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DEP Environmental Stewardship Program Grows to More than 500 Participants
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has set up a voluntary program for individuals and businesses to tackle sustainability issues in the state. It rewards those who make the extra effort to reduce their carbon footprint and lead by example. The Environmental Stewardship Program now boasts more than 500 participants, including Ortho Clinical Diagnostics…
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Captive Gorillas Succumbing to Human Disease
Life for humans is much easier than for animals in the wild. On a day-to-day basis, we generally do not have to worry about being eaten or starving to death. Depending on the individual’s job, some can get by just fine by sitting around all day. However, this lifestyle brings forth its own set of…
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How Rising Sea Levels Will Affect the US Coastline
Thankfully, no major US city has gone underwater due to rising sea levels caused from global climate change. What happened in New Orleans was an effect of Hurricane Katrina, a failure of the levees, and the fact that part of the city was built below the water level. However, climate experts predict that sea levels…
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Closer to the Cure for the Common Cold
There is no cure for the common cold, no magic elixir that will make all of your symptoms go away. However, over human’s many millennia of battling the cold, we have found little tricks that can help fight it. According to new systematic review published in The Cochrane Library, we have found a new trick…
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Why Do People Always Overestimate Slope?
“Holy Crap” is a very common phrase among mountain hikers when confronted by an intimidating slope. After plodding along at a nice five degree incline, a sudden rise in elevation can seem like either a daunting task or an irresistible challenge. I personally like sharp inclines because it means you can get more of the…
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Metal Toxins in LED Products
LED lighting is the newest, most efficient form of lighting to hit the markets. It blows away even the most efficient compact fluorescent bulb, and is therefore, a much more expensive option. However, the benefits to the environment from LED’s efficiency come with another environmental cost. A new study from the University of California (UC)…
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The Jumping Ability of the Common Flea
Fleas, the annoying parasites that are the bane of a dog’s existence, are very interesting creatures. They are tiny and have no wings but amazingly have no problems climbing onto the backs of creatures and sometimes on people’s heads. This is because of their long hind legs that make the flea perfectly suited for jumping.…
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Victory for the Jersey Shore: Governor Vetoes Offshore LNG Port
For the past few years, Liberty Natural Gas has been trying to construct an offshore port for the delivery of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The port would be located about 15 miles off the coast of Asbury Park, NJ, and a gas pipeline would be constructed along the sea floor that would deliver an estimated…
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The Alarming Amazon Droughts of 2005 and 2010
When thinking of the wettest place on land, most people think about rainforests such as the Amazon, which can get up to 78 inches of rain per year. All this precipitation supports the Amazon’s rich plant life which helps moderate carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. It is then quite alarming to learn that the…
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Brazil Approves Construction of the Belo Monte Dam Project
The proposed Belo Monte Dam in northern Brazil would be the third largest hydro-electric dam in the world in terms of electrical output. The dam would be 3.75 miles long and generate over 11,000 megawatts, which could power up to 23 million homes. Government officials say that the dam is an essential step in supplying…