A giant koi was apparently caught at a lake in France but now some are calling the story a fake, though marine experts say that a fish that size and color is very possible.

The 30-pound koi carp is the largest of its kind ever caught in the wild after it was fished out of a lake in the south of France by keen angler Raphael Biagini. Although there is Internet speculation that this photograph has been doctored, experts say that these fish can reach up to 90 lbs.

Do not adjust your computer monitors. Yes, this is a frog. On the end of a pencil. Yes, he is smaller than the average frog and yes, he is a damn cute amphibian!

The world’s smallest amphibian has reecently been discovered and has been dubbed by scientists: the Microhyla nepenthicola.

Adult frogs of this species range between 10.6 and 12.8 mm. How cute is that?

“Amphibians are quite sensitive to changes in their surroundings, so we hope the discovery of these miniature frogs will help us to understand what changes in the global environment are having an impact on these fascinating animals,” said Conservation International’s Dr Robin Moore.

$2.5 Million. That’s the amount of the largest fine ever given out under a U.S. pesticides law, and it will be agricultural powerhouse Monsanto that will pay it. The Environmental Protection Agency will be collecting the $2.5 million fine, which considering other payments Monsanto has had to pay out in the past, is barely a drop in Monsanto’s bottomless bucket.

Monsanto was selling genetically modified cotton seeds without labeling them as such between the years if 2002 and 2007. The seeds were illegally sold in several Texas counties where the seeds are explicitly banned.

Worried about what kind of food they’re feeding your little monkies in school? We all are. Since Food Inc., as well as Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, there has been heightend awareness regarding the nutrition the public school system is offering the youth of today. Now, actor Woody Harrelson has jumped on board, becoming an advocate for the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010, legislation that would reward school districts with additional food aid if they offer students more plant-based food choices.

In a letter to Congress, Woody and his wife Laura wrote:

“As parents, we ask you to support HR 4870, the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010. We know from watching our own children grow up that eating habits children develop early on stick with them for life. All too often, young people are offered processed meats and cheese and other greasy, high-fat, high-cholestrol foods.

“The Healthy School Meals Act will help children develop better eating habits, provide healthful plant-based options that naturally contain no cholesterol, are low in saturated fat and high in fibre, enabling schools to reach high nutrition standards easily. The legislation gives schools the incentive and ability to address the health problems that are harming our children and overburdening our health systems.”

Visit HealthySchoolLunches.org for more information.

The Florida Manatee, is already an endangered species due to human impact and habitat loss but one of the main contributing factors is cold water which leads to these animals to get sick. So far this year more than 100 manatees have been found dead in Florida waters and according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the cause of death for 77 of the endangered animals is cold stress.

The state has had unseasonably cold weather this month that has killed fish and stunned thousands of sea turtles. Officials say the numbers of dead manatees from the cold is a record for a single year. The previous record, set last year, was 56 deaths from cold stress.

“Researchers continue to recover and examine carcasses, so the total is expected to rise; however, the rate should slow down as water temperatures warm,” the commission said in a statement.

London Mayor Boris Johnson’s environmental adviser, Isabel Dedring, said climate projections show that the average summer temperatures in London could be at least 3.9C higher by 2080, and as much as 6C to 10C on the hottest days. A recent study suggested that increasing the amount of greenery in a city by 10% could offset the higher temperatures.

This caught the attention of Johnson, who’s aiming to increase tree cover across the capital by 5% by 2025. The program, Leading to a Greener London, included detailed plans for green roofs and more trees in streets. A green roof features waterproofing and drainage layers topped with soil and plants.

Three hundred volunteers in Pakistan planted 541,176 mangrove trees (by hand) in one day, subsequently breaking the Guinness World Record for tree planting. The volunteers managed to do it all without the aid of mechanical equipment. They planted the mangroves in the Indus River Delta wetland ecosystem in the Southern Sindh Province of Pakistan.

WWF awarded Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi, Pakistan’s Environment Minister, the title Leaders of the Planet, which recognizes people who are making a significant personal contribution to sustainable development and conservation of the natural world.

“This is a wonderful example of partnership between government, local communities and the private sector for a common cause, for conservation.” – Richard Garstang, head of WWF Pakistan Wetlands Program.

The previous record holder was India for most trees planted in one day was India with 447,874 trees.

HALL Wines recently announced that it has received theLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification for its Napa Valley St. Helena winery, becoming the first winery in California to be distinguished as a Gold certified facility by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building Rating System.

“The certification of HALL Wines not only marks a momentous occasion for the wine industry of California, but demonstrates how all industries can choose to be solvers of our collective environmental challenges,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The HALL Wines project efficiently uses natural resources, makes an immediate positive impact on our planet and as a business leader, can expect to reap financial benefits over the life cycle of the building.”

Owner and Vintner of HALL Wines, Kathryn Hall, and President Mike Reynolds, made it their mission to become the leader in earth-friendly California wine, resulting in the design of their new St. Helena facility in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system.

Watering plants with rainwater, instead of water from city reservoirs, has a number of positive benefits: it increases populations of beneficial soil microbes, which can be harmed by the chlorine that is added to municipal water, and it prevents too much salt buildup in the soil. Rainwater is the right pH and, if stored properly, it is clean and readily available for use. One of the best reasons for setting up a home rainwater collection system is that rain water is free.

A simple rain barrel connected to the end of each downspout provides many gallons of water every time it rains. An inch of rainfall on a 1,000 foot impermeable surface yields about 500 gallons of water. There are numerous types of rain barrels available, ranging from higher end oak wine barrels to 55 gallon plastic drums. These commercially made barrels cost between $40 and $150 depending on the composition of the barrel and the accompanying additions.

It can be expected that home rainwater collection systems will be a trend on the rise, as fresh water becomes more scarce, and as homeowners make conscious and well-informed decisions to green their homes and gardens by collecting rain water.

The Belgian city of Ghent plans to make a name for itself by becoming the first city on the planet to go vegetarian for one day each week.

The city has decided, collectively (we love those European sensibilities) that there will be a regular weekly meatless day, in which civil servants and elected councilors will opt for vegetarian meals.

The intention of this is to, as a city, recognize the impact that the raising and processing and consuming of livestock has on the environment. The United Nations says livestock is responsible for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

There is a movement here in North America, called Meatless Mondays, that is trying to promote the same idea over here. The folks at Meatless Monday have the right idea, and hopefully news like this will help promote this fantastic idea.