APES Current Events

      On November 6th, 2020, the EPA had finally announced that a rule revising pesticide crop regulations for herbs and spices, essentially saving costs of the growers around $52 millions dollars annually. In this rule, the EPA revises commodity definitions, reducing the burden that the aforementioned spice and herb growers have to carry by reducing not only the amount paid towards the government for certain actions, but also international trade and purchases, and especially in regards to pesticide regulations and fees, however, maintaining the health standards that the EPA has normally set as a precedent. Overall, the EPA has allowed these spices and herbs, and especially those with increased value, specifically medicinal herbs, etc, to be produced on a more extensive basis.      Although not very in-depth in terms of the goings-on mentioned within the actual event itself, this decision is very influential throughout the spice and herb growing within Amer...

A peach farm throws away up to 70% of their years harvest due to markings from growing. There are so many peaches wasted, the company struggles to find people with enough space to take the produce. Even after giving the peaches to local shelters and companies who would benefit, there is still a great amount of food wasted. A young couple, in hopes to reduce the amount of food they waste, lived off of packaged food thrown away from expiration dates or other reasons. In the process, they found themselves running out of storage space for food that nobody else wanted or that was a little past company listed expiration dates.   Click Here!!! There are so many amazing new methods used for growing more food with higher harvest rates and to see most of it being thrown away is unsettleing. Food is being wasted for reasons as small as a mark on a peach. Realistically, an increase in farm land needed is not entirely due to population growth, but from the necessity of perfect produce for selle...

       Even though President Joe Biden has only been in office for a week, he has already begun to plan how the United States will tackle the looming world climate crisis, as well with our interactions with other nations concerning this issue. Now, Biden wants to host a summit for Earth Day in April for nations to discuss climate and environmental issues. The problem is that the United States is no longer in the Paris Agreement, a global climate group set on lowering emissions. We were taken out by former president Trump, and the Obama limitations for 2025 are no longer valid. It is now said that we may not get back in until 2030. Former Secretary of State Kerry is working closely with Biden, negotiating with other countries to try and get the United States back in order for this summit to occur in April.      The goal to get US carbon emissions down by around 25% by April will be a difficult one, but there is ambition. But officials hope that the...

     For years scientists have suspected the presence of bacteria that can use electrons from manganese to fuel their life functions. It's been more than a century since it was discovered that bacteria has the ability to borrow electrons from chemical elements to fuel growth (including nitrogen, sulfur, and iron), in a similar way that humans utilize the electrons from consumed carbohydrates. If bacteria borrows electrons from manganese, the metal is converted to manganese oxide which is found across the entire planet, and most curiously, in grapefruit sized balls on the ocean floor. However, until just recently, no one had discovered the exact species capable of such feats. That is, until a two environmental microbiologists working at Caltech, Jared Leadbetter and Hang Yu, left a jar in their office sink. Leadbetter had been experimenting with manganese carbonate in a glass jar. He had trouble cleaning it however, and filled it with tap water to soak while he left for a ...

       More than 40% of insect species are decreasing and 1/3 are endangered. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds, and reptiles.  The total mass of insects is dropping by 2.5% a year and the percentage is only getting higher.  The planet is at the  start of a sixth mass extinction  in its history, according to the best data, insects could vanish within a century.  “If this food source is taken away, all these animals starve to death." Many animals like amphibians, and birds depend on insects to get the nutrition they need. S cientists agree that it is becoming clear that insect losses are now a serious global problem.  41% of global insect species have  declined over the past decade.  A small number of adaptable species are increasing in number, but not nearly enough to outweigh the big losses.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-threaten-colla...

           The  largest iceberg on Earth is having to comes to an end as a sanctuary to penguins, seals, and a small population of endangered blue whales. Satellite images are showing that large chunks of ice are continuing to break off.  On December 17, about 69 square miles broke from the iceberg, and on December 22  the  front pointed tip of the iceberg broke. Due to the ice breaking,   A68d, A68e, and A68f were all formed. This is an issue because  the remainder of A68 and its siblings will become stuck there and cut South Georgia’s wildlife off from feeding grounds.   it’s also unclear how long the iceberg might stay intact and in place.  The chunks of ice are rapidly releasing freshwater into an ecosystem that is adapted to saltwater. P enguins and seals will suffer if the iceberg grounds in place because it would create a wall between the land and their feeding grounds. If the animals don't eat, their...

  One way to fight invasive species? Eat them. From lionfish crudo to pickled kudzu, these invasive species—usually destructive and disdained—can also be delicious. I'm not sure if I would eat a swamp rat.  National Geographic