Sat.Jul 01, 2023 - Fri.Jul 07, 2023

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Will Tech Breakthroughs Bring Fusion Energy Closer to Reality?

Yale E360

Abundant carbon-free energy from nuclear fusion has long been considered a holy grail. Recent technological advances and the emergence of startup companies have led to new optimism, but experts caution that the production of fusion power is still a long way off.

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Nature and the Pursuit of Happiness

Legal Planet

What is the “pursuit of happiness,” which the Declaration of Independence says is an inalienable right? It sounds like this is about freedom from governmental restrictions on your activities. So, in modern terms, it seemed to mean that the government can’t stop you from “doing your own thing.” But that can’t be right. The Declaration says we have an inalienable right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

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An Attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Could Still be Catastrophic

Union of Concerned Scientists

Ukraine has accused Russia of planning to carry out a sabotage attack at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant that it has controlled since it seized it by force in March 2022. Although it reports this morning that this current threat is decreasing, the situation is fluid and the plant remains vulnerable to both accidents and attacks. While this ongoing crisis should not lead to panic, there is no cause for complacency either.

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Supercomputer Will Help Decide whether to Block the Sun

Scientific American

A new supercomputer is helping climate scientists determine whether injecting human-made, sun-blocking aerosols into the stratosphere would also alter thunderstorms and rainfall

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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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Native Bees Yield Hardier Flowers Than Honey Bees, Research Finds

Yale E360

Flowers pollinated by native bees produce fitter offspring than flowers pollinated by honey bees, according to a new study carried out in San Diego, California.

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June Extremes Suggest Parts of the Climate System Are Reaching Tipping Points

Inside Climate News

Research shows heat domes, wildfires and vanishing polar ice are the symptoms; unabated greenhouse gas emissions are the cause. By Bob Berwyn June 2023 may be remembered as the start of a big change in the climate system, with many key global indicators flashing red warning lights amid signs that some systems are tipping toward a new state from which they may not recover.

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Great White Sharks Are Surging off Cape Cod

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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World's Protected Lands Are Safeguarding More Carbon Than the U.S. Emits in a Year

Yale E360

If left unguarded, many of the world's protected lands would have likely been burned, logged, or otherwise degraded, unleashing huge sums of heat-trapping gas.

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The Melting Glaciers of Svalbard Offer an Ominous Glimpse of More Warming to Come

Inside Climate News

New research reveals what one scientist called a “very stark image of climate change” as methane leaks from springs exposed by the glaciers’ retreat. By Lydia Larsen The remote arctic islands of Svalbard, Norway, the northernmost settlement in the world, have been called a canary in the coal mine of climate change, warming more than two times faster than other areas of the arctic and five to seven times faster than the rest of the planet.

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Solar Panels Are More Carbon-Intensive Than Experts Admit

Environmental Progress

Transport trucks transfer raw coal in pits as deep as 200 meters at the East Junggar Basin on July 4, 2018 in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous of China. The East Junggar Basin as one of the largest coalfield in Xinjiang has predicted coal reserves of 390 billion tons. (Photo by Liu Xin/China News Service/Visual China Group via Getty Images) By C.

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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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Unforced variations: July 2023

Real Climate

This month’s open thread for climate topics. Let the (northern hemisphere) heat wave and wildfire smoke season begin! The post Unforced variations: July 2023 first appeared on RealClimate.

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Experts See Signs of Hope for the Pacific's Gray Whales

Yale E360

The North Pacific's long-beleaguered gray whales may finally be headed for recovery, officials say.

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The proposed Sustainable Jobs legislation does little for sustainability – This is how Canada can achieve a just transition

Enviromental Defense

The federal government recently released its proposed Sustainable Jobs Act , following up on its promise to pass just transition legislation. This means that the government has finally recognized its role in helping workers and communities impacted by the energy transition. There will be more energy jobs in the clean economy than in today’s fossil-fueled economy.

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The Disinvestment in Centreville Continues

NRDC

A thorough and equitable plan to solve the flooding and sewage problems in Centreville must be developed to fund the necessary infrastructure repairs.

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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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Yes, Airline Flights Are Getting Bumpier: Here's Why

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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DEP: Drought Task Force Maintains Drought Watch Status For All Of Pennsylvania

PA Environment Daily

On July 7, following a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force this week, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it will maintain a statewide drought watch. While not required, residents and non-farm businesses are encouraged to voluntarily conserve water by reducing their nonessential water use. At this time, 18 public water suppliers are asking for voluntary water conservation in their communities.

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THE STORY OF PLASTIC IN CANADA – PART 1: PLASTIC AND FOSSIL FUELS

Enviromental Defense

This post was co-written by Aliénor Rougeot, Program Manager, Climate and Energy Welcome to the first stop on the journey of the story of plastic in Canada: the Athabasca region in Northern Alberta. The Athabasca has been home to Indigenous people since time immemorial and part of Treaty 8, originally signed in 1899. This is the territory of Cree, Déne and Métis nations who live and work in a beautiful and bountiful place.

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Migrant orangutans learn which foods are good to eat by watching the locals

Frontiers

By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer An unflanged migrant orangutan male (on the left side) and an adolescent local orangutan female (on the right side) are peering at each other. Orangutan species: Pongo abelii. Image credit: Caroline Schuppli, SUAQ Project, [link] Researchers analyzed 30 years of observations on a total of 152 male migrant orangutans on Sumatra and Borneo and showed evidence that migrants learn about unfamiliar foods in their new home range by ‘peering’ at experienced

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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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Watch Baby Octopuses Hatch from a Surprising Deep-Sea Nursery

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Remembering Roger Payne, Maestro of the Seas

NRDC

Celebrated whale researcher, bio-acoustician, and conservation activist combined love of science, music, and the oceans in life-long battle to save the planet.

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6 Great Reads on Birding, Fishing, Parks + More

Cool Green Science

We have your summer reading list sorted with these 6 great reads on birding, fishing, bats, national parks and more. The post 6 Great Reads on Birding, Fishing, Parks + More appeared first on Cool Green Science.

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Midwest States, Often Billed as Climate Havens, Suffer Summer of Smoke, Drought, Heat

Inside Climate News

The lingering presence of wildfire smoke has made for an unusual start to summer across the Midwest. It also comes during a near-record drought crisping fields across the Corn Belt and the threat of hotter summers to come. By Madeline Heim, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and Chloe Johnson, Minneapolis Star-Tribune MADISON, Wis. – Masks made a comeback in Wisconsin this week.

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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 Smart Were Dinosaurs? New Studies Fuel the Debate

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Renewables and Storage Hold Their Own in the Texas Heat Dome

NRDC

No fossil fuels, no problem? Texas investments in wind and solar pay off, generating record-breaking renewable power to meet all-time high electricity demand during nearly 10-day heat dome—despite fossil fuel plant failures.

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The past week was the hottest ever recorded on Earth

New Scientist

The record for the hottest average global air temperature was broken three times this week, making the past seven days the hottest since instrumental records began in the 1850s

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EPA Faces Treated Seeds Lawsuit

National Law Center

In 2017, several environmental groups petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to close what the groups described as a “loophole” that. The post EPA Faces Treated Seeds Lawsuit appeared first on National Agricultural Law Center.

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Some of Earth's Most Famous Art Started with Stardust

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Dismissal of Louisiana’s Challenge to TED Requirement for Shrimping Vessels in State Waters Affirmed

The Energy Law Blog

On June 15, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that the State of Louisiana lacked standing to challenge the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Final Rule requiring certain shrimping vessels in Louisiana waters to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs). In December 2019, to protect endangered sea turtles, the NMFS promulgated a rule requiring a TED on all skimmer trawlers over 40 feet in length, including those operating in state waters.

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Breeding corn to boost yields has made it more vulnerable to heat

New Scientist

As temperatures rise due to climate change, the huge amounts of corn grown in the US Midwest could be under threat, and it seems breeding for high-yielding varieties has made the crop genetically more vulnerable

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Nitrogen-fixing trees: friends or foes of oak-hickory forests?

The Applied Ecologist

Nina Wurzburger discusses new research exploring the impacts of nitrogen fixers on tree species in recovering temperate forests. Finding evidence of a detrimental effect of nitrogen fixation on oak-hickory biomass, Wurzburger and colleagues suggest management techniques to manage forest nitrogen cycles. Nitrogen fixing: A crash course Nitrogen-fixing plants are nature’s answer to fertilizer.

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Zoonotic Diseases: Federal Actions Needed to Improve Surveillance and Better Assess Human Health Risks Posed by Wildlife

Environmental News Bits

Download the report. What GAO Found Zoonotic diseases can be transmitted by animals such as white-tailed deer, nonhuman primates, and rodents Zoonotic diseases, which are transmitted between animals and humans, can spread in any setting where people and animals interact—including forests, farms, or live animal markets.

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We Need to Widen the 'Habitable Zones' Seen around Alien Stars

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.