Planet Earth is in Deep Trouble

The Environment was back in the news because of an oil spill at the Gulf of Mexico and the release of a report by US president Obama's cancer panel of the link between chemicals and cancer. Oil spills cause irreparable damage to fauna and flora, and people who depend on these resources for livelihood. The recurring episode shows that we have not yet learnt the right lessons from Exxon Waldez.

The report prepared by Obama's cancer panel says that, "...Approximately 41 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and about 21 percent will die from cancer...". The panel, in its 240-page report, suggests strengthening of research into environment chemicals and cancer. The chapter, Environmental Exposures Related to Modern Lifestyles, is a great read on how humans are being exposed to environmental carcinogens daily.

After carbon footprint, the digital footprint is also affecting the environment or is going to affect the environment in a much bigger way. A report in Guardian says that cloud computing will use energy in such a way that the carbon footprint increases by leaps and bounds, unless reined in by truly green technologies. Jan Wildeboer, an open source evangelist, says in a video posted on YouTube that proprietary formats will augment the volumes of digital waste, unless replaced with open source formats. Sounds pretty grim. Watch the video anyway.

BBC reports that the ash misery from Eyjafjallajökull will continue to haunt air travellers.