When is it a bad idea to fertilize a plant?
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Fertilizer makes our crops grow bigger and our grass greener. But nutrients from fertilizer end up in our waterways, where they may fertilize microscopic plants called phytoplankton. [Read more…] about When is it a bad idea to fertilize a plant?
For a few weeks in 2008, the city of Beijing reduced its notorious air pollution
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Like most developing countries, China has prioritized economic development over environmental protection. But after winning the right to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, the country made a commitment to address its pollution problem. Olympic organizers promised blue skies over Beijing. [Read more…] about For a few weeks in 2008, the city of Beijing reduced its notorious air pollution
We all live in a watershed
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Our bodies are more than 60% water and we require about 8 cups a day to stave off dehydration. Keeping water clean is as good for humans as it is for the environment. [Read more…] about We all live in a watershed
Why should we care about freshwater mussels?
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There were once three hundred species of mussels in the United States. They supplied food to Native Americans and people harvested them for pearls and for mother-of-pearl to make buttons. Now, hardly anyone eats freshwater mussels and buttons are mostly made of plastic. [Read more…] about Why should we care about freshwater mussels?
Honeybees are critical to U.S. agriculture, and they’re in trouble
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At least a third of U.S. crops are pollinated by commercial beekeeping operations, including apples, blueberries, cucumbers, almonds, pumpkins. In the year 2000, the value of these bee-assisted crops was about fifteen billion dollars. [Read more…] about Honeybees are critical to U.S. agriculture, and they’re in trouble
Raising livestock outdoors is humane, but pasture-raised animals can cause environmental problems
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Let’s focus on pigs. Most of the pork we consume comes from massive indoor facilities where a large number of animals are raised in a relatively small space. These operations are notorious for pervasive odors and for causing air and water pollution. For ethical reasons, many people prefer to buy pasture-raised pork. [Read more…] about Raising livestock outdoors is humane, but pasture-raised animals can cause environmental problems
Lightning can help your garden grow
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Nitrogen is one of the key nutrients that plants need to grow. It’s bountiful in our atmosphere, comprising seventy-eight percent of the air we breathe. But atmospheric nitrogen needs to be converted to ammonia in order to be useful to plants. [Read more…] about Lightning can help your garden grow
You might want to think twice about that picnic on the beach
Most of us take precautions when planning to spend a day in the sun and surf. We apply sunscreen, don hats, and pay attention to warnings about waves, sharks, and water quality. But a recent report highlights an overlooked beach risk: the sand. [Read more…] about You might want to think twice about that picnic on the beach
Every Day is Earth Day
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Sunday is the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, which first took place on April 22, 1970 and helped to prompt an awakening of American citizens to the importance of the environment. [Read more…] about Every Day is Earth Day
The Olympic games, traffic congestion, and childhood asthma
In 1996, organizers of the Atlanta Olympics were expecting a million visitors to their congested city. To ensure spectators could reach Olympic venues on time, they developed strategies for reducing traffic congestion. They beefed up public transportation, closed parts of downtown to private vehicle traffic, and encouraged local businesses to allow telecommuting. [Read more…] about The Olympic games, traffic congestion, and childhood asthma
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
Wonder fish or pink poison?
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Salmon consumption has been linked to improved cardiovascular health and brain function. But not all fish are created equal. In the U.S., two-thirds of salmon are farm-raised. Compared to their wild counterparts, these fish are often less nutritious and have a larger environmental impact. [Read more…] about Wonder fish or pink poison?
Plastic has transformed the world
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In the iconic 1968 movie The Graduate, the lead character’s future father-in-law gives him one word of advice: “plastics.” He was on to something. Plastics have come to dominate our lives. [Read more…] about Plastic has transformed the world
Holy mackerel!
Over the past two decades, stocks of Jack mackerel in the South Pacific have declined by 90%, from 30 million tons to 3 million tons. Many of the fish being netted are juveniles. This is a sad turn of events for one of the world’s richest fishing grounds. [Read more…] about Holy mackerel!
How resilient is your plastic?
Synthesized in the laboratory more than 100 years ago, bisphenol A did not enter widespread production until the 1950s, when it was discovered that as an additive to polycarbonate plastics, it makes them harder and more resilient. [Read more…] about How resilient is your plastic?
Exotic snakes are putting the squeeze on the Everglades
Located at the tip of Florida, the Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in the US. It’s taken Americans a while to appreciate what the “River of Grass” has to offer. Early settlers had a drain and conquer approach to this wetland. [Read more…] about Exotic snakes are putting the squeeze on the Everglades
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?
Cities as ecosystems?
Ecologists define an ecosystem as a unit of the landscape—a forest, a lake, or a river. Often, they are interested in the movement of materials through that area. For instance, rain may deposit nitrogen in a forest, while a stream may carry nitrogen away from the forest and into a river. [Read more…] about Cities as ecosystems?
Herring – little fish of the sea
