Pollen fallout blankets area

It falls like a snow, persistent and unforgiving. From a distance, it can resemble a cloud of smoke.

It is pine pollen, seasonal scourge of the city and suburbs, covering hundreds of cars and driveways. And this year, it’s especially intense, a gunky byproduct of a warm winter and largely dry, windy spring that conspired to bring more pollen, earlier, to New England. http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/articles/2012/05/31/pollen_plight_plagues_boston_and_suburbs_leaving_a_carpet_of_yellow_gunk/?p1=News_links

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Alejandra Matos and Colin A. Young

 

Study accuses corporations of hypocrisy on climate change

WASHINGTON -- Some major U.S. corporations that support climate science in their public relations materials actively work to derail regulations and laws addressing global warming through lobbying, campaign donations and support of various advocacy groups, according to a new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, an environmental and scientific integrity group. http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-coproate-climate-control-20120530,0,2592843.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times-Politics Now by Neela Banergee

 

 

 

 

Planners want to make bases more 'walkable'

At military installations, suburban-style sprawl is out and walkable communities are in, under new Defense Department planning guidelines released Thursday.

The guidelines call for “compact development” that incorporates mass transit and a mix of residential housing close to shops and other businesses. Energy conservation is a key goal; trees and other greenery should be considered as well. http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/05/military-planners-make-bases-more-walkable-051912w/

Article courtesy of Federal Times by Sean Reilly

 

Amazon in danger as Brazil moves forward with bill, critics say

SAO PAULO, Brazil — The Brazilian government is pressing forward with controversial legislation that critics say will lead to widespread destruction of the Amazon rain forest.

 

The update to the country's 1965 Forestry Code would reduce both the amount of vegetation landowners must preserve and the future penalties paid for those who currently flout environmental laws. After valuable wood is sold, much of the land in deforested areas ends up being cleared for grazing cattle and agriculture. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-brazil-forests-20120529,0,2383595.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Vincent Bevins

Scientists find what made some whales the largest animals on Earth

U.S. and Canadian researchers have discovered a grapefruit-sized organ in the chin of rorqual (baleen) whales that controls the expansion of their massive jaws during feeding and that has allowed them to become the largest animals on Earth.

Rorqual whales include blue, humpback and fin whales, and the largest of them, blue whales, can grow to more than 100 feet in length and a weight of more than 150 tons.  http://www.latimes.com/news/science/

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times -Science Now by Thomas H. Maugh II

Commercial space race gets crowded behind SpaceX

WASHINGTON—A privately built space capsule that's zipping its way to the International Space Station has also launched something else: A new for-profit space race.

The capsule called Dragon was due to arrive near the space station for tests early Thursday and dock on Friday with its load of supplies. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. -- run by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk -- was hired by NASA to deliver cargo and eventually astronauts to the orbital outpost. http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2012/05/23/commercial_space_race_gets_crowded_behind_spacex/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Seth Borenstein/AP science writer

 

Solar plane begins 1st transcontinental flight

GENEVA—An experimental solar-powered airplane took off from Switzerland on its first transcontinental flight Thursday, aiming to reach North Africa next week.

Pilot Andre Borschberg planned to take the jumbo jet-size Solar Impulse plane on its first leg to Madrid, Spain, by Friday. His colleague Bertrand Piccard will take the helm of the aircraft for the second stretch of its 2,500-kilometer (1,554-mile) journey to the Moroccan capital Rabat. http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2012/05/24/solar_plane_begins_1st_transcontinental_flight/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Frank Jordans/Associated Press

 

 

 

EPA: Pinal County must lower dust level

 

After two years of warnings, Pinal County has been ordered to clean up its air.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has declared that portions of western Pinal County are violating its coarse-dust standard, which limits the amount of PM-10, particles 10 micrometers or less in diameter, present in the air.

Affected are the most populous areas of Pinal County, including the San Tan Valley area, Maricopa, Casa Grande and portions of Coolidge, Florence and Eloy.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2012/05/23/20120523epa-pinal-county-must-lower-dust-level.html#ixzz1vnG7gnyN

Article courtesy of The Arizona Republic by Lindsey Collom

 

L.A. OKs ban on plastic bags at checkout

Los Angeles became the largest city in the nation to approve a ban on plastic bags at supermarket checkout lines, handing a hard-fought victory to environmentalists and promising to change the way Angelenos do their grocery shopping.

The City Council voted 13 to 1 to phase out plastic bags over the next 16 months at an estimated 7,500 stores, meaning shoppers will need to bring reusable bags or purchase paper bags for 10 cents each.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0524-bag-ban-20120524,0,6541830.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by David Zahniser and Abby Sewell

 

 

The machine that makes recycling a game

SHANKER SAHAI, founder of Cambridge start-up Greenbean Recycle, is turning the drudgery of recycling bottles and cans into an eco-game, a sort of FarmVille of trash disposal.

The new company has created a high-tech machine that is both recycling depot and arcade game. A barcode reader counts each bottle or can, gives instant green feedback - “one aluminum can, 500 watts saved’’ - and electronically transfers the 5 cent deposit to a PayPal or other account.

Recyclers can track their progress online, compare stats with friends, and win prizes. Users can connect via Facebook, and Sahai intends to give machines Twitter accounts: “50 containers recycled today.  http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2012/05/20/the_machine_that_makes_recycling_a_game/

 

 

Arizona wildfires: Firefighters brace for swirling winds

MAYER -- Swirling winds are expected to be the biggest challenge for firefighters Thursday as they continue to battle the four forest fires burning across Arizona.

The town of Crown King has been mostly spared since the start of the Gladiator Fire Sunday. Fire crews have worked to protect the town and several of the communication towers near by.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/05/17/20120517arizona-wildfires-firefighters-brace-swirling-winds.html#ixzz1v95A2Lmu

Article courtesy of azcentral.com by Cassondra Strande and Michelle Lee=The Arizona Republic

L.A. electric car drivers differ from nation, study finds

An analysis of driving data finds that Los Angeles' electric vehicle drivers travel farther and charge more often in public and at off-peak hours.

The growing number of electric vehicle drivers in Los Angeles are behaving differently from the national norm. Not only are EV drivers in L.A. traveling farther than those in other cities, but they charge their vehicles more often at public locations and are more likely to charge at night to obtain less expensive electricity rates, according to Ecotality in San Francisco. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ev-drivers-20120517,0,159726.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Susan Carpenter

U.S. asthma rates at all-time high, CDC says

The proportion of Americans with asthma increased from 7.3% in 2001 to 8.4% in 2010, marking the highest level ever, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. In 2010, an estimated 18.7 million adults and 7 million children had the disease -- one in every 12 Americans. Overall, about 29.1 million adults have been diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lives, but many of those were misdiagnosed or have apparently recovered, leading to the current figure of 18.7 million. http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-asthma-prevalence-20120515,0,2156948.story?track=rss

Article courtesy of the Los Angeles Times - Science Now by Thomas H. Haugh II

Expo Excitement and Expectation

With the opening of the Expo Line in Los Angeles this past weekend, a bright line of color will finally extend into the empty white space on the western half of Metro's rail system map. The new light rail line connects downtown Los Angeles to Culver City, passing Staples Center, USC and Exposition Park, West Adams and Baldwin Hills on the way. It used the existing historic railroad route along Exposition Boulevard, making it relatively easier and cheaper to build than an underground subway line -- construction of the Expo Line began less than six years ago

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rod-radziner-faia-and-anna-hill/expo-excitement-and-expectation_b_1471112.html?ref=los-angeles

Article courtesy of Huff Post-Los Angeles Impact /The Blog -posted by Marmol Radziner

Phoenix officials rate mountain trails for difficulty

Public-safety and parks officials have created a trail guide - phoenix.gov/parks/trails/trailrate.html - to rate the mountain trails in Phoenix, a plan that is being expanded for all Maricopa County mountain trails. The goal is to help novice or experienced hikers, alike, match their skills to a trail.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2012/04/05/20120405phoenix-trails-difficulty-ratings-prog.html#ixzz1tuuolmEE

Article courtesy of The Republic/azcentral.com by Connie Cone Sexton