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TOKYO (AP) — Lawmakers in the tiny Pacific island nation of Palau passed a law Thursday to make almost all its coastal waters a marine sanctuary in the latest move to expand ocean protections.
A news release said Palau’s president plans to sign the legislation next week. Friday is a national holiday in Palau.
The Palau National Marine Sanctuary Act designates 80 percent of the nation’s maritime territory as a fully protected marine reserve in which no extractive activities, such as fishing or mining, can take place.
At 500,000 square kilometers (193,000 square miles), or slightly larger than the U.S. state of California, the sanctuary will be the sixth-largest fully protected marine area in the world.
The measure also seeks to prevent illegal fishing by tightening rules for vessels passing through Palau’s waters.
About 20 percent of Palau’s waters will be reserved as a domestic fishing zone for local fishermen and small-scale commercial fisheries with limited exports. There will be a five-year transition as the number of commercial licenses issued to foreign commercial fishing vessels will be reduced and phased out.
President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. described the measure as essential.
“We want to lead the way in restoring the health of the ocean for future generations,” he said in a statement.
The country created the world’s first shark sanctuary in 2009, but until recently had only one patrol boat to help protect its great hammerheads, leopard sharks and more than 130 other species of shark and rays from extinction.
Earlier this year, the government set fire to several vessels caught fishing illegally to underscore its commitment to protecting its seas.
Palau, about 600 miles (970 kilometers) miles east of the Philippines, is one of the world’s smallest countries, its 20,000 people scattered across a tropical archipelago of 250 islands that is a biodiversity hotspot.
The Pew Charitable Trusts provided technical support for establishing the shark sanctuary and the Palau National Marine Sanctuary.
New commitments made this year would protect more than 2.5 million square kilometers of the world’s ocean territory.
Britain plans to establish the Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve in the South Pacific. On Sept. 28, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a fully protected ocean sanctuary in the Kermadecs, about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) northeast of his country’s North Island.
Earlier this month, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet promised to support efforts by the indigenous Rapa Nui community of Easter Island to create a fully protected marine park. Pic courtesy of: memenews.me.
Sunscreens with titanium oxide or zinc oxide have not been found to harm reefs, according to the National Park Service.Pic courtesy of Time
Sunscreens with titanium oxide or zinc oxide have not been found to harm reefs, according to the National Park Service. Additionally, swimmers can cover their upper body with long sleeve shirts or other apparel to reduce sunscreen use.
Researchers urge consumers to consider carefully what sunscreen they buy before swimming in the ocean. Sunscreens with titanium oxide or zinc oxide have not been found to harm reefs, according to the National Park Service.
Sunscreen is part of a long list of threats to coral reefs that includes pollution, overfishing and climate change. Beyond their impressive appearance, coral reefs play an important role for local communities and the world at large. For one, they contribute to local economies through tourism and sustain ecosystems where people can fish. One estimate from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration put the economic contribution of coral reefs around the world at $30 billion each year. Reefs also protect the global environment by serving as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide that would otherwise contribute to global warming.
Sunscreens with titanium oxide or zinc oxide have not been found to harm reefs
We’re all born to adore ourselves, but not all of us grow up
I was once a sociopath. I didn’t know it, and wouldn’t have cared much even if I had. It’s hard to say exactly when I crossed the line from incivility into social savagery, but it was probably the day I tried to clobber a strange man on the head with a boat.
In fairness, the boat was a toy (though it was a big one, made of heavy plastic). And in fairness too, I was only 4 years old. Still, I had a clear idea of the crime I wanted to commit, and I set about carrying it out with quiet deliberateness. The man was a stranger. He had come to our house to pick up a babysitter and was … This appears in the September 1, 2014 issue of TIME. *******************************
Not everyone wants to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to experiencing extreme action: — in fact, most people prefer to do it remotely. But with today’s ultra-small wearable cameras and high-def resolutions, the less outdoorsy among us can experience a bit of the rush without any of the broken limbs. The action camera tech we now use is the product of decades of experimentation by fearless filmmakers and adrenaline junkies alike. Join us in the gallery below as we explore the emergence of the action camera from its clunky early days to today’s go-anywhere POV devices.
I passionately believe utilizing power over the mind through affirmations can be life changing. I scribble my affirmations in a journal as a reminder of my passion for inspiration. Affirmations gain their power from repetition. The more they are repeated the more they impact and shape realities. Let go of all distractions. Be fully present. Feel the emotions. Find relaxation. Allow inspiration to consume you. Open your heart to the affirmations as wholesome and true. Courtesy of http://findingmyinnercourage.wordpress.com/
TIME has won an Emmy award for its groundbreaking website, “Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience“, in the category of “New Approaches to News and Documentary Programming.”
The award was given Monday evening at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards to honor TIME’s multimedia project marking the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which featured interviews with the survivors, first responders and world leaders who took part in that fateful day.
The heart of the project was the photography of Marco Grob, whose portraits formed the center of the work. TIME Director of Photography Kira Pollack served as executive producer.
The The 9/11: Portraits of Resilience project also appeared as a special issue, a film documentary, a book and a photo exhibition. But the website is “perhaps the purest expression of what we attempted to accomplish,” said TIME Managing Editor Rick Stengel. “It’s very gratifying that it was recognized and I want to first of all pay tribute to the brave men and women who suffered through the terrible events of 9/11 and then shared their stories with us.
You don’t have to wait for a perfect day to take advantage, by taking advantage of the day you make it perfect.
I don’t get 10 out of 10 everyday, some days I have fallen below average. However, I still do my very best to take advantage of each day. Believe me you can too. To take advantage of your day you cannot complain and as Maya Angelo said, “What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.”
I don’t know about you, but I have no time to complain. In fact, complaining is a waste of time and energy. Let’s take advantage of each day even when we don’t score “A’s”.
No matter how much I was able to get done yesterday, with today comes a clean slate and the…
Ding dong the day begins.
I fall out of bed and Pugsy grins
and licks my face; I slurp
around the edges of my dream.
Never mind; my day begins!
Now I know I had my socks
somewhere in these drawers,
but now I notice their scattered
here and there all over the floor;
I find them under stacks of books
nesting by the closet door.
You’d think I’d be cleanlier
and have a maid pick my stuff
up every week and sort it out;
but no, I’m lazy like that,
I’d rather suffer through this
exasperating session everyday
to having someone else befuddled
by my mess look at me puzzling
just how I got this way;
for you see I’m a man, or so
they tell me, who has no wife
and should realize I’m not free
as I like to think I am, you see? I’m a bonafied bachelor…
Affirmations gain their power from repetition. The more they are repeated the more they impact and shape realities. Let go of all distractions. Be fully present. Feel the emotions. Find relaxation. Allow inspiration to consume you. Open your heart to the affirmations as wholesome and true. Courtesy of http://findingmyinnercourage.wordpress.com/
