Weekly green glossary: Bohai, GINKs, Pezoporus flaviventris, polar bears

(AFP/TIM SLOAN)

Learn about the biggest green buzz words for the week ending November 26 with the following links.

Bohai - A plan to divert water from the Bohai sea in eastern China to combat drought and desertification in the arid regions of the far west was dismissed as an "unfeasible" by experts. ( Peoples'  Daily)

Blair mountain - History buffs and environmental activists are up in arms in an effort to save Blair mountain in West Virginia, site on one of the largest labor insurrections after the civil war, from being strip-mined. ( guardian)

Consumerism - The rapid spread of consumerism in China is leading to a ballooning demand for construction and material goods, which in turn is causing China's carbon footprint to grow at an unsustainable rate. ( AFP)

Dicaprio and Putin - Following a summit on tiger conservation, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Hollywood heartthrob Leonardo Dicaprio emerged as leaders in the battle to save the endangered felines. ( Independent)

Degrees - A recent UN report concludes that even with the existing pledges countries have made to limit carbon emissions temperatures will still rise by 4 degree Celsius this century. ( BBC)

GINKs - Some people already eat less red meat, cycle more and switch off their lights to save the environment, but what about giving up having children, as the growing movement of "Green Inclinations No Kids" is doing. ( Daily Green)

Gore - Former vice president Al Gore riled those lobbying for corn-based ethanol fuels by suggesting his support for the industry was a mistake. ( NY Times)

Polar bears - Global warming could force polar bears southward and into direct competition with native grizzly bears, say scientists. ( Science Daily )

Pezoporus flaviventris - DNA studies in Australia have proved that populations of ground parrots in Eastern and Western Australia are distinctly different from each other and the western species should be classified as a new species - Pezoporus flaviventris . ( Science Daily )

Shanghai - Following the lifting of pollution controls at the end of the World Expo in Shanghai, the city is suffering its worst November air quality in five years. ( Yahoo)

Sojitz - In a bid to reduce dependence on China, Japan has reached an agreement to buy rare earth substances from Australia. The alliance between Japanese company Sojitz and Australian Corporation Lynas follows a freeze by China's rare earth exports. ( NY Times)