Gulf Coast Oil Spill Monster Catastrophe

The horrific Gulf Coast Oil Monster lives.

It's been over a month since this Oil Monster came to life on April 20, 2010 by way of the Frankenstein company, oil company BP plc.

Just like in the novel and films, BP plc tries to hide and cover its monster, Gulf Coast Oil Monster either by lying, hiding, or worse...incompetently calculating the volume of oil spewing out of this Monster. I think young gnomelet could've done better math than that...

Way beyond what BP estimates at 5,000 barrels of crude oil spewing out..."scientists studying video of the gushing oil well have tentatively calculated that it could be flowing at a rate of 25,000 to 80,000 barrels of oil a day."

Here is NASA's photo of the ugly Gulf Coast Oil Monster taken May 24, 2010


photo by NASA


So far, attempts to stop the Gulf Coast Oil Monster have failed.

Operation 125-tonne (280,000 lb) container dome
result: Fail

Operation: ROV's, BP sent out six remotely operated vehicles to activate the blowout preventer valves
results: Fail, Fail, Fail, Fail, Fail, Fail

Operation: "Top Hat" which is a smaller cointainment dome
result: lowered into water but postponed because of the failure of the larger containment dome

Operation riser insertion tube
result: collected some oil, but ultimately not enough. It was removed for operation Top Kill

Operation Top Kill
result: Fail

What's Next?
Operation LMRP or the lower-marine-riser-package (LMRP) cap containment system. "It involves an underwater robot using a saw to hack off the leaking pipe and place a cap over it."

They expect this operation will "last four days," and it'll be the first attempt at 5,000 feet.

Now Mama gnome would like to point out the key words in the quote above, "hack off the leaking pipe."

Um, if someone is bleeding, do you hack off the arm so you can cover it up?

Mama gnome is not an engineer but this operation doesn't sound good to this old gnome. Does it to you?

In addition to what Mama gnome listed, they're also using up til now:
Operation controlled burns and Operation chemical dispersants.

Mama gnome is a strict environmentalist and she would like to give all these a big F for "For crying out loud, fire and more toxic chemicals into the ocean? Give me a break."

And the booms...uh, did anyone notice the massive oil plumes under the surface.

The Gulf Coast Oil Monster is spewing oil underwater.

What in the world are we going to do?

Uh...how about an oil rig in the Arctic Ocean...

Can you just see it? The black and white panoramic view of massive oil spill off Alaska's coast? Unbelievable...
"Shell Oil was poised to begin exploratory drilling this summer on Arctic leases as far as 140 miles offshore."

It makes Mama gnome's blood boil.

Please see this post by the NY Times. Mama gnome's blood pressure shot up some more.

"The federal Minerals Management Service gave permission to BP and dozens of other oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico without first getting required permits from another agency that assesses threats to endangered species — and despite strong warnings from that agency about the impact the drilling was likely to have on the gulf."

"The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is partly responsible for protecting endangered species and marine mammals. It has said on repeated occasions that drilling in the gulf affects these animals, but the minerals agency since January 2009 has approved at least three huge lease sales, 103 seismic blasting projects and 346 drilling plans. Agency records also show that permission for those projects and plans was granted without getting the permits required under federal law."

The Minerals Management Service Director Elizabeth Birnbaum stepped down because of pressure. No kidding.

Mama gnome is anxiously waiting for the announcement of a moratorium on offshore drilling.

And Mama gnome paces in front of the aga stove, cookies burning, waiting for the Gulf Coast Oil Monster to be defeated somehow...

Please help fight Oil Monsters and Go Green..

(c) 2010 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama gnome presents the Mystery Animal of the Day

The Mystery Animal is threatened by the Gulf Coast Oil Monster

This animal is "especially vulnerable to oil. Not only could they eat tainted fish and feed it to their young, but they could die of hypothermia or drowning if they're soaked in oil."


If you guessed the Mystery Animal is the Brown Pelican, Mama gnome hopes if you go fishing, please be responsible for your fishing lines. Birds become entangled, maimed and killed because of fishing lines.


photo from: Ianare Sevi


The Brown Pelican "is the only dark pelican, and also the only one that plunges from the air into the water to catch its food."

They can dive from as high as 60 feet.

Pelicans have a pouch on their throat. It's the gular pouch which can hold three gallons of water and fish.


It's a myth that the Brown Pelican can go blind from diving for food.

What is true?

This animal can go blind from avian botulism
"Avian botulism, caused by eating diseased fish found in "dead" water (overly warm water devoid of oxygen), wrecks havoc on water bird populations, killing up to 50,000 per year. Not only does the botulism cause blindness, it can also bring about paralysis so severe that the pelicans cannot hold their heads up and thus drown."

Pelicans can also go blind from chemical spills which can burn their eyes and sewage which can cause infection.

Mama gnome was also upset to read this:

"Pelican rehabilitation facility statistics in Florida show that 90% of pelicans under care suffer from injuries sustained by entanglement in fishing lines, nets, and hooks. Experts believe that at some point in a pelican's life, 80% will become entangled either in an active line or in discarded line thrown thoughtlessly into the sea."

The Beatles have this beautiful song "Free as a Bird" and Mama gnome is quite sad to realize that birds are not free, they do not have a free life thanks to humans and their pollution, oil and fishing lines.

Here is a video of a Brown Pelican being washed and cleaned to get oil and pollutants off its feathers.


video from: SavingSeabirds

Please see and hear the beautiful birds of the Gulf Coast in peril because of the Gulf Coast Oil Monster


video from LabofOrnithology


Mama gnome hopes you can do one or more things from this list to help the Brown Pelican and other birds

• Please bring your own reusable bags when shopping. Avoid plastic bags or paper bags like the plague. Tons of plastic bags end up in our waterways into the oceans and become part of Plastic Bag Monster minions entangling, killing millions of marine birds every year.
• Please use your own reusable stainless water bottle. Avoid plastic bottles for they are also Plastic Bag Monster's favorite minions which kill marine animals and birds.
• Please do not discard used oil down the driveway. It ends up in the storm drains and all drains lead to....yup, the ocean. Presto, they create their own Oil Monsters in our oceans. So please discard oil responsibly.
• Please visit the site American Bird Conservancy and allaboutbirds.org
• Please participate in the Annual Coastal Cleanup Day as Mama gnome and young gnomelets do. It's an international event and it's on the third Saturday of September every year. You will help save countless marine animals and birds from plastic and trash.
  

Mama gnome would like to preen and clean her feathers, then she will soar into the sky and dive bomb to snap up Oily Petroleum humans who create Oil Monsters.

Please join Mama gnome and help protect our birds...and go Green!

(c) 2010, Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mama gnome's Reached Her Limit and so has Earth

Mama gnome's just about reached her limit..And so has Earth...

Here's a scary scenario.

Doomsday.

Mama gnome tries to stay positive. Think positive and it'll work out.

But according to this UN Report...all these positive brain waves aren't going to cut it anymore.

Planet Earth has just about reached her limit.

We are at the precipice about to tip over.

But please don't take my word for it.

Here is what Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity said:
"This report is saying that we are reaching the tipping point where the irreversible damage to the planet is going to be done unless we act urgently."

He "argued that extinction rates for some animal or plant species were at a historic high, up to 1,000 times those seen before, even affecting crops and livestock."

The UN Report identified 3 major tipping points:

• "The dieback of large areas of the Amazon forest, due to the interactions of climate change, deforestation and fires, with consequences for the global climate, regional rainfall and widespread species extinctions."
  
• "The shift of many freshwater lakes and other inland water bodies to eutrophic or algae-dominated states, caused by the buildup of nutrients and leading to widespread fish kills and loss of recreational amenities."
• "Multiple collapses of coral reef ecosystems, due to a combination of ocean acidification, warmer water leading to bleaching, overfishing and nutrient pollution; and threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of species directly dependent on coral reef resources."

Please watch the official video of Global Biodiversity Outlook 3


video by: chmcbd

Mama gnome restates these 3 Earth tipping points:

1. deforestation of the Amazon rainforest
2. dying out of freshwater lakes and other inland water bodies because of pollution
3. collapse of coral reef ecosystems because of overfishing, ocean pollution and acidification
   

Mama gnome likes to think positive.

Nice thoughts are good for birthdays but it won't stop ocean acidification, slashing and burning of rainforests, overfishing and humans' obsessive consumerism to the point of just blatant disregard for everything else.

Mama gnome just wants to say stop. Please stop. Before it's too late.

What can humans do to pull us back from the edge of the cliff?

1. Reduce consumption of meat. Billions of people eating meat is the main cause of the Amazon's destruction. They burn the forests to clear it to raise cattle, to plant soy and grain to feed the cattle. Stop this vicious cycle.

2. Watch your money. Save. What a deal right? How? Stop driving so much, stop using so much electricity, stop using so much gas, stop buying so much take out food and disposable plates, styrofoam, paper. By being frugal and saving money, you're helping save the planet.

3. Reduce consumption of fish. Man. Better yet, stop eating sushi. Fish gets no break. They're not even counted as animals I don't think. Have we forgotten where life comes from? From water. If we kill all the fish and our oceans die out, it's bye-bye land animals as well. Please help stop the vicious overfishing of our oceans.

4. Start a vegetable/fruit garden. This is a win-win situation. If you have limited space, use pots/containers. For families with children, it's great incentive to get the kids involved in the process from the beginning, they can see the "fruits" of their labor and might even eat their fruits and veggies.

Mama gnome urges You...yes you sitting there, reading this... to do something.

Even just one thing, one little thing I mentioned in the list to save the planet.

Can you imagine the power of that times 6 billion plus humans?

Please go green.

(c) 2010 Jenaelha, Friendly gnome's blog

Gulf Coast Oil Spill Monster Mayhem Continues

And like a relentless horror movie series, the story of the Gulf Coast Oil Monster seems to have no end in sight.

On April 20, 2010, a deadly fiery explosion on the offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon, courtesy of the petroleum company, BP plc, gave a fiery start to the Gulf Coast Oil Monster.

On that day, the Gulf Coast Oil Monster killed 11 and injured 17 people.

Five days later, the Monster grew in size, Here is a picture taken April 25, 2010 by NASA.


photo from NASA April 25, 2010


And now to this...

Just today, May 19,2010, a photo taken by NASA reveals the Oil Monster has grown even more.


photo from: NASA


The Gulf Coast Oil Monster spreads its tentacles above the water and underneath. According to this report by NY Times, May 15, 2010:

"Scientists are finding enormous oil plumes in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, including one as large as 10 miles long, 3 miles wide and 300 feet thick in spots."

"Scientists studying video of the gushing oil well have tentatively calculated that it could be flowing at a rate of 25,000 to 80,000 barrels of oil a day. The latter figure would be 3.4 million gallons a day."

Underwater oil plumes that are 10 miles long, 3 miles wide, 300 feet thick. Can you imagine if you're diving and you swim and are engulfed by this plume?

Up to 80,000 barrels of oil...PER DAY! 3.4 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY!

BP plc has not been forthcoming with sharing footage of the Gulf Coast Oil Monster spewing out oil.

Why the censorship? Why the delay?

Mama gnome likens this to when Dr. Frankenstein tries to hide the monster he created.

But much much worse.

The Gulf Coast Oil Monster is real and has truly killed humans, animals, habitat, lives and livelihood.

It's sickening.

According to this post:
Louisiana's state bird, the Brown Pelican is in danger.

It was just recently taken off the endangered list and now to have to face the Gulf Coast Oil Monster when they're quite vulnerable.

What chance do they have?

They've also mentioned 12 other endangered or threatened Gulf species in peril including sea turtles, sperm whales and birds.





video from: DiscoveryNetworks


What can we do to prevent spawning new Oil Monsters?
Please log on to 350.org's action page to ban OffShore Drilling

Please be aware of your dependency on oil. Limit driving and dependency on oil as much as you possibly hurting can.

And Mama gnome's previously listed BP plc's products which she will list again if you're NOT interested in them:

• BP petroleum and derived products
• BP service stations
• Air BP Aviation Fuels
• Castrol motor oil
• ARCO gas stations
• am/pm convenience stores
• Aral service stations solar panels

Please help fight Gulf Coast Oil Monsters and Go Green!

(c) 2010 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Gulf Coast Oil Spill Monster Mayhem

Mama gnome continues the terrible tale of the Gulf Coast Oil Monster...

This Oil Monster, born out of explosion and fire on April 20, 2010, continues on its path of mayhem and destruction.

photo from: NASA April 25,2010

Five days later, this is what the Gulf Coast Oil Monster looked like May 1, 2010

photo from: NASA

The Gulf Coast Oil Monster's creator is the company BP plc (formerly known British Petroleum plc)

Mama gnome has written about this company's involvement in creating other environmental disasters.

But their latest spawn, the Gulf Coast Oil Monster is predicted to take down the Exxon Valdez monster.

Actually, this monster is predicted to be "the worst US oil disaster in history."

How's that for monstrosity?

This is not a fantastical story. It is horrifically True.

Mama gnome would like to say BP plc wins an award for doing a tremendous-I-can't-believe-they-even-started-this-rig-and-bloody-can't-deal-with-this--tear-my-hair-out-mess-awful job in trying to control their monster.

Please pardon Mama gnome. She's terribly upset. Well, aren't you?

Okay, Mama gnome would like to narrate BP plc's pathetic attempts in a somewhat cohesive manner.

First, they sent an ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle) to try to close the rig's blow-out preventer. As of May 2,2010, they've sent out six, not two, not three, not even five, but six ROVs to close the valve. And as you can tell. They've all failed.
Here is a video of an ROV trying to close that valve. You can see the Gulf Coast Oil Monster belching and spewing oil.


video from ecoversity


Second, they've tried placing a humongous dome over the gushing oil pipe. Here's a picture of the plan.

photo from: Wikid77

And the result was a resounding failure.

Next they're drilling a relief well.

Mama gnome asked they can do that? Well, guess what? It's only going to take them oh I don't know...two to three months!

So Mama gnome would like to give them a big failing F grade and off blog Mama gnome would like to say the F stands for something else.

BP plc, as they rightfully should, continues to come up with ideas to try and control the Gulf Coast Oil monster according to this report by Robert L. Cavnar on Huffington Post

Mama gnome would like to list them here for you:

• "top hat"
• "junk shot"
• "top kill" also known as "bullheading"

What?

You think Mama gnome's been putting something into her morning elixir drink (so vital for life)?

No, please read Mr. Cavnar's post. And here is a small bit of what Robert Cavnar said:

"One very strong impression I have is just how unprepared BP was for an incident of this magnitude. They have had to manufacture all of these devices on the fly, including the manifold they are currently setting next to the wellhead. They are taking suggestions from anyone and everyone who wants to call, and seem willing to try almost anything."

For anyone interested here is a list of BP plc's products.

Anyone NOT interested is what Mama gnome means.

• BP petroleum and derived products
• BP service stations
• Air BP Aviation Fuels
• Castrol motor oil
• ARCO gas stations
• am/pm convenience stores
• Aral service stations solar panels

I mean, you don't have to go that am/pm store now do you? You can get your gas NOT from Arco?

Mama gnome would like to call on an eco-super hero to defeat this monster.

And that mild-mannered, even-keeled super hero is YOU!

Please go green and help save planet Earth.

(c) 2010, Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Gulf Coast Oil Spill Monster

Mama gnome doesn't like horror movies. She doesn't like scary stories. But here is a horrible story that is real.

The story of the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Monster...

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig caught on fire from an explosion and sank two days later. 11 workers are still missing and presumed dead.

The Deepwater Oil Rig was hired by BP plc, formerly British Petroleum Company plc.

Cue the scary music because Mama gnome found out this is not the first time BP plc has been involved in environmental disasters.

BP plc was also responsible for:

• October 2007, a toxic spill nearly 2,000 gallons of mostly methanol onto Prudhoe Bay
• "In August, 2006, BP shut down oil operations in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, due to corrosion in pipelines leading up to the Alaska Pipeline. BP had spilled over one million litres of oil in Alaska's North Slope."
• "On March 2005, the Texas City Refinery, one of BP's largest refineries in the USA exploded in 2005 causing 15 deaths." BP plc was fined $87 million by the US OSHA(Occupational Safety and Health Administration).BP plc's "cost-saving measures" cut out maintenance and safety measures thus neglecting to correct safety hazards all in the name of saving money.
  

And now BP plc is involved with this ongoing environmental disaster off the coast of Louisiana that Mama gnome calls the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Monster.


photo from: NASA

It truly is a terrible monster for they estimate over 5,000 barrels of oil is spewing into the ocean every day. But that number may be much higher if the structure continues to deteriorate.

This Oil Spill Monster may be responsible for the 20 sea turtles found dead along the Mississippi beaches this weekend.

This Oil Spill Monster is so terrible it...
"will have eclipsed the Exxon Valdez in terms of total gallons of oil before the weekend is over -- making it the largest oil spill in U.S. history -- according to calculations made by oceanographer Ian MacDonald after studying aerial Coast Guard photos taken earlier in the week."

Mama gnome's hair is standing on end at the thought that
"...the spill could surpass the Exxon Valdez disaster that poured 260,000 barrels of crude into waters off Alaska in 1989."

This Oil Spill Monster is poised to destroy precious habitat: marshes, wetlands, beaches.

This Oil Spill Monster is poised to destroy the livelihoods of Gulf Coast fishermen.


video from timesofearth

Mama gnome wishes she had super gnome powers to defeat the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Monster.

Mama gnome dreads the thought that offshore drilling will continue and expand into "once protected areas "and more Oil Spill Monsters will spawn.

How can we have a happy ending to this horror story?

Mama gnome is afraid there is no happy ending.

But we can help prevent the spawning of new Oil Spill Monsters.

Log on to 350.org's action page to ban offshore drilling.

Please do not throw away discarded car oil down the driveway, dripping onto streets and finally into storm drains. They all end up in the ocean.

Discard them responsibly, because if you don't you will be creating your own oil spill monster.

Please help save our oceans and Go Green...

(c)2010 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama gnome presents, with great sadness, the Mystery Animal of the Day.

This animal known as the "cheetah of the sea" may be extinct in less than two years because it is literally being consumed into extinction.

It is the cheetah of the water because
"when chasing prey they travel at speeds that can exceed 70 kph"

Mama gnome marvels at how a fish that can grow as big as "4 metres in length and average around 250kg in weight" can still move that fast.

If you guessed the Mystery Animal is the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Mama gnome urges you to stop eating sushi or sashimi with this critically endangered animal as the ingredient.


photo from: OpenCage

According to a New York Times report:
On March 18, 2010 the United Nations Delegates at a United Nations conference on endangered species in Doha, Qatar, soundly defeated American-supported proposals on Thursday to ban international trade in bluefin tuna and to protect polar bears.


And just how dire is the situation for this fish? (Mama gnome has reported about the plight of the polar bears a few times before. But she will address the issue of worsening situation for polar bears on another post soon.)

According to this post:
With stocks of Atlantic bluefin tuna down 75 percent due to the rapacious appetites of Japanese sushi lovers, the defeat of the proposal was a stunning setback for the Americans, Europeans and their conservationist allies who had hoped the 175-nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, would protect the fish.

Mama gnome doesn't even think we should call it "stocks of Atlantic bluefin tuna" because "stocks" give you a false sense of security.

Forget stocks.

It's down to 25 percent of the previous population.

75 percent of the population has been eaten, consumed, wrapped in seaweed and served on a plate. They're gone.


Please watch this video from WWF


video from: wwfus

And here is a clip from the movie, "End of the Line"


video from: endofthelinemovie



If humans prize this fish so much, wouldn't it make more sense, a lot of sense, to conserve it?

It's like the whole world is on fish crack. Yes, fish crack.

Humans are so addicted to sushi or sashimi, this tuna is literally being eaten into extinction.

Why don't we allow this magnificent animal to recuperate its numbers instead of just unbridled consumerism?

Mama gnome urges you to participate in an intervention.

Stop this addiction and talk with your friends and family about the plight of the bluefin tuna.

Seriously reconsider what you order when you eat at sushi or seafood restaurants.

Please, help save the critically endangered bluefin tuna and Go Green!

(c) 2010 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Earth Day 2010

Mama gnome told young gnomelets, "This coming Thursday will be Earth Day."

Older gnomelet said, "Mama, we need to make signs."

Yes, older gnomelet is Mama gnome's ecowarrior. She was Mama gnome's secret weapon against Plastic Bag Monster when Mama gnome took on Plastic Bag Monster on the 14th day of September in the year two thousand and nine.

This Thursday, September 22, 2010, will be the 40th year Anniversary of Earth Day.

Mama gnome and the gnome family will be wearing green, eating green and acting "green" on that day.

Green as in Eco-super-duper-nifty-sing-on-rolling-hills-green.

How can we be green on Earth Day?

Make it a meatless day.

Becoming vegetarian is one of the most significant acts to helping the environment.

According to this post:

"The United Nations have concluded that meat production is responsible for around 18% of global CO2 emissions. 5,214 gallons of water are required to produce a single pound of beef, and the EPA estimates that more than 27,000 miles of US rivers have been polluted by livestock waste. Individually, you could make a great deal of change by putting down the meat and going vegetarian."

Avoid driving if you can or limit the amount of driving you do.

Turn off all unnecessary lights and electric gadgets. The gnomelets are excited. Brushing their teeth and bedtime story are so much more interesting when it's by candlelight.

Please do not use plastic bottles, plastic bags or disposable plates, spoons, forks, napkins and other throw away products.
Plastic Bag Monster cannot wait to amass more minions to gather in landfills and in our oceans.

Plant something. Herbs in the kitchen, window box, a tree, flowers. Daddy gnome is going over plans for the gnome family's vegetable garden. Mama gnome will keep you posted on how this project is going.

Visit Earth Day Network.

Please watch this.




video from: JckSwan


Mama gnome wishes everyday is Earth Day.

Please make it so and Go Green!

(c)2010 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama gnome presents with a shudder...the Mystery Animal of the Day

Older gnomelet asked..."Mama, what is the biggest spider in the whole world?"

And so for my curious gnomelet, Mama gnome presents the:

Goliath Bird-Eater Spider

photo by: universoarachnido.com


Goliath is an apt name for this tarantula for it can have a leg span of almost a foot long and inch long fangs.

They live in the rainforests of South America.

Though they are called bird-eaters, the Goliath Bird-eater's diet normally includes other insects, rodents, bats, lizards and "even deadly venomous snakes."

Tarantulas do have fangs but the venom is "relatively harmless and its effects are comparable to a wasp's sting."

But if you are like Mama gnome, would you really want to test this fact?

So here are warning signs for you to heed if you ever want to go exploring in a rainforest in South America.

If you hear a "hissing sound," do not be like a human from B horror movies and say, "What is that sound?" and go and investigate.

It is much more prudent for you to walk the other way for the hissing sound may be from a Goliath Bird-eater Spider that has been disturbed and is now rubbing the bristles on its legs together to warn off other animals.

Another thing to watch out for is if the spider aims its abdomen towards you. It might start to flick off its urticating hairs from its abdomen towards you.

Mama gnome urges you to duck and cover your face because the bristle hairs can irritate your eyes, skin and lungs. "They've been reported to feel like shards of fiberglass."

Now that Mama gnome has given you all sorts of warnings, here is something else to remember "tarantulas generally bite humans only in self-defense." So leave them alone and they will leave you alone.

And as it turns out just like Mama gnome, these spiders have "poor eyesight and mainly relies on vibrations in the ground that it can sense from its burrow."

One difference is Mama gnome mainly relies on her sense of smell and can usually find her way to the gnome house by the smell of baking cookies.

Here is the Goliath Bird-eater Spider

video from: NationalGeographic

But here's something you might not be aware of...just like the endangered jaguar of the Amazon rainforest, there are also species of spiders that are endangered or threatened.

According to the IUCN red list some of them are:

• Parambikulam Large Burrowing Spider: Endangered
• Finely Formed Parachute Spider: Endangered
• Rameshwaram Parachute Spider: Critically Endangered
• Peacock Parachute Spider: Critically Endangered
• Wonderful Parachute Spider: Endangered
• Reddish Parachute Spider: Endangered

And these are just from the Tarantula family, Mama gnome did not even list the other species of spiders that are also endangered.

The culprits for the spiders' critically decreasing population are:

"Loss of habitat, severe fragmentation and indiscriminate collection by pet traders"

Mama gnome urges humans to help protect these creatures as well.

They deserve a good home just like gnomes and humans do and they belong in the rainforest not in a glass or plastic container.

Now don't make Mama gnome start hissing and directing her hairy legs at you for some "urtication."

That would not be a pretty sight. It will indeed irritate your eyes.

So leave Mama gnome and Goliath Bird-eater spiders in their burrows alone and Go Green.

(c) 2010 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Where's An Eco-Super Hero When You Need One?

Mama gnome donned her pointy hat and green cape. She raised her arms up towards the sky and flew like a majestic Philippine Eagle ...thud
Mama gnome fell on the wooden floor of the gnome house, her housecoat tucked around her like a wilted cape.

"You alright, Mama gnome?" asked Daddy gnome.

"Uh...think so. I dreamt I was saving Planet Earth, that's all."

Mama gnome shook her head because no matter how hard she tries, she doesn't have super powers to save planet Earth.

And Earth needs an Eco-Super Hero now more than ever.

Last Saturday, April 3rd a Chinese ship ran aground into Douglas Shoals, part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park of Australia, one of the most delicate marine environments and is supposed to be protected.

According to this report, "The ship hit the reef at full speed, nine miles (15 kilometers) outside the shipping lane."

The Chinese ship, Shen Neng 1, was transporting 72,000 tons of coal from Gladstone, Australia back to China. The coal freighter was also carrying 1,075 tons of engine fuel.

It's reported that Shen Neng 1 "has at least one punctured fuel tank."

Operations are underway to stabilize the vessel and unload the fuel.

But from this picture, you can see the long oil slick trailing from the vessel.


photo from whitealley

The oil slick was reported to be 3 km long.


video from current

The Australian reports this disaster has the "potential to become one of Australia's worst environmental disasters."

And Mama gnome would like to add, indeed one of planet Earth's worst environmental disasters.

Mama gnome looks down at her short gnome legs and arms. She can't fly and she doesn't have super strength. She's at a loss.

Where's an Eco-Super Hero when you need one?

Right now, the eco-heroes are the humans working to clean up the oil slicks and prevent further leaks into the waters.

But human action is needed to prevent future accidents like this from happening.

Please help save planet Earth in your own way, do something which has the potential to be help save this planet, and Go Green.

(c) 2010 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog