Economy and Policy
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Pacific Ocean hosts the largest trash dump on Earth. It is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and it’s at least as big as Texas but might be much larger. Estimates are that it holds more than 3.5 million tons of garbage and at least 80% of it is plastic. [Read more…] about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Growing numbers of electric cars
As of early this year, the number of electric cars in the world has passed the 400,000 mark. This represents a doubling of the number from just 12 months ago, which in turn was a doubling of the previous year’s total. There is no doubt that there is sharp and steady growth in electric vehicles. [Read more…] about Growing numbers of electric cars
Saving the bees
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In recent years, bee populations have been shrinking at an alarming rate. According to the Department of Agriculture, managed honeybee colonies lost almost a quarter of their numbers over the past winter alone. These rapid declines in bees and other pollinators in the United States threaten billions of dollars in crops. [Read more…] about Saving the bees
Cars sharing the grid
Last year, Americans bought almost 100,000 cars that plug into the wall. That is a drop in the bucket in the overall auto market, but the number of electric cars is growing rapidly year-by-year. People are starting to wonder what might happen when a huge number of cars need to share the power grid. [Read more…] about Cars sharing the grid
Honeybees and environmental health
There are many ways to evaluate the health of a landscape. A new study suggests one way may be to listen to dancing honeybees. Of course, the bees aren’t dancing because they’re happy– rather, they use their signature waggle dance as a way to communicate to one another where the best food can be found. [Read more…] about Honeybees and environmental health
Offshore wind turbines can slow hurricanes
Wind power is welcomed by farmers and ranchers in the Great Plains for the income and economic activity it brings, but it has made much slower progress in the densely populated Northeast. Here, residents often object to wind turbines disrupting their views of formerly pristine ridge-lines, and offshore wind runs into objections from politically powerful owners of beachfront property. [Read more…] about Offshore wind turbines can slow hurricanes
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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Melting polar ice and rising sea levels are some of the most obvious results of the ongoing global warming of our planet. Politicians may argue about whether the warming we are experiencing is caused by humans, but all agree that our planet has warmed during the past couple of hundred years. [Read more…] about The rising seas
Microbeads
When we think about protecting our waterways from plastic pollution, we think of recycling water bottles or moving toward canvas grocery bags. But what about the plastics we can’t see? [Read more…] about Microbeads
Science and art
Science and art are rarely thought of as going hand-in-hand. In fact, we typically think of scientists and artists as having entirely different type of brains – one logical and analytical, the other creative and subjective. [Read more…] about Science and art
New EPA carbon dioxide standards
In a big win for the environment, the Environmental Protection Agency recently released a plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Specifically, it calls for existing power plants to cut their emissions to 30 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2030.
Death by air pollution
The human health effects of air pollutants are hotly debated. Since air pollution is typically a long-term, diffuse problem, it is difficult to link human mortality to any particular air pollutant. Studies of the human health effects of acute chemical spills are much easier. [Read more…] about Death by air pollution
Wasting food
Scientists have long been concerned about potential food shortages in a world facing climate change and a rapidly increasing population. [Read more…] about Wasting food
Sunken shipping containers
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Shipping containers on cargo vessels – technically called intermodal containers – have been around since the 1950s. These large steel boxes, some of which are over fifty feet long, are used to carry thousands of goods around the world. [Read more…] about Sunken shipping containers
A window of opportunity
Much has been written about collisions of birds with radio-towers and tall buildings, especially during migration. Now a new study documents another large source of bird mortality—collisions with window glass in residential and low-rise buildings. [Read more…] about A window of opportunity
China’s polluted groundwater
As China continues to develop at a rapid pace, attention has been given to its poor air quality and smog. But a new report on the country’s land and water resources has revealed what is perhaps an even graver problem. [Read more…] about China’s polluted groundwater
Large wildlife loss
The decline of large mammals – like elephants and giraffes – is problematic for a number of reasons. Their loss disturbs ecosystems, not to mention the moral implications of allowing some of the most majestic creatures on Earth to approach extinction. But new research suggests another reason we should worry about the loss of large wildlife. [Read more…] about Large wildlife loss
Solar power for the developing world
