World Population Reaches 7 Billion (Videos) *Unprecedented, dangerous, unsolved problems of human impact on biosphere*

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Earth at Night

World Population Reaches 7 Billion Apparently there are 6,999,999,999 of you around me out there. Living in a rural area looking out at woodlands with no evidence of neighbors while I write this creates a comforting illusion, but this is most likely temporal even at this local level. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, in the video below, says, "To keep the kind of economy we have today, and that many in the poor world aspire to reach in the future, is already imposing unprecedented, extremely dangerous, and unsolved problems of human impact on the natural environment."

Ecological Costs Sachs discusses the ecological costs, noting deforestation and pollution, of feeding 7 billion people. The power generation necessary for 7 billion people is staggering, requiring the burning of coal, oil, and gas which results in 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere annually and ultimately climate change. The world population continues upwards at 75 - 80 million people per year. More people, more pressure on the Earth's resources. The current economic system is already unsustainable for water, biodiversity, climate change, pollution, etc. and Sachs says, "We have absolutely an unsolved, first-rate conundrum that is a challenge for the whole world." Sachs reiterates Malthus' warning that the human population would press against the finite limits of the planet and agrees this is "absolutely correct". "It is a focal and central challenge for the planet in the decades ahead." A "decent and sustainable world" is the mission of the Earth Institute and the reason for Jeffrey Sachs video.

The 7 Billion Challenge The rapid rise in the world's population to 7 billion - from 6 billion just a dozen years ago - poses enormous challenges. In this video, Earth Institute Director Jeffrey D. Sachs talks about the stresses our population already puts on the planet, and the mission of the institute to tackle those problems and promote sustainable development.

7 Billion People The UN estimates that the 7 billionth baby will be born on October 31, 2011.

The Earth Institute
The Earth Institute brings together the people and tools needed to address some of the world's most difficult problems, from climate change and environmental degradation, to poverty, disease and the sustainable use of resources.

International Union for Conservation of Nature
Conserving Biodiversity

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The Great Ocean Garbage Patches (Videos) *Human trash impacting marine life*

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Pollution on seashores and the open ocean is increasing

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Plastic bags and other human trash are now common in the world's oceans. With the world's population now reaching 7 billion people, up 1 billion in 12 years, the pollution of the world's oceans with human trash intensifies. Dr. Marcus Eriksen, of the 5 Gyres Institute, studies the amount and impact of plastic debris in the ocean. He has traveled to the ocean gyres that trap this debris in a giant garbage patch, an enormous plastic soup. The North Pacific Gyre, or garbage patch, may be the size of Texas. Dr. Bill Van Bonn, of the Marine Mammal Center, adds that he has seen plastic bags in the stomachs of whales, sea lions, and dolphins. Trash is mistaken for food or prey by the creatures in the sea and ingested.

Plastic Bags and the Environment CNN's Amber Lyon examines the effect plastic bags have on the ocean.

Plastics in the Oceans Dr. Marcus Eriksen, was interviewed on 11 Alive News for Earth Day. Eriksen studies plastics in our oceans, and the effects on our water and planet.

World's Ocean Gyres

The 5 Gyres Institute
Our mission is to conduct research and communicate about the global impact of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans and employ strategies to eliminate the accumulation of plastic pollution in the 5 subtropical gyres.

Marine Mammal Center
Our mission is to expand knowledge about marine mammals - their health and that of their ocean environment - and to inspire their global conservation. Our core work is the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured marine mammals, supported by state-of-the-art animal care and research facilities, a corps of dedicated volunteers, and an engaged community.

International Union for Conservation of Nature
Conserving Biodiversity

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The Great Penguin Rescue (Video) *Dyan deNapoli, an oil spill, & 40,000 penguins!*

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African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) during The Great Penguin Rescue

The only penguin species that breeds in Africa

Conservationists Respond to Save African Penguins The world's largest animal rescue occurred in 2000 in South Africa. The iron-ore carrier MV Treasure sank in Table Bay. A 3-mile oil slick formed and 75,000 African Penguins, about 50% of the entire population, were threatened during breeding season. Ultimately 20,000 penguins would be coated with toxic oil and 90% would survive as a result of feeding and cleaning each penguin. It would take 2 people at least 1 hour to clean 1 penguin. Another 20,000 penguins were captured and transported away from the threatened area. In addition, 3,000 chicks were rescued, hard-raised, and the survival rate was higher than chicks raised by parents in the wild. Conservationists worldwide, including Dyan deNapoli, responded to the monumental task to rescue the penguins. In the video below, Ms. deNapoli tells the story of 12,500 volunteers saving 40,000 penguins in a 500,000 hours effort. The IUCN lists the African Penguin as Endangered, undergoing a rapid population decline, probably as the result of commercial fisheries and shifts in prey populations. deNapoli says this is due to over-fishing and global warming. She concludes, "Humans have always been the greatest threat to penguins, but we are now their only hope".

Dyan deNapoli: The Great Penguin Rescue A personal story, a collective triumph: Dyan deNapoli tells the story of the world's largest volunteer animal rescue, which saved more than 40,000 penguins after an oil spill off the coast of South Africa. How does a job this big get done? Penguin by penguin by penguin ...

Related Story

Saving South African Penguins (Video) "No one wants a world without penguins!"

The Penguin Lady

About Dyan deNapoli Call her "the Penguin Lady." Dyan deNapoli educates the world about these fascinating birds. While she was the Senior Penguin Aquarist at the New England Aquarium, Dyan deNapoli hand-raised dozens of penguin chicks, presented daily programs about penguins to aquarium visitors, and traveled the globe to work with penguin researchers in the field. Now, as head of her own educational company, she frequently writes on penguin topics and has served as the onboard penguin expert and guest lecturer on cruise ships visiting the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica. She estimates she has taught about 250,000 people in the US and abroad about penguins.

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Baby Dolphins Steal the Show (Videos) *Diego, Doerte, Darwin make first public appearance*

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Doerte with mother Delphi at Duisburg Zoo in Germany

Star Attractions at Duisburg Zoo The star attractions at Germany's Duisburg Zoo, baby dolphins Diego, Doerte and Darwin make their first public appearance. The three were born in the late summer to different females. Zoo director, Achim Winker says the births are very special because dolphin breeding in captivity is a relatively new discipline. Winker said, "It took the young dolphins about half an hour to be born and they immediately swam to the water surface to take their first breath. Since then they have swum next to their mothers as dolphins do".

Baby dolphins swim into Germans’ hearts Baby dolphins Diego, Doerte and Darwin make their first public appearance at Germany's Duisburg zoo. Tara Cleary reports.

Dolphins Steal the Show at German Zoo Three baby dolphins are the star attraction of Germany's Duisburg Zoo. The three dolphins named Diego, Doerte and Darwin were born in late summer to three different mothers. According to the zoo, the birth of the animals was a very rare occurrence.

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