With the inhuman actions happening in Darfur, I was shocked (and pleasantly amazed) to read the other day that humanitarian efforts are underway to actually introduce alternative fuel and energy technologies in Darfur and refugee camps. At the first Beyond Firewood conference held in New Delhi last week, humanitarians gathered to develop programs and resources to help the women of Darfur and the environment in one fell swoop. Women cook over open fires in the refugee camps; however, they must go out and collect firewood in order to do so. When there are no longer any trees left for wood, they turn to roots deep in the ground, digging them up and leaving pock marks all over the landscape. Not only does this scavenging hurt the environment, but these women put themselves in harm’s way simply by leaving the camps. If they do make it back, many are sickened by the smoke of the fires they create. Humanitarian groups are now introducing fuel-efficient stoves and solar cookers in the camps and in Darfur to help these women. Sounds to me like we should all be looking at alternative ways to cook if need be, not just in these camps. To learn more about this unique humanitarian effort, visit http://www.enn.com/lifestyle/article/38834.

Instead of John Walsh, it’s the EPA taking names and prisoners if it can. The Environmental Protection Agency has just launched a new website with a list of more than 20 fugitives wanted for criminal acts against the environment. Alessandro Giordano is wanted for allegedly importing illegal cars that didn’t meet U.S. emissions and has reportedly fled to Italy. John Karayannides is wanted for in the illegal discharge of tons of oil-contaminated grain from his ship into the ocean. He is believed to be in Athens, Greece. The list goes on. The website shows each fugitive’s mug shot as well as crimes that have been charged. Most if not all of these fugitives have fled the country. Check out the website and then be on the lookout. And if you do suspect someone, go to your local law enforcement agency – as they say, “Do not attempt to apprehend any of these individuals.” If the EPA has the same kind of good fortune as John Walsh, they could be well on their way to finding these fugitives with our help.

So what is a team of kids from West Philadelphia High School—a public high school serving one of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in the city—doing these days? Building award-winning hybrid and electric cars! The EVX Team has built and raced alternative fuel vehicles for the past 10 years and won the National Tour de Sol in 2002, 2005 and 2006, outperforming the likes of university teams like MIT and industry-production vehicles. This unlikely crew is driven to realize their dreams and full potential to build cars that can make a difference not just environmentally but also to provide a way for disadvantaged kids to succeed in life. They’ve entered the $10 million Progressive Automotive X Price (PAXP) competition. There are 120 teams from 17 countries, where many teams are extremely well financed companies. Read an interview with these indomitable kids on NPR’s On Point and check out photos and a YouTube video of their K-1 Attack. From conception to build, these kids are the real deal. To learn more or to donate to help them build for the PAXP competition, check out their website.

More than two million acres of some of our country’s remaining ancient forests are in danger. This includes the home of wild Pacific salmon (20,000 miles of rivers), huge Douglas fir, western hemlocks and western red cedar trees and elk, deer, black bear and Pacific fishers, plus endangered species like the spotted owl and marbled murrelets. This is their home we’re talking about, people! Sounds like a challenge for our team of protectors – and that means you! Government plans include more than tripling the current level of logging on this land and more than a thousand miles of damaging logging roads would be built. The Wilderness Society is taking action and they need your help. Get involved. Sign the petition and learn more about what you can do to save these ancient forests.

That’s right, Duckey and the Ocean Protectors has made its premier splash into the world and is now available! The whole Duckey team is truly excited about this story and the adventure and lessons of discovery that lie within. With the holidays right around the corner, Duckey and the Ocean Protectors is a fantastic gift for those young readers (and young-at-heart readers) in your life! Order your copies today. Or if you’ve already been on the adventure, head on out to amazon.com and tell us what you think with your own personal review!  “Believe it! Achieve it!”

Yet another reason why it is so critical for automakers, despite their current economic woes, must create a car that is either a hybrid, or solely powered by electric or solar energy. Not only are the exhaust fumes destroying our ozone layer and polluting the air we breathe, but authorities in California have now stated that the “Freeway Complex Fire” might have been accidentally set by the exhaust equipment of a car. That one accident burned 28,889 acres of land, which, as of this post, is 75% contained. The Sayre Fire, where 613 homes and 10 commercial buildings were destroyed in the first 12 hours, is threatening to broaden from its 11,213 burned acres in the next day or two into Coyote Canyon. It’s now 70% contained. If you want to keep track of California’s wildfires, check out http://calfire.blogspot.com/. The acreage and destruction numbers are overwhelming. But more importantly, is the change in our natural habitat causing these fires to start or is it something that man has created that is not working in unison with nature? Fire affects vegetation, which in turn affects local watersheds and drainage, which can then affect the life around that particular habitat. And while fire, in many ways, is a natural part of the ecological life cycle of a forest, the Sierra Club believes that years of overly aggressive fire suppression has actually left many designated forests at higher risk for massive, hard-to-control fires because the forests now have more small brush that is highly flammable. Do you part to protect the forests near you against fire. Visit the Sierra Club website to learn ways to protect your community and what you can do to stop larger, out-of-control fires from affecting our environment.

Imagine pumping a sound as loud as 2,000 jet engines into your ears. Ouch! Mega ouch!! In a sad decision, the Supreme Court recently decided that sound is more important to the U.S.Navy than it is to the whales who live and swim off the shores of California. The sonar that creates this magnitude of sound is used to detect extremely quiet, diesel-electric submarines that might threaten a fleet. The Navy has been using this sonar for training exercises, and while environmentalists have been active in trying to rid its use, the Supreme Court has lifted two restrictions on the Navy’s use of the sonar during training. Hats off to the two dissenting justices, Justices Ginsburg and Souter, for actually realizing that there is potential environmental harm that “cannot be lightly dismissed.” The Navy says there is no documentation that proves the sonar is harmful to whales, but some scientists have estimated that using the sonar during training might cause more than 400 injuries to the beaked whale population — which is already reduced to barely over 1,100 off the West Coast. With the upcoming change in the country’s leadership and administration, the future will hopefully be brighter for these marine animals. Write to your congressmen and women, write to the Navy, and ask them how they would feel with 2,000 jet engines ringing in their ears.