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World's largest ecological study aims to make palm oil wildlife-friendly

A new palm oil plantation in Borneo, Malaysia, is being used by researchers to study ways of retaining endangered wildlife, including the orangutan

Have you ever thought about what it’s like for the animals and birds living in a forest when it’s cleared to make way for a palm oil plantation? It’s similar to finding your home being demolished brick by brick.

First the loggers come in and take away trees of commercial value. Species such as the orangutan, which rely on tree cover, will retreat to the forest boundaries, perhaps venturing out into the logged forest while there are still remnants of habitat left.

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Source: Guardian Environment

Great migration of animals from Serengeti to be broadcast online

Epic journey of nearly 2 million wildebeest, gazelle and zebras to Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserve will be tracked on internet

Every year a million wildebeest, half a million gazelle and 200,000 zebra make the perilous trek from the Serengeti park in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara reserve in Kenya in their search for water and grazing land. It is one of nature’s most spectacular sights – and one that few people are able to see first hand.

But this year the dramatic display will be broadcast live on the web – complete with expert commentary.

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Source: Guardian Environment

Animals kill seven people in seven weeks, says Malawi wildlife park

New managers of Liwonde national park say elephants and crocodiles have killed three poachers inside, and four people outside, the unfenced park

Elephants and crocodiles have killed seven people in separate incidents over a seven-week period in and around a wildlife park in Malawi, the park’s managers said.

African Parks, a Johannesburg-based group, attributed the deaths in Liwonde national park primarily to the fact the reserve is unfenced and also because poachers are illegally entering the park. The park’s 80-mile (129km) perimeter will be fenced, which will take 18 months, according to the non-profit group.

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Source: Guardian Environment

VW owners can expect recall information this week

Volkswagen says that customers of the 11m vehicles affected will be contacted in the next few days

Volkswagen is poised to tell 11 million motorists in the next few days that it needs to recall their vehicles as the carmaker prepares its response to the emissions scandal that has rocked the company.

Matthias Müller, the new chief executive of VW, told a meeting of the company’s top 1,000 managers on Monday night that a comprehensive plan has been drawn up to ensure vehicles fitted with a defeat device meet emissions standards.

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Source: Guardian Environment

Live Q&A: Can students lead the way to a more sustainable future?

Join us from 1-3pm on Thursday 8 October to discuss how students can be more sustainable

“Young people should care about the environment for one morbid reason – we’re the ones who’ll be affected most by climate change,” says Jack Stapleton, 19, a student at the University of Sussex.

Issues such as man-made climate change and resource depletion are no longer just something for future generations to worry about, they’re happening now and will affect young people the most.

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Source: Guardian Environment

Largest 3D-printing Facility In Southeast Asia Opened in Singapore

 

Ultra Clean Asia Pacific (UCT), a semiconductor sector company, yesterday announced the launch of the UCT Additive Manufacturing Center, the largest commercial 3D-printing facility in Southeast Asia.

Located in Singapore, the Center aims to capitalise on the growth of 3D-printing targeting some of the early opportunities in sectors like aerospace and medical equipment.

It’s another significant announcement coming from a region that has been the hub of traditional manufacturing. Large-scale facilities, such as UCT, could play a significant role in transitioning 3D-printing from being an experimental, prototyping technology, to being a mainstream manufacturing process.

Source: Largest 3D printing factory in Southeast Asia opens in Singapore

Lead image from Flickr, licensed under creative commons

The post Largest 3D-printing Facility In Southeast Asia Opened in Singapore appeared first on Circulate.

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Smart Solar Trackers Could Transform Cleantech

Solar energy is a proven renewable energy technology, which is already growing rapidly in terms of the amount it is used. A significant part of that growth can be attributed to the fact that there are lots of technological innovations still frequently shaking up the industry. One example is the continued development of solar panels that track and follow the sun, an innovation that many believe can potentially improve energy production by up to 20%.

Several startups and companies have invested in solar tracking technology, though so far, none have entered the mainstream marketplace. One interesting recent example is the emergence of Sunfolding, who have used robotics to design solar panels that respond to the sun and weather conditions, protecting itself in harsh conditions, while using a simple air compression mechanism to alter position.

Sunfolding’s technology is specifically designed to last decades without needing to be repaired or altered. Large parts of the product are being designed to be made out of plastic, lowering costs significantly, it’s a promising example of a possible step forward in this area of renewable technology.

Source: Inventor looks to shake up cleantech with smart solar trackers

Licensed under CC – credit Flickr user: Oregon Department of Transportation

The post Smart Solar Trackers Could Transform Cleantech appeared first on Circulate.

Source: Circulate News RSS

New Zealand's new ocean sanctuary will be one of world's largest protected areas

The Kermadec ocean sanctuary, in the South Pacific and spanning 620,000 sq km, expands an existing reserve surrounding the Kermadec Islands

New Zealand will create one of the largest marine protected areas in the world, spanning an area of 620,000 sq km.

The Kermadec ocean sanctuary will be one of the world’s most significant fully protected ecosystems, the prime minister of New Zealand, John Key, told the UN general assembly in New York.

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Source: Guardian Environment

New South Wales will not rush new shark deterrents despite spate of attacks

State premier Mike Baird convenes top scientists in bid to understand animals’ behaviour after recent surge of attacks on state’s north coast

Shark deterrents will not be put in the ocean off northern New South Wales just to “placate” people’s fears, a leading shark biologist has declared as another expert said no shark deterrent is going to be 100% effective.

A shark summit has been convened by the NSW premier, Mike Baird, to discuss potential new technologies to ward off shark attacks and shark bites after an increased number of attacks off the north coast of NSW this year. However, any technology discussed is unlikely to be on the beaches this summer.

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Source: Guardian Environment

Shark attacks: northern NSW residents overwhelmingly oppose cull

More than 80% of people in the Ballina region oppose lethal measures in response to attacks, University of Sydney study reports

Most people in northern New South Wales oppose a shark cull, a survey by the University of Sydney has found.

The research, released on the eve of an international shark summit in Sydney, found more than 80% of people in the Ballina region opposed lethal methods in response to shark attacks.

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Source: Guardian Environment