GM And Fuel Cells
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environment
Fuel From Greenhouse Gases
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Carbon dioxide and methane are the two greenhouse gases that are having the greatest impact on the global climate. There are basically three ways to prevent them from getting into the atmosphere: don’t emit them, trap them and store them away, or turn them into something useful.
Carbon And Heating Soil
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Plants are a critical part of the Earth’s carbon cycle. They take in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Eventually, dead leaves, branches and other materials fall to the ground where bacteria and fungi decompose the materials and release the CO2 back into the atmosphere. This carbon-soil feedback loop is a complicated one that is critical to the overall carbon balance because soils actually contain two to three times more carbon than the atmosphere.
A Solar-Powered Vertical Farm
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Vertical farming is a method for producing crops in vertically stacked layers or surfaces typically in a skyscraper, used warehouse, or shipping container. Modern vertical farming uses indoor farming techniques and controlled-environment agriculture technology.
More Fake Fish News
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There has been quite a bit of news in recent years about the mislabeling of fish sold in markets and restaurants. One study a few years ago concluded that 1/3 of fish sold is not what it is labeled to be. Much of the practice is economic fraud: substituting cheaper, easier-to-find fish for rarer, more valuable types. For example, the study found that fish sold as red snapper was almost always not what it claimed to be. But cheating paying customers is not the only problem associated with the misidentification of fish.
Neonics And Honey
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The use of neonicotinoid pesticides or neonics has long been suspected as harmful to bees and a major factor in the widespread decline of honeybee and wild bee populations. A study published in Science last June provided strong evidence that neonics are indeed a real problem for bees.
An All-Electric Plane
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The British discount airline EasyJet recently announced a partnership with American company Wright Electric to develop an all-electric commercial airplane that they said could be flying within 10 years. The goal of the partnership is to develop aircraft with a maximum range of 335 miles, which is long enough for many of the European routes that EasyJet flies from its hub in England.
Greening Halloween
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According to the National Retail Federation, 179 million Americans are expected to spend $9.1 billion – or nearly $84 per person – on Halloween festivities this year, reaching a new record high. But it’s not just our wallets that take a beating. The planet also pays quite a price.
A Ton Of Plastic Per Person
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A study by the American Association for the Advancement of Science has produced an estimate of the total amount of plastic manufactured worldwide since the 1950s. The researchers then measured that data against statistics on recycling, incineration and discard rates. The results are sobering.
The Southern Pine Beetle
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Recent sightings of a destructive tree-eating beetle in northeast pine forests have been alarming. And a new study from Columbia University has confirmed what ecologists had feared all along: they’re here to stay.
The Effects Of One Degree
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In discussions of global warming, we often hear about the effects of a 2-degree rise in temperature or a 1-degree rise in temperature. For most of us, such changes seem pretty insignificant. Of course, in our daily lives, a one-degree temperature change is not particularly noticeable. But in the context of climate change, we are talking about a change in average temperature over time, not the temperature on a particular day or at a particular time.
Storing Carbon in the Ocean
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As carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere continue to rise, it may be that clean energy technologies, electric cars, and other methods of reducing emissions may not be enough. Carbon sequestration – sucking carbon out of the atmosphere – is seen by many as a crucial part of the solution.
New Rules For Ocean Conservation
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In a recent report to a United Nations ocean conference, scientists are warning that new rules are desperately needed to protect marine life in the open seas. That’s because more than 60% of the ocean has no conservation rules since it’s located outside national jurisdictions. The open ocean is at risk from climate change, over-fishing, deep sea mining, farm pollution, and plastics pollution.
Genetic Engineering And Conservation
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Genetic engineering, or equivalently synthetic biology, is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise involved in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biofuels and, of course, agriculture. In these fields, it is already the source of a great deal of controversy. But there is increasing interest in using synthetic biology (or synbio) technology as a tool for protecting the natural world, which is a prospect some find tantalizing and others find absolutely terrifying.
The Dirty Laundry On Dirty Laundry
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We’ve discussed the problem of microplastics polluting our oceans at great lengths on this program before. Much of the small plastic particles result from the breakdown of plastic litter, such as plastic bags, packaging, and other materials. Another source is microbeads, which are often found in health products such as face scrubs and even some toothpastes. But there is a another source of microplastic pollution that is quite troubling: dirty laundry.
Septic Systems and Water Contaminants
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A recent study has shown that septic systems in the U.S. routinely discharge pharmaceuticals, consumer product chemicals and other potentially hazardous substances into the environment. The comprehensive study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, raises health concerns since these chemicals can end up in groundwater and drinking water supplies.
Restoring Sediment To Save Wetlands
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The world’s rivers carry billions of cubic yards of sediment – sand, silt and other material – and transport it to wetlands and coastal areas. Until fairly recently, this was viewed as a negative thing. But that has changed.
Using Manganese To Transform CO2
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Carbon dioxide is not a very popular substance. As a greenhouse gas, it is the chief culprit in climate change and, as such, the world continues to seek solutions for preventing its release in the environment.
Can The Great Barrier Reef Be Saved?
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There have been many stories in the media about the ongoing environmental crisis at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Over the past two years, the reef has lost almost half of its coral because of bleaching events. Faced with this situation, the Australian government created the Reef 2050 Plan, a strategy to protect and maintain the reef through the year 2050.
France And Climate Change
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