News


Global CO2 Emissions Continued to Increase in 2011

Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) -- the main cause of global warming -- increased by 3% last year, reaching an all-time high of 34 billion tonnes in 2011.

Why Wait Till Gas Hits $10 a Gallon?

There’s a lot of moaning and hand-wringing whenever gasoline prices approach $4 a gallon. But all it would take for them to hit $10 a gallon overnight would be hurricanes wiping out a couple of refineries or saboteurs disabling a couple of pipelines, says Dr. R. Paul Williamson, founder and CEO of the non-profit Sustainable Systems of Colorado.

Marine Reserves Aid Ecosystem Recovery After Environmental Disasters: Study

Protected ocean areas known as marine reserves jumpstart the recovery of nearby commercial fishing areas after an environmental event, concludes a study of abalone by researchers from Stanford and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Scientists Connect Seawater Chemistry With Ancient Climate Change and Evolution

Scientists from the University of Toronto and the University of California Santa Cruz are shedding light on one potential cause of the cooling trend of the past 45 million years that has everything to do with the chemistry of the world's oceans.

First Half of 2012 Dry and Drought Conditions to Persist

“The first half of 2012 was dry for most of the Northeast. New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and West Virginia were below normal. Maryland and Connecticut were much below normal, and Delaware had its driest on record.

Chemical Producer Faces Fine for Environmental Violations at Fairfield Conn Facility

A chemical producer faces an EPA fine of $93,900 for failing to report the use and storage of hazardous chemicals at its Fairfield, Conn. facility, in violation of the federal right-to-know law.

Water Environment Federation Announces Winners of the 2012 WEF Excellence Awards

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) proudly announces the winners of the 2012 WEF Excellence Awards. The awards will be presented this October at the WEF Awards and Presidential Celebration Reception during WEFTEC® 2012, WEF’s 85th annual technical exhibition and conference in New Orleans, La.

The Long, Winding Road to Advanced Batteries for Electric Cars

Batteries have come a long way since Alessandro Volta first discovered in 1800 that two unlike metals, when separated by an acidic solution, could produce an electric current. In their evolution, batteries have taken on various forms, ranging from lead-acid, to nickel-metal hydride, to current-day lithium-ion.



Harmful Effects of CFL Bulbs to Skin

Inspired by a European study, a team of Stony Brook University researchers looked into the potential impact of healthy human skin tissue (in vitro) being exposed to ultraviolet rays emitted from compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.

Environmental Concerns Increasing Infectious Disease in Amphibians

Climate change, habitat destruction, pollution and invasive species are all involved in the global crisis of amphibian declines and extinctions, researchers suggest in a new analysis, but increasingly these forces are causing actual mortality in the form of infectious disease.

Extending Range of Electric Vehicles By 10 Percent With GPS-Like Device

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside believe they can extend the range of electric vehicles by at least 10 percent by taking into account real-time traffic information, road type and grade and passenger and cargo weight

This article originally appeared in the 12/01/1999 issue of Environmental Protection.

Glacier Break Creates Ice Island Twice Size of Manhattan

An ice island twice the size of Manhattan has broken off from Greenland's Petermann Glacier, according to researchers at the University of Delaware and the Canadian Ice Service.

Key Performance Indicators Saving Millions at Maersk

Maersk Line reports it has saved almost $90 million since 2009 by using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the performance of individual ships.

FDA Changes Rules Regulating BPA in Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced in the Federal Register that it has revised the regulation of bisphenol-A (BPA) in baby bottles and sippy cups, bringing certainty to the marketplace that BPA is no longer in these products.

EPA Fines Yuba City Power Plant $13,500 Following Illegal Arsenic Release

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Calpine Corporation, owner of a 500-megawatt natural-gas fired power plant, $13,500 for the improper management of hazardous waste at its Yuba City, Calif. facility.

New EU Biocides Regulation Takes Effect

The European Commission’s new regulation affecting biocidal products took effect July 17, with authorities there saying the rule means significant benefits for human health and the environment.

Global Warming Harms Lakes: Study

Global warming also affects lakes. Based on the example of Lake Zurich, researchers from the University of Zurich demonstrate that there is insufficient water turnover in the lake during the winter and harmful Burgundy blood algae are increasingly thriving.

A Greener Way to Raise Cotton and Combat Nematodes

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are using molecular tools to help cotton growers cut back on their use of pesticides in controlling one of their worst adversaries: the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita).

EPA and the Georgia Force Encourage Metro Atlanta to Take ENERGY STAR Pledge

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the Georgia Force, collected Change the World with ENERGY STAR® pledges at the Georgia Force Arena Football game in the Gwinnett Arena in Duluth, GA.

Soil Moisture and Hot Days Linked in a Global Study

For the first time scientists at ETH Zurich have examined globally the connection between soil moisture and extreme heat with measured data. Their study shows that precipitation deficits increase the probability of hot days in many regions of the world. The results will help to better assess heat risks.