Posts Tagged ‘sustainability’
Earth & Environment - Mar 25, 2010 11:11 - 0 Comments
Tax loophole for ‘well-tuned’ oysters
USC (US)—In physical, as in financial growth, it’s not what you make but what you keep that counts. That’s true of oysters and other slow-growing animals that appear to waste energy in two specific ways: They make too much of some protein building blocks and expend energy disposing of the excess. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Mar 18, 2010 13:32 - 0 Comments
‘Livestock revolution’ taking a toll
STANFORD (US)—The growing worldwide demand for meat is likely to have a significant impact on human health, the environment, and the global economy in the next 50 years, according to a new report by an international research team. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Mar 2, 2010 19:40 - 0 Comments
On tropical farms, bigger is not better
U. MICHIGAN (US)—Small family-owned farms—not industrial-scale agriculture—offer the best way to produce large amounts of food and still preserve biodiversity in tropical regions undergoing massive deforestation. (more…)
Science & Technology - Feb 17, 2010 16:49 - 3 Comments
Flexible solar cells soak up the sun
CALTECH (US)—Scientists have created a new type of flexible solar cell that enhances the absorption of sunlight and efficiently converts its photons into electrons. The solar cell does all this using only a fraction of the expensive semiconductor materials required by conventional models. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Feb 16, 2010 11:42 - 0 Comments
Giving roads a green grade
U. WASHINGTON (US)—A new rating system does for road construction what the Energy Star system does for appliances—provides a sustainability performance metric for new and reconstructed or rehabilitated projects. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Feb 12, 2010 12:18 - 9 Comments
Genetically modified crops here to stay
UC DAVIS (US)—Global climate warming and population growth will necessitate sweeping changes in how the world produces its food and fiber. (more…)
Science & Technology - Sep 16, 2009 19:55 - 3 Comments
‘Tendons’ bring building in line after big quake
Schematic diagram of the rocking frame set up for shake-table testing. The steel-braced frame is shown in red. The white structure behind the frame simulates the weight of a three-story building. The inset shows the replaceable steel fuse, in yellow, at the base of the rocking frame. Behind and in front of the fuse are the vertical steel cables that pull the building back into plumb after an earthquake. During testing, the frame was sandwiched between two of the white structures. (Credit: Xiang Ma/Stanford)
Earth & Environment - Aug 19, 2009 14:56 - 0 Comments
Global fisheries launch a comeback
The cowcod rockfish population collapsed in the 1980s but is now showing signs of recovery. (Courtesy: Stanford University)
Earth & Environment - Jun 24, 2009 11:08 - 2 Comments
Will biofuels drain the nation’s water supply?
RICE (US)—The new emphasis on biofuels as an alternative to foreign oil must be carefully weighed against the potential damage to the nation’s water resources, scientists warn in a new report. (more…)
Society & Culture - Apr 29, 2009 13:58 - 0 Comments
Reform education? Keep the change (coming)
U. CHICAGO (US)—In educational reform, change is not only good, it’s essential. In fact, today’s most effective approaches will need to adapt to be sustainable. Why? Because social processes are complex, says University of Chicago’s Jeanne Century, and complexity paralyzes reform efforts. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Apr 20, 2009 10:54 - 1 Comment
Locally grown, but is that lettuce really ‘green’?
U. CHICAGO (US)— When it comes to food, local is where it’s at for those concerned about their carbon footprint. But Pamela Martin from the University of Chicago says the idea that local foods are more sustainable is really just an assumption. She and her students are crunching the numbers, determined to find out if regional agriculture really does have a green edge over conventional framing. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Mar 9, 2009 19:05 - 0 Comments
Wind tops list as most promising renewable energy source
STANFORD (US)—The answer to the U.S. addiction to oil is most likely blowing in the wind and shining in the sky and rippling in the water. A new study suggests wind, solar, and water offer the most potential as sources of clean, renewable energy.
