China is undergoing major changes in its landscape. This affects how much sunlight the country absorbs. To understand this better, researchers looked at data from 2001 to 2020. They found that most of the land stayed the same. However, the changes that did occur had a big impact on sunlight absorption. Grasslands and bare land cover most of China. Yet, they don't ab...
Marine and coastal ecosystems are powerhouses. They offer a mix of benefits, from food and shelter to protection against storms and carbon storage. Think of them as nature's multitaskers. The United Nations has stressed the importance of gathering physical data about these ecosystems. This data is crucial for creating accounts and evaluating the economic value of the...
The link between how much electricity a household uses and the family's background is a big deal. It's a key piece of the puzzle in figuring out how to cut down on energy use and fight climate change. But for Vietnam, this link has not been studied much. Two big surveys from 2012 and 2020 shed some light on this topic. These surveys looked at how money, education, an...
The Arctic is warming up at a much faster pace than the rest of the world. This rapid change brings many challenges. One of the lesser-known issues is the impact on pollution levels in Arctic seabirds. These birds face a double whammy: climate change and lingering pollutants from the past. One such pollutant is PCB-153, a type of chemical that was widely used in the ...
Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic that are causing big problems in our rivers and streams. These tiny pieces come from various sources, and one major way they end up in water is through stormwater runoff. This is the water that flows over the ground during rainstorms, picking up pollutants along the way. The role of city drainage systems and the types of land us...
Snails might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the Atlantic Rainforest. However, they play a crucial role in the ecosystem. The Sooretama Biological Reserve in Southeastern Brazil is home to a variety of these small creatures. Researchers spent two years studying the snail community in this area. They wanted to understand how the snails ch...
Holly Hill, South Carolina, is in a standoff with a waste treatment facility. The issue? A smell so strong that it's driving residents indoors and ruining their quality of life. The culprit? Synagro's Waste Recycling Facility, which has been under the microscope for its pungent emissions. The town has been pushing for a solution, but progress has been slow. Synagro ...
In Wauwinet, Nantucket, a couple has found themselves in a sticky situation. Paula and Matthew Dacey, owners of 14 Plover Lane, have been slapped with a hefty fine. The reason? They cut down half an acre of vegetation on their own property. This might sound surprising, but there is a strict rule against clear-cutting, which is the process of removing most or all tree...
The push to ban filtered cigarettes in Santa Cruz County is gaining traction, but there are still hurdles to overcome. This effort is not new. It has been around for over a decade. The main issue is that the current ban only covers unincorporated areas, leaving four cities where filtered cigarettes can still be purchased. This loophole allows smokers to easily buy f...
The ocean is full of tiny particles that can mix with oil spills. This mix can create something called marine oil snow. This snow can sink and harm sea life. One big question is how fish waste, or fecal pellets, play a role in this process. The study looked at how different types of oil and fish waste interact. It found that oil sticks to fish waste differently ...