eNewsHound

Everyone seems to be on the environmental bandwagon these days. They recycle and take steps to reduce their carbon footprint — it wasn’t so long ago that no one knew what a carbon footprint was. Most people claim that they would do more for the environment if they could only afford it. They point to the high costs involved in investing in alternative fuels and energy sources as reasons that they can only do so much for the environment — especially in these troubled economic times.

These people will be happy to learn that the costs of installing solar panels in a home or business are actually falling. This is partially due to improvements in technology. As solar panel design evolves, it becomes less expensive to produce. This is true of every type of technology, from televisions to computers to cell phones. Each new model is more technologically advanced and costs less than its predecessors.

Another reason that solar power is becoming cost effective is that the government is doing what it can to encourage conversion. For example, California is offering a host of rebates programs across its various utility companies. Homeowners are able to get tax rebates for converting to solar power through 2016. This has led to plenty of jobs for California solar installers and a steady increase in the megawatts of solar power being produced in that state. Other states as well as federal programs are also in the works to subsidize solar conversion.

Tourists eager for a photo with Cape Town‘s signature baboons will soon face fines or even jail time if they are caught offering food to the wild animals.

Earlier this week officials of the city issued a statement that deliberate baiting of baboons would result in fines of up to 1,500 rand or $150 US dollars. Alternate sentences would involve a six-month jail term. While the warning it mostly directed toward tour operators, tourists who take it upon themselves to feed the baboons would also be liable.

The problems stem from tour operators (and the occasional tourist) who use food to lure the baboons to provide photo-opportunities. The result is that the monkeys have become more and more aggressive in seeking out food. Some have been known to snatch bags from tourists and in a recent case, several baboons jumped into a car to get more food after several American tourists got out to take pictures.

Cape Town is one of the more popular tourist destinations in South Africa. The city has a number of Cape Town five star hotels as well as budget hostels, theme hotels, and guest houses that fill up during the city’s busy season. The baboons are a protected species that make perfect souvenier photos. However, when the animals get too aggressive, park rangers are forced to kill the animals.

The city is planning a “baboon summit” to investigate other ways to deal with the problem. Cape Town is home to an estimated 350 Chacma baboons.

Pale Male, a red hawk was first noted in Central Park in 1991. Since then he has become a beloved part of New York City and has become an integral part of bird lovers’ springtime activities sitting in wait of the hatching eggs of Pale Male’s offspring. The nests watched very intently via binoculars, are on top of an upscale fifth avenue apartment complex. The hawk was driven from the Central Park trees almost 20 years ago by crows, however, his nesting spot is now protected by the housing cooperative. Pale Male met a companion one year after settling into the city, and in 1992 the pair became the chatter of bird watchers all over the world. Three of their offspring hatched that year with two of the birds of prey still calling Central Park their home to this day.

A few years later, his mate died, and Pale Male settled in with a new mate named Blue.

It is believed that Blue lived for about 8 years, and it is assumed she died after her disappearance in 2001. From the windows of the magnificent city of New York, many people were in attendance as eleven new chicks were hatched and grew to adulthood in the park. In 2004, the spikes meant to deter pigeons from nesting were removed from the buildings ledges. This caused quite a stir among bird lovers everywhere as these spikes securely supported the hawk’s nest. The National Audubon Society recommended an initiative to re-install the supports providing the structure necessary to hold the nests securely to the side of the high rise. And while the hawks continue to nest in their re-secured nest, no new eggs have hatched since the original nest supports were removed. The pair of hawks still maintain a strong audience however, waiting hopefully in Central Park and in the New York Airport hotel of New York City to catch a glimpse of hopefully perhaps some new offspring.

The Kuala Lumpur Tower has announced that it will participate in the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) “Earth Hour” on March 28th. Earth Hour is designed to be a symbolic expression by the public of their concerns over global warming. The event, which began in Sydney, Australia two years ago, has received the full support of the “Tower of Hope” program in KL.

The CEO of Menara Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad, stated that the program “is committed to raising awareness on climate change and being the first monument in Malaysia to participate in this cause. He went on to invite other skyscrapers and large hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to join in this worldwide event.

After 2.2 million businesses and homes in Sydney turned off their lights for one hour in March 2007, the Earth Hour movement exploded. It’s estimated that 50 million people turned off the lights in their homes during last year’s observation. World landmarks also participated — the Sydney Opera House, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Colosseum in Rome all went dark for one hour.

The WWF has reported that some of the world’s tallest buildings will participate in 2009. Taiwan’s Taipei 101 tower and the Burj Al Arab in Dubai have committed to this year’s event. There is hope that the Petronas Twin Towers in KL will also observe the dark hour. (They are the tallest twin towers in the world and once held the record for the world’s 1st and 2nd tallest buildings.)

WWF Malaysia has identified ten buildings in Malaysia that it would like to have participate in Earth Hour. Their website offers the public a chance to vote whether they want to see the Towers and other buildings, such as the Istana Bukit Serene palace, participate.

At this time, 930 cities have officially pledged to participate in Earth Hour 2009. That covers 80 countries and 25 time zones. The goal is to reach one billion participants. Earth Hour begins on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 p.m. on the Chatham Islands off New Zealand.