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News & Articles By Jhoanna Robinson

03/01/2018 / By Jhoanna Robinson

Big Ag is using more synthetic fertilizers, and the nitrogen is causing dead zones and algal blooms in our waterways

With more nitrogen flooding our waterways, creating algal blooms and dead zones, scientists have warned that the use of synthetic fertilizers should be significantly reduced. In a seminar room at New York University in January, nitrogen experts from around the world painted a picture of how a nitrogen-soaked planet would appear. The group conducted the […]

02/22/2018 / By Jhoanna Robinson

AEROSOLS: Tiny particles found to have a big impact on weather

Tiny particles contribute to the making of powerful storms and affect the weather in more ways than one, a study that was published in the January 26 issue of the journal Science showed. While it is not news to scientists that aerosols bring an essential role in impacting weather and climate, the new study found […]

02/07/2018 / By Jhoanna Robinson

Plastic pollution is devastating ocean ecosystems, turning them into “toxic repositories;” documentary spurs action

Sir David Attenborough, an English veteran broadcaster and naturalist who recently made a documentary on plastic and its harmful effects on the environment, said that the Earth’s oceans are slowly becoming a toxic depository due to the evil deeds of the planet’s dwellers. Describing one scene from the documentary, Attenborough said, “In it, as snowflakes […]

01/26/2018 / By Jhoanna Robinson

Cover crops found to reduce weed infestations, need for tillage while returning nutrients to the soil

A study that was published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment found that utilizing cover crops could help in reducing the need for tillage, increasing soil fertility, maintaining yield, and managing weed growth problems. (Source: Science.news) A three-year experiment in Switzerland had researchers studying eight cover crop treatments, which were cultivated for a short two-month […]

01/24/2018 / By Jhoanna Robinson

Help your health AND the environment when you ditch your microwave: Use of the ovens across Europe emits as much CO2 as 7 million cars

New research recently found that microwaves in Europe are as dangerous to the environment as 6.8 million cars, as they emit 7.7 million tons of carbon dioxide each year – the same amount that three large gas power plants emit – and consume almost 9.4 terawatts per hour (TWh) of annual electricity. Researchers say governments […]

01/15/2018 / By Jhoanna Robinson

Is techno-farming going to replace chemical farming? Some farmers are switching from herbicides to robots for their weed problems

Robotic weeders are growing in popularity, an expert said, to support the growth and proliferation of specialty crops, or crops that are not mass-produced, and which include vegetables like broccoli, onions, lettuce, and tomatoes. The necessity for the utilization of robotic weeders comes from two issues: one, a lack of herbicides that can be used for […]

01/04/2018 / By Jhoanna Robinson

Solar sector still growing: Solar power output rose 47% in the first three quarters of 2017, highlighting Trump’s support for clean power

Two major solar power plants – Switch Station 1 and Switch Station 2 – which generate a total of 179 megawatts of solar power, recently began commercial operations on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property in southern Nevada. This development brings home the fact that solar power is still booming in the United States even […]

12/18/2017 / By Jhoanna Robinson

Is natural gas contaminating your water? Multiple studies have detected harmful bacteria in Texas groundwater near extraction sites

Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington have revealed in three new studies that some bacteria can live in water that has been contaminated with chemicals that are involved in natural gas extraction. “Our latest published research has revealed that harmful bacteria can be quite prevalent in Texas groundwater, especially waters that contain various […]

12/04/2017 / By Jhoanna Robinson

Conventional agriculture strikes again: Analysis finds that fungicides are causing the decline in endangered bumblebee populations

A team of scientists at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York studied environmental factors to get a grasp of bumblebee population declines and range contractions. They thought they would find aggravators like changes in geography, insecticides, or land use. Instead, they were surprised by something that they didn’t even consider: fungicides. “Fungicides have been largely […]

11/24/2017 / By Jhoanna Robinson

10 tips to guard against air pollution

It is a known fact that pollution is causing the deaths of several people around the world. In fact, in a report that came out in October, pollution was ranked as the number one cause of death among individuals worldwide. Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City found that air pollution, […]

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