Environmental News Network

Toxic Algae Killing Sea Otters
A toxin produced by a type of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, has been devastating a colony of sea otters off the coast of California. In a paper published in the journal, PLoS ONE, by the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the University of California (UC), Santa Cruz, researchers link the deaths of over 21 California sea otters to toxic chemicals from algae flowing into the ocean. >> Read the Full Article
How Physical Ability Affects Death
There has been much already said about how being physically fit promotes better health and long life. Apparently such positive benefits can be seen in much smaller every day activities. People who are better at simple physical acts such as gripping, walking, rising from a chair and balancing on one leg are more likely to live longer, according to a new study published on bmj.com today. >> Read the Full Article
4 Reasons To Eat Pomegranate During the Jewish New Year
With Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana) around the corner, certain traditional foods are expected to appear at the table. There are many different recipes, but there are several which are universal, including honey cake and certain fruits. One of these fruits, originating in the Middle East, is the pomegranate. >> Read the Full Article
Tropical Storm Hermine slams into far northeastern Mexico
Tropical Storm Hermine slammed into northeastern Mexico near the Texas border on Monday, dumping heavy rain on a region still recovering from Hurricane Alex's visit in June. Hermine, the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was expected to weaken as it moved ashore but could trigger deadly flooding and tornadoes, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Authorities in Tamaulipas state where the storm made landfall evacuated 3,000 people from high-risk areas but had no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The storm's forecast path kept it away from major oil and natural gas installations in the Gulf of Mexico, and energy companies said there had been no affect on their operations. >> Read the Full Article
Diverse water sources key to food security
Increasingly erratic rainfall patterns related to climate change pose a major threat to food security and economic growth, water experts said on Monday, arguing for greater investment in water storage. In a report by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), experts said Africa and Asia were likely to be hardest hit by unpredictable rainfall, and urged policymakers and farmers to try to find ways of diversifying sources of water. The IWMI research estimates that up to 499 million people in Africa and India could benefit from improved agricultural water management. >> Read the Full Article
Sunny Delight Achieves Zero Waste in U.S.
Sunny Delight Beverages Companyâ€™s recently released 2009 Sustainability Report outlines the companyâ€™s accomplishments over the past year, the most significant being the achievement of their Zero Waste to Landfill Goal by all U.S. and Spanish manufacturing plants more than 3 years ahead of schedule. The zero waste goals were achieved at Sunnyâ€™s Anaheim, Mataro and Littleton plants in 2009, 4 years ahead of the companyâ€™s 2013 goals. >> Read the Full Article
The Fate of Dairy Antibiotics in Ground Water
There are a lot of things that can go into the ground water. The key is whether what goes in will readily biodegrade and if not can it harm you or the environment. In the first large study to track the fate of a wide range of antibiotics given to dairy cows, University of California (UC) Davis scientists found that the drugs routinely end up on the ground and in manure lagoons, but are mostly broken down before they reach groundwater. Note that antibiotics are given to sick cows who are isolated from the regular milking herd until the antibiotic is absent from their system. >> Read the Full Article
New Izzitgreen Back to School selections for ENN readers
ENN affiliate Izzitgreen has selected these offerings specially for ENN readers. Izzitgreen is a blog that helps you stay informed about the latest, coolest, most innovative green products available. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of these items through ENN will go to "e"inc. It's that time of year when students of all ages head back to the classroom. To help students do everything from staying organized to getting their lunches, books, and other supplies to their temples of learning in an eco-sustainable way, our partner IzzitGreen has found a couple of cool, environmentally friendly products to chose from this fall. Ecozoo Organic Backpack Designed for kids heading off to school for the first time, the versatile Ecozoo Organic Backpack is a neat functional backpack disguised as an adorable toy. It will easily hold any preschool item and do so in a backpack that has an adorable eco-friendly animal design. Made with organic cotton canvas the Ecozoo Organic Backpack is durable, machine washable, and extremely lightweight. The dyes used are non-toxic; the wood accents are sustainable; and any plastic contained has been recycled. Pick between an Elephant, Panda, Pig, or Puppy. Click on http://izzitgreen.com/ecozoo-organic-backpack.html to see a further description. >> Read the Full Article
Drinking Water Proven to Help Weight Loss
It's a popular dieting secret: Drink more water, and you'll shed more pounds. Finally, science is adding weight to the practice. After about three months, a new study found, obese dieters who drank two cups of water before each meal lost 5 pounds more than a group of dieters who didn't increase their water intake. A year later, the water-drinkers had also kept more of the weight off. >> Read the Full Article
Non-stick pans can affect our hormones, new research suggests
A group of chemicals found in common household items may be having dangerous effects on our hormones, new research suggests. A study on sheep and cells grown in the laboratory by Norwegian vets found that perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) found in water resistant clothes and non-stick frying pans can affect the bodyâ€™s steroid hormones including oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol. >> Read the Full Article