Just Stop Oil : Are They Society’s Friends or Foes

It’s a known fact that fossil fuel use has caused severe damages to the environment specifically in geographical locations where they are sourced and produced. That is why the British environmental activist group that calls itself the “Just Stop Oil”(JSO) group is using direct action by carrying out civil resistance, traffic obstruction and vandalism to force the British government to put an end to all licensing and production actions related to fossil fuel.

The continued use of fossil fuel has caused serious damages to the planet that humanity is already racing against time when the damages caused are no longer reversible. The JSO activists have recently been taking desperate steps in demanding the immediate halt on all future approval of licenses to conduct further exploration and production of fossil fuels in the United Kingdom.

Young People are Spearheading the Protest Actions

Majority of the activists are young people whose future as adults and the future of their children are the ones who will be gravely affected by the dreaded effects of global warming. However, it became apparent that Britons are generally not concerned about the future but are more focused in dealing with the present.

In their recent protest, motorists did not wait for police authorities to apprehend the protesters for obstructing traffic that was causing disorder. Citizens took it upon themselves to remove the protesters. At Wimbledon, some even expressed disdain rather than support for the activists since they had disrupted a much awaited sports event.

The “Just Stop Oil” group first attracted attention in March after they founded their group in February 2022. People are wondering why the JSO activists are taking their protest to the streets and to places where they will cause disruption in order to attract attention. Yet an observer said it was more thoughtful to ask

 

“”Why fewer people are taking actions aimed at reducing the threats posed by climate change?”

How Acts of War Undo Efforts to Reduce CO2 Emissions

How can the goal to reduce carbon emissions be achieved if armed conflicts continue to contribute emissions and cause setbacks in economic developments. Various societal and environmental destructions happen during armed conflicts, which bring in new sources of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.

When environmental governance collapses, any attempts or efforts to address environmental issues are limited or restricted. What’s even worse is when some of these issues remain even after the armed conflict has ended; particularly in ungoverned areas and where weak institutions allow unsustainable activities to carry on.

A Cursory Look at the Direct Impact of Wars on the Environment

Oftentimes in a conflict, storage and transportation infrastructures, as well as oil fields and depots are targets of destruction, as what had happened in Iraq, Syria, Colombia and most recently in Ukraine. This is chiefly because oil infrastructure is utilized as a fiery weapon, which generate huge amounts of emissions. The pollution and emissions can have a long lasting effect, as exemplified by the quickly melting Tibetan glaciers caused by the deposited soot.

Other targets of warfare include vegetation, the destruction of which also contributes to carbon emissions. In the north east, Israel’s protected aread lit up after incendiary kites landed.

Wars Also Bring On Indirect Emissions

A lot of indirect emissions are produced by active conflicts, albeit difficult to gauge. The most significant indirect emissions come from the energy used to deliver humanitarian aid and in rebuilding the destroyed infrastructures.

Citizens need fuel, but the energy infrastructure and markets greatly affected by conflicts, are struggling to keep up with the high demand amidst a low supply. As a consequence, people resort to other efficient alternatives even if actually harmful and less sustainable. Continued use of non-clean energy is likely where the population has limited understanding of global warming and its effect on climate conditions, much less on how polluting practices increase carbon emissions. This has been the case in countries like South Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and the DRC.

Moreover, delivering water, shelter, and food to victims of war, use fuel in order to carry on. Actually, the humanitarian sector shows a large amount of carbon footprint since fuel use in war torn areas is very high. Statistics reveal that in 2017, fuel use amounted to about $1.2 billion or 5% of the aid expenditure just to power up generators and to provide electricity for logistics. The indirect emissions produced by humanitarian activities are therefore relatively high.

Nevertheless, development and humanitarian agencies such as the UNHCR are making progress in shifting to clean energy as a means of addressing the issue. The UN Refugee agency has already saved around 1 metric ton of carbon dioxide during 2019. However, as armed conflicts continue to transpire, the direct and indirect carbon dioxide emissions tend to undo previous efforts .

Climate Scientists Surprised with Findings of Global Carbon Project but Remain Optimistic in Achieving Climate Goals

Climate scientists were surprised by findings that revealed how global CO2 emissions reverted to the same levels recorded before the COVID-19 lockdowns. As countries from all over the world were forced to halt non-essential businesses and activities including non-essential travels, carbon dioxide emissions declined by 5.4% on 2020.

However, Global Carbon Project released a scientific report that foresees the planet-heating CO2 gas will increase by 4.9% this 2021. Scientists mentioned that this year’s increase in CO2 emissions emphasizes how important it is for everyone to take part in the emergency actions agreed upon by world leaders in the COP 26 summit in Glasgow.

Are the COP 26 Emergency Climate Actions Achievable?

The fast recovery of greenhouse gas emissions clashes with the challenging goal of cutting carbon dioxide to prevent the global temperature from rising at 1.5°C. According to scientists, it is the global warming temperature level at which the planet will experience destructive conditions/

University of East Anglia’s Prof. Corinne Le Quéré mentioned that in order to limit climate change to below 1.5°C, CO2 emissions have to go down to net zero by year 2050. Professor Le Quéré added that by addressing this by way of a straight line approach, it mean that global emissions will have cut down 1.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

While this can be challenging, climate scientists are saying that this is achievable. During global lockdowns last year, the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions reached 1.9 billion tonnes. That raises hopes that through concerted global actions the goal to reduce CO2 to net zero is still achievable.

Flooding Impact to Increase as Demographic Changes Occur in Flood-Prone Areas

The findings of a recent study about flooding revealed that the percentage of people at risk from flooding has increased by a fourth since the year 2000. Moreover, the analyses of documented satellite images exhibited that the increase in the number of populations vulnerable to flooding incidents is mainly due to the surge in migration in the flood-prone areas.

The study concluded that while it is evident that climate change has been contributing to the severity and frequency of flooding incidents, demographic growth will increase the impact of flooding. The study mentioned that of all environmental disasters, flooding occurrences have had the most impact.

What the Study Analyses Revealed

Based on satellite images, the researchers were able to estimate the number of populations impacted by more than 900 floodings that occurred between 2000 to 2018. It presented data that shows more people have been migrating to flood-prone countries, instead of avoiding them.

Researchers estimate that about 34% of the population increased in geographical locations where most floodings occurred. While these seems confusing, a factor cited as growth driver in Dhaka, Bangladesh are the cheaper costs of low lands in flood prone areas.

As the main causes of flooding are snow, ice melt, heavy rainfall and tropical storms, it is expected that the percentage of flooding risk will continue to rise by 2030. Although about two percent of the floods were caused by dam breaches, they mostly occurred where a large populations are concerned. Researchers estimate that by year 2030, approximately 179.2 million people will be affected by floods within the 100-year zones because of demographic change

Data Analysis Also Showed Why Flood Preparation Plans Failed

In latest flooding events, China and Germany were hit with a record rainfall that overpowered their line of defences against flooding. According to the authors of the study, preparing for floods is quite challenging since the flood maps indicating where flood waters would possibly penetrate are only based on climate models.

However, the models do not have the ability to predict unexpected events like dam breaches. Also, the flooding simulations forgot to include infrastructure modifications and population growth, which posed significant limitations in their use for flood preparation plans.

An example cited by the study authors is the flooding that happened in Texas in 2017 caused by Hurricane Harvey. There was lack of preparation since the more than 80,000 houses that were flooded were not reflected on the state government’s risk maps. Therefore, the better approach in developing flooding simulations, is by using collected information pertaining to actual rainfall, elevation and data coming from ground sensors.

Calls for Unified Federal Response in Addressing Worsening Wildfire Pollution

Recently, the American Thoracic Society published a report to support calls for a unified federal response in addressing effects of wildfire smoke exposure.

The Respiratory Impacts of Wildland Fire Smoke report was released In anticipation of a wildfire season largely expected to be among the worst to take place. It calls for further federal investment in wildfire research to include not only on the effects of smoke exposure, but also in forecasting, to allow for the evaluation of interventions, as well as to provide a coordinated and clear strategy for communication strategy as means to protect public health.

The research authors found that despite the known public health impact, many, including physicians, lack appreciation in having awareness of the consequences and health risks of wildfire exposure. According to the report’s lead author Dr. Mary Rice MPH, a pulmonologist who is into studying pollution and its resulting respiratory health effects, wildland fires diffuse complex mixtures of harmful gasses and particles into the atmosphere.

The Call is for a Coordinated Approach Across Federal Agencies

Based on their findings, the American Thoracic Society is calling for a coordinated approach across federal agencies toward the assessment and development of strategies in managing the adverse health effects of wildland fires and the resulting smoke.

Dr. Rice explained that when wildfire smoke is inhaled, the potential health effects to the heart and lungs are in terms of frequent asthma attacks and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) that cause breathing-related problems due to airflow blockage. Such breathing disorders could result in higher mortality during wildfire smoke events.

Dan Costa, a Doctor of Science (ScD), and co-author of the report added that wildfire air pollution crosses borders and economic jurisdictions, which makes it important for the federal government to fill the knowledge gap by way of dedicated research. Federal research support should include not only assessments of toxicity levels but also interventions and development of models for fire management.

Researchers Worried that CO2 Emission Reductions Still Not on Track to Hit 2026 Target

CO2 emissions have decreased in 64 countries in the past years, but global emissions still rose by 0.21 billion since increases continued in 150 countries. The latter group still produced tonnes of carbon dioxide yearly from 2016 to 2019, which was higher when compared to earlier years between 2011 and 2015.

Researchers from the Global Carbon Project, the University of East Anglia (UEA), and Stanford University have been studying the progress made after countries committed to cut down CO2 emissions when they signed the the Paris Climate Change Agreement in 2015. The study containing the researchers’ findings was recently published in Nature Climate Change, entitled ‘Fossil CO2 Emissions in the Post-COVID Era”. Study authors are saying that commitment is not enough as it takes carrying out real actions in order to meet the zero-emission level aimed for in year 2050.
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The efforts on containing the coronavirus pandemic last year greatly helped in reducing the global emissions by 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, if comparisons are made against the 2019 figure. However, the researchers are saying that the reductions brought by the year 2020 cannot be expected to continue. Resumption of businesses in 2021 will still see heavy reliance on fossil fuels, while lockdowns are not a good solution in tackling the climate crisis.

In order to meet the 2026 goal of the UN Paris Agreement, the planet still needs to cut down 1 to 2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. The goal is to keep the global warming within 1.5 °C to below 2 °C. The climate scientists are claiming that within a few years, the emission will continue to increase; not unless the economic recovery measures from the COVID-19 crisis will direct investments toward promoting green economies and use of clean energy. The most common example is the development and wide use of electric cars, which manufacturers claim are being rushed. Moreover, people are encouraged to walk or use their bicycle as doing so would also improve both the environment and public health.

Significant Factors that Helped Countries Reduce CO2 Emissions

The significant factors that helped several countries curb the growth of carbon dioxide emissions are the continuous legislations of climate change policies and laws. To date and on a global scale, there are more than 2000 climate policies and laws in place.

Countries like Germany, UK, Switzerland, Denmark and some EU members, have limited their investments in activities that make use of fossil fuels, while some even came up with green stimulus packages. According to study co-author Professor Rob Jackson of Stanford, improving the dedication of countries to attain the net zero emissions in 2050, will strengthen the pursuit of that ambition. Currently countries who are leading with the highest count of emissions are US and China.

Biosphere Degradation and Loss of Living Organisms, Including Human Lives

Environmental studies during the 20th century introduced the term biosphere in relation to the interconnection of the Earth’s biological and physical elements. The results of such studies revealed that the degradation of the biosphere through centuries has destroyed ecosystems that resulted in the loss of many living organisms, including human lives.

Scientific studies have shown how living organisms, particularly humankind depend on the environment for their survival and continued existence in a global ecosystem that undergo natural processes through ages. However mankind’s many activities produced toxic elements that led to the degradation of the atmosphere, lithosphere (land surface) and the hydrosphere (water surface).

Mankind beng the highest level of organism interacting in the global ecosystem showed full appreciation for the elements supporting the biosphere, only after the ecological systems could no longer fully provide the natural energy and nutrients needed by all living organisms.

What Exactly is the Meaning of Biosphere?

Biosphere is the entire representation of all planetary spheres or layers making up the environment in which all living and nonliving organisms exist interconnectedly. This denotes that any failure or inability of one or more layers to function properly can also lead to the destruction of ecosystems.

The concentration of harmful greenhouses gasses produced by man has impacted the atmosphere, boring a hole in its ozone layer which functions as an umbrella-like shield against the extreme heat of the UV rays radiated by the sun. The lack of protection exposed humankind to ultra violet (UV) radiations, which scientists account as the main cause of skin cancer.

How Harmful Gasses Led to the Degradation of the Biosphere

The ozone layer could have helped clear away the pollution caused by the gasses but due to its faulty condition and mankind’s continuous emissions of harmful gasses, it allowed a massive accumulation of greenhouse gasses we all know of as smog. Smog has also impacted human health as great amounts of polluted air have led to the development of severe respiratory diseases such as asthma and lung cancer. Asthma commonly occurs in children as their respiratory systems are unable to fight the effects of air pollution.

The polluted air also remains trapped between the layers of atmosphere, keeping much of the heat brought in by the UV rays within the biosphere. Throughout the past centuries since the age of industrialization, the levels of heat trapped inside the Earth’s atmosphere resulted in the phenomenon that scientists “global warming.” Scientists have tried to communicate to their respective governments the potential devastating effects of “global warming’ on the environment, specifically on the hydrosphere and the lithosphere.

Unfortunately, many ignored the warnings which eventually caused the climate changes that mankind is now experiencing. The effects of which have resulted in more severe forms of natural weather disturbances that have brought super strong winds, torrential downpours, massive flooding, heat wave and similar destructive occurrences. Many of which have destroyed many ecological systems existing in the biosphere, including mankind’s own ecosystem.

While all elements, substances and occurrences that have been adversely affecting the biosphere cannot be a mentioned in a single-page, the goal is to explain in part why human health is likewise gradually deteriorating. Up to the present, many think that “climate change and the movements to address its effects are all part of a hoax to promote the so-called “green products; as well as discourage the use of fossil fuel and its harmful by-products. .

As an aside, we wish to make mention that this article was created through the sponsorship of apetamin, a supplement that not only acts as an antihistamine to certain allergic reactions against certain toxic elements occurring in the environment. As a supplement, apetamin has also been proven to promote weight gain in relation to the treatment of anorexia. However, we leave advice to readers to first consult with their physician as the supplement is also know to have certain temporary side effects like the lowering one’s metabolic rate, drowsiness and hunger. ,

Longer and Stronger Hurricanes Caused By Warmer Sea Surface

Researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) conducted a study to find ways countries can manage the effects of climate change. The study revealed that as a result of warmer temperatures, hurricanes become stronger, and last longer before they weaken.

In analyzing their findings, the researchers from the Graduate University of OIST discovered that the warmer the ocean water becomes, the greater the amount of moisture carried by the hurricanes. As results, the weather disturbance increases in strength, while staying longer in the atmosphere before making a landfall. When combined with a corresponding increase in the Earth’s temperature, hurricanes become more devastating.

According to Pinaki Chakraborty, the senior author and head of the Fluid Mechanics Unit at OIST, taking into account the implications found by the researchers are important in creating policies aimed at managing global warming. Also, in light of their findings, Professor Chakraborty added that inland communities should be advised to prepare for hurricanes that will bring heavy rainfall and intense winds.

The OIST Graduate University scientists said that while numerous studies have already proven climate change has been causing hurricanes to worsen, this latest research has proven that certain underlying factors that take place upon landfall are making hurricanes stronger and more devastating.

How the Researchers Proved their Discovery

In conducting their study, the OIST researchers analyzed the North Atlantic hurricanes that have hit the land for the last 50 years and from there discovered that recent hurricanes weakened at a slow pace, when compared to those that made landfall in the past.

According to Lin Li, a PhD student at OIST and the first author of the study, they found out that the amount of time it took for a hurricane to weaken was in consonance with the rise and fall of temperature of the sea surface. To prove their discovery, the research scientists simulated a landfall occurrence by decreasing the hurricane’s supply of moisture once it reached category 4.

To illustrate by way of example, Li compared hurricanes to car engines, to which moisture serves as the hurricane’s fuel. If the sea surface temperature increases, the occurrence removes the source of moisture fueling the hurricane, and as a result the lack of moisture will weaken the hurricane.

After simulating hurricanes by creating landfall models with the same intensity as the hurricanes that developed on warmer waters, the hurricanes showed longer durations. They also discovered why hurricanes are still intense even without the supply of moisture from the ocean surface. It became apparent that the reason was that the hurricanes carry a considerable reserve of moisture- supply, which allow them to continue even without the supply coming from the ocean.

To complete their analysis, the researchers created simulated hurricanes with no stored moisture after landfall, from which they learned that the temperature of the water surface does not affect the duration of the hurricanes.

World Archery Embarks on a Mission to Support UN Climate Action Initiatives

World Archery embarked on a mission to support the UN Sports for Climate Action initiative by signing the Climate Neutral Now pledge last September 07, 2020. The initiative aims to alleviate the adverse effects of the continuously warming climate, which include among many others, the emergence of new diseases as a result of collapsed ecosystems.

The World Archery vowed to be one with the movement’s ultimate goal of bringing the world’s carbon footprint down to net-zero level; pledging to annually reduce its carbon emissions by at least 10%. Tom Dielen, the Secretary General at World Archery said that since archery is a sport highly enjoyed by bowmen in outdoor locations, the federation recognizes its responsibilities in ensuring that the environment is kept secure for future generations. Dieben added:

”We might not be the worst culprits when it comes to general carbon emissions, but we hope that our pledge to be responsible for actions that can contribute to the planet’s carbon neutrality, sends a clear message that changes must take place everywhere.”

Initial Steps Taken by the World Archery

In line with the initial steps of measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions below the 2 degrees as stated in the 2018 Paris Agreement, World Archery has completed an internal analysis of the carbon emissions generated by its office and by its international archery events.

After which, World Archery drew a 5-year plan that includes promoting permanent changes in personnel attitude toward processes resulting to high-carbon emissions. The changes will be implemented immediately by way of new travel policies such as reducing the total number of flights taken by World Archery officers and staff.

Future undertakings include interactions with existing and potential sponsors as a means of tapping combined efforts to achieve greater results; particularly with innovations that are beneficial to all parties involved.

Perhaps in contributing another archery-themed guest post to this environment website, the collaboration between World Archery and sponsor-partners will result in innovations that will make bows and crossbows environment-friendly hunting weapons. If and when such crossbow models become available, readers who will be looking for information about them are likely to find one here.

Why the “Green New Deal” is More than Just a Climate Change Proposal

Many perceive the “Green New Deal (GND)” as just another political ideology being pushed by Democrats as legislative action to battle the effects of climate change. Yet a closer look at what GND authors Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) penned down as resolutions include helping the underserved members of American communities.

It acknowledges that the effects of climate change gravely impact the low income sector; comprising those who do not qualify for higher-paying jobs, the indigenous refugees, the poor people of color and other socially oppressed members of communities. It brings into focus that their homes or makeshift shelters are not adequately protected against stronger and more violent weather disturbances; or even in times of epidemic outbreaks as had been demonstrated in the still ongoing COVID-19.

Rep. AOC and Sen. Markey’s GND is described as a comprehensive re-introduction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s domestic programs, as ways of helping the people go through the Great Depression. Yet it also reminds many that the term “Green New Deal” was coined by a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist named Thomas Friedman

The Origin of the “Green New Deal” Title

In 2007, at the time when America started experiencing unusually hotter periods, journalist Thomas Friedman who wrote for The New York Times, had revived the principles of FDR’s programs in one of his op-eds. He argued for the implementation of similar initiatives, and had described his recommendations as a set of “Green New Deal.

Friedman wrote:

“If you have put a windmill in your yard or some solar panels on your roof, bless your heart. But we will only green the world when we change the very nature of the electricity grid—moving it away from dirty coal or oil to clean coal and renewables.”

From then on, a reference to the “Green New Deal” denoted diverse sets of policies founded on goals of making systemic changes. However, Friedman was not as optimistic over his GND advocacies. He was aware that aside from substantial funding and concerted efforts, it also means upsetting some industries; particularly those traditionally counted upon as political campaign donors. As expected, Friedman’s call for legislative actions in support of his “Green New Deal” did not pick up steam.

AOC brought back the Green New Deal when she made it the focal point of her 2018 candidacy. She became the strongest voice of the grassroots organization The Sunshine Movement, which has been actively calling on Trump’s government to address climate change. Mainly because its adverse effects continue to degrade and impoverish about 60% of the American people.

AOC’s “Green New Deal” : A Political Tool

AOC’s “Green New Deal” is touted as the most ambitious and at the same time most comprehensive set of climate change proposals. Unfortunately, its arrival in Congress came at the time when the Republicans who dominated the Upper House was not open to working on bipartisan legislation.

Currently, the “Green New Deal” represents more than just a set of environmental, economic and social changes that aim to serve the people of a democratic nation. Today, it is also a political tool that can influence American voters when they decide who to elect as legislators and president in the forthcoming general elections in November 2020.

Environmental Portrait Photography : Portraiture That Tells a Story About the Subject

Environmental portrait photography is different from regular portraiture, as the art of capturing photos of an individual aims to serve a story-telling purpose. It is a form of photo essay that tells more about the individual posing as the central figure of the photograph, by using that person’s comfort zone or his or her most familiar environment as additional context.

While regular portraiture uses only plain, formal and often somber background, environmental photography requires making use of a background that is more informative and expressive. If a portrait was taken in an outdoor location that does not relate to the subject’s lifestyle, it will not fully suffice in fulfilling the purpose of environmental portrait photography, which is that of giving a brief insight about the photographed person.

Important Points to Consider in Environmental Portrait Photography

In providing a broader perception through environmental portraiture, the photographer’s understanding goes beyond knowing how to best use a camera for portrait purposes. He or she must also comprehend the why, the where and the when of the circumstances that best depict the subject. The background therefore must be natural, which could be anything of relevance to the central figure: a place of work, recreation, hobby, passion or anything that can best describe the subject’s way of life.

Engage Your Subject in a Casual Interview

Give an extra mile to know more about your subject by way of an informal interview. Your own insight about the person can help you take control over the entire photography session. Knowing where a person is most comfortable can help you decide on the location to use as background. An understanding of your subject’s likes or aversions will give you ideas on what poses would express your subject’s strongest features and lifestyle.

Choose a Location that Provides Context

Choose a location that is not only interesting as a background but also purposeful in terms of context. It’s important that a setting or background will have to blend with the personality or lifestyle of your subject. Still, make sure that it adds information instead of detracting focus on what the photo essay is all about

Candid Poses are Good But Adding a Bit of Drama Works Welt

One of the distinctions of environmental portraiture is the candidness of the poses struck by your subject, while sitting, standing or even reclining. However, in order to highlight the most interesting facial features of your subject, adding a bit of drama or a theatrical touch to your subject’s poses and expressions will make the portrait more captivating.

Using props is one way to create a balance between candid and dramatic poses, but they should be devices, tools or objects that your subject is adept at holding and/or using. That way, he or she knows instinctively the kind of emotions or expressions to project when striking poses. . .

Camera Settings Depend on How You Want to Project Your Subject

Inasmuch as environmental portrait photography takes into consideration the background or location, your camera setting depends on how your subject registers as the focal point in the environment. Still, if you are professionally engaged in this kind of photography undertaking, it’s a must to invest in the best photography equipment that allows you to adjust settings with as few adjustments as possible.

This goes without saying that you need to buy the right lens for portraits because you have to use a lens with a specific focal length and aperture. While a primary lens ensures the quality of your image, it has few to offer in terms of focal lengths. That being the case, you have to maintain a specific distance when taking photos of your subject.

Zoom lenses on the other hand, have a wide range of focal lengths; but you need to select a focal length setting that will produce clear and sharp.images of both your subject and the background. Another advantage of using zoom lenses for environmental portraits is that the best ones offer good bokeh quality.

COVID-19 : Caused by Hybrid of Bat and Pangolin Viruses

Research work undertaken by a team of scientists from different universities, was able to trace the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a genetic analysis of the viruses, they arrived at a conclusion that the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the COVID-19 infectious disease was a hybrid of bat and pangolin viruses.

Scientist and researchers from the New York University, the Duke University, the University of Texas at El Paso and the Los Alamos National Laboratory, found out that the coronavirus strain that infects bats had exchanged genes with the coronavirus strain that infects pangolin. The merger produced SARS-CoV-2, a hybrid virus that made direct infections possible on humans.

What Makes the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Different from Earlier Coronaviruses

Where the first SARS virus shifted from bats to civets, and the MERS were transmissions between bats and dromedary camels, the bat-pangolin SARS-CoV-2 virus, developed a genetic material that enabled the strain to directly infect humans.

The explanation was provided by Feng Gao, M.D. a professor of Medicine at Duke University’s Division of Infectious Diseases and School of Medicine; being the author of the study published online in the Science Advances journal last May 29, 2020. .

The Study Demonstrates Proof of Pangolin Virus’ Role in the Emergence of a New Coronavirus

 

According to Dr. Gao, a genetic analysis of the novel coronavirus confirmed that the pangolin coronavirus was the closest relative to the virus! but different from the typical pangolin virus strain that does not cause direct infection to humans.

However, Dr. Gao said they found a receptor-binding site, which is part of the spike protein that enables the novel coronavirus to bind to the cell membrane. The binding site made it possible for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to attach to a cell surface protein found abundant in the cells of human respiratory, intestinal epithelia and kidney organs.

He added that on its own, Pangolin coronavirus cannot efficiently infect humans. Yet its bat coronavirus ancestor allowed it to create a different binding site.

Elena Giorgi, co-lead author and staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory said that others have already examined the sequences of the Pangolin coronavirus before. Still, half of the scientific community still had reservations about the role it played in the development of the novel coronavirus

Ms. Giorgi said

“In our study, we showed proof that there was indeed a rich history in the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We were able to demonstrate that the viruses evolved through the reshuffling of genetic material between the coronaviruses of bats and pangolins, before the novel coronavirus acquired the ability to jump to humans and infect human cells.”

Changing Ecosystems : Root Cause of Emerging Diseases

More than a decade ago, medical researchers had already warned that changing ecosystems will influence the emergence of infectious diseases like Covid-19.

In a report entitled “Microbial Threats to Health” published in 2003 by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), researchers said that as mankind continue in the 20th century with economic developments, polluted air, altered land use and contaminated freshwater sources will bring on transformations in the natural environment; causing changes in ecosystems that will also impact the ecology of microbes, organisms and pathogens, either individually or collectively.

True enough, as a result of those changes, the climate and weather also changed, while life on Earth was impacted by numerous environmental catastrophes and emergence of several new infectious diseases. Combined with economic developments related to commerce and international travel, the emerging and re-emerging strains of viruses allowed contagions to spread and be transmitted globally; infecting populations at pandemic level.

The WHO Gave Proof to Earlier Claims of Infectious-Disease Researchers

Claims made in the 2003 IOM report were provided with evidence in the 2007 report of the World Health Organization (WHO). Based on WHO researchers’ studies of data gathered since the 1970s, they reported that as many as 40 infectious diseases had been discovered. The list included the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), ebola, avian flu, swine flu, H1N1 and other similar life-threatening infectious diseases that had spread epidemically and threatened many nations.

Today, the WHO reports of the novel coronavirus labeled as SARS-2 COVID-19, another severe acute respiratory disease that has been transmitted globally. To date, Covid-19 has already infected 350,536 people, including 15,328 individuals who died from the disease. .

Covid-!9 Validated Uncanny Non-Science Based Predictions

The current rate by which the Covid-19 infectious disease has gripped nations with fear, as the rapid spread can only be slowed down by way of massive quarantine measures. Although the outbreak of Covid-19 started in Wuhan, China, the global spread has made Italy the epicenter of the pandemic, for having the most number of cases (59,138) and deaths (5,476.)

As millions of people in countries worldwide have been ordered to stay confined within their homes, many are turning their attention to fictional predictions about infectious diseases. mentioned in books.

Among the popular books mentioned in social media sites is the novel published in 1981, entitled “The Eyes of Darkness” and written by Dean Koontz. Here, the author developed an end-of-the-world story revolving around the transformation of the flu-causing coronavirus into a deadly infectious disease.What is uncanny about Koontz’ fictional prediction is that he named the infectious disease Wuhan-400, after China’s Wuhan province from where the disease had originated.

In 2008, a book written by self-proclaimed psychic Sylvia Brown, entitled “End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies About the End of the World” contained a passage predicting a severe, pneumonia-like illness that will spread worldwide by the year 2020.

Many who believe in astrology, particularly those subscribing to astrology websites like https://www.ganeshaspeaks.com/zodiac-signs/ took interest in analyzing quatrains penned by famed French astrologer Notradamus during the mid 15th century. In a book called “Les Propheties,” not a few are inclined to believe that Nostrdamus’s prophecies describe how Covid-19 will hit Italy.

Trump Administration Officially Repeals Obama’s Clean Waters Rule

Last February 06, 2020, the Trump administration officially repealed the 2015 Clean Waters Rule of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Act, after suspending it on September 12, 2019 on the basis of a Supreme court ruling.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced that after decades of court litigations, the Trump administration’s new “Navigable Waters Protection Rule” give famers, landowners, businesses as well as the American public, regulatory certainty when using their own land as they see fit, without need to hire lawyers in order to assert their right to do so.

Wheeler asserts that

The Trump administration’s WOTUS rule protects our waterways and the environment, while respecting the state governments and private property owners as well.”

That being the case, waterways including streams and wetlands will no longer be under federal protection against pollution as previously mandated by the 2015 Clean Waters Rule.

Background of the Repealed 2015 Clean Waters Rule

The Clean Waters Rule is a 2015 regulation promulgated under the Obama administration. Its publishing was in response to issues about lack of clarity of the WOTUS rule with regard to the scope by which legislators at multiple levels, researchers, scientists, activists industry members, and citizens of the U.S. can seek federal water protection.

As it was, the WOTUS Rule simply defined the coverage of federal management and regulation as pertaining to all bodies of water under U.S. federal jurisdiction

To clarify coverage of water resource management and regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published the Clean Waters Rule.

It defined the scope of federal water protection, by consistently including streams and wetlands that are hydrologically and ecologically connected to interstate waters, traditional navigable waters and territorial seas.

Obama’s Clean Waters Rule though has been contested through numerous legal challenges, which the subsequent Trump administration vowed to review, rescind or revise.

Criticisms Against the Trump Administration’s “Navigable Waters Protection Rule”

Betsy Southerland, former Director of EPA’s Office of Water – Science and Technology assails the roll back of the 2015 Clean Waters Rule as “socially unjust and scientifically indefensible.”

According to Ms. Southerland, limiting federal water protection to quite a small set of waterways and wetlands, denotes that pollution control and wetland protection will be transferred to companies engaged in mining, oil and gas production, and land development. Since these companies will not receive regulations over such matters, impairment of drinking water, disparagement of fisheries, and diminished flood control for communities are likely to happen.

Downstream communities who will be affected, will have to shoulder the costs of protecting themselves.

The Drawing Power of Toronto as the 7th Most Livable City Globally

One of Toronto, Canada’s strongest drawing power as an excellent place to live in, is the abundance of urban parks. Totalling 1,600 in all, the city’s entire parkland is equivalent to about 8,000 hectares of municipal-owned green spaces.

Ranked as the 7th most livable city on a global scale, Toronto is a true haven for nature lovers and those who enjoy spending time outdoors. Parks are everywhere throughout the metropolis; including the extensive green space formed by a network of ravines known as the Toronto Ravine System.

A Glimpse of the Toronto Ravine System and Waterways

The Toronto Ravine System is the very reason why many describe the metropolis as “The City Within a Park.” It is home to many rivers and creeks making up the natural waterways of the area.

Although the ravines attract many bikers and hikers, their popularity though is not without consequence. Environmental problems such as pollution and erosion have affected many of the creeks and rivers running throughout the ravinces.

Pollution is being caused by persistent use of the ravines as dumping sites for wastes, even if forbidden by the local government. That is why it is inadvisable to take dips or even wade in many of rivers and creeks as they are quite polluted.

Nonetheless, several of the ravines now have paved paths and well-maintained bridges. Yet the city intends to leave many of its green spaces in their natural state in order to preserve wildlife, as well as curtail the frequent occurrences of erosion.

Just a word of caution though when exploring the untouched areas, since there are no guardrails that explorers can use when climbing steep cliffs or traversing slippery paths; there is always the risk of accidentally falling into the cold and very fast moving waterways.

The Rouge National Urban Park, the Largest Urban Green Space in Canada

Set apart from the numerous urban parklands intended for aesthetic and recreational purposes, is Toronto’s Rouge National Urban Park. Covering an area of 5,000 3 hectares, this park extends into the neighboring communities of Markham and Pickering; making it Canada’s largest urban park.

Managed by Parks Canada (Parcs Canada) a government agency of the Canadian federal government, there is an ongoing initiative to nationalize and expand the Rouge National Urban Park.

Parcs Canada has greatly improved the drawing power of this large urban park by adding more trails, putting up more signage and displays, as well as introduced programmes such as Learn-to-Bike, Learn-to-Hike, Learn-to-Camp and similar complimentary programs for its education and orientation centres.

If you are looking to retire or relocate at Toronto, Canada because of a job offer, you might think twice about it since the city is reputed for its high cost of living.

Still, judging by the way the city government manages its green spaces and natural environment, you and your family will be provided with the best natural and outdoor spaces for a healthy lifestyle. Awesome even is that like in other Canadian provinces, a large part of education in Toronto is publicly funded by all government levels.

Once you start packing, choose a Toronto moving company like easy-moving.ca. The firm is highly reputed for rendering moving services at affordable costs but without sacrificing quality; deploying only highly experienced truck drivers and movers, with insurance coverage to boot.

Battle vs. Climate Change : MIT Chemical Engineers Develop a Revolutionary Method of Capturing And Releasing Carbon

The global battle against climate change requires undertakings by countries all over the world to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions down to zero level by the mid century. Currently though, the United States is still way behind in achieving such an objective. Mainly because the country is run by a president who believes global warming and the resulting climate change is just a hoax.

Nonetheless, two chemical engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new process by which CO2 can be captured and then alternately released.

The technique was developed by Sahag Voskian, an MIT Postdoctoral Associate at the Department of Chemical Engineering, in collaboration with T. Alan Hatton, the Ralph Landau Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT. Professor Hatton also co-directs MIT’s Center for Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage, with a focus on the development of varying technologies for the purification of air, water, and other substances significant to the environment.

According to Professor Hatton, the process developed by Voskian during his PhD, can capture and alternately release CO2. Through an electrochemical system, CO2 in the air that passes through a stack of charged electrochemical plates will be absorbed, whilst requiring only small swings in voltage to carry out the separations.

The MIT Ralph Landau professor further described the process as one that can happen under ambient conditions, without requiring thermal pressure or chemical additions. Professor Hatton says the revolutionary CO2 carbon capture system simply applies the power of electrochemical approaches, by using a stack of very thin sheets that are active on both surfaces and contained in a box that can be connected to an electrical source.

According to Professor Hatton, a company registered as Verdox has in fact, been set up to commercialize the CO2 capture process. The company’s mission is to develop a pilot-scale plant in the next few years. The device they developed is quite easy to scale up as it only requires making more electrodes to increase capacity.

What Makes MIT’s CO2 Capture Device Different from Other Existing Systems

As a revolutionary tool that will be introduced in removing carbon dioxide from the air, the new method can work on gas at any concentration level, even at the roughly 400 parts per million currently present in the atmosphere. .

The design of the device basically comes as a large, specialized battery comprised by a stack of electrodes coated with a compound called poly anthraquinone, a substance composited with carbon nanotubes.

Once the specialized battery charges up, its chemically coated electrodes will absorb carbon dioxide carried by the stream of air passing through them, which the battery can later release by discharging. When in actual operation the device would alternate between absorbing CO2 during charging and then blowing out the concentrated carbon dioxide during discharging.

Unlike most methods that require high concentrations when removing CO2 from a stream of air, the system developed by MIT chemical engineers can work with low-level concentrations, making it less expensive, and more importantly, less energy-intensive.

Sahag Voskian says their carbon capture device consistently uses only one (1) gigajoule of energy per ton of captured CO2. Other existing carbon capture technologies consume varying energy, ranging between 1 to 10 gigajoules per ton; dependent on the carbon dioxide concentration being processed.

Voskian, the MIT Postdoctoral Associate, also remarked that the electrodes can be produced using standard chemical processing methods, which is unlike other systems that require manufacturing in a laboratory setting.

Voskian says the process has been developed in a very cost-effective way. Adaptation techniques for large quantity electrode production is by way of roll-to-roll manufacturing process like a newspaper printing press.

Climate Change Study: 664 Years of Grape Harvest Dates Present New Evidence of Warming Temperatures

Based on a study of the longest comparable series of grape harvest dates recorded in Beaune, the wine capital of France, climate change researchers were able to gather a new line of evidence that shows how climate trends have changed in the past 30 years. Results of the study were published by the European Geosciences Union in the Climate of the Past journal 2019 edition, showing how warming trends sped up starting from mid 1980s up to the present.

Christian Pfister, professor at the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research of the University of Bern, Switzerland, conducted the study with Thomas Labbé, Stefan Brönnimann, Benjamin Bois, Jörg Franke and Daniel Rousseau, scientists and historians from Switzerland, France, and Germany, Professor Pfister commented that they did not expect the accelerated warming trend would stand out so clearly in the series of grape harvest dates,

What the Study of the Beaune Grape Harvest Dates Revealed

According to the study, grape harvest dates can be used as basis in analyzing climate changes since wine grapes are quite sensitive to rainfall and temperature.

As cited by an article in the French tourism website, Mother Nature decides when grapes are ripe enough for picking. During years when the growing season (spring, summer) is hot and dry, the grapes are ready for picking earlier than in years when spring summer is colder.

Thomas Labbé, lead author of the study and a researcher at the universities of Leipzig and Burgundy said he meticulously reconstructed the grape harvest dates in Beaune, going as far back as1354, and spanning 664 years.

Gathering data from a large number of unedited archives of records and newspaper reports from the Beaune city council, including information on wages paid to grape pickers, Labbé was able to reconstruct the longest ever continuous record of grape harvest dates in the wine capital of France.

The record was divided into two parts, one prior to 1987, when wine grapes were typically harvested from September 28 onward; the other part, from 1988 onward when harvest dates begun at an average of 13 days before September 28. The division of records clearly indicated that from 1988 the region’s climate was hotter and drier compared to the climate conditions during the past six (6) centuries.

The team’s analysis of the grape harvest date series indicated that very hot and dry years were not common in the past, but in the past 30 years, such climate conditions have become the norm. .

To validate the results of their analysis, the team matched their findings to Paris’ detailed records of temperatures covering the past 360 years. They then used the information to estimate Beaune region’s April-to-July temperatures for the entire 664-year coverage of Beaune’s series of grape harvest dates.

Professor Pfister remarked that the rapid transition to global warming period after 1988, stands out with utmost clarity, since the extraordinary characteristics of the last 30 years have become apparent. The climate change professor concluded by saying

“We hope people start to realistically consider the climate situation in which the planet is at present.”

Exposure to Nature During Childhood Years Yields Better Mental Health Upon Adulthood

Children who had a great deal of exposure to nature during their formative years are likely to develop sound mental health when they reach adulthood. This was the conclusion arrived at by a study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an investigative research institution supported by Barcelona’s La Caixa Bank.

The recent study boosted previous findings that natural outdoor environment contributes to the development of better mental and physical health in children.

Thd ISGlobal research aimed to determine the impact of nature-exposure in adults. Survey questionnaires were completed by 3,600 adults coming from four (4) major European cities: Barcelona in Spain), Doetinchem in the Netherlands, Kaunas in Lithuania), and lastly, Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom.

The ISGlobal’s analysis of the survey yielded results suggesting that respondents who indicated better mental disposition were exposed to natural environments during their childhood years.

Exposure to nature has long been linked to several health benefits found in children who manifested better learning, and reasoning skills, when compared to children who grew up indoors, often in front of TV and PC screens. In the ISGlobal research, natural spaces referred mostly to green environments such as forests, gardens, urban parks and the like, rather than blue spaces such as rivers, lakes, beaches, etc. :

Aspects Covered by the ISGlobal Survey Questionnaires

The ISGlobal survey determined the frequency by which adults were exposed to natural spaces during their growing up years. As adults, they were also asked about their satisfaction with the greenness of their present surroundings. As corollary evaluation, the mental conditions of the participants were determined through questions about feelings of nervousness and/or depression during the inclusive four past weeks of responding to the survey. In addition, the greenness of the environment in which participants reside was ascertained by way of satellite images.

The results of the ISGlobal study showed that respondents who had limited exposure to natural spaces during their growing up years scored poorly in the mental health assessment tests. Lead author, Myriam Preuss, explained that the general impression elicited from those with less exposure to nature is that they were less concerned about the importance of natural spaces. In terms of physical health, they found no link associating childhood nature exposure to the present vitality of the adult; nor with the adult’s satisfaction in the use of green spaces.

Research and study coordinator Wilma Zijlema of ISGlobal, cited current statistics that seventy-three (73%) of the European population live in urban areas, whilst having limited access to green spaces. Inasmuch as the proportion is estimated to increase to more than eighty percent (80%) by the year 2050, their findings underscore the importance of recognizing the potential effects of limited exposure to natural spaces during a child’s formative years.

The ISGlobal study gives proof that exposing children to green environment contributes to the development of appreciative attitude toward nature and of sustaining a healthy psychological state upon reaching adulthood.

2018 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) Reveals Most Eco-Friendly Countries in the World

Several lists of countries ranked as most environment friendly have been published, to which European countries consistently rank high. Yet the list which we are more inclined to share is that of Yale’s, as it reflects the environmental performance of countries, based on the merits determined by the Environmental Performance Index (EPI).

What Is the Environmental Performance Index (EPI)

The EPI is a method that quantifies and numerically determines a country’s environmental performance in relation to a core set of issues; whether signs of progress are present or not at all.

The 2018 EPI captured the state of 180 countries in a so called Global Scorecard, using the most recent year data available and data recorded from around a decade earlier. The purpose of which is to determine the current standing of every nation.

A notable characteristic of the EPI is that it also evaluates correlation of the country’s wealth, to the sustainable methods introduced and implemented. Environmental performance as analyzed via the EPI takes into account any environmental trade off incurred in order to achieve income growth.

Trade off may include overuse of natural resources, unmanaged urbanization and unregulated industries. The message imparted by the EPI is that income growth must come with infrastructure necessary for protecting not only the ecosystem but also human health; such as building of facilities for mitigating pollution, for managing wastewater and for improving sources of drinking of drinking water.

The Most Eco-Friendly Countries Revealed by the 2018 Environmental Performance Index

Switzerland continues to top the list of Most Eco-Friendly Countries on a global scale, leading with a total score of 87.42 in terms of overall environmental performance. Switzerland’s impressive environmental performance is reflected through sustainable achievements made in Climate & Energy and Air Pollution, Water & Sanitation and Biodiversity & Habitat.

Completing the list of the world’s Five Most Eco-Friendly Countries are, France landing second place with a score of 83.95; Denmark at third place with 81.60, Malta at 4th by garnering 80.90, and closely followed by 5th placer Sweden with an 80.51 score.