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Can We Get Back Into the Frying Pan?
Climate change making wildfires worse, study finds |
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07 Jul 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Can We Get Back Into the Frying Pan? Climate change making wildfires worse, study finds Wildfires in the Western U.S. are increasing in frequency and size, and our drier, hotter climate seems to be to blame, says a new study published in Science. Researchers analyzed 1,166 large fires in the West and found that wildfire frequency increased "suddenly and dramatically" in the mid-1980s. Comparing data from 1970 to 1986 with dat ... |
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| Topics: climate, news, West (all these topics) |
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An Incandescent Truth
Just change your dang light bulbs already |
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06 Jul 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| An Incandescent Truth Just change your dang light bulbs already If efficient, low-energy lighting were installed all around the world, global energy costs could be cut by nearly a tenth, says the International Energy Agency. The technology is widely available, would curb light pollution, and, according to a new IEA report, could keep up to 16 billion tons of carbon out of the atmosphere over the next quart ... |
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| Topics: climate, energy, green living, Greenpeace, news (all these topics) |
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All's Wells That Lends Well
Big banks sign on to stricter environmental and social guidelines |
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06 Jul 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| All's Wells That Lends Well Big banks sign on to stricter environmental and social guidelines Big financial institutions are increasingly talking green -- and some of them might even mean it. Forty-one lenders from around the world, including Citigroup and J. P. Morgan Chase, have signed on to the three-year-old Equator Principles, which call for investment projects to avoid harming the environment or local populations. Today the lenders unv ... |
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| Topics: business, news (all these topics) |
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Acid Vicious
Coral and other sea critters suffer as CO2 makes oceans more acidic |
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06 Jul 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Acid Vicious Coral and other sea critters suffer as CO2 makes oceans more acidic By the end of the century, oceans may no longer be livable habitat for coral, a coalition of U.S. scientists warned yesterday in a new report. The world's oceans absorb about a third of the atmosphere's carbon dioxide, which these days is a little more than they can handle: rising CO2 levels are making oceans more acidic, which weakens coral reefs and can dissolve ... |
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| Topics: news, oceans (all these topics) |
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Dinosaur Farts?
Alberta premier doesn't like Al Gore talkin' smack about oil sands |
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06 Jul 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Dinosaur Farts? Alberta premier doesn't like Al Gore talkin' smack about oil sands Al Gore has pushed the buttons of Ralph Klein, premier of Canada's conservative Alberta province (think North Dakota, but even norther). Interviewed in the latest Rolling Stone, Gore disparaged Alberta's oil-sands industry: "For every barrel of oil they extract there, they have to use enough natural gas to heat ... |
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| Topics: Al Gore, Canada, climate, energy, news, oil, oil sands (all these topics) |
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Try This on for Seismic
Climate change may lead to more earthquakes and volcanic eruptions |
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05 Jul 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Try This on for Seismic Climate change may lead to more earthquakes and volcanic eruptions Geologists are concerned about the seismic repercussions of disappearing glaciers, noting that the sheer weight of the humongous blocks of ice helps to keep the earth in place. Glacial melting and the reduction of that weight may release pent-up pressure in the planet's crust, leading to earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Oh my. Canadian geo ... |
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| Topics: climate, news (all these topics) |
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What's Your Price for Flight?
European Parliament calls for jet-fuel tax to curb enviro impact of flying |
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05 Jul 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| What's Your Price for Flight? European Parliament calls for jet-fuel tax to curb enviro impact of flying The European Parliament has voted in favor of a jet-fuel tax to help offset the environmental impact of air travel. The consumer cost of the fuel tax would be up to about $75 per roundtrip flight within Europe. Also, as the European Union considers making airlines join the Union-wide cap-and-trade scheme for ... |
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| Topics: climate, European Union, news, placemaking (all these topics) |
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With This Ping, I Thee Dead
Judge temporarily restricts Navy's sonar use to protect whales |
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05 Jul 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| With This Ping, I Thee Dead Judge temporarily restricts Navy's sonar use to protect whales The U.S. Navy is temporarily forbidden to use high-intensity sonar in war-game exercises off the coast of Hawaii, a federal judge declared on Monday. She ruled that environmental groups had provided "considerable convincing scientific evidence that the Navy's use of ... sonar can kill, injure, and disturb m ... |
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| Topics: Department of Defense, Hawaii, news, oceans, US Navy (all these topics) |
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A Lawn Time Coming
EPA may implement California small-motor standards across U.S. |
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30 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| A Lawn Time Coming EPA may implement California small-motor standards across U.S. The U.S. EPA indicated yesterday that it was leaning toward approving California's proposal to require catalytic converters on small motors like those in weed whackers and lawn mowers, eliminating the equivalent of emissions from 800,000 cars. Even better, the agency suggested it may implement the high standards across the country. &q ... |
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| Topics: air pollution, California, news, US EPA (all these topics) |
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A Bitter Drill
House votes to end moratorium on offshore drilling |
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30 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| A Bitter Drill House votes to end moratorium on offshore drilling The House voted yesterday to end the 25-year-old ban on oil and gas drilling off most of the U.S. coast. The highly contentious debate broke down more along geographic lines than partisan ones, as states standing to make money from the drilling largely supported it. Under the bill, drilling would be allowed beyond 50 miles off the coast; states c ... |
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| Topics: mining and drilling, news, oceans, politics (all these topics) |
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Two Steps Back
Ford backs out on hybrid pledge, plans more alt-fuel vehicles |
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30 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Two Steps Back Ford backs out on hybrid pledge, plans more alt-fuel vehicles Remember Ford's much-hyped commitment to produce 250,000 hybrid vehicles by 2010? Er, about that: CEO Bill Ford Jr. backpedaled on the promise Wednesday. While not abandoning hybrids altogether, he said Ford's focus (ha) is shifting (ha ha) to cars that can run on alternative fuels like ethanol, clean diesel, and biodiesel. In an ema ... |
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| Topics: business, news, placemaking, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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Another Fine Mess
GAO says EPA is sloppy and plagued with management problems |
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29 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Another Fine Mess GAO says EPA is sloppy and plagued with management problems Well, here's a shocker: the U.S. EPA is inconsistent in its environmental enforcement and keeps sloppy records. That's what the Government Accountability Office told the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works yesterday. Upon reviewing reports and studies from the past six years, the GAO discovered that the EPA's 10 regional offices disagree on which regulat ... |
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| Topics: news, US EPA (all these topics) |
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Bad Vibrations
Seismic movement could assist in oil production |
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29 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Bad Vibrations Seismic movement could assist in oil production Like so much else in this crazy world, earthquakes are bad for you but potentially good for oil companies. Seismic shaking appears to increase permeability of underground rocks, leading to easier oil flow. "[T]his has practical implications for oil extraction," says University of California scientist Emily Brodsky, who with two other researchers published ... |
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| Topics: business, energy, news, oil (all these topics) |
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With Our Tailpipe Between Our Legs
U.S. cars are tops in CO2 emissions |
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29 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| With Our Tailpipe Between Our Legs U.S. cars are tops in CO2 emissions The U.S. boasts 30 percent of the world's cars and is responsible for almost half of global car-caused greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a new report by Environmental Defense. American-driven cars emit 15 percent more carbon dioxide per mile than the global average (meaning, in essence, they get worse gas mile ... |
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| Topics: climate, Environmental Defense Fund, news, placemaking, United States (all these topics) |
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Club Afoot
Sierra Club sues Pentagon for holding up new wind farms |
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29 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Club Afoot Sierra Club sues Pentagon for holding up new wind farms The Sierra Club is suing the Defense Department for effectively halting new development of wind farms in the name of homeland security. The suit charges that the department failed to complete a congressionally mandated study on how wind turbines affect military radar by a May 8 deadline; at least 15 new wind projects await comp ... |
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| Topics: Department of Defense, energy, news, Sierra Club, wind power (all these topics) |
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Port Reform
Two busiest California ports propose pollution regulations |
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28 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Port Reform Two busiest California ports propose pollution regulations The peerlessly polluting ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., will propose far-reaching environmental policies today. "What we're doing right now is a no-growth, job-losing, cancer-causing plan, and we're just not going to do that anymore," said David Freeman, chair of the L.A. Harbor Commission. What they aim to do ins ... |
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| Topics: business, California, news, pollution and waste (all these topics) |
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The Mend Is Nigh
Some scientists look to geoengineering to stave off climate change |
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28 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| The Mend Is Nigh Some scientists look to geoengineering to stave off climate change What will it take to stop global warming? Reducing developed-world consumption and funding clean technologies in the developing world? Boooring. Human-engineered ultra-reflecting clouds, altered carbon-soaking oceans, trillions of little sunshades floating in space? Now we're talking! "We should treat these ideas like any ot ... |
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| Topics: climate, National Academy of Sciences, news (all these topics) |
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When It Uraniums, It Pours
New nuke-waste plan follows license for new nuclear facility |
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28 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| When It Uraniums, It Pours New nuke-waste plan follows license for new nuclear facility The U.S. government could store nuclear waste for up to 25 years at interim sites on federal land (including national forests) under a new proposal by Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.). Over 50,000 tons of radioactive waste sit at nuclear power plants awaiting transfer to the proposed Yucca Mountain disposal site in Nevada -- which wo ... |
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| Topics: Nevada, New Mexico, news, nuclear power (all these topics) |
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Knot So Fast
Feds propose speed limit to protect right whales |
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28 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Knot So Fast Feds propose speed limit to protect right whales Hoping to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales, the U.S. government has proposed making large vessels in the North Atlantic obey an ocean speed limit of 10 knots -- about 11.5 mph -- during the times of the year when whales are in the area. (If they were left whales, would they get the same protection? We wonder.) Ships and fishing nets are the most common ... |
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| Topics: Atlantic Ocean, news, oceans (all these topics) |
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Nice Package
UPS will test new hydraulic hybrid trucks |
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27 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Nice Package UPS will test new hydraulic hybrid trucks If you thought the muscled deliveryfolk in tight brown shorts were hot, wait 'til you get a load of their trucks. UPS drivers in Detroit will be testing new hybrid delivery trucks developed by the U.S. EPA, which the agency claims will boost fuel efficiency up to 70 percent in stop-and-go traffic. The "hydraulic hybrid" trucks -- also intriguing to ... |
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| Topics: news, placemaking, US EPA, water pollution (all these topics) |
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Olive Twist
'Climate-change farmer' plants England's first olive grove |
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27 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Olive Twist "Climate-change farmer" plants England's first olive grove Britain's first olive grove has been planted in Devon in southwestern England -- made possible by global warming. Traditionally an iconic crop of Mediterranean regions, the olive may soon be able to flourish in more northerly climes, some specialists believe, thanks to rising temperatures. Olive entrepreneur Mark Diacono ho ... |
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| Topics: climate, food and agriculture, news, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Sudden Impact
Glacier expert warns that climate is warming abruptly |
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27 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Sudden Impact Glacier expert warns that climate is warming abruptly A renowned glacier expert says the earth's climate has passed a tipping point and entered a period of rapid warming that may threaten human civilization. Other than that, he's a barrel of laughs. Lonnie Thompson, who has taken core samples from glaciers for 23 years, suggests that the cool period humans had been enjoying until recently began with an abrupt change 5,200 years ... |
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| Topics: climate, news (all these topics) |
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At Least the Bugs Are Dead
Pesticide use increases risk of Parkinson's disease, new study finds |
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27 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| At Least the Bugs Are Dead Pesticide use increases risk of Parkinson's disease, new study finds Exposure to pesticides can increase the risk of Parkinson's disease, concludes a broad, long-term study. Researchers followed the health of 143,325 people since 1982 and found that those regularly exposed to pesticides had a 70 percent higher incidence of Parkinson's. The research, published in the Annals of Neurology, found that the amount of expos ... |
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| Topics: news, toxics (all these topics) |
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Profit and Laos
Big dam project in Laos aims to minimize environmental and social damage |
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26 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Profit and Laos Big dam project in Laos aims to minimize environmental and social damage A controversial hydropower dam under construction in Laos will serve as a test case for whether a large dam can be built without trampling too heavily on the natural world and human rights. Supporters, including the World Bank, say the Nam Theun 2 dam will set a new standard for social and environmental responsibility. Activists ... |
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| Topics: dams, energy, hydropower, Laos, news (all these topics) |
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Heh Heh, He Said Buttress
Greenland is melting fast and worrying scientists |
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26 Jun 2006 |
Daily Grist |
| Heh Heh, He Said Buttress Greenland is melting fast and worrying scientists Greenland's name may soon be more accurate, as its two-mile-thick ice sheet is melting twice as fast as it was five years ago -- faster than climate models predicted. Since 1991, the average winter temperature has risen almost 10 degrees; by 2005, the landmass was losing up to 52 cubic miles of ice a year. Meltwater has lubricated the bedrock beneath, caus ... |
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| Topics: climate, Greenland, news (all these topics) |
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