Oktoberfest produces 2 million gallons of beer – and ten times more methane an equivalent area of Boston over 16 days! Scientists are recommending that festivals be added to methane inventories and start using more environmentally-friendly cooking methods. Continue reading Oktoberfest: Lots and lots of Beer … and Methane
The global pandemic lockdown has contributed to declines in carbon emission and is shifting the way scientists and economists discuss climate change mitigation tactics, but it’s still not enough to prevent projected temperature increases past 1.5°C.
Continue reading Global Lockdown for All – Except Carbon Emissions
Researchers have discovered microbes that can not only break down ethane, but also produce it, with important implications for carbon-neutral industrial processes. Continue reading Newly Discovered Microbe Both Breaks Down and Produces Ethane
by Felix Barber figures by Hannah Zucker We live in exceptional times, with extreme weather events in recent memory including devastating wildfires in California, flooding and polar conditions in the Midwest USA, and extreme rainfall in the wake of hurricane Harvey. Such events are predicted to only become more common with global climate change. In the US, the Clean Air Act (CAA) is a major … Continue reading Is it Smoky in Here? The importance of the Clean Air Act in the 21st century
by Ankur Podder and Rhea Grover figures by Jovana Andrejevic Electric Vehicles (EVs) were once regarded as hopeless, tasteless, and incapable of replacing the fossil fuel-powered vehicles. In 2006, the award-winning documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” illustrated the impending obsolescence of EVs after a series of failed experiments by the automotive industry. The predicted doom didn’t stop environmentalists from pressing for the industry to make better EVs, … Continue reading How Electric Cars Can Become Truly ‘Green’, Once and For All
by Jordan Wilkerson figures by Shannon McArdel The United States emits an immense amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it is extremely likely that the rising global temperature trends since the mid-20th century is dominantly due to human activity. No scientific organization of national or international standing disputes this. Furthermore, the US Department of Defense has … Continue reading Reconsidering the Risks of Nuclear Power
by Katie Dagon Imagine if we had an “undo” button for climate change – we could remove all the greenhouse gases from the air or cool the planet’s temperature in an instant. While this might sound like science fiction, the basic idea is not as far off as you might think. Reducing fossil fuel use is really important, but also really difficult. And even if … Continue reading Engineering the Earth to Fight Climate Change
After two weeks of discussions the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) ended December 12th with the passing of a climate change deal signed by almost 200 nations and the agreement has rightfully been called a “landmark.” It represents a departure from previous agreements by extending the responsibility of fighting climate change to all countries, not just developed nations. With this, according to Megan Bailey, the … Continue reading Paris Climate Agreement: An important moral victory with the potential for greatness