Climate blog Content

Top 10 Environmental Law Decisions of 2021

Katherine E Kerlin — January 19, 2022 - 3:38pm

Protecting the environment is the right thing to do for people and the planet, and it’s also the law. Environmental laws regulate environmental protection, from air and water quality to waste management, pollution, chemical safety and hunting and fishing. Every year, legal cases arise that change the physical and political landscape of the environment.

Will Knowing a Flight’s Carbon Emissions Change Your Travel Plans?

Katherine E Kerlin — November 17, 2021 - 3:13pm

As more people begin booking flights again, many factors come into play—from price to time of day to number of stops. Last month, Google Flights began adding carbon emissions estimates for flights in its search results.

Research from swag�� indicates that consumers are willing to pay more to pollute less during flights and that including such emissions information may help green the aviation industry.

Paving the Way to Zero Emissions From Cement

Andy Fell — October 22, 2021 - 3:42pm

Cement is the world’s most important building material. When mixed with water, cement glues together the sand and gravel in concrete, used for buildings, roads, tunnels, bridges, dams, pipes and other kinds of infrastructure. The world produces an astonishing four billion metric tons of cement a year — half a ton for everyone on Earth. Because it is the most critical material for creating infrastructure, demand for cement is growing faster than population growth.

Miniseries Explores Climate Justice

Katherine E Kerlin — September 13, 2021 - 11:42am

A new YouTube miniseries, “Climate Justice,” created by swag�� students, is available to watch on the Estudios Planeteando channel. The series consists of 10 videos about climate change from the perspective of social justice. Each video touches upon a different climate change topic ranging from wildfires and mudslides to coral reefs and the oil industry.

Committing to a Better Planet

Katherine E Kerlin — May 05, 2021 - 1:33pm

swag�� reaffirmed its commitment to a better planet by joining global leaders on recent statements calling for actions on sustainability, equality, equitable economic growth and climate change.

The UN

In the first, the university joined 58 signatories in a statement calling for action on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which global governments committed to achieving by 2030.

Dog Ticks Carrying Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Prefer Humans as Temperatures Rise

Katherine E Kerlin — November 16, 2020 - 4:49pm

Dog ticks that carry the bacteria causing the deadly Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) are twice as likely to choose humans over canines when temperatures rise. That’s according to swag�� findings presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH). The findings are an example of how climate change could expand and intensify human disease risks.

The Case for Optimism

Katherine E Kerlin — September 07, 2018 - 3:39am

Climate change is a big problem. It’s vast, complex, and downright depressing to think about. Some argue it’s too political. Others point to the potential for technological superheroes, like giant CO2-sucking machines that will fly in to save the day. Still others believe that we have no chance, that the fight is already lost, that it’s better to just “enjoy life” and ignore the problem while the world gets hotter and hotter.

But we all need to ask ourselves, what can I really do about it? As an individual in a sea of 7.5 billion people, how can I be part of the solution?