Tag Archives: study

Scott Pruitt plans to close an EPA office that studies how chemicals harm children.

by Mitchel62J Posted on February 27, 2018

Facing backlash from professors, Tennessee Technological University president Philip B. Oldham sent a letter to EPA administrator Scott Pruitt on Monday asking him to ignore the results of a study produced by his own university.

Here’s what happened.

Tennessee Republican Representative Diane Black, who has been pushing the EPA to adopt looser regulations for big trucks, asked Pruitt to roll back regulations on a certain kind of freight truck called a glider last July.

Previous EPA tests found gliders produce somewhere between 40 and 50 times more pollution than new trucks, but a study from Tennessee Tech published in 2016 found that gliders produce about the same levels of emissions as other trucks.

It turns out that the largest manufacturer of gliders, Tennessee-based Fitzgerald Glider Kits, funded the study and offered to build the university a spanking new research center to boot.

In November, Pruitt cited the study when he announced plans to ease up regulations on gliders. Faculty at Tennessee Tech asked the university to denounce the study on Friday, arguing that, among other things, it was a) conducted by an unsupervised graduate student and b) unverified. Then, on Wednesday, the EPA said in a statement that Pruitt’s decision didn’t have anything to do with the controversial study. … OK.

Continue at source:

Scott Pruitt plans to close an EPA office that studies how chemicals harm children.

Posted in alo, Anchor, FF, G & F, GE, green energy, LAI, ONA, PUR, solar, solar panels, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Scott Pruitt plans to close an EPA office that studies how chemicals harm children.

More than 100 cities around the globe get most of their electricity from renewables.

by LatishaQ30 Posted on February 27, 2018

Facing backlash from professors, Tennessee Technological University president Philip B. Oldham sent a letter to EPA administrator Scott Pruitt on Monday asking him to ignore the results of a study produced by his own university.

Here’s what happened.

Tennessee Republican Representative Diane Black, who has been pushing the EPA to adopt looser regulations for big trucks, asked Pruitt to roll back regulations on a certain kind of freight truck called a glider last July.

Previous EPA tests found gliders produce somewhere between 40 and 50 times more pollution than new trucks, but a study from Tennessee Tech published in 2016 found that gliders produce about the same levels of emissions as other trucks.

It turns out that the largest manufacturer of gliders, Tennessee-based Fitzgerald Glider Kits, funded the study and offered to build the university a spanking new research center to boot.

In November, Pruitt cited the study when he announced plans to ease up regulations on gliders. Faculty at Tennessee Tech asked the university to denounce the study on Friday, arguing that, among other things, it was a) conducted by an unsupervised graduate student and b) unverified. Then, on Wednesday, the EPA said in a statement that Pruitt’s decision didn’t have anything to do with the controversial study. … OK.

This article:  

More than 100 cities around the globe get most of their electricity from renewables.

Posted in alo, Anchor, FF, G & F, GE, green energy, LAI, ONA, PUR, solar, solar panels, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More than 100 cities around the globe get most of their electricity from renewables.

How Eating at Home Reduces Food Waste

by cazare907t2 Posted on February 25, 2018

A new study out of Ohio State University found that people who?eat at home wasted about three percent of their food, while people eating?out waste a whopping 40 percent on average.

You know that cooking at home is better for your health, and now there’s another great reason to eat in: you waste far less food. The small study looked at the plate waste that 50 adults generated and found that they left far less food?behind at home than when eating out or during?two lab-simulated “dining out” meals.

There are a couple of things about this study that stand out: the reporting method and how much flexibility that method offered participants.

Instead of self-reporting, study participants used something called the?Remote Food Photography Method?. They took phone photos of their plates?before and after eating, and the researchers used?those images to estimate how much food?was going into the bin.

Most food waste studies tend to focus only on dine-out type meals, but the Remote Food Photography Method allowed researchers to follow?participants as they ate unrestricted meals at home and restaurants of their choice. Study author Brian Roe said in a press release that this study, “is the first of its kind to follow adult eaters through their normal day-to-day eating patterns.”

Roe thinks that the freedom to choose?exactly what they wanted to eat and how much is why participants wasted less food than in previous studies on food waste.

These results are yet another compelling reason to cook at home.?Not only does?home cooking give you more freedom of choice and portion control, but you can meal plan to reduce waste and save money. Roe also points out that?if you’re cooking at home, it’s easier to reuse leftovers.

How to Cook at Home More

If making your own meals isn’t part of your routine right now, it can feel a little bit daunting. Like any new skill, it just takes practice.

Start with simple meals, and branch out as you get more comfortable in the kitchen. One-pot meals are a good place to start, so you’re not left with a mountain of dishes after the cooking is done. If you’re trying to stick to a tight budget,?these easy vegan meals that cost less than five dollars for two servings are your new friends.

The study authors mentioned meal planning?as a great way to further reduce food waste,?which makes sense. If you are shopping with meals in mind, you’re less likely to buy items that you’ll never cook.?Try this vegan meal plan for busy people and check out these tips on how to plan your meals.

Of course,?consumer action is only a small piece of the food waste puzzle.?Some of the burden for reducing food waste needs to fall on food distributors and manufacturers.?We need to look at food waste at every step, from farm to store shelf to table.

Related at Care2

Changing Product Labels Could Drastically Reduce Food Waste
27 Clever Ways to Reuse Food Scraps
7 Ways to Reduce Food Waste at Home

Images via Thinkstock.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Excerpt from – 

How Eating at Home Reduces Food Waste

Posted in FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, oven, PUR, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How Eating at Home Reduces Food Waste

Queen Elizabeth has no patience for plastic.

by KirkPJHixoknucv Posted on February 13, 2018

Here’s how humanity could all but ensure its own demise: Dig up all the coal we have left and burn it, warming the planet 4 to 6 degrees C.

But that worst-case scenario doesn’t match up with what’s really happening in the world, Justin Ritchie, lead author of a new study published in Environmental Research Letters, told Grist.

That’s because money spent on climate change measures goes further than it did 30 years ago. Plus, baseline trends show greenhouse gas emissions are on the decline. Most studies underestimate the effect these factors have on global decarbonization.

The study indicates that the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement are more achievable than previously projected — but that’s not to say humanity isn’t in deep trouble.

It’s not “4 to 6 degrees bad,” Ritchie says. “It’s 3 degrees bad. You can’t say we don’t have to worry about implementing policies, we do. But it’s not going to reach the truly catastrophic scenarios.”

Another recent study published in the same journal shows that if all the coal plants currently planned actually get built, humanity could blow past the Paris goal of limiting warming to 2 degree C above pre-industrial levels.

Ritchie said his research doesn’t counteract that finding. “There’s a whole range of scenarios that can occur,” he says. “What our paper is trying to do is look at that whole range and how can we design policies that are more robust.”

Visit site:  

Queen Elizabeth has no patience for plastic.

Posted in alo, Anchor, FF, G & F, GE, Jason, LAI, LG, ONA, solar, solar panels, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Queen Elizabeth has no patience for plastic.

We could be in a little less trouble than we thought.

by LeonHeadrick Posted on February 9, 2018

Here’s how humanity could all but ensure its own demise: Dig up all the coal we have left and burn it, warming the planet 4 to 6 degrees C.

But that worst-case scenario doesn’t match up with what’s really happening in the world, Justin Ritchie, lead author of a new study published in Environmental Research Letters, told Grist.

That’s because money spent on climate change measures goes further than it did 30 years ago. Plus, baseline trends show greenhouse gas emissions are on the decline. Most studies underestimate the effect these factors have on global decarbonization.

The study indicates that the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement are more achievable than previously projected — but that’s not to say humanity isn’t in deep trouble.

It’s not “4 to 6 degrees bad,” Ritchie says. “It’s 3 degrees bad. You can’t say we don’t have to worry about implementing policies, we do. But it’s not going to reach the truly catastrophic scenarios.”

Another recent study published in the same journal shows that if all the coal plants currently planned actually get built, humanity could blow past the Paris goal of limiting warming to 2 degree C above pre-industrial levels.

Ritchie said his research doesn’t counteract that finding. “There’s a whole range of scenarios that can occur,” he says. “What our paper is trying to do is look at that whole range and how can we design policies that are more robust.”

Read More: 

We could be in a little less trouble than we thought.

Posted in alo, Anchor, FF, G & F, GE, LG, ONA, Oster, solar, solar panels, solar power, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We could be in a little less trouble than we thought.

The EPA hired a ‘war room’-style media monitoring company.

by VelvaTrout Posted on December 15, 2017

Forests in the American West are having a harder time recovering from wildfires because of (what else?) climate change, according to new research published in Ecology Letters.

Researchers measured the growth of seedlings in 1,500 wildfire-scorched areas in Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Across the board, they found “significant decreases” in tree regeneration, a benchmark for forest resilience. In one-third of the sites, researchers found zero seedlings.

The warmest, driest forests were hit especially hard.

“Seedlings are more sensitive to warm, dry conditions than mature trees, so if the right conditions don’t exist within a few years following a wildfire, tree seedlings may not establish,” said Philip Higuera, a coauthor of the study.

Earlier this month, a separate study found that ponderosa pine and pinyon forests in the West are becoming less resilient due to droughts and warmer temperatures. Researchers told the New York Times that as trees disappear, some forests could shift to entirely different ecosystems, like grasslands or shrublands.

You’d think the rapid reconfiguration of entire ecosystems would really light a fire under us to deal with climate change, wouldn’t you?

Continue reading:  

The EPA hired a ‘war room’-style media monitoring company.

Posted in alo, Anchor, Eureka, FF, G & F, GE, Jason, LAI, ONA, organic, solar, solar power, Uncategorized, Wiley | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The EPA hired a ‘war room’-style media monitoring company.

The 3 Holiday Plants That Clean the Air

by ChanelMarkley42 Posted on December 1, 2017

Shares

You don’t have to have a green thumb — or be vegan — to delight in the presence of plants. Gardening and food consumption aside, household plants are pretty miraculous to have around due to their numerous superpowers. And what better time to take advantage than during the holidays, when we could all use as many superpowers as possible.

Health Benefits of Plants

Most of us realize the pluses of incorporating greenery in our indoor environments, including 20 percent less dust, according to a study by Washington State University. Besides magical fairy dusting and beautification of a space, plants can absorb up to 10 percent of carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into the air we breathe. Plants even reduce stress and boost morale when placed in offices, simultaneously reducing airborne bacteria.

Plants Improve Indoor Air Quality

What many people are unaware of is the fact that certain plants do all of the above while also removing toxic gases and chemical vapors commonly found in our indoor environments, according to studies by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Green building today is great for energy efficiency, but it’s not always so great for our health. In 1973, NASA realized that indoor air pollution in tightly sealed structures could present health-related problems. The Clean Air Study, led by Dr. B.C. Wolverton in conjunction with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, discovered the miraculous benefits of 50 houseplants (three of them being holiday plants) that are exceptional little air scrubbers. These must be potted plants in soil and ideally, one should be placed every 100 feet for maximum air filtration benefits, as advised by NASA.

3 Holiday Plants that Remove Chemicals

Three popular holiday plants — the Poinsettia, the Norfolk Island Pine and the Christmas Cactus — work as natural, mini air purifiers. They provide an affordable defense by absorbing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia, from the air through the tiny openings in their leaves (stomata) and their root microbes. Let’s take a closer look at each plant.

1. Poinsettia

You’ll recognize this holiday beauty from its bright, vibrant bracts (leaves). Ironically, it’s not the flower of this plant, rather the leaves, that are grown in pink, red, white, speckled or marbled. Discovered by Joel Poinsett in 1830 in Southern Mexico, this plant prefers semi-shade. It’s easy to grow and pretty resistant to insect infestation. Water when the top layer is dry.

2. Norfolk Island Pine

Photo: Adobe Stock

This evergreen often serves as a mini Christmas tree with a similar appeal. One variety, the heterophylla, is suitable for indoors and can grow up to 10 feet high! It was discovered by Captain Cook and botanist Sir Joseph Banks. The Norfolk Island Pine prefers full sun to semi-shade. Use water sparingly in the winter and mist often.

3. Christmas Cactus

Photo: Adobe Stock

This beautiful cactus with bright red buds blooms fully in December. Unlike most plants, this cactus removes CO2 and releases oxygen at night, making it a great plant for the bedroom. It prefers semi-sun and is highly resistant to insect infestation. Allow it to dry between waterings.

There you have it — the perfect holiday or housewarming gift. Your host or hostess will be breathing easier through the hustle and bustle while enjoying a more beautiful and relaxing home.

The 3 Plants Every Home Should Have for Clean Air

How’d you like to be happier, calmer, healthier and oh, …Lisa BeresFebruary 22, 2017

Better Breathing: 6 Of The Best Plants For Indoor Air Quality

The average American spends 90 percent of their time indoors. …Sarah LozanovaFebruary 11, 2016

House Doctors: Branch Basic’s Spot-Off Cleaning Prescription

Don’t you just love it when you can prove someone …Kimberly ButtonAugust 14, 2015

4 Ways Reducing and Reusing Can Save You Money

When most people think about reducing and reusing, they mainly …Anna JohanssonDecember 1, 2017

The 3 Holiday Plants That Clean the Air

You don’t have to have a green thumb — or be …Lisa BeresNovember 30, 2017

Try This Calculator for Waste-Free Holiday Dinners

Deciding what to prepare for a dinner party is difficult …Haley ShapleyNovember 29, 2017

earth911

Source article: 

The 3 Holiday Plants That Clean the Air

Posted in FF, GE, ONA, organic, PUR, solar, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 3 Holiday Plants That Clean the Air

Climate science opponent Lamar Smith will retire from Congress.

by SonjaCraig Posted on November 2, 2017

Poor dumb turtles and fish, always chomping on the ubiquitous plastic in the water by accident — or so the story went, until a handful of recent studies suggested sea creatures may actually be choosing to eat plastic.

In one of these experiments, researchers took single grains of sand and particles of microplastic — both around the same size and shape — and dropped them onto coral polyps. The tiny creatures responded to the plastic the same way they would to a tasty piece of food, stuffing the bits of trash into their mouths like so many Snickers Minis.

“Plastics may be inherently tasty,” Austin Allen, a study coauthor and marine science doctoral student at Duke University, told the Washington Post.

Coral polyps rely on chemical sensors — taste buds, essentially — to determine whether something is edible or not. And they were repeatedly chosing to swallow plastic during the study. Only once in 10 trials did a polyp make the same mistake with sand. In fact, the cleaner and fresher and more plastic-y the plastic was, the more readily the coral gulped it down.

While the long-term effects of the plastic-saturation of the planet are still unknown, this research suggests that accidentally tasty microplastics could pose an extra hazard to already beleaguered corals around the world.

Continued:

Climate science opponent Lamar Smith will retire from Congress.

Posted in alo, Anchor, Casio, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, organic, oven, Smith's, solar, solar power, Uncategorized, wind power | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Climate science opponent Lamar Smith will retire from Congress.

Dinosaurs Without Bones – Anthony J. Martin

by Myrna Posted on September 16, 2017

READ GREEN WITH E-BOOKS

Dinosaurs Without Bones

Dinosaur Lives Revealed by Their Trace Fossils

Anthony J. Martin

Genre: Science & Nature

Price: $11.99

Publish Date: March 4, 2014

Publisher: Pegasus Books

Seller: OpenRoad Integrated Media, LLC


What if we woke up one morning all of the dinosaur bones in the world were gone? How would we know these iconic animals had a 165-million year history on earth, and had adapted to all land-based environments from pole to pole? What clues would be left to discern not only their presence, but also to learn about their sex lives, raising of young, social lives, combat, and who ate who? What would it take for us to know how fast dinosaurs moved, whether they lived underground, climbed trees, or went for a swim? Welcome to the world of ichnology, the study of traces and trace fossils—such as tracks, trails, burrows, nests, toothmarks, and other vestiges of behavior—and how through these remarkable clues, we can explore and intuit the rich and complicated lives of dinosaurs. With a unique, detective-like approach, interpreting the forensic clues of these long-extinct animals that leave a much richer legacy than bones, Martin brings the wild world of the Mesozoic to life for the twenty-first-century reader. Past Praise for Anthony J. Martin: “Martin shows how ancient trace fossils directly relate to modern traces and tracemakers, among them insects, crabs, shorebirds, alligators, and sea turtles. The result is an aesthetically appealing and scientifically accurate book.” — Birdbooker Report “The pedagogy is excellent, and the explanations of technical material are accessible.” —Raymond Freeman-Lynde, University of Georgia “Full of valuable and useful information.” — Geological Magazine Anthony J. Martin is a professor at Emory University, a paleontologist, geologist, and one of the world’s most accomplished ichnologists. He is the co-discoverer of the first known burrowing dinosaur, found the oldest dinosaur burrows in the geologic record, and documented the best assemblage of polar-dinosaur tracks in the Southern Hemisphere. He is the author of two textbooks on dinosaurs and lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Read this article: 

Dinosaurs Without Bones – Anthony J. Martin

Posted in alo, Anchor, FF, GE, LAI, ONA, PUR, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dinosaurs Without Bones – Anthony J. Martin

Climate Change – Joseph Romm

by Myrna Posted on September 7, 2017

READ GREEN WITH E-BOOKS

Climate Change

What Everyone Needs to Know®

Joseph Romm

Genre: Earth Sciences

Price: $10.99

Publish Date: November 5, 2015

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Seller: Oxford University Press


Climate change will have a bigger impact on humanity than the Internet has had. The last decade's spate of superstorms, wildfires, heat waves, and droughts has accelerated the public discourse on this topic and lent credence to climatologist Lonnie Thomson's 2010 statement that climate change "represents a clear and present danger to civilization." In June 2015, the Pope declared that action on climate change is a moral issue. This book offers the most up-to-date examination of climate change's foundational science, its implications for our future, and the core clean energy solutions. Alongside detailed but highly accessible descriptions of what is causing climate change, this entry in the What Everyone Needs to Know series answers questions about the practical implications of this growing force on our world: · How will climate change impact you and your family in the coming decades? · What are the future implications for owners of coastal property? · Should you plan on retiring in South Florida or the U.S. Southwest or Southern Europe? · What occupations and fields of study will be most in demand in a globally warmed world? · What impact will climate change have on investments and the global economy? As the world struggles to stem climate change and its effects, everyone will become a part of this story of the century. Here is what you need to know.

View original – 

Climate Change – Joseph Romm

Posted in alo, Anchor, Cyber, Everyone, FF, GE, ONA, PUR, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Climate Change – Joseph Romm