A leading voice in America's environmental movement Wednesday slammed Republicans for their "assault" on the country's public lands and water.

Bruce Babbitt, who served as interior secretary from 1993 to 2001 under then president Bill Clinton, also chastised President Barack Obama for failing to "take up the mantle of land and water conservation… in a significant way."

"It is clear to me that the House of Representatives will not only block progress, but will continue to sustain an assault on our public lands and water," Babbitt said during a speech in Washington.

"The intent is to chip away, a blow at a time, at the edifice of environmental laws and regulations, avoiding a frontal assault that would call attention to the overall objective."

Babbitt pointed to a Congress resolution in April which removed the grey wolf from the list of endangered species and a recent bill that would eliminate protections for over 16 million hectares (40 million acres) of public land.

Of the 250 million acres (100 million hectares) of public land, more than 41 million acres (16 million hectares) is leased for oil and gas exploration, said Babbitt, noting that only 9 million acres (3.6 million hectares) are protected and designated as 'wilderness' areas.

"President Obama should call upon the Congress to expand the National Wilderness Preservation System," he said, adding there should be equally strong support for "the most important places" offshore and along the US coastline.

earlier related report

British bin cameras encourage students to recycle
London (AFP) June 8, 2011 –

British university students are being encouraged to change their ways and recycle through a project in which tiny cameras are fitted into bins.

Scientists at Newcastle University, in northeast England, said Wednesday that the "BinCams" had been placed in kitchen bins in five households.

The tiny sensor, attached to a camera phone, takes a picture every time the bin lid slams shut and uploads the image onto Facebook, allowing the students to monitor what they are throwing away.

The Facebook page adds an element of competition, allowing the student households to compare how their recycling efforts are going.

The project targets students because research has shown that people aged between 18 and 34 recycle less than other age groups.

Scientists said initial results indicated the experiment was a success. Early images showed pizza boxes, beer cans and other rubbish that could have been recycled, they said.

But after two weeks, the experiment showed that the bin is emptied less frequently as less rubbish is thrown away and more is recycled.

"The students said they felt like the bin was watching them and that it definitely made them think twice about what they were throwing away," said Anja Thieme, a postgraduate computer science student who is leading the project.

"By taking a photograph and uploading it to Facebook, the idea is that we create a platform for self-reflection — a permanent reminder. It's a bit like having your conscience sat on your shoulder niggling away at you."