Water


Deepwater Horizon Disaster Could have Billion Dollar Impact

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 will have a large economic impact on the U.S. Gulf fisheries.

Human Evolution Linked to Climate Change?

It’s not a take on climate change we often hear about. However, one man believes the two are connected.

EPA Issues Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Sites

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a new permit, in accordance with the Clean Water Act, that will provide streamlined permitting to thousands of construction operators, while protecting our nation’s waterways from discharges of polluted stormwater from construction sites.

New Study Shows No Evidence of Groundwater Contamination from Hydraulic Fracturing

Wait. What? Hydraulic fracturing of shale formations to extract natural gas has no direct connection to reports of groundwater contamination, based on evidence reviewed in a study released by the Energy Institute at The University of Texas at Austin.

Indigenous People's Water Supply Polluted by Climate Change Effects

Indigenous people around the world are among the most vulnerable to climate change and are increasingly susceptible to the pathogen loads found in potable water after heavy rainfall or rapid snow melt.

UC-Irvine Smart Labs Cut Energy Use in Half

If research labs account for two-thirds of a campus's carbon footprint, it doesn't take an Einstein to target them for energy savings.

No Quick Fix for Low Carbon Technologies

Could replacing coal-fired electricity plants with generators fueled by natural gas bring global warming to a halt in this century? What about rapid construction of massive numbers of solar or wind farms, hydroelectric dams, or nuclear reactors—or the invention of new technology for capturing the carbon dioxide produced by fossil-fueled power plants and storing it permanently underground?

Greenhouse Gases Causing More Frequent Extreme Summer Temps

Extreme summer temperatures are already occurring more frequently in the United States, and will become normal by mid-century if the world continues on a business as usual schedule of emitting greenhouse gases.



Food Choices Leading Cause of Environmental Damage in Australia

Australians are eating themselves to death and food choices are one of the nation's leading causes of environmental damage, according to a new report released by the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA).

EPA Seeks Public Input on Plan for Cleanup at Superfund Site in N.J.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a cleanup plan for contaminated soil, ground water and six waste disposal areas at the American Cyanamid Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, N.J., located on the Raritan River.

University of Arizona Tests Consumer Water Filters for Contaminant Removal

The University of Arizona (UA) conducted a study on refrigerator water filtration devices and chemical removal effectiveness.

Time of Year Significant in Projections of Climate Change Effects

Does it matter whether long periods of hot weather happen in June or July, August or September? Scientists studying the subtle effects of heat waves and droughts say that when such events happen makes a big difference.

Effects of Sea Spray Geoengineering on Global Climate

Anthropogenic climate warming is leading to consideration of options for geoengineering to offset rising carbon dioxide levels. One potential technique involves injecting artificial sea spray into the atmosphere. The sea salt particles would affect Earth's radiation budget directly, by scattering incoming solar radiation, and indirectly, by acting as cloud condensation nuclei, which could lead to whiter clouds that reflect more radiation.

Oxford University Study Suggest Productive Farms Can Be Greener Than Organic

Farms that aim for high food production using environmentally friendly practices could be better for the environment than both organic and conventional farms.

Researchers Examine Monitoring Systems for Offshore Wind Energy Impacts

The next generation of wind energy facilities in the United States may be built offshore where winds are stronger, floating platforms could be utilized, and links to power grids may already exist.

High Carbon Estimates for Endangered Madagascar

By combining airborne laser technology, satellite mapping, and ground-based plot surveys, a team of researchers has produced the first large-scale, high-resolution estimates of carbon stocks in remote and fragile Madagascar.

Even Moderate Air Pollution Can Raise Stroke Risks

Air pollution, even at levels generally considered safe by federal regulations, increases the risk of stroke by 34 percent, according to researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

Expert Reveals The Art of Shutting Down a Nuclear Plant

Gaëtan Girardin, researcher in nuclear engineering, gives us the key to understanding nuclear reactor safety. While the disaster at Fukushima is at the center of our conversation, the recent and minor incident at the Mühleberg plant (Switzerland) is also discussed.

Environment Canada Cuts Threaten Science, International Agreements

Recent cuts to the scientific workforce of Environment Canada, a government agency responsible for meteorological services and environmental research, threaten scientific research related to the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere and pollution in the lower atmosphere, according to environmental scientists in the U.S. These reductions in personnel and projected budget cuts also threaten existing international agreements.

Children At Risk for Ingestion of PAHs from Pavement Sealant

A recent study found that children living near coal-tar-sealed pavement are likely to receive a far higher dose of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from incidental ingestion of house dust than do children living near unsealed pavement, and that dose is more than two times higher than the PAH dose children are estimated to receive from food.