Simple action could save hawks and eagles

Most Western Mass. residents have had the eerie experience of driving the Massachusetts Turnpike at night while approaching the Springfield exit and seeing fire burning in the sky-- seems that way, anyway, because we can't see the burners at the Chicopee landfill which are responsible for burning off accumulating methane.

I've often wondered why there isn't a way to recapture that methane instead of burning it but I never thought that the burner itself might be a hazard for hawks, eagle and other raptors.

Apparently, raptors will perch on the burners while looking for prey, completely unaware that fire could flare up at any moment. Most birds caught in that fire will die.

There's a simple and inexpensive solution-- install spikes or other excluder devices. Long-term solution? Find a way to use the gas so that burners are unnecessary.

There's a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that you can sign, asking them to direct landfill owners to make the necessary changes to their burners. Go to the Care2 petition site to sign.

Photos from the Petition Site and Paul W's photostream at Flickr.

Heat your house with the "Heat Grabber"

Has your heat kicked in yet? My sister sent me a link to an old Mother Earth article about a Solar Heat Grabber which was sent to her by somebody else, who got it from somebody else, etc.

Cheap, easy to make and highly effective, as long as you have a south-facing window, the devise will last for years and really cut into your heating bills.

We're making two of them for our house next week.

How much oil and gas money do Kennedy, Kerry and Neal take?

True Majority has an interesting breakdown of how much oil and gas money our senators and representatives in Washington accept and how it affects their voting record. From Massachusetts:

Senator John Kerry (D-MA)

Accepted $31,180 from the oil and gas industry since 2000.
Supported the industry in 22% of selected votes.

Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA)

Accepted $52,350 from the oil and gas industry since 2000.
Supported the industry in 22% of selected votes.

Representative Richard Neal (D-MA02)

Accepted $12,250 from the oil and gas industry since 2000.
Supported the industry in 9% of selected votes.

Is there any moving thing that CAN'T produce electricity?

Not too long ago I read about energy being harvested from people walking across the floor of an airport which then opens and closes the airport's automatic doors. Now Eco-Geek reports on a similar plan for a playground's old-fashioned see-saw!