Usual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change events are attended by country delegates and representatives, but for this meeting the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is calling for Heads of State to come to the meeting in the hopes to speed the negotiations process, making climate change a political priority. March Start Location: Columbus Circle, NYC (other locations global as well). MORE

While in Chesapeake Bay, the container ship Columbus America collided with the container ship Neptune Jade near Norfolk, Virginia during a thunderstorm. An estimated 30,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil from the Columbus America spilled into the Bay, closing the main channel into Norfolk and some port facilities until the spill could be contained. Spills are an unfortunate reality of moving oil on or near water. MORE

It’s official. It’s spring. By all measures, meteorological, astronomical and anatomical, spring is sprung. The meteorological date is from March 1st, the Vernal Equinox was passed on March 20th which accounts for the astronomical marker when the sun crosses the equator on its northwards ramble. April is now behind us and Old Tom’s arthritis is clearing up nicely, thank you very much for asking. The migrants are coming (Hurray!). Some are already here, or passing through. MORE

The Columbus Dispatch reports that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has released a new list of 10 species banned from being imported, exported, sold or possessed in Ohio. Here is the Columbus Dispatch article with the 10 banned species MORE

"Coursing through Midtown, from Columbus Circle to Times Square and the Far West Side, the People's Climate March was a spectacle even for a city known for doing things big." So Among those marching were United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon, former vice president Al Gore, and New York mayor Bill de Blasio, who just announced that the city was committing to and 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. MORE

It is estimated that people in Yemen eat as much as 500 grams of the stuff each day, and seem to be content to enjoy just sitting around and being mildly intoxicated by its effects, which many say are a substitute for the favorite vice of the west –– alcohol –– (officially banned in Muslim Yemen), tobacco, and certain mild narcotics like hashish. Naswar was introduced into Western Europe by Ramon Pane, a Spanish monk after Columbus sailed the Americas from 1493-1496. MORE

This was where Christopher Columbus was dreaming of dropping anchor when he happened upon the Americas instead. Plastic is all but banned. Home About What and who we are Staff Awards Press Tips Why travel green Green traveler’s to do’s Carbon Offsets Travel secrets of frequent fliers Buy Deals Photos Wine Green wine: what is it? MORE

Columbus has spent $723,000 to get rid of the rotten taste and smell in drinking water caused by toxic algae at Hoover Reservoir. Columbus is just the most-recent city to have to battle the issue with dollars.which is fine for accounting purposes, but such costs have little relationship to the true economic costs of the adverse event.  The ban, which affected 2,000 customers, lasted two days. MORE

"Coursing through Midtown, from Columbus Circle to Times Square and the Far West Side, the People's Climate March was a spectacle even for a city known for doing things big." So Among those marching were United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon, former vice president Al Gore, and New York mayor Bill de Blasio, who just announced that the city was committing to and 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. MORE

As Christopher Columbus sailed through Caribbean waters, he described turtles “in such vast numbers that they covered the sea.” Standardized catch and survival rates, and effect of a ban on shark retention, Palau pelagic longline fishery. Imagine our oceans as a highway — a deep, long highway that wraps all the way around the world. Seventeenth and eighteenth century mariners’ logs recorded traffic jams on that undersea highway. Traffic jams of sea turtles, not sailing ships. MORE

Christopher Columbus Park. So that was May. Despite looking way older than his years, we cannot attribute Regannet’s haggard appearance to hard birding, scoring only 19 during eBird’s Big Day was not the greatest effort expended on May 4th. In fairness, he had to celebrate Star Wars Day with his teenage son as this is their only means of effective conversation. 3 guesses as to where the award for biggest day and best follow-up post goes ? MORE

His parents moved where opportunity beckoned, taking him from San Angelo, Texas, to Columbus, New Mexico, then to Dallas, and finally on to California. He returned to the Colville and Yukon Rivers and found numbers of birds still decreasing, but by then banning of DDT had coincided with the first hatches of captive- bred Peregrines. Author Sherrida Woodley thinks deeply about dearly departed birds. such as California Condors and Passenger Pigeons. MORE