Category Archives: World News

Air pollution can put a dent in solar power

Air pollution, especially in urban areas, can significantly reduce the power output from solar panels, and needs to be considered when design solar installations in or near cities. Ian Marius Peters, now an MIT research scientist, was working on solar … Continue reading

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London boroughs to impose ultra-low emission zones

All but the cleanest vehicles to be banned from nine streets in Islington and Hackney Two London councils are to ban all but the cleanest vehicles from some areas at peak times to help tackle the city’s air pollution crisis. In the … Continue reading

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Seattle and Portland Air is Now Dirtier Than Most Polluted Cities in Asia

For now, two of America’s cleanest cities have dirtier air than the the most polluted cities in Asia. IN THE DAMP and dreary Pacific Northwest, where moss climbs the trees and moisture dribbles down lamp posts and seems to seep through … Continue reading

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Wildfires’ smoke gets even worse, prompting B.C. to elevate health-risk warnings for Metro Vancouver to highest levels

Metro Vancouver’s air quality continues to deteriorate as smoke from dozens of serious wildfires remains over the area. This afternoon (August 21), the province revised values for the region’s Air Quality Health Index, elevating health-risk levels from eight and nine … Continue reading

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Roman beekeepers study air pollution using honey

Italian beekeepers are working with the country’s Carabinieri police to learn more about the state of the air in the Eternal City. On the roof of a building in the heart of the capital that houses the Italian Federation of … Continue reading

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Tweets prove to be reliable indicator of air quality conditions during wildfires

Tweets originating in California during the state’s 2015 wildfire season suggest that social media can improve predictions of air quality impacts from smoke resulting from wildfires and have the potential to improve rescue and relief efforts, according to research by … Continue reading

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Sadiq Khan triggers high pollution warning in London amid sweltering heatwave

The sweltering heatwave gripping the UK has triggered a high pollution warning as forecasters predict the mercury could reach 37C by the end of the week. London mayor Sadiq Khan said he triggered the capital-wide warning for Thursday amid concerns … Continue reading

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Fire-choked Yosemite has dirtier air than Beijing

A major wildfire burning on the western edge of Yosemite National Park has generated so much smoke that air pollution levels in Yosemite Valley are worse than in Beijing, one of the world’s most polluted cities. At the height of … Continue reading

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