Wed.Dec 13, 2023

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‘Green Roads’ Are Plowing Ahead, Buffering Drought and Floods

Yale E360

As the developing world witnesses a boom in road building, a movement to retrofit existing roads is gathering steam. Using embankments, channels, and dikes, so-called “green roads” harvest excess water for use in irrigation and flood prevention, while slashing maintenance costs.

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The UN Nuclear Ban Treaty is Leading Resistance to Nuclear Autocracy

Union of Concerned Scientists

During the week of November 27 th , under a cloud of international conflict and unease, delegates, politicians, activists and academics convened for the Second Meeting of States Parties (2MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) at the UN Headquarters in New York. Attendees came together to examine the global state of disarmament and harm-reduction work and call for more states to sign the nuclear ban treaty and join the stand against nuclear weapons.

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Climate Conference Delivers Agreement to Transition Away from Fossil Fuels

Yale E360

The 2023 UN climate conference has concluded with an agreement, approved by nearly 200 countries, to shift away from fossil fuels.

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First ever photo of a snow leopard under a starry sky is spectacular

New Scientist

Photographer Morup Namgail set out to capture an image no-one had ever taken before, in the hope of drawing attention to the plight of the landscape and wildlife in his remote home region in Ladakh, India

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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.

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This Flying Frog Spends Its Youth Masquerading as Poop

Scientific American

These froglets disguise themselves as feces to gross out potential predators until they’re old enough to glide through jungle canopies

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The 2023 discoveries that made us rethink the story of human evolution

New Scientist

In 2023, archaeologists found evidence of architecture and art beginning earlier than we thought, and uncovered data that rewrites our ideas of how much power women had in ancient societies

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More Trending

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Brain cells activated by stress may also give you a bad night's sleep

New Scientist

In mice, neurons activated by stress cause the animals to wake up far more often during sleep – if the process is similar in humans, it could lead to new ways of improving sleep quality

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Doctors, Farmers, and Advocates Call on Governor Hochul to Sign Neonic-Limiting Bill

NRDC

With 18, days left to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act (S1856-A / A7640), New Yorkers have called for action from Governor Kathy Hochul.

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Mathematicians discovered the ultimate bathroom tile in 2023

New Scientist

After decades of searching, mathematicians discovered a single shape that can cover a surface without forming repeating patterns, launching a small industry of "aperiodic monotile" merchandise

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What’s the Deal with Highway 413?

Enviromental Defense

Ever since Premier Ford reversed his government’s plans to open up Greenbelt land for development, he has been doubling down on the construction of the controversial Highway 413 project. What is Highway 413? Despite government claims that Highway 413 will reduce congestion and help people living in the GHTA, it is nothing more than an expensive perpetuation of 1950s transportation thinking to benefit well-connected developer friends of the Premier.

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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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Stretchy electrodes shrink when wet to fit snugly around organs

New Scientist

A material inspired by spider silk contracts to less than half of its length when exposed to water, and could be used for soft medical devices that adjust their shape around tissues and organs inside the body

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Keep PA Beautiful Welcomes Newest Local Affiliate- Keep Delaware County Beautiful

PA Environment Daily

On December 13, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced the Delaware County Office of Sustainability has completed the process of becoming the newest affiliate of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful (KPB)—Keep Delco Beautiful! The Delaware County affiliate is the fourth new local organization to join the KPB Affiliate Network this year. Keep Reading Beautiful, Keep Dauphin County Beautiful and Scranton Tomorrow joined earlier in 2023.

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Robotic third arm controlled by breathing is surprisingly easy to use

New Scientist

Extra limbs could provide a productivity boost to people working in a range of jobs, and experiments show that people are capable of controlling them intuitively

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The Uinta Basin Railway Would Be a Bigger Carbon Bomb Than Willow

NRDC

The project could sabotage U.S. climate goals, send oil-filled trains along the Colorado River, and pollute the air from Utah to the Gulf Coast.

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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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COP28 deal has loopholes that could weaken its impact on emissions

New Scientist

An agreement reached at the COP28 climate summit mentions transitioning away from fossil fuels, but contains weak points that could limit our ability to keep the world from warming beyond 1.

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Real Christmas Trees: Making the Difference for Conservation and Community

Washington Nature

When it comes to finding the perfect Christmas tree, the choices are endless. Tall and lean, or short and full? Spacious room for ornaments or tight, lush branches? Do you like the emerald, green of a fresh-cut tree or a light dusting of ‘snow’ for the winter wonderland vibe? Perhaps the most important decision is real vs. artificial, but what are the most environmentally friendly options?

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2023 was the year that artificial intelligence went mainstream

New Scientist

From ChatGPT to Gemini, this year was dominated by large language models and other AIs becoming everyday tools used by millions of people

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Nominations Now Being Accepted For Wildlife Leadership Academy Student Conservation Ambassadors Program

PA Environment Daily

The Wildlife Leadership Academy is now accepting nominations for the Student Conservation Ambassadors Program for students ages 14 to 17. The deadline for nominations is February 28, 2024. The application period will open January 1st, and the deadline for students to apply is March 31, 2024. Informational packets will be mailed beginning in January to nominated students with an invitation to apply to the 2024 program.

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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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Landmark deal at COP28 begins a qualified end to the fossil fuel era

New Scientist

For the first time in the history of the COP process the phrase "fossil fuels" has appeared in a climate summit agreement, as part of promise for the world to begin "transitioning away" from the leading cause of global warming

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Researchers Just Created the World's First Permafrost Atlas of the Entire Arctic

Scientific American

The Arctic Permafrost Atlas, which took years to create, is both beautiful and sobering, given the pace of climate change.

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LK-99 superconductor mania swept the internet for a few weeks in 2023

New Scientist

The promise of a material that could revolutionise the way we use electricity captured imaginations on social media, which also helped researchers quickly determine that LK-99 wasn't what it seemed

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About

PBS Nature

Small animals must sometimes make epic journeys to find a home or a mate. While the distances may not seem monumental to us, grasses appear like skyscrapers and raindrops fall as big as cars to these little creatures. Meet six heroic, tiny travelers – a turtle, a bushbaby, a pangolin, a lion tamarin, a water vole and a chameleon – risking it all to complete big journeys against the odds.

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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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How to see the spectacular Geminid meteor shower peak late tonight

New Scientist

The Geminid meteor shower will peak very early on the morning of 14 December, shortly after a new moon, making for perfect viewing conditions

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GE Vernova Partnership Will Accelerate Innovation

Cresforum

Greentown Labs, the largest climatetech incubator in North America, has a newfound friend in GE Vernova. The incubator recently announced GE Vernova as its newest “Terawatt Partner,” the highest level of engagement for Greentown. This partnership will provide GE Verona with a community of climatetech startups, participation in Greentown’s Industry Leadership Council, and the opportunity to accelerate American energy innovation.

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Covid-19 'emergency' ended in 2023 but the virus still lingers

New Scientist

On 5 May, the World Health Organization declared that the coronavirus was no longer classified as a "public health emergency of international concern", its highest alert level, but the virus is still evolving

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Road Map for U.S. Particle Physics Wins Broad Approval

Scientific American

A major report plotting the future of U.S.

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Cancer in young people is rising and 2023 saw a plan to figure out why

New Scientist

Most people with cancer are over 50, but the past few decades have seen a rise in diagnoses for younger people.

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PUC To Hold Stakeholder Meeting Feb. 7-8 On Act 129 Statewide Evaluator Energy Efficiency Baseline Studies And The 2026 Reference Manual

PA Environment Daily

On December 13, the Public Utility Commission announced it will hold a two-day stakeholders meeting February 7-8 on the Act 129 2023 Statewide Evaluator Energy Efficiency Baseline Studies and 2026 draft Technical Reference Manual Update. The meeting will be held Feb. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday, Feb. 8, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Hearing Room 1 of the Commonwealth Keystone Building, 400 North Street, Harrisburg.

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Artificial intelligence and climate change were 2023's twin challenges

New Scientist

The decisions we made this year about AI and climate change could determine the fate of billions of people.

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COP28 Climate Summit Deal Called 'Historic.' Now Countries Must Follow Through

Scientific American

The COP28 climate talks in Dubai ended with a deal to curb the use of fossil fuels, but some delegates and experts lament that the agreement was not more ambitious

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Wegovy and Ozempic made 2023 a revolutionary year for weight loss

New Scientist

The success of semaglutide mimic drugs in helping people lose weight saw demand rocket in 2023, with manufacturers struggling to keep up - something that almost never happens

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Lynn L. Bergeson, “EPA Proposes Revised PBT Rules for decaBDE and PIP (3:1),” Chemical Processing, December 11, 2023.

Nanotech

It seems like yesterday when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule prohibiting isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)), and for many in the manufacturing sector, the world got a little bit crazier. The EPA vowed to revise the final rule and did so on Nov. 24, 2023. The EPA’s proposal would amend the regulations for decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) and PIP (3:1), two of the five persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals addressed in The post Lynn L.

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