Good Food is First Food. It is not junk food. It is the food that connects nature and nutrition with livelihoods. This food is good for our health; it comes from the rich biodiversity of our regions; it provides employment to people. Most importantly, cooking and eating give us pleasure. …
Climate troublemaker El Niño's strength — already tied for the most powerful on record — will peak within the next month before weakening in the spring, according to a forecast issued Thursday. That means the USA is set to receive even more desperately needed rain and snow in the drought-plagued …
The nonmedical use of prescription opioids is a major public health issue in the United States, both because of the overall high prevalence and because of marked increases in associated morbidity and mortality. In 2014, a total of 10.3 million persons reported using prescription opioids nonmedically (i.e., using medications that …
Peridomestic (“backyard”) chicken flocks are gaining popularity in the developed world (e.g., North America or Europe), yet little is known regarding prevalence or severity of their ectoparasites. Therefore, five birds on each of 20 properties throughout southern California were surveyed in summer for on-host (permanent) and off-host dwelling (temporary) ectoparasites. …
Residents of a southern California community on Saturday implored air quality officials to force a gas company to take steps to mitigate a natural gas leak that has reportedly caused health issues and damaged property since it began three months ago. The five-member hearing board of the South Coast Air …
An El Niño-strengthened storm brought widespread rain to drought-stricken California on Tuesday, triggering flooding that clogged roadways, and authorities warned residents about possible mud slides. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flash flood watches for much of the coast from San Diego to San Francisco and said storms would …
A new study estimates that $2.2 billion in benefits came from reduced greenhouse gas emissions and $5.2 billion from reductions in other air pollution for state renewable portfolio standard (RPS) policies operating in 2013. The report also shows national water withdrawals and consumption were reduced by 830 billion gallons and …
Exposure to ambient air pollution is a major risk factor for global disease. Assessment of the impacts of air pollution on population health and the evaluation of trends relative to other major risk factors requires regularly updated, accurate, spatially resolved exposure estimates. We combined satellite-based estimates, chemical transport model (CTM) …
Sustainable transportation biofuels may require considerable changes in land use to meet mandated targets. Understanding the possible impact of different policies on land use and greenhouse gas emissions has typically proceeded by exploring either ecosystem or economic modelling. Here we integrate such models to assess the potential for the US …
Long-term exposure to fine particles (particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm; PM2.5) has been consistently linked to heart and lung disease. Recently, there has been increased interest in examining the effects of air pollution on the nervous system, with evidence showing potentially harmful effects on neurodegeneration. The researchers objective was to …
ST. LOUIS – Surging Midwestern rivers forced hundreds of evacuations, threatened dozens of levees and brought transportation by car, boat or train to a virtual standstill Thursday in the St. Louis area. Swollen rivers and streams, already high from a wet late fall, were pushed to heights not seen in …
To increase conservation efforts and crack down on illegal trophy hunting, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has granted two lion subspecies - one native to India and central and western Africa, and the other to eastern and southern Africa - protection under the Endangered Species Act (EPA). There …
California’s forests have already lost millions of trees in recent years due to rising temperatures, the drought and a plague of bark beetle infestations. But if the drought persists, millions of more trees throughout the state could die, according to a study published this week in Proceedings of the National …
Barack Obama has offically banned the use of microbeads in personal cosmetic products that pollute lakes, rivers and oceans. The law, called the‘Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015’, was approved by the House of Representatives earlier this month. Microbeads, which are tiny plastic beads, are regularly used in personal care products …
Environmental groups have sued Oregon wildlife officials for removing gray wolves from a list of state-protected endangered species, officials said on Thursday. Three environmental groups led by the Center for Biological Diversity filed a brief petition for judicial review with the Oregon Court of Appeals on Wednesday. "It's not rocket …
From rain, hail and soaring temperatures to a tornado - this year's weather had it all. If Santa really did reside at the North Pole, he could probably have doffed his thick coat for a few hours this week to dig his sled out of the slush. Despite being shrouded …
The United States will need new legislation to achieve its long-term target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 80 percent by 2050. In this issue brief, show how a national carbon price—in the form of either a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade program—can help the United States …
Water scarcity challenges industries around the world. Global population growth and economic development suggest a future of increased demand, competition, and cost for limited freshwater supplies. Scarcer water, in turn, creates new challenges for energy supply because coal, oil, gas, and electricity production can require massive amounts of freshwater. Yet …
Global warming or hot air? Democratic politicians say climate change is a grave threat to the US. Their Republican counterparts accuse them of alarmism over a non-issue. A close study of public opinion suggests that neither stance chimes with a majority of Americans. Voters are best described as worried but …
Swollen rivers in the U.S. Midwest and other regions brought flood warnings for over 12 million Americans on Wednesday as scores of buildings were submerged after days of intense rain in which 24 people have died. Two rivers west of St. Louis crested at historic levels, flooding local towns, disabling …
