Teens Turning Green (TTG), a youth-led non-profit, is hosting a road tour to inform, inspire and mobilize students around sustainability projects on university campuses across the country.
Teens Turning Green works to mentor leaders on each campus, offer resources and support, and create collaborative global networks of change-makers. Photo credit: Teens Turning Green
“The Conscious College Road Tour seeks to demonstrate how simple, fun, and accessible conscious living can be for a college lifestyle, while empowering students to develop and implement projects that lead to more sustainable lives and campuses,” said Erin Schrode, TTG co-Founder.
The Conscious College Road Tour, which began on March 24 and continues on to 14 universities through mid-May, brings programs from TTG to students, faculty, staff and environmental leaders at colleges nationwide, and collaborates with students to implement one specific sustainability initiative on each campus.
“Rice [University]has been making huge strides in efforts toward a more sustainable campus and I'm confident that our students will greatly benefit from TTG's message and mission," said Ashley Ugarte a Rice University junior and president of the TTG advisory board.
"We are all capable of creating positive change in the world. I think this is a great opportunity for students to become empowered to transition their lives from conventional to conscious and begin the conversation around greening Orientation Week for our incoming freshman."
There are two key components to the two-day campus stop:
• The Conscious Information Station provides seven key lifestyle categories, including information boards, product sampling, hands-on demos, activities and in-depth conversations.
• Town Hall Meeting is an evening dinner gathering of students, faculty and school leaders that focuses attention on a student led sustainability project to be developed on campus.
“We are visiting campuses to support the work of powerful student leaders and deepen collaboration among student, faculty, and staff," TTG Executive Director Judi Shils elaborates. "There is no place better to incubate ideas than on college campuses, where great minds are ready to develop solutions for even the most complex sustainability challenges. We show up to facilitate that action.”
You can follow the tour via Twitter's hashtag #ConsciousCollege or visit TTG's Facebook page.
Confirmed schools include: Rice University (Houston, TX), University of Louisville (Louisville, KY), Humboldt State University (Humboldt, CA), Chico State University (Chico, CA), Virginia Tech University (Blacksburg, VA), The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH), Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH), Kutztown State University (Kutztown, PA), Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, NY), Columbia College | Barnard (New York, NY), Georgetown University (Washington, DC), University of Delaware (Newark, DE), Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD) and Cornell University (Ithaca, NY).
——–
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Divest Duke Urges University to Phase Out Investment in Fossil Fuels
Breaking: 400 Youths Arrested at White House Protesting Keystone XL Pipeline
College Students From Around the World Embark on 2015 Solar Decathlon
——–
An Exxon oil refinery is seen at night. Jim Sugar / Getty Images
Citigroup will strive to reach net-zero greenhouse gas pollution across its lending portfolio by 2050 and in its own operations by 2030, the investment group announced Monday.
<p>The plan, published by CEO Jane Fraser, on her first day in the role, included few details but promised more within the coming year. </p><p>Citi's pledge follows similar announcements by Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase amid efforts by the group <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VW12pK3RP4wWW7VrLG-4gQ48qW1KLHGL4nHcLsMDyKnp3p_9LV1-WJV7CgZcVW6dxBrb6S8q3rW3qnwpq6YMcnXW6X81xF814HdPW30bQ6285vNx7N3nSYpGv9zFlW9hrJNB7my_bTN2WsJFgWsZR9V5XHC06LHFvjW8vcRxB2-qW9PW25SPND8nSh3QW8HpGht1BnD2wW8QKdqg4Jbh3FW96YSVp91by3NN3zch6CrYKdDW813L1n1bCw-4N9dpv0LBj3ncW2J4ZWs1_rzYJVjPyNV8YwXBrM_RvMg-QsqhW3GWgH539JwwnMf01t66F3jWW71GP2Q96r9kXW92pGBf1TQgyBN5lqmlC5Qt2KW99HT6z3D7f98W1Lv39L1JLLnGW20xsgC3nr4ysW2gVGXx65byDd33K41" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BankFWD</a> to push U.S. banks to slash greenhouse gas pollution from their investments. </p><p>Those three firms, plus Citigroup, have provided more than $705 billion to fossil energy companies since the Paris Agreement went into effect. </p><p>Also Monday, Exxon Mobil Corp. named activist investor Jeffrey Ubben and former Comcast executive Michael Angelakis to its board, in a move to parry calls for the oil giant to focus more on clean energy. </p><p>Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission determined both Citigroup and Exxon could not prevent shareholders from voting on resolutions tied to racial equity and climate change.</p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p>Citigroup: <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/finance/541020-citigroup-sets-goal-to-achieve-net-zero-emissions-by-2050?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8JAMXp-yLHJbHxbvmDGfX2S-FYGMVpbawKZ0L_lon_lqt14dH4LzmTvKI9aESVbIEqfL5G6YJ6-pGTa1bLJiM5rXr3PdBqynfiMb0C44NWBz50EpQ&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">The Hill</a>, <a href="https://login.politicopro.com/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscriber.politicopro.com%2Farticle%2F2021%2F03%2Fciti-pledges-to-stop-financing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-3987303%3Futm_campaign%3DHot%2520News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_YfzbNr-q9hDWRJo3ACPfkC6i-2ocHo2VrVypVvHdxMn84PsEPB2n14IuJVzaekX5gUUqqYtQPXv5U0TEnijLlOmJ8JD_57BDmBrvhcv3McLvcvVs&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Politico Pro</a>; Fossil investments: <a href="https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2021/03/01/stories/1063726287?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--M0ZQdvCKkCSpUAWG5LdObCV0J2zGbgHNOiPuaHy_aA4Z4AykqIkE-8HD3lLwg-10v9dJVM7940Kbo0YNxlYL_nwyiKA8LPdRHEwUwVHptx9BPfug&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">E&E</a>; Exxon: <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/exxon-adds-two-new-board-members-after-activist-pressure-11614607512?mod=searchresults_pos2&page=1&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--m9T1M8rNEEIgOwgajbNq3NTDkvWWMjdPqPqnlUPN2A5aW3UJUO4y4NEB5ps-OKz-2N3IG_4UuqYEKoDiUZ_UZZS7aB2kHN0-I3lVkrqR70PwD3gI&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal,</a> <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2AT2K0?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8f5L7QA1MNONzvBKjuP6s_y3zBOIbjn8Rc4K0b6zPnO_UslDCfWD_twOH98CoQPPesIGDeZHPSVDC6AXN8A5PqHyx6kRft3u0pBSIwKEeGwKcGtQo&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Reuters,</a> <a href="https://www.axios.com/exxon-board-activist-climate-195cbfb1-cd52-4c92-bd59-13d6781d9896.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_LGXqzYZPEqroDVZv-euFStCRUvQgVX3D3fItkuSfAKB0fOwASTqpFThUU8Bt7d_kgwIlNUfkbWostNHKFWu6Pig81CqI57Cy9lMAdkRXRQ3hAm4M&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Axios</a>; SEC: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-01/citigroup-exxon-must-let-investors-vote-on-esg-issues-sec-says?sref=oUjKJw8m&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9-4on_47qkmXwBeosuro4FJLIPnKjdgOKraW7KJJa0HwquHKfV2lO8eCjRfs2ZqAAQgrKbMR6HGZwqpENToCahHevV-7ATh-8GkFy0M09MkmH3gAU&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a><br/></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
- 20 Attorneys General Launch Climate Fraud Investigation of Exxon ... ›
- Exxon Plans to Increase Its Climate Pollution - EcoWatch ›
- Exxon to Slash 14,000 Jobs Worldwide as Oil Demand Drops ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
The Arctic fox's coat changes from the mixed gold and black of summer to a mostly pure white fur in winter. Dennis Fast / VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
By Jacob Job
Maybe you've seen a video clip of a fluffy white fox moving carefully through a frozen landscape. Suddenly it leaps into the air and dive-bombs straight down into the snow. If so, you've witnessed the unusual hunting skills of an Arctic fox.
<p>During winter at the most northern parts of Earth, snow and ice transform the Arctic tundra into a blanket of white as far as the eye can see. It's a long, cold and harsh season, and animals like the Arctic fox have a number of special tricks that help them survive. Here's how they're able to locate and catch their prey.</p>
<h3>Blending in With the Arctic Landscape<br></h3><p>Some Arctic animals have evolved unique camouflage to blend in with their surroundings. The most obvious example is the polar bear. These large predators have white fur that makes them nearly invisible as they hunt seals on the white sea ice.<br></p><p>Arctic foxes actually <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.359.6379.1004-a" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">change color with the seasons</a>. During summer, their <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/arctic-fox" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">gray and brown fur blends in</a> with tundra rocks and plant life. This camouflage helps Arctic foxes slowly sneak up on their prey and avoid being eaten themselves.</p><p>But dark fur would make Arctic foxes easy to see on the all-white winter tundra once it's covered with snow. As winter nears, Arctic foxes shed their dark fur and begin growing all white fur to blend in with the snow and ice. Their changing color helps keep these foxes hidden year-round.</p>
<h3>Changing Hunting Strategies</h3><p>Many of the bird species that Arctic foxes hunt during the summer migrate south to escape the harsh winter weather. The foxes are left with fewer food choices. While they still hunt some birds, like ptarmigan, on top of the snow, Arctic foxes often turn their attention to <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/Arctic_fox/natural_history.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">food found underneath the snow</a> – specifically, lemmings.</p><p><a href="https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lemmus_lemmus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lemmings are small rodents</a> that live on the Arctic tundra all year. To survive the cold winters, they remain active under deep snow, moving through tunnels, and search for leaves, roots and berries to eat. The snow insulates them from the cold air above, allowing them to stay active even during the middle of winter.</p><p>But how do Arctic foxes find lemmings that are hidden underneath the snow? The answer: by listening for their footsteps!</p>
<h3>Hearing Like a Dog</h3><p>Like other canid species – a fancy way to describe dog-like animals – Arctic foxes have very sensitive ears.</p><p>Have you ever seen a dog running through tall grass and then suddenly stop short, tilting its head back and forth? It probably looked like it was listening to something, even though you couldn't detect what might attract its attention. In fact, there was probably a mouse or vole moving nearby, and your dog was able to hear its footsteps.</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/RCqQYpM1hCA?start=100" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What does a mouse or lemming sound like</a> when it runs through the grass or snow? It makes a quiet, high-pitched rustling sound. It sort of sounds like the softest gust of wind causing grass blades to rub against each other.</p><p>Most people can't hear this sound, but your dog and Arctic foxes can hear it just fine. Because human beings domesticated dogs, they don't need to use their special hearing to find food – we make it easy by filling their food bowls every day. But wild canids, including Arctic foxes, still very much <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heares.2014.12.001" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">need this unique ability to survive</a>.</p>
<h3>An Ambush From Above</h3><p>Arctic foxes spend hours each day roaming across the tundra during winter looking for food. This includes listening for lemmings under the snow. But hearing a lemming is only the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198515562.003.0008" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">first step in getting a meal</a>. Arctic foxes still must catch them.</p><p>Once a fox hears a lemming, it becomes almost completely still. The fox then tilts its head back and forth, trying to better locate where the lemming is. It requires careful listening to pinpoint the lemming's quiet movements in the snow.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1800819bdac6e7df21ea2779baf7db94"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r2Ou58p_D7k?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<p>When a fox is confident it knows exactly where the lemming is, the ambush begins. It will jump straight up in the air, sometimes several feet, and plunge headfirst into the snow with its mouth wide open. If the attack was successful, the fox will emerge from the snow with a lemming in its mouth. Dinner is served.</p><p>Although this pouncing technique, known as "mousing," may seem easy enough, an Arctic fox may attempt it hundreds of times per day with little success. It takes <a href="https://youtu.be/9UaX4RBIThI?start=62" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">practice and persistence</a>.</p>
<h3>Hunting in Noise</h3><p>Humans make a lot of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12207" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">noise that makes it harder for predators to find prey</a>. Although Arctic foxes live far enough north to avoid most noise pollution, other species including coyotes and red foxes live much farther south, where many more people live.</p><p>Coyotes and red foxes also hunt like Arctic foxes. The noise from airplanes, vehicles and other engines likely makes it harder for these species to hear rodent footsteps under the snow. And as the human population grows, bringing noise with them as they spread across the globe and into Arctic regions, it's reasonable to assume that Arctic foxes will also have a harder time finding food.</p>
<p>
<em>Jacob Job is a research associate in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University.<br/>
</em>
</p><p>
<em>Disclosure statement: Jacob Job 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>
</p><p>
<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795" target="_blank">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you'd like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</em><br/>
</p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from The <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-arctic-foxes-hunt-in-the-snow-153371" target="_blank">Conversation</a>.</em>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/153371/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>From Your Site Articles
- Animals With White Winter Camouflage Could Struggle to Adapt to ... ›
- Heavy Snowfall in 2018 Kept Arctic Wildlife From Breeding - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Trending
Ahead of UN COP26, Survey Finds International Support for Greater Environmental Protection
45m
Politics
Young protesters participate in the Global Strike For Future march to raise climate change awareness in September 2019 in Brussels, Belgium. Thierry Monasse / Getty Images
By Brett Wilkins
An international survey conducted by the University of Cambridge and YouGov ahead of this November's COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference, and published on Monday, found overwhelming support around the world for governments taking more robust action to protect the environment amid the worsening climate crisis.
<p>The pollsters surveyed 14,627 adults in seven countries—Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. According to Cambridge University:</p><blockquote>Participants were randomly assigned to read either one of four 'treatment' texts about climate change—drafted to reflect current U.N. messaging, public health, social norms, and patriotism—or a neutral text, unrelated to climate and used to test "baseline" support. The participants were then asked if they agreed or disagreed with the statement that "all national governments should do more to protect the environment."<br></blockquote><p>In all of the countries except the U.S., at least 90% of baseline respondents agreed with the statement. In the U.S., the figure was 79%.</p>
<div id="26ea0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7aa0d6136bd98584572b3d9cc3ccc8fc"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1366418460289470467" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Nine out of ten people in the UK, Brazil, India, China, Indonesia and Poland want governments to “do more” to prote… https://t.co/URLdsms6LB</div> — Cambridge University (@Cambridge University)<a href="https://twitter.com/Cambridge_Uni/statuses/1366418460289470467">1614614522.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>"Compared to the baseline, exposure to one of the climate change texts led to a small but significant rise of about one or two percentage points on average," wrote University of Cambridge political psychologist Lee de-Wit. "The figures ranged in the U.K. from 89-93%; as against 96-98% in Brazil, 91-95% in China, 92-97% in India, 99-100% in Indonesia, 91-94% in Poland, and 76-79% in the USA."</p><p>In the U.S., the survey found tremendous differences between people who voted for former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election—only 55% of whom said governments should do more to protect the environment—and those who elected President Joe Biden, 95% of whom agreed that governments should make more of an effort to safeguard the environment.</p><p>When asked to choose from a list of specific actions governments can take to better protect the environment, the most popular choice among survey respondents was "to protect and preserve" wildlife, marine life, and plants; followed by a policy "to plant more trees to absorb the gases that cause climate change"; spending more on developing clean technologies; and finally reducing "the production over 30 years of the gases that cause climate change."</p><p>On average, 58% of survey respondents also agreed that businesses should be forced "to pay for the damage they do when their activities contribute to climate change."</p>
<p>De-Wit wrote that "we live in a time of polarization, and environmental issues have long embodied the political divisions in society."</p><p>"However, this may be changing," he wrote. "We can see an overwhelming consensus emerging for greater government-led action to protect the environment in major nations."</p><p>"As we approach COP26, politicians the world over should take confidence from these findings," added de-Wit. "Voters across party lines want to see more government action. The time is now."</p><p>"We face huge challenges protecting the environment, but global public opinion may no longer be chief among them," concluded de-Wit.</p><p>The COP26 conference—which was delayed a year due to the coronavirus pandemic—will take place in Glasgow, Scotland November 1-12.</p><p>A U.N. report released last week <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/02/26/red-alert-our-planet-new-un-report-shows-radically-bolder-action-needed-hit-15degc" target="_blank">revealed</a> the world is far from meeting the emission-reduction goals of the Paris climate agreement, with scientists warning that accomplishing the accord's target of a maximum global temperature rise of 1.5°C requires cutting planet-heating emissions 45% by 2030 from 2010 levels.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/01/time-now-survey-finds-overwhelming-international-support-greater-environmental" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>
Read More
Show Less
A boy plays basketball in front of an oil well covered with large colorful flowers and located next to Beverly Hills High School. Wells like this have been hidden throughout Los Angeles. Faces of Fracking / Flickr
While the hazards of fracking to human health are well-documented, first-of-its-kind research from Environmental Health News shows the actual levels of biomarkers for fracking chemicals in the bodies of children living near fracking wells far higher than in the general population.
<p>The research fills a gap in the science between the <a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/top_story/racism-gas-flaring-preterm-births/?swcfpc=1&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--IeKYsJkanyv2krbRsHJYxOkofQcR7PNdbAKUOWyWVgo641V3oi78yiiALF6Bs_6g-0ll4FRFpZfIBzg4iuv0d4TxgvA&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">health harms</a> <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VWl5n_3q5CJ8W1vkcM622ZDlgW8LzBkh4nHcKTN3V8l9V3p_9LV1-WJV7CgDHwW5-d9Tn58WbjLW29YYkj1XKTLxW6fxzrF5qVzLQW728zK68hv09gW6XMg5S6P2pm4W8H7t2g7fkYbxW7LK3Rj3lBqjhW6psXpd6BW69mW4LxNjC1fBkckW6zrLg869tPj5VBjczC3NL9KdW3Y7c8w60yrFXW6pQ6db7hmyZbV24BBj6k-9gQW3p45qg1l9h8tVVCGK-https://nexusmedianews.com/top_story/texas-fracking-well-racial-equity/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9HnKTZpGsUpmqPPGaK4yztwgHCQlDwqY7CdovXbWiGnBCvO1jjWXhqUUD1EBXlzR4hXse4J1GNm47XfPzFkOsdqPs5GA&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">experienced by</a> those <a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/top_story/fracking-causes-radiation/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Z9oDs8ErdTJkOBGkw6yk4DqDqbSJbq4c6Cn32fWeLj3YeiEB6S_IUkDKTaBN4cw4yzClKvupyBMWiQOv4d78IjZrttQ&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">living near fracking</a> and the known harms caused by fracking chemicals: whether fracking chemicals were actually in people's bodies. They are. Of the southwestern <a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/top_story/frack-attack-fail/?swcfpc=1&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Ac7K45kaZuV9bo0mx6c4YENox9oKgEpZX0jkcmR3SCs8X7yL0MjwvSPhqa3ymTYnvF-oIYfh-bQThZp7c5YmULwelNQ&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pennsylvania</a> families who participated in the study, those who lived closer to fracking wells had higher levels of fracking chemicals or their biomarkers than those who lived far away. </p>
<p>One nine-year-old boy had biomarkers for toluene, which can damage the nervous system or kidneys, 91 times higher than the average American. Another had biomarkers for ethylbenzene and styrene, 55 times higher than the average American. Exposure to ethylbenzene and styrene is linked to skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritation, reproductive harm, endocrine disruption, and increased cancer risk. The research is part one of a multi-part series by Environmental Health News exploring the multifaceted "body burden" of fracking.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://www.ehn.org/fractured-harmful-chemicals-fracking-2650428324/family-video" target="_blank">Environmental Health News</a>:</p><blockquote>In Texas, researchers found that babies born near frequent flaring—the burning off of excess natural gas from fracking wells—are <a href="https://www.ehn.org/fracking-preterm-births--2646411428.html" target="_blank">50 percent</a> more likely to be premature. In Colorado, the state Department of Health <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ST8yZ0bUBrEzIkWsalOWCMHNjHNXarHO/view" target="_blank">found</a> that people living near fracking sites face elevated risk of nosebleeds, headaches, breathing trouble, and dizziness. In Pennsylvania, researchers found that people living near fracking face <a href="https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=75575&PageSpeed=noscript" target="_blank">increased rates of infant mortality</a>, <a href="https://www.ehn.org/pennsylvanians-who-live-near-fracking-are-more-likely-to-be-depressed-2590186370.html" target="_blank">depression</a>, and <a href="https://www.ehn.org/fracking-linked-to-increased-hospitalizations-for-skin-genital-and-urinary-issues-in-pennsylvania-2630649093.html" target="_blank">hospitalizations</a> for skin and urinary issues. <a href="https://www.ehn.org/health-impacts-of-fracking-2634432607.html" target="_blank">Studies of fracking communities</a> throughout the country have found that living near fracking wells increases the risk of premature births, high-risk pregnancies, asthma, migraines, fatigue, nasal and sinus symptoms, skin disorders and <a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/j.jacc.2020.10.023" target="_blank">heart failure</a>; and laboratory studies have <a href="https://academic.oup.com/endo/article/156/12/4458/2422671" target="_blank">linked</a> chemicals used in fracking fluid to endocrine disruption—which can cause hormone imbalance, reproductive harm, early puberty, brain and behavior problems, improper immune function, and cancer.</blockquote><blockquote>"We have enough evidence at this point that these health impacts should be of serious concern to policymakers interested in protecting public health," Irena Gorski Steiner, an environmental epidemiology doctoral candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told <em>Environmental Health News</em> (EHN).</blockquote>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcwNjM4My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDY3MjcwM30.AYi_2gzgqE9i4HLu995WAMYiYDZiIbQiAS8nWHXm2xg/img.jpg?width=980" id="15f12" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2c985021edf24fb61f16e3a1c5831a11" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="800" data-height="531" />
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://www.ehn.org/fractured-harmful-chemicals-fracking-2650428324.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=113718159&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9O7c9gr0YQxB-7EgWVqaoE01Bpt_vt5POEcj-_cXeFCr8B40TWI__h7eT2FqSJjb30O5mEqc32t8GiONxzhkBMhF4Sog&utm_content=113718159&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Environmental Health News</a>; Series overview: <a href="https://www.ehn.org/fractured-series-on-fracking-pollution-2650624600/fractured-fracking" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Environmental Health News</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>A man stands with his granddaughter in front of the Murphy Oil site located next door to his apartment in West Adams, Los Angles, California on July 16, 2014. Sarah Craig / Faces of Fracking
From Your Site Articles
- Total Ban on Fracking Urged by Health Experts: 1,500 Studies ... ›
- Every Parent Concerned About Their Kids' Health Should Read This ... ›
- 650,000 Children in 9 States Attend School Within 1 Mile of a ... ›
- Fracking Chemicals Remain Secret Despite EPA Knowledge of ... ›
- Study: Fracking Chemicals Harm Kids' Brains - EcoWatch ›
Read More
Show Less
The Sierra Nevada mountains are among the ranges most at-risk for early snowpack melt. CampPhoto / Getty Images
As the planet warms, mountain snowpack is increasingly melting. But "global warming isn't affecting everywhere the same," Climate Scientist Amato Evan told the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego.
<p>In a recent study, a team of researchers examined if snowpack melted faster in the Western U.S. than in other areas. Their <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-00996-w" target="_blank">findings</a> were published Monday in the journal <em>Nature Climate Change.</em></p><p>Snowpack disappearance is occurring most rapidly in coastal regions and the south, according to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/scientists" target="_blank">scientists</a>. This means that the Sierra Nevadas, Cascades and Southern Arizona mountains are at most risk for melting compared to the Rockies or Utah mountains. </p><p>"As you get closer to the ocean or further south in the U.S., the snowpack is more vulnerable, or more at-risk, due to increasing temperature, whereas in the interior of the continent, the snowpack seems much more impervious, or resilient to rising temperatures," Evan, the study's lead author, told Scripps Oceanography. </p><p>Funded by NOAA's Climate Program Office, the study analyzed regional variations in snowpack melt with temperature increases. Using four decades of observations, the scientists created a new model to understand the "discrepancy in the timing of snowpack disappearance," according to Scripps Oceanography.</p>
<p>They found shorter winters and early springs changed the amount of time snow had to accumulate and cover the ground. "Our theory tells us why that's happening, and it's basically showing that spring is coming a lot earlier in the year if you're in Oregon, California, Washington, and down south, but not if you're in Colorado or Utah," Evan told Scripps Oceanography.</p><p>For example, California's snowpack is not only melting faster but also accumulating less, threatening the state's <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/the-california-drought-who-gets-water-and-whos-hung-out-to-dry-1881866570.html" target="_blank">water</a> supply — one-third of which comes from the Sierras, <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/climate-in-crisis/sierra-snowpack-has-major-drop-over-the-past-decade/2475777/" target="_blank">NBC Bay Area reported</a>. Rapid melting could also have "adverse societal effects because it contributes to a longer fire season," Scripps Oceanography wrote.</p><p>During a typical summer, gradual snowpack runoff keeps soil and plants moist. Yet in early spring 2020, the West experienced a warm and dry climate, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/05/08/california-snowpack-fire-season/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Washington Post reported</a>.</p><p>"The magnitude we're seeing right now is pretty startling," Bryan Henry, a meteorologist with the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, told The Washington Post last spring. By September, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildfires" target="_blank">wildfires</a> had burned more than five million acres in California, Oregon and Washington, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/09/24/climate/fires-worst-year-california-oregon-washington.html#:~:text=With%20more%20than%20a%20month,the%20largest%20fires%20ever%20recorded." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The New York Times reported</a>.</p>
<p>Understanding the threats limited snowpack had on regions, researchers were also able to use their models to make global projections. Coastal regions, the Arctic, Central Europe and South America will experience rapid snowpack melts sooner than the northern interiors of North America and Eurasia, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-00996-w" target="_blank">the scientists wrote</a>.</p><p>While their findings offer a dire warning, they could also help climate leaders focus on areas where action is most needed.</p><p>"I was excited by the simplicity of the explanation that we ultimately arrived at," Climate Scientist Ian Eisenman told Scripps Oceanography. "Our theoretical model provides a mechanism to explain why the observed snowmelt dates change so much more at some locations than at others, and it also predicts how snowmelt dates will change in the future under further warming."</p>
From Your Site Articles
- California's Dwindling Snowpack: Another Year of Drought, Floods ... ›
- California's Dire Drought Leads to Record Low Snowpack Levels at ... ›
- Climate Change Is Shrinking Winter Snowpack and Harming ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less