Nitrogen pollution and babies
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Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
May24
May22
Fukushima impacts two years later
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When the tsunami triggered the explosions at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, we all worried about the release of radioactivity to the environment. Indeed, just a few days later, increased levels of radioactive cesium were measured in rainfall along the west coast of the United States. Public Health officials assured us that, while measurable, this radioactive fallout did not pose a human health hazard. (more…)
May14
A tiny invader that’s driving people indoors
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The Asian tiger mosquito is yet another invasive species that has taken hold in the United States. It arrived here in 1985 in a shipment of tires imported from Asia. This little mosquito is an aggressive human biter capable of transmitting diseases. But its greatest impact in the U.S., so far, is the way it is profoundly changing peoples’ relationships with the outdoors. (more…)
May07
When good ideas produce bad outcomes
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When rainwater passes over hard surfaces, like roads and parking lots, it accumulates pollutants, which are then washed into nearby waterways. In Baltimore, polluted runoff waters are carried to the Chesapeake Bay, where they have negative impacts on the Bay’s ecosystem. (more…)
May06
Water poverty
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Human life, like all animal and plant life, is dependent upon water. Human societies and individuals cannot survive for more than a few days without fresh water. But despite the fact that 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, less than 3% of it is fresh water and 2/3 of that is frozen away in glaciers, ice, and snow. (more…)
Environmental News
- U.S. weather-watcher satellite fails just before hurricane season May 24, 2013
- U.S. sees seven to 11 Atlantic hurricanes in 2013 May 23, 2013
- German brewers warn fracking could hurt beer industry May 23, 2013
- China plans tougher quality standards for coal to tackle pollution May 23, 2013
- Oklahoma tornado victims astounded at how they survived May 23, 2013
