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Air pollution and human health

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Climate change is making air quality worse in many parts of the world. Rising temperatures increase ground-level ozone, and more frequent wildfires release harmful smoke and particulates into the air. These changes, combined with ongoing pollution from sources like vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions, lead to longer and more intense episodes of unhealthy air.

A new study led by researchers from the University of Toronto in Canada examined more than 600 people and found that long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with early signs of heart damage.  The research, which was recently published in the journal Radiology, indicates that fine particulate matter in the air may contribute to diffuse myocardial fibrosis, a form of scarring in the heart muscle that can precede heart failure. 

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. 

Long-term exposure to common air pollutants is also linked to a significantly higher risk of dementia.  A separate study by researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK analyzed data from nearly 30 million people and found that for every 10 micrograms of fine particulate matter per cubic meter of air, the risk of dementia increases by 17%.  The study, which was recently published in The Lancet Planetary Health, found that exposure to nitrogen dioxide and soot was also strongly associated with an increased risk of dementia.

Dementia is estimated to affect more than 57 million people worldwide, a number that is expected to swell to 152 million by 2050.

Strengthening efforts to reduce air pollution could make a real difference for the environment and human health.

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Even low levels of air pollution may quietly scar your heart, MRI study finds

Is the air you breathe silently fueling dementia? A 29-million-person study says yes

Photo, posted February 25, 2017, courtesy of CCO Bay via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

A hidden cost of climate change

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Climate change is dramatically impacting food production by altering rainfall patterns, increasing temperatures, and triggering more frequent extreme weather events.  These changes make crops more vulnerable to droughts, floods, heatwaves, pests, and diseases, leading to lower yields and greater uncertainty for farmers worldwide.

But climate change isn’t just reshaping our planet.  It’s also changing what’s on our plates.  According to a new study by researchers from Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, rising carbon dioxide levels and warmer temperatures may be making food less nutritious.

The research team focused on popular leafy vegetables, including kale, rocket, and spinach.  The researchers simulated future UK climate conditions in growth chambers to study how the crops responded to hotter, CO2-rich environments.

The research team found that elevated CO2 levels help crops grow faster and bigger, but not healthier.  Over time, the crops showed a reduction in key minerals like calcium and certain antioxidant compounds.  These changes were exacerbated by increases in temperature.  In fact, the combination had complex effects.  The crops did not grow as big or fast, and the decline in nutritional quality intensified.

This nutritional imbalance poses serious human health implications.  Rising CO2 levels can increase sugar in crops while reducing essential nutrients, leading to calorie-rich but nutrient-poor diets. This shift may raise the risk of obesity, diabetes, and nutrient deficiencies, especially in vulnerable populations.

The challenge ahead isn’t just to grow enough food to feed a growing population, but to preserve the quality of that food in a changing climate.

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Bigger crops, fewer nutrients: The hidden cost of climate change

Photo, posted May 25, 2010, courtesy of Jason Bachman via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

The UK is heating up

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June and July have both seen multiple days with temperatures in the 90s in London, England.  This is almost unheard of, but according to British scientists, record-breaking extreme weather has become the new norm in the UK.

Weather records show that the UK’s climate is different now compared with just a few decades ago.  The number of days with temperatures 9 degrees Fahrenheit above the average from 1961-1990 has doubled in the last 10 years.  For days 14 degrees above average, the number has tripled, and for 18 degrees above average, it has quadrupled. 

Apart from the higher temperatures, rain in the UK has become more intense.  The number of months where counties receive at least double their average rainfall has risen by 50% in the past 20 years.  Sea level around the UK is rising faster than the global average, worsening the impact of coastal flooding.

An estimated 600 people died as a result of the heatwave that hit England and Wales at the end of June.  Scientists calculated that the extreme high temperatures were made 100 times more likely to have occurred as a result of climate warming.

The UK has some of the longest duration meteorological records in the world.  Those records show that recent temperatures have far exceeded any in at least 300 years.  The last three years were among the UK’s five hottest years on record. 

Today’s record-breaking temperatures are likely to be average by 2050 and positively cool by 2100, according to scientists.

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‘Profound concern’ as scientists say extreme heat ‘now the norm’ in UK

Photo, posted February 4, 2018, courtesy of Hannes Flo via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Biochar and poultry farm pollution

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Poultry farms are a significant source of air and water pollution.  In the US, they are the largest source of ammonia emissions, followed by dairy and non-dairy cattle farms. Poultry farms emit over two million tons of ammonia per year. Ammonia is not directly produced or excreted by the birds but is a common by-product of poultry wastes.

Poultry manure is a rich source of phosphate and large amounts of it are used in agricultural land as an organic fertilizer.  This poses an environmental risk when phosphates are washed into rivers and streams by rainwater. Phosphates lead to the proliferation of algae, harming other aquatic life and resulting in toxic conditions.

Researchers at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology are investigating the use of biochar as a means of reducing air and water pollution from poultry farms in the UK.  Biochar is produced by heating biomass – typically wood – to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen.  The resultant material is effective at absorbing nutrients and other substances.

In laboratory experiments, adding biochar to birds’ bedding has been shown to reduce ammonia emissions from droppings by 58%.  The biochar binds ammonium to its surface, preventing release into the atmosphere as ammonia gas.

Modified biochars are also proven to be highly efficient at adsorbing phosphorous.  Adding a cost-effective biochar to poultry manure fertilizer could support the safe use of an important and otherwise renewable fertilizer.  The biochar binds phosphates in the manure to its surface, preventing leaching and run-off into waterways.

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Biochar could help restore River Wye

Photo, posted May 15, 2023, courtesy of Ark. Agricultural Experiment Station via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Marine heatwaves are spreading

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Sea surface temperatures broke records in 2024 and a quarter of the world’s oceans are experiencing temperatures that qualify as a marine heatwave.  A marine heatwave is a prolonged period during which ocean temperatures are significantly warmer than average for that specific location and time of year. 

Unusual heatwaves have occurred in all the major ocean basins around the planet in recent years and some have become so intense that they are being called super marine heatwaves.

The seas off the coasts of the UK and Ireland experienced an unusually intense and long-lasting marine heatwave starting in April.  Australia was recently struck by heatwaves on two coasts.

Hotter oceans are causing drastic changes to marine life, sea levels, and weather patterns.  Some of the most apparent casualties of ocean warming have been coral reefs.  About 84% of reefs worldwide experienced bleaching-level heat stress at some point between January 2023 and March 2025.

Excess heat in the oceans can affect weather patterns, making hurricanes more likely to rapidly intensify and become more destructive.

A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that climate change has been responsible for the overwhelming majority of marine heatwaves in recent decades.

People are learning to forecast these events.  Eventually, parts of the ocean might enter a constant state of marine heatwave, at least by how it is defined today.  Studying what is going on in the oceans today may provide insights into the future of the world’s oceans and provide guidance on how to try to achieve different outcomes.

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See How Marine Heat Waves Are Spreading Across the Globe

Photo, posted December 5, 2015, courtesy of Susanne Nilsson via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Bees and urban wildflowers

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Post-industrial cities often have large numbers of vacant lots, left behind as people have moved out of the area.  Local residents are often tempted to plant wildflowers to make these deserted spaces more attractive. 

Wildflowers are an important food source for bees.  Pollinators like bees play a vital role in food production and attracting them with food sources is a good idea.  However, a study by researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK found that there are dangers associated with planting wildflowers in some urban settings.

Wildflowers growing on land previously used for buildings and factories can accumulate lead, arsenic, and other metal contaminants from the soil.  These metals have previously been shown to damage the health of pollinators that ingest the metals in the nectar as they feed.

The Cambridge study was carried out in Cleveland, Ohio, which has nearly 34,000 vacant lots.  Cleveland was previously the site of iron and steel production, oil refining, and car manufacturing.  The researchers tested the nectar from flowering plants growing on disused land throughout the city.  Lead was the contaminant found in the highest concentrations.  They also found that different species of plants accumulate different amounts and different types of metals.

The goal of the study was not to discourage the planting of wildflowers in towns and cities.  It is to highlight the importance of growing the right species of wildflowers as well as to encourage testing soils for metals before planting wildflowers and to clean up pollution.  Wildflowers are important for pollinators, but it is also important that they don’t contribute to the decline of pollinator populations that has already been happening for a number of reasons.

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Growing wildflowers on disused urban land can damage bee health

Photo, posted August 26, 2012, courtesy of RJP via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Modeling geoengineering

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As the impacts of climate change continue to mount up, there is increasing interest in radical intervention measures designed to keep a lid on rising global temperatures.  Such measures are fraught with potential dangers and unintended consequences but there is no guarantee that one or another of them might still be attempted in the future.  Increasing international interest in geoengineering as a potential strategy for mitigating climate change has created a pressing need to consider its impact before any potentially irreversible actions are taken.

The Natural Environment Research Council in the UK is funding four research projects aimed at understanding the potential consequences of solar radiation modification (SRM) being deployed in the real world.

SRM consists of methods to reflect some of the Sun’s radiation back into space instead of allowing it to reach and warm the earth. 

One approach is stratospheric aerosol intervention in which particles such as sulfates are introduced into the upper atmosphere to reflect sunlight thereby producing a dimming effect.   The idea is to mimic the effects of large volcanic eruptions, which naturally send sulfates into the atmosphere.

A second approach is marine cloud brightening, which increases the reflectivity of clouds over the ocean by spraying very small droplets of sea water into the air.  The fine particles of sea salt enhance cloud condensation nuclei, producing more cloud droplets and making clouds more reflective.

The research aims to deliver independent risk analyses to inform policymakers about the potential environmental impacts of SRM.

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Scientists to model the impact of controlling Earth’s temperature by reflecting solar radiation

Photo, posted May 6, 2009, courtesy of Denys Zadorozhnyi via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

The dangers of deep sea mining

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The White House is considering an executive order that would fast-track permitting for deep-sea mining in international waters and allow mining companies to bypass a United Nations-backed review process.

Deep sea mining is the extraction of minerals from the seabed in the deep ocean.  Most of the interest is in what are known as polymetallic nodules, which are potato-sized mineral deposits that have built up in layers over thousands of years. They are located several miles below the surface, primarily in what is called the Clarion-Clipperton zone, which is an environmental management area of the Pacific Ocean about halfway between Mexico and Hawaii.

A new multiyear study led by UK’s National Oceanography Center and published in the journal Nature found that the site of a deep-sea mining test in 1979 still showed lower levels of biodiversity than in neighboring undisturbed sites 44 years later.

Much is not known about the undersea nodules.  We know that they produce oxygen.  If the nodules are removed, will that reduce the amount of oxygen in the deep sea and affect the organisms that live there?  If mining occurs, what effect will the metal-containing sediment plumes churned up by the mining process have? 

The nodule fields sustain highly specialized animal and microbial communities.  More than 20 billion tons of nodules are estimated to lie on the seabed of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.  If large-scale mining takes place, and there is much interest in that happening, it is important to find out what the impact will be on the ocean and its ecosystems because it is likely to be largely irreversible.

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Deep sea mining for rare metals impacts marine life for decades, scientists say

Photo, posted September 4, 2014, courtesy of James St. John via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Potential for floating solar

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As installations of utility-scale solar power continue to expand around the world, there is the issue of where to put them.  They do take up considerable amounts of space and, in many places, available land is at a premium.

An alternative to taking up available land with solar panels is to deploy them on the surfaces of lakes and reservoirs.  A study by researchers at Bangor and Lancaster Universities in the UK calculated the potential electrical output for floating photovoltaic installation on nearly 68,000 lakes and reservoirs around the world.  The lakes and reservoirs selected were no more than 6 miles from a population center, were not in a protected area, and didn’t dry up and didn’t freeze for more than six months each year.  The calculations were based on covering just 10% of the surface area of the bodies of water.

The calculations were evaluated country-by-country.  Five countries could meet their entire electricity needs by floating installations including Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, and Rwanda.  Many countries, mostly in Africa, South America, and Central Asia, could get between 40% and 70% of their electricity this way.  Most European countries could only meet a few percent of their electricity needs from floating solar, but even that could be significant. 

There are other benefits to floating solar apart from freeing up land.  The panels stay cooler, making them more efficient, and reservoirs lose less water through evaporation and the growth of algal blooms is reduced because there is less light reaching the water.

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Some countries could meet their total electricity needs from floating solar panels, research shows

Photo, posted November 25, 2015, courtesy of Smabs Sputzer via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

A brief bout of bad air in Scotland

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Scotland, and the UK in general, used to suffer from sulfur dioxide pollution.  Industrial and domestic emissions, especially from burning coal, contributed heavily to urban air leading to the London smog of the 1950s and the acid rain of the 1980s.  But national air pollution agreements and various international measures have been highly successful in reducing sulfur dioxide emissions.  Desulfurization of coal-fired powerplants and the introduction of ultralow sulfur fuels among other measures have decreased sulfur dioxide emission by 98% since 1970. 

As a result, it came as quite a surprise on May 31st when Edinburgh saw sulfur dioxide levels higher than had been observed in over 30 years.  The levels greatly exceeded air quality objectives for 10 hours with concentrations even creeping towards workplace exposure limits.

What happened?  For once, it was nothing that people did.  Two days earlier, a volcanic fissure eruption took place in the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, some 850 miles from Edinburgh.  Because of an unusual meteorological configuration, the prevailing winds sent the plume of volcanic gases southward towards Scotland.  Had the eruption taken place 60 miles further north or happened a few hours later, the plume of gases would have missed the UK entirely and would have traveled north to the Arctic region.

Icelandic volcanic eruptions have impacted air travel in Europe on a number of occasions.  This non-explosive eruption had little impact outside of its local region, but it turned out to briefly wreak havoc in Scotland.  Fortunately, this pollution event was short-lived.

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Atmospheric sulphur dioxide levels reach historic high in Scotland following Icelandic volcano eruption

Photo, posted November 17, 2021, courtesy of Catherine Poh Huay Tan via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Record energy transition investments

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Global investment in the energy transition – that is, the transition away from fossil fuels – increased by 17% in 2023, reaching a new high of $1.8 trillion dollars.  That number includes spending on electric vehicles and their associated infrastructure, electrification of the power grid, and various other changes to the energy system.

Electrified transport was the largest sector for spending, accounting for $634 billion dollars.  This figure includes spending on electric cars, trucks, buses, two- and three-wheeler, and commercial vehicles, as well as charging stations and other associated infrastructure.

The renewable energy sector – including wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuel power plants – accounted for $623 billion.  The third largest investment was $310 billion in power grid investments.

China spent the most of any country by a large margin, investing $676 billion. The EU, U.S., and UK combined accounted for $718 billion. 

These numbers reflect the rapid growth of clean energy across the globe and are obviously quite large.  However, the pace at which clean energy technology is growing is not fast enough to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by mid-century that most countries have set.  By many accounts, energy transition investments would need to average $4.8 trillion per year for the rest of the decade to be on track.  This is about 5.6% of the global gross domestic product that is currently about $85 trillion per year.  By comparison, the U.S. currently spends about 5.7% of its GDP on energy.

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Energy transition investments hit record $1.8 trillion in 2023

Photo, posted November 22, 2008, courtesy of Oregon Department of Transportation via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Record renewable energy in Scotland

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The Scottish government recently announced that in 2022, renewable technologies in that country produced the equivalent of 113% of Scotland’s electricity consumption.

Fossil fuels still supplied electricity in Scotland, helping to fill in gaps in renewable power, but the government figures showed that the growing amount of Scottish renewable generation can easily generate more power than the country uses.  Scotland has seen significant growth in wind power as well as a small drop in overall electricity consumption.

Scotland, with a population of only 5.5 million, aims to produce enough renewable power to both meet its own demand and export clean electricity to other countries.  The U.K. is the obvious potential customer, but it will need to upgrade its national power grid and develop enough capacity to store up surplus wind and solar power.

The U.K. itself is drawing less power from natural gas and coal than it has at any point in the last 66 years.  Fossil fuels supplied only 33% of British electricity in 2023 while renewables supplied 43%. 

Fossil power use in Britain peaked in 2008.  Since then, power from natural gas has fallen nearly in half while coal power has dropped by 97%.  The U.K. has aggressive decarbonization goals in place, but the current Conservative government under Prime Minister Sunak has recently set about weakening British climate policy.

Meanwhile, the Scottish government is talking about becoming a global renewables powerhouse and is making investments aimed at achieving it.

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Record renewable energy output

Photo, posted July 21, 2010, courtesy of Martin Abegglen via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Protecting coastal areas with tidal range electricity generation

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Tidal range electricity generation uses the water level difference between high and low tides to operate generator turbines.  The method requires the construction of barrages and sluices to capture water during high tides and then release it during generation at low tide.  Tidal range generation is predictable renewable energy driven by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun.

It is only a practical scheme in those places that have large tidal ranges.  The largest tidal range in the world is in the Bay of Fundy in Canada.  The second largest is the Severn Estuary, in the UK.  Tidal ranges are large in many places around Britain’s coasts. But they are also vulnerable to flooding and surges from rising seas.

A new study by Lancaster University in the UK has found that the environmental and economic benefits are huge because tidal range barrages can protect coastal areas from flooding and sea level rise. With two-way generation and pumping, the full range of existing tides can be maintained to protect and support low-lying intertidal areas such as saltmarshes and mudflats. High tides can be limited to existing levels simply by closing sluices and running turbines and low tide levels can be maintained by pumping.  The study determined that with modern technology and operating procedures, these so-called estuarine barrages may be the only practical way to protect vital coastal habitats.

Earlier work by the researchers found that tidal range projects under commercial consideration in the UK can produce about 5% of the country’s electricity use and additional projects are feasible for 4 or 5 times as much generation.

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How tidal range electricity generation can protect coastal areas from flooding

Photo, posted August 17, 2014, courtesy of Andrea via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Seabirds rescuing coral reefs

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A new study by researchers at Lancaster University in the UK has found that the presence of seabirds on islands adjacent to tropical coral reefs can more than double the coral growth rates on those reefs.

The study found that when coral reefs grow faster, they can bounce back more quickly from bleaching events that occur when the seas become too warm.  The focus of the study was a type of coral called Acropora, which provides complex structures supporting fish populations and reef growth. 

The researchers found that Acropora around islands populated by seabirds recovered from bleaching events about 10 months faster than reefs located away from seabird colonies.  Speeding up coral recovery times could prove the difference between continuing to bounce back from bleaching events and dying off.

The seabirds are helping the coral reefs with their droppings.  The birds feed on fish in the open ocean far from islands and then return to the islands to roost.  They deposit nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich nutrients in the form of guano, some of which is washed off of the islands by rain and into the surrounding seas.  The nutrients fertilize corals and other marine species.

To determine whether the faster growth rates were really due to the bird-supplied nutrients, the researchers studied rat-infested islands that had no bird populations.  The study confirmed that it was the presence of seabirds that provided enhanced nutrients for the coral reefs.  In fact, a primary outcome of the study was to add further weight to the growing body of evidence of the ecological damage across ecosystems on land and sea from invasive rats on tropical islands.

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Feathered friends can become unlikely helpers for tropical coral reefs facing climate change threat

Photo, posted September 15, 2019, courtesy of Rickard Zerpe via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Controlled Environment Agriculture | Earth Wise

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The term “controlled environment agriculture” (or CEA) refers to any number of systems embodying a technology-based approach to farming.  CEA can range from simple shade structures to greenhouses to full indoor or vertical farms.  At the most advanced level, CEA systems are fully automated, closed loop systems with controlled lighting, water, and ventilation.   Many systems make use of hydroponics rather than traditional soil.

The goal of CEA systems is to provide optimum growing conditions for crops and prevent disease and pest damage. 

A recent study by the University of Surrey in the UK sought to understand the impact of using CEA systems to grow lettuce, which is a high-value crop that is often grown in such systems.

The study found that, on average, CEA methods produce double the crop yields compared to field-based agriculture.  They also found that the cultivation time of CEA yields was, on average, 40 days.  This compares with an average cultivation time of 60-120 days for field-based agriculture.  More specifically, production of lettuce using CEA was 50% faster in the summer and up to 300% faster in the winter.

Climate change presents many difficult challenges to society, not the least of which is its threat to food security.  Controlled environment agriculture could allow cultivation of crops in harsh environments and in the face of changing climates.  Quantifying the benefits CEA can have on yield and growth provides important information for advancing our understanding of where and when this technology can bring the most value to society. 

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Using artificial methods for growing crops could help solve global food security

Photo, posted February 24, 2013, courtesy of Cindy Kurman / Kurman Photography via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Energy From Rice Straw | Earth Wise

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Rice straw is produced as a byproduct of rice production.  Globally, as much as a billion tons of rice straw is produced each year, three-quarters of it in Asia.  Straw incorporation in soil for fertilization is not practical in most places because with multiple crops per year, there is not enough time for the material to decompose and become good fertilizer.  As a result, open-field straw burning is increasingly the standard practice.

Scientists at Aston University in Birmingham in the UK are embarking on a project to convert rice straw in Indonesia into low-cost energy on a commercial scale.

Indonesia produces 100 million tons of rice waste each year, of which 60% is burned in open fields, causing air pollution. 

The Aston researchers are developing a biomass conversion process based on pyrolysis.  This involves heating the rice straw to high temperatures over 900 degrees Fahrenheit to break it down, producing vapor and solid products.  Both of these things can be used to generate electricity.

A new combustion engine designed by a company called Carnot Limited is capable of converting 70% of the thermal energy extracted from the rice straw into electricity.

Energy extracted in this way could help low and middle-income countries to create their own locally generated energy, thereby reducing emissions, creating jobs, and improving human health.   The biomass electricity is predicted to be cheaper than solar, geothermal, wind, coal, or even subsidized gas-generated power.

The Aston University project will help develop a business model that could support companies and communities to produce local, cheap energy in Indonesia and other countries with biomass capacity. 

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Aston University to help power Indonesia with affordable energy made from rice straw

Photo, posted September 11, 2006, courtesy of Kristen McQuillin via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

A Hot Year In Europe | Earth Wise

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This past summer was marked by some devastating heat waves in Europe.  Through November, the UK, Germany, and France have experienced their hottest year on record.

The UK has experienced its warmest year since 1884 and, in fact, all the top ten warmest years on record have occurred since 2002.

In France, the average temperature for the year is a few tenths of a degree higher than the  previous record, which was set in 2020.

In Germany, the first 11 months of the year saw a record for average temperature.  Its previous record was also set in 2020.

All three countries saw a spike in heat-related mortality as result of the summer heatwaves.  England and Wales reported 3,271 excess deaths during the summer.  France reported 2,816 excess deaths during its three heat waves.  In Germany, an estimated 4,500 people died as a result of extreme heat.

There are multiple effects of climate change which include more frequent heat waves in Europe.  A recent study showed that European summers are warming twice as fast as the global average.  In fact, summer temperatures across much of the European continent have already risen by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 2 degrees Celsius, which is the feared level of global climate increase that nations around the world are trying to stave off.

Worldwide, 2022 will rank among the top ten warmest years on record but will most likely not be the warmest.   That being said, the past eight years are on track to be the eight warmest years on record.  The US will also see one of its ten warmest years, although not the warmest.

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UK, Germany, France on Pace for Their Hottest Year on Record

Photo, posted April 23, 2022, courtesy of Jose A. via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Rock Dust And Carbon | Earth Wise

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According to a new study by Cardiff University in the UK, Britain could achieve nearly half of the carbon removal needed to meet its climate goals by adding basalt rock dust to crop fields.  The process is known as enhanced weathering and has been the subject of ongoing research in the U.S. at Cornell University and the University of California, as well as in the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Adding rock dust to agricultural lands speeds up the chemical reactions that lock up carbon in soil.  Basalt contains magnesium, calcium, and silica, among other components.  When basalt is pulverized and applied to soils, magnesium and calcium are released and dissolve in water as it moves through the soil.  The minerals in the soil react with the water, and the carbon that would otherwise end up in the atmosphere instead forms bicarbonates, which can hang around in water for thousands of years.  It can also eventually make its way to the oceans where it precipitates out as limestone and can stay on the seafloor for millions of years.

Basalt is a waste stream byproduct of mining and manufacturing and is found all over the world.  Mining waste is the largest waste stream in the world, so there is no shortage.

According to the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, applying rock dust to agricultural lands on a global basis could theoretically remove 2 to 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the air each year, which is between 34-68% of the global greenhouse gas emissions produced by agriculture annually.

The added rock dust would in fact be good for the soil and for crops.  Whether the economics of producing and transporting it make sense remains to be determined.

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Adding Rock Dust to Farmland Could Get UK Almost Halfway to Its Carbon Removal Goal

Photo, posted April 24, 2011, courtesy of the State of Israel via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Batteries On Wheels | Earth Wise

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Transportation accounts for nearly a quarter of the direct carbon dioxide emissions coming from burning fuel.  As a result, electrification of transport is one of the major ways we can reduce emissions.  Increasing the number of electric vehicles over time is essential for meeting emissions targets.

But electric vehicles have the potential to do more than deliver emissions reduction; they can also provide other energy services.

More and more electric cars provide over 200 miles of driving range, but most cars are actually driven no more than 30 miles a day.  As a result, the fleet of electric cars represents a huge bank of energy stored in battery packs and mostly sitting around unused.  This presents an opportunity to leverage this resource.

Car battery packs could be used to absorb excess renewable energy generated in the middle of the day (for example from solar installations) or at night (from wind farms) and potentially then to export stored energy to power homes and support the grid.  This energy system is known as V2G, or vehicle-to-grid technology.

The University of Queensland in Australia has launched a unique international trial to see if the spare battery capacity in vehicles could be used for these purposes.  The university has partnered with Teslascope, which is an online analytics platform used by Tesla owners to track the performance of their cars.  Tesla owners wishing to be part of the study authorize the collection of their data and, in turn, receive a free 12-month subscription to the Teslascope service.  The study will collect data from Tesla owners in Australia, the US, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and the UK.

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Can EV spare battery capacity support the grid?

Photo, posted February 8, 2009, courtesy of City of St Pete via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Coal In The UK And Asia | Earth Wise

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Coal was the driving force of the British industrial revolution beginning in the 18th century.  Coal was used for manufacturing iron, heating buildings, driving locomotives, and more.  Annual coal production in the UK peaked in the year 1913 at 316 million tons.  Until the late 1960s, coal was the main source of energy produced in the UK.

Recently, Britain announced that it plans to phase out coal power entirely by October 2024, one year earlier than its previous target date.  This is on the heels of a dramatic decline in coal usage over the past decade.  In 2012, coal accounted for 40% of the UK’s power generation.  By 2020, that number was 1.8%.

In both Europe and the United States, coal power is generally significantly more expensive than renewable power from the sun and wind.  As a result, market forces have driven the demise of coal power in those places.

The situation is different across much of Asia where coal power remains cost competitive.  Five Asian countries – China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Vietnam – still have plans to build more than 600 new coal-fired power plants, which is bad news for the environment.  In 2020, China produced more than half of the world’s coal power, which reflects both the growth of coal in Asia and its decline in the U.S. and Europe.

Despite all this, experts predict that it will be more expensive to run almost all coal plants globally than to build new renewable energy projects by the year 2026.  Sooner or later, coal power will no longer make its unfortunate contributions to the world.

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UK Aims to Dump Coal Early, While Asia Stays the Course

Photo, posted March 8, 2021, courtesy of Stanze via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

WAMC Northeast Public Radio

WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a regional public radio network serving parts of seven northeastern states (more...)