Archive for July, 2010
EPA Rejects Claims of Flawed Climate Science
Friday, July 30th, 2010The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today denied 10 petitions challenging its 2009 determination that climate change is real, is occurring due to emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities, and threatens human health and the environment.
The petitions to reconsider EPA’s Endangerment Finding claim that climate science cannot be trusted, and assert a conspiracy that [...]Leia mais
NASA satellite improves pollution monitoring
Friday, July 30th, 2010NASA scientists improved watershed pollution monitoring models by incorporating satellite and ground-based observations of precipitation. The NASA data replaces weather station observations, and will allow states to monitor non-point pollution and improve water quality.
The research team, led by Joseph Nigro of Science Systems and Applications, Inc., incorporated two NASA products into a computer program in [...]Leia mais
Lab on a Chip to detect E. Coli
Thursday, July 29th, 2010Detecting water and foodborne contaminants usually involves collecting a sample, sending it to a laboratory and waiting for it to be filtered, incubated, tested and identified under a microscope. If a critical infection is suspected for E. coli, for example, the pathogen may already have multiplied and spread before the report arrives days later.
The degree [...]Leia mais
Absorbing organic pollutants in soils
Sunday, July 18th, 2010A new study closely examines the role degrading plant materials play in absorbing organic pollutants in the soil. These “biopolymers” are the waxy, water resistant barriers between the plant cells and the environment. This information is important to evaluate the role of these biopolymers as a natural sorbent for organic pollutants in the environment.
The study, [...]Leia mais
The National Policy on Solid Waste is approved by the Senate
Sunday, July 18th, 2010After two decades in the Congress, the National Policy on Solid Waste (PNRS) was approved by the Plenary of the Senate last night (July 7). On the same day, in the afternoon, the PNRS was debated and approved at the Senate committees.
The Brazilian minister of the Environment, Izabella Teixeira, celebrated the approval of the law which [...]Leia mais
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ‘Complex Challenge’
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010The independent CCC, comprising of the NFU, CLA, AIC, AHDB and its sectors, was established to advise successive UK governments under the Climate Change Act 2008.
The Task Force presented its second Progress Report to Parliament this week. It contained a substantial chapter on agriculture, describing the CCC’s analysis of emissions reduction opportunities in our sector [...]Leia mais
Environmental Management Standards Up for Review
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010NPPC serves as the secretariat of the American National Standards for Good Environmental Livestock Production Practices (GELPP).
In 2001, a panel representing livestock and poultry producers, users and general interests approved the content of the five GELPP standards, which are based on industry accepted best management practices. Sources for those practices were on-farm environmental assessments, USDA [...]Leia mais
Scientists question EPA estimates of greenhouse gas emissions
Friday, July 2nd, 2010The approach the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural anaerobic lagoons that treat manure contains errors and may underestimate methane emissions by up to 65%, according to scientists from the University of Missouri.
Anaerobic lagoons treat manure on some animal feeding operations prior to application to crops as a [...]Leia mais
Organic pesticides not always greener choice, study finds
Friday, July 2nd, 2010A new University of Guelph study reveals some organic pesticides can have a higher environmental impact than conventional pesticides because the organic product may require larger doses.
Environmental sciences professor Rebecca Hallett and PhD candidate Christine Bahlai compared the effectiveness and environmental impact of organic pesticides to those of conventional and novel reduced-risk synthetic products on [...]Leia mais
Biomass could provide electricity for 30 million rural residents of China
Friday, July 2nd, 2010The People’s Republic of China (PRC) needs 413.5 billion yuan (CNY) (or roughly $60.5 billion) in investments over the next 10 years to harness its biomass energy potential in rural areas, an Asian Development Bank (ADB) report issued today said.
Biomass energy is sourced from waste generated from livestock and crop production. If livestock manure and [...]Leia mais