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☆ A Climate Scientist Is Voted President of an Oil Country. Now What?
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Somini Sengupta | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mexico is the world’s 11th-largest oil producer. Now, it’s elected as its president a woman with a rare pedigree: a left-of-center climate scientist with a doctorate in environmental engineering named Claudia Sheinbaum. She was mayor of Mexico City, a vibrant metropolitan area of 23 million that faces a dire water crisis. She helped write the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, the sweeping United Nations documents that have warned the world about the hazards of burning fossil fuels. She’ll face the challenges of poverty, migration, organized crime and relations with the next president of the United States.

Persons: it’s, Claudia Sheinbaum, Sheinbaum, She’ll Organizations: United Nations, Energy Locations: Mexico, Mexico City, United States

☆ Toxic ‘forever’ chemicals found in excessive levels in global groundwater, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Potentially toxic chemicals called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are found in surface and groundwaters around the world at levels much higher than many international regulators allow, a new study found. Groundwater can be contaminated by PFAS from food and consumer products added to landfills as well as from manufacturing facilities. Public concern led to a commitment by manufacturers in 2008 to phase out use of PFOA and PFOS, two of the most widely used chemicals. Generally PFAS concentrations are higher in urban areas or areas that used PFAS products extensively, O’Connell said, but it is also leached into the environment in ways that may not be obvious. “Another example is that PFAS used to be used in ski wax, so pristine environments, where people ski, have PFAS in their waters and soils,” he said.

Persons: Mario Tama, ”, David Andrews, Andrews, ” Andrews, “, Denis O’Connell, O’Connell, ” O’Connell Organizations: CNN, US Environmental Protection Agency, Health Canada, EPA, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine . Studies, Environmental, Agency, Toxic Substances, Disease, Nature, University of New, Geological Survey, NSF, National Sanitation Foundation Locations: Mount Everest, Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney

Six people are presumed dead and two have been rescued from the Patapsco River, according to The New York Times. What Happened to Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge? Around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship called Dali struck a column of the bridge, according to reporting by The Baltimore Banner. Where Is the Francis Scott Key Bridge and How Long Is It? The Francis Scott Key Bridge was assessed as being in “fair” condition in 2023, according to the Federal Highway Administration’s National Bridge Inventory.

Persons: Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key, Wes Moore, Dali, Maryland Sen, Chris Van Hollen, Francis Scott Key, Helen Delich Bentley, Banner ”, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Moore, ”, Joe Biden, We're, “, Pete Buttigieg, Scott, Buttigieg, Joseph Schofer Organizations: The New York Times, Maryland Gov, Biden Administration, White, Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Banner, ABC News, Maryland, New York Times, Times, ” Synergy Marine Group, Baltimore Mayor, Transportation, Department of, World Association, Transport Infrastructure, U.S . News, Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering, ” Engineers Locations: Patapsco, Maryland’s, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Maryland, Baltimore, Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, Fort McHenry, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, U.S

☆ This simple solution could bring some chill to scorching summer heat
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But there might be a simple, potentially inexpensive way to put a chill on urban heat: retroreflectors. Tall buildings, dark roofs, asphalt and concrete absorb the sun’s rays and reflect its energy back into the environment as heat – the so-called urban heat island effect. Urban designers have started to implement simple solutions to counteract the urban heat phenomenon, including painting roads white, planting more trees and building green roofs. Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group/Getty ImagesBou-Zeid said retroreflective material could be developed as sheets or coatings to install on city surfaces. Instead, “a multi-technology cooling portfolio with cooling techniques tailored to localized conditions is required to combat the exacerbating urban heat stress globally.”

Persons: CNN — Summers, Elie Bou, ”, “, They’re, Joe Sohm, Zeid, Xinjie Huang, ” Huang Organizations: CNN, Princeton University, “, America, Princeton Locations: Netherlands, Italy, ” Bou, Los Angeles

☆ Locust Swarms Could Expand Their Range in a Hotter, Stormier World
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Raymond Zhong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Rising temperatures could expand the area of the globe under threat from crop-devouring locusts by up to 25 percent in the coming decades, a new study found, as more places experience the cycles of drought and torrential rain that give rise to biblical swarms of the insects. Desert locusts for millenniums have been the scourge of farmers across northern Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. They love hot, dry conditions, but they need the occasional downpour to moisten the soil in which they incubate their eggs. Human-caused warming is heating up the locusts’ home turf and intensifying sporadic rains there. That is exposing new parts of the region to potential infestations, according to the study, which was published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.

Persons: ” Organizations: National University of Singapore Locations: Africa, East, South Asia

☆ Humans are depleting groundwater faster than in the past 40 years, but places like Saudi Arabia and Thailand have figured out how to boost their freshwater reserves
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Suman Naishadham | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Humans in many parts of the world are pumping groundwater faster than it can be replenished. Places like Thailand and Saudi Arabia, however, have managed to slow groundwater depletion rates. USGSGroundwater is one of the largest freshwater sources anywhere in the world, making the depletion of aquifers a significant concern. AdvertisementGroundwater depletion is more severe now than a few decades agoFarms are responsible for much of the US's groundwater depletion. The Bangkok basin in Thailand is another example the study highlighted where groundwater levels rose in the early 21st century compared to previous decades.

Persons: Scott Jasechko, Upmanu Lall, Jasechko, Richard Taylor, Taylor, Hydrologists, Felicia Marcus, Marcus, you've Organizations: Service, University of California, Columbia University, Columbia Water Center, University College London hydrogeology, Stanford, Water, West Program Locations: Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Santa Barbara, drylands, Mexico, Iran, California, Bangkok, Thai, Tucson , Arizona, Colorado

☆ Mary Cleave, the first woman to fly on NASA’s space shuttle after Challenger disaster, dies at 76
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Mary Cleave, the NASA astronaut who in 1989 became the first woman to fly on a space shuttle mission after the Challenger disaster, has died at the age of 76, the space agency announced on Wednesday. “For me, space flight was great, but it was gravy on top of getting to fly in great airplanes,” she told NASA. Getting to orbitOn her first mission, flying on NASA’s Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1985, Cleave became the 10th woman to travel into space. Over the course of her two shuttle missions, Cleave spent more than 10 days in orbit. Cleave said she made the difficult decision to move on from the corps and NASA’s astronaut hub in Houston, taking a role at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland in 1991.

Persons: Mary Cleave, “, ”, Bob Cabana, “ Mary, ” Cleave —, —, Cleave, ” Cleave, Judith Resnick, Sally Ride, Sally, Cleave “ Organizations: CNN, NASA, Challenger, Science, Colorado State University, Utah State University, Atlantis, CapCom, Ride, Goddard Space Flight, Maryland Locations: Neck , New York, Utah, Houston, Maryland, Washington , DC

☆ How AI could power the climate breakthrough the world needs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Clare Duffy | Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

The tool uses data on the climate, water and soil of a particular location to measure how viable the landscape will be for growing in the coming years. “The way we think about AI is it’s a time and effectiveness multiplier to the solutions for climate change,” Gupta told CNN. But for all of AI’s promise, the infrastructure that supports the technology — data centers filled with rows of powerful, energy-sucking computers — could itself be a strain on the environment. For now, the amount of energy used to power AI is relatively small compared to what’s consumed by transportation or buildings. Data center operators like Google are already thinking about how to reduce the resources needed to power the computing behind their AI models.

Persons: David Rind, ClimateAi, Himanshu Gupta, ” Gupta, ”, Fengqi, “, Kara Lamb, Aditya, Dan Keeler, ” Keeler, Anna Liljedahl, ” Liljedahl, Keeler, Daniel Leal, ClimateAi’s Gupta, Anna Robertson, ” Robertson, Alex de Vries, Alex Kraus, Adam Selipsky, —, Gupta Organizations: David Rind . New York CNN, Farmers, CNN, Cornell, Getty, Technology, Climate Research, Google, Bloomberg, Web Services, —, “ Regulators, ” Tech Locations: David Rind . New York, India, Maharashtra, Columbia, American, Ireland, Oregon, United States

☆ Snowfall is changing across the globe, new maps show
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Eric Zerkel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Snowfall is declining globally as temperatures warm because of human-caused climate change, a new analysis and maps from a NOAA climate scientist show. There has already been a 2.7% decline in annual global snowfall since 1973, according to Brettschneider’s analysis of data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The increase in snowfall in the Northeast seen on the maps illustrates the complicated nature of changing precipitation patterns with climate change, scientists told CNN. “Even though the total snowfall trend was positive, the days per year with snowfall trend is negative,” Brettschneider told CNN. Managing water with less snowUnderstanding the implications of less snowfall on the global water supply is far more complicated than simply saying less snow falling means less available water, Mankin said.

Persons: ”, Brian Brettschneider, ” Snow, Justin Mankin, haven’t, ” Mankin, Jessica Lundquist, Lundquist, ” Lundquist, ” Brettschneider, Brettschneider, Mankin, “ Organizations: CNN, NOAA, Northeast, National Weather Service, Dartmouth College, University of Washington Locations: Alaska, Northern, California, American, “ California, snowpack, South Asia, Spain, Italy, Greece, North Africa, Morocco

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arson was the cause of a massive weekend fire that charred and indefinitely closed a vital section of a Los Angeles freeway, causing major traffic headaches for hundreds of thousands of commuters, California authorities said. Los Angeles residents were urged to avoid travel to the area Monday and to work from home if possible. Ertugrul Taciroglu, chair of the civil and environmental engineering department at the University of California, Los Angeles, said part of the challenge is how expensive real estate has become. The city and county of Los Angeles in 2020 agreed to provide housing for almost 7,000 people living under freeways and near exit and entrance ramps. Associated Press writer Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, “, ” Newsom, Crews shored, Joe Biden, Karen Bass, ” Bass, Newsom, ”, it’s, Shailen Bhatt, we’re, ” Bhatt, Blair Besten, Kristin Crowley, Daniel Berlant, They’ve, Mainak, ” D’Attaray, Ertugrul Taciroglu, ___ Watson, Christopher Weber, McMurray Organizations: ANGELES, Gov, ” LA, Associated Press, Business, Flames, California Fire, Apex Development, Inc, University of California, Transportation Locations: Los Angeles, California, LA, Long Beach, Angelenos, ”, Angeles, Philadelphia, downtown, She’s, —, San Diego, Chicago

The deal represents a bet on energy transition, as power utilities, grid operators and renewable energy developers turn to simulation software to fine-tune use of production capacity and maximize efficiencies. Vista, Blackstone, Riverside and Energy Exemplar declined to comment. Energy Exemplar has grown at an annual compound rate of 30% since 2018 under Riverside's ownership, the sources said. Blackstone is investing in Energy Exemplar through its energy transition arm, which is in the process of raising a new fund. Its previous investments include Transmission Developers, solar mounting firm Esdec, environmental engineering firm Geosyntec, environmental commodity exchange Xpansiv, and renewable energy firm Invenergy.

Persons: Blackstone, Anirban Sen, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Blackstone Group, REUTERS, Blackstone, Vista Equity Partners, Australia's, . Energy, Riverside Company, Blackstone Energy, Partners, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, The, Developers, Foundation, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Vista, Blackstone, Riverside, North Adelaide, The New York, New York

They're “the most potent greenhouse gases known to modern science,” as one research paper put it and they're growing fast. With the Environmental Protection Agency required to phase out one family of the chemicals 85% by 2036, the push is on to develop and spread cleaner alternatives. With more than 200 million gasoline cars in the U.S. alone, Groll said that amounts to approximately 100 million pounds of refrigerant leaking out into the atmosphere each year. The need to minimize refrigerant leaks has spurred a reuse and reclamation industry. ___Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations.

Persons: Jennifer Byrne, Byrne, ” Byrne, Eckhard Groll, Groll, Danielle Wright, “, let’s, ” Wright, Mike Armstrong, ”, Anthony Nash, ” Armstrong, Christopher Cappa, Davis, ” Cappa, Wright, Jarad Mason, Mason Organizations: PHILADELPHIA, Environmental Protection Agency, Purdue University, Supermarkets, Gas, University of California, Trane Technologies, Harvard University, AP Locations: West Philadelphia, U.S, Dallas , Texas, Toledo , Ohio, Punta Gorda , Florida, Americas, refrigerants

☆ Over 10,000 pre-Columbian earthworks are still hidden in the Amazon, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Known as earthworks, they were shaped by indigenous peoples who lived in the area around 500 to 1,500 years ago. Many Amazonian earthworks that predate the arrival of European colonizers are revealed in deforested areas. Heckenberger, who was not involved in the study, has conducted research in the Brazilian Amazon since the 1990s, working with indigenous peoples of the Xingu region. These findings further demonstrate that the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples in the Americas and elsewhere is “remarkably dynamic and innovative,” he added. So the scientists also mapped 937 known earthworks, instructing the model to highlight locations for potential earthworks that shared similar topographic features with previously detected sites.

Persons: it’s, ”, Vinicius Peripato, Peripatos, Michael Heckenberger, ” Heckenberger, Peripato, ” Peripato, lidar, Dr, Juan Carlos Fernandez Diaz, ” Fernandez Diaz, “, Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, University of Florida, Brazilian Amazon, University of Houston, Scientific Locations: São Paulo, Brazilian, Americas, Brazil, Amazonia

☆ Africa’s first carbon-removal plant stokes questions about responsible climate solutions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Nidhi Sharma | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Others say that direct air capture is a necessary part of a diverse effort to limit global warming. Carbon removal companies such as Climeworks create carbon credits corresponding to units of carbon dioxide captured by their plants — these credits can be purchased by companies to offset their carbon emissions. Some say investing in direct air capture technology is pointless. "If it's being used for direct air capture, it's not being used for something else. Many global climate leaders agree.

Persons: Bilha Ndirangu, watchdogs, Ugbaad Kosar, that's, Jonathan Foley, Ndirangu, Carlijn Nouwen, Nouwen, Olúfẹ́mi, Táíwò, That's, Mark Jacobson, it's, Julie Gosalvez, Climeworks, Gosalvez Organizations: Deutsches Museum, United Nations, Africa Climate Summit, Georgetown University, Stanford University Locations: Munich, Kenya, Swiss, Climeworks, Carbon, Africa, Nairobi, Saharan Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia

☆ In the country of ‘machismo,’ a woman will be the next president
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Rafael Romo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Sheinbaum, a 61-year-old former Mexico City mayor and longtime political ally of Lopez Obrador, hit all the right notes in thanking him. Lopez Obrador promises to ‘retire completely’Schettino believes the immensely popularly Lopez Obrador views Sheinbaum as his extension in power. In 2012, Lopez Obrador created Morena as a political party. “President López Obrador, a dinosaur who not only is a dinosaur, but also has the vocation of a tyrant. Earlier this year, Lopez Obrador denied he had any favorites among his party’s hopefuls or that he was pushing for one candidate or another behind the scenes.

Persons: Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Claudia Sheinbaum, Lopez Obrador, Morena, Sheinbaum, ”, –, Xochitl Gálvez, It’s, Lopez, Xochitl Galvez, wasn’t, Gálvez, López Obrador, Vicente Fox, Gálvez unapologetically, Macario, she’s, don’t, ” Schettino, “, let’s, it’s, ” Sheinbaum, ‘, Schettino, hew Organizations: CNN, Mexico City, Broad Front, PAN, PRI, PRD, Front, Mexican Congress, Social, Institutional Revolutionary Party, Party of Democratic Locations: Mexico City, Mexico, Monterrey, Mexican, Mexico’s

A scientist who studies the airborne transmission of diseases, a master hula dancer and cultural preservationist, and the sitting U.S. poet laureate were among the 20 new recipients of the prestigious fellowships from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, known as “genius grants,” announced on Wednesday. MacArthur fellows receive a grant of $800,000 over five years to spend however they want. Fellows are nominated and endorsed by their peers and communities through an often yearslong process that the foundation oversees. Many past fellows like Octavia Butler, Paul Farmer and Twyla Tharp are luminaries in their fields and Marlies Carruth, who directs the MacArthur Fellows program, emphasized that they hope fellows will support and inspire each other. "To think that I’ve actually been selected as one is really mind-blowing,” she said, of the MacArthur fellows.

Persons: John D, Catherine T, ”, MacArthur, it’s, Ada Limón, Allamay Barker, “, Limón, ” Limón, Octavia Butler, Paul Farmer, Twyla Tharp, Carruth, Andrea Armstrong, Patrick Makuakāne, Imani Perry, Linsey Marr, Marr, Ian Bassin, Bassin, Tendayi, Rina Foygel Barber, Courtney Bryan, Jason D, María Magdalena Campos, Pons, Raven Chacon, Diana Greene Foster, Lucy Hutyra, Carolyn Lazard, Lester Mackey, Manuel Muñoz, Williams, Amber Wutich Organizations: MacArthur Foundation, University of Montevallo, NASA, Marlies Carruth, MacArthur Fellows, Loyola University New Orleans, College of Law, Black, Virginia Tech, Protect Democracy, MacArthur, Mexican American, Associated, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Lexington , Kentucky, Alabama, Louisiana, Caribbean, Americas, Mexican, Central

Mining operations account for some 4%-7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to global consulting firm McKinsey & Company. But some miners are moving to reduce use of fossil fuels in extracting and refining, partly due to pressure from downstream customers that want more sustainable supply chains. Located beside a crystal-blue lake in the lush jungle of Sorowako, South Sulawesi, Vale Indonesia — a subsidiary of Vale international — runs its smelters entirely from hydroelectricity. Other companies and countries around the world also are reducing use of fossil fuels in their mining operations. But now, having that infrastructure means big savings at a time when global energy prices are high.

Persons: Michael Goodsite, “, Joko Widodo, Widodo, “ Ford, ” Christopher Smith, Febriany Eddy, Eddy, it’s, ” Eddy, Aimee Boulanger, there’s, they’ve, ” Goodsite Organizations: McKinsey & Company, Vale, Companies, University of Adelaide, Volvo, Mercedes, Hyundai, Apple, Ford Motor Co, Vale Indonesia, Associated Press, Initiative for, Mining Assurance, —, AP Locations: SOROWAKO, Indonesia, Indonesian, Sulawesi, Sorowako, South Sulawesi, Indonesia —, Chile, Raglan, Canada, Australia, ” Indonesia, Vale Indonesia, China, United States

☆ Underground climate change: How heat is trapped under the surface, threatening buildings
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Maura Barrett | Lucas Thompson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"There's already a significant amount of heat beneath our feet," Rotta Loria said. The research, published in July in the journal Nature, detailed how heat trapped under the surface is causing a phenomenon called "underground climate change" and could cause major cities including Chicago, New York and London to "sink." This underground climate change is different from the climate change in the atmosphere, which comes from greenhouse gasses caused by burning fossil fuels. As the heat spreads, the ground also deforms, which can cause city structures and infrastructure to crack. While researchers have worried about the potential of cities to sink due to heavy building loads, spreading heat like this can cause similar displacements.

Persons: Alessandro Rotta Loria, Loria, Rotta Loria Organizations: Northwestern University Locations: Chicago, United States, Chicago , New York, London

Earth is exceeding its “safe operating space for humanity” in six of nine key measurements of its health, and two of the remaining three are headed in the wrong direction, a new study said. Earth’s climate, biodiversity, land, freshwater, nutrient pollution and “novel” chemicals (human-made compounds like microplastics and nuclear waste) are all out of whack, a group of international scientists said in Wednesday’s journal Science Advances. “We are in very bad shape,” said study co-author Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. Water went from barely safe to the out-of-bounds category because of worsening river run-off and better measurements and understanding of the problem, Rockstrom said. Political Cartoons View All 1157 ImagesIf Earth can manage these nine factors, Earth could be relatively safe.

Persons: ”, Johan Rockstrom, “, Rockstrom, it’s, –, ” Rockstrom, Jonathan Overpeck, ” Overpeck, Neil Donahue, Duke’s Stuart Pimm, Granger Morgan, ” “ I’ve, ” Morgan, Seth Borenstein Organizations: Potsdam Institute, Climate, Research, Biodiversity, ” University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, Twitter, AP Locations: Germany, Paris

☆ How much water is left in the Colorado River? Scientists and officials are scrambling to find out
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It’s a remarkable turnaround that will give back billions of gallons of Colorado River water to millions of people in the Southwest, primarily in Arizona and Nevada. Snow-covered peaks near the headwaters of the Colorado River outside Winter Park, Colorado, in March. Scientists estimate that Colorado River flows have decreased by about 20% compared to the early 20th century. “There are tough choices ahead,” Becky Mitchell, the Colorado commissioner for the Upper Colorado River Commission, told CNN. Bill Hasencamp, the manager of Colorado River Resources for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Persons: It’s, Brenda Burman, “, Will Lanzoni, Jessica Lundquist, ” Lundquist, Jason Connolly, Jonathan Overpeck, ” Overpeck, you’ve, Brad Udall, Udall, ” Udall, We’ve, haven’t, “ What’s, ” Becky Mitchell, “ It’s, ” Burman, ”, Bill Hasencamp Organizations: CNN, Southwest, Central Arizona Project, of Reclamation, University of Washington, Rockies, Getty, University of Michigan’s School for Environment, Sustainability, Biden, UCLA, Colorado State University, Scientists, The Central, Commission, Colorado River Resources, Metropolitan Water Locations: Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Rocky, University, Winter, , Colorado, AFP, Lake Mead, The Central Arizona, Scottsdale , Arizona, Phoenix, Metropolitan Water District, Southern California, Los Angeles

☆ Mapping Out Their Future on a Spreadsheet
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Rosalie R. Radomsky | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Sachi Alita Takahashi-Rial and George Carl Gaetano Carollo sent out their online wedding invitations in March, which left some people amused, and others guessing. It said: “You’re invited to the first Investor Offsite for pre-eminent investors worldwide. “Are you getting married or raising a venture capital fund?” asked one friend. After all, Mr. Carollo, 34, is a founder and the chief operating officer of Dover, a job recruiting technology platform start-up. He graduated with distinction with two bachelor’s degrees, one in economics and another in urban studies, from Stanford, from which he also received a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering.

Persons: Sachi Alita Takahashi, George Carl Gaetano Carollo, “ You’re, ”, Carollo Locations: Vacaville, Calif, Dover, Stanford

☆ Epic OneWater Brew: The beer made from recycled shower water
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

More states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Washington, are in the process of updating their water reuse regulations. In 2017, two California-based brewers produced limited-edition beers made from recycled water, to serve at local events. “When I got into the water industry, there was a lot of often-repeated tropes that the general public was just not ready for recycled water,” he says. There’s a mental perception that recycled water is not as clean as other sources of water. “You’re going to start hearing a lot more about a lot of different industries using recycled water for their products.

Persons: ”, Aaron Tartakovsky, Germany —, it’s, ” Tartakovsky, “, Cleantec, Tartakovsky, David Sedlak, Sedlak, Daniel McCurry, McCurry, “ You’re Organizations: CNN, Berkeley Water Center, University of California, Civil, Environmental Engineering, University of Southern Locations: San Francisco, Germany, California, Texas, Arizona , Colorado , Florida, New Mexico, Washington, Southern California, Singapore, Australia, Berkeley, University of Southern California, San Diego

☆ ‘Underground climate change’ is deforming the ground beneath buildings, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —A phenomenon that scientists have called “underground climate change” is deforming the ground beneath cities, a study conducted in Chicago has found. Technically known as “subsurface heat islands,” underground climate change is the warming of the ground under our feet, caused by heat released by buildings and subterranean transportation such as subway systems. “Deformations caused by underground climate change are relatively small in magnitude, but they continuously develop,” he said. “Calling it climate change seems like a bit of a coattail thing,” Archer, who was not involved with the study, said. The term “underground climate change,” however, was not coined for this study — it has been in use, and the phenomenon a subject of research, for some time.

Persons: ”, Alessandro Rotta Loria, Rotta Loria, David Archer, ” Archer, Rotta, Bruce Leighty, David Toll Organizations: CNN, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, “, Communications Engineering, Chicago, Institute of Hazard, Durham University Locations: Chicago, Evanston , Illinois, Grant Park, Lake Michigan, United Kingdom

☆ Henry Petroski, Whose Books Decoded Engineering, Dies at 81
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Richard Sandomir | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Henry Petroski, who demystified engineering with literary examinations of the designs and failures of large structures like buildings and bridges, as well as everyday items like the pencil and the toothpick, died on June 14 in hospice care in Durham, N.C. His wife, Catherine Petroski, said the cause was cancer. Dr. Petroski, a longtime professor of civil and environmental engineering at Duke University, adapted the architectural axiom “form follows function” into one of his own — “form follows failure” — and addressed the subject extensively in books, lectures, scholarly journals, The New York Times and magazines like Forbes and American Scientist. “Failure is central to engineering,” he said when The Times profiled him in 2006. “Every single calculation that an engineer makes is a failure calculation.

Persons: Henry Petroski, Catherine Petroski, Petroski, ”, “ Organizations: Duke University, The New York Times, Forbes, The Times, Kansas City Hyatt Regency Locations: Durham, N.C, American, Kansas, Tacoma, Washington State

☆ How Much Can a Water Filter Do?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Dana G. Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Since the passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act, though, other water-monitoring issues have arisen. He gave the example of nitrate, an agricultural pollutant that’s present in the water supply in Des Moines. While the local water treatment plant takes steps to remove the contaminant, there are questions about whether the allowable levels could still cause health harms. In several of the recent crises, contamination occurred when lead leached into the water as it traveled through the distribution pipes. National regulations about the amount of lead permitted in pipes have been strengthened over the years, but many old water distribution systems have not been updated and contain unsafe levels.

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