Helping Emergency Crews Help You

New safety sheet helps cottagers keep crucial information at their fingertips

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, July 30, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Ornge, the provider of aero-medical transport for Ontario, encourages those heading out of town this long weekend to take advantage of a new safety tool designed specifically for cottagers and campers.

In the event of a medical emergency at the cottage or campsite, would you be able to describe accurately your precise location? It's not always as easy as it sounds.

"Ornge helicopter crews and flight paramedics are often faced with the challenge of locating a patient in a vast territory covered by nondescript lakes and trees," said Steve Farquhar, V.P. of Operations for Ornge. "Providing concise, specific information to dispatchers can save crucial minutes."

Ornge encourages cottagers and campers to fill out and post our new Emergency Services Information Sheet. Developed in conjunction with the Ontario Provincial Police and the Georgian Bay Association, the sheet allows you to develop a quick reference list of all relevant information 9-1-1 dispatchers will need to ensure crews find you, including GPS coordinates and geographical landmarks.

The Emergency Services Information Sheet can be downloaded in .PDF and .DOC format at www.traumaseason.ca.

Heading into the long weekend, the Ornge team, including flight paramedics, pilots, physicians and communications officers, stands ready to respond to medical emergencies. However, everyone is encouraged to keep safety top of mind to help reduce the number of calls for traumatic injuries.

ABOUT ORNGE

Ornge is Canada's leading innovator in the emerging field of transport medicine, and operates from a number of bases across the province of Ontario and performs approximately 20,000 admissions annually. It coordinates all aspects of Ontario's aero medical transport system, the new critical care land transport program, and the authorization of air and land ambulance transfers between hospitals. Ornge is dedicated to the provision of high quality patient care through innovative transport medicine.

The Great Escape

TORONTO, July 29, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Make the most of your long weekend escape by following these quick and helpful tips.

Barbecuing

- Tune it up. Clean burner ports and tubes. Check the hose attached to the gas tank for cracks or damages and test for leaks with a 50/50 water/soap solution. If bubbles appear - there's a leak,

- Keep it outdoors. Always barbecue outside in a well-ventilated area, with the BBQ at least three feet away from the house.

- Light it right. Before lighting, make sure the BBQ is on level ground, far away from any flammable material, with the hood open. Turn the tank's gas release valve on, then the grill controls and take a step back.

Camping

- Keep warm safely. During cool nights, do not use portable fuel-fired heaters in an enclosed space like a tent or camper. This will cause life-threatening exposure to carbon monoxide (CO).

- Be fire safe. If open fires are permitted, keep it well away from flammables and other natural combustibles. Never leave a fire unattended.

- Check things out. Arrive at the campsite in daylight to check for sharp objects and natural hazards such as poison ivy, bees, ants and fallen branches.

RV-Trailer Use

- Keep air moving. Never block the combustion exhaust vent on the external wall of your trailer - this will avoid dangerous levels of CO build-up.

- Be alarmed. Install CO and propane leak alarms. Test them to ensure they are working properly and replace batteries as necessary.

- Put propane in its place. Use the appropriate spaces for storage and transportation of propane cylinders.


If one of your Civic holiday stops happens to be a local LCBO store, look for TSSA's latest SummerSmart brochure for further safety tips on cottaging, barbecuing, camping and RV use. You can also check it out on our website - www.safetyinfo.ca.


The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is an innovative, not-for-profit organization focused on delivering public safety services. It provides regulatory safety services in industry sectors such as fuels, amusement devices, elevating devices, ski lifts, boilers and pressure vessels, operating engineers, and upholstered and stuffed articles. The organization's vision is to be the world leader in public safety services.

Trailpeak.com Breaks New Ground in Trail Mapping

Hiking, biking, and paddling trails database develops hyperlocal and video features


OTTAWA, July 27, 2010 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - Trailpeak.com Canada's premier interactive trail mapping network, has unveiled two features to support hiking, biking, climbing and paddling enthusiasts who visit the site for information on trails across Canada and the U.S.

Trailpeak's innovative " hyperlocal widgets" feature allows visitors to customize their individual outdoor-adventures webpage, according to location and preference of the user. The gallery of hyperlocal widgets to choose from includes new and popular local trails, outdoor events, weather conditions, Craigslist, and Google maps.

"Our hyperlocal widgets feature has been designed to simplify information-gathering," said Kurt Turchan, founder of Trailpeak. "Instead of searching different pages of our site for trail, event or member information and browsing external sites such as Craigslist and YouTube, we bring it all together on one page."

The Trailpeak widgets page can be adapted by the user to include information and locations of particular interest to them. For example, a user in Calgary can track events in that city and can also go to the widget gallery and add the events or classified advertising widgets for Banff.

Trailpeak has also developed a video feature that allows members to upload video content by simply copying and pasting the embed code from any YouTube or Vimeo video. "We can't wait to see the footage that our members will be providing for the benefit and enjoyment of their fellow adventurers," said Turchan.

Next month, Turchan, and four Trailpeak editors will embark on a 10-day tour of Newfoundland and Labrador to explore some of the world's most breathtaking scenery. The team will be equipped with hands-free, high definition head cams, allowing them to capture the landscape and trail conditions of a variety of adventures such as shipwreck survivor trails, sea kayak routes and hikes on Fogo Island and Terra Nova National Park. Video footage and trail data collected by the team will be added to Trailpeak's database of over 10,000 outdoor trails and GPS logs across Canada and the U.S.

Top ranked Canadian golfer Graham DeLaet connects with the ball...and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada

Transitions Optical partners with Graham DeLaet and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada to raise awareness on the importance of eye health


CAMBRIDGE, Ontario, July 20, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - As the official eyewear of the PGA TOUR(R) and proud sponsor of the RBC Canadian Open, Transitions has initiated an exciting new partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and professional golfer Graham DeLaet to help raise awareness for children, their parents and mentors about the dangers of UV exposure and the importance of eye protection. Recognizing that children's eyes are more susceptible to long-term damage from UV rays with 80 per cent of damage occurring before the age of 18(1), both parties are thrilled that Graham will provide one-on-one interaction with children so that they can experience what vision means to his game and just how important healthy eye habits are in leading an active lifestyle. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada is a leading child and youth serving organization.

"Childhood is a crucial time in the development of the eyes," says Rachel Hill Campbell, optician. "Children are especially vulnerable to damaging UV rays because they often spend longer amounts of time outdoors in the sun. Fortunately, protective eyewear has come a long way, and there are lenses and frames that can help protect your child's eyes during play and sports."

"When Transitions approached us, we were extremely excited and felt the partnership was a natural fit given our mentoring program," says Garner Beckett, Manager of Development, Big Brothers Big Sisters. "Who better to exemplify healthy sight and eye care than a golfer who lives an active outdoor lifestyle and relies on sight to achieve his goals. The one-on-one time with Graham will be an unforgettable experience for the children."

As one of only four Canadian golfers with full status on the PGA Tour in 2010, professional golfer, Graham DeLaet is enjoying life on the PGA Tour and having a great rookie season! DeLaet has already had a number of top finishes on Tour this season including a tie for 3rd at the Shell Houston Open and a tie for 18th at the Bob Hope Classic. In addition to his success on the PGA Tour, DeLaet has won internationally on both the Canadian Tour and South African Tour, while representing his country in 2008 and 2009 at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup. DeLaet is currently 110th on the PGA Tour money list and the second highest ranked Canadian born player in the world.

"For anybody who lives an active lifestyle, including kids who spend so much time outdoors, it's very important to protect eyes against UV damage and glare even during cloudy days by having the appropriate lenses," says Graham DeLaet. "As a professional golfer, I rely on optimal sight as an integral part of my game. With Transitions lenses, which block 100 per cent UVA and UVB rays, I feel confident that I am protecting the health and wellness of my eyes for the future."

As the leading provider of photochromics to optical manufacturers, Transitions Optical, headquartered in Pinellas Park, Fla., offers the most advanced photochromic technology in the widest selection of lens designs and materials. Transitions Optical is driven by innovation to support the advancement of healthy sight and adaptive eyewear, and to providing its partners with the tools and programs their businesses need to thrive. Transitions(R) lenses are the No. 1-recommended photochromic lenses worldwide.

"Working to foster healthy sight in Canadian children is one of our key priorities because children are at greater risk for eye damage and we all know that healthy habits started early in life can last for a lifetime," says Isabelle Tremblay-Dawson, marketing manager, Transitions Optical.

Transitions Optical's family of products includes everyday lenses, designed to be worn indoors and darken outdoors, and performance lenses, designed to be worn outdoors in place of sun lenses. Transitions everyday lenses adapt to light to provide more comfortable vision while protecting eyes from UV. Transitions performance lenses include the company's sunwear line, Transitions(R) SOLFX(TM) sun lenses, which enhance visual performance in specific outdoor activities by adapting to optimize colour and darkness in changing light conditions.

For more information about healthy sight and protective eyewear, visit transitions.ca or eyeglassguide.ca.

Parking In Canada Is Not Getting Any Cheaper as Rates Continue to Climb according to Colliers International's Annual Report

-- Calgary remains the most expensive city to park in; only 10 garages with 1,800 spots are expected to be added nationally over the next two years --

TORONTO, July 19, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Canadian drivers continue to feel the pinch when pulling into the parking lot, as parking rates across Canada kept climbing over the past year according to Colliers International's 10th Annual Parking Rate Survey released today. The median monthly parking rate reached $224.10 while the median daily rate rose to $14.83, both inching by two per cent. This represents a moderate rate gain compared to the 9.9 per cent rate increase experienced during the 2008/2009 period.

With the economy in recovery mode, a stronger labour market, renewed office leasing activity and limited new parking supply, Colliers expects parking rates to continue their upward trajectory, especially toward the second half of 2011.

"Parking garages are one of the only commercial real estate sub-sectors that seemed to remain stable even during an economic turmoil," says Wayne Duong, Director of Research with Colliers International in Canada. "As the economic environment continues to improve both in terms of business activity and consumer confidence, Colliers anticipates these will create upwards pressure on monthly and daily parking rates respectively. Additionally, the limited supply of only ten new parking garages with 1,800 spots added over the next 24 months will contribute to the expected rate increases."

Of the 12 major cities surveyed this year across Canada, Calgary maintained its top rank as the most expensive city to park with a median unreserved monthly parking price tag hitting $453.38. The city was also the only one that made it into the global list of the priciest cities to park, ranking 14th. Toronto ($336.25), Montreal ($280.62), Edmonton ($275.00), and Vancouver ($266.81) round up the top five priciest Canadian cities to own an unreserved monthly parking spot.


However, what may seem to Canadian consumers as outrageous high-cost parking fees can be considered a bargain when compared to parking rates in some U.S., European, Asian and even Australian cities. Globally, London, U.K. ranked as the most expensive city in the world to park, with an astronomical US$933 median price for a monthly spot. Hong Kong (US$744.72), Tokyo (US$654.00), Zurich (US$605.64) and Sydney (US$591.28) completed the group of top five most expensive cities to park. The Big Apple (midtown US$538.00, ranked 8th), Boston (US$425.00, ranked 18th) and San Francisco (US$375.00, ranked 22nd) were the three U.S. cities to enter the global top 25 priciest cities to park.

About the Survey

Data for the 2010 Parking Rate Survey was collected during the month of June 2010 and includes all relevant taxes. The data was provided by third parties, parking lot owners/operators and Colliers International. Survey data includes only covered or underground parking lots in prime central business districts.

CPAWS launches video contest for Canadians to Celebrate National Parks

OTTAWA, July 16, 2010 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - On the eve of Parks Day and to celebrate 125 years of national parks in Canada, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is launching a nation-wide online video contest to inspire Canadians to share their stories of our treasured national parks.

CPAWS is launching Celebrate Canada's Parks Video Contest, with the support of Parks Canada, with the aim of engaging and inspiring Canadians to share their feelings about our great national parks. The contest is designed to bring parks to people - no matter where they live - using video to showcase what makes a particular national park so appealing and memorable. Using the resources available, videos can include photos, unique features about a park and personal experience to tell the story of a particular national park.

"We hope that through this contest Canadians will learn more about our national parks and be inspired to get out and experience these national treasures for themselves," says Eric Hébert-Daly, Executive Director for CPAWS.

The first place winner will receive a guided trip down the world-famous South Nahanni River through the recently expanded Nahanni National Park Reserve, courtesy of Nahanni River Adventures. Other prizes include a video camera, gift certificates from Mountain Equipment Co-op and Parks Canada Discovery Passes. The top 10 videos will be selected through online voting, from which the top three will be selected by a panel of judges. In addition, one entry will be randomly selected each week to win a prize.

"My trip down the Nahanni River last summer was one of the most memorable outdoor experiences of my life," said the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada. "I am delighted to know that thanks to this partnership, the winner will have the opportunity to experience Nahanni National Park, a true gem that was expanded by our government last year."

"Parks Canada's collaboration with CPAWS is a wonderful way to highlight the 125th anniversary of national parks in Canada. We're excited about this project and the opportunity it brings us to use social media for engaging Canadians, and I look forward to seeing the creative approaches for showing to the world Canada's amazing natural places and unforgettable experiences!" said Alan Latourelle, CEO of Parks Canada.

The contest runs from July 17 until October 12, 2010. Participants are asked to select a national park and create a 2 minute video about what makes that park so special. No video experience is required. CPAWS would like to thank Parks Canada, Nahanni River Adventures and Mountain Equipment Co-op who helped make this contest possible.

For more information about the contest visit the website at www.celebrateparks.ca

High resolution photos can be downloaded at www.cpaws.org

About CPAWS


The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada's national community-based voice for public wilderness protection. Its vision is to protect at least 50% of Canada's wild spaces. Since 1963 CPAWS has taken a lead role in establishing two-thirds of Canada's protected areas. www.cpaws.org

About Parks Canada

On behalf of the people of Canada, we protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage and foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative integrity for present and future generations.

Boston Pizza Foundation and Jonathan Toews FORE Kids Golf Classic donate more than $100,000 to Children's Rehabilitation Foundation

Spontaneous donations by Toews and Treliving cap a remarkable day


WINNIPEG, July 12, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Boston Pizza Foundation, Jonathan Toews, and the FORE Kids Foundation today announced that they have raised more than $50,000 with the inaugural FORE KIDS Golf Classic. At the event, Jim Treliving, on behalf of the Boston Pizza Foundation, and Jonathan Toews each announced that they would both be contributing an additional $25,000, bringing the total raised to more than $100,000.

"As a Manitoba native, I am particularly pleased that the Boston Pizza Foundation has teamed up with the Children's Rehabilitation Foundation," said Jim Treliving, Chairman & Owner of Boston Pizza International. "This donation is the first step in what I hope to be a long lasting relationship and fits perfectly with the Boston Pizza Foundation's mission to directly improve the health and well-being of children and families across Canada."

This year's tournament featured an 18-hole alternate shot format, with a mixed field of children and adults. The two-person teams were made up of a child (ages 8 to 17) and an adult.

"The FORE Kids Foundation is honored to join with Jonathan Toews and Jim Treliving in raising so much money for Children's Rehabilitation Centre," said Ryan Hart, chairman of FORE Kids Foundation. "We are already planning next year's FORE Kids Golf Classic, and look forward to continuing our support for this worthy cause."

Longtime Winnipeg resident and Boston Pizza franchisee Richard Enright played a key role in organizing and bringing together all the event participants.

Jonathan Toews brought the Stanley Cup, the 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy, and his 2010 Olympic Gold Medal to the tournament for the kids to hold and have their photos taken with.

"This tournament is a great event, and I am proud to be a part of it," said Toews. "Everyone did an excellent job and I am very happy that we were able to raise over $100,000."

About the Boston Pizza Foundation

The Boston Pizza Foundation raises funds for many charities across Canada, including Kids Help Phone, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Since its inception in 1990, the Boston Pizza Foundation has raised more than $10.5 million through various fundraising initiatives, the money raised supports local, national, and global non-profit organizations, all of which directly improve the health and well-being of children and families.

About the Children's Rehabilitation Centre

The Rehabilitation Centre for Children (RCC) provides children with disabilities with services that enable them to live with independence and ability in their own homes, schools and communities. Area of service includes Manitoba, Nunavut, parts of Saskatchewan and North West Ontario.

World Cup's Soccer City Shows Scale of Mining Waste in South Africa

from TreeHugger.com
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California

All eyes were on Soccer City yesterday as the World Cup played out. However, few eyes were seeing it from above, which is the perspective that reveals the neighboring mountains of waste from gold mines. While Soccer City (circled on the image above) can hold 97,400 people -- a sizable stadium by any standards -- it is minuscule compared to the three slag piles shown in the NASA satellite image above. Those big brown patches to the left of the stadium are massive mounds of left-over crushed rock from gold mining. The companies that make up the gold mining industry in South Africa are going for deposits as tiny as 0.015 ounces of gold per ton of excavated rock. This desperate reach for microscopic flecks of gold spells environmental disaster.

Our Amazing Planet brings our attention to the image of the slag piles, or mounds of crushed rock. It points out that such destructive efforts yield so little product that "a single wedding band, at this rate, would need 20 tons of gold-flecked rock."

While South Africa is a leader in gold mining, it comes at a frightening cost. It takes roughly 3.3 tons of ore, 5,440 litres of water, 572 kilowatt hours of electricity, 12 cubic meters of compressed air, along with dynamite and chemicals to produce a since fine ounce of gold.

Cyanide is used to extract the gold from the ore, and slip-ups in its use have killed wildlife, contaminated drinking water supplies, and wiped out nearly all wildlife in stretches of river. Beyond that, there is the issue of altering the landscape beyond recognition or repair... read more story at TreeHugger.com

Can You Run a Car on Tim Hortons Coffee?

from TreeHugger.com
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, Michigan

So coffee helps wake people up in the morning. And java from the Tim Hortons chain isn't too bad. But can Canadian coffee make your car go? Not exactly. Professors at the University of Manitoba are turning discarded T Ho's coffee cups into biofuel.

It's not perfect. Tim Hortons should be encouraging recycling, or getting more people to use reusable cups (nice discount?). The professors, however, noticed a problem on their campus and they've tried to address it. Microbiologists Richard Sparling and David Levin have taken to collecting discarded coffee cups and turning the cups into a mulch that resembles cotton candy. Then, the candy is turned into ethanol, which can be mixed with conventional fuels or used by itself, depending on your car. It takes about 100 Tim Hortons cups to generate 1.3 liters of ethanol (about 0.3 gallons).

As a decent Yahoo! News story notes, most ethanol is produced from food crops like corn and wheat, which displaces food production and pushes up food prices.

Apparently, Tim Hortons cups are a ready form of biomass, because they're already been pre-treated and processed, Yahoo! says... read more story at TreeHugger.com

PGA Tour

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The PGA Tour is an organization that operates the main professional golf tours in the United States. It is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, a suburb of Jacksonville. Its name is officially rendered in all-capital letters as "PGA TOUR".

The PGA Tour operates the following three tours, all of which are primarily contested in the U.S.:

PGA Tour, the top tour

Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. possession of Puerto Rico host one event each year. Note, however, that the events in Mexico and Puerto Rico are "alternate" events held opposite one of the World Golf Championships tournaments and therefore have weaker fields than a regular tour event. In addition, one of the four annual major championships is held in the U.K.

Champions Tour, for golfers age 50 and over

One regular tournament is held in the Dominican Republic, and one of the senior majors is held in the U.K. Tournaments in Canada and South Korea will be added in 2010.

Nationwide Tour, a developmental tour

In terms of tournament locations, the Nationwide Tour actually has a greater event presence than either of the other tours. Canada, Mexico, and Panama host one tournament each, and the tour co-sanctions two events on the PGA Tour of Australasia—one each in Australia and New Zealand. A tournament will be added in Colombia for 2010.

The PGA Tour also conducts an annual Qualifying Tournament (known colloquially as Q-School), a six-round tournament held each fall; the top 25 finishers, including ties, receive privileges to play on the following year's PGA Tour. Remaining finishers in the top 75, plus ties, receive full privileges on the Nationwide Tour.

The top 25 money-winners on the Nationwide Tour also receive privileges on the following year's PGA Tour. A golfer who wins three events on that tour in a calendar year earns a "performance promotion" (informally a "battlefield promotion") which garners PGA Tour privileges for the remainder of the year plus the following full season.

At the end of each year, the top 125 money-winners on the PGA Tour receive a tour card for the following season, which gives them exemption from qualifying for most of the next year's tournaments. However at some events, known as invitationals, exemptions apply only to the previous year's top 70 players. Players who are ranked between 126–150 receive a conditional tour card, which gives them priority for places that are not taken up by players with full cards.

Winning a PGA Tour event provides a tour card for a minimum of two years, with an extra year added for each additional win with a maximum of five years. Winning a World Golf Championships event or The Tour Championship provides a three-year exemption. Winners of the major championships and The Players Championship earn a five-year exemption. Other types of exemptions include lifetime exemptions for players with twenty wins on the tour; one-time, one year exemptions for players in the top fifty on the career money earnings list who are not otherwise exempt; two-time, one year exemptions for players in the top twenty-five on the career money list; and medical exemptions for players who have been injured, which give them an opportunity to regain their tour card after a period out of the tour.

Similar to other major league sports, there is no rule limiting PGA Tour players to "men only." In 2003, Annika Sörenstam and Suzy Whaley played in PGA Tour events, and Michelle Wie did so in each year from 2004 through 2008. None of these three made the cut, although Wie missed by only one stroke in 2004.

The LPGA like all other women's sports, is limited to female participants only.

There is also a PGA European Tour, which is separate from either the PGA Tour or the PGA of America; this organization runs a tour, mostly in Europe but with events throughout the world outside of North America, that is second only to the PGA Tour in worldwide prestige. There are several other regional tours around the world. However, the PGA Tour, European Tour, and many of the regional tours co-sponsor the World Golf Championships. These, along with the major championships, usually count toward the official money lists of each tour as well as the Official World Golf Rankings.

Charity fundraising

The PGA Tour places a strong emphasis on charity fundraising, usually on behalf of local charities in cities where events are staged. With the exception of a few older events, PGA Tour rules require all Tour events to be non-profit; the Tour itself is also a non-profit company. In 2005, it started a campaign to push its all-time fundraising tally past one billion dollars ("Drive to a Billion"), and it reached that mark one week before the end of the season. However, monies raised for charities derive from the tournaments' positive revenues (if any), and not any actual monetary donation from the PGA Tour, whose purse monies and expenses are guaranteed. The number of charities which receive benefits from PGA Tour, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour events is estimated at over 2,000. In 2009, the total raised for charity was some $108 million.

Solar Powered Airplane Flies for 26 Hours Straight

from TreeHugger.com
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York

A solar-powered airplane piloted in Switzerland has just made a landmark achievement: It flew for well over 24 hours straight, continuing on its journey well after the sun went down. The story is making headline news all around the world, and for good reason -- it's a powerful example of the vast potential held by renewable energy.

Here's an excerpt from the New York Times' front page story about the flight:

Slender as a stick insect, a solar-powered experimental airplane with a huge wing span completed its first test flight of more than 24 hours on Thursday, powered overnight by energy collected from the sun during a day aloft over Switzerland.

The organizers said the flight was the longest and highest by a solar-powered craft, reaching an altitude of 8,564 meters, just over 28,000 feet, above sea level, at an average speed of 23 knots, around 25 miles per hour.

The craft, called the Solar Impulse, boasts 12,000 solar cells, and does indeed have a massive wingspan: It's 210 feet from tip to tip. One of the primary aims of the project was to prove that the plane can feasibly stay in the air indefinitely -- charging the batteries during the daytime, and using stored energy for travel at night. They hope to one day fly around the world in a solar plane. And indeed, the successful test flight goes a good ways towards meeting that goal... read more story at TreeHugger.com

Prehistoric Humans Caused Climate Changes, Too?

from www.TreeHugger.com
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil

It's almost quaint to think that our ancient ancestors, living some 10,000 years ago, may have altered the planet's climate, just like us. Though unlike today, a time when our thirst of fossil fuels is heating up the planet, a new study suggests that our distant relatives' hunger for mammoth meat could have played a hand in ancient climate change, long before the wheel was even invented.

Nice going, great-(x400)-grandpa.

According to a report from Science, it all stems back to the grazing habits of one of early man's favorite menu items, the wooly mammoth. The enormous herbivores were big eaters, grazing largely on small trees and grasses in northern regions of the globe, namely in what is now Siberia and Alaska. Their propensity to strip young trees of their leaves like modern-day elephants, however, may have helped dampen the growth of forests in this part of the world -- evidenced by a rapid increase in the number of trees which corresponds to a decline in mammoths.

While it would be impossible to say for certain that ancient humans were responsible for killing off the very last woolly mammoth, many researchers do believe over-hunting contributed to the animal's eventual extinction... read more story at TreeHugger.com