Riled Up Journal

My Plan for the Future: Less Gas, Less Whining.

Dear fringe reactionaries complaining about the EPA’s new fuel standards, which will rise to 55 mpg by 2025, Stop whining. You’ll be fine. The new fuel standards are not “extreme.” They’re good for everybody and everything. Even those of you who think you could never give up your SUV. Listen: you never needed that tank anyway – or all the tanks of fuel they burned up. You, in the SUV – your life fits in a Ford Focus. What’s that you say? You like to camp? Please. You camp as often as ...

3063

March of the Soldier Crabs

by Gary Ray, PhD Typically, we think of great migrations of wildebeests in East Africa, caribou in Alaska, or whales in the southern oceans but crabs don’t often come to mind. According to our ‘guest post’ arriving today from Gary Ray, a researcher in the US Virgin Islands, we should widen our point-of-view. Steve Simonsen, the videographer a fine documentarian, captured video a very rare event---the migration of hermit crabs marching back nto the island’s forests after their ocean breeding ...

2938

March of the Soldier Crabs

by Gary Ray, PhD Typically, we think of great migrations of wildebeests in East Africa, caribou in Alaska, or whales in the southern oceans but crabs don’t often come to mind. According to our ‘guest post’ arriving today from Gary Ray, a researcher in the US Virgin Islands, we should widen our point-of-view. Steve Simonsen, the videographer a fine documentarian, captured video a very rare event---the migration of hermit crabs marching back nto the island’s forests after their ocean breeding ...

3055

March of the Soldier Crabs

by Gary Ray, PhD Typically, we think of great migrations of wildebeests in East Africa, caribou in Alaska, or whales in the southern oceans but crabs don’t often come to mind. According to our ‘guest post’ arriving today from Gary Ray, a researcher in the US Virgin Islands, we should widen our point-of-view. Steve Simonsen, the videographer a fine documentarian, captured video a very rare event---the migration of hermit crabs marching back nto the island’s forests after their ocean breeding ...

2721

Wolves Help Slow Climate Change

“Conservation must be done on a continental scale,” says Mary Ellen Hannibal in the New York Times. She’s talking about keeping wolves on the endangered species list, and how they affect beavers and moose and the whole ecosystem that’s connected, one to another, and that helps keep the forest healthy which, in turn, helps mitigate the impacts of Global Warming. - Reilly

2910

Wolves Help Slow Climate Change

“Conservation must be done on a continental scale,” says Mary Ellen Hannibal in the New York Times. She’s talking about keeping wolves on the endangered species list, and how they affect beavers and moose and the whole ecosystem that’s connected, one to another, and that helps keep the forest healthy which, in turn, helps mitigate the impacts of Global Warming. - Reilly

2466

Wolves Help Slow Climate Change

“Conservation must be done on a continental scale,” says Mary Ellen Hannibal in the New York Times. She’s talking about keeping wolves on the endangered species list, and how they affect beavers and moose and the whole ecosystem that’s connected, one to another, and that helps keep the forest healthy which, in turn, helps mitigate the impacts of Global Warming. - Reilly

2507

A Smarter Way to Battle the Cold

Trucking Companies Have to Worry About More than Just Wasting Diesel By Bob Ward Anyone who cares about energy consumption has wondered at the vast amounts of fuel consumed by the huge semi trucks that haul goods and materials on our highways and interstates. But these diesel-powered behemoths consume far more than just gasoline. During winter, when diesel engines must be warmed before they’ll start, trucking companies spend huge money to heat their engines, using heating elements much ...

2032

A Smarter Way to Battle the Cold

Trucking Companies Have to Worry About More than Just Wasting Diesel By Bob Ward Anyone who cares about energy consumption has wondered at the vast amounts of fuel consumed by the huge semi trucks that haul goods and materials on our highways and interstates. But these diesel-powered behemoths consume far more than just gasoline. During winter, when diesel engines must be warmed before they’ll start, trucking companies spend huge money to heat their engines, using heating elements much ...

1703

A Smarter Way to Battle the Cold

Trucking Companies Have to Worry About More than Just Wasting Diesel By Bob Ward Anyone who cares about energy consumption has wondered at the vast amounts of fuel consumed by the huge semi trucks that haul goods and materials on our highways and interstates. But these diesel-powered behemoths consume far more than just gasoline. During winter, when diesel engines must be warmed before they’ll start, trucking companies spend huge money to heat their engines, using heating elements much ...

1847

A Little Aussie Battler

Riled Up’s occasional contributor Wayne Osborn and his wife Pam provided a new report on whale migrations from their vantage point at Exmouth Gulf on the Indian Ocean coastline of Western Australia. They posted this note from a recent observation today during their current humpback whale population survey: Injured Whale Calf (credit: Wayne Osborn) “Hi all: This is a new season whale calf we photographed in Exmouth Gulf a few days ago. This guy has been worked over to the max by killer ...

1826

A Little Aussie Battler

Riled Up’s occasional contributor Wayne Osborn and his wife Pam provided a new report on whale migrations from their vantage point at Exmouth Gulf on the Indian Ocean coastline of Western Australia. They posted this note from a recent observation today during their current humpback whale population survey: Injured Whale Calf (credit: Wayne Osborn) “Hi all: This is a new season whale calf we photographed in Exmouth Gulf a few days ago. This guy has been worked over to the max by killer ...

2026

What the Ice Trade Tells Us About Technology

Sometimes, you should let an industry go bankrupt. By Michaela Capps In the 19th century, one of the leading industries was the ice trade that, at its peak, employed an estimated 90,000 workers. It shipped ice from cold parts of the world to warmer parts. However, by the end of the 19th century, the ice trade was dying; it was bound to happen, we figured out how to make ice artificially. Now, I may sound like Mitt Romney here, talking about letting the auto industry go bankrupt, but I’m ...

2102

What the Ice Trade Tells Us About Technology

Sometimes, you should let an industry go bankrupt. By Michaela Capps In the 19th century, one of the leading industries was the ice trade that, at its peak, employed an estimated 90,000 workers. It shipped ice from cold parts of the world to warmer parts. However, by the end of the 19th century, the ice trade was dying; it was bound to happen, we figured out how to make ice artificially. Now, I may sound like Mitt Romney here, talking about letting the auto industry go bankrupt, but I’m ...

2536

A Little Aussie Battler

Riled Up’s occasional contributor Wayne Osborn and his wife Pam provided a new report on whale migrations from their vantage point at Exmouth Gulf on the Indian Ocean coastline of Western Australia. They posted this note from a recent observation today during their current humpback whale population survey: Injured Whale Calf (credit: Wayne Osborn) “Hi all: This is a new season whale calf we photographed in Exmouth Gulf a few days ago. This guy has been worked over to the max by killer ...

2034

What the Ice Trade Tells Us About Technology

Sometimes, you should let an industry go bankrupt. By Michaela Capps In the 19th century, one of the leading industries was the ice trade that, at its peak, employed an estimated 90,000 workers. It shipped ice from cold parts of the world to warmer parts. However, by the end of the 19th century, the ice trade was dying; it was bound to happen, we figured out how to make ice artificially. Now, I may sound like Mitt Romney here, talking about letting the auto industry go bankrupt, but I’m ...

2707

The High Environmental Cost of Wasting Food

By Michaela Capps Americans waste 40 percent of their food. Much of this waste is attributed to the fact that we treat expiration dates as infallible. Turns out expiration dates have a lot of wiggle room and don’t have much to do with food safety, more to do with “peak food taste.” Of course food companies would err on the side of caution when creating these dates, but I sincerely doubt they’re being precautious for the sake of their customers’ health. They would rather I toss the food and ...

2066

The High Environmental Cost of Wasting Food

By Michaela Capps Americans waste 40 percent of their food. Much of this waste is attributed to the fact that we treat expiration dates as infallible. Turns out expiration dates have a lot of wiggle room and don’t have much to do with food safety, more to do with “peak food taste.” Of course food companies would err on the side of caution when creating these dates, but I sincerely doubt they’re being precautious for the sake of their customers’ health. They would rather I toss the food and ...

1720

The High Environmental Cost of Wasting Food

By Michaela Capps Americans waste 40 percent of their food. Much of this waste is attributed to the fact that we treat expiration dates as infallible. Turns out expiration dates have a lot of wiggle room and don’t have much to do with food safety, more to do with “peak food taste.” Of course food companies would err on the side of caution when creating these dates, but I sincerely doubt they’re being precautious for the sake of their customers’ health. They would rather I toss the food and ...

2287

Yes, it’s a Trash Can. Yes, it’s Awesome.

Check this out. Yes, it’s a trash can. But it’s no ordinary trash can. This is a self-powered, self-compacting trash bin from Big Belly Solar that senses when it’s getting full and then compacts itself. When it fills up 85 percent of the way, it’ll send a message to the right person that it’s ready for emptying. This reduces collection trips, fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent, and eliminates the costs of servicing empty bins. - Michaela Capps

2881

Yes, it’s a Trash Can. Yes, it’s Awesome.

Check this out. Yes, it’s a trash can. But it’s no ordinary trash can. This is a self-powered, self-compacting trash bin from Big Belly Solar that senses when it’s getting full and then compacts itself. When it fills up 85 percent of the way, it’ll send a message to the right person that it’s ready for emptying. This reduces collection trips, fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent, and eliminates the costs of servicing empty bins. - Michaela Capps

2450

Yes, it’s a Trash Can. Yes, it’s Awesome.

Check this out. Yes, it’s a trash can. But it’s no ordinary trash can. This is a self-powered, self-compacting trash bin from Big Belly Solar that senses when it’s getting full and then compacts itself. When it fills up 85 percent of the way, it’ll send a message to the right person that it’s ready for emptying. This reduces collection trips, fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent, and eliminates the costs of servicing empty bins. - Michaela Capps

2624

Fire & Ice

Robert Frost wrote his famous poem Fire & Ice about how the earth might end: Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. Frost wrote his poem in 1920 but he might have thinking about the USA in fall 2012 considering all the fires ...

2105

Fire & Ice

Robert Frost wrote his famous poem Fire & Ice about how the earth might end: Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. Frost wrote his poem in 1920 but he might have thinking about the USA in fall 2012 considering all the fires ...

1984

Fire & Ice

Robert Frost wrote his famous poem Fire & Ice about how the earth might end: Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. Frost wrote his poem in 1920 but he might have thinking about the USA in fall 2012 considering all the fires ...

2003

Raffi Lied to Me

Why Letting Your Imagination Run Away With You is a Good Thing By Michaela Capps Growing up in the ‘80s, before Baby Einstein and Baby Mozart, we listened to Raffi every day on the way to school. My favorite one was always “Baby Beluga.” Sing it with me: I sang it at school, around the house, around campfires, on hikes, at night trying to make myself fall asleep. My mom, who was an elementary school teacher, knew how much little kids liked this crap and, at the time, I was ...

2103

Archive Highlights

Video Highlights

Recent Archive Highlights

Environmental Art

Patagonia and Sustainability

Where Good Ideas Come From

Bottled Arctic Notes

Bloody Falls, Dry Valleys, & Mars

With the Stoke of a Pen, an update

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