Month: May 2011

  • Farm states suffer expanded drought

    A dire drought that has plagued Texas and parts of Oklahoma expanded across the key farming state of Kansas over the last week, adding to struggles of wheat farmers already dealing with weather-ravaged fields. Harvest in Kansas, the top U.S. wheat-growing state, is set to begin within weeks. But a report issued Thursday by a…

  • Better Place EVs Priced at $35,623 USD for Summer Delivery

    Ever since Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi opened his Better Place test drive center near Tel Aviv, back in February 2010, more and more Israelis have had the chance to not only find out about Agassi’s unique electric car battery swap concept, but also a chance to drive one, as I did in April last year.…

  • High Atmospheric CO2 Levels May Cause Mass Extinctions in the Oceans

    One of the greatest causes of global climate change is the human emissions of greenhouse gases, specifically carbon dioxide (CO2). These emissions are released into the atmosphere, but much of it gets absorbed into the world’s oceans. A new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looked at prehistoric ocean sediment…

  • The Salty Seas of Earth

    Final preparations are under way for the June 9 launch of the international Aquarius/SAC-D observatory. The mission’s primary instrument, Aquarius, will study interactions between ocean circulation, the water cycle and climate by measuring ocean surface salinity. On average, seawater in the world’s oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% (35 g/L). In addition to Aquarius,…

  • Study Finds Breastfeeding Leads to Good Behavior in Childhood

    Breastfeeding, the act of feeding an infant directly from the human breast, is known to be good for children. There are formulas available which can simulate a mother’s milk, but can never perfectly replicate the natural act of breastfeeding. In the past, studies have shown inconsistent results as to whether or not breastfeeding really improves…

  • Toys ‘R’ Us To Build Largest Rooftop Solar System in North America

    Toys”R”Us, Inc. announced plans to build the largest rooftop solar power installation in North America at its distribution center in Flanders, NJ this week, with construction of the 5.38-megawatts (MW) installation expected to begin this summer. The system will cover roughly 20 acres of rooftop space and is estimated to generate 72% of the electrical…

  • Green as a Status Symbol: Why Increased Prices May Increase Sales

    A commonly heard, and personally experienced, critique of the sustainability movement is the relatively high cost of green products compared to traditional products. I can spend .99 cents on a bottle of shampoo that cleans my hair but has 25 ingredients listed on the back, most of which I have trouble pronouncing let alone knowing…

  • Chicago rivers must be cleaned up, says US EPA

    Chicago waterways long used to carry away the city’s waste must be cleaned up expeditiously so residents can play in them, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told state officials on Thursday. “A decade of investments in walkways, boat ramps and parks has provided people with access to the water — and now we need to…

  • Barred Owls

    The Barred Owl is a large typical owl. It goes by many other names, including eight hooter, rain owl, wood owl, and striped owl, but is probably known best as the hoot owl. Barred owls may be more abundant in coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest than previously recognized, according to research published today in…

  • Japan’s U-Turn on Nuclear Power: Reaction

    Yesterday, Japan’s prime minister, Naoto Kan, announced that the government was scrapping a planned expansion of nuclear power, which currently provides about a third of Japanese electricity. Instead, the government would redouble efforts to expand its renewable energy portfolio, Kan said. The turnaround followed Kan’s urging last week that a reactor in Hamaoka, near an…