ddt
Newsletter
Credit: Woodwell Climate Research Center
George Woodwell, climate change pioneer and ecologist, passes away at 95
George Woodwell, founder of the Woods Hole Research Center, whose influential work shaped U.S. environmental policies, died at 95.
In short:
- George Woodwell, who founded the Woods Hole Research Center in 1985, was instrumental in shaping U.S. policies on toxic substances and climate change.
- His research highlighted the dangers of synthetic pollutants and the impact of rising carbon dioxide levels, making him a key figure in early climate change awareness.
- Woodwell's work led to significant environmental actions, including the federal ban on DDT and the establishment of the Environmental Defense Fund.
Key quote:
"I said the same things then that I say today. The climatic disruption has the potential of changing the earth as much as a nuclear war will."
— George Woodwell, ecologist
Why this matters:
George Woodwell's pioneering research and activism laid the groundwork for modern environmentalism and climate policy, spearheading the ongoing need to address climate change to protect public health and the environment. Read the announcement from the Woodwell Climate Research Center.
Keep reading...Show less
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Bald eagles return to the southern Great Lakes after near extinction
The bald eagle population in southern Ontario has made a remarkable recovery after near extinction due to DDT, symbolizing hope for both wildlife and human health.
In short:
- The pesticide DDT nearly wiped out bald eagles in North America, causing their numbers to plummet in the mid-20th century.
- Decades of conservation efforts have led to a significant recovery, with Ontario declaring bald eagles no longer at risk in May 2023.
- Despite the success, bald eagles now face new threats from climate change and emerging contaminants.
Key quote:
"If we’re not paying attention to what we’re doing, if we’re not careful about what we’re putting into the environment, we’re just going to repeat the story over and over again."
— Jody Allair, Birds Canada
Why this matters:
The resurgence of bald eagles is a testament to the effectiveness of environmental regulations and conservation efforts. It speaks to a broader issue of how human activities impact both wildlife and human health, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and action. Read more: Pesticide DDT linked to increased breast cancer risk generations after exposure.
Keep reading...Show less
Photo by Егор Камелев on Unsplash
Mosquitoes are a growing public health threat, reversing years of progress
Don't miss this compelling global health series by The New York Times: The fight against mosquitos has never been more urgent as climate change and the rapid evolution of the insect have thwarted efforts to combat devastating diseases like malaria and dengue. Scientists are innovating, reports Stephanie Nolen, pursuing new strategies to protect public health.
Nolen traveled to five countries in Africa and Latin America to cover multiple aspects of this growing global challenge:
Mosquitoes are a growing public health threat, reversing years of progress
Climate change and the rapid evolution of the insect have helped drive up malaria deaths and brought dengue and other mosquito-borne viruses to places that never had to worry about them.
An invasive mosquito threatens catastrophe in Africa
A malaria-carrying species that thrives in urban areas and resists all insecticides is causing outbreaks in places that have rarely faced the disease.
The gamble: Can genetically-modified mosquitos end disease?
Working on a remote island, scientists think they can use genetic engineering to block a malaria-carrying species of mosquito from spreading the disease — and do it in just a few months. But governments are wary.
One village, two houses and a new tactic to win the war on mosquitos
A different way of thinking about mosquito-borne diseases could save billions of dollars and end them for good, some health experts believe.
Unleashing a new weapon on the mosquito: a mosquito
What if, instead of killing the mosquitoes, you could disarm them? Even if you couldn’t keep them from biting people, what if you could block them from passing on disease? What if you could use one infectious microbe to stop another?
Insecticides can't stop the mosquitos. Now what?
Old weapons like bed nets and insecticides don't work well anymore: Mosquitos have evolved to resist and evade them. The world needs to ways to fight mosquitos.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Dengue fever cases surge as temperatures rise
Experts say a tangled web of factors is driving global spikes in dengue, but one culprit stands out: climate change.
| BigStock Photo ID: 476208333 |
| Copyright: Svetlozar Hristov |
How plastics are poisoning us
Plastics release and attract toxic chemicals, and appear everywhere from human placentas to chasms thirty-six thousand feet beneath the sea. Will we ever be rid of them? Elizabeth Kolbert writes for The New Yorker
In a nutshell:
Born in 1865 out of a quest to eliminate elephant ivory from the billiard ball supply chain, plastics are now being spewed forth at an annual production volume of over eight hundred billion pounds. As plastics break down into microplastics and disperse, they make their way to the most distant parts of our planet as well as infiltrating the internal organs of species up and down the food chain. No amount of recycling, reusing or repurposing is going to solve the plastics problem.
Key quote:
“So long as we’re churning out single-use plastic . . . we’re trying to drain the tub without turning off the tap,” Matt Simon writes. “We’ve got to cut it out.”
Big picture:
Reducing plastic pollution cannot be seriously entertained without a commitment to reducing, if not eliminating, plastic production; and that in turn would involve a winding down of the petrochemical industry at precisely the point in time when Big Oil, faced with an energy transition to renewables, is looking to plastics as one of the mainstays of future profits. The oil and gas industry, protected by massive political might and bankrolled by decades of record profits and willing financiers will not go quietly.
Keep reading...Show less
Photo by Greg Bulla on Unsplash
Federal, state and local agencies reach agreement to address Salton Sea crisis
The $250 million commitment will support public health and habitat while conserving Colorado River water.
After 60 years, 'Silent Spring' is still changing the world
A scientist, farmer, journalist, biologist, and community organizer reflect on the power and ongoing impact of Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking book, and the work that remains to be done.
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
