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University of Sheffield Scientists’ Groundbreaking Research, Inspired by Photosynthesis, Paves Way for Future Inventions
We all learned about photosynthesis at some point in our education. We were taught that plants use sunlight to synthesize energy for their survival while creating oxygen for us to breathe. This process, which defines life as we know it, is simple to grasp. But how do plants actually convert light into energy? That’s… Read More
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Declining Plant Diversity Affects Timing of Plant Flowering, According to Columbia University Research
The early blooming of crops, which is primarily accredited to climate change, has caused years of headaches for farmers and gardeners. But new research from Columbia University finds that declining biodiversity may play an equal role in the timing of plants flowering. These recent findings demonstrate how biodiversity affects entire ecosystems, and could change the… Read More
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Eastern Michigan University Reaches Nearly 100% Energy Self-Sufficiency with New Turbine
As part of its $19.6 million project to become energy self-sufficient, Eastern Michigan University recently installed an energy-efficient turbine in its heating plant. The service of this new 7.8 megawatt turbine will make EMU practically self-sufficient in production of heat and electricity on campus. In furtherance of the Co-Gen (co-generation) project, the university used… Read More
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Unity College Dining Services Wins Sustainability Award for Zero-Waste Efforts
Unity College prides itself on being America’s Environmental College, and its many sustainability projects, including its quick transition to zero waste in its dining and catering facilities, supports that assertion. The college’s efforts to have zero waste in its dining and catering facilities were rewarded when Dining Services recently won the gold Sustainability Award in… Read More
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University of Wisconsin–Madison Student Starts Campus Food Shed
University of Wisconsin–Madison has a new Campus Food Shed thanks to student Hannah DePorter, who was a junior when she first conceived of the project last year. Now, UW-Madison students and staff will have access to fresh produce for free over 7 months of the year. The Food Shed has four large refrigerators, which are… Read More
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Arizona State University and Adidas Partner to Extend Inclusive Power of Sport
The language of sport is unique and inclusive. It has an ability to integrate and unify cultures, races, and identities. After the 1992 Rugby World Cup, which united both white and black South Africans for the first time, Nelson Mandela said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire.… Read More
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What’s the Right Way to Wash Our Hands? Rutgers University Research Debunks Hot Water Theory
If you have ever wondered whether you are washing your hands properly, then wonder no more. A recent Rutger University study provides us with the information we need to wash our hands thoroughly and remove germs that make us ill and spread disease. The study was led by Dr. Donald Schaffner, Distinguished Professor at Rutgers… Read More
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Arizona State University Gaining Reputation for Its Sustainability Efforts
Arizona State University (ASU) is rapidly gaining a reputation for its strong commitment to sustainability practices. It has won awards for various sustainability efforts three years in a row, starting in 2015 when it received two first-place Crescordia awards at the Arizona Forward Environmental Excellence Awards, which honor projects focused on improving sustainability in Arizona.… Read More
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University of Illinois Reaping the Benefit of Student-Funded Solar Farm
Efforts towards environmental sustainability at the University of Illinois are held at top priority. So, when a student group advocated for a campus wind farm and additional student fees to support a move towards clean energy in 2003, they sparked great interest. Due to a $5 million price tag, however, the request was declined by… Read More
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University of Sheffield Working with Port Said University to Develop Technology to Desalinate Water
A team of researchers at the University of Sheffield in the UK and Port Said University in Egypt are working together to develop a way to desalinate water using entirely renewable energy. Energy 2050, an energy research institute based at the University of Sheffield, is combining biogas, a renewable energy source produced from waste and… Read More
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Rice University’s New Formula Will Help Prevent Flooding of the Yellow River
Two geologists at Rice University, Hongbo Ma and Jeffrey Nittrouer, have developed a formulaic system to predict and mitigate the frequent flooding of the Yellow River, or Huanghe in Chinese. Ma is a postdoctoral researcher from China who joined Rice University in 2014. The Huanghe is the third longest river in Asia and one of… Read More
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Universities Affirm Their Commitment to the Paris Agreement
Despite President Trump’s decision to remove the U.S. from the Paris accord, 1,219 U.S. colleges, universities, governors, mayors, businesses, and investors have proclaimed: “We Are Still In.” That number already includes 183 colleges and universities, which is not a surprise, since colleges and institutions have been on the forefront of research and development in the… Read More
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Armstrong State University’s Aquaponics Research Center Grows Fish and Plants Sustainably
Researchers at Armstrong State University have developed an aquaponics research facility that could serve as a model for economic and environmental sustainability. Aquaponics, in short, is a way to grow fish and plants together in a self-sustaining system. It combines hydroponics, which is the growth of plants in water, with aquaculture, which is the raising… Read More
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University of Minnesota Student-Led Food Pantry Plants Organic Garden
According to the 2015 Boynton Student Health Survey, about 10.2% of University of Minnesota students reported that, within the past 12 months, they had run out of food and didn’t have the money to buy more food. Over the same period, 17.5% percent of the university’s students worried about their food running out before they… Read More
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Trump Pulls Out of the Paris Accord: What Does This Mean for University Climate Research and Activism?
After much controversy and speculation, President Trump has decided to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, as of today June 1, 2017. In an announcement, Trump stated that he decided to withdraw from the agreement because he deemed it unfair to the U.S., but he indicated that he would be willing to negotiate… Read More
