Tag Archives: environment

New study links air pollution and early death in the U.K.

In a study appearing this month in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, MIT researchers report that emissions from cars, trucks, planes and powerplants cause 13,000 premature deaths in the United Kingdom each year. The researchers analyzed data from 2005, the most recent year for which information is available. They found that among the various […] … learn more→

Pesticide tied to bee colony collapse

The likely culprit in sharp worldwide declines in honeybee colonies since 2006 is imidacloprid, one of the most widely used pesticides, according to a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). The authors, led by Alex Lu, associate professor of environmental exposure biology in the Department of Environmental Health, write that the […] … learn more→

Planet under Pressure 2012: here’s the wrap

The Planet Under Pressure 2012 Conference was held in London a fortnight back and released the first State of the Planet Declaration. The conference aim was to set out the science (in a broad sense) in the run-up to the UN Rio+20 conference. The recommendations in the statement have been passed onto the Secretary-General of […] … learn more→

Robots to sense environment: A new edge to next Gen surveillance

Scientists at Lockheed Martin have been developing prototypes at the Advanced Technologies Laboratory, which are expected to obtain useful intelligence in sensitive areas. This prototype was unveiled last month and can survey its environment, calculate lines of sight, locate good hiding places and detect potential threats. These prototype robots have been created with stealthy bodies […] … learn more→

Calculating the cost of advanced manufacturing

For Tim Gutowski, advanced manufacturing is an opportunity not just to boost employment, but also to improve the environment. Gutowski heads MIT’s Environmentally Benign Manufacturing research group, which looks at the environmental costs and impacts associated with manufacturing traditional materials such as concrete and steel, as well as advanced and emerging technologies such as semiconductors, […] … learn more→

Landscape, literature, life

Over the past few years, the genre of ‘nature writing’ has seen a new sense of urgency, fostered by a growing awareness of a natural world under pressure. Dr Robert Macfarlane, from the University of Cambridge, Faculty of English, believes that writers have played, and continue to play, a central role in conservation by engaging […] … learn more→

Productive farms can be \’greener than organic\’

Farms that aim for high food production using environmentally-friendly practices could be better for the environment than both organic and conventional farms. A study, led by Oxford University scientists, compared the environmental impact of different farming systems. The researchers found that ‘integrated’ farms that maximised crop yields whilst using environmentally-friendly techniques – such as crop […] … learn more→

Make LOHAS a family activity

What is LOHAS? LOHAS is an abbreviation for ‘lifestyles of health and sustainability’. People who subscribe to LOHAS values are focused on their personal development, health and fitness, on the environment and sustainable living, and on social justice. Research indicates that 25% of adults in the USA endorse these lifestyle choices – an encouraging percentage […] … learn more→