Conserving energy when not on trail

Just in from the Royal Society - Science in the news - a handy round-up of what's going on around science in the press:

Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, has said that high-energy light bulbs will begin to be phased out from next year, as part of the Government's practical commitment to reducing carbon emissions:

• The Times, p29, 1 col
• The Independent, p9, 1 1/2 cols
• The Daily Telegraph, p5, 1/2 col
• The Guardian, p6, 1/2 col
• Daily Mail, p38, 2/3 col

Now, there's no need to wait for the change to happen. You can with good conscience swap out your lightbulbs today. Leaving no trace is a no-brainer on trail, but once back home it can be a bit more tricky to figure out how to lessen one's impact - here's a nice video, albeit American, explaining exactly why new energy saving bulbs are better:

Click To Play

If you like the way the above video explains things in plain English, do check out all the other great movies from http://www.commoncraft.com/ - and if you're not already subscribing to our feed in an RSS reader, then specifically have a look at this one:

Click To Play

We specifically recommend Google Reader - and our feed can be found here.

A couple of somewhat related articles from the archive that may also be of interest:

• Human footprint and the trail less travelled
• Minimum Impact - The TGO Guide to walking softly in the wild
• Two Takes on Going Green in the 21st Century

Review round-up: The Wild Places

The two most recent reviews:

New Statesman: Every city-dweller knows the sensation of feeling imprisoned within an urban world of brick and glass. Sometimes it's triggered by a jam-packed thoroughfare in a shopping precinct. Often it is heralded by a crowded train carriage deep underground.
But the next time you find yourself mired in dark thoughts about the soul-blanching impositions of city life, walk straight into the nearest bookshop and buy a copy of Robert Macfarlane's The Wild Places, his erudite and exquisitely written follow-up to his acclaimed debut, Mountains of the Mind. The book is balm for the most acute metropolitan malaise. Read the full review in The New Statesman

The Economist: LIKE a medieval holy man, or modern hippie, Robert Macfarlane sets out for the remote parts of the northern and western British isles, sea-sprayed islands, craggy mountains and great bog plains. He wants to experience wildness. There is not an icy pool he will not plunge into or tree he would not climb. He picks up shards of roughened granite and smooth flints and turns them in his hand. He says: “We have in many ways forgotten what the world feels like.” - Full review in the Economist

Also, reviewed earlier in:

• The Guardian
• The Independent
• New Scientist
• Prospect Magazine
• Scotland on Sunday
• The Telegraph
• The Times

Our earlier coverage:

• Campfire Questions with Cameron McNeish
• Extract from Robert Macfarlane's new book

Climate Change Reading

Further to our Global Warming equation post recently we thought we'd point out that the forthcoming issue of New York Review of Books has a review by Bill McKibben of a slew of new Climate Change books, specifically:

• Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming by the controversial statistician Bjørn Lomborg


• Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility
  by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger


• What We Know About Climate Change by Kerry Emanuel


• Climate Change: What It Means for Us, Our Children, and Our Grandchildren edited by Joseph F.C. DiMento and Pamela Doughman

Also:

"Bill McKibben will be answering questions from readers about his article "Can Anyone Stop It?" and the possibilities for action to stop global warming. Send your question by September 28, 2007" -- Learn how on the NYRB site

You may also be interested to read these recent articles by Bill McKibben, from the Review's archives:

• March 15, 2007: Warning on Warming
• November 16, 2006: How Close to Catastrophe?
• January 12, 2006: The Coming Meltdown.

Our role here at the Wilderness Foundation is to awaken the environmental leaders of the future - we do that primarily in the context of helping people experience Wilderness. We do believe a solid reading list (with a critical mind) goes with any leadership path - hence our gateway to the above.

Also, related items from our archives - Recent literature on Global Warming - New York Review of Books and An exchange on Global Warming.

WFUK Blog on your Mobile

If you have an internet ready mobile then you can keep up with our feeds using Google Reader Mobile - This is in fact faster than going to the full URL when on the go, because Google Reader only loads the headlines and strips the sidebars in the first instance. You then pick which story to read and thus avoid downloading material you won't use.

If you're already using Google Reader, simply go here http://www.google.com/reader/m/view/ from your mobile.

If not, why not set up a few favourite feeds now? - Then you have something to look forward to reading next time you're waiting for the train...

• Wilderness Foundation UK Feed
• Wilderness Foundation SA Feed

Also, if you're reading on normal computer, don't forget that Google Reader has lots of useful keyboard shortcuts? Here are some of them:

• j/k: next/previous item


• n/p: scan down/up (list only)


• o/enter: expand/collapse (list only)


• s: star item


• + s: share item (please do)


• v: view original


• m: mark item as read/unread


• r: refresh


• + a: mark all as read (key if you feel your feeds are giving you information overload)

Click here to see the full list or press "?" to display it any time (in Google Reader).

If you're a member of our growing Facebook group, then you can also access this on your mobile via m.facebook.com/

Reading Round-up: Cameron McNeish

So many great books and authors were mentioned in the recent Campfire Questions with Cameron McNeish that we thought you might want to flick through the covers for inspiration:



...even more reading can be found in our Amazon-run bookstore.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival

There is a call for entries for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival - which runs in the US - but accepts submissions from anywhere. We know our alumni includes a fair few budding film makers and we hope they'll pick up this opportunity and run with it:

"We invite you to submit your films: animation, shorts, narratives, kids’ films, documentaries, and features. Foremost, we are looking for films that demonstrate a passion for the art form as well as a clear, potent, and above all, inspirational message. We feature environmental films that cover all issues, as well as adventure films from around the world. If your film is chosen for the 2008 Official Selection, you will be invited as our guest for the festival, January 11-13, 2008. You’ll have the opportunity to introduce your film, speak at filmmaker forums, attend parties, and enjoy a variety of VIP benefits." - Full call for submissions.

More at http://www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org/

The New Math Of Global Warming

A descriptive slideshow by Craig Damrauer showing the equations for the new math of global warming from the July/August 2007 Issue of Mother Jones:

More Craig Damrauer in 'New Math: Equations for Living'.