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By Amy MillerI thought I recycled everything possible. Papers here. Bottles there. Food waste in the yard. Yes, my trash was reduced to simply trash.Then my town started a Pay-As-You-Throw program. Suddenly there was this system of measurement and it became like a game. Each Blue Bag counted.And so…
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- Notre Dame Researchers Demonstrate New DNA Detection Technique (Dec 16, 2011) A team of researchers from the University of Notre Dame have demonstrated a novel DNA detection method that could prove suitable for many real-world…
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- 2011 State of the Forest: Annual Report on Virginia's Forests (Nov 2011) The Virginia Department of Forestry's 2011 State of the Forest report says the state has lost 16,000 acres of woodlands annually over the last decade…
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- NASA - Climate Change May Bring Big Ecosystem Changes (Dec 14, 2011) By 2100, global climate change will modify plant communities covering almost half of Earth's land surface and will drive the conversion of nearly 40 percent…
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- Weed Science Society of America Says Flooding along Our Nation's Rivers Worsened by Invasive Weeds (Dec 5, 2011) This year flooding has ravaged thousands of homes and businesses in communities across the U.S. And scientists say…
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- US Forest Service Takes Action to Confront the Threat of Invasive Species (Dec 5, 2011) The Forest Service has finalized the development of an internal directive to the Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2900 policy for invasive species…
By Amy MillerWe went to buy our Christmas tree last weekend. We couldn’t remember where that one cut- your-own place was, we weren’t sure if that other cut-your-own place was still in business and anyway, we really didn’t have much time for a sentimental ritual in between Benjamin’s…
by Jeanethe FalveyLast Friday, I wrote to you all to say we would be reporting out and helping to share your ideas about the simple ways we can all help our environment. With 8,028 sign ups now around the world, I’ll first share a little international tidbit. One of the comments left last week was…
By Carmen TorrentRecently, I had a respiratory problem and had to use an inhaler to breathe better. It’s very difficult to describe the sensation of helplessness that I felt because I never experienced something like that before. I was very lucky because I was with two of my colleagues who knew…
Por Carmen TorrentRecientemente tuve un problema respiratorio y por primera vez tuve que utilizar un inhalador. La sensación de impotencia es algo difícil de describir. Por suerte dos colegas sabían qué hacer y me ayudaron. Después de estabilizarme, recuerdo como una de ellas me decía:…
Each week we write about the science behind environmental protection.Previous Science Wednesdays.By Aaron FersterI’m a big fan of those “Top Ten” lists that come out at the end of every year. I like to track how many of my favorite movie critic’s Top Ten List of Films I’ve caught during…
Although most energy in the United States is produced by fossil-fuel and nuclear power plants, hydroelectricity is still important to the Nation, as about 7 percent of total power is produced by hydroelectric plants. To create hydroelectric power huge power generators are placed inside dams. Water…
By Amy MillerPainstakingly I am switching from incandescent light bulbs to energy-saving CFLs. One by one as bulbs burn out I twist in newly purchased energy saving bulbs.I started in the bathroom, under glass sconces where you couldn’t really see the weird shape of the bulbs. Who needs…
By Jeri WeissHere’s a quick quiz: 1. What happens to the packaged snacks second graders decide not to eat? 2. What do hotels do with the half rolls of toilet-paper and half bottles of shampoo you leave behind? 3. Where does uneaten food, including food still in wrappers, end up after a conference…
By Jeanethe FalveyIt’s time to catch my breath and begin an archaeological dig to find my desk again. Utterly astounding what happens to it, even protected from the natural events that douse, drench and sock Boston this time of year.As I recycle used post-its and make a fresh to-do list, I find…
By Amy MillerMy dog is cute, but she poops.I knew when I decided to get a dog that she would poop. Every day.So I called my friends with dogs. What do you do with the poop, I asked. And then I started hearing the numbers. The official, how-bad-is-dog-poop-for-the-environment numbers. It turns out:…
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- Ecologist Honored for Creating Weed Warriors Program to Fight Invasive Species (Nov 19, 2011) The U.S. Forest Service and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay have honored ecologist Carole Bergmann for creating the Weed Warrior…
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- U.S. House Passes Bill Stripping States of Authority to Regulate Ballast Water Discharges (Nov 2011) A proposal passed by the U.S. House Nov 15 would strip states of the authority to establish ballast water standards that are more…
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- EPA Proposes Updated Vessel General Permit and Permit for Small Vessels/Action Would Help Protect U.S. Water Quality and Lower Invasive Species risk (Nov 30, 2011) The EPA is issuing two draft vessel general permits that would…
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- Plants Pests: The Biggest Threats to Food Security (Nov 8, 2011) The threat posed to crop production by plant pests and diseases is one the key factors that could lead to "a perfect storm" that threatens to destabilise…