Wed.Dec 18, 2024

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The Sunbelt’s Growing Population Faces Increasing Climate Hazards

Inside Climate News

New research identified the counties in the U.S. with large and vulnerable populations exposed to heat stress, water shortages or wildfire, with most found in the southern half of the country. By Wyatt Myskow Counties across the southern half of the U.S., especially those with large and socially vulnerable populations, will be much more exposed to wildfire, drought and extreme heat than other parts of the country as the regions climate warms in the coming decades, according to new research from

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Larkspur Design To Offer Yearlong Permaculture Design Certification Course In Pittsburgh

PA Environment Daily

Larkspur Design will be offering a yearlong Permaculture Design Course , endorsed by the Permaculture Institute of North America during 2025. Earn your Permaculture Design Certificate while you learn to garden like the forest, ecological restoration, water harvesting, natural building, and much more. Participants will meet monthly, build community, and work toward our final design projects.

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The Risks of Deep-Sea Mining

Ocean Conservancy

Critical minerals are key components of clean-energy technologies, which are essential to replacing fossil fuels and stabilizing the climate. At present, the United States is highly dependent on critical minerals to support a growing electric vehicle market. Yet, the United States is also vulnerable to growing geopolitical realities and supply-chain bottlenecks.

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PA Resources Council Announces Winners Of 2024 Gene Capaldi Lens On Litter Photo Contest

PA Environment Daily

On December 18, the PA Resources Council announced the student and adult winners of the 2024 Gene Capaldi Lens On Litter Photo Contest. Student Winners In the student category, the winner of the $500 first place prize is Delores Simpson of Glenville, York County, a 13-yr. old 8th grade student at Emory H. Markle Middle School in Hanover. Deloress photo titled Beauty in Chaos pictures a flower growing up through a pile of debris.

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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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Carnivorous Squirrels Discovered in California

Yale E360

Scientists have discovered that in addition to seeds and nuts, some California ground squirrels also eat voles.

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Swarms of tiny robots coordinate to achieve ant-like feats of strength

New Scientist

Small robots directed by magnetic fields can cooperatively lift heavy objects, form floating rafts and push through clogs.

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Are quantum computers now advanced enough to need operating systems?

New Scientist

Quantum computing hardware has been progressing rapidly in recent years and quantum software is following

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Smart Surfaces Policy Tracker: A New Resource For Cities

Law Columbia

Photo by Mark Patterson on Unsplash Cities have a unique and significant role to play in responding to climate change. Many are already doing so by adopting legal and policy tools to encourage the use of smart surfacesa group of technologies and design strategies that mitigate the effects of climate change in urban environments, especially extreme heat, stormwater flooding, and poor air quality.

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Ancient hominin Lucy was a lousy runner, simulations show

New Scientist

Researchers have tried to work out how fast Australopithecus afarensis could run by creating a 3D digital robot of the ancient hominin

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Study Miscalculation Has Everyone Talking about Black Plastic Spatulas Again. Experts Are Still Concerned

Scientific American

The scientists behind a popular study on the health effects of flame retardants in black plastic cooking utensils and toys made a calculation error but still say their revised findings are alarming

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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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Ultra-thin diamond wafers for electronics made using sticky tape

New Scientist

Electronics made using diamond-based chips would have many advantages, but have been hard to make a new technique involving sticky tape could change that

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Protecting Illinois’ cultural heritage from climate change

Environmental News Bits

Read the full story from the Prairie Research Institute. Rising seas and intense storms dominate the headlines about climate change, but there is a quieter catastrophe already unfolding: the irreversible loss of cultural heritage. Across the state of Illinois, thousands of ancient Indigenous sites, historic buildings, and landmarks are being slowly erased by extreme weather.

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8 Fascinating Things We Learned about Language in 2024

Scientific American

This year scientists found universal language for pain, tracked why some words go extinct, developed mind-reading brain-to-speech technology, and more

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8 Strategies to Reduce Energy Waste in the Food Industry

Environmental News Bits

Download the report. This playbook explores a roadmap for food industry decarbonization, focusing on energy efficiency and management. Reducing carbon emissions across the food industry is an impactful and cost-effective approach to mitigating climate risks across the globe.

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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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U.S. Has a First Case of Severe Bird Flu, CDC Confirms in H5N1 Update

Scientific American

Louisiana reported a person hospitalized with a severe case of H5N1, and the USDA has begun bulk milk testing

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GAO Offers a Path To a National Textiles Strategy

Earth 911

The United States faces a growing textile waste crisis fueled by the rise of fast. The post GAO Offers a Path To a National Textiles Strategy appeared first on Earth911.

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Please Don’t Take Moral Advice from ChatGPT

Scientific American

Before turning to a large language model for ethical counsel, consider what makes for good advice

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EPA brownfields in Detroit and Southeast Michigan

Environmental News Bits

Detroit has a rich history of manufacturing and innovation as the home of the American automotive industry. The Motor City experienced immense growth in the early twentieth century as a center of production for World War II and during the post-war economic boom.

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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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Wildfires Are Threatening Astronomy, and the Worst Is Yet to Come

Scientific American

As wildfires grow in severity and frequency, they’re not only threatening lives but also our visual connection to the cosmos

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USFWS lists Monarch Butterfly as Threatened under Endangered Species Act

Vorys Law

On December 12, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed listing the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This proposal includes a 4(d) rule offering species-specific protections and flexibilities to encourage conservation and designating critical habitat for the western migratory monarch population in California.

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How to Manage Holiday Grief in Yourself and Others

Scientific American

The holidays can be a difficult time for people who are grieving.

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How climate change and water stress is risking the semiconductor supply chain

Environmental News Bits

Read the full story from the World Economic Forum. Forty percent of all current semiconductor manufacturing facilities are situated in watersheds expected to face the most severe water stress risks by 2030. Over 25% of semiconductor plants under construction and 40% announced since 2021 are in watersheds projected to face severe water stress by 2030-2040.

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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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78 Books Scientific American Recommends in 2024

Scientific American

A collection of nonfiction and fiction books Scientific American editorial staff and contributors read and recommend in 2024

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Holiday gifts to foster climate action

Environmental News Bits

No matter what winter holiday(s) you observe, youre likely considering showing your appreciation for loved ones through gifts as part of your celebration. Over at the ISTC Blog, Joy Scrogum offers gift suggestions that can help the recipients reduce their climate impact or otherwise encourage climate action.

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Can a New Generation of Conservationists Make the Field More Accessible?

Scientific American

Modern conservationists are finding new ways to protect wildlife.

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University of Illinois ACES doctoral student selected for prestigious NASA research award

Environmental News Bits

Read the full story from the University of Illinois College of ACES. Wendy Dorman is determined to map a brighter future for grassland birds. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign doctoral student will use a $150,000 investment from NASA to develop robust maps of grassland habitat across the Midwest and beyond.

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The Public Distrusts Scientists’ Morals, Not Their Science

Scientific American

Reaction to a recent Pew survey on the public’s trust in science shows that the scientific community is not ready to address the real problem

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Diet, lifestyle, and PFAS: Abby Fleisch tackles ‘forever chemicals’

Environmental News Bits

Read the full story at Environmental Factor. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent one of the most challenging environmental health concerns of our time. Used in products ranging from food packaging and firefighting foams to stain- and water-resistant fabrics, these chemicals are widespread in the modern world.

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Will the World's First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant Be Built in Virginia? Here's Why We're Skeptical

Scientific American

The fusion power plant would go live in the next decade and produce 400 megawatts of electricity, says Commonwealth Fusion Systems

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Streams near farms emit high levels of greenhouse gas, studies find

Environmental News Bits

Read the full story from the University of Illinois College of ACES. In the upper reaches of a Minnesota watershed, the water is so full of dissolved nitrous oxide that University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign hydrologist Zhongjie Yu likens it to a soda can.

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How Many Minerals Do We Really Need for EV Batteries? 

Union of Concerned Scientists

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a cleaner option than gasoline alternatives and are essential for reducing emissions that cause climate change and illnesses. UCS has estimated the minerals needed to electrify passenger vehicle sales in the United States and our recent report has exciting findings– we can electrify using less minerals than previously thought!

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How to build circularity for PET, polyester textiles: study

Environmental News Bits

Read the full story at Waste Dive. Following the results of a new study commissioned by Eastman, researchers advocate for a more circular approach to handling PET plastic and polyester textiles. A combination of methods could significantly raise recycling rates, promote reuse and improve waste diversion in the U.S. by 2040, the study says.