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Single-use plastic bans, taxes are on the rise around the world
Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & EnvironmentalOn March 1, New York became the second U.S. state to ban plastic bags. The ban in California, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, has reduced disposable plastic bag usage by as much as 80%. In 2019, Canada did away with single-use plastics and eliminated other plastic pollution. More than 60 other nations are attempting to reduce single-use plastics through bans and taxes, according to the United Nations.
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Heathrow’s future stalled as third runway is ruled unlawful
Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & AutomotivePlans to build a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport have stalled as the U.K.'s Court of Appeal ruled the government's decision to allow it to be built was unlawful. The decision has been seen as a victory for climate change activists and those living around the airport who faced compulsory land purchase and years of disruption followed by the misery of extra noise and air pollution. However, for Heathrow and the U.K.'s air travel industry, it is a major blow that will mean a complete rethink over future strategy.
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New Jersey community defends local school against Rutgers hospital plans
Michelle R. Matisons EducationWhile public education battles continue, there are case studies that are emblematic of community contradictions. Higher education, even publicly funded institutions, can exist in a world apart from the K-12 system. The recent conflict between Rutgers University, which is attempting to take over New Brunswick’s Lincoln Annex School, located in a predominantly Latino community, is an example of ongoing education battles that involve different arenas, testing academia’s pro-public education rhetoric.
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Threats on tap: Why America’s water woes are even worse than you…
Dave G. Houser Waste Management & EnvironmentalUnregulated perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — chemicals stubbornly resistant to environmental breakdown and linked to serious health problems — are contaminating drinking water in communities across the country. Tests carried out by the watchdog organization Environmental Working Group have uncovered these chemicals in tap water samples from 44 sites in 31 states. The nation's drinking water problem, however, goes way beyond just PFAS contamination. There are three additional concerns affecting our most precious of resources.
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Interior Department’s proposed rule modernization values oil and…
Michelle R. Matisons Natural ResourcesThe highly politicized release of recent polar bear studies reveal at least part of Ursus maritimus' survival depends on Trump-era Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) rule modernization, which now considers "economic impacts" while denying climate change impacts. A seismic study of potential drilling land in Area 1002 was called off last winter because the required Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was deemed incomplete. Less than one year later, the Bureau of Land Management has released a more thorough, pro-drilling EIS.
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Study: Most Americans don’t realize how much diet impacts the planet
Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & EnvironmentalMost Americans — who, by and large, claim to be environmentally conscious — are overlooking some of the most important decisions regarding the health of the environment: What they eat. These conversations are not happening, according to a new study. The environmental impacts of individual diets seem a little too close to home for most, as Inverse reported. While some people say that "Big Oil" is responsible for most of the planet's environmental issues, the fight for protecting the earth may need to focus on factory farming practices and the foods that come from these places.
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The brain on nature: The why behind biophilic design
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesNatural environments and the presence of nature in built environments have been found to produce beneficial effects on occupants. Those findings have given rise to the growing use of biophilic design strategies, which seek to improve occupant health and well-being through the incorporation of nature views and natural elements into interior environments. Now, scientists are learning more about how and why we respond to natural stimuli in certain ways — research that can help designers to refine their application of biophilia to have greater impact.
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Infographic: It’s 2020, is your business AI-ready?
Brian Wallace Science & TechnologyOne in three business leaders believe AI will have the greatest impact on their business in the next year, but few are acting on this knowledge. So, how can your enterprise get ahead of the competition with artificial intelligence? Find out more with this infographic.
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Study: Why wood pallets are better for the environment than plastic
Scott E. Rupp Distribution & WarehousingIf you've ever wondered whether wood or plastic shipping pallets are more eco-friendly, the fight is over, and a winner has been declared. Wood is better for the environment. This is according to Penn State researchers, who, after conducting a series of detailed comparisons, say that the shipping pallets made of wood are slightly more environmentally friendly and sustainable than those made of plastic. "Few people realize the significance of this issue — there are about 700 million pallets produced and recycled each year in the United States alone," said Chuck Ray, associate professor of ecosystem science and management.
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Proposed federal budget boosts nuclear production, ignores social costs
Michelle R. Matisons Civil & GovernmentThe proposed Fiscal Year 2021 federal nuclear defense budget, unveiled on Feb. 10, includes new weapons manufacturing. This anticipates more growth while plans still ignore total costs, a concern for those immediately impacted in nuclear weapons laboratory towns like Los Alamos, New Mexico. The Trump administration’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) budget is $19.8 billion: a 20% increase from last year. But higher numbers than those should be expected as total operational, capital, and social costs loom outside current projected expenditures.
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