Earth

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured what space scientists called potentially the "comet of the century", Comet ISON, as it speeds toward Earth at 47,000 mph. The comet, technically known as  C/2012 S1,  will pass within 1.1 million miles of Earth seven months from now, and it could be visible with the naked eye if it doesn't break up passing by the sun. It could be so bright, in fact, that it would outshine the full moon, according to...

In 1967, historian Lynn White Jr. ignited a firestorm that burns still today. In a widely discussed article titled "The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis," he laid a charge at the doorstep of the Judeo-Christian community: The Bible is responsible for the world's environmental degradation. The Bible and its story of creation, he argued, sowed the seeds of the destructive mandate that animates Western civilization. Humans were given the right, the calling, by God to "be fruitful and multiply, fill the Earth and master it. " Charged by this narrative, the Western world has taken "dominion" to be one of the highest callings of human existence.

A solar flare that was the largest of the year could create a rare chance to see the aurora borealis, or "Northern Lights", from Maryland on Saturday night. The flare occurred Thursday at 3:16 a.m. and was associated with what is known as a coronal mass ejection, in which charged particles released by the sun hurtle through space and sometimes pass by the Earth. The particles can create dramatic episodes of the Northen Lights, though they can also affect satellite communications and GPS. According to AccuWeather.com, viewing conditions for the Northern Lights will be best in the mid-Atlantic, with clouds blocking the view for much of the northern U.S. and Canada.

I was happy to see that National Aquarium CEO John Racanelli wrote about the important activities that we, as individuals and as a society, can do to protect the environment, without once mentioning the impossible goal of "stopping climate change" ("Take back the planet," April 22). Sadly, Earth Day Network, the organization behind Earth Day, is not so practical. Their website for 2013 Earth Day focused so intensely on climate change that one would think they were promoting "Climate Day. " This is a big problem for Earth Day's future.

I used to think the protesters in Wisconsin opposed to budget cuts (and union-weakening) might have a point. But my position has now changed because of two very firm rules I've stuck to all my life: 1) Never side with crazy people; 2) Never side with extremely stupid people.  I'm not sure which category the following protesters fall into, but it's one of the above.  As Sarah Palin was being introduced at a recent tea party rally, she was greeted with these insightful comments from the mob.  1)

Betty Skelton, a daredevil pilot who was a three-time national aerobatics champion and became known as the "fastest woman on Earth" when she set speed records in airplanes and automobiles, died Aug. 31 at her home in The Villages, Fla. She was 85. She had cancer, said Dorothy S. Cochrane, a friend and the curator of general aviation at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Ms. Skelton, who made her first solo flight — illegally — at age 12, went on to become a pioneering and charismatic pilot in the days of propellers and open cockpits.

I have just voted in my 15th consecutive presidential election and wish to address the many angry Republican voters who have been writing to The Sun to mourn the passing of America's primacy. Please give us a break. Of the 15 elections I have participated in, I have voted for the winner in only seven. Now it's your turn. You lost. Your opinions do not hold water. Remember this: you have been wrong on every important issue in the 20th century. The country is still secure and will remain so under Democratic stewardship just as it did through the 1990s and now in the second decade of the 21st century.

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - The Air Force Academy in Colorado has set up an outdoor worship area for followers of Wicca, Druidism and other Earth-centered religions. A double circle of stones atop a hill on the campus near Colorado Springs has been designated for cadets and other service personnel in the area to practice Earth-centered faiths. The school also has worship facilities for Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. Academy superintendent Michael Gould has made religious tolerance a priority.

There has recently been a rash of scientifically based article in news magazines predicting dramatically extended lifespans. Which really suggests extended stress, expense and worry.I suppose I'm old fashioned, but my reaction to these predictions echoes a line from Rodgers and Hammerstein's ''Everything's Up To Date In Kansas City,'' the one that says ''we've gone about as far as we can go.''A second reaction is a crisp ''Why?'' Why would any one want to live much beyond today's approximate average of three score and fifteen?

IRVING, Texas -- The concussion that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman suffered yesterday confused him more than any of the San Francisco 49ers' defenses did.Aikman took a knee to the helmet on the Cowboys' second offensive play of the third quarter. He stayed in for one more play, then went to the sideline, where team physician J. R. Zamorano had a revealing discussion with the star passer.Zamorano asked Aikman, "OK, what day is it?""I don't know.""Where are we?" the doctor said."I don't know."

The moon will be full Thursday night, known by most as the "Full Pink Moon. " And it will be marked by a partial lunar eclipse in the eastern hemisphere. For those on the other side of the world, the eclipse could make the moon indeed look somewhat pink. It will pass through the edge of Earth's shadow, but that will occur well before nightfall for the U.S. The moon reaches its "fullest" point at 3:57 p.m. Clear skies are expected to allow it to shine brightly in the Baltimore area.

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured what space scientists called potentially the "comet of the century", Comet ISON, as it speeds toward Earth at 47,000 mph. The comet, technically known as  C/2012 S1,  will pass within 1.1 million miles of Earth seven months from now, and it could be visible with the naked eye if it doesn't break up passing by the sun. It could be so bright, in fact, that it would outshine the full moon, according to...

Earth Day will be a big event at Linton Springs Elementary School. In fact, the school's Earth Day activities will actually span three days: April 22, 24 and 25. The theme will be monarch butterflies. Kindergartners at Linton Springs will make stained-glass butterflies and learn about the life cycle stages of butterflies. First- and second-graders will build a butterfly feeder, and they'll plant and mulch the garden beds. Third-graders will also make a butterfly feeder and weed invasive plants from stream site and surrounding areas on the school grounds.

Today is Earth Day , a day when environmentalists and concerned citizens around the world demonstrate their caring for the health of their communities, the natural world and the planet. Forty-three years ago, the first Earth Day drew an estimated 20 million Americans into the streets, into parks and onto campuses for teach-ins and protests over environmental degradation.  Organizers today claim the observance has gone global, with more than 1 billion participants. Earth Day helped launch the modern environmental movement, which provided public pressure for passage of many of the environmental laws we have today.  Like the movement, its focus has shifted from fighting obvious air and water pollution to knottier issues around how and where we live, and what we consume, most notably climate change.

As part of Baltimore Green Week, the Nature Conservancy and the Oyster Recover Partnership are hosting an Earth Day "mix and mingle" event tonight at McCormick & Schmick's Staff from both organizations will introduce the new One for the Bay campaign, a new awareness and fundraising campaign that will support the organizations' ongoing efforts to help restore the Chesapeake Bay's oyster population. The One for the Bay reception is 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight at McCormick & Schmick's , 711 Eastern Ave. For information about the reception go to the Nature Conservancy website . And find more Baltimore Green Week events here . And B&O Brasserie is hosting an Earth Day oyster happy hour tonight from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oysters will be available for $1 for guests, and all collected oyster shells will be donated to the Oyster Recovery Program.

For over 40 years, Earth Day has sent a powerful message: that each of us has both the capacity and the duty to support the environment that sustains us. This is certainly a message that dedicated conservationists can get behind, but what about everyday people with busy lives, kids to raise and jobs to keep? For many, Earth Day has become a day of celebration rather than an urgent call to join a movement. Earth Day Network, the organization behind Earth Day, cites the impressive statistic that 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

The basic problem with Charles Campbell's commentary on energy policy is that drilling for oil and gas, which he strongly advocates, creates toxic substances that continue to poison the planet ("U.S. energy policy: Slow national suicide," Nov. 21). Mr. Campbell makes no mention of Germany and other countries which are decades ahead of us in terms of solar energy and conservation. He also makes no mention of the environmental and social costs of cheap oil, or of the vast amounts of energy wasted in gas-guzzling cars and trucks because we lack decent mass transit systems.

PEOPLE ARE wearing out the Earth. "Human actions are depleting Earth's natural capital, putting such strain on the environment that the ability of the planet's ecosystems to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted," warns the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a four-year, $25 million scientific study sponsored by the United Nations. More than 1,300 scientists and researchers from 95 countries collaborated in collecting and analyzing data about 24 of the Earth's highly essential environmental systems that support human survival.

Four years ago, employees at the Howard County Office of Environmental Sustainability came up with an idea for people who want to do their part for Earth Day but don't know where to start. It's called the 20-Minute Cleanup - essentially a way to urge people, either on a whim or through precise planning, to pitch in to aid the environment. "Every year, just before Earth Day, the county government would get a lot of calls from people saying,'We want to do something for the environment, what's going on?

Editor: Since its inception in 1970, Earth Day has led to enormous growth in understanding the consequences we face if we do not take care of our natural resources. It has led to more action to protect our planet's land, water, air, wildlife and human beings, and it has strengthened farmers' and ranchers' already strong commitment to being good environmental stewards. Farmers observe Earth Day every day. Where asphalt and pavement turn to gravel and dirt, you will find men and women rising early, greeting the day and working the earth.