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Archive for March 20th, 2014
Spring is Arriving Earlier and Earlier in the U.S
Posted by Climate Central: Brian Kahn on March 20th, 2014
Climate Central: Today, March 20th, marks the first day of the vernal equinox, although spring might feel like it's never going to arrive for those still battling unseasonably cold weather from the Midwest to the East. But don't be fooled by this year's cooler temperatures. When you define the onset of spring as the "first leaf' date for a number of plants, the season is arriving earlier, on average, than it did 30 years ago.
As a whole, the continental U.S. is seeing spring arrive three days sooner when you compare...
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Fracking industry launches charm offensive
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 20th, 2014
Independent: The Government and fracking companies have launched a joint charm offensive in a bid to win “a social licence” to operate from a general public that is widely opposed to shale gas development.
Duarte Figueira, who is heading up the Government’s drive into the fledgling industry, told a shale gas conference that much of the preparatory work for widespread production is well underway but said the public remained “the last piece of the puzzle”.
“It’s absolutely natural that people are nervous…They’ve...
Spring Thaw May Trigger Floods; Calif. Drought Locked In
Posted by Climate Central: Andrea Thompson on March 20th, 2014
Climate Central: Spring is finally -- finally -- here. That word is music to the ears of those in the eastern United States who are ready to thaw out from the frigid winter. But that thaw could bring flooding to parts of the Midwest and the northern Plains, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its official spring outlook, released Thursday.
Conversely, in the West, where a persistent drought has kept most of California firmly in its grip, the spring looks to bring more of the same: warm,...
Algae may be a potential source of biofuels and biochemicals even in cool climate
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 20th, 2014
ScienceDaily: Algae are organisms useful in many ways in the transition towards a bio-economy. Even in a cool climate as in Finland, algae might be used to produce biochemicals and biofuels, besides use in capture of industrial carbon dioxide emissions. The ALGIDA project coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland explored algae growing in Finland. Algae are not yet profitably cultivated for energy production purposes. The cultivation is challenging especially in cool climate where there is little...
Sustainability rising up agenda for real estate investors
Posted by Blue and Green: None Given on March 20th, 2014
Blue and Green: European real estate investors are increasingly considering sustainability when developing or investing in new buildings, and also recognise the benefits of real estate with a green certification scheme. The findings, published in a report called Towards a Greener Future, come from a survey conducted by international law firm DLA Piper. Survey responses found that market demand from occupiers – rather than issues such as government legislation – was the driving force behind delivering sustainable...