Earth Wise
Predicting the forest of the future
We hear a lot about how climate change will affect forests. Some projections show wholesale loss of species in the western U.S., due to fire and pests. Sugar maple is thought likely to disappear from the eastern U.S., as conditions favorable to its survival move northward into Canada. [Read more…] about Predicting the forest of the future
Let’s get aggressive about passive
A philosophy of green building that is gaining traction in the U.S. is the Passive House standard. [Read more…] about Let’s get aggressive about passive
Methane: It’s a natural gas
Natural gas is a fossil fuel derived from ancient hydrocarbon deposits. Natural gas is nearly pure methane—a small molecule with a central carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms surrounding it. Methane is also produced by a variety of soil microbes, especially in wetland soils. [Read more…] about Methane: It’s a natural gas
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Getting energy from the ocean seems like a good idea. Oceans cover nearly ¾ of the planet, so they represent a gigantic energy resource. Most schemes for extracting energy from oceans center around moving water: either waves or tides. But there is another energy source in the sea that is starting to get some serious attention: ocean thermal energy conversion or “OTEC.” [Read more…] about Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Another reason to be ticked off
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It’s time to add another tongue-tying illness to the list of maladies carried by ticks. Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the U. S., with more than 30,000 people infected annually. Ticks that carry Lyme can also spread anaplasmosis and babesiosis. And now they have been tied to Borrelia miyamotoi, a pathogen characterized by relapsing fevers. [Read more…] about Another reason to be ticked off
Americans want cleaner energy
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The Gallup organization recently conducted a poll of Americans asking whether we should put more emphasis on domestic energy. [Read more…] about Americans want cleaner energy
Fuel from reeds
Almost any kind of plant material can be used as a feedstock to make ethanol. To date, most ethanol comes from sugar- and starch-based feedstocks because processing is relatively cheap and easy. Unfortunately, it also means producing fuel from crops that are ordinarily used for food, such as corn. [Read more…] about Fuel from reeds
Endocrine disrupters are a global problem
There are some 800 known endocrine disrupting substances – from pesticides and pharmaceuticals to flame retardants and plasticizers. What they have in common is an ability to disrupt the hormone system in humans and animals, leading to problems like cognitive impairment, fertility declines, diabetes, and cancer. [Read more…] about Endocrine disrupters are a global problem
Laying the education foundation for science innovation
Last month, the Next Generation Science Standards were unveiled. They’re an overhaul of the national elementary and high school science education standards that most states use, and which were last rewritten some seventeen years ago. [Read more…] about Laying the education foundation for science innovation
Tidal power
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The energy we use in the modern world comes from many sources. Virtually all of it turns out to originate from the sun, including fossil fuels, solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, and wave power, or from radioactivity, including both nuclear power and geothermal energy. [Read more…] about Tidal power
The European Commission takes a stand for bees
Wild and managed pollinators are on the decline. Locally, this means less successful gardens. The big picture is even more sobering. Dwindling numbers of honeybees, bumblebees, and other pollinating insects threaten our food security. About 1/3 of important food crops require pollinator services. [Read more…] about The European Commission takes a stand for bees
Nitrogen pollution and babies
Nitrogen oxide pollution, created during the combustion of fossil fuels, tends to be elevated in areas with a lot of industrial activity and vehicle traffic. These reactive gases contribute to acid rain, smog, and ground-level ozone. For some time now, the public health community has linked nitrogen oxide exposure to respiratory ailments, like asthma. [Read more…] about Nitrogen pollution and babies
Mind the gap
The structure of a tree is a remarkable engineering feat. Why don’t trees fall over more often? When tree crowns catch the full force of the wind, their trunks acts as a lever, transferring that force to root systems that anchor the tree in the soil. If the tree has a tap root, it’s unlikely to blow over in a wind-storm. [Read more…] about Mind the gap
Fukushima impacts two years later
When the tsunami triggered the explosions at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, we all worried about the release of radioactivity to the environment. Indeed, just a few days later, increased levels of radioactive cesium were measured in rainfall along the west coast of the United States. Public Health officials assured us that, while measurable, this radioactive fallout did not pose a human health hazard. [Read more…] about Fukushima impacts two years later
The ever-expanding footprint of Homo sapiens
When oil was easy to find, it required a lot less effort to extract. Punch a hole in the ground, and the oil flowed. As oil has become more difficult to locate, the environmental impact of producing it has increased markedly. We now look for oil deep beneath the sea and we scrape away the boreal forest of Canada to expose buried tar sands. [Read more…] about The ever-expanding footprint of Homo sapiens
Can we capture the carbon?
When I speak to public audiences about climate change, people often ask: Isn’t there a way to capture and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? [Read more…] about Can we capture the carbon?
Why flare it?
Natural gas is often found with oil. The high pressure of natural gas is often what causes oil to gush from the ground in oil fields. If it occurs near a market, natural gas is often captured and used as a fossil fuel itself. But, when natural gas is produced distant from markets, or the price of natural gas is low, it is vented to the atmosphere and burned. [Read more…] about Why flare it?
Give carpooling a chance
We all want to reduce the amount of gasoline we use and we all want to have less traffic congestion. There are various strategies to address these issues but one of the simplest and most effective is carpooling. [Read more…] about Give carpooling a chance
In praise of big old trees
