Sustain Our Earth

A growing body of mortality research on immigrants has shown that the longer they live in the United States, the worse their rates of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Washington (AFP) May 17, 2013 - Apple and US lawmakers are gearing up for a showdown over taxes - specifically how to deal with the huge stockpile of cash held by Apple and other multinational firms offshore.

Beijing (AFP) May 18, 2013 - China will not pay for CO2 emissions by its airlines on flights within Europe, a top civil aviation official reportedly said after the European Commission warned eight Chinese firms face fines for nonpayment.

Taipei (AFP) May 19, 2013 - Thousands of Taiwanese marched through the capital Taipei Sunday urging the government to halt construction of a nearly completed nuclear power plant, citing the Japanese atomic crisis.

Washington (UPI) May 17, 2013 -
The U.S. Interior Department has released revised proposed rules governing hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for oil and natural gas on federal land.

Chiang Mai, Thailand (AFP) May 19, 2013 - Asia's flood-prone megacities should fund major drainage, water recycling and waste reduction projects to stem deluges and secure clean supply for their booming populations, experts said Sunday.

Paris (AFP) May 19, 2013 - A global warming pause over the past decade may invalidate the harshest climate change predictions for the next 50 to 100 years, a study said Sunday - though levels remain in the danger zone.

Washington DC (SPX) May 20, 2013 - Amid concerns over the potential health effects of existing flame retardants for home furniture, fabrics and other material, scientists are reporting development of an exceptionally effective new...

Stanford CA (SPX) May 20, 2013 -
Among its many talents, silver is an antibiotic. Titanium dioxide is known to glom on to certain heavy metals and pollutants. Other materials do the same for salt.

IBM's Dave Bartlett dishes on his efforts with the company's Smarter Planet campaign and why he is so optimistic about his work.

Reuters reported on Wednesday that China’s environmental ministry has okayed the construction of a new hydroelectric dam on the Dadu River in the Sichuan province, which when completed will be the country’s largest.

Beach nourishment projects will restore shorelines but require expensive upkeep and affect ecosystems; federal taxpayers will foot the bill.

Hong Kong (AFP) May 18, 2013 - Hong Kong saw its first electric taxis hit the streets on Saturday in a step towards reducing the city's high levels of roadside pollution.

Brussels (AFP) May 19, 2013 - The latest tit-for-tat EU-China trade disputes could signal worse to come but both sides have a lot to lose if things get out of hand and harm the much-needed economic growth they seek, analysts said.

Beijing (AFP) May 18, 2013 - Three Foxconn workers have committed suicide at a factory in China in the past three weeks, a labour rights group said Saturday.

Houston TX (SPX) May 20, 2013 -
Frustration led to revelation when Rice University scientists determined how graphene might be made useful for high-capacity batteries.

Detroit (UPI) May 18, 2013 -
An invasive insect from Asia first spotted in Michigan two years ago could pose a major threat this year to fruit growers, officials say.

San Francisco CA (SPX) May 20, 2013 -
African frogs, originally imported for early 20th century pregnancy tests, carried a deadly amphibian disease to the U.S., according to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Seattle WA (SPX) May 21, 2013 -
The fin whale is the second-largest animal ever to live on Earth. It is also, paradoxically, one of the least understood.

The animal's huge size and global range make its movements and behavior hard to study.

A carcass that washed up on a Seattle-area beach this spring provided a reminder that sleek fin whales, nicknamed "greyhounds of the sea," are vulnerable to collision when they strike fast-moving ships. Knowing their swimming behaviors could help vessels avoid the animals. Understanding where and what they eat could also help support the fin whale's slowly rebounding populations.

 

Santa Barbara CA (SPX) May 20, 2013 - After taking a rented camper outfitted with special equipment to measure methane on a cross-continent drive, a UC Santa Barbara scientist has found that methane emissions across large parts of the U...

Refining Canada’s petroleum-soaked oil sands produces petroleum coke, and the question of what to do with it has found at least one answer in Detroit, where a large coke pile covers an entire city block.