Pruitt Names Lawyer Who Defended Kochs Industries as a Top EPA Law Enforcer
EPA head Scott Pruitt
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt may have skipped the G7 climate meeting more than a day early, but he has certainly kept busy staffing his agency.
POLITICO reported that Pruitt has named energy industry attorney Patrick Traylor as a deputy in the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
The office, which the Trump administration reportedly tried to cut, enforces key anti-pollution laws such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act to protect the environment and vulnerable communities.
Traylor, whose LinkedIn profile indicates he started the job in June, was a longtime partner of the international law firm Hogan Lovells and has represented companies owned by the Koch brothers and other energy industry giants.
Per POLITICO, "clients include utility Southern California Edison; Venture Global LNG, a natural gas exporter; Flint Hills Resources, a Koch subsidiary refiner; Koch Nitrogen, maker of synthetic fertilizer; and several wind companies seeking Endangered Species Act permits."
Traylor has also defended Dominion Energy and TransCanada, as New York Times reporter Eric Lipton tweeted. Dominion is behind the highly contested Atlantic Coast Pipeline and TransCanada's is responsible for the Keystone XL.
Pruitt names lawyer who defended Koch Industries, Dominion Energy & TransCanada,etc., as a top EPA enforcement boss… https://t.co/fkH339SFv6— Eric Lipton (@Eric Lipton)1497277784.0
Clients have turned to Traylor "to support tens of billions of dollars' worth of projects at refineries, petrochemical and fertilizer plants, LNG export terminals, coal- and gas-fired power plants, coal mines, and bulk materials terminals," according to Hogan Lovells' website.
"For almost 20 years, clients have relied on Patrick to conduct some of their most sensitive internal compliance investigations and represent them in Clean Air Act enforcement cases," the site adds.
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More than 200 Indigenous Nations demonstrated against the Dakota Access Pipeline in Canon Ball, ND on Sept. 2, 2016. Joe Brusky / Flickr
A federal judge ruled Monday that the controversial Dakota Access pipeline must be shut down and drained of oil until a full environmental review of the project is completed.
<p>The decision is a major victory for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, <a href="https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/historic-day-for-standing-rock-as-pipeline-company-told-to-shut-down-remove-oil-KkDdhNzafUONvPvkmBc66A" target="_blank">Indian Country Today reported</a>. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe fears the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pipelines" target="_self">pipeline</a> will pollute their <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drinking-water" target="_self">drinking water</a> and sacred lands if it leaks from where it flows beneath the Missouri River, and the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation sits adjacent to the Standing Rock Sioux and the river.</p><p>"Today is a historic day for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the many people who have supported us in the fight against the pipeline," Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chairman Mike Faith said in a <a href="https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2020/judge-orders-dakota-access-pipeline-to-shut-down" target="_blank">press release from Earthjustice</a>, the group that litigated the case. "This pipeline should have never been built here. We told them that from the beginning."</p>
<div id="348d2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="744af6e4e53916e3c963b0271aa1c6b3"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1280155991833706497" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Breaking: Judge Orders Dakota Access Pipeline to be SHUT DOWN! #NoDAPL #ProtectTheSacred https://t.co/UxhUgdfA2Q</div> — Indigenous Environmental Network (@Indigenous Environmental Network)<a href="https://twitter.com/IENearth/statuses/1280155991833706497">1594047947.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The ruling is also a major blow to the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oil-and-gas" target="_self">oil and gas</a> industry and the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/trump-administration" target="_self">Trump administration</a>, which has pushed to keep major pipeline projects like the Dakota Access and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/keystone-xl" target="_self">Keystone XL</a> afloat. It comes less than 24 hours after Dominion and Duke Energy <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/atlantic-coast-pipeline-canceled-2646347475.html" target="_self">announced</a> they were cancelling their planned <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/atlantic-coast-pipeline" target="_self">Atlantic Coast Pipeline</a> because extensive legal challenges had led to delays and uncertainty. Together, the pipelines' fates bode ill for the future prospects of large-scale <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/energy" target="_self">energy</a> pipeline projects, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-06/demise-of-gas-project-shows-u-s-pipelines-becoming-unbuildable" target="_blank">Bloomberg pointed out</a>.</p><p>"I would expect this to be a turning point for new investment," Katie Bays, co-founder of Washington-based Sandhill Strategy LLC, told Bloomberg. "There is real investor fatigue around this parade of legal and regulatory headwinds to energy projects."</p>
<p>The decision by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to shut down the pipeline marks the first time that a judge has closed an operating pipeline for environmental reasons, Southern Methodist University energy law professor James W. Coleman told Bloomberg.</p><p>"The Court does not reach its decision with blithe disregard for the lives it will affect," Boasberg wrote Monday, as <a href="https://apnews.com/be393de49dae81a2198ef30976212290" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported</a>. "Yet, given the seriousness of the Corps' NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) error, the impossibility of a simple fix, the fact that Dakota Access did assume much of its economic risk knowingly, and the potential harm each day the pipeline operates, the Court is forced to conclude that the flow of oil must cease."</p>
<p>In its press release, Earthjustice pointed out that a full environmental review could take several years, and then additional permits would have to be issued, meaning the ultimate permitting decision might be made by another administration.</p><p>But the pipeline's owner Energy Transfer vowed to challenge Boasberg's decision.</p><p>"We believe that the ruling issued this morning from Judge Boasberg is not supported by the law or the facts of the case. Furthermore, we believe that Judge Boasberg has exceeded his authority in ordering the shutdown of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which has been safely operating for more than three years," Energy Transfer spokesperson Lisa Coleman said in a statement to <a href="https://pgjonline.com/news/2020/07-july/energy-transfer-vows-to-keep-dakota-access-oil-flowing" target="_blank"><em>Pipeline & Gas Journal</em></a>. "We will be immediately pursuing all available legal and administrative processes and are confident that once the law and full record are fully considered Dakota Access Pipeline will not be shut down and that oil will continue to flow."</p><p>Earthjustice staff attorney Jan Hasselman, who represented the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, noted on Twitter that Energy Transfer had already filed an appeal.</p>
<div id="e2278" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="355c2287182da682e80cc16f070c3738"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1280275895228305409" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Well, that didn't take long: DAPL just filed its appeal to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeal seeking to overturn th… https://t.co/lav9hmwlIU</div> — Jan Hasselman (@Jan Hasselman)<a href="https://twitter.com/JanHasselman/statuses/1280275895228305409">1594076534.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The $3.8 billion, 1,172-mile pipeline currently carries 570,000 barrels of oil a day from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois, according to The Associated Press. It was the subject of high-profile <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/indigenous" target="_self">Indigenous</a>-led <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/what-standing-rock-gave-world-2549906333.html" target="_self">protests</a> in 2016 and 2017.</p><p>In <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/army-corps-permit-dakota-access-pipeline-2128363393.html" target="_self">December 2016</a>, the Obama administration and the Army Corps of Engineers denied a key permit for the pipeline, and the Army Corps was set to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement to seek alternative routes. But when he came into office in January, President <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/donald-trump" target="_self">Donald Trump</a> <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-dakota-access-pipeline-2211697835.html" target="_self">sped up</a> the pipeline approval process via executive order and the review was never completed. The pipeline began operating in June 2017, according to The Associated Press, but the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe continued to fight it in court.</p><p>Judge Boasberg <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/dakota-access-pipeline-environmental-review-2645577384.html" target="_self">ordered a full review</a> in late March of this year and asked both the Army Corps and the Standing Rock Sioux to submit briefs explaining why the pipeline should or should not continue to operate while the review was taking place. On Monday, he sided with the tribe.</p><p>"I applaud the actions of the US District Court in finding what we knew all along, that this pipeline, like many other actions taken by the US government, is in fact illegally operating," Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier said in a statement reported by Indian Country Today. "The fact that this operation had been operating illegally for three years before this conclusion was finally made shows you the power that money holds on the American government."</p>
<div id="ed115" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5ddb18e2f74bd9e197943aee19fd1cbd"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1280288707585720321" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I have been getting "congratulations" today. Today was about our planet and everything for which she provides life.… https://t.co/m3lwwbikhj</div> — CRSTChairman (@CRSTChairman)<a href="https://twitter.com/CRSTChairman/statuses/1280288707585720321">1594079589.0</a></blockquote></div>
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The Yersinia pestis bacteria causes bubonic plague in animals and humans. Illustration based on light microscope image At 1000x. BSIP / UIG Via Getty Images
A herdsman in the Chinese autonomous region of Inner Mongolia was diagnosed with the bubonic plague Sunday, The New York Times reported.
<p>The Bayannur city health commission confirmed the diagnosis and issued a third-level alert, the second from the bottom in a four-level system. Mongolian health authorities are also investigating a second suspected case involving a 15 year old who developed a fever after coming into contact with a marmot that had been hunted by a dog, China's Global Times tweeted.</p>
<div id="ca97d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c0d3acda528ec4db7145434d4e65ab83"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1280031821980303360" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">#Mongolia discovered another suspected patient infected with the bubonic plague. The 15-year-old patient had a feve… https://t.co/AHQBW0KH1X</div> — Global Times (@Global Times)<a href="https://twitter.com/globaltimesnews/statuses/1280031821980303360">1594018342.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>"At present, there is a risk of a human plague epidemic spreading in this city. The public should improve its self-protection awareness and ability, and report abnormal health conditions promptly," the local health authority said, according to <a href="https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202007/05/WS5f01d743a310834817257493.html" target="_blank">China Daily</a>.</p><p>The bubonic plague caused the Black Death that killed around 50 million people in Africa, Asia and Europe during the 14th century, according to <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-asia-china-53303457" target="_blank">BBC News</a>. But <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/public-health" target="_self">public health</a> experts say it is unlikely to give the new <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_self">coronavirus</a> a run for its money as a global pandemic.</p><p>"Unlike in the 14th Century, we now have an understanding of how this disease is transmitted," Stanford Health Care infectious disease physician Dr. Shanti Kappagoda told Heathline, according to BBC News. "We know how to prevent it. We are also able to treat patients who are infected with effective antibiotics."</p>
<p>Bubonic plague is caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium which is spread from infected rodents to humans by fleas, according to The New York Times. In Inner Mongolia, the rodents in question are usually marmots, and the health alert put in place by Bayannur health officials warns against eating, hunting or transporting potentially infected animals and urges people to report diseased or dead rodents. The alert will remain in place till the end of the year, according to BBC News.</p><p>The plague can come in different forms, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/plague/symptoms/index.html" target="_blank">according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)</a>: bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic. The latter is consistently fatal if left untreated and can be spread person to person via respiratory droplets, according to The New York Times. The bubonic plague is fatal 30 to 60 percent of the time if not treated. Antibiotics can cure it if administered early.</p><p>Symptoms of bubonic plague include swollen lymph nodes, fever, chills and coughing, according to <a href="https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/07/06/asia/china-mongolia-bubonic-plague-intl-hnk-scli-scn/index.html?__twitter_impression=true" target="_blank">CNN</a>. Pneumonic plague infects the lungs.</p>
<p>The plague in both its forms is an example of how the exploitation of nature and the consumption of wild animals <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/nature-destruction-pandemics-2646191121.html" target="_self">can put humans at risk from deadly pathogens</a>. A 1911 pneumonic plague epidemic in northeast China, which killed around 63,000 people, is believed to have been spread by the trade in marmot fur. Last week, two brothers in Mongolia caught bubonic plague from marmot meat, and a couple in Mongolia died of the plague after eating marmot kidney last May.</p><p>Worldwide, the plague infects 1,000 to 2,000 people a year, according to World Health Organization data reported by CNN, though that is likely an underestimate.</p><p>An average of seven cases are reported every year in the U.S., <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/plague/faq/index.html#cases" target="_blank">according to the CDC</a>.</p>
<p class=""><em>Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that there are two forms of plague. There are actually different forms and three common ones, and the article has been updated to reflect this. The source of this information has also been modified.</em> </p>From Your Site Articles
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Plant pathologist Carolee Bull works in her home garden in State College, Pennsylvania. Carolee Bull, CC BY-ND
By Matt Kasson, Brian Lovett and Carolee Bull
Home gardening is having a boom year across the U.S. Whether they're growing their own food in response to pandemic shortages or just looking for a diversion, numerous aspiring gardeners have constructed their first raised beds, and seeds are flying off suppliers' shelves. Now that gardens are largely planted, much of the work for the next several months revolves around keeping them healthy.
<p>Contrary to the <a href="https://biblehub.com/galatians/6-7.htm" target="_blank">Biblical adage</a>, we do not necessarily reap what we sow. As researchers specializing in <a href="https://www.davis.wvu.edu/faculty-staff/directory/matthew-kasson" target="_blank">plant</a> <a href="https://plantpath.psu.edu/directory/ctb14" target="_blank">pathology</a> and <a href="https://www.lovettbr.com/about" target="_blank">entomology</a>, we have devoted our careers to understanding and managing plant pests and pathogens. We are also gardeners with varying levels of experience and have seen firsthand the damage these insects and disease-causing agents can inflict.</p><p>Plant health is essential for seeing your garden succeed all the way to harvest. The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2020 as the <a href="https://www.apsnet.org/members/engagement/IYPH2020/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">International Year of Plant Health</a> to help bring needed attention to pests and diseases that threaten global food production.</p><p>Thousands of pests and pathogens are known to target commercial crops, but a few usual suspects are routinely responsible for havoc in gardens across the U.S. Although each organism's preferences vary, a few common tactics can help you detect them and protect your plants.</p>
Start With Prevention
<p>Just as preventive steps like maintaining a balanced diet help keep humans healthy, home growers can take many actions to help their gardens thrive.</p><p>One key step is assessing soil fertility – the ability of soil to sustain plant growth – which can vary widely depending on your location and soil type. Low soil fertility limits food production and predisposes plants to disease and pests. University extension <a href="https://soiltesting.wvu.edu/" target="_blank">soil testing labs</a> can help evaluate the quality of garden soil and identify nutrient deficiencies and acidic soils, often at no charge.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzNzU0Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NzE2MTA4MX0.TMP1j2YhGRmeSglNZ3bYQd-4ckRdv6WVB0yC0D48eus/img.jpg?width=980" id="e50c3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d73f4dd41b07cd5c3451a01298aabc76" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Using weed barrier landscape cloth for planting rows and mulching between rows is an effective way to suppress weeds. Matt Kasson, CC BY-ND
<p>Suppressing weeds, either through mulching or weeding by hand each week, increases air flow and reduces humidity around garden plants, making it harder for pests and pathogens to thrive. Weed control ensures that nutrients are available for the plants you want to grow.</p><p>Proper spacing between plants is also important. Crowding can contribute to disease and pest outbreaks, so check and follow recommendations on seed packs or online as you add and move plants throughout the season. You can always cull plants after they come up to help with spacing. In small gardens, fewer plants that are properly supported can produce a bigger harvest than many overcrowded plants.</p><p>And then there's the weather. Frost, hail, drought and flooding all pose unique risks to plants. Inconsistent rainfall can kill thirsty plants more quickly than infertile soils. Both too little and too much water will stress plants and can make them more vulnerable to severe pest and pathogen outbreaks.</p><p>A general rule of thumb is to follow a consistent daily watering regimen – preferably first thing in the morning – and to avoid over-watering, which can encourage root pathogens in soil.</p>
Diagnosing Problems
<p>Common plant pathogens include <a href="https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/viral/introduction/Pages/PlantViruses.aspx" target="_blank">viruses</a>, <a href="https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/prokaryote/intro/Pages/Bacteria.aspx" target="_blank">bacteria</a>, <a href="https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/nematode/intro/Pages/IntroNematodes.aspx" target="_blank">nematodes</a>, <a href="https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/oomycete/introduction/Pages/IntroOomycetes.aspx#:%7E:text=The%20oomycetes%2C%20also%20known%20as,foliar%20blights%20and%20downy%20mildews." target="_blank">oomycetes</a> and <a href="https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/fungalasco/intro/Pages/IntroFungi.aspx" target="_blank">fungi</a>. All of these microorganisms, especially at an early stage of infection, are too small to see. But when they proliferate, they cause changes in plants that we can recognize.</p><p>Unlike insects, which move around on six legs or on wings through the air, pathogens can move unseen and unchecked from leaf to leaf on the wind, through the soil or in droplets of water. Some microbes have even formed intimate relationships with insects and use them as vehicles to move from plant to plant, which makes these pathogens even more challenging to manage. Unfortunately, by the time some pathogens make their presence known, the damage is already done.</p><p>We recently conducted a <a href="https://twitter.com/kasson_wvu/status/1265989041725624323" target="_blank">Twitter poll</a> of gardeners nationwide to find out which culprits plagued their gardens. People named <a href="https://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/aphids" target="_blank">aphids</a>, <a href="https://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/squash-vine-borer" target="_blank">squash vine borers</a>, <a href="https://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/squash-bug" target="_blank">squash bugs</a> and <a href="https://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/flea-beetle" target="_blank">flea beetles</a> as the most problematic insect pests. Their most troublesome pathogens included <a href="https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/plant-disease/fruit-vegetable-diseases/powdery-mildew" target="_blank">powdery mildew</a>, <a href="https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/rsol/Trainingmodules/BWTomato_Module.html" target="_blank">tomato bacterial wilt</a> and <a href="https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/plant-disease/fruit-vegetable-diseases/downy-mildew" target="_blank">cucurbit downy mildew</a>.</p><p>To manage such perennial challenges, the first step is to spend time closely looking at your plants. Do you notice any insects consistently hanging around, or molds colonizing leaves or other plant parts? How about symptoms such as blight, stunting, or leaves that are yellowing, browning or wilting?</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzNzU1MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzAzNjI3NX0.YMze8ypLJeMta1zj22z2Ol0gLeOaKPzuJUXAJDGMkWw/img.jpg?width=980" id="a7f6e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="21b23fe729f14504c8177a38ae257301" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
This white fungal growth is an early sign of powdery mildew on a leaf of susceptible summer squash. Matt Kasson, CC BY-ND
<p>There are countless resources online for keen-eyed and curious gardeners looking to identify and manage pests and diseases. Try uploading a photo to the <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/" target="_blank">iNaturalist app</a> or a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/StateCollegeGardens/?multi_permalinks=600704970572066%2C600705577238672%2C600746833901213%2C600249863950910%2C599671614008735&notif_id=1593225594524195&notif_t=group_activity&ref=notif" target="_blank">Facebook gardeners group</a> that can offer a community-sourced ID. Plant disease clinics in your state will also diagnose plant damage from diseases and pests <a href="https://www.npdn.org/home" target="_blank">for free or at low cost</a>.</p><p>Once you've identified a problem serious enough to intervene, the land grant extension system can provide solutions. Extension programs at land grant schools like <a href="https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests" target="_blank">West Virginia University</a> and <a href="https://extension.psu.edu/insects-pests-and-diseases" target="_blank">Penn State University</a> offer critical information on agriculture and management of pests and diseases in multiple languages for commercial and home growers.</p><p>Their resources include information on safe and proper use of <a href="https://extension.wvu.edu/agriculture/farm-management/pesticide-education" target="_blank">pesticides</a> as part of <a href="https://www.entsoc.org/sites/default/files/files/Science-Policy/ESA-Factsheet-IPM.pdf" target="_blank">integrated pest management</a> strategies. This approach employs pesticides in a targeted way along with non-chemical control methods and <a href="https://landscapeipm.tamu.edu/what-is-ipm/ipm-practices/cultural-practices/#:%7E:text=In%20IPM%2C%20cultural%20and%20physical,watering%2C%20nutrient%20management%2C%20etc." target="_blank">cultural practices</a>, such as choosing native plants. Our professional societies, including the <a href="https://www.apsnet.org/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">American Phytopathological Society</a>, also offer <a href="https://www.apsnet.org/apsstore/pages/oncompendia.aspx" target="_blank">a compendium series</a> to help users diagnose and treat pests and diseases.</p>
<div id="e9449" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="180afa5785eb73e78677137f4f7a6e44"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1278028757362790400" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Sow seed for fall transplants of broccoli, kale, turnip, and cauliflower in flats or containers by the 3rd to 4th w… https://t.co/i3chrkKCj0</div> — Montgomery County Master Gardeners - Maryland (@Montgomery County Master Gardeners - Maryland)<a href="https://twitter.com/mcmgmd/statuses/1278028757362790400">1593540775.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Those who are serious about learning and sharing their experience with others may want to consider <a href="https://mastergardener.extension.org/" target="_blank">Master Gardener programs</a>, which train and certify community members on the latest evidence-based gardening techniques, tailored to their growing area. Master Gardeners pay it forward by training new Master Gardeners and answering questions for any gardener.</p><p>Plant pests are a daily reminder that gardens do not exist in a vacuum, and gardeners shouldn't struggle alone either. Joining the gardening community takes attentiveness and time, but we believe the investment required to become an active member of your local gardening community is well worth it. With experience, the nervous tightrope act of keeping pests at bay and food on the table becomes a delicate dance that can help us appreciate where our food comes from – and ultimately, our place in the global ecosystem.</p>
<p>
<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matt-kasson-1024196" target="_blank">Matt Kasson</a> is an </em><em>Associate Professor of Plant Pathology and Mycology, West Virginia University.</em>
</p><p>
<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brian-lovett-1032419" target="_blank">Brian Lovett</a> is a </em><em>Postdoctoral Researcher in Mycology, West Virginia University.</em>
</p><p>
<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carolee-bull-1106097" target="_blank">Carolee Bull</a> is a </em><em><em>Professor of Plant Pathology and Systematic Bacteriology, Pennsylvania State University.</em></em>
</p><p>
<em><em></em>Disclosure statement: </em><em>Matt Kasson receives funding from USDA and The Ohrstrom Foundation. </em><em>Carolee Bull receives funding from the USDA and from the mushroom industry, and matching funds from seed companies for her research projects. </em><em><em>Brian Lovett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</em></em>
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<em><em></em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-manage-plant-pests-and-diseases-in-your-victory-garden-139545" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
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Hotter temperatures have been linked to a rise in energy poverty, with more people struggling to meet their energy bills from their household income. Flickr / CC by 2.0
By Emma Charlton
The effects of climate change may more far-reaching than you think.
Hotter temperatures have been linked to a rise in energy poverty, with more people struggling to meet their energy bills from their household income, according to a new study published on ScienceDirect by researchers from Italy's Ca' Foscari University.
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<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/air-conditioners-inequality-energy-poverty-climate-change/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>
<div id="8d41e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a5ee84b11a5a425f469fc093daeab875"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1270064316817997825" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">New #research shows households spend a lot more on electricity when they get air conditioning. Along with… https://t.co/ShIZ7Bi7P3</div> — American Scientist (@American Scientist)<a href="https://twitter.com/AmSciMag/statuses/1270064316817997825">1591641904.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The analysis looks at eight countries – Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland – and investigates how households respond to excess heat. They have found an uptick on the purchasing and use of air conditioners, which has led to a greater consumption of electricity, and a greater proportion of income being spent on energy.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzNzQ2OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDk1MDMyNX0.kFugb6OJcL71VsABpixfGK-e5FZNdTfMBYG56Jxnw5g/img.jpg?width=980" id="aa380" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3a4bf99c4bd409c58fe037ba8d887d20" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Value of air conditioning imports in selected OECD countries. ScienceDirect
<p>Households spend between 35% and 42% more on electricity when they adopt air conditioning, the study says.</p><p>As temperatures increase around the world, cooling is emerging as a new, basic need – even in countries that traditionally have not previously required such appliances.</p><p>That puts an additional burden on families who might not be able to afford the most efficient appliances and could result in spending being diverted away from food or education towards cooling, the researchers write.</p><p>"Climate change and the growing demand for air conditioning are likely to exacerbate energy poverty," the study says. "The number of energy poor who spend a high share of income on electricity increases, and households in the lowest income" groups are the most negatively affected.</p><p>Energy poverty is an issue that goes beyond air conditioning, with 800 million people lacking access to electricity and many more struggling with an erratic and limited service.</p>
The ‘Golden Thread’
<p>The <a href="https://www.endenergypoverty.org/reports" target="_blank">Global Commission to End Energy Poverty</a> calls access to energy the "golden thread" that weaves together economic growth, human development, and environmental sustainability. And one of the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/archive/sdg-07-affordable-and-clean-energy" target="_blank">United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals</a> is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.</p><p>Sustainability also has a large role to play in the future of energy and failing to embed green policies in COVID-19 stimulus packages and underinvesting in green infrastructure are current risks, according to the <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_COVID_19_Risks_Outlook_Special_Edition_Pages.pdf" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</p><p>In its vision for a 'Great Reset' – building a better world after the pandemic – the Forum and the IMF jointly backed the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/end-fossil-fuel-subsidies-economy-imf-georgieva-great-reset-climate/" target="_blank">transition to a green economy</a> and called for an end to fossil fuel subsidies.</p>
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Naegleria fowleri (commonly referred to as the "brain-eating amoeba") is a free-living microscopic amoeba (single-celled living organism). Centers for Disease Control
As if the surging cases of coronavirus weren't enough for Floridians to handle, now the state's Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed that a person in the Tampa area tested positive for a rare brain-eating amoeba, according to CBS News. The Florida DOH posted a warning to residents to remind them of the dangers of the rare single-celled amoeba that attacks brain tissue.
<p>The amoeba is known, scientifically, as <em>Naegleria fowleri</em>. Only four people have survived <em>Naegleria fowleri</em> in the U.S. between 1962 and 2016, out of 143 who contracted the disease, as <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/florida-brain-eating-amoeba-warning-naegleria-fowleri-a9603026.html" target="_blank">The Independent</a> reported. There have been only 37 cases reported in Florida since 1962, which makes up nearly 26 percent of all instances in the U.S.</p><p><em>Naegleria fowleri</em> is typically found in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers and ponds. The Florida DOH has cautioned people who swim in those freshwater sources to be aware of the amoeba's possible presence, particularly when the water is warm, according to CNN.</p><p>The DOH did not disclose where in Hillsborough County the patient had contracted the amoeba, nor the patient's condition, according to The Independent.</p>
<p>The amoeba's deadly effects happen when it causes a rare infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), which destroys brain tissue and is usually fatal, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/health/brain-eating-amoeba-infection-florida-rare-hillsborough-county-health" target="_blank">Fox News</a>.</p><p>"Infections can happen when contaminated water enters the body through the nose," the DOH said in its letter.</p><p>After the amoeba enters the nose through contaminated water, it then travels to the brain where it causes PAM, according to health officials.</p>
<p>"Infections usually occur when temperatures increase for prolonged periods of time, which results in higher water temperatures and lower water levels," health officials stated in their letter.</p><p>Health officials recommend using a nose plug, pinching your nose or keeping your head above water to avoid the amoeba. They also recommend avoiding water where conditions are ripe for the amoeba to thrive, such as warm freshwater around power plants and shallow fresh water during periods of high water temperature.</p><p>"Adverse health effects on humans can be prevented by avoiding nasal contact with the waters, since the amoeba enters through nasal passages," the DOH said, as CNN reported.</p>
<p>As CNN pointed out, the ancient tradition of treating congested sinuses with a neti pot can also increase the risk of infection.</p><p>"Use only boiled and cooled, distilled, or sterile water for making sinus rinse solutions for neti pots or performing ritual ablutions," the DOH said.</p><p>It is also possible to contract the amoeba in swimming pools that are not properly chlorinated. Since it's only contracted through the nose, there is no chance of developing PAM from drinking it, according to CBS News.</p><p>As CBS News noted, the typical symptoms of a <em>Naegleria fowleri</em> infection include severe frontal headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. Later symptoms include stiff neck, seizures, altered mental status, hallucinations and coma.</p>
<p>Signs of infection typically start a few days after swimming or other nasal exposure to contaminated water. People usually die within 1 to 18 days after symptoms begin.</p><p>"It is essential to seek medical attention right away, as the disease progresses rapidly after the start of symptoms," the health department said.</p><p>The DOH added that "this disease is rare and effective prevention strategies can allow for a safe and relaxing summer swim season," as The Independent reported.</p>
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Airborne Coronavirus Transmission Must Be Taken Seriously, 239 Scientists Tell WHO
23h
Health + Wellness
Scientists are urging the WHO to revisit their coronavirus guidance to focus more on airborne transmission and less on hand sanitizer and hygiene. John Lund / Photodisc / Getty Images
The World Health Organization (WHO) is holding the line on its stance that the respiratory droplets of the coronavirus fall quickly to the floor and are not infectious. Now, a group of 239 scientists is challenging that assertion, arguing that the virus is lingering in the air of indoor environments, infecting people nearby, as The New York Times reported.
<p>The idea that the virus lingers in the air may explain why the virus is finding new victims to infect in clusters as people visit bars, restaurants, gyms and casinos worldwide.</p><p>In an open letter to the WHO, 239 scientists from 32 countries outlined the evidence that proves smaller particles can infect people, and are calling for the agency to revise its recommendations. The researchers plan to publish their letter, titled "It is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19," in a scientific journal this week, according to The New York Times. The paper will be published in <em>Clinical Infectious Diseases</em>, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/coronavirus-airborne-spread-world-health-organization/2020/07/05/9de19c38-bed8-11ea-b4f6-cb39cd8940fb_story.html" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>.</p>
<p>"We are aware of the article and are reviewing its contents with our technical experts," WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said in an email reply to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-airborne/hundreds-of-scientists-say-coronavirus-is-airborne-ask-who-to-revise-recommendations-nyt-idUSKBN2460O7" target="_blank">Reuters</a> request for comment.</p><p>However, as recently as last Monday, the WHO <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-IPC-2020.4" target="_blank">published guidelines</a> on stopping the spread of the virus in healthcare facilities that said airborne transmission of the virus is possible only after medical procedures that produce aerosols, or droplets smaller than 5 microns, or 5 millionths of a meter.</p><p>The fact that scientists resorted to a paper to pressure the WHO is unusual, analysts said to The Washington Post. It is likely to renew questions about the WHO's messaging.</p>
<p>"WHO's credibility is being undermined through a steady drip-drip of confusing messages, including asymptomatic spread, the use of masks, and now airborne transmission," said Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University who provides technical assistance to the WHO.</p><p>Gostin did compliment the WHO for hosting regular briefings, noting that the organization is in a tricky situation because it "has to make recommendations for the entire world and it feels it needs irrefutable scientific proof before coming to a conclusion."</p><p>And yet, he sees the writing on the wall that "the public, and even scientists, will lose full confidence in WHO without clearer technical guidance," as The Washington Post reported.</p>
<p>The signatories of the letter do not think their letter should raise panic. Instead, it should make the WHO revisit their guidance to focus more on respiratory aspects of the virus and less on hand sanitizer and hygiene.</p><p>"There is no reason for fear. It is not like the virus has changed. We think it has been transmitted this way all along," said Jose Jimenez, a chemist at the University of Colorado who signed the paper, as The Washington Post reported. "Knowing about it helps target the measures to control the pandemic more accurately."</p><p>Jimenez added that the scientists' purpose in writing the letter was not to hurt the WHO, but merely to encourage it to consider new information.</p><p>"Our group of scientists doesn't want to do anything that would undermine the WHO as an organization," he said. "We only want it to adapt its guidance on aerosol transmission to the increasing evidence."</p>
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