November, 2022

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As Evidence Mounts, New Concerns About Fracking and Health

Yale E360

Two decades after the advent of fracking, a growing number of studies are pointing to a link between gas wells and public health, particularly among children and the elderly. Researchers are now calling for new regulations restricting where wells can be located. Read more on E360 ?.

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What Is the Story about Greenland and Climate Change?

Union of Concerned Scientists

As the world heads into COP27 , there is no room for bad information on climate change in our major newspapers. Allow me to share the latest on what’s happening in Greenland based on information from scientists whose major focus includes study of the ice sheet and the Arctic region. Drs. Twila Moon and Nikoosh Carlo , who conduct research relevant to high northern latitudes, recently exchanged thoughts with Johanna Chao Kreilick and me about a recent article that missed the mark on Greenland and

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60% of home ‘compostable’ plastic doesn’t fully break down, ending up in our soil

Frontiers

By Suzanna Burgelman, Frontiers science writer. Image: Citizen scientist image from www.bigcompostexperiment.org.uk. In a UK-wide study, researchers found that 60% of home-compostable plastics do not fully disintegrate in home compost bins, and inevitably end up in our soil. The study also found that citizens are confused about the labels of compostable and biodegradable plastics, leading to incorrect plastic waste disposal.

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Green Construction Technology Investments Surge

Environment + Energy Leader

Using bio-based and other low-carbon materials could help create urban sinks in the built environment. The post Green Construction Technology Investments Surge appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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2022 Election Recap: Landslide Victory for Florida City’s ‘Right to Clean Water’ Amendment

Circle of Blue

Voters approved most water-related initiatives on the November 8 ballot. Sunrise in Titusville, Florida. On November 8, 2022, voters there approved an amendment to the city charter to include a right to clean water. The amendment passed with 82 percent support. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons user beleaveme. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue – November 10, 2022.

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Serious mistakes found in recent paper by Connolly et al.

Real Climate

Guest post by Mark Richardson who is a Research Scientist in the Aerosol and Clouds Group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. All opinions expressed are his own and do not in any way represent those of NASA, JPL or Caltech. Should scientists choose to believe provably false things? Even though that would mean more inclusive debates with a wider range of opinions, our recent paper Richardson & Benestad (2022) argues no: “instead of repeating errors, they s

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Don’t Believe the Lies: Five Facts to Consider as the UN’s COP27 Comes to a Close

Union of Concerned Scientists

The 27 th Conference of the Parties (COP27), this year’s UN climate conference, is in its final days. While negotiators work behind closed doors and civil society advocates raise their voices in the halls and courtyards, there has been a flood of disinformation online that has distorted how the outside world sees the conference. Seeing lies pop up on Twitter and even in news articles is frustrating enough for those of us who are here in person.

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Genetically modified tobacco plant produces cocaine in its leaves

New Scientist

Researchers have reproduced the entire biochemical pathway for how coca plants make cocaine in another plant, which could help people manufacture the drug for scientific study

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US Commits to Zero-Emissions Heavy Trucks

Environment + Energy Leader

Officials have signed on to sell only zero-emission heavy vehicles by 2040. The post US Commits to Zero-Emissions Heavy Trucks appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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What’s Up With Water – November 15, 2022

Circle of Blue

Transcript. Welcome to “What’s Up With Water” – your need-to-know news of the world’s water from Circle of Blue. I’m Eileen Wray-McCann. In the United States, midterm elections were held on November 8. Nationally, control of Congress was at stake. In state and local races, water issues were also on the ballot. Based on election night totals, voters approved most water-related initiatives.

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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Cool Green Holiday Book Review 2022

Cool Green Science

Six new books for the nature lover or outdoor enthusiast on your holiday list. The post Cool Green Holiday Book Review 2022 appeared first on Cool Green Science.

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Fenced In: How the Global Rise of Border Walls Is Stifling Wildlife

Yale E360

Amid a rising tide of nationalism, walls and fortified fences are proliferating around the world. These barriers pose a growing threat to wildlife — blocking animal migrations and threatening millions of species that will need to move to keep up with a changing climate. Read more on E360 ?.

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Are There Enough Materials to Manufacture All the Electric Vehicles Needed?  

Union of Concerned Scientists

The short answer is yes. But this is a complicated question, so let’s dig in further. The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is necessary to decrease climate-changing emissions. As deployment increases, so will the demand for EV battery materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. These materials are primarily supplied through two sources: 1) newly mined or 2) recovered by recycling batteries already in circulation.

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IKEA Starts Selling Solar Panels

Earth 911

For some people, IKEA is synonymous with difficult-to-assemble but affordable furniture. For others, the global. The post IKEA Starts Selling Solar Panels appeared first on Earth911.

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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Commercial Real Estate Seeing Green Premiums in Europe

Environment + Energy Leader

Industrial and healthcare sectors lead the way in looking for sustainable properties, according to a report from Deepki. The post Commercial Real Estate Seeing Green Premiums in Europe appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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What’s Up With Water – November 1, 2022

Circle of Blue

Transcript. In Europe, new threats of pollution to waterways have compelled government officials to take action. The European Union’s executive branch proposed stricter pollution limits for rivers, lakes, and groundwater, along with stronger controls for handling wastewater. The European Commission made several moves to protect ecosystems and human health from chemical and biological contaminants.

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Research stories: Strava, GBIF and Citizen Science

The Applied Ecologist

Lead author Caitlin Mandeville recalls how she and her co-authors kept their focus close to home in their latest research that explores connections between citizen science and recreation in natural areas. Just about every community has some small, unassuming natural areas that are mainly known to locals: a neighbourhood park, a small wildlife preserve, a field on the edge of town.

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How Floating Wetlands Are Helping to Clean Up Urban Waters

Yale E360

As cities around the world look to rid their waterways of remaining pollution, researchers are installing artificial islands brimming with grasses and sedges. The islands’ surfaces attract wildlife, while the underwater plant roots absorb contaminants and support aquatic life. Read more on E360 ?.

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Report from COP27: The Fossil Fuel Industry Continues to Block the Path to Climate Justice

Union of Concerned Scientists

The situation is dire. Entire neighborhoods are underwater, priceless cultural heritage has disappeared, and ecosystems have been destroyed. The destruction caused by climate change is directly linked to human activity, primarily burning fossil fuels. There are multiple realistic, tangible solutions that would rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, yet policy addressing anthropogenic climate change remains slow and insufficient.

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The Ford government is trying to sell off our natural heritage

Eco Justice

In the past few weeks, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his government has been determined to trample on laws and policies that have protected Ontarians and the places that we. Read more. The post The Ford government is trying to sell off our natural heritage appeared first on Ecojustice.

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UN Net-Zero Guidance Calls for End of Fossil Fuels Financial Support

Environment + Energy Leader

Other topics include fighting greenwashing and supporting climate regulations. The post UN Net-Zero Guidance Calls for End of Fossil Fuels Financial Support appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Federal Water Tap, November 14: Lake Erie Pollution Limit Would Be Required by Proposed Consent Decree

Circle of Blue

The Rundown. The EPA proposes a Lake Erie pollution settlement. The EPA also announces funding for children’s health research in rural farm communities. President Biden reveals climate adaptation funds at UN summit. FEMA outlines the claims process for damages from New Mexico’s largest wildfire. And lastly, NOAA hosts a webinar on Mississippi River drought conditions.

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Minister Wilkinson and Pathways Alliance top September’s oil & gas lobbying round up

Enviromental Defense

It has been about a month since we launched the Federal Oil & Gas Lobbying Bot on Twitter. Since then, it has been tweeting out a constant stream of announcements about which oil & gas companies and associations have been lobbying which Canadian government politicians and ministries. ( Read more about the bot. ). We’ve looked at the raw data from the lobbyist registry , and pulled out highlights from September, the most recent month with complete data.

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How Digital Technology Is Helping Decode the Sounds of Nature

Yale E360

Digital technology is enabling scientists to detect and interpret the sounds of species as diverse as honeybees, peacocks, and elephants. In an e360 interview, geographer Karen Bakker discusses the surprising and complex ways that animals and plants use sound to communicate. Read more on E360 ?.

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The Electric Cars of the Future Are Already Here Today

Union of Concerned Scientists

I recently had the chance to visit the Los Angeles Auto Show and I was amazed at the number of electric vehicle (EV) offerings. The first time I had visited the show in 2015, there were only a handful of EVs scattered among hundreds of gasoline cars and trucks, while this year many automakers had EVs front and center in their displays. From prototype promises to real EVs.

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Study Shows Protected Forests Are Cooler

Inside Climate News

In rapidly warming northern forests, restricting human activities can slow the rate of warming by as much as 20 percent, but managing lands in between protected areas is also important. By Bob Berwyn Measured at a global scale, protected forests with legal limits on human activity are significantly cooler than neighboring forests that lack protections, scientists reported in a new Science Advances study today.

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State Street Issues $500M Inaugural Sustainability Bond

Environment + Energy Leader

State Street Corporation has announced that it has issued $1 billion of senior unsecured bonds, including an inaugural $500 million bond issued under its Sustainability Bond Framework, which enables the issuance of Green, Social, and Sustainability Bonds. The post State Street Issues $500M Inaugural Sustainability Bond appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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FRESH, November 8, 2022: Ontario Government Proposes Less Strict Wetlands Protections

Circle of Blue

November 8, 2022. Fresh is a biweekly newsletter from Circle of Blue that unpacks the biggest international, state, and local policy news stories facing the Great Lakes region today. Sign up for Fresh: A Great Lakes Policy Briefing , straight to your inbox, every other Tuesday. — Brett Walton, Interim Fresh Editor. This Week’s Watersheds. Based on a two-decade study of an Ontario lake, researchers see links between road salt and impaired waters.

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New Report Shows How Highway 413 Would Threaten Endangered Species 

Enviromental Defense

29 species listed under the federal Species at Risk Act, including birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects and trees, are in harm’s way. Toronto | Traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Chippewas and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation – A new report from Environmental Defence, The Road To Our Ruin: How Highway 413 Would Impact Threatened and Endangered Species , draws attention to the fact that the proposed highway would put threatened and endang

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Scientists Discover More Than 22,000 Endangered Manta Rays off Coast of Ecuador

Yale E360

Scientists have identified a population of endangered oceanic manta rays off the coast of Ecuador that is 10 times larger than any other known population. The discovery offers hope for the future of the species, experts say. Read more on E360 ?.

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This Year’s Danger Season Is Over, but Risks to Farmworkers Remain

Union of Concerned Scientists

Climate scientists at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) have dubbed the six-month stretch from May through October “ Danger Season ” because of the confluence of extreme weather—record heat, raging wildfires, severe storms, and flooding—that is putting people at risk around the world. In 2022 alone, cities in Arizona, California, Nevada , Texas , and Utah recorded temperatures of 105°F on multiple days and often over long stretches.

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NEW FEATURE: Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Nov. 5 To 11

PA Environment Daily

To give the public a better understanding of the compliance record of oil and gas industrial facilities in Pennsylvania, PA Environment Digest is starting a new feature summarizing the more serious violations DEP reports through its Compliance Reporting Database on a weekly basis -- Saturday through Friday. This new feature will be in addition to PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment , which lists the permits DEP is considering and has issued for oil and

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Caterpillar Demonstrates First Battery-Powered Large Mining Truck

Environment + Energy Leader

Caterpillar completed a successful demonstration of its first battery electric 793 large mining truck while committing to transform its Arizona-based proving ground into a sustainable testing and validation hub of the future. The post Caterpillar Demonstrates First Battery-Powered Large Mining Truck appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Honeybees are living half as long as they were 50 years ago

New Scientist

The lifespan of bees raised in US laboratories is half what it was in the 1970s, suggesting there may be a genetic reason behind increasing rates of colony collapse

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