Water


Farms of the Future: Bio-Oil, Biochar from Biomass

Rural landscapes of the future might have pyrolysis plants instead of grain elevators on every horizon —processing centers where farmers would bring bulky crops such as switchgrass to be made into crude oil.

Toxicologists Find Deepwater Horizon Crude Less Toxic to Bird Eggs After Weathering at Sea

After collecting weathered crude oil from the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, researchers at Texas Tech University have reported that only 8 to 9 percent coverage on the shells of fertilized mallard duck eggs resulted in a 50 percent mortality rate.

Santa Fe Community College to Receive 300,000 for EPA Job Training

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded a $300,000 environmental workforce development and job training grant to Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) to promote green jobs in Santa Fe, N.M.

National Chemical Company will Upgrade Facilities and Pay Fine to Settle Clean Air Violations

Tanner industries, which distributes ammonia, has agreed to install and operate $345,000 in ammonia leak detection systems at 14 facilities across the country to settle claims by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that it violated federal clean air regulations on chemical risk management at plants in Rhode Island and Michigan.

The Federal Strategy to Promote U.S.-Based Electronics Recycling Market, Jobs

Dell, Sprint and Sony are the first companies to voluntarily commit to EPA’s industry partnership aimed at promoting environmentally sound management of used electronics.

Solar Panels Also Keep Buildings Cool

Those solar panels on top of your roof aren't just providing clean power, they also are cooling your house or workplace.

How the Honey Bee Tolerates Some Synthetic Pesticides

A new study reveals how enzymes in the honey bee gut detoxify pesticides commonly used to kill mites in the honey bee hive.

Top 20 States with Most Toxic Air Pollution from Power Plants

The EPA’s Toxic Release inventory is a national database of toxic emissions self-reported by industrial sources.



Social Gamers Plant 25,000 Real Trees with the Click of a Button

Ecotopia players proved social games can have a real-world impact, having planted 25,000 trees in-game in 25 days, in response to the Plant a Real Forest Challenge issued by independent games studio Talkie last month.

The Coast Guard's Arctic Agenda Heats Up

If regions were given hospitality rankings, the Arctic would fall somewhere between zero and below zero. Temperatures can plunge to −60 degrees Farenheit, and winds can exceed 75 mph. Half the year, skies are black, making icebergs dangerous obstacles.

Study Finds Nanomaterials Can Degrade in Soil, Releasing Toxic Ions

Quantum dots made from cadmium and selenium degrade in soil, unleashing toxic cadmium and selenium ions into their surroundings, a University at Buffalo study has found.

NASA's Aura Satellite Measures Pollution 'Butterfly' from Fires in Central Africa

Fires raging in central Africa are generating a high amount of pollution that is showing up in data from NASA's Aura Satellite, with the ominous shape of a dark red butterfly in the skies over southern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Angola.

GM to Launch Smart Grid Pilot Program for Charging EVs

General Motors and OnStar will a pilot of smart grid solutions for electric vehicles this year, paving the way for utilities to increase energy-efficiency and offer lower charging costs to customers.

International Electric Vehicle Conference Seeks Technical Papers

IEEE International Electric Vehicle Conference (IEVC) organizers are seeking technical papers on the technology, standards and engineering of electric vehicles.

Camp Company Fined $38,000 for Filling Wetlands in North Carolina

Camp Clearwater Enterprises Inc. will pay $38,000 for illegally filling wetlands on its property in White Lake, N.C., in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

Scientists Examine Behavior of Gulf Oil Spill Plume

Taking another major step in sleuthing the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a research team led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has determined what chemicals were contained in a deep, hydrocarbon-containing plume at least 22 miles long that WHOI scientists mapped and sampled last summer in the Gulf of Mexico, a residue of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Shrinking Greenland Glacier Grew Rapidly During Cooler Times

Large, marine-calving glaciers have the ability not only to shrink rapidly in response to global warming, but also to grow at a remarkable pace during periods of global cooling, according to University at Buffalo geologists working in Greenland.

Greenstar Recycling Helps Houston Lead Green Job Economy Growth

A new study by two of the nation’s top consulting organizations that demonstrates Houston’s impressive record at creating environmentally responsible “green jobs” helps spotlight the contributions of Greenstar Recycling.

Steel Manufacturer to Pay $717,324 for Chemical Reporting Violations

Tenaris Global Services Corp., a manufacturer and supplier of steel pipe products for the oil and energy industry, has agreed to pay $717,324 of civil penalties to the United States to settle violations of environmental regulations at seven facilities related to the public reporting of toxic chemicals at its facilities in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas.

Tips Tuesday: Tips for Beating the Heat Wave

Forecasters are predicting this week’s heat wave to be one of the hottest this summer, as mercuries rise across the country.