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Philippines Puerto Princesa River Is One Of New7Wonders Of Nature

January 30, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) is now officially one of the New7Wonders of Nature, the founder of global campaign announced on Saturday.

Bernard Weber, founder-president of New7Wonders, congratulated the Filipinos as the 8.2-kilometer Palawan river joined the Amazon rainforest, Vietnam’s Halong Bay and Argentina’s Iguazu Falls as among the world’s new seven wonders of nature.

“When your very own President Aquino came out in support of the PPUR campaign, I knew that this country was taking the New7Wonders of Nature seriously,” said Weber. “Fans of PPUR all over the world responded to his call for action by voting in record numbers and today’s confirmation is the well-earned reward for this extraordinary display of enthusiasm.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Environment, Nature, Tourism, Travel ·

Mutineers’ Barren Refuge Turns Tourist Paradise

January 23, 2012 by ·

It’s bare of white sandy beaches and about as far away as you can get from anywhere – but that hasn’t stopped super-remote Pitcairn Island from marketing itself as a holiday paradise in a newly embraced tourism push.

Today, about 50 residents on the lonely island in the South Pacific are celebrating Bounty Day – or the 222nd anniversary of the burning of HMS Bounty – along with a handful of visitors who were drawn in for the festivities.

Islanders hope the official holiday, marked with boat races and the annual burning of a miniature replica of the Bounty, will become an annual tourist-puller as they look to holidaymakers as a way to bolster a flagging economy. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Environment, Nature, Tourism ·

Greenpeace Urges Government To Halt ‘Reckless’ Arctic Oil Rush

January 19, 2012 by ·

At a special House of Commons hearing, ministers will be asked to reconsider support for Cairn Energy drilling in the far north

The government will be urged on Wednesday to help build a more sustainable world by putting a brake on the oil industry’s “reckless” race to the Arctic.

At a special House of Commons hearing, Greenpeace will tell ministers to reconsider their support for Cairn Energy and other companies drilling in the far north unless they attach the most stringent operating conditions. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Environment, Nature ·

Is The End Near? Opinions Vary On Mayan Calendar, Doomsday

January 9, 2012 by ·

Have a good New Year’s Eve? Party a bit? Drink too much? First week of 2012 been going pretty well?

Well, enjoy yourself while you can because, if some anonymous and long-deceased Mayan calendar-maker is to be believed, it’s the last new year you’ll ever get.

That’s right: The official countdown to the biggest blowout Ma Earth has ever seen has begun.

Unless, of course, it hasn’t.

Wishy-washy? Sure. And for that, blame a calendar created by the Mayans a few thousand years ago that, some believe, portends all sorts of apocalyptic ugliness happening on or around Dec. 21, 2012. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Change, Documentary, Environment ·

Your 2012 Guide To Surviving The End Of The World

January 8, 2012 by ·

The year 2012 is finally upon us, and December 21 looms on the yearend horizon. At the moment, doomsday believers are already counting down the roughly 350 days left in the Mayan Calendar.

Most people find the 2012 prophecies laughable, but that’s only because the earth, tenacious planet that it is, has managed to survive many doomsdays in the past decade.

People may think of it as an unfulfilled prophecy, but it is actually an incredible feat of survival on the earth’s part. Why, just last year, we’ve survived the apocalypse twice when Harold Camping made his two magnificently mistaken rapture predictions. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Documentary, Ecology, Environment, Facts ·

Palawan’s Underground River Among New7Wonders

November 12, 2011 by ·

The Philippines’ Puerto Princesa Underground River has been declared as one of the provisional winners in the search for the new seven wonders of nature.

A day before the voting ended yesterday night, the Philippine government mounted a “last ditch” effort through the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) by ordering all local government officials from governors down to barangay captains to urge Filipinos around the country to cast their vote for the underground river.

Agencies under the DILG, including the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, were also ordered to urge their members and linked groups to vote for the underground river. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Ecology, Environment, Wildlife ·

Italy Scientists On Trial Over L’Aquila Earthquake

September 22, 2011 by ·

The trial of six Italian scientists and a former government official for manslaughter over the 2009 earthquake in L’Aquila has opened in the city.
The 6.3 magnitude quake devastated the city and killed 309 people.
Prosecutors allege the defendants gave a falsely reassuring statement before the quake after studying hundreds of tremors that had shaken the city.
The defence argues that there is no way to predict major earthquakes even in a seismically active area. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Change, Environment, Global Warming, Nature ·