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Ecology
Autism and the Environment

"Autism affects one in every 150 children born today in the U.S., up from one in 500 as recently as just 10 years ago." Image courtesy of jbcurio, Flickr

What’s going on with all the cases of autism cropping up and no one seems to know why? It stands to reason it must be something (or some things) environmental, yet every study allegedly turns up no conclusion...

What are the environmental pros and cons of corn-based plastic as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastic?

Cogeneration—also known as combined heat and power, distributed generation, or recycled energy—is the simultaneous production of two or more forms of energy from a single fuel source.

How to get rid of carpenter ants without dangerous pesticides.

It's easy to take for granted a resource that is abundantly available in our daily lives. But the ease with which we can access this vital commodity often obscures the reality that it is in fact a limited resource.

Sometimes you just can't believe your eyes. This week is one of those times. On Wednesday night, June 18th, step outside at sunset and look around. You'll see a giant form rising in the east. At first glance it looks like the full Moon. It has craters and seas and the face of a man, but this "moon" is strangely inflated. It's huge! You've just experienced the Moon Illusion.

Bugs. They want us to eat bugs. I speak of a recent article in Time that explains why eating bugs is good for the environment...

If you’re looking for something that’s going to be a spectacular sight, the coral tank at the new California Academy of Sciences building is soon going to have something that will fit the bill inside their walls.

The 2008 Summer Olympics in China are drawing a lot of attention right now for political reasons. I’ve heard, though, that one ray of light is China’s effort to make the event as green as possible. What’s going on in that regard?

Researchers in China are reporting a discovery that could turn rice straw into an inexpensive new renewable source of biofuel. Their new study, scheduled for the July 16 issue of ACS' bimonthly journal Energy & Fuels, describes a way to boost production of biofuel from rice straw by almost 65 percent.

Bottled water is out, and tap water is in, says the May/June 2008 cover story of E – The Environmental Magazine (now posted at: www.emagazine.com). Call it reverse snob appeal. These days, it’s the tap water enthusiasts, concerned about the environment, who get to act self-righteous. Just like it has become cool to bring your own cloth bags to the grocery store and your own mug to the coffee shop, the reusable water bottle is the hip, new eco-accessory.

Some of the most interesting periodic tables on the Internet are brought together in this collection. If you are studying chemistry, this is not to be missed.

Download this excellent periodic table from Los Alamos National Laboratory. It will take awhile to download if you're on a dial-up (2.8 mb), but if you're studying chemistry it's a great tool to have!
PDF format - Adobe Acrobat required

How can I find out which seafood to avoid if I am concerned about lessening my impact on the environment and avoiding consuming unhealthy pollutants?

One of the first things you have to do before you can address a problem like global warming to get some sort of an idea of how severe the problem is. In this case, what is your impact on CO2 emissions?

At least three dozen different parrot species are now considered threatened or endangered in their quickly shrinking native tropical and sub-tropical habitats (mostly in South America). As such, the health of wild flocks in the U.S. and other developed countries around the world may well be key to preserving these birds that could otherwise go extinct.

The typical U.S. city with 50,000 residents has to pay (with local tax dollars) for the handling and disposal of some 3,000 tons of textiles every year. The shame of such waste is that textiles are so easy to recycle or otherwise find new uses for.

I heard a reference to “Earth-friendly chocolate” and was wondering about what goes into chocolate that would raise environmental concerns? -- Ben M., Providence, RI

Humans do a lot more damage to shark populations than vice versa. Marine biologists report that sharks are in rapid decline around the world. In the North Atlantic Ocean, shark populations have declined more than 50 percent over the past 20 years alone, with some species now nearing extinction.

Carbon offsets are monies that consumers and businesses pay voluntarily to compensate for the greenhouse gas emissions they generate directly by driving, flying, running the air conditioning and otherwise using non-renewable energy.

A typical 12-ounce can of soda contains up to six grams (.013 pounds) of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas, which either escapes into the atmosphere from the liquid upon opening, or from your body after you consume the contents. So yes, drinking carbonated beverages does contribute to your “carbon footprint,” but only ever so slightly.

Dear EarthTalk: I would think that the glossy paper used by most magazines is bad for the environment, yet most publishers still use it, even the outdoors and environmental titles. What’s the scoop? Is paper made glossy by using chemicals that are not safe? -- Kellina H., via e-mail

If you are forever staring into space wondering about the beginnings of the universe then the Cosmic Journey will be a fascinating exploration.

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