water

University of Albany researchers have presented the first recorded evidence that surface waters in the Adirondack Mountains have made an almost complete recovery — 90 percent — from metal pollution since enactment of the Clean Air Act. Amended in the decades since it first passed in 1963, the Clean Air Act was one of the […]

For water conservationists concerned about keeping pests out of their rain collection barrels, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have some helpful advice. A new study, published in Journal of Medical Entomology, looked into the presence of mosquitoes in rain barrels in the central Illinois region and determined the most effective ways to prevent […]

A newly launched guide, called the UP Scorecard, helps consumers and companies identify more sustainable packaging options.  The scorecard tool ranks food packaging based on six main sustainability factors, including water use required for manufacturing, recoverability, chemicals used in manufacturing, plastic pollution, sourcing and climate impacts. “With the launch of the UP Scorecard, businesses and […]

To combat some of the more environmentally harmful chemicals in cleaning detergents, scientists have found a way to turn natural materials, including wood fiber and corn protein, into a more eco-friendly detergent. In a study published in Langmuir, scientists shared their findings on a newly developed detergent that utilizes readily available and renewable materials such […]

Freshwater ecosystems need adequate levels of oxygen to maintain healthy biological communities and sustain life. But the increasing intensity and frequency of short-term heat waves, along with long-term climate warming, are significantly reducing the levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the surface of lakes across the globe, according to a new study. The researchers quantified […]

Melting glaciers threaten the supply of food and water for billions across the globe, the United Nations warned in its 2025 World Water Development Report: Mountains and Glaciers: Water towers. Mountains supply 55 to 60 percent of the planet’s annual freshwater flow, with two billion people reliant on the waters flowing from them. “As the […]

The newly launched River Rescue Kit provides expert guidance for people in the United Kingdom to take action to help protect their local waterways. The online resource, launched by UK-based environmental campaign organization River Action, can help empower communities to take steps to stop the growing river pollution crisis, a press release from University of […]

In a new report, researchers have ranked global cities for flood and drought risks and determined that some of the biggest cities in the world are facing dangerous climate swings between dry and wet periods. Some cities have seen a total change in their climate, moving from typically dry regions to regions prone to flooding […]