The Green Effect: Help Some Environmentalist Get $20,000 in Funding

Green Effect is a venture of Sun Chips and National Geographic. The aim of the program is to give $20,000 to an environmentalist to serve as funding for a vote-winning environmental project. The whole thing is intended to promote community green movements. Green Effect had asked Americans to submit unique ideas that would contribute to efforts in saving the earth. Over 2,500 ideas were received by the organizers.

Now, there are ten finalists who are revealed on July 7, 2009. Through votes, people can help determine one who's deserving to get the $20,000 and help make the planet a better place to live in. The judges (Edward Norton [he's been going green, lately], Jayni Chase, Boyd Matson, Phaedra Ellis Lamkins, and Dave Haft) will then choose four more who will also receive the same prize money. Once the winners are chosen, they would then all have the chance to present their ideas in Washington D.C. and be featured in National Geographic Magazine.

Water Shortage in Mid 21st Century Predicted for Equatorial Region

Rainfall scientists predict a shortage in water in the equatorial tropical regions that would be felt in the middle of the 21st century. Oceanographic researcher Julian Sachs of the University of Washington describes what's involved as the most prominent rainfall feature on the planet that people depend in in the equatorial region due to the lack of groundwater there.

The reason for the prediction comes after environmental data revealed that the earth's major band of rain has been moving northward at the rate of 1.4 kilometers per year and this has been going on for 300 years. At least a billion people rely on this source of water which is a major player in how the earth's climate behaves.

For now, equatorial Pacific islands still enjoy abundant rain, but that may soon change in 25 to 50 years. Despite the tripling of the demand for water in the past 50 years, there is still no global shortage of water. The lack, as has been documented, is often the result of human activities, like excessive siphoning of groundwater. But this time, the cause appears associated with a warming trend, which may be slowed down or possibly halted with efforts to prevent global warming due to greenhouse gases.

The research conclusions are based on cores of sediments from inland bodies of water on Palau, Washington, Christmas and Galapagos islands.