Thu.Feb 08, 2024

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EPA Lowers the PM2.5 NAAQS: Goldilocks Can Sleep Soundly

Law and Environment

Yesterday, EPA finalized a rule lowering the primary annual National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5 to 9.00 ug/m 3. This is a significant reduction from the current 12.00 ug/m 3 standard and a victory for environmentalists, even though they had advocated for larger reduction. There is substantial evidence supporting the reduction, both in the legal and the common sense understanding of this term.

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Air pollution is changing the scent of flowers and confusing insects

New Scientist

Insects may be finding it harder to locate flowers because the scent molecules released by the flowers smell different after they react with pollutants in the air

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Bed or breakfast? Roe deer balance food and safety according to crop phenology

The Applied Ecologist

Noa Rigoudy and co-authors talk us through their latest work, highlighting how behavioural adjustment may buffer the consequences of the reduction in natural habitats that accompanies intensification of agricultural production. This has implications for understanding how agricultural practices shape the food-safety trade-off of wildlife living in these highly modified landscapes.

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Spiral scratches on contact lenses can turn them into multifocals

New Scientist

Inscribing a spiral in the centre of a contact lens seems to create optical vortices that interact so that the lens provides a clear image of objects at all distances

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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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All About Goblin Sharks

Ocean Conservancy

Swimming in some of the deepest waters of the ocean is the gorgeous goblin shark. This misunderstood bottom-dweller is often demonized—called creepy, disgusting and gross. But, you’ll find none of that here. This blog is an “ode to the goblin shark”. Imagine having what it takes to survive at ocean depths of 3,000 feet or more and living on this planet for about 125 million years!

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UK nuclear fusion reactor sets new record for energy output

New Scientist

In its final experiments before being shut down for good last year, the UK's JET fusion reactor smashed its previous records for reaction duration and energy output

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More Trending

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Enormous underwater mountains discovered off west coast of Americas

New Scientist

An ocean research vessel has just discovered four underwater mountains, the tallest almost 3 kilometres high, that might be hotspots of deep-sea life

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U.S. Department of Labor Finalizes Independent Contractor Rule

National Law Center

Classifying workers as “employees” or “independent contractors” is an important task for agricultural employers because of the legal obligations and protections. The post U.S. Department of Labor Finalizes Independent Contractor Rule appeared first on National Agricultural Law Center.

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Huge deposit of natural hydrogen gas detected deep in Albanian mine

New Scientist

Companies are searching all over the world for deposits of geologic hydrogen that could be used as clean fuel, and a mine in Albania could give them clues about where to look

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Air Pollution Threatens Millions of Lives. Now the Sources Are Shifting

Scientific American

As EPA tightens air pollution standards for particulate matter, new research suggests some components of that pollution could worsen with climate change

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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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UK nuclear fusion reactor sets new world record for energy output

New Scientist

In its final experiments before being shut down for good last year, the UK's JET reactor set a world record for the energy output of a fusion reaction

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PJM Reports Natural Gas Power Plants Were Over Half The Forced Outages During Winter Storm Gerri In January; Special Procedures Used For Gas Generators Raised Questions About Market Impacts

PA Environment Daily

PJM Interconnection staff presentation slides for a February 8 meeting of the Operating Committee showed natural gas-fired power plants accounted for over half the forced outages of generating capacity during Winter Storm Gerri that occurred from January 14 to 22. Don Kujawski, Operations Manager for PJM, said while natural gas had some “missteps,” overall performance was better than during Winter Storm Elliott in December 2022 when 70% of the outages were natural gas units.

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Does Viagra ward off Alzheimer's disease? It's too soon to say

New Scientist

A new study has found an intriguing link between erectile dysfunction drugs and lower Alzheimer's risk, but they are not definitive

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Kate Janeway: Employee #10 at TNC in Washington leaves the board and a legacy of environmental service

Washington Nature

By Anya Blaney Kate Janeway has dedicated her life to environmental causes, including nine years of volunteer service with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Washington. She has completed her third and final 3-year term with TNC in Washington’s Board of Trustees and remains actively involved with TNC’s chapters around the U.S. During her tenure, she served three years as board chair, chaired TNC in Washington’s Philanthropy Committee and co-chaired the Rock Our World Campaign that exceeded the glob

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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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Giant magma flow in Iceland was the fastest ever recorded

New Scientist

As a 15-kilometre crack formed ahead of the recent eruptions, magma flowed into it at the highest rate observed anywhere in the world

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Penn State: Trees Struggle To ‘Breathe’ As Climate Warms, Researchers Find

PA Environment Daily

By Adrienne Berard, Penn State News Trees are struggling to sequester heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) in warmer, drier climates, meaning that they may no longer serve as a solution for offsetting humanity’s carbon footprint as the planet continues to warm, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. “We found that trees in warmer, drier climates are essentially coughing instead of breathing,” said Max Lloyd , assistant professor of geosciences at Penn State and lead author on the

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5 amazing things discovered by the eROSITA X-ray telescope

New Scientist

The eROSITA X-ray telescope’s survey of the night sky has revealed extreme and violent processes in the universe, including inexplicably strange stars and erupting black holes

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Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority To Switch To Solar Energy Saving An Estimated $2 Million Over Next 25 Years

PA Environment Daily

On February 8, the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority announced it will soon make the switch to solar with the help of the nonprofit Pennsylvania Solar Center’s G.E.T. Solar Program , which provides free technical assistance and financial guidance to businesses and organizations looking to go solar. After a competitive RFP process, CCRRA has hired local solar developer Envinity to complete the installation.

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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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Exercise programme helps people with long covid, but it's no panacea

New Scientist

An eight-week virtual exercise programme improved the quality of life of people with long covid, but the effect was relatively modest and it may not benefit everyone with the condition

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The world crosses the crucial 1.5 degrees C threshold over 12 months for the first time as the first month of 2024 is the warmest January ever recorded

A Greener Life

By Anders Lorenzen Scientists have said that the world has just experienced its warmest January ever recorded and for the first time, the world has experienced a 12-month period where temperature increases averaged more than 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial. This is according to data from the European Union’s climate change monitoring satellite Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) which was released on Thursday (8th of February 2024). 2023 was already the warmest year ever recorded, based o

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Wildfire Science Gets a Boost from Worried Insurance Companies

Scientific American

Wildfires have upended the insurance industry, in part because climate change is fueling bigger and more destructive blazes

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After an 80-year absence, gray wolves have returned to Colorado ? here’s how the reintroduction of this apex predator will affect prey and plants

Environmental News Bits

by Joanna Lambert, University of Colorado Boulder Gray wolves were reintroduced to Colorado in December 2023, the latest attempt in a decadeslong effort to build up wolf populations in the Rocky Mountain states.

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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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The Forgotten Star of Radio Astronomy

Scientific American

Ruby Payne-Scott and her colleagues unlocked a new way of seeing the universe, but to keep her job, Ruby had to keep a big secret.

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On Forests, Home Depot Fails to Meet the Moment

NRDC

How the DIY retailer giant's latest forest sourcing policy misses the mark

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NASA's Asteroid Samples May Come from a Long-Lost Ocean World

Scientific American

A first look at materials from asteroid Bennu sparks speculation that the space rock was once part of an ancient, watery protoplanet

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HD Hyundai Stops Sales of Diggers Used for Gold Mining in the Amazon

Corp Watch

Investigations by Greenpeace and Repórter Brasil found that close to half of mechanized diggers used for illegal gold mining in the Amazon are manufactured by HD Hyundai Construction Equipment.

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How to Explain April's Total Solar Eclipse to Kids

Scientific American

The total solar eclipse over North America this April is a great opportunity for kids to understand the dance of the Earth, sun and moon

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DEP: Commonwealth Court Issues Order Appointing PA American Water Company Receiver For East Dunkard Water System Authority In Greene County Due To Compliance Issues

PA Environment Daily

On February 8, the Department of Environmental Protection announced Commonwealth Court issued an order appointing PA American Water Company as receiver for the East Dunkard Water Authority in Greene County. On February 1, 2024, EDWA’s board approved a motion agreeing to the appointment of a receiver to take over the management and operation of the water system due to significant compliance issues.

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Peach Fuzz Is Pantone's Color of the Year--And It's Everywhere in Nature

Scientific American

This warm, fuzzy color can be found all over the natural world, from land to sea to space

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Environmental Hearing Board Narrows, But Allows Protect PT Appeal Of Shale Gas Well Permit Renewals In Westmoreland County To Move Forward

PA Environment Daily

On February 7, the Environmental Hearing Board issued an opinion and order granting part of an Apex Energy (PA) LLC motion to dismiss parts of a Protect PT appeal of the renewal of shale gas well permits at the Drakulic well pad in Penn Township, Westmoreland County. The Board ruled that all or parts of 15 of the 107 paragraphs outlining the grounds listed by Protect PT in the appeal challenge the initial permits issued by DEP and were dismissed.

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Tougher AI Policies Could Protect Taylor Swift--And Everyone Else--From Deepfakes

Scientific American

In January Taylor Swift became the latest high-profile target of nonconsensual deepfake images.

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Liberty Twp., Citizens Group Appeal EHB Decision On Permit For Tri-County Landfill In Mercer County Over Threats Posed By Birds, Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste

PA Environment Daily

On February 7, Liberty Township and the Citizens Environmental Association of Slippery Rock Area filed an appeal with Commonwealth Court of the Environmental Hearing Board decision denying their appeal of a DEP permit for the Tri-County Landfill in Mercer County. Among the issues raised by the appellants in their original appeal were-- concerns the landfill’s operation would attract birds and interfere with the operation of the nearby Grove City Airport; that the oil and gas drilling wastes the

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