Entries by Codi Kozacek

The Stream, February 24: South Africa Invests in Energy

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Energy South Africa may invest $78 billion in new nuclear power plants, a hydropower project and a coal-fired power plant in order to keep up with energy demand, Business Week reported. A European Union expert committee failed to reach a decision on a proposal that would label fuel from tar sands as highly polluting, pushing […]

Global Perspectives: How Dry Weather in Argentina Could Affect Chicken Prices in Chicago

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A South American drought keeps global grain reserves tight, but it could mean good things for North American corn producers.

The Stream, February 22: Africa’s Food Security

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Water Quality Environmental degradation, including waste water discharge that is harming fisheries, is the greatest threat to food security in Africa, Xinhua reported. Proposed regulations for ballast water discharge in the Great Lakes will not do enough to stop invasive species, according to environmental groups, Reuters reported. The groups want the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency […]

Keystone XL Closer After U.S. House Vote

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The proposed pipeline could be approved on a much shorter timeline than was laid out by President Barack Obama, after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday giving approval power for the project to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The Senate has not yet considered the bill.

The Stream, February 17: U.S. House Moves Keystone XL Forward

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Energy A bill meant to speed up approval of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline passed the United States House of Representatives, Bloomberg News reported. Those opposed to the pipeline, which would carry crude oil from Canada’s tar sands to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico, say it could harm the environment. In this Guardian video, […]

The Stream, February 15: The World’s Water Footprint

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The United States is the world’s largest exporter, and one of the biggest importers, of virtual water, a measure of the water used to create products that are shipped abroad, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study, which outlines the flow of water around the […]

The Stream, February 10: Danube River Freezes Over

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Weather The crazy winter weather continued, as record low temperatures in Europe froze the Danube River from Austria to the Black Sea, AFP reported. Meanwhile, a mild winter in the United States saw January temperatures rise as much as eight degrees above normal, according to a map released by the National Climatic Data Center. The […]

The Stream, February 8: U.S. Encourages Shale Gas in Bulgaria

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Bulgaria should pursue shale gas in order to achieve energy independence, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during a visit to the country, according to EurActiv. In January, Bulgaria placed a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing, which forces large quantities of chemicals and water into shale gas formations underground to release […]

The Stream, February 3: Fixing U.S. Water Infrastructure

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It will take $US 1 trillion over the next 25 years to fix the water infrastructure in the United States, according to an estimate by the American Water Works Association, Bloomberg News reported. Energy PetroChina purchased a 20 percent stake in a Canadian shale gas project, strengthening China’s presence in North America’s energy markets, according […]

Study Outlines Plans to Stop Asian Carp at Chicago

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Three proposals for separating the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River watershed could block the flow of aquatic invasive species while re-envisioning water management in Chicago, a new study says. Image courtesy Great Lakes Commission The three separation alternatives include a down-river single barrier, a mid-system alternative of four barriers on CAWS branches between Lockport […]

The Stream, February 1: Reversing the Chicago River to Stop Asian Carp

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United States Separating the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River basin in order to stop aquatic invasive species like Asian carp will require reversing the flow of the Chicago River, according to a new study sponsored by the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Reuters reported. Whether or not […]

Pollution, Dry Weather Choke the World’s Major Lakes

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Urban waste and falling water levels signaled a rough start to 2012 for some of the world’s largest and most iconic freshwater lakes. Image courtesy NASA Dry weather and pollution are plaguing some of the major lakes in China, Africa, South and North America at the start of the year, posing threats to regional water […]