Photo: Dale G. Young / The Detroit News
After last month’s vote to ban fracking in Denton, Texas, there was speculation the result could trigger a domino effect around the country. While the issue has been addressed in multiple regions, the results have been mixed across the board. Continue reading
Last year, I wrote an article about an effort by university researchers and Google to create satellite imagery based map of global deforestation. The post hit all the familiar notes regarding the alarming rate of forest lost annually, but also hinted at the glimmer of hope of slower rates of deforestation and actual gains in Brazil. Well as it turns out, that glimmer was blinking out at about the time that article was posted.
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Scientists from University of Leiden in the Netherlands have created a low-cost, mass producible device that would allow everyday citizens to aid scientists in measuring atmospheric aerosols. Over the course of three days, 8,000 Dutch citizens lifted their smartphones to the sky. Using the iSPEX device attached to their smartphones, they were able to map aerosol properties with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. People using the device did not need any special training, just equipping them with the device allowed them to take part in a larger effort of data collection. Continue reading
A chemical leak caused four deaths and one injury at a DuPont facility in La Porte Texas. The chemical, methyl mercaptan, leaked for two hours in the early morning Saturday. There were five employees in the facility who were responding to the leak when they were exposed to the chemical. The cause of the leak was not immediately known. The toxic chemical, Methyl mercaptan, is used to make insecticide and fungicide products and to odorize natural gas for safety purposes.
The DuPont plant manager released a statement informing the public that the community is not in danger and that the company will be pursuing an internal investigation to find out what happened. Local, state, and federal investigations will also be conducted. Continue reading
City limits of Denton, TX
Last week residents of Denton, Texas voted to ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, within the city limits. This decision drew national attention and seemed to produce equal amounts of enthusiasm and unrest. The next day, officials at the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Oil and Gas Association filed separate legal challenges to the new ban.
The measure, which passed with 59% approval, is the first of its kind in the state. Denton residents have cited noise complaints, decreased property values, under-regulation and environmental concerns as reasons for passing the ban. Similarly, other local bans have recently passed in Ohio and California. Continue reading
Each year the Georgia Water Coalition publishes a list of the top twelve threats to Georgia’s water resources. These threats can ultimately harm property owners, communities downstream, fish and wildlife, and the countless ecosystems that depend on clean water. Click through the slides below to learn more about the “dirty dozen”. Each threat is hyperlinked to the full story so you can become an expert on Georgia water affairs.
Special thanks to the Georgia Water Coalition for all the hard work!
Jordan Schmidt 
Editor
jschmidt@banksinfo.com
