[Source: Plastics Today] When you take into account the science as well as the manufacturing processes involved, plastics tend to have a lower overall impact on the environment than other materials. That is what the Danish Environmental Protection Agency discovered and published in a study that analyzes the environmental impact of the production, use and Read More…
Category: World News
Why greenhouse gases are increasing — again
[Source: The Mercury News] After three years of barely budging, fossil fuel emissions are once again climbing, according to new Stanford-led analyses. Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from human activities were nearly flat between 2014 and 2106, despite growth in the global economy, reports the Global Carbon Project, an international team chaired by Read More…
Paris plans to banish all but electric cars by 2030
[Source: Reuters] Paris authorities plan to banish all petrol- and diesel-fueled cars from the world’s most visited city by 2030, Paris City Hall said on Thursday. The move marks an acceleration in plans to wean the country off gas-guzzlers and switch to electric vehicles in a city often obliged to impose temporary bans due to Read More…
Stopping nasty smells at Rotterdam’s port
[Source: Port Technology] In the port of Rotterdam, work takes place to stop the unintentional release of all sorts of substances. Some gases are hazardous or irritating and not all gases are perceptible to human senses. An ‘e-nose’ (electronic nose) can do this and responds to changes in the composition of the air. The Port Read More…
Rotterdam floats solar power production
[Source: Pot Technology] Rotterdam Port and the Dutch environment and infrastructure ministry Rijkswaterstaat have launched a floating solar panel pilot to explore the possibility of running a commercial solar plant. Alongside the Dutch government, Europe’s busiest port is studying whether it is possible to build a large-scale, commercial solar farm at a site near the Read More…
Have physicists found the key to safer nuclear power?
[Source: NBC News MACH] Unlike the uranium commonly used to power nuclear reactors, thorium salts are protected against meltdowns and can’t be weaponized. In the pursuit of renewable and cleaner energy sources, nuclear power remains one of the viable options. To make it an even safer choice, a Dutch nuclear research firm began experiments with Read More…
Good intentions: why environmental awareness doesn’t lead to green behavior
[Source: Earl J. Ritchie/UH Energy] Polls consistently show a high level of environmental awareness in the U.S. However, awareness frequently does not translate into action. Use of mass transit has shown almost no per capita growth despite substantial investment in light rail and other transit improvements. Carpooling has declined. The use of environmentally friendly technologies Read More…
When will electric cars go mainstream? It may be sooner than you think
[Source: The New York Times] As the world’s automakers place larger bets on electric vehicle technology, many industry analysts are debating a key question: How quickly can plug-in cars become mainstream? The conventional view holds that electric cars will remain a niche product for many years, plagued by high sticker prices and heavily dependent on Read More…
Cancer is mostly random, study confirms
[Source: NBC News] Random mutations are the single biggest factor in causing cancer, researchers reaffirmed Thursday. About two-thirds of the genetic mutations that lead to cancer happen simply because of random errors made as cells divide and not because of diet, chemicals or inherited genes, the team at Johns Hopkins University said. “We hope that Read More…