Sat.May 24, 2025 - Fri.May 30, 2025

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What Are Microgrids?

Union of Concerned Scientists

In 1882, Thomas Edison flipped on the switch at the Pearl Street Station , the worlds first permanent power plant. Eighty customers within a one-kilometer radius formed this earliest instance of the grid. This model proved highly effective, with business expanding to over 500 customers within two years. But other power stations soon got in the game, and the edges of these small grids eventually started to touch each other.

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AI-powered weather forecasts could miss extreme storms

New Scientist

Weather forecasts based on AI are faster and sometimes more accurate than traditional ones, but they may miss rare and unprecedented weather events which are becoming more common as the climate changes

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Sustainable recipes: How to make elderflower cordial: A low-carbon, eco-friendly summer drink

A Greener Life

AI-generated visualisation of homemade elderflower cordial. By Anders Lorenzen Elderflower cordial is the taste of early summerbut making your own is not just nostalgic; its sustainable. With just a handful of ingredients and minimal energy, this DIY recipe cuts costs and emissions. Better yet, foraged flowers mean zero food miles. Our local environment, whether rural or urban, is more abundant with edible plants than we may know.

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Gov. Shapiro Makes State Disaster Funding Available, Secures Federal SBA Low-Interest Loans To Support Flood Victims In Somerset, Bedford, Cambria, Fayette And Westmoreland Counties

PA Environment Daily

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved his recent request to make financial aid available to individuals, families, and small businesses affected by the flooding on May 13, 2025, in Somerset County and the contiguous counties of Bedford, Cambria, Fayette and Westmoreland. Additionally, the Shapiro Administration has activated the Commonwealth Disaster Recovery Assistance Program (DRAP) for eligible homeowners and renters through the Pennsylvania Em

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Precision in Motion: Why Process Optimization Is the Future of Manufacturing

Speaker: Jason Chester, Director, Product Management

In today’s manufacturing landscape, staying competitive means moving beyond reactive quality checks and toward real-time, data-driven process control. But what does true manufacturing process optimization look like—and why is it more urgent now than ever? Join Jason Chester in this new, thought-provoking session on how modern manufacturers are rethinking quality operations from the ground up.

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Ministrokes Can Be Just as Dangerous for the Brain as Regular Strokes

Scientific American

Ministrokes, also known as transient ischemic attacks, can eventually lead to cognitive declines as steep as those that follow a full-on stroke, new research finds

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The world could experience a year above 2°C of warming by 2029

New Scientist

2024 was the first single year to surpass the 1.

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Entergy Doesn’t Want Louisianans to Know How Expensive this Gas Project Could Be 

Union of Concerned Scientists

Louisiana residents already pay high electric bills for a very unreliable power grid that just recently left nearly 100,000 Louisianans in the dark due to electricity shortages. And now, the state’s largest utility company is trying to get approval for a project that could have major negative consequences for both grid reliability and affordability, with very little transparency to the people who would be most impacted.

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In Final Ruling, New York Court of Appeals Greenlights New York City’s Building Performance Standards

Law Columbia

Last Thursday, May 22, the New York State Court of Appeals the States highest court issued a decision upholding New York Citys Local Law 97 of 2019. Local Law 97 is one of the countrys most ambitious municipal climate policies, requiring the Citys largest buildings to comply with increasingly stringent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions limits. The law was challenged by building owners in Glen Oaks Village Owners v.

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Is Your Community on the PFAS Hotspot Map?

Enviromental Defense

PFAS contamination in Canada should prompt this new federal government to turn off the tap This new map of PFAS contamination in Canada is alarming, and allows us to see where our homes and communities are at risk of exposure to these highly toxic chemicals. Credit: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, are a large class of chemicals used in a wide range of non-stick, grease- and stain-proof consumer products, and are linked to serious health harms includ

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After the LA Fires, Scientists Study the Toxins Left Behind

Inside Climate News

Researchers from Harvard and universities in California and Texas are studying the long-term effects of the Eaton and Palisades fires on air, water, soils and surfaces of properties that didnt burn. Story and photos by Nina Dietz After the Fires: First in a series about health risks following the Los Angeles wildfires that destroyed Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

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The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. ♻️ Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

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Trump Administration Slashes NOAA, FEMA, Making 2025 Hurricane Season More Dangerous

Union of Concerned Scientists

This post was co-authored by Dr. Marc Alessi. Here we are once again, on the cusp of the Atlantic hurricane season, which starts on June 1. Thats when we start regularly (maybe obsessively?) checking the National Hurricane Center (NHC) website for daily updates on the likelihood of tropical storm formation. This year, were bracing for whats expected to be an active season made doubly dangerous by the Trump Administrations cuts to agencies like the National Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and

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PA State Conservation Commission Farm Conservation Project Certification Expands Capacity To Approve More Projects

PA Environment Daily

By Alexandra McLaughlin, Penn State News Conservation district staff across Pennsylvania now have access to a new certification system aimed at increasing local capacity to implement agricultural conservation projects. The launch of the Practice Approval System, or PAS, developed by the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission in partnership with the Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training , administered by Penn State Extension , is intended to support more efficient and local

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Any wall can be turned into a camera to see around corners

New Scientist

Researchers have developed algorithms that reconstruct a hidden image from the scrambled light waves that bounce off a wall, making it possible to see things behind a corner

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Nuclear Energy’s Unsettled Revival

Circle of Blue

In January, executives at Constellation Energy startled the world with their plan to restart the closed and cold 840-megawatt Unit 1 reactor at Three Mile Island nuclear power station, site of one of the most dangerous meltdowns in atomic history. Not so long ago such news, like the specter of the ruined Unit 2 reactor core that remained after the 1979 accident in southern Pennsylvania, would have attracted more than surprise.

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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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Memories of Dick Garwin

Union of Concerned Scientists

I spent almost 30 years in the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, beginning in 1992. During this time, I became colleagues with Dick Garwin, eminent physicist and longtime UCS board member, and got to know him pretty well. Dick passed away two weeks ago at age 97. Im not going to discuss Dicks many accomplishmentshis bio in the New York Times does a great job of that.

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Former EPA Attorney Stacey Halliday Discusses Regulatory Uncertainty Around California’s Compostable Packaging Law in Packaging Dive

Arnold Porter

Stacey Halliday, Environmental partner and former attorney at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was quoted in the Packaging Dive article, “California compostable packaging restriction could have ‘chilling effect.

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We’re about to unlock the secrets of ancient human brains

New Scientist

For the first time, we have a method for extracting proteins from preserved soft tissues like brains which could be a treasure trove of evolutionary information

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One Big Beautiful Bill Act Called a Clean Energy ‘Nightmare Scenario’

Scientific American

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by the House of Representatives last week, would slow efforts to green the energy system as climate change accelerated

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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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Oil and Gas Companies, Take Heed: Climate Has Not Left the Boardroom

Union of Concerned Scientists

A revolt. A bloody nose. A signal. These are some of the terms analysts used to describe the message sent by shareholders to the oil and gas supermajor Shell last week. Despite the industrys recent retreat from climate policies and harassment of sustainable-investment advocates , a significant number of shareholders supported a resolution asking the company to justify its expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

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PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 17 to 23 -- Failure To Comply With Shale Well Plugging Order; 28 Months Without 3 Conventional Well Cleanups; 206 Abandoned Conventional Wells; Road Dumping Continues

PA Environment Daily

From May 17 to 23, DEPs Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 539 inspection entries. Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between May 17 and 23-- Click Here for violations issued. Click Here for inspection entries. Enforcement Actions Taken Last Week So far this year, DEP took these actions as of May 16 -- -- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 105 conventional, 11 unconventional -- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 2,184 conventional

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We’re getting close to recreating the first step in evolution of life

New Scientist

Life is thought to have begun when RNA began replicating itself, and researchers have got close to achieving this in the lab

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Left NIMBYs Strike Out Yet Again

Legal Planet

The recent publication of Ezra Kleins and Derek Thompsons Abundance has the Alt-Left NIMBYs out in force. Again. Outraged by Klein and Thompsons call for zoning reform, they argue that zoning reform has nothing to do with housing affordability. Thats their standard line. What isnt standard is their reliance on a quality peer-reviewed study from the Urban Institute to back up their claims.

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How to Modernize Manufacturing Without Losing Control

Speaker: Andrew Skoog, Founder of MachinistX & President of Hexis Representatives

Manufacturing is evolving, and the right technology can empower—not replace—your workforce. Smart automation and AI-driven software are revolutionizing decision-making, optimizing processes, and improving efficiency. But how do you implement these tools with confidence and ensure they complement human expertise rather than override it? Join industry expert Andrew Skoog as he explores how manufacturers can leverage automation to enhance operations, streamline workflows, and make smarter, data-dri

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Trump’s Executive Order Puts Science Under the Thumb of Politics

Union of Concerned Scientists

On May 23, as the country headed into Memorial Day weekend, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) misleadingly titled Restoring Gold Standard Science. Putting the phrase gold standard in front of anything may lead a reader to believe that the subject is expected to be of the highest possible quality. But this EO is another smoke screen created by the Trump administration in order to push its political agenda disguised as science.

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Guest Essay: Doubling Down On Pennsylvania's Fossil Fuel Extraction Is A Direct Threat To Public Health And Ecological Stability

PA Environment Daily

By Pamela Darville, Co-Chairperson of Climate Justice and Jobs Team at POWER Interfaith Recent opinion pieces and public comments by Senator McCormick and other members of Congress pushing for expanded fossil fuel extraction in Pennsylvania represent a reckless ode to corporate greed, masquerading as energy policy. Their central premisethat doubling down on Pennsylvania's fossil fuel extraction will secure "energy dominance"is not just myopic; it is a direct threat to public health, ecological s

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Massive glacier collapse triggers landslide that buries Swiss village

New Scientist

Villagers in Blatten, Switzerland, were evacuated earlier this month after authorities warned a nearby glacier was on the brink of collapse one of many becoming less stable as global temperature rise

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‘We deserve to breathe clean air’: Memphis residents take on Elon Musk’s xAI

Environmental News Bits

Read the full story at Capital B. Having faced decades of environmental racism, community members are in the middle of their greatest fight yet.

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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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Elon Musk’s AI Chatbot Grok Is Reciting Climate Denial Talking Points

Scientific American

The latest version of Grok, the chatbot created by Elon Musk’s xAI, is promoting fringe climate viewpoints in a way it hasn’t done before, observers say

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Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week

PA Environment Daily

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else-- -- The Derrick: List Of Nearly 300 Military Veterans Who Have Died In Venango, Clarion And Forest Counties Since Last Memorial Day -- Gov. Shapiro -- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: DCED Analysis: PA Secured $5.2 Billion In Private Sector Investments, Created 9,500 Jobs -- Spotlight PA: Pressure From Powerful Hospital Lobby Prompts Lawmakers To Limit Proposed Merger Crackdown -- PA Capital-Star: Shapiro Has Faith In Penn State Following

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Do we have free will? Quantum experiments may soon reveal the answer

New Scientist

Whether or not we have partial free will could soon be resolved by experiments in quantum physics, with potential consequences for everything from religion to quantum computers

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The potential of second-growth forests for bird diversity in a small holder landscape

The Applied Ecologist

Mareike Kortmann and co-authors share a summary about their latest study which focusses on the ability of sample coverage to impact diversity measures of bird communities in tropical lowland forests. Tropical old-growth forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, leading to concerning biodiversity loss. But amidst this global decline, some forest areas are also recovering.

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How to Drive Cost Savings, Efficiency Gains, and Sustainability Wins with MES

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

Is your manufacturing operation reaching its efficiency potential? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) could be the game-changer, helping you reduce waste, cut costs, and lower your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions, in this value-packed webinar as he breaks down how MES can drive operational excellence and sustainability.