farm on Horseshoe Shoal would provide most of the electricity used on Cape Cod and the Islands from clean, renewable energy - reducing this region’s need to import oil, coal and gas. Cape Wind will create new jobs, help stabilize electric costs, contribute to a healthier environment, increase energy independence and establish Massachusetts as a leader in offshore wind power. For more information visit www.capewind.org.

As far as I'm concerned every day is Earth day. We need to make it a daily priority to remind ourselves that we have a daily obligation to take care of our home - Mother Earth. On this 40th anniversary of Earth Day, do something special with the family. Take a walk around your neighborhood and pick up trash. Go to your neighborhood nursery, pick out a tree and have a family planting event. Remind your kids what they can recycle and how to do it. Have fun with it. If you have a family of four or more, split the family up into teams of two and have a kids vs. parents game. Have a trash can and recycle bin for each team. Whichever team has the least trash and the most recycled items WINS! The prize of course is up to the parents.

Here are some ideas:

1. The winners gets to pick what they'll eat for dinner or where.
2. The winners get to pick out the movie for movie night.
3. The losers CLEAN the winners bedroom!

You get the idea. Be creative and have fun! Remember every day is Earth Day!

Water is like the air we breathe, without it we can't live. Water is more valuable than diamonds, platinum, gold or silver. More than 97 percent of the water on Earth is salty, and nearly 2 percent is locked up in snow and ice. This leaves us with less than 1 percent to grow crops, cool power plants and supply water for households. With 83 million more people on Earth each year, water demand will keep going up unless we change how we use it. Americans use about 100 gallons of water at home EACH DAY. In 15 years, 1.8 billion people will live in regions of severe water scarcity. We have to conserve our most precious resource. Here are 15 things that all of us can do immediately to help conserve water:

1. Take fewer and shorter showers (1 shower per day, 5 minute duration if possible)
2. Install low flow shower heads in all bathrooms
3. Install low capacity and / or dual flush toilets
4. Install composting toilets (expensive but worth it if you can afford them)
5. Upgrade water consuming appliances (i.e. washer, dishwasher) to Energy Star versions
6. Wear clothes more than once between washing if possible.
7. Landscape using Xeriscape techniques, drought tolerant plants and mulch.
8. Put sprinkler systems on automatic timers so they only run when necessary.
9. Install rain barrels, cisterns or water storage tanks to store rainwater that can then be used to irrigate landscaping.
10. Repair leaky faucets and running toilets
11. Do not leave water running while brushing your teeth.
12. Install spray heads on all garden hoses to control outdoor water usage.
13. Take fewer baths as filling tubs consume huge amounts of water.
14. Install a greywater recovery system 
15. Do not pre-rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.

As you can see it doesn't take much effort to conserve our most precious resource. 

Happy Earth Day!

As of late, we have raised the average global temperature by .74 degrees C (1.3 degrees F). This number may not seem substantial but these words ARE: flood, drought, hurricane, rising sea levels and bursting levees. We have until 2015 to stabilize our global temperature. If we don't, it will be past the point of no return and conditions on Earth will begin to deteriorate at a rapid pace. I hope that we will have a sense of urgency in striving to prevent the rise of our global temperature. Let us not be the Age of Stupid.

Earth Day: Ten Most Endangered Animals

Green Week runs from 04/18/2010 thru 04/24/2010! To get the schedule for Green Week go to www.greenuniversal.com

You don't want to miss it!

Text GREENU to 46833 to sign up for green tips on the go during Green Week.

Allergy season is here! Scottie's "Planting trees for the future" commitment: For every tree Scotties uses to produce their products they will plant three more trees. I will only buy Scotties tissues from now on. To learn more go to www.jdirving.com

 

Join the E-Campaign. Go to www.EDAY40.com

Also tune in to MSNBC on April 22nd at 11:00pm EST for "Addicted To Power".

It's gonna be a great show!