Science
The Dirty Dozen: what to buy organic
The Dirty Dozen. Sounds appetizing, doesn’t it? We hear that we should buy organic. Then it doesn’t matter. Then a new study shows something, well, new. What should we believe? If you’re buying organic foods purely for the health benefits, let it be known that it...
Storing solar energy for later use: here’s how
A new way to store the sun’s heat is using modified carbon nanotubes. These can store solar power indefinitely, later to be recharged by the sun. We convert the sun‘s heat to electricity, but if we learn to store it in chemical form, it is advantageous. This is...
Panda poo might provide biofuels
Other than keeping our bodies regular and adding to the compost, we don’t think much past possible uses of human and animal poop. But new research suggests we should.At the recent 242nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in...
New monkey species found in Amazon
A team of scientists and conservationists discovered a new species of monkey while on an expedition through the Amazon earlier this week. The monkey closely resembles the local titi monkey, while other features make it quite different. So different, in fact, that it...
Water from trees cools the climate
New research hailing out of Carnegie’s Global Ecology department has discovered that evaporated water from trees helps cool the Earth as a whole — not just a specific area. Scientists have long researched and explored the ideas around the impact on global climate from...
Forest Stewardship Council Certification benefits World Heritage sites
In order to help protect the health and integrity of World Heritage sites across the world, we’re lucky we have the Forest Stewardship Council/Rainforest Alliance certification. Since the passing of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention in 1972, the designation ‘World...
Is living alone bad for the environment?
I read a report the other day outlining the reasons why living alone is bad for the environment. As someone who lives alone, did it make me rethink my current living situation? Simply put: no. I completely understand and respect the premise of the article. People who...
Avoiding sun could lead to vitamin D deficiency
Even though we all are aware that we need vitamin D, and the best place to get it is from the sun, we’re also told over and over to avoid sun exposure. A new study sheds some more light on this. According to researchers, light-skinned people who avoid sun exposure are...
Global warming causes animals to shrink
Though it isn’t certain, many of the world’s organisms seem to shrink due to global warming. A new study provides more insight. New research from Queen Mary, University of London has explored the phenomenon known as the “temperature-size rule”. This affects almost all...
Rainforest Alliance soars in global sustainability
We appreciate and applaud eco-efforts around the world, no matter how small or big. So when the Rainforest Alliance filled us in on this years’ efforts–color us impressed! They have recently published the 2012 highlights for their global efforts in sustainable...