Wildfires in Russia heighten nuclear disaster risk.
Triggered by the country’s worst heat wave in over a century, forest and peat bog fires in Russia continue to blaze, with over 50 lives that have been lost so far and thousands of people homeless. In the capital city of Moscow, smoke from the fires has quadrupled carbon monoxide levels and seriously impaired residents’ breathing, causing hundreds to seek medical attention with flights that have been disrupted as well.

As the flames most recently moved south of Moscow, they have approached the area of the calamitous 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident. Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoygu said that if the fires keep spreading into the Bryansk region of the Chernobyl site, the radionuclide and combustible gases that had been buried underground may be released, thus forming a new dangerous pollution zone.

Experts estimate that the 1986 Chernobyl disaster caused up to half a million fatalities in and around Russia due to cancers, with other contamination effects being seen to this day.

Considered the worst nuclear accident in history, the Chernobyl event 20 years ago also influenced other countries’ policies. A referendum in Italy, for example, resulted in the shut-down of its nuclear industry at the time, while countries such as Germany and Denmark boosted efforts to develop safer sustainable energy resources like wind power.

With our sadness for the lives lost, we thank the Russian government and all the courageous firefighters for your efforts to contain the flames safely. Our prayers for the blessing of cool showers that help restore stability for residents across the land and that such disasters are averted through our harmonious, life-protecting ways.

During a 2008 videoconference in South Korea, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke of the range of environmental problems faced by humanity, highlighting at the same time practical solutions for a secure future.

http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-08-06/russia-wildfires-contamination-emergency.html
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/climate-change/stories/russian-fires-toll-hits-50-animal-shelter-in-danger-
of-burning
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100806/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_fires
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=russia-fires-pose-nuclear  
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/10/chernobyl-nuclear-deaths-cancers-dispute

Pacific meeting discusses Fiji and climate change.
The 41st Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting concluded on Thursday, August 5, following two days of talks in the Vanuatu capital of Port Vila. The leaders from 15 Pacific Island countries discussed climate change, which for many poses the most severe threat to residents’ livelihoods, security and welfare, especially with rising sea levels already engulfing several low-lying member nations.

Participants agreed that policies for reducing emissions must be reached urgently. More cohesive plans are expected to be established in continued talks leading up to the global climate change meeting in Mexico later this year.

The leaders also discussed Fiji as a returning member nation, with all expressing support for her participation as a fully democratic society.

Our respectful salute, Pacific Islands Forum leaders on your steps to work harmoniously toward ensuring the welfare of fellow citizens. May such exemplary eco-friendly initiatives yield ever sustainable living conditions for all Pacific Islanders and their homes.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5irzv48_iTW7kfT_BDUkWjHGklIWQ

Toyota’s Prius tops sales for more than a year.
July 2010 marked the 15th consecutive month that the Japanese automaker’s popular hybrid
electric vehicle was the best-selling car in the country, boosting overall hybrid sales past a million vehicles. As the world’s largest automaker, Toyota Motor Corporation was also the first to commercially produce a hybrid electric vehicle when it made the Prius available in 1997.

With Japan’s government assisting eco-conscious car buyers through tax incentives and other rebates, the popular Prius currently has a wait time of approximately six months. Toyota is also planning additional hybrids along with the development of other green transportation technologies.

Bravo, Toyota and many thanks for your eco-contributions to transportation. Wishing happy travels to the many Prius drivers as we look forward to a future of sustainably powered vehicles for all.

http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2010/08/05/toyota-prius-tops-japan-car-sales-for-15-months/
http://www.favstocks.com/prius-remains-top-seller-in-japan-for-15th-month/0522218/


Indiana State University in the USA installs a parking lot made of permeable asphalt, which reduces costs by absorbing water directly rather than having to be diverted to storm drains while also providing a system of natural filtration.
http://www.wthitv.com/dpp/green_living/ISU-rolled-down-a-GREEN-parking-lot-
http://www.indstate.edu/news/news.php?newsid=2356

Australian researcher Dr. Zoe Richards has discovered a colony of Pacific elkhorn coral, one of the rarest in the world, growing near the Marshall Islands in the North Pacific Ocean.  
http://www.happynews.com/news/7292010/rare-elkhorn-coral-found-pacifi.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article542289.ece