agriculture

Energy Industry’s Methane Emissions Soared to Near Record High in 2023 Despite International Climate Pledges: IEA Report

Energy Industry’s Methane Emissions Soared to Near Record High in 2023 Despite International Climate Pledges: IEA Report

According to key findings from the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s latest Annual Methane Tracker, in 2023, global methane emissions from fossil fuels stayed close to a record high despite new global reduction pledges. Human activities like agriculture, oil and gas production and the accumulation of food waste in landfills produce methane — a much more […]

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    Bangkok City Workers Ordered to Work From Home to Avoid Toxic Smog

    Bangkok City Workers Ordered to Work From Home to Avoid Toxic Smog

    Government employees in Bangkok have been ordered to work from home for the next two days in order to avoid a thick layer of noxious smog covering the city. On Thursday, authorities warned that air pollution levels in Thailand’s capital and neighboring provinces had reached unhealthy levels, reported Reuters. Non-government employees have been urged to […]

    USDA Census of Agriculture Shows U.S. Losing Small Farms to Factory Farming, While Gaining in Renewable Energy Use

    USDA Census of Agriculture Shows U.S. Losing Small Farms to Factory Farming, While Gaining in Renewable Energy Use

    The latest Census of Agriculture from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) raises concerns over a loss of small farms and a growth in larger farms, while also showing some promise with the growth of renewable energy implementation in agriculture. The USDA completes a Census of Agriculture every five years to count the nation’s farms […]

    In ‘Vital Victory for Farmers and the Environment,’ Arizona Court Cancels EPA’s Approval of Dicamba Pesticide

    In ‘Vital Victory for Farmers and the Environment,’ Arizona Court Cancels EPA’s Approval of Dicamba Pesticide

    In a win for farmers and endangered plants and wildlife, an Arizona district court has revoked the approval of the destructive pesticide dicamba, saying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke the law when it allowed it to be on the market. Dicamba-based weedkillers have been widely used on soybean and cotton crops genetically engineered […]

    Pollinator-Friendly Solar Installations Can Help Solve Climate and Biodiversity Crises

    Pollinator-Friendly Solar Installations Can Help Solve Climate and Biodiversity Crises

    Rehabilitated farmland used for solar energy facilities that are planted with native wildflowers and grasses can create lush habitats for insects, birds and bees, a new study has found. The research, conducted by scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory, found that insect numbers tripled in […]

    Fertilizing Fields With Sewage Sludge Releases More Microplastics Into the Air Than Previously Believed, Study Finds

    Fertilizing Fields With Sewage Sludge Releases More Microplastics Into the Air Than Previously Believed, Study Finds

    Microplastics are tiny plastic particles from textiles and other sources that have broken down into smaller and smaller pieces until they are less than five millimeters in length. They have been found all over the world, from sediments in the deep ocean to Arctic snow. Scientists have found that microplastics are being released though natural […]

    U.S. Air Pollution Rates Down, but Vary by Demographics

    U.S. Air Pollution Rates Down, but Vary by Demographics

    Air pollution emissions in the United States have decreased considerably since the Clean Air Act of 1970 was enacted, but the benefits have not always been equally felt. According to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the amount of the improvements is largely dependent on demographics, with socioeconomic […]