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DOE Sets New Commercial Refrigeration Energy Efficiency Standards
Following through on President Barack Obama’s Climate Action Plan, the Department of Energy (DOE) on Feb. 28 issued new energy efficiency standards for commercial refrigeration equipment. Over the ensuing 30 years, it’s projected that the new standards will reduce carbon pollution by 142 million tons – the equivalent of that produced by generating electricity for…
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Crop Pests “Vastly Underestmated’ Warns Study
The number of different pests plaguing crops in the developing world may be vastly underestimated, contributing to severely reduced harvests in some of the world’s most important food-producing nations, say researchers.
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How much water do YOU use each day?
Many Americans are confused about the best ways to conserve water and have a slippery grasp on how much water different activities use, according to a national online survey conducted by Indiana University Assistant Professor, Shahzeen Attari. Experts say the best strategy for conserving water is to focus on efficiency improvements such as replacing toilets…
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2013 Marks Record Year for Solar Power in US
A new report shows that 2013 was another banner, record-setting year for solar energy in the U.S., with 4,751 megawatts (MW) of new photovoltaic (PV) capacity installed–a year-over-year increase of 41 percent–with another 410 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) coming online. A record 2,106 MW of solar power capacity was installed in the fourth…
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New kind of wristband could help monitor environmental health
Launched in 2004, the “Livestrong” bracelet started a trend of popular wristbands that have come to represent and popularize different causes. From starting as a token to raise monies and awareness to combat cancer, the wristband has been used to promote hundreds of other avenues. Besides donning these bands for your favorite charity, new research…
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Clean Water Act protects Bristol Bay
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced last week that it is initiating a process under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to identify appropriate options to protect the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery in Bristol Bay, Alaska, from the potentially destructive impacts of the proposed Pebble Mine!
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COLLEGIATE CORNER: The faults of fracking
Hydraulic Fracturing is a process that sends pressurized liquid down to a target depth to fracture rock and draws out liquids, such as natural gas. This process is used to retrieve the gas from rock formations beneath the earth that were previously thought to be unsuitable for gas production (Helman) (Rao). Fracking is now being…
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Doubling the flood loss projections in Europe
As development and climate change continue, losses from extreme floods throughout the world skyrocket. Researchers from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), in Austria have projected that the losses in Europe could more than double by 2050. In the new study which is published in the journal Nature Climate Change, they contend that…
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Noise Levels Can Affect Fish Behaviors
Fish exposed to increased noise levels consume less food and show more stress-related behavior, according to new research from the University of Bristol and the University of Exeter. However, the way fish decreased their food intake differed between the two British species tested. When exposed to noise, three-spined sticklebacks made more foraging errors whereas European…
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80% of Europeans want a low carbon economy to help tackle climate change
Four out of five people in the European Union recognize that fighting climate change and using energy more efficiently can boost the economy and employment, according to a special Eurobarometer opinion poll on climate change published today.