Technology
Get the lead out!
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Lead has been mined and smelted for more than two thousand years, and it has been recognized as toxic for nearly as long. It can affect every organ of the body, but in particular, it is a neurotoxin associated with cognitive problems. [Read more…] about Get the lead out!
Just label it
Genetically modified foods are an established part of American agriculture. It began in 1994 with the Flavr Svr tomato, the first genetically modified food licensed for human consumption. [Read more…] about Just label it
Pollution recognizes no political boundaries—and that includes radiation
Scientists have long recognized that many pollutants travel far from where they originated. Power plant emissions can be carried by winds to distant states, where they contribute to acid rain, ground-level ozone, or mercury in isolated lakes. That’s why some of our national parks, even though they are protected areas, have smog and haze problems.
The challenge for scientists is teasing out the sources of pollution once they have dispersed. Although some elements carry isotopic signatures, others do not; so it’s challenging to trace pollutants like lead or compounds like nitrogen oxides back to their precise source.
The earthquake and tsunami that damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan last year provided an inadvertent demonstration of how air currents can transport pollution over long distances. Within a week of the earthquake, radioactive material was found in rainfall on the west coast of North America. It was in such small concentrations that it didn’t pose a health hazard. But the point is that, because there was no other possible source for the radioactive material, it served as a tracer. Meteorologists noted a strong jet stream over Japan in the days after the disaster; it carried the contaminants across the Pacific where they were then deposited in rainfall.
Although this fallout did not prove hazardous to Americans, the story is a sobering reminder that ocean and air currents are powerful mechanisms for moving pollution. We can’t control or regulate them. It is also a reminder that no matter how safe the nuclear power industry portrays itself to be, all of the safeguards in the world could not prevent the disaster that unfolded in Japan.
Web Link
Scientific paper on Fission-Product Isotopes from Fukushima to U.S.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es203217u
Photo, taken on May 20, 2007 using a Nikon Coolpix L5, courtesy of J. Brew via Flickr.
Birdwatchers make great citizen scientists
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For years, scientists have used data collected by birdwatchers to assess the pathways of migrating birds and changes in bird populations and range. The National Audubon Society’s Christmas bird count dates back to 1900 and provides an annual snapshot of bird populations throughout the country. More than 50,000 people participate each year. [Read more…] about Birdwatchers make great citizen scientists
A new renewable energy source is making waves
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For years, when we talked about using renewable energy, our options were solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower. Each has its pluses and minuses, but each is a significant step away from burning fossil fuel. [Read more…] about A new renewable energy source is making waves
Fertilizer helps feed the world – but the way it's produced can be harmful
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Until the Industrial Revolution, we increased fertility in our farms and gardens by applying animal manure, compost, or minerals mined from the earth. Then, scientists developed a method to capture nitrogen for use in fertilizer. Synthetic fertilizer is responsible for the so-called Green Revolution that increased crop yields and supports the earth’s growing population. [Read more…] about Fertilizer helps feed the world – but the way it's produced can be harmful
Power from the deep earth?
It sounds like a grade school science experiment on a grand scale. This summer, a team of geothermal energy developers is planning to pump 24 million gallons of water into a dormant volcano in Central Oregon. Their hope: that volcanic rock will heat the water to a temperature that is hot enough to generate clean electricity. [Read more…] about Power from the deep earth?
Saying no to DDT
DDT became a household name in the 1960s, when Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’ drew national attention to the impact the pesticide had on breeding birds. The EPA banned its use in 1972 and affected wildlife, such as bald eagles and pelicans, have made a remarkable recovery.
Recently, there have been calls from the international community—most notably the World Health Organization—to revisit using DDT to combat mosquito-borne disease. Malaria claims almost a million lives each year, with losses concentrated in the world’s poorest countries. Dengue, encephalitis, and yellow fever are also concerns.
DDT is inexpensive and good at killing mosquitoes. But let’s remember, it was banned in developed nations because it has been linked to serious health concerns, including breast cancer, diabetes, reproductive impairment, and neurological damage in children. Spraying it in homes and near living areas is a risky proposition.
When we release DDT to the environment, we give up control of where it goes, what it does, and how long it persists. DDT accumulates in the food chain, making top predators—like people—especially vulnerable. Residues are found in Antarctic penguins, thousands of miles away from its application. They are also found in all of us.
We need to combat mosquito-borne disease without entering into a chemical arms race that harms future generations and creates pesticide resistant insects. Instead, let’s set our brightest minds to understanding how management practices and native predators can help keep mosquito populations in check.
Photo, taken between 1945-1946, courtesy of John Tewell via Flickr.
When it comes to cell phones, we're talking about a lot of toxic trash
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18 months. That’s the average lifespan for a cell phone in the US. Most carriers let customers upgrade their phones after a year and a half, and most customers opt to do it. The bulk of discarded cell phones end up mixed in with household garbage. Less than 10% are recycled. [Read more…] about When it comes to cell phones, we're talking about a lot of toxic trash
Cancer: not a word we want to hear
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Last year, 1.6 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer, and more than a half million died from it. The process is protracted and painful.
But, how does cancer arise anyhow? Cancer begins with a change in the activity of our genetic material, or DNA. Normal cell division is compromised, and tumors form. Some people are genetically predisposed to certain cancers. For instance, inherited mutations in the BRCA genes, are linked to a family history of breast and ovarian cancers.
A widely-cited study in Scandinavia found that among nearly45,000 pairs of identical twins—individuals with identical genes— breast, colorectal and prostate cancers had a strong genetic link. But the results of this exhaustive study also revealed environmental factors are linked to twice as many cancers as genetic factors.
We are exposed to carcinogens through smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, breathing industrial pollution, radiation exposure, and infections like hepatitis. Carcinogens are also in a wide range of products designed to make our lives easier: insect repellants, cleaning materials, solvents, and personal care products.
The rates of environmentally-induced cancers speak strongly for the regulation of toxic substances. Unfortunately, only about 200 of the nearly 80,000 chemicals being used in the U.S. have been assessed for their potential to cause cancer.
Knowledge is power. Let’s make analyzing our chemical inventory a priority, so that we can identify substances like dioxin, which need to be eliminated from production.
Photo, taken on December 11, 2007 using a Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, courtesy of Jose Goulao via Flickr.
Somewhere in West Virginia, a mountain is missing its top
When we turn on the air conditioner this summer, few of us will think about mountain forests and the streams that drain them. We simply want to be cool. But, air conditioning comes at a cost to the central Appalachian Mountains. [Read more…] about Somewhere in West Virginia, a mountain is missing its top
It’s a small world out there
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Like it or not, we have entered the world of nanotechnology. Less than 1/3 of a micron in length, nano-particles are miniscule. On the surface of clothing, they can prevent stains and wrinkles; on bandages, they impart antimicrobial properties. [Read more…] about It’s a small world out there
Do we need to retard the rush to flame retardants?
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Few of us are familiar with polybrominated diphenyl ethers. They’re not in your spice or medicine cabinet, and you’re not likely to find them among the garden chemicals in your garage. But, if you have a sofa, a laptop, or a TV, they are in your house. [Read more…] about Do we need to retard the rush to flame retardants?
What do the generals know that we don’t?
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Some political candidates vehemently deny global climate change. And several conservative think-tanks have an agenda focused on discrediting the scientific evidence for human effects on climate. But deep inside the U.S. Pentagon, officials take climate change very seriously. [Read more…] about What do the generals know that we don’t?
Good morning sunshine
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Amongst the flurry of depressing news about the environment, there is a bright spot—solar power. Solar comes in two forms: thermal—where sunlight heats water, and photovoltaic—where sunlight is converted to electricity. [Read more…] about Good morning sunshine
Hard or soft? When engineering shorelines, it makes a big difference
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Most of us have experienced a river shoreline— from a park, a train, or a boat. When we see where the water meets the land, how many of us have considered how modified shorelines influence river health? [Read more…] about Hard or soft? When engineering shorelines, it makes a big difference
More efficient boilers and new windows have a positive impact on the environment and wallets
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When it comes to making buildings more energy efficient, there are the elaborate steps, like solar panels and green roofs. And there are simpler measures, like updating water boilers and installing controllable thermostats. [Read more…] about More efficient boilers and new windows have a positive impact on the environment and wallets
Old McDonald might soon have a farm inside a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan
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To feed the 8 million people living in New York City, it takes farmland equivalent to the size of Virginia to produce enough food. There is a growing push to build farms right inside major cities. Farms built inside of buildings were first conceptualized more than a decade ago.
[Read more…] about Old McDonald might soon have a farm inside a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan
Saving the World While Videogaming: Not Just Fantasy Anymore
