Making Cities Cooler
Cities are particularly miserable during heatwaves. With lots of concrete and asphalt surfaces, they soak up lots of heat and re-radiate it. Lots of tall buildings block cooling breezes. Factor in car exhaust and heat from air conditioners and it all adds up to the urban heat island effect. Cities can be several degrees warmer during the day and as much as 20 degrees warmer at night. All of this extra heat is not just a comfort issue, it is a serious health problem.
Fish And Their Sense Of Smell
We use our sense of smell for all sorts of things, like locating food and habitat, avoiding danger, and so on. Fish do as well. But instead of smelling scent molecules in the air like humans do, fish use their nostrils to sense chemicals suspended in water.
New Zealand Bans Plastic Bags
In an effort to tackle plastic pollution, New Zealand is joining a growing list of countries banning single-use plastic bags for good. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says in a press statement that the ban was necessary to safeguard New Zealand’s clean and green reputation.
Heat-Resistant Corals
All over the world, coral reefs are being wiped out by rising sea temperatures brought about by climate change. When sea temperatures get too high, the symbiotic relationship between coral polyps and microscopic algae living within the coral breaks down and the coral either digests or expels the algae. The result is coral bleaching which weakens, and if it persists, kills the coral.
An Elephant Repellant
Growing human populations in Africa and Asia have created ever larger areas where elephants conflict with humans by trampling crops or causing other damage. These conflicts have occasionally been tragic when people were trampled to death and there are serious consequences when crops are destroyed. The individual elephants responsible for such destruction are often killed.
Bacteria-Powered Solar Cell
Commercially-available solar panels are composed of solar cells that are most often made from various forms of silicon. Some panels use thin-film cells made from other semiconductor materials. Solar cells utilize a property of semiconductors that allows them to convert light energy into electrical energy.
Reducing Slavery In Seafood
The seafood industry is one of the largest employers in the world. But according to a 2016 report, the seafood industry also contains widespread forced labor. Forty seven seafood-producing countries were reported to utilize forced labor. The seafood hub countries of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Peru, and the Philippines were also reported to use a significant percentage of child labor.
Dirty Air In The National Parks
Our national parks are supposed to be places that allow us to commune with nature. They offer incredible vistas and amazing sights. As a result, millions of Americans and visitors from around the world are drawn to these places – too many millions, in fact.
Global Warming And Air Conditioners
All those record high temperatures around the world this summer – such as during the unprecedented heatwave in Japan – put the spotlight on the growing dependence we all have on air conditioning.
Greener Concrete
The battle to reduce carbon emissions is heavily focused on electricity generation, transportation, buildings, and agriculture, which collectively account for more than 75% of the total. However, there are other sources of carbon emissions that cannot be ignored. Among industrial activities, the production of cement is responsible for 7% of industrial energy use and is the second largest industrial emitter of carbon dioxide. Making cement accounts for about 7% of global emissions.
Drought In Europe
Even as Californians fought giant wildfires and Japan struggled with record high temperatures, the unusual summer heat in central and northern Europe has led to the worst drought conditions in over 40 years.
Cleaning Up Shipping Fuel
Cargo ships are significant sources of global air pollution because of their fuel oil. Most ships burn something called “bunker fuel” which is a pitch-black, molasses-thick fuel made from the dregs of the oil refining process. It is loaded with sulfur, so when it is burned it produces noxious gases and fine particles that can harm human health and the environment. Because bunker fuel is made from petroleum refining residues, waste byproducts sometimes end up in the mix, making the stuff even a worse source of pollution.
A Battle For The Automobile Fuel Business
Energy giant BP predicts that electric vehicle sales will increase by an incredible 8,800 percent between now and 2040. That creates a major business opportunity for oil companies as well as a real problem because demand for gasoline and diesel is destined to slow.
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