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Men With Stronger Sperm May Live Longer, Study Finds

By I. Edwards HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, March 5, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Men with strong, fast-swimming sperm may not only have better...

WEDNESDAY, March 5, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Men with strong, fast-swimming sperm may not only have better fertility but also longer lives, a new study suggests.Researchers tracked more than 78,000 men over 50 years and found that those with higher sperm motility -- the ability of sperm to swim -- lived nearly three years longer than men with poor sperm movement.“In absolute terms, men with a total motile count of more than 120 million (per milliliter of semen) lived 2.7 years longer than men with a total motile count of between 0 and 5 million,” lead author Lærke Priskorn, a doctoral candidate at Copenhagen University Hospital -- Rigshospitalet in Denmark, said in a statement.That translates to a life expectancy of 80.3 years for men with high sperm motility compared to 77.6 years for men with very low motility, according to findings published March 4 in the journal Human Reproduction.Sperm motility is the ability of sperm to move through the female reproductive tract to reach and fertilize an egg.The World Health Organization (WHO) considers sperm motility normal if at least 42% of sperm in a sample can swim effectively.A motility count lower than 5 million per milliliter of semen is linked to male infertility, the researchers said.Dr. Michael Eisenberg, professor of urology and director of male reproductive medicine and surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine, reviewed the findings.“The fact that there is an association between semen quality and longevity is an important finding,” he told CNN via email, adding that prior studies have suggested this link between reproductive health and overall health.Semen quality could also help identify future health problems, especially at younger ages, according to John Aitken, a reproductive health expert and professor emeritus at the University of Newcastle in Australia, who wrote an an editorial published with the study.“In men, it appears to be their semen profile that is providing the most significant information concerning their future health and wellbeing,” he wrote.Experts agree that one possible link between sperm quality and life expectancy could be oxidative stress.Oxidative stress happens when unstable molecules called free radicals build up in the body and cause damage to cells and DNA -- including sperm.“Any factor (genetic, immunological, metabolic, environmental or lifestyle) that enhances overall levels of oxidative stress, could reasonably be expected to drive changes in the semen profile and subsequent patterns of mortality,” Aitken wrote.Oxidative stress can be triggered by smoking, heavy alcohol use, pesticides, industrial chemicals and even air pollution, according to the National Cancer Institute.The body can fight back with antioxidants, found in foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, according to the Cleveland Clinic.While antioxidant supplements haven’t been proven to help with oxidative stress, a diet rich in whole foods -- citrus fruit, spinach, peppers, sunflower seeds, almonds, salmon, tuna, carrots, mangos and kale, to name a few --  offers a natural way to support sperm health and overall wellness.SOURCES: CNN, March 4, 2025; Human Reproduction, March 4, 2025Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Health
Chemicals
Pollution

Video op-ed: Communities in a newly-revealed cancer cluster in Texas deserve justice

Highlands, Texas is a small community on the outskirts of Houston that sits beside the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site. The two pits, just shy of 34 acres combined, were originally built in the 1960s to house waste materials from a paper mill. Last month, based on a request from The Texas Health and Environment Alliance (THEA), the State of Texas released a cancer rate assessment that determined that a 250-square-mile area along the San Jacinto River, including the Superfund Site, is a cancer cluster. “Highlands, Texas, is on the banks next to the Superfund Site and has just been gutted by one environmental problem after another,” Ken Wells, an organizer with THEA, told EHN. The waste pits are contaminated with cancer-causing dioxins and furans, resulting in the areas becoming classified as a Superfund Site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2008. Former EPA Administrator Earthea Nance called the pits “one of the most complex Superfund sites in the nation.” In addition to the waste pits, the San Jacinto River is situated within the nation’s petrochemical corridor along the Houston Ship Channel. The 52-mile long channel hosts more than 600 petrochemical plants that produce products like plastics, fertilizers, and pesticides. Pollution from these industries pose numerous environmental health concerns, including increased exposure to other carcinogens like benzene. The Texas Health and Environment Alliance (THEA) was founded by former Highlands resident Jackie Medcalf to provide communities with the technical and regulatory expertise needed to make environmental laws work for them. THEA produced this video op-ed to highlight the cumulative impacts of multi-source pollution on environmental health in Highlands, Texas.

Highlands, Texas is a small community on the outskirts of Houston that sits beside the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site. The two pits, just shy of 34 acres combined, were originally built in the 1960s to house waste materials from a paper mill. Last month, based on a request from The Texas Health and Environment Alliance (THEA), the State of Texas released a cancer rate assessment that determined that a 250-square-mile area along the San Jacinto River, including the Superfund Site, is a cancer cluster. “Highlands, Texas, is on the banks next to the Superfund Site and has just been gutted by one environmental problem after another,” Ken Wells, an organizer with THEA, told EHN. The waste pits are contaminated with cancer-causing dioxins and furans, resulting in the areas becoming classified as a Superfund Site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2008. Former EPA Administrator Earthea Nance called the pits “one of the most complex Superfund sites in the nation.” In addition to the waste pits, the San Jacinto River is situated within the nation’s petrochemical corridor along the Houston Ship Channel. The 52-mile long channel hosts more than 600 petrochemical plants that produce products like plastics, fertilizers, and pesticides. Pollution from these industries pose numerous environmental health concerns, including increased exposure to other carcinogens like benzene. The Texas Health and Environment Alliance (THEA) was founded by former Highlands resident Jackie Medcalf to provide communities with the technical and regulatory expertise needed to make environmental laws work for them. THEA produced this video op-ed to highlight the cumulative impacts of multi-source pollution on environmental health in Highlands, Texas.

Chemicals
Health
Pollution

Prep for spring with Oregon gardening workshops on pruning, beekeeping and more

Learn about conservation and wildlife or order native plants with one of these late winter events

Events are free unless noted. Please email calendar submissions at least three weeks in advance to events@oregonian.com.ONGOINGMetro Parks and Nature Winter 2025: Various times and locations through March 15. Connect with nature this winter and learn more about wildlife, explore a new hobby or volunteer in your community. Individuals, families and groups are welcome to register for a guided class, walk, stewardship activity or hands-on experience at a Metro park or natural area. Free to $6 registration at oregonmetro.gov/calendar or 503-220-2782; oregonmetro.gov/GuidedActivities.Portland Rose Society Pruning Demonstrations: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (demo at noon) various dates and locations through March 23. Representatives from the Portland Rose Society will be demonstrating how and when to cut back different classes of roses, including hybrid teas, floribundas and shrubs. The society will also offer free pruner sharpening and soil pH testing. Visit portlandrosesociety.org, call 503-201-7847 or email bboehne@gmail.com.Spring Native Plant Sale: Order through March 30 from a selection of more than 115 species of native plants to be picked up in April or May at choice locations. sparrowhawknativeplants.com.East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District free webinars: Discover how to care for land in ways that benefit people, water and wildlife. From stormwater solutions to biochar to water conservation, these workshops will help you save time, money and energy. Register at emswcd.org/workshops-and-events/upcoming-workshops.Greater Portland Iris Society meeting: 7 p.m. first Tuesday of the month in March, April, September, October and November. Enjoy discussions of irises with guest speakers. Ainsworth House, 19130 Lot Whitcomb Drive, Oregon City; greaterportlandirissociety.org.Walk With a Friend at Tualatin Hills Nature Park: 9 a.m. first Wednesday and third Sunday of the month. Take a guided walk and learn about the plants, wildlife and history of the park. Tualatin Hills Nature Park, 15655 S.W. Millikan Way, Beaverton; thprd.org.Happy Valley Garden Club monthly meeting: 9 a.m.-noon second Tuesday of the month. Happy Valley Baptist Church, 14095 S.E. King Road, Happy Valley.Canby Garden Club monthly meeting: 1 p.m. second Tuesday of the month. Canby Public Library, 220 N.E. Second St.; canbygardenclub.com.Ikebana for Every Season: 1-3 p.m. second Tuesday of the month. Become knowledgeable about basic concepts, techniques, tools, equipment and care for ikebana. $50 includes instruction, plant material and containers to practice with. The Resource Center, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.Portland Dahlia Society monthly meeting: 7 p.m. second Tuesday of the month February through November. Take part in a discussion of seasonal topics. Oaks Park Dance Pavilion, 7805 S.E. Oaks Park Way; portlanddahlia.com.Oregon Fuchsia Society monthly meeting: 7 p.m. third Tuesday of the month. Western Seminary (Bueermann Hall), 5511 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.; oregonfuchsiasociety.com.Estacada Garden Club monthly meeting: 1-3 p.m. second Thursday of the month. Estacada Public Library, 825 N.W. Wade St.The Art of Bonsai: 1-3 p.m. third Thursday and third Saturday of the month. Instructor Mark Vossbrink will guide you through the creation of a bonsai project. $40 includes instruction, plant, container, soil and all materials. The Resource Center, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5Introduction to Residential Beekeeping: 6:30-8 p.m. Learn about the differences between beekeeping in a rural versus urban setting, types of bees, flow hives and more. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.THURSDAY, MARCH 6Wildlife and Water Friendly Garden Series: (online with an option for in-person screenings) noon-1 p.m. The Clackamas Community College Environmental Learning Center is hosting free weekly workshops with industry professionals that will discuss gardening for wildlife and water quality, with a theme on climate resilience and impacts of climate change on wildlife. bit.ly/ELCgardenseries2025.Introduction to the Aesthetic Pruning Approach: (online via Zoom) 6-8 p.m. Instructor Maryann Lewis will discuss how to apply the aesthetic pruning approach to trees and shrubs, including how to assess plant material, identifying the role they play and developing a pruning plan to achieve your goals. $30; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.FRIDAY, MARCH 7Lane County Home & Garden Show: Noon-9 p.m. March 7, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. March 8 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 9. Explore, shop and compare more than 300 exhibits featuring experts and new products and services for homes, gardens and yards. $5 or free with three cans of food; Lane Events Center, 796 W. 13th Ave., Eugene; EugeneHomeShow.com.TUESDAY, MARCH 11Webinar: Journey Down the Clackamas: Thermal Habitat Across Time and Space: 6-7:30 p.m. Join a virtual seminar series about the watershed and its natural resources. Register at clackamasriver.org; email Dakota@ClackamasRiver.org.SATURDAY, MARCH 15Garden Discovery Day: 9 a.m.-noon. Join the Clackamas County Master Gardener Association for in-person workshops, discussions, demonstrations, free soil testing and more. Milwaukie Community Center, 5440 S.E. Kellogg Creek Drive; clackamascountymastergardeners.org.Blueberry Pruning: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn best practices for pruning blueberry plants with guided instruction and hands-on practice. Sliding scale starts at $40; registration required at homeorchardeducationcenter.org; Home Orchard Education Center Community Orchard, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City; email info@homeorchardeducationcenter.org.TUESDAY, MARCH 18Pruning Small Fruits: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. This session will cover best practices for pruning small fruiting shrubs, including how to encourage growth and abundant harvests. Sliding scale starts at $40; registration required at homeorchardeducationcenter.org; Home Orchard Education Center Community Orchard, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City; email info@homeorchardeducationcenter.org.WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19Weed Wranglin' Workshop: 6-7:30 p.m. Join this workshop and jump into some tips to help get those pesky weeds under control. Metzger Park, 8400 S.W. Hemlock St.; tualatinswcd.org.FRIDAY, MARCH 21Deepwood Plant Sale & Horticultural Tours: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. March 21-22. Shop a variety of Oregon native and companion plants, pottery, botanical art and more. Deepwood Museum & Gardens, 1116 Mission Street S.E., Salem; DeepwoodMuseum.org.Plant Spirit Journey: 6:30 p.m. Take part in a plant sit and learn about practical uses of seasonal species. From $25; Hedgerow Herb Co., 811 E. Burnside St., Suite 116; hedgerowherbco.com.SATURDAY, MARCH 22Tree School Clackamas: Opens at 7:15 a.m. Attend any of 73 classes covering forestry and tree grower topics key to the support of successful management of small woodlands. Participants will learn about forest management, tools and techniques, wildfire preparedness, marketing and business, forest health, wildlife habitat, weed management, forest fungi and more. $70 Clackamas County resident, $85 out of county, $35 ages 14-18 with adult; registration required at beav.es/tree-school-clackamas; Clackamas Community College, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City.Grow Your Own Kiwifruit: It’s Easier Than You Think Workshop: 10-11:30 a.m. Join the WSU Extension Clark County Master Gardener program for an experiential workshop on getting started on your own growing adventure at a kiwi demonstration site in Vancouver. $10 registration at eventbrite.com; visit extension.wsu.edu, call 564-397-5738 or email Erika.d.johnson@wsu.edu.Gardening With Pacific Northwest Native Plants: 10 a.m.-noon. Join the Washington County Master Gardener Association to learn about native plants that thrive in the region, how to naturescape in support of wildlife and pollinators, and consider the possibilities the Backyard Habitat Certification Program offers through its customized yard assessment. PCC Rock Creek (Building 4, Room 103), 17705 N.W. Springville Road; washingtoncountymastergardeners.org.TUESDAY, MARCH 25Growing and Caring for Blueberries: 6-7:30 p.m. This seminar will review the main parts of a blueberry plant, soil conditions, how and when to fertilize, varieties, harvest times and more. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.SATURDAY, MARCH 29Yamhill County Master Gardeners and OSU Spring into Gardening: 8:45 a.m.-4 p.m. Sign up for gardening classes on flowers, healthy gardens and climate resilience, talk to garden experts, enter the annual raffle and more. $40, add lunch for $17; Linfield University, Keck Science Center, 356 Linfield Ave., McMinnville; register at YCMGA.org.Perennials: How to Choose, Plant and Maintain for Year-round Flowers: 10 a.m.-noon. This class will provide an overview on types of perennials, how to best care for them in terms of planting, pruning, fertilizing, pest control and maintenance, plus tips to extend blooming time for year-round color. PCC Rock Creek (Building 7, Room 105), 17705 N.W. Springville Road; washingtoncountymastergardeners.org.SATURDAY, APRIL 5Soil School 2025: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. This event offers eight sessions led by experts discussing how improving soil health improves plant, garden and habitat health. $35 registration includes breakfast and lunch; Portland Community College, Rock Creek Event Center, 17705 N.W. Springville Road; wmswcd.org.SATURDAY, APRIL 12Top-working Fruit Trees: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Top-working is a term used to describe the process of adding new varieties to an existing tree. This hands-on workshop will teach you about grafting tools, compatibility and methods for top-working. Sliding scale starts at $30; registration required at homeorchardeducationcenter.org; Home Orchard Education Center Community Orchard, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City; email info@homeorchardeducationcenter.org.SATURDAY, APRIL 19Earth Day Trash Cleanup: 10 a.m.-noon. Volunteer and help with trash cleanup on a Clackamas River Basin Council restoration site. Beebe Island (exact location TBD); register at clackamasriver.org; email Dakota@ClackamasRiver.org.SATURDAY, APRIL 26Pub Talk: Mussels & Macroinvertebrates: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Learn about and discuss mussels, macroinvertebrates (bugs) and freshwater ecology. Ruzzo’s Retreat, 15252 OR-224, Damascus; register at clackamasriver.org; email Dakota@ClackamasRiver.org.SATURDAY, MAY 3Gardenfest Plant Sale 2025: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Choose from more than 5,000 plants selected for the Pacific Northwest, including natives, perennials, shrubs, vegetables, houseplants and more. PCC Rock Creek, 17705 N.W. Springville Road; washingtoncountymastergardeners.org.Spring Candling and Maintenance on Pines: 1-3 p.m. Instructor Laura Dufala will candle, needle and prune pines while discussing the whys and hows of the process. $45; Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.SATURDAY, MAY 17Creating Pollinator Habitat for Your Garden and Home: 10-11:30 a.m. Learn how to preserve and protect certain types of native butterflies and the best ways to provide valuable nectar to all pollinators including bees, moths and hummingbirds. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.Gathering in the Garden: Celebrating Gardening and the Appreciation of Community Green Spaces: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy live music and a silent auction while shopping for organic tomato starts, shrubs, plants, garden art, ceramics, accessories and more. Children can learn how to pot plants, and the Portland Rose Society will sharpen hand pruners for free. Eastmoreland Garden, Southeast 27th Avenue and Bybee Boulevard; eastmorelandpdx.org.Work Party: Garlic Mustard Pull: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Grab your favorite hand tool and head out to a springtime work party to help pull invasive and noxious garlic mustard. Milo McIver State Park, 24401 S. Entrance Road, Estacada; register at clackamasriver.org; email Dakota@ClackamasRiver.org.SUNDAY, MAY 18Pub Talk: An Invader Among Us — The Emerald Ash Borer: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Take part in an evening of learning and discussion on invasive insects including the emerald ash borer. Oregon City Brewing, 1401 Washington St., Oregon City; register at clackamasriver.org; email Dakota@ClackamasRiver.org.SATURDAY, MAY 31Pruning Flowering Shrubs: 1-2:30 p.m. Learn the basic cuts through a hands-on demonstration of pruning rhododendrons and azaleas. Garden Director Jim Card will speak about flowering shrubs and when and how to prune. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.SATURDAY, JUNE 7Propagating Broadleaf Shrubs: 1-3 p.m. Learn how to successfully propagate deciduous and evergreen plants and other suitable woody plants from cuttings. Instructor Norm Jacobs will explain plant physiology as it pertains to propagation, selection of containers and soil mixes, and the role of rooting compounds. $55 includes all materials; Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.-- Corey SheldonStay in the loop. Sign up to receive a weekly newsletter and join the conversation at the Homes & Gardens of the Northwest on Facebook

Conservation
Business
Education

Efforts to decrease wood burning in Portland not exactly catching fire

Efforts to decrease the use of wood stoves and wood-burning fireplaces in Portland seem to have had little effect, according to preliminary results from a new state survey.

Efforts to decrease wood burning in Portland not exactly catching fireThey produce more harmful particulate matter than diesel trucks and cigarette smoke. They release carbon dioxide and other toxic chemicals that can lead to dire health and climate outcomes. Yet efforts to decrease the use of wood stoves and wood-burning fireplaces in Portland seem to have had little effect. Preliminary results from a new state survey show more people across the state burned wood as compared to a 2021 survey. The wood-burning increase is especially pronounced in urban areas where people are using more wood fireplaces, fireplace inserts, wood stoves and pellet stoves in single-family detached homes. There’s also a smaller increase in the use of wood stoves in single-family detached homes in rural areas, according to the data, obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The reasons for the rise in burning could be many, state officials say, from the climbing costs of electricity and an increase in power outages to Oregon’s deep ties to the timber industry and easy-to-get and relatively cheap wood. Plus, people simply like the look and feel of fireplaces and wood stoves. The upturn is disheartening to public health officials in Multnomah County who for nearly six years have regulated wood burning, educated residents about its dangers and, more recently, have spent more than $1 million to help swap stoves and fireplaces for heat pumps. Wood burning is one of the leading sources of air pollution in Multnomah County during the winter heating season, said John Wasiutynski, the county’s Office of Sustainability director. “People don’t smell poison, they smell nostalgia,” Wasiutynski said. “But we can’t have clean air if we have wood burning.” Clearly, it’s hard to part people from the tradition, he said. An estimated 1% of Multnomah County’s 343,370 homes – or 3,434 households – use wood as their primary heat source, according to the DEQ.But that number doesn’t include the countless households that use wood as a secondary heat source or for pleasure, ambiance or aesthetic purposes, Wasiutynski said. The wood combustion survey, conducted every three years by Oregon State University in conjunction with the DEQ, offers a more complex picture of wood-burning trends. The survey asks a sampling of state residents whether they use wood-burning devices, what type and how much wood they burn. The data was collected last summer. Survey results are used to help develop a statewide emissions inventory of air pollutants, which the state submits to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a part of the National Emissions Inventory. WORSE THAN TRUCKS, CARS COMBINEDThere are compelling reasons to ditch heating with wood, public health officials say. The EPA says residential wood smoke emits more fine particulate matter – also called PM2.5 – than cars, diesel trucks, tractors and bulldozers combined and five times more than petroleum refineries, cement manufacturers and pulp and paper plants combined. The tiny airborne particles, which can be inhaled deep into the lungs, can cause or exacerbate serious health problems, including asthma, severe bronchitis, heart and lung disease and can lead to premature death, according to the American Lung Association. People over 65, children, pregnant women and those with existing lung or heart conditions are most at risk. Burning wood also releases volatile organic compounds – toxic gases that vaporize into the air – that can cause cancer and other adverse health effects, nitrogen oxides and cancer-causing benzene and formaldehyde, according to the EPA. The chemicals and the particulate matter degrade indoor air quality for the families that burn wood and also make the air outside sooty and stinky for countless neighbors. It’s especially dire on days with air stagnation and temperature inversions when warm air sits on top of cold air, causing pollution from the wood devices to stick close to the ground, Wasiutynski said.“If I had to choose, would I rather my neighbor idle a modern diesel truck in his yard or fire up his fireplace? I’m going to choose the diesel truck because it’s actually going to be less polluting,” he said. Though the EPA in 2018 declared that wood burning is “carbon neutral” – because trees die naturally and can be replanted to reabsorb carbon – that declaration was focused on the biomass industry that burns wood products for energy, including to produce wood pellets for stoves. Environmental groups have pushed back, saying wood smoke adds carbon dioxide, black carbon and methane to the air, pollutants that contribute significantly to climate change. Data from the state Department of Environmental Quality also shows that residential wood burning has a disproportionately harmful impact on Latino and Black residents in Oregon, Wasiutynski said. And newer or “eco-friendly” stoves, fireplaces and inserts certified to comply with higher emission standards aren’t necessarily that much cleaner. 10 states sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, alleging its testing and certification program for home wood heaters is ineffective. APIn 2023, Oregon and nine other states sued the EPA, alleging both that the federal agency’s current standards aren’t good enough and that its wood-stove testing and certification program fails to ensure that new wood-burning stoves actually comply with the emission limits. In October, the EPA and the states reached a settlement, with the agency agreeing to reassess how it tests wood stoves and to propose new standards within a reasonable timeframe. Given the Trump administration’s priorities, it’s unlikely new standards will be proposed anytime soon, Wasiutynski said. RISE IN URBAN BURNINGThe increase in urban wood burning in the state survey indicates people may not know or care about the controversies over certified stoves. Chris Varley, a spokesperson with the DEQ’s air quality division, said the state agency is still analyzing the reasons behind the increase, including looking at whether the 2023-2024 winter just before data was collected was particularly cold and whether the rapid rise in electricity costs could have influenced the type of fuel people use to heat their homes. Varley said the state will continue to focus on educating residents about wood burning’s health impacts and helping them choose more efficient stoves or switching to heat pumps. “Awareness about the harms of wood burning is still just really slow to take hold in our consciousness,” he said. “We know wood smoke is bad and we want to do everything we can to help residents transition to cleaner alternatives.” Johnny Chen, the director of Oregon State’s Center for Marketing & Consumer Insights, said the survey has undergone some changes to make it more accurate and would need to be replicated in three years to more conclusively address whether Oregonians are burning more wood. Chen also said because the survey’s sampling procedure did a better job of capturing respondents from eastern Oregon than the previous survey, this could account for some of the rise in the number of people having a fireplace, a fireplace insert or a wood stove, as homes in that part of the state are more likely to have wood-burning heat sources. Additionally, said Chen, the 2021 survey was likely affected by COVID-19, as people spending more time at home may have altered their heating choices. The survey findings don’t come as a surprise to Wasiutynski, who attributes the rise in urban wood burning to more affluent people buying wood fireplaces and wood stoves. For some, the fire crackling and smell of wood burning seem to hold an almost primordial attraction. For others, it’s a way to recreate a cozy or romantic feel, he said.Then there’s also a new trend, driven by extreme weather – the ice storms in recent years – of wood burning increasingly used as an emergency backup, a way to keep the house warm during power outages, he said. For survey respondents who indicated they had an alternative heating option, wood was the most common source. That may not be a bad thing, Wasiutynski said, as long as people are using the wood-burning devices once or twice a year, that they’re using them properly and that they’re aware their fireplaces and stoves – no matter how modern or efficient – are still polluting and harmful to their and their neighbors’ health. “People have a perception that wood burning is green,” Wasiutynski said. “It’s not. That’s a bitter pill for Oregonians to swallow.” SPREADING THE WORDThe county has been trying to spread that message since 2018 when it passed an ordinance to prevent wood burning on the worst air quality days. Multnomah County issues mandatory wood burning restrictionsThe measure exempts low-income households and those using wood burning as their primary source of heat, for food preparation, for ceremonial reasons or for emergencies such as power outages.In November 2022, the county launched a wood-burning exchange pilot program to replace wood-burning devices with energy-efficient heat pumps. The program focused on neighborhoods most affected by wood smoke and residents with limited means to change their home heating systems.Over the past two years, the program replaced 127 wood-burning devices in 115 homes (some homes had more than one wood-burning source) at a cost of $1.4 million. A crew from Advance Design Build installs heat pump infrastructure at the home of a Southeast Portland family that has burned wood for heat for decades. The heat pump came courtesy of Multnomah County's wood stove exchange program. Austin De Dios The Oregonian/OregonLiveThe funding came via Oregon’s Community Heat Pump Deployment Program, a $500,000 federal grant through the American Rescue Plan Act and additional grants from the state Department of Environmental Quality. The county funded a position that administered the program. But the state and federal money are drying up. Given the county’s fiscal woes, it’s likely the wood stove exchange program will be discontinued, Wasiutynski said. Portland nonprofits may be able to continue the work, though the details are yet to be finalized and other cities in Multnomah County won’t be able to participate, he said. Wasiutynski said he hopes the county and the state will continue to educate residents about the harms of wood burning. “The climate crisis is making exposure to smoke from wood, due to forest fires, more common in the summer and fall, making reductions in wintertime emissions associated with residential wood burning all the more important,” he said. — Gosia Wozniacka covers environmental justice, climate change, the clean energy transition and other environmental issues. Reach her at gwozniacka@oregonian.com or 971-421-3154.Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.

Chemicals
Climate
CO2

DNA detectives in Antarctica: probing 6,000 years of penguin poo for clues to the past

New ancient DNA research on Adélie penguin poo in Antarctica shows how several species respond to environmental change over time, including southern elephant seals.

Jamie WoodStudies of ancient DNA have tended to focus on frozen land in the northern hemisphere, where woolly mammoths and bison roamed. Meanwhile, Antarctica has received relatively little attention. We set out to change that. The most suitable sediments are exposed near the coast of the icy continent, where penguins like to breed. Their poo is a rich source of DNA, providing information about the health of the population as well as what penguins have been eating. Our new research opens a window on the past of Adélie penguins in Antarctica, going back 6,000 years. It also offers a surprise glimpse into the shrinking world of southern elephant seals over the past 1,000 years. Understanding how these species coped with climate change in the past can help us prepare for the future. Wildlife in Antarctica faces multiple emerging threats and will likely need support to cope with the many challenges ahead. A unique marine ecosystem Adélie penguins are particularly sensitive to changes in their environment. This makes them what we call a “sentinel species”, providing an early warning of imbalance or dysfunction in the coastal ecosystem. Their poo also provides a record of how they responded to changes in the past. In our new research, we excavated pits up to 80cm deep at ten Adélie penguin colonies along the 700km Ross Sea coastline. We then collected 156 sediment samples from different depths in each excavation. Six of these colonies were still active, meaning birds return annually to breed. The other four had been abandoned at various times over the past 6,000 years. From these sediments we generated 94 billion DNA sequences, which provided us with an unparalleled window into the past lives of Adélie penguins and their ecosystem. We detected the DNA of several animal species besides Adélie penguins. These animals included two other birds, three seals and two soil invertebrates. Not all of this DNA came from penguin poo. Our samples also contained DNA from feathers, hairs or skin cells of other species in the environment at the time. Sediment samples were taken from ten penguin colonies of various ages, six active (white dot) and four abandoned (coloured dot), on the coast of Ross Sea in Antarctica. Wood, J., et al (2025) Nature Communications, CC BY-NC-ND Penguin population size and diet When we took a closer look at the DNA from penguins of the present day, we found more genetic diversity in samples from larger colonies. Recognising this relationship between genetic diversity and colony size enabled us to estimate the size of former colonies. We could also reconstruct population trends through time. For example, in samples from active colonies, we found penguin genetic diversity increased as we sampled closer and closer to the surface. This may reflect population growth over the past century. The DNA also revealed changes in penguin diets over time. Over the past 4,000 years, the penguins in the southern Ross Sea switched from mainly eating one type of fish – the bald notothen – to another, Antarctic silverfish. The bald notothen lives beneath the sea ice, so this prey-switching was likely driven by a change in sea ice extent compared with the past. Examples of an active Adélie penguin colony (Cape Hallett), and a 6,000 year old abandoned Adélie penguin colony site (Terra Nova Bay). Jamie Wood Surprise! Elephant seals We made an unexpected discovery at Cape Hallett, in the northern Ross Sea. This is the site of an active penguin colony. Samples of sediment from close to the surface contained lots of penguin DNA and eggshell. But samples from further down, where penguin DNA and eggshell were scarce, contained DNA from southern elephant seals. Today, elephant seals are uncommon visitors to the Antarctic continent, and breed on subantarctic islands including Macquarie, Campbell and Antipodes Islands. Yet, bones of elephant seal pups found along the Ross Sea coast indicate the species used to breed in the area. Carbon dating of these bones indicate elephant seal colonies began disappearing from the southern Ross Sea around 1,000 years ago. Over the following 200 years, colonies in the northern Ross Sea began vanishing too. As the climate cooled and the extent of sea ice increased, elephant seals could no longer access suitable breeding sites. These sites were then taken over by Adélie penguins who expanded into areas once occupied by seals. Our DNA evidence suggests Cape Hallett was one of the last strongholds of southern elephant seals on the icy continent. But we may yet again see elephant seals breeding on the Antarctic mainland as the world warms and sea ice melts. Even more ancient DNA in Antarctica Our study spans the past 6,000 years, but our research suggests it would be possible to go even further back. The DNA fragments we found were very well preserved, showing little of the damage expected in warmer climates. So it should be possible to obtain much older DNA from sediments on land in Antarctica – maybe even 1 million-year-old DNA, as recently reported from Antarctic sediments beneath the ocean floor. Worthy of lasting protection In December 2017, 2.09 million square kilometres of the Ross Sea and adjoining Southern Ocean became the world’s largest marine protected area. Establishing the protection was a major achievement, yet it was only afforded for 35 years. After 2052, continuation of the region’s protected status will require international agreement. Knowledge of the vulnerability of local species and their risk in the face of change will play a key role in informing the decision. Our research provides a case study for how ancient environmental DNA can contribute towards this understanding. This research was part of the Ross Sea Region Research and Monitoring Programme,, funded by the New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment.Theresa Cole does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Animals
Business
Climate

Slim margins, climate disasters, and Trump’s funding freeze: Life or death for many US farms

Federal programs are a lifeline for farmers. Now many are questioning whether they can stay in business.

When the Trump administration first announced a freeze on all federal funding in January, farmers across the country were thrust into an uncertain limbo.  More than a month later, fourth-generation farmer Adam Chappell continues to wait on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reimburse him for the $25,000 he paid out of pocket to implement conservation practices like cover cropping. Until he knows the fate of the federal programs that keep his small rice farm in Arkansas afloat, Chappell’s unable to prepare for his next crop. Things have gotten so bad, the 45-year-old is even considering leaving the only job he’s ever known. “I just don’t know who we can count on and if we can count on them as a whole to get it done,” said Chappell. “That’s what I’m scared of.”  In Virginia, the funding freeze has forced a sustainable farming network that supports small farmers throughout the state to suspend operations. Brent Wills, a livestock producer and program manager at the Virginia Association for Biological Farming, said that nearly all of the organization’s funding comes from USDA programs that have been frozen or rescinded. The team of three is now scrambling to come up with a contingency plan while trying not to panic over whether the nearly $50,000 in grants they are owed will be reimbursed.  “It’s pretty devastating,” said Wills. “The short-term effects of this are bad enough, but the long-term effects? We can’t even tally that up right now.”  In North Carolina, a beekeeping operation hasn’t yet received the $14,500 in emergency funding from the USDA to rebuild after Hurricane Helene washed away 60 beehives. Ang Roell, who runs They Keep Bees, an apiary that also has operations in Florida and Massachusetts, said they have more than $45,000 in USDA grants that are frozen. The delay has put them behind in production, leading to an additional $15,000 in losses. They are also unsure of the future of an additional $100,000 in grants that they’ve applied for. “I have to rethink my entire business plan,” Roell said. “I feel shell-shocked.” Within the USDA’s purview, the funding freeze has targeted two main categories of funding: grant applications that link agricultural work to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and those enacted under the Inflation Reduction Act, which earmarked more than $19.5 billion to be paid out over several years. Added to the uncertainty of the funding freeze, among the tens of thousands of federal employees who have lost their jobs in recent weeks were officials who manage various USDA programs. Following the initial freeze, courts have repeatedly ordered the administration to grant access to all funds, but agencies have taken a piecemeal approach, releasing funding in “tranches.” Even as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Interior have released significant chunks of funding, the USDA has moved slowly, citing the need to review programs with IRA funding. In some cases, though, it has terminated contracts altogether, including those with ties to the agency’s largest-ever investment in climate-smart agriculture.  In late February, the USDA announced that it was releasing $20 million to farmers who had already been awarded grants — the agency’s first tranche.  According to Mike Lavender, policy director with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, that $20 million amounts to “less than one percent” of money owed. His team estimates that three IRA-funded programs have legally promised roughly $2.3 billion through 30,715 conservation contracts for ranchers, farmers, and foresters. Those contracts have been through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. “In some respects, it’s a positive sign that some of it’s been released,” said Lavender. “But I think, more broadly, it’s so insignificant. For the vast majority, [this] does absolutely nothing.” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the agency is unfreezing some funds, but it’s unclear how much is being released and how soon. Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images A week later, USDA secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the agency would be able to meet a March 21 deadline imposed by Congress to distribute an additional $10 billion in emergency relief payments. Then, on Sunday, March 2, Rollins made an announcement that offered hope for some farmers, but very little specifics. In a press statement, the USDA stated that the agency’s review of IRA funds had been completed and funds associated with EQIP, CSP, and ACEP would be released, but it did not clarify how much would be unfrozen. The statement also announced a commitment to distribute an additional $20 billion in disaster assistance.  Lavender called Rollins’ statement a “borderline nothingburger” for its degree of “ambiguity.” It’s not clear, he continued, if Rollins is referring to the first tranche of funding or if the statement was announcing a second tranche — nor, if it’s the latter, how much is being released. “Uncertainty still seems to reign supreme. We need more clarity.”  The USDA did not respond to Grist’s request for clarification.  Farmers who identify as women, queer, or people of color are especially apprehensive about the status of their contracts. Roell, the beekeeper, said their applications for funding celebrated their operations’ diverse workforce development program. Now, Roell, who uses they/them pronouns, fears that their existing contracts and pending applications will be targeted for the same reason. (Federal agencies have been following an executive order taking aim at “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs.”)  “This feels like an outright assault on sustainable agriculture, on small businesses, queer people, BIPOC, and women farmers,” said Roell. “Because at this point, all of our projects are getting flagged as DEI. We don’t know if we’re allowed to make corrections to those submissions or if they’re just going to get outright denied due to the language in the projects being for women or for queer folks.” The knock-on effects of this funding gridlock on America’s already fractured agricultural economy has Rebecca Wolf, senior food policy analyst at Food & Water Watch, deeply concerned. With the strain of an agricultural recession looming over regions like the Midwest, and the number of U.S. farms already in steady decline, she sees the freeze and ongoing mass layoffs of federal employees as “ultimately leading down the road to further consolidation.” Given that the administration is “intentionally dismantling the programs that help underpin our small and medium-sized farmers,” Wolf said this could lead to “the loss of those farms, and then the loss of land ownership.”   Other consequences might be more subtle, but no less significant. According to Omanjana Goswami, a soil scientist with the advocacy nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists, the funding freeze, layoffs, and the Trump administration’s hostility toward climate action is altogether likely to position America’s agricultural sector to contribute even more than it does to carbon emissions.  Agriculture accounted for about 10.6 percent of U.S. carbon emissions in 2021. When farmers implement conservation practices on their farms, it can lead to improved air and water quality and increase soil’s ability to store carbon. Such tactics can not only reduce agricultural emissions, but are incentivized by many of the programs now under review. “When we look at the scale of this, it’s massive,” said Goswami. “If this funding is scaled back, or even completely removed, it means that the impact and contribution of agriculture on climate change is going to increase.” Read Next US Forest Service firings decimate already understaffed agency: ‘It’s catastrophic’ Katie Myers, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, & Izzy Ross The Trump administration’s attack on farmers comes at a time when the agriculture industry faces multiple existential crises. For one, times are tight for farmers. In 2023, the median household income from farming was negative $900. That means, at least half of all households that drew income from farming didn’t turn a profit.  Additionally, in 2023, natural disasters caused nearly $22 billion in agricultural losses. Rising temperatures are slowing plant growth, frequent floods and droughts are decimating harvests, and wildfires are burning through fields. With insurance paying for only a subset of these losses, farmers are increasingly paying out of pocket. Last year, extreme weather impacts, rising labor and production costs, imbalances in global supply and demand, and increased price volatility all resulted in what some economists designated the industry’s worst financial year in almost two decades.  Elliott Smith, whose Washington state-based business Kitchen Sync Strategies helps small farmers supply institutions like schools with fresh food, says this situation has totally changed how he looks at the federal government. As the freeze hampers key grants for the farmers and food businesses he works with across at least 10 different states, halting emerging contracts and stalling a slate of ongoing projects, Smith said the experience has made him now consider federal funding “unstable.”  All told, the freeze isn’t just threatening the future of Smith’s business, but also the future of farmers and the local food systems they work within nationwide. “The entire food ecosystem is stuck in place. The USDA feels like a troll that saw the sun. They are frozen. They can’t move,” he said. “The rest of us are in the fields and trenches, and we’re looking back at the government and saying, ‘Where the hell are you?’” This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Slim margins, climate disasters, and Trump’s funding freeze: Life or death for many US farms on Mar 5, 2025.

Business
Climate
Conservation

London exhibition explores design based on needs of nature and animals

Curator of Design Museum show says ‘human-centric’ approach to design needs overhaul amid climate crisisDesigners need to “fundamentally rethink our relationship with the natural world”, according to the curator of a new exhibition which argues the needs of nature and animals should be considered when creating homes, buildings and products.Justin McGuirk, the curator of the upcoming More Than Human exhibition at the Design Museum in London, said our current “human-centric” approach to design needs to be radically overhauled as the world adapts to the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Designers need to “fundamentally rethink our relationship with the natural world”, according to the curator of a new exhibition which argues the needs of nature and animals should be considered when creating homes, buildings and products.Justin McGuirk, the curator of the upcoming More Than Human exhibition at the Design Museum in London, said our current “human-centric” approach to design needs to be radically overhauled as the world adapts to the climate crisis.Kombu Nudibranch by Julia Lohmann. Photograph: Julia Lohmann Studio/c/o The Design Museum“We’re stuck in a carbon accountancy model which is basically about doing everything exactly the same as we currently do, just a little bit less bad,” he said. “That’s not really going to cut it.”McGuirk believes there needs to be “a fundamental shift in position” for all designers.“Every design project needs to think about how it’s affecting other species, or either limiting its impact on other species, or ideally promoting the health of other species,” he said.The More Than Human exhibition, which opens on 11 July, presents ideas for how the world of design could achieve the shift McGuirk and others are calling for.There’s a pavilion that is specifically designed to encourage insects to nest in its exterior, a project in New York where a wave breaker has been built using a colony of oysters rather than concrete, and it features a “monumental seaweed installation” by the artist Julia Lohmann.Innovative design ideas that help restore damaged and dying marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, which are dying at record rates around the world, are also included.Reef Design Lab’s Living Seawalls – an artificial habitat for marine life – will feature alongside the lab’s Modular Artificial Reef Structure II, which is placed on the ocean floor to help regenerate and repopulate natural reef structures.McGuirk said there’s a sense that humans are detached from nature. “We extract what we need and then we build what we want. But actually we’re interdependent with all these living systems, so it’s really a new way of thinking that we’re trying to encourage,” he added.The More Than Human movement first emerged in the late 1990s when David Abram, the cultural ecologist, geo-philosopher and performance artist, coined the term. It has since moved from the theoretical to the real world.Micrographia by Johanna Seelemann. Photograph: c/o The Design Museum“It’s really only been around in theory for about 20 years,” said McGuirk. “But I’ve noticed among a younger generation of designers that this is becoming much more a way of thinking for them.”The exhibition is the first curatorial collaboration between the Design Museum and its national design research programme, Future Observatory, which launched in 2021 and champions new design thinking on environmental issues.Tim Marlow, director and CEO of the Design Museum said: “It’s important for museums and cultural institutions to respond to the complex issues facing our planet and society at present. It’s also important to shift perspectives from a human-centric view of the world to one closer to nature, which will make this a landmark exhibition in every sense.”

Animals
Nature
Crisis

Coral Reefs in Vietnam Face Collapse. Can Conservation Efforts Turn the Tide?

The coral reefs of Nha Trang, Vietnam, are in severe decline due to climate change, overfishing, and pollution

NHA TRANG, Vietnam (AP) — The gentle waves off the coast of central Vietnam's Nha Trang obscure an open secret: The life-giving coral reefs below are dying. The waters are eerily devoid of fish. The bounty of the ocean is coming to an end.This is why Binh Van — who fished in these waters for over two decades — now charters his boat to Vietnamese tourists wanting to experience the thrill of fishing in the deep waters of the South China Sea. But there is only squid, which is flourishing in oceans warmed by climate change, to catch. His passengers don’t mind as the boat moves away from Nha Trang’s twinkling beach resorts. But Van is pensive.It wasn't always like this. There was a time when he'd catch 70 kilograms (154 pounds) of fish, like tuna and grouper, in one night. He can't make money on the squid.“Now I usually go home empty-handed,” he said.Southeast Asia's coral reefs make up over a third of the world's coral reefs and are part of the ‘Coral Triangle', a richly biodiverse marine area that generally stretches from the Philippines to Indonesia to the Solomon Islands. But most of these are now at risk of being destroyed. Only 1% of Vietnam's reefs are still healthy, and in those cases it's because of their remoteness, according to the World Resources Institute. Reefs worldwide are at risk from warmer and more acidic waters that weaken coral reefs and result in them bleaching because they've expelled the algae that helps them survive. Bleached corals need time to recover but bleaching events — when many corals lose color at the same time — are happening more frequently because of climate change, said Clint Oakley, who studies corals at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.“It’s a compounding problem. It takes more than a year for them to fully recover,” he said.The coral reefs of Nha Trang have also had to contend with local pressures as Vietnam’s economy boomed and coastal towns grew. Sediment from construction harms corals. Runoff from agriculture, sewage and booming aquaculture trigger algal blooms that block sunlight and choke corals. Intense overfishing killed off fishes that support reef health. By 2019, an outbreak of a predatory, thorny starfish — made likelier because of the reef's disturbed ecological balance — had killed nearly 90% by eating corals of the surviving reefs by 2019, said Konstantin S. Tkachenko, a professor of marine ecology at Russia’s Samara University who has been studying Vietnam's reefs for years.This has affected not only the local fishing industry — reefs provide food, shelter, and breeding grounds for fish — but also Vietnam’s tourism industry, especially among divers from all over the world who flock to the Southeast Asian country because of its long coastline. The underwater landscape is becoming infamous for different types of waste: Glass bottles where revelers party, nylon fishing lines where fishing boats lurk and plastic everywhere. Fish that clean reefs and keep them healthy by eating algae or parasites, like the distinctive Picasso triggerfish and the beaked Indian parrotfish, have disappeared, said Michael Blum of Rainbow Divers, a diving company in Vietnam.“When you don’t have the cleaners, the (reefs) suffocate,” he said. He and others have been diving every Friday to collect waste since October, bringing up more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of trash.Niecey Alexander, a tourist who began diving in December, said that it wasn't until she was underwater that she realized how small the world above water is compared to the vast ocean and the life it sustains. After her first dive to collect waste she said that it was mostly from tourism. “People not really thinking about waste when they're going into these adventures,” she said.Tourism and reefs can go hand in hand if they're well-managed, said Emma Camp, a coral expert at the University of Technology Sydney in Australia. She said that there are instances of tourism supporting marine conservation and programs to help reefs recover. But unsustainable tourism practices — too many people, or people doing things like dropping their anchors on the reefs — can cause harm.“They can be very positive for an area, allowing people to fall in love with a reef by allowing them to experience it firsthand,” she said.Preserving the tourism brochure image of its natural beauty will be crucial for Vietnam as it tries to compete with its neighbors to boost post-pandemic revenue from tourism to $42 billion. It wants to attract 23 million international tourists and over 120 million visits by domestic tourists in 2025. For context, the region's most popular destination, Thailand, wants 40 million international visitors and 200 million domestic visits in 2025.And in cities like Nha Trang, its long stretches of golden sand beaches and traditional fishing villages now coexist with the rapid construction of resorts, restaurants and bars. Vietnam insists that it is making efforts to make tourism sustainable. In 2001, it established 160 square kilometers (61 square miles) of land and water as its first protected marine area. But problems have persisted, from destructive practices that used explosives or poison to excessive tourism and coastal construction, said Vietnamese state media. In 2022, local authorities paused tourism to give the reef time to recover while removing predatory starfish and cleaning the seabed. The government has also approved a coral nursery project to support the recovery of the ecosystem.But even though a marine patrol was established to protect the waters to ensure that fishermen don't enter the marine park, Blum said fishing in the protected area was continuing.“We go out in the morning, we are chasing the fishing boats away. We leave in the afternoon, and the fishing boats are coming back in,” Blum said.Tkachenko, the Russian scientist, said the Southeast Asian country could do more to protect them. It could create more marine parks where protections are actually enforced, obligate the tourism industry to restore vegetation on the coasts to reduce sediment pouring into the ocean, restore degraded reefs through coral culture and by introducing animals that balance reef ecosystems, and regulating fisheries.He pointed to the scores of fishing vessels that dot the coasts of Nha Trang. “What do you think is the chance to survive for any tiny fish or sea bottom inhabitant under such tremendous fishing pressure daily?” he said.Ghosal reported from Hanoi, Vietnam.The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Feb. 2025

Climate
Conservation
Animals

State Department halts global monitoring of air pollution

The program had used sensors at more than 80 U.S. embassies and consulates to track air quality, mostly in places where such data was unavailable.

The State Department on Tuesday halted efforts to monitor air quality levels around the world, ending a program that had provided data about a major global health risk.The program had used air quality sensors at more than 80 U.S. embassies and consulates — mostly in countries where such data was otherwise limited or unreliable. The move follows other actions by the Trump administration to curtail environmental monitoring and climate-related science.

Climate
Health
Science

Supreme Court Puts Another Limit on the EPA’s Ability to Protect Water

In a case that saw an iconic liberal city team up with industry to challenge regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court today once again limited the agency’s power to regulate the environment by siding with a coalition San Francisco formed with fossil fuel, mining and agricultural groups. The court’s conservative majority […]

As the Trump administration slashes the agency’s budget, the court’s conservative majority sided with San Francisco and industry groups to limit EPA enforcement of Clean Water Act permits.By Jake BolsterIn a case that saw an iconic liberal city team up with industry to challenge regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court today once again limited the agency’s power to regulate the environment by siding with a coalition San Francisco formed with fossil fuel, mining and agricultural groups.

Water

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