Sustainability News

September 9, 2016

New Genus of Bacteria in Fracking Wells

Tough New Catalyst Helps Split Water Cheaply

The Demise of the Maya Civilization

Greenland Sharks Live for Hundreds of Years

Latest Headlines

updated 12:57am EDT

Smart Buoy for Measuring Water Pollutants

Sep. 8, 2016 — All over the world, lakes, rivers, and coastal waters are threatened by high nutrient inputs. Nitrate or phosphates from waste-waters or fertilizers causes eutrophication. ... read more

Tapping the Unused Potential of Photosynthesis

Sep. 7, 2016 — Scientists have reengineered the fundamental process of photosynthesis to power useful chemical reactions that could be used to produce biofuels, pharmaceuticals and ... read more

3-D Elevation Maps of Alaska for Released for White House Arctic Initiative

Sep. 1, 2016 — Less than one year after President Barack Obama announced a White House Arctic Initiative that included better mapping of the area, a team of researchers has released the ... read more

Chemists Develop Promising Cheap, Sustainable Battery for Grid Energy Storage

Aug. 26, 2016 — Chemists have developed a long-lasting zinc-ion battery that costs half the price of current lithium-ion batteries and could help enable communities ... read more

Forest and Watercourse Interplay Important for Restorations

Aug. 24, 2016 — Humans utilize forests and watercourses in a way that depletes ecosystem habitats, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Many areas are restored to break the trend, but to ... read more

Scientists Begin to Unravel Summer Jet Stream Mystery

Aug. 24, 2016 — Scientists have discovered the cause of the recent run of miserable wet summers as they begin to unravel the mysteries of the Atlantic jet ... read more

Human Footprint Surprisingly Outpaced by Population and Economic Growth

Aug. 23, 2016 — The global impact of human activities on the natural environment is extensive, but those impacts are expanding at a slower rate than the rate of economic and ... read more

Researchers Reduce Expensive Noble Metals for Fuel Cell Reactions

Aug. 22, 2016 — Researchers have developed a novel nanomaterial that could improve the performance and lower the costs of fuel cells by using fewer precious metals like platinum ... read more

Fungi Recycle Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries

Aug. 21, 2016 — Rechargeable batteries in smartphones, cars and tablets don't last forever. Old batteries often wind up in landfills or incinerators, potentially harming the environment. And ... read more

Sewage Sludge Could Make Great Sustainable Fertilizer

Aug. 15, 2016 — Ever thought of putting sewage on your plants? Scientists say thermally conditioned sewage sludge serves as an excellent fertilizer to improve soil properties. The major advantage over commercial ... read more

Mexico City Raises Green Awareness With Vertical Gardens

It's August, And We've Already Maxed Out Earth's Resources For 2016

Artist Turns Cow Dung Into Eco-Friendly Fashion

A Majority Of The World's Largest Animals Could Be Extinct By 2100

Motivating Eco-Friendly Behaviors Depends on Cultural Values

Aug. 31, 2016 — The specific cultural values of a country may determine whether concern about environmental issues actually leads individuals to engage in environmentally friendly behaviors, according to the new ... read more

Predictive Tool Vital to Sustainable Environmental Futures

Aug. 26, 2016 — A new predictive tool, which for the first time combines human perception of the environment with land-use planning and socioeconomic data, could help governments mitigate the impact of climate ... read more

Going Green Is for Girls, but Branding Can Make Men Eco-Friendly

Aug. 25, 2016 — Studies show that men are not as environmentally friendly as women. But could men be persuaded to go green? New research indicates the answer is yes — and it’s all about ... read more

How Climate Change Will Hurt Humanity's Closest Cousins

Aug. 10, 2016 — The consequences of climate change are an increasing concern for humans around the world. How will we cope with rising sea levels and climbing temperatures? But it's not just humans who will be ... read more

Strategies Needed for Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Reduction

Aug. 9, 2016 — Solutions including electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, vehicle connectivity, and automation are ... read more

Lake Tanganyika Fisheries Declining from Global Warming

Aug. 8, 2016 — The decrease in fishery productivity in Lake Tanganyika since the 1950s is a consequence of global warming rather than just overfishing, according to a new report. The lake was becoming warmer at the ... read more

Under-Reporting of Fisheries Catches Threatens Caribbean Marine Life

Aug. 5, 2016 — Marine fisheries catches have been drastically under-reported in the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean, threatening the marine environment and livelihoods of the local community, reveals a ... read more

Flooding and Drought in Opposing Mountain Ranges

Aug. 1, 2016 — In the future, people in the Himalayas will have to contend with flooding, while those in the Andes will have longer dry spells and less water. These are the conclusions drawn by researchers, who ... read more

Scientists Call for Increased Federal Investment in Sustainable Agriculture

July 28, 2016 — Based on a new analysis of federal funding from the US Department of Agriculture, researchers say there is an urgent need for increased investment in research and development aimed at making ... read more

Vineyard Cover Crops Reduce Expense, Save Environment

July 26, 2016 — Researchers have advice for vineyard managers in cool and humid climates like the Northeast: cover up. Their findings showed that growing cover crops beneath grape vines reduced nitrogen leaching ... read more

Morel Mushroom Abundance After Wildfire

July 26, 2016 — Forest ecologists recently published research estimating the abundance of morel mushrooms after a wildfire in California's Sierra ... read more

Cities Face Dramatic Increase in Water Treatment Spending When Watersheds Are Developed

July 25, 2016 — A new global study has found that one in three large cities spend 50 percent more on water treatment costs as a result of damage to the ecological quality of their ... read more

Developing Reliable Renewable Energy Sources

July 25, 2016 — As the world’s population continues to grow, so does our consumption of natural resources. Many of these resources are non-renewable, so research into renewable sources of energy is vital. New ... read more

Researchers Reveal Cost-Effective Path to Drought Resiliency

July 21, 2016 — California needs to better prepare for droughts. A new study highlights the costs, benefits and obstacles of a possible solution -- managed aquifer ... read more

Can Palm Oil Be Sustainable?

July 21, 2016 — A new study shows to where and to what extent palm oil plantations could be expanded, while avoiding further deforestation in pristine and carbon-rich tropical ... read more

Scientists Unlock 'Green' Energy from Garden Grass

July 21, 2016 — A new way of deriving hydrogen from grass has now been developed using just sunlight and a cheap catalyst. Garden grass could become a source of cheap and clean renewable energy, scientists have ... read more

Dangerous Bacteria Found After Sewer Spills

July 20, 2016 — After a sewer line break, a strain of bacteria found in wastewater tested resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic considered to be a 'last resort' treatment for serious infections that do ... read more

Modern Off-Grid Lighting Could Create 2 Million New Jobs in Developing World

July 19, 2016 — Many households in impoverished regions around the world are starting to shift away from inefficient and polluting fuel-based lighting -- such as candles, firewood, and kerosene lanterns -- to ... read more

Policy Makers and Ecologists Must Develop a More Constructive Dialogue to Save the Planet

July 19, 2016 — An international consensus demands human impacts on the environment 'sustain', 'maintain', 'conserve', 'protect', 'safeguard', and 'secure' ... read more

Key Improvement for Fuel Cells: Work Improves Understanding of Process That Stops Reactions

July 18, 2016 — Researchers have determined a key step in improving solid oxide fuel cells, a promising clean energy technology that has struggled to gain wide acceptance in the marketplace. The researchers ... read more

Wednesday, August 31, 2016