So sad... I had no idea! Apparently it's the worst year on record for something like this, and factors include over-fishing (forcing penguins to swim out farther), pollution (making the penguins weaker and more susceptible to illness) and global warming (stronger currents & more storms).

Quoted: Hundreds of baby penguins swept from the icy shores of Antarctica and Patagonia are washing up dead on Rio de Janeiro's tropical beaches, rescuers and penguin experts said.

Aw, this is so sad!

Quoted: After five years of futile efforts to find or confirm sightings of any Caribbean monk seals, the U.S. on Friday declared the species extinct, noting it is the only seal to vanish due to human causes.

I just found out my story on the top 10 cities at risk from rising sea levels is going to be a lead slide on MSN for Earth Day tomorrow morning!

Quoted: When it comes to global warming, are we getting in too deep? Here’s a look at the top 10 U.S. cities at risk from rising sea levels.

I heard about this on 60 Minutes. Gore gave a great interview - he seems really excited and at peace with his life trajectory. And why shouldn't he be?

Quoted: Nobel prize winner and former Vice President Al Gore plans to launch a three-year advocacy campaign calling for the United States to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Slate column detailing the pros & cons of cloth vs. disposable diapers. Cloth wins out, but it's not as clear-cut a victory as you might think. The author also raises interesting points about the general wastefulness of baby care products.

Quoted: I'm about to have my first child, and my husband and I are vigorously debating our diaper options. Old-fashioned cloth nappies seem like a greener choice than plasticky disposables, but I've heard this isn't necessarily the case—washing machines don't run on pixie dust, after all.

Interesting MSN slide show on the flower trade and the path that flowers (specifically roses) travel in making it to your local florist. Really glad they're raising awareness about this.

Quoted: Today some 78 percent of the 4 billion cut flower stems purchased in the U.S. -- including the roses bought on Valentine’s Day -- come from Colombia and Ecuador, where they are grown in large production greenhouses, then harvested, sorted and shipped out around the world.

Oh man, what a disaster. Poor birdies...

Quoted: Rescuers on Monday recovered the bodies of three sailors after a Russian freighter sank near the Black Sea, while officials assessed damage from an oil tanker spill that could be the worst environmental disaster in the region in years.

I didn't realize pollution in Beijing is so severe that events might need to be postponed. It's so bad it could make it difficult for athletes to break world records at the 2008 games - I think this should be a factor in choosing future sites.

Quoted: Some events in the 2008 Summer Games may have to be postponed by a day or two if air pollution in Beijing is excessive, the International Olympic Committee said on Thursday. How will all this pollution affect the Olympic athletes?

Another interesting Explainer from Slate.

Quoted: The U.S. Coast Guard is planning to establish its first Arctic base. The announcement comes less than three months after a spat between Canada and Russia over control of Arctic waters. Norway, Iceland, and Denmark also voice claims on parts of the Arctic Ocean, particularly as thawing ice opens up previously inaccessible waterways and natural resources. So, who owns the Arctic?