Environmental

Recent Posts

Another reason to control erosion and nutrient runoff -- Cholera
Posted on 31 Aug 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Numerous prior posts have followed the growing understanding of what factors drive the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. It pretty much comes down to nutrient runoff into the Mississippi River and its tributaries (e.g., sewage, feedlots, agricultural fertilizers... Read More

Evidence supports association between methylmercury exposure and adverse cardiovascular impacts
Posted on 15 May 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Traditionally, when one considers exposure to methylmercury, adverse impacts upon the brain and kidneys are foremost in any risk assessment. See, for example, http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=113&tid=24 . Given the state of the evidence... Read More

Scented consumer products emit over 100 different VOC's; some are carcinogenic
Posted on 13 Jan 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

For those of us acquainted with researchers examining VOC exposure to individuals from scented consumer products (for example, at U.C. Berkeley and at U.C. Medical Center in San Francisco), it comes as no surprise that there is a bouquet of VOC's... Read More

EPA announces new air emission regulations for coal-fired power plants
Posted on 16 Mar 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted the numerous studies that support the view that emissions from a variety of sources, including automobiles, trucks, and power plants, have an adverse impact on the health of those exposed to such emissions. It is also fairly certain... Read More

Exposure to certain PDBE flame retardants are associated with lower scores on tests of mental and physical development in children up to 6 years of age
Posted on 31 May 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

A prior post noted the association between PDBE flame retardants and time to pregnancy. Because PDBE's are persistent and bioaccumulative, they have become ubiquitous in the environment. Animal studies have indicated that prenatal PBDE exposure... Read More

Natural gas development poses a risk of enhancing GHG emissions due to "leakage", note new studies
Posted on 11 Apr 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Several prior posts have noted the greenhouse impact of methane (aka natural gas); it has many times the warming effect as carbon dioxide (CO2), which seems to be the focus of so much discussion about global warming. The posts have focused on the numerous... Read More

Another reason to control erosion and nutrient runoff -- Cholera
Posted on 31 Aug 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Numerous prior posts have followed the growing understanding of what factors drive the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. It pretty much comes down to nutrient runoff into the Mississippi River and its tributaries (e.g., sewage, feedlots, agricultural fertilizers... Read More

Sprawling cities appear to experience more extreme heat events in summer compared with more compact urban areas, contributing to higher rates of heat-related mortality
Posted on 24 Mar 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Although extreme heat events have become more common in large U.S. cities, a recent study indicates that sprawling cities experience more than double the rate of extreme heat events in the summer compared with more compact urban areas. Researchers... Read More

Use of Endangered Species Act to prevent mining operation requires input early in the NOI review process
Posted on 15 Apr 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

The Endangered Species Act ("ESA") is becoming a popular tool used by public interest groups to stop projects that they view as adverse to environmental quality. However, a recent attempt to use the ESA against a mining project failed when the... Read More

Humans can transmit diseases to gorillas
Posted on 30 Apr 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted and described a number of human diseases that had their origin in animals. Now it appears that some diseases can be transmitted from humans to gorillas. Ecotourism has been seen as a boon for countries with "interesting"... Read More

Evidence supports association between methylmercury exposure and adverse cardiovascular impacts
Posted on 15 May 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Traditionally, when one considers exposure to methylmercury, adverse impacts upon the brain and kidneys are foremost in any risk assessment. See, for example, http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=113&tid=24 . Given the state of the evidence... Read More

Some congeners of the flame retardant PBDE associated with delaying time to pregnancy
Posted on 16 May 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

PBDE's are used as flame retardants in furniture, carpeting, textiles, electronics, and plastics. Commercial mixtures of PBDE's contain a variety of congeners [see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congeners]. Data collected by the Centers for Disease... Read More

Decline of Western Aspen trees swells population of rodents that carry the deadly sin nombre virus
Posted on 12 Jan 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

As noted in prior posts, Aspen trees in the West have been dying. There appears to be no single cause. However, drought in the 1990's and early 2000's probably made the trees more susceptible to cankers, fungi, and other maladies. The result is... Read More