Climate Change
Hellbender populations
North America’s largest salamander is disappearing at an alarming rate. Hellbenders commonly reach two feet in length and have a life span of up to 30 years. They are the third-largest salamander in the world, after the Chinese giant salamander and the Japanese giant salamander.
Turning food waste into biogas
Turning food waste into fuel is not a new idea, but it is one that is finally starting to catch on in a big way. A growing number of wastewater treatment plants across the country are participating in the effort to recycle food waste and produce biogas.
Urban heat is not a myth
It has long been observed that metropolitan areas are significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas as a result of human activities. These areas are known as urban heat islands.
Overfishing and coral
Climate change has been blamed for the rapid decrease in coral cover in the Caribbean over the past few decades. But new research suggests that the impacts of pollution and overfishing may have been underrated. This is good news, experts say, because these problems are easier to address and reverse.
Replacing diesel in island countries
The economies, societies and ecosystems of small island countries have been burdened by the need to import fuels throughout the fossil fuel era. Most of these countries generate their electricity using imported diesel fuel, which is extremely expensive, vulnerable to disruption, and environmentally damaging.
Storing carbon in the soil
The effort to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere is primarily focused on the sources of carbon, such as emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. This can be called a supply-side approach. However, there is also the important issue of carbon sinks, which are termed demand-side approaches to the problem.
Waiting to feel climate change
Even though the scientific evidence for the dangers of human-made climate change is overwhelming at this point, there is still plenty of skepticism about it among ordinary people and, unfortunately, among policy makers. An important factor in this situation is that we don’t experience climate; we experience weather and weather is highly variable. [Read more…] about Waiting to feel climate change
Save the frogs
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Since the 1980s, there has been a worldwide decline in the population of amphibians – frogs, toads, and salamanders. For a while, biologists were skeptical that these declines were anything more than natural variations. However, study after study has revealed that the amphibian decline is a real and severe threat to biodiversity. [Read more…] about Save the frogs
The cost of climate change
The costs of climate change are many – from the destruction of ecosystems and the loss of species to increased risk of famine. The famous Stern Review by the British government in 2006 looked at the effects on the world economy. Eight years later, a recently released report focuses on the financial bottom line in the U.S., providing an assessment of how unmitigated climate change will add up over the remainder of this century. [Read more…] about The cost of climate change
Climate change and human development
There is much public discussion about the role of human activities in the changing climate but one research study looked at a diametrically opposite concept: the role of changing climate in the development of human culture. [Read more…] about Climate change and human development
Weed crops for a warming world
Rising temperatures, droughts and higher CO2 levels pose threats to the world’s food supply. Grains like wheat and rice have been bred for centuries for productivity but are not well suited to a changing climate. [Read more…] about Weed crops for a warming world
Commercial buildings and energy
Buildings account for about 36% of America’s total energy use and 65% of our electricity consumption. Commercial buildings use about 20% of the country’s energy and most of that is in the form of space heating, space cooling and lighting. [Read more…] about Commercial buildings and energy
The warm Pacific caused our weird winter
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Last winter was one of the coldest on record in the American Midwest. Northeastern cities were buried in snow. Meteorologists kept talking about the “polar vortex”. And meanwhile, western states were unseasonably warm and were stricken by drought. By all accounts, it was a weird winter. [Read more…] about The warm Pacific caused our weird winter
Ecosystems need predators
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Salt marshes are extremely important ecosystems. They shield coasts from flooding, they remove pollutants from water, and they are the baby nurseries for many kinds of fish. In recent years, salt marshes in places like the coastlines of New England have been dying off. [Read more…] about Ecosystems need predators
Seashells
Whether you’re a collector or just a casual beachgoer, you’ve probably bent to pick up a seashell that caught your eye. Children scour the beach for unique shells, and vacationers pocket them as mementos of their travels. Few things seem more innocent, but what is the impact of all those disappearing shells? [Read more…] about Seashells
Conditioning the air
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Air conditioners essentially work by taking warm air from inside our homes and offices and moving it outdoors. Can this affect the temperature outside? According to a recent study at Arizona State University, it turns out that it can. [Read more…] about Conditioning the air
New EPA standards benefit our health
The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a plan to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by the year 2030. This is excellent news for the environment, as power plant emissions cause global warming, acid rain, mercury poisoning in fish and wildlife, and ozone damage to crops and trees. [Read more…] about New EPA standards benefit our health
Summertime ozone
Ozone is a puzzling air pollutant. Human activities are not direct sources of a lot of ozone, but ozone concentrations increase to markedly unhealthy levels in many areas during the summer. About 30 years ago, atmospheric chemists solved this mystery. [Read more…] about Summertime ozone
The rising seas
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