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Gourmet Grasshoppers and Designer Breeders
By The Editors It’s all about raising awareness and providing the necessary tools to make it globally feasible, bringing to the Western world what is common in many other places around the globe: eating insects, or better eating gourmet insect meals. In a previous post (Edible Insects: Will They Become a Global Diet Staple?) we wrote: “The human population keeps growing – by 2050, it’s likely there will be 9 billion people on our planet – or our village. Food may become scarce. What can we do to make sure there is enough of it for the growing population? We need to think differently, and look across cultures to find ways…
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The Worldwide Obesity Epidemic: Links to Bisphenol A
By The Editors In a previous post, we discussed globesity – the escalating global epidemic of overweight and obesity – and said that controlling globesity requires a variety of approaches, including the understanding of the association between obesity and exposure to environmental pollutants. There are many widespread environmental pollutants that may be contributing to the development of obesity. One of these pollutants is bisphenol A (BPA). In 2012, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that urine BPA is associated with obesity in children and adolescents. Now, results from a study published in the scientific journal PLOS One show that high levels of exposure to BPA…
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Turn Down the Heat: A New Report on the Effects of Climate Change
By The Editors In a previous post, “Redrawing the Energy-Climate Map”, we have mentioned the 4-for-2°C scenario – a concept from a World Energy Outlook Special Report released on June 10 by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Governments around the world have agreed to limit the long-term rise in the average global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius (°C). However, according to the report, the path we are currently on is more likely to result in a temperature increase of between 3.6 °C and 5.3 °C. Under the 4-for-2°C scenario, the global temperature increase could be limited to 2°C by implementing four energy policies that rely only on existing technologies and have…
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Autism and Air Pollution Go Together
By The Editors Autism, a severe developmental disorder that begins within the first three years after conception, is considered a global concern. The causes of autism are not well understood. Now, results from a study published online today, June 18, in the scientific journal “Environmental Health Perspectives” show that women exposed to air pollutants during pregnancy are up to twice as likely to have an autistic child than those living in areas with low air pollution. What is autism? The American Psychiatric Association defines autism as a disorder characterized by deficits in social interactions and communication skills, as well as the presence of stereotypic and repetitive behaviors. According to the Autism Research Institute “Most autistic children…
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2013 World Day to Combat Desertification: Today, June 17
By The Editors The theme of the 2013 World Day to Combat Desertification is drought and water scarcity. Freshwater is valuable. Of all the water on Earth, only 2.5 per cent is freshwater. And of all this freshwater, the total usable supply for ecosystems and humans is less than 1 per cent. When demand for water exceeds available supply, it results in water scarcity. This is why the World Economic Forum, in their Global Risk Report 2013, suggests that decreasing water supply is among the top five risks, both by likelihood and impact, that humanity faces over the next ten years. Increasing water scarcity and drought, in part as a result of climate change, will…
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Global High Tech Hubs, Applied Sciences and Net-Zero Energy Buildings
By The Editors At this time, it only offers a beta class (a one-year Masters of Engineering degree in Computer Science from Cornell University), with a handful of students housed in space donated by Google – in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. In the next few years, it will be a major global research and academic program that will confer graduate degrees and engage in research in the Applied Sciences – on Roosevelt Island, a 52-hectare sliver of land in the East River between Manhattan and Queens. We’re talking about Cornell NYC Tech and the launch of an innovative curriculum that leaves behind the traditional highly academic approach to learning and…
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A New Home for Marine Debris: The Deep Seafloor
By The Editors Plastic bags are everywhere, and when they get somewhere (we’re talking sea), they’re there to stay. As we mentioned in a previous post, plastic pollution is a major global threat. Plastics are durable, degrade very slowly and may persist in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years, resulting in the increasing accumulation of plastic debris in our seas. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is perhaps the most striking example of sea pollution caused by plastics and other debris. The United Nations Environment Programme defines marine debris as “any persistent manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the marine environment” (UNEP, 2009), We’re…
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Redrawing the Energy-Climate Map
By The Editors The energy sector is the single largest source of climate-changing greenhouse-gas emissions. Limiting these emissions is an essential focus of global action. A new World Energy Outlook Special Report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that the world is not on track to meet one of the targets agreed by governments. This target is to limit the long-term rise in the average global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius (°C). The path we are currently on is more likely to result in a temperature increase of between 3.6 °C and 5.3 °C. The report, which is entitled “Redrawing the Energy-Climate Map” and can be found at the IEA…
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Nail Polish, Painter Syndrome and Hazardous Waste
By The Editors In a previous post, we talked about the toxic substances that may be present in lipstick. Now, let’s take a look at nail polish. Nail polish may contain toxic chemicals potentially able to cause poisoning and Painter Syndrome. According to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the poisonous ingredients that may be found in nail polish are toluene, butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and dibutyl phthalate (this list may not be all-inclusive). MedlinePlus states that: “Swallowing or breathing in (inhaling) nail polish may lead to nail polish poisoning. Some people intentionally sniff nail polish to become intoxicated (drunk) by the fumes. Over time these people,…
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World Oceans Day: Today, June 8
By The Editors June 8th is World Oceans Day, the United Nations-designated day for the global community to celebrate and take action for our shared ocean. In previous posts, we have seen how plastic pollution harms our ocean by discussing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the Plastic Footprint. Although plastic pollution represents a major challenge for our ocean, it’s not the only one. The majority of waste we produce on land eventually reaches the ocean, either through deliberate dumping or from run-off through drains and rivers. World Oceans Day is a celebration and an opportunity to conserve our ocean. This year, the World Oceans Day theme is “Together we have the power to protect the ocean”. The…
