When the air outside is bad, office workers are more likely to order food delivery than go out for lunch, which in turn increases plastic waste from food packaging, according to a study by researchers from the National University of Singapore.
A team of scientists led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory has developed a first-of-its-kind catalyst that is able to process polyolefin plastics, types of polymers widely used in things like plastic grocery bags, milk jugs, shampoo bottles, toys, and food containers.
An international team of climate experts, including Earth system scientists at the University of California, Irvine, today released an assessment of carbon dioxide emissions by industry, transportation and other sectors from January through June, showing that this year’s pandemic lockdowns resulted in a 9 percent decline from 2019 levels.
Scientists at Notre Dame found that particulate matter concentrations in China dropped by an unprecedented 29.7 percent, and by 17.1 percent in parts of Europe, during lockdowns that took place between Feb. 1 and March 31 in China and Feb. 21 to May 17 in Europe.
Just one month before an election in which climate change may be a key issue, new survey results show that climate change may be less politically polarizing than many might expect.
Immediate actions are needed to limit the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change that helps fuel wildfires, a Monash University study says.
Scientists examined cell abundances, size, cellular carbon mass, and how photosynthetic cells differ on polymeric and glass substrates over time, exploring nanoparticle generation from plastic like polystyrene and how this might disrupt microalgae. Conservative estimates suggest that about 1 percent of microbial cells in the ocean surface microlayer inhabit plastic debris globally. This mass of cells would not exist without plastic debris in the ocean, and thus, represents a disruption of the proportions of native flora in that habitat.
The transport of nine types of plastics floating in Lake Erie was modeled in two studies that used the Comet supercomputer at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) to compare a two-dimensional model with a new Great Lakes microplastic dataset and then develop the first ever three-dimensional mass estimate for plastic in Lake Erie.
The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged all facets of human endeavours, and seven months later the economic effects are particularly being felt
In unprecedented times like this, we often reflect on what we as humans can do to better our world. In terms of climate change, there are many ways we can make a difference, whether on a small or large scale, in order to create a sustainable and healthy environment for all.
In Salt Lake City schools, absences rise when the air quality worsens, and it’s not just in times of high pollution or “red” air quality days—even days following lower levels of pollutions saw increased absences.
The Center for Environmental Policy at American University and the American Lung Association will co-host a virtual discussion with Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Engineers from Cornell University and North Carolina State University have proposed a creative solution: an army of swimming, self-propelled biomaterials called ‘microcleaners’ that scavenge and capture plastics so they can be decomposed by computationally-engineered microorganisms.
As the pandemic persists, COVID-19 has claimed more than 200,000 lives in the United States and damaged the public health system and economy.
A failure by governments to deliver on commitments under a global nature conservation treaty, the Convention on Biological Diversity, could have devastating effects.
A new study shows that rising nitrous oxide emissions are putting reaching climate goals and the objectives of the Paris Agreement in jeopardy.
A new study shows that coordinated international action on energy-efficient, climate-friendly cooling could avoid as much as 600 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions in this century.
Microscopic fibres created during the laundry cycle can cause damage to the gills, liver and DNA of marine species, according to new research.
With the support of a new National Science Foundation grant, a team of engineers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will explore a potentially transformative idea: genetically engineering a microorganism that “eats” petroleum-based plastic waste and converts it to a biodegradable plastic alternative.
Researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology have investigated how hexavalent chromium, known as Cr(VI), can form in drinking water when corroded cast iron pipes interact with residual disinfectant.
A new study shows that it is possible to achieve clean air worldwide with fundamental transformations of today’s practices in many sectors, supported by strong political will.
Irvine, Calif., Sept. 28, 2020 — The green streak continues! Sierra magazine has named the University of California, Irvine No. 1 overall in its annual “Cool Schools” ranking of sustainability leaders among U.S. and Canadian universities and colleges, marking the fourth time in the last seven years that UCI has topped the widely acclaimed list.
Current global pledges to tackle climate change are the equivalent of declaring a pandemic without a plan for social distancing, researchers say.
Pollution particles, including metals, have been found in the placentas of fifteen women in London, according to research led by Queen Mary University of London.
A University of Liverpool study of air pollution in the UK during the first 100 days of lockdown has revealed that whilst nitrogen oxide levels were cut by half, levels of sulphur dioxide increased by over 100%.
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have examined the sustainability of different models of the most commonly used oral health product - the toothbrush - to ascertain which is best for the planet and associated human health.
People with atrial fibrillation who are exposed to greater levels of pollution have a higher risk of stroke than their peers who live with less pollution.
A study by researchers at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) researchers and ProPublica, and published in Environmental Research Letters has found a link between chronic exposure to hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) and COVID-19 mortality rates.
The significant reduction in vehicle journeys during the COVID-19 lockdown did not reduce the level of toxic fine particles in Scotland's air, according to experts at the University of Stirling.
This virtual event will explore the science and safety of air care products
Researchers from the National University of Singapore developed a technique of using pineapple leaf fibres to create ultra-light, biodegradable aerogels. These versatile aerogels can be used for food preservation, wastewater treatment, oil absorbing as well as heat and sound insulation.
Researchers from Florida State University found no evidence that nitrate from the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River System is mixing across the Northern Gulf shelf into the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The findings are consistent with recent modeling work by fellow scientists that indicates 90 percent of Mississippi River nutrients are retained in the near-shore ecosystem, which implies that nutrients from the Mississippi River do not leave the Gulf.
Wildfires are becoming more common and severe due to climate change and warmer and drier conditions in the West. As wildfire season rages in the United States, people are also at increased risk for COVID-19 infection due to wildfire smoke.
Climate change could deliver more silt, sand and pollution to the San Francisco Bay-Delta, along with a mixed bag of other potential consequences and benefits, according to a new study in the AGU journal Water Resources Research, which publishes research articles and commentaries providing a broad understanding of the role of water in Earth's natural systems.
Researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters have detected indigo denim microfibers not only in wastewater effluent, but also in lakes and remote Arctic marine sediments.
Animal species that are at home in the high mountains are finding their habitats reduced and fragmented by roads. In addition, they face competition from scavengers from lower boreal areas that find their way to the mountains.
A team led by University of Utah chemical engineering assistant professor Kerry E. Kelly has received a $1.2 million National Science Foundation grant to design and test the viability of a real-time air pollution monitoring system and display for idling parked cars. The display would work similarly to dynamic speed limit displays in neighborhoods that monitor motorists' speed. In this case, these new displays would give feedback to drivers if air pollution rises due to idling.
Hispanic/Latinx adults who are exposed to smoke from burning wood, vehicle exhaust, pesticides or metals at workplaces are more likely to have abnormalities of the heart structure and function that could lead to cardiovascular disease, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association.
A new paper, co-authored by a University of Sussex scientist, has revealed major holes in an international treaty designed to help repair the ozone layer, putting human health at risk and increasing the speed of climate change.
Atmospheric nitrogen dioxide, which comes from transportation, was half of what would be expected over China in February 2020. Other emissions and cloud properties, however, showed no significant changes.
Air pollution is the world’s leading environmental risk factor, and causes more than nine million deaths per year. New research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation shows air pollution may play a role in the development of cardiometabolic diseases, such as diabetes. Importantly, the effects were reversible with cessation of exposure.
Plastic waste in the ocean is an increasing problem for wildlife, including seabirds who frequently mistake it for food.
Bacteria that can help defuse highly toxic dioxin in sediments in the Passaic River – a Superfund hazardous waste site – could eventually aid cleanup efforts at other dioxin-contaminated sites around the world, according to Rutgers scientists. Their research, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, needs further work to realize the full potential of the beneficial bottom-dwelling microbes.
Research published this week in Earth System Dynamics reports that the most sensitive climate models overestimate global warming during the last 50 years.
RSS
Medicine keyboard_arrow_right
Sciencekeyboard_arrow_right
Life keyboard_arrow_right
Business keyboard_arrow_right
Journal News keyboard_arrow_right
By Location keyboard_arrow_right
Meetings, Grants, and Events keyboard_arrow_right