A look at our changing environment.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global challenge and nowhere is that challenge greater than in China. China accounts for 30% of the world’s emissions and much of that comes from coal power plants. If the world is going to reach its climate targets, China is going to have to replace as much as possible […]
Convincing industries to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions has not been easy. Many approaches have been debated, including carbon taxes, carbon tax-and-trade schemes, and passing a giant Green New Deal. Most economists agree that putting a price on carbon is likely to be the most effective approach. But there is already in place an adjustment […]
Large amounts of metal in soil are generally bad for plants. But there are about 700 species of plants that thrive in metal-rich soils. These plants don’t just tolerate minerals from soil in their bodies but actually seem to hoard them to ridiculous levels. In areas where soils are naturally rich in nickel, typically in […]
A growing number of major corporations are making promises on climate and the promises are getting more ambitious and for faster action. More companies are disclosing their carbon emissions and more of those companies have emissions reduction targets. There has also been an acceleration in the rate at which companies set so-called science-based targets, which […]
In a world where many go hungry in the context of rapidly changing environments, many experts contend that alternative food sources will be necessary to solve global food security problems. So-called novel food sources are central to this conversation, defined as foods with no history of consumption in a region – or perhaps anywhere. Three […]
Green products are environmentally-friendly products with features that are less harmful to people and the planet. For instance, green products may require fewer resources to produce, consume less energy, contain non-toxic ingredients, or create fewer emissions. Some examples include biodegradable waste bags, LED light bulbs, low-flow shower heads, organic cotton clothing, and reusable coffee cups […]
According to new research from scientists at the University of Hawaii Manoa, the warming and acidifying oceans could wipe out nearly all existing coral reef habitats by 2100. In fact, the researchers predict that 70-90% of coral reefs will disappear over the next 20 years alone as a consequence of climate change and pollution. Some […]
Methanol is a valuable chemical used as fuel in the production of countless products. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is produced by countless industrial processes. Carbon dioxide can be converted into methanol, which is one way all that CO2 can be put to good use instead of causing harm. In research recently published in Science, chemical engineers from […]
Many studies have shown, to no great surprise, that affluent lifestyles lead to larger carbon footprints. Households in Switzerland enjoy a high standard of living and a team of researchers there has been studying the consumption and travel habits of Swiss citizens to better understand the impact of various factors on carbon footprint. Key factors include household composition and income, and whether […]
About 1% of the world’s population is dependent on desalinated water to meet daily needs, but water scarcity is a growing problem that experts believe will affect 14% of the world’s population within the next five years. Desalination takes much more energy than, for example, transporting fresh water over large distances. In general, desalination costs […]
One-third of all food produced is wasted, which turns out to be a major contributor to carbon emissions. Most of the carbon emissions associated with food waste are related to the production of the food. Reducing waste would trickle through the supply chain over time and ultimately less food would be produced. A study at […]
Rising sea levels and the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are leaving observable effects on beaches, cliffs, and coastal infrastructures all around the world. But a new study suggests that the impact of climate change on coastal plant communities needs more attention. According to research recently published in the journal Annals of […]
Climate change has been shrinking Arctic sea ice and this is causing changes in the behavior of polar bears. The Southern Beaufort Sea, located where the northern edges of Alaska and Canada meet, is home to one of the 19 population groups of polar bears. Historically, the polar bears in this region remained on sea […]
Plants have been harnessing the sun’s energy for hundreds of millions of years. Algae and photosynthetic bacteria have been doing the same for even longer, all with remarkable efficiency and resiliency. People have used the energy of the sun in one way or another for millennia, but only recently have we gotten sophisticated about it by […]
During this year’s Super Bowl, at least three car companies – GM, Porsche, and Audi – ran commercials for plug-in cars. This is a sign that automakers are ramping up their efforts to persuade the public that electric cars really are the future. The auto industry is investing billions of dollars to develop electric vehicles, […]
The environmental consequences of burning fossil fuels are a dominant topic. The increasing changes in the climate have far-reaching effects across the globe and are a growing geopolitical crisis. But the climate effects of fossil fuel emissions are by no means the only problem they cause. A new report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clear Air has, for […]
Fireflies or lightning bugs are soft-bellied beetles known widely for their use of bioluminescence – the biochemical emission of light – to communicate and to attract mates. There are more than 2,000 species of these beetles globally. They can be found in temperate and tropical climates, like marshes or wet, wooded areas, all throughout the […]
Antimicrobial resistance is a serious and growing problem for public health. Over time, more and more types of bacteria have become resistant to known antibiotics making it very difficult to treat various kinds of infections. A new group of antibiotics with a unique approach to attacking bacteria has been discovered at McMaster University in Canada, representing a promising new clinical approach in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. The newly found corbomycin and the […]
Recent climate models from multiple organizations project that the amount of warming that doubling atmospheric carbon dioxide would cause would be much more than previously estimated. And one of the significant changes to the models relates to the role of clouds. Clouds have long been a major uncertainty in climate calculations. Clouds can shade the […]
Under a new initiative, builders in New Jersey will have to take climate change into account in order to win government approval for projects. New Jersey is the first state in the United States to enact such a requirement, which will leverage land-use rules to control what and where developers can build, and limit the […]