Earth Wise

Tree plantings have become a go-to climate solution for governments and conservation groups due to the carbon-storing potential of trees.  While planting new trees on open farmland would help capture additional carbon, a new study led by scientists from Yale School of the Environment suggests a powerful alternative: forest-based agroforestry. Instead of clearing land for […]

This summer has already seen unprecedented heat in many places.  It started with a record-breaking heat dome in June in the United States.  Alaska had its first-ever heat advisory that month.  Europe has seen triple-digit temperatures in cities like Paris, Madrid, and Rome and even in places like Austria, Sarjevo, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia.  On […]

Cement pretty much holds the modern world together.  The amount of cement required to create our infrastructure is almost incomprehensible.   By weight, humanity consumes more cement than food, about 3 pounds per person per day.  The cement industry produces around eight percent of global CO2 emissions, which is more than the aviation industry.  So, if […]

Tens of thousands of raccoons live in Kassel, a city of 200,000 people in central Germany known for its art scene.  Overall, there are an estimated 1.5 million raccoons in Germany.  The omnivorous mammals are native to North America, but they were brought to Germany in the 1930s for fur farming.  Fur farming ultimately ceased […]

An estimated 30 million tons of wood waste from construction and demolition in the U.S. ends up in landfills each year.  A growing number of cities have launched initiatives to reuse the wood instead.  It is a strategy to reduce carbon emissions, cut waste, and shift towards a circular economy. For a long time, salvaged […]

Poultry farms are a significant source of air and water pollution.  In the US, they are the largest source of ammonia emissions, followed by dairy and non-dairy cattle farms. Poultry farms emit over two million tons of ammonia per year. Ammonia is not directly produced or excreted by the birds but is a common by-product […]

Increasing reliance on digital technologies in general and artificial intelligence in particular are dramatically increasing the energy consumption of data centers.  Data centers consume far more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings.  By the year 2030, data center energy consumption in the US is projected to reach 9% of the country's electricity generation.  […]

Sea surface temperatures broke records in 2024 and a quarter of the world's oceans are experiencing temperatures that qualify as a marine heatwave.  A marine heatwave is a prolonged period during which ocean temperatures are significantly warmer than average for that specific location and time of year.  Unusual heatwaves have occurred in all the major […]

Getting people to recycle isn't always easy.  The bottled beverages we buy at the supermarket often require a small deposit that we can get back by recycling the bottle, but often, we just don't. Researchers from the University of British Columbia tested the idea of giving people returning bottles a small chance of winning a […]

Ultra-pure water is essential for multiple industries, for example semiconductors, batteries, and pharmaceuticals, as well as food and beverage companies.  Such water is produced by various processes including desalination plants that use reverse osmosis.  The byproduct of the processing is industrial brine:  salty wastewater. The brine produced by desalination is generally dumped into the ocean […]

Planting lots of trees is one of many strategies being pursued to combat climate change. Forests absorb carbon dioxide, provide shade, and help regulate temperatures. They also support biodiversity and improve air and water quality. According to a new study by researchers from the University of California – Riverside, restoring forests to their pre-industrial extent […]

The idea of using hydrogen as a fuel or an energy source has been around for a long time.  Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe, but most of it is locked up in various chemical compounds, such as water.  Hydrogen is a clean fuel; burning it or using it to generate electricity […]

Worldwide, people are producing more food than ever, but most of that production is concentrated into only a handful of places.  For example, fully one third of the world's wheat and barley exports come from Ukraine and Russia.  Across the globe, several major crop-growing regions, including some in the United States, are heading towards sharp […]

The majority of us spend about 80% of our time indoors.   The quality of the air that we breathe depends on the age and type of building we occupy along with any sources of indoor pollution that may exist and, ultimately, the quality of the air outdoors.  The HVAC used to heat, ventilate, and cool […]

More than 30% of the world's food is lost after it has been harvested.  That's enough to feed more than a billion people.  Much of that loss is fruits and vegetables that go bad before they can be eaten. Refrigeration is the most common way to preserve foods, but the energy and infrastructure required is […]

Nuclear power has been around since the 1950s, but it has fallen out of favor in recent decades, in part due to a couple of traumatic disasters at nuclear power plants.  In fact, only two new nuclear power plants have been built in the US in the past 30 years, and they took a very […]

As global temperatures continue to rise and ecosystems shift, animals are left with limited options. They must either adjust to the changing conditions in their habitats or relocate to cooler environments. For many species, neither choice is easy – or sometimes even possible. Ecologists had long assumed birds were among the most adaptable species in […]

Sea Urchins are real troublemakers.  On the West Coast, the sea urchin population exploded when the sunflower sea stars that eat them were decimated by a wasting disease.  Urchins devour kelp and they ate up 96% of the region's kelp forests.  Kelp forests serve as shelter and food for a vast array of marine life […]

Air pollution is a problem for most of the world's cities.  Many cities in India and China continue to face major public health crises due to their polluted air.  American cities also don't escape from polluted air.  Californian cities still struggle with smog despite decades of effort to reduce it.  But one major city that […]

The world lost a record amount of forests last year.  The biggest factor for the unprecedented losses were wildfires that raged around the world. According to the annual update by the University of Maryland and the World Resources Institute, pristine rainforests alone lost 17 million acres, which was nearly twice as much as in the […]

Climate science is not popular with the current administration.  Phrases like “climate crisis”, “clean energy”, and “climate science” itself are prohibited from websites, reports, regulations, and other communications by government employees and federal funding recipients.  Once again, the United States is turning away from climate mitigation efforts and will have a drastically reduced ability to […]

Researchers estimate that hundreds of millions of birds die hitting buildings every year in the United States.  Striking buildings is believed to be one of the major factors behind the nearly 30% decline in North American bird populations since 1970. Chicago is one of the most dangerous cities for migrating birds based on its location […]

As the world struggles to implement technologies and find the political will to reduce carbon emissions, there are also ongoing efforts to find ways to capture carbon from emitting sources and from the atmosphere itself.  After capturing carbon dioxide, there is then the need to safely store it or make use of it. Current methods […]

A substantial amount of corn is grown in this country for the purpose of producing ethanol.  The value of doing so is debatable for many reasons.  Nevertheless, the majority of the corn crop is grown for food.  But along with all that corn, there is corn stover.  Stover is the dried stalks, leaves, and other […]

Globally, coastal areas are being squeezed between rising seas on one side and human development on the other.  The average distance from the high waterline to the first built-up area with human structures or paved roads is less than 400 yards around the world.  The narrower a coast, the sooner rising sea levels cause problems. […]

Concrete is the most widely used building material on Earth.  It has a dangerous and costly flaw:  it cracks easily.  Cracks in concrete can lead to inconvenient damage or to catastrophic structural failures such as collapses of buildings, bridges, or highways. Concrete is made by mixing crushed stone and sand with powdered clay and limestone […]

A new study by the Columbia University Climate School has found that all of the 28 most populous cities in the United States are sinking to some extent.  This phenomenon of subsidence is not just taking place in cities on the coast, where relative sea level is an issue, but also in cities in the […]

Floating photovoltaic systems – known as floatovoltaics – are becoming increasingly popular.  These are arrays of solar panels installed over artificial water bodies such as irrigation ponds, wastewater treatment plants, and reservoirs.  These projects maximize the space for producing clean energy while not taking up natural lands. Wherever there are bodies of water, there are […]

Carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides are two of the most problematic human-generated air pollutants that negatively impact air quality, the climate, and human health.  Satellites are an important tool for monitoring emissions of these pollutants, but they have limitations.  For the most part, satellites have limited spatial resolution, meaning that they can't reliably narrow down […]

Vertical farming has been increasingly used for leafy greens like lettuce and kale, as well as for herbs and a few fruits like strawberries and tomatoes.  A recent study by the Technical University of Munich has investigated the use of vertical farming for a much broader range of foods.  The study looked at the positive […]

After hiding underground for the last 17 years, billions of cicadas are taking to the skies this summer.  This batch of insects, known as Brood XIV, will cover more of the U.S. than any other 17-year brood.  New York and at least 13 other states – Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, […]

In April, the Trump Administration issued a stop order for the Empire Wind offshore wind project in New York, pushing the $5 billion project to the brink of collapse.  The project is being built by the giant Norwegian energy company Equinor.  When completed, the wind farm is expected to deliver enough electricity to power 500,000 […]

Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed a method for restoring peatlands at tens of thousands of oil and gas exploration sites in Western Canada.  A well pad is a prepared area used for drilling oil or gas wells, encompassing the site where drilling equipment, wellheads, and related facilities are located.  Preparing […]

As global temperatures rise due to increased greenhouse gas emissions, communities around the world face more frequent and intense heatwaves, droughts, and extreme weather events. These growing climate pressures not only strain infrastructure and natural resources, but also play a critical role in shaping where people live.  Recent projections from the First Street Foundation, which […]

Atoll islands are made from sediment produced by corals, clams, snails, and varieties of algae that secrete carbonate.  Under the right conditions, over time, fragments of coral skeletons, shells, and other sediments made by marine life are piled up by waves.  Eventually, islands are formed – some large and some small.  Atoll islands are home […]

Worldwide investment in renewable energy topped $2 trillion in 2024.  For Climate Solutions Week, we wanted to highlight some amazing projects around the world that showcase innovative technology, ambitious scale, and the commitment to a cleaner and sustainable future. In Morocco, the Noor Solar Power Station is a huge concentrated solar power facility that generates […]

Nature is often seen as a victim of climate change, but it's also one of the most powerful tools we have to fight it. Natural ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands, grasslands, oceans, and soils, absorb and store massive amounts of carbon dioxide. These ecosystems not only help reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the […]

Climate change is already affecting the yields of major staple crops around the world, and researchers warn that the impacts will become more severe over time. Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events are disrupting growing seasons and reducing agricultural productivity. Addressing these growing threats requires rethinking how we grow, distribute, […]

The Human Genome Project is one of the greatest scientific feats in history.  It was launched in 1990 and completed in 2003.  The international group of researchers wanted to comprehensively study all of the DNA – the genome – from a select set of organisms, foremost of which being that of human beings.  The results […]

Over the first several months of this year, hundreds of sea lions, dolphins, and seabirds have fallen ill or died after eating sardines or anchovies that had been feeding on an algal bloom along the California coast since winter.  The biotoxin in the algae accumulates in the feeder fish. Two cases of whales dying from […]

New studies have found that devoting a small percentage of U.S. farmland to producing solar power would benefit both the country's energy system and its farmers. Currently, about 46,000 square miles of farmland – about the area of Pennsylvania – is being used to grow corn to make ethanol.  One study looked at the impact […]

Beginning in 2013, a mysterious disease associated with a marine heatwave decimated the population of sunflower sea stars.  Those huge, colorful 24-armed starfish thrived along the Pacific Coast between Alaska and Baja California.  But in fairly short order, nearly six billion of the creatures perished, amounting to 94% of the global population.  California lost 99% […]

According to the American Lung Association's annual State of the Air report, at least 156 million Americans – 46% of the population – live with unsafe levels of ozone, particulate pollution, or both. The report analyzed ozone and particulate pollution levels between 2021 and 2023, during which the worst wildfire season on record took place […]

Slowing human-caused climate change requires decisive action.  But according to psychologists, the gradual rise in global temperatures can lead to climate apathy, especially among those who don't face frequent climate disasters. Climate apathy is a general indifference or lack of emotional or behavioral response to climate change and environmental issues.  People experiencing climate apathy may […]

The world is a big place but even things that are far away can have serious local consequences.  The effects of distant Canadian wildfires on air quality in Florida is a good example. Europe is increasingly becoming reliant on solar energy to meet its targets for climate change mitigation and energy security.   According to new […]

Feeding a global population projected to reach nearly 10 billion by mid-century is a massive challenge.  Wheat provides a fifth of the calories in the global human diet and is a significant source of protein, minerals, vitamins, and fiber.  Finding ways to increase the yield of wheat crops has great value.  However, wheat has complex […]

Urban areas can have a variety of green spaces:  gardens, parks, and roadside and median plantings.  It turns out that these spaces can serve as pollinator refuges. A study by researchers at the University of British Columbia found that reducing lawn mowing and creating pollinator meadows – essentially parks for bugs – significantly boosts pollinator […]

The aviation industry is a powerful force in the global economy.  In fact, according to some estimates, the industry transports the equivalent of nearly half the world's population every year.  But the world's airports were largely designed for an older era – a cooler one. As air warms, it becomes less dense, which makes it […]

Post-industrial cities often have large numbers of vacant lots, left behind as people have moved out of the area.  Local residents are often tempted to plant wildflowers to make these deserted spaces more attractive.  Wildflowers are an important food source for bees.  Pollinators like bees play a vital role in food production and attracting them […]

Wind turbines have been getting bigger all the time.  Larger turbines have real advantages.  They can operate at lower speeds so they can be deployed in more places.  They capture more wind, so they make more power.  Large wind turbines can have blades more than 200 feet long and even larger ones are on the […]

A new study has shown that the rate of ocean warming has more than quadrupled over the past 40 years.  The study, by researchers at the University of Reading in the UK, helps to explain why there have been unprecedented ocean temperatures in 2023 and 2024. Global ocean temperatures hit record highs for 450 days […]