Science

EPA Proposes First Legal Limits for PFAS in Drinking Water

EPA Proposes First Legal Limits for PFAS in Drinking Water

For the first time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed standards for limiting toxic forever chemicals in drinking water. The draft regulation, unveiled Tuesday, would target six types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are known to be found in drinking water, setting legal limits for their presence.  “EPA’s proposal to establish […]

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    Wildfire Smoke Linked to Ozone Layer Damage

    Wildfire Smoke Linked to Ozone Layer Damage

    A new study led by chemists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that wildfire smoke particles, which can remain in the stratosphere for a year, can cause chemical reactions that deplete the protective ozone layer. The findings occurred during the megafire in Australia in December 2019 to January 2020. The study, published in the […]

    NREL’s Desalination Device Makes Waves

    NREL’s Desalination Device Makes Waves

    In 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy initiated the Waves to Water Prize. The contest’s goal was to encourage the development of small desalination systems which could help coastal communities in times of climate disaster and recovery and also to help provide clean drinking water to areas where water is scarce. In April of 2022, […]

    Climate Crisis Increases Human-Wildlife Conflict

    Climate Crisis Increases Human-Wildlife Conflict

    In 2019, an archipelago in the Russian Arctic Ocean declared a state of emergency when an aurora of polar bears muscled their way into a settlement and began nosing through the garbage.  At the time, experts said that the climate crisis likely caused the polar bear invasion, as dwindling sea ice forced them to seek […]

    Pesticides 101: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

    Pesticides 101: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

    Pesticides have been used, in one way or another, for thousands of years to protect crops against invasive species, fungi and other “pests.”   While there are organic options, chemical pesticides are commonly used, with industrial agriculture relying heavily on it for their crops. However, as many studies and literature over the decades have shown, […]