ECONOTES 2012-03-19: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- How to Cool Down Texas Power Plants With Less Water (Terrence Henry – StateImpact, 03/16/2012)
Water conservation is continually becoming a more pressing issue. Ashlynn Stillwell, a civil and architectural engineering PhD candidate at the University of Texas at Austin with the Webber Energy Group, provided insight into water use by power plants and how it can affect Texas’ water supply. The recent drought has made people pay attention although this research has been going on for years.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Natural Gas a Weak Weapon Against Climate Change, New Study Asserts (Mason Inman – National Geographic, 03/14/2012)
A new study found that although natural gas is a cleaner fuel than coal, it will not slow global warming this century. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is already so great that even switching to carbon-free electricity would not stop temperatures from rising. However, natural gas is one step toward cleaner energy sources.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ - Do Recent Rains Mean The Drought Is Over? (Ed Mayberry – KUHF News, 03/15/2012)
The much-needed recent rains have been welcomed, but it does not mean that the drought is over. Over the last couple of months, parts of Texas have improved several drought categories. However, the summer heat is quickly approaching, and there is a possibility that the conditions will return.
http://app1.kuhf.org/
EcoNotes
- 19 March
- Roads Killed: Texas Adds Up Damages from Drilling (Dave Fehling – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Texas drought impact worse than expected (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/ - 17 March
- Last year’s drought keeps breaking its own records (William Pack – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - UK scientist’s talk is a reminder of conservatives’ disparate climate views (Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - 16 March
- How to Cool Down Texas Power Plants With Less Water (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 15 March
- Texas Drought Outlook Improving (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Do Recent Rains Mean The Drought Is Over? (Ed Mayberry – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - Clean Your Plate, Save The World? (Lisa Baertlein and Ernest Scheyder – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - As Natural Gas Prices Drop, Could Economy be at Risk? (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 14 March
- Despite Increased Restrictions, Urban Water Use Climbs (Paul Theobald – The Texas Tribune)
http://www.texastribune.org/ - National Wildlife Refuges Pay Their Communities Back (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Despite Increased Restrictions, Urban Water Use Climbs (Paul Theobald – The Texas Tribune)
http://www.texastribune.org/ - Green Energy: The Army, Renewables, and Texas (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - In Texas, Ambivalence Over Wind Tax Credit Extension (Kate Galbraith – The Texas Tribune)
http://www.texastribune.org/ - Joint efforts impact water quality in bays (Charles Steward – Rockport Pilot)
http://www.rockportpilot.com/ - Natural Gas a Weak Weapon Against Climate Change, New Study Asserts (Mason Inman – National Geographic)
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ - EPA and the Delta Faucet Company Team Up to Save Water (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - Tar Sands to Texas: Will Keystone XL’s Heavy Crude Mean More Pollution? (Dave Fehling – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 13 March
- Emissions standards a concern for refiners, Moody’s says (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/ - Texas’ Fracking Disclosure Law Falls Short, Critics Say (Forrest Wilder – Texas Observer)
http://www.texasobserver.org/ - 12 March
- Power Grid Must Adapt To Handle Renewable Energy (Christopher Joyce – NPR)
http://www.npr.org/ - LCRA Water Plan Goes to TCEQ for Approval (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Time Flies at Galveston FeatherFest April 12 – 15 (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - 8 March
- Women Are The True Face of Climate Change (Alyson Kenward – Climate Central)
http://www.climatecentral.org/ - 1 March
- Global Water Scarcity: Can We Solve It? (Darci Palmquist – The Nature Conservancy News)
http://blog.nature.org/