Earth Wise

In July, outgoing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans for the state to explore the potential role of green hydrogen as part of New York’s decarbonization strategy. Green hydrogen is hydrogen produced using renewable energy, such as wind, solar, and hydro power.  While hydrogen itself is a carbon-free fuel, most of the hydrogen produced […]

Coal was the driving force of the British industrial revolution beginning in the 18th century.  Coal was used for manufacturing iron, heating buildings, driving locomotives, and more.  Annual coal production in the UK peaked in the year 1913 at 316 million tons.  Until the late 1960s, coal was the main source of energy produced in […]

Farmers and agricultural communities around the world are on the frontlines of climate change.  They are among the first to feel the impacts of hotter temperatures as well as more frequent and intense droughts and precipitation. These challenges pose a massive threat to both farmer livelihoods and global food security. As the planet continues to […]

The late-June heatwave in the Pacific Northwest shattered temperature records in dozens of locations.  Cities like Portland and Seattle saw historic high temperatures and one town in British Columbia saw temperatures hotter than ever recorded in Las Vegas. An international team of weather and climate experts analyzed this extreme weather event and came to a […]

For many years there has been talk of “peak oil”, the point at which rising world oil consumption would peak and then start declining.  Some analysts have been predicting that this could happen by the 2030s.   But the coronavirus pandemic drove a 9% slump in oil demand in 2020 that some economists are saying might […]

Climate change poses a fundamental threat to life on earth and has already left observable effects on the planet.  For example, glaciers have shrunk, oceans have warmed, heatwaves have become more intense, and plant and animal ranges have shifted.  As a result of the changing climate, coastal communities around the world are confronting the increasing […]

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system.  It is composed of nearly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands covering an area of more than 130,000 square miles.  In recent times, it has been under unprecedented stress from ocean warming, tropical cyclones, sediment and nutrient runoff, marine pests, and ocean acidification. Among […]

The Covid-19 pandemic has made face masks and other personal protective equipment essential for healthcare workers.  Disposable N95 masks became the key requirement to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.  But the wide use of these masks has both financial and environmental costs. The pandemic is estimated to generate over 7,000 tons of medical […]

Much of the world is united in the desire to do something about the problem of plastic waste.  But putting in place regulations that transcend national borders is complicated. One hundred fifteen countries have established bans on plastic bags, but globally, there are seven different definitions of what is considered a plastic bag.  Things like […]

Projections are that 68% of the global population will be living in cities by 2050.  It is therefore not surprising that urban green spaces are critically important for promoting mental and physical well-being. An international study, published in Science Advances, took soil samples from different types of urban green spaces and comparable neighboring natural ecosystems […]