#Citizen science air quality

[townpostin]

Jamshedpur's Air Quality Crisis Tackled by Community Initiative

Vayu Veer program empowers marginalized groups to combat pollution through citizen science Innovative citizen-led air monitoring in Jamshedpur reveals alarming pollution levels, spurring grassroots action for cleaner air through the Vayu Veer program. JAMSHEDPUR – Clean Air Jharkhand has implemented the innovative Vayu Veer program, which involves the participation of youth and women from…

[tornadoquest]

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For January 20 - 27, 2024 #science #weather #climate #wintersafety #windchill #cocorahs #citizenscience #droughtmonitor

Greetings everyone. This week, we have an interesting read on the history of our own home galaxy. We’ll also continue our look at winter weather safety, the latest US Drought Monitor, and several other interesting reads, so let’s get started. Infographic courtesy NWS Fort Worth, Texas Infographic courtesy NOAA/NWS Has our Milky Way galaxy always had a serene and peaceful existence? Not…

[bigfan-fanfic]

Bats in the Web (Spider-Man!Batdad x Batfam)

What if batfam meets a version of Batdad who is Spider-Man in his universe??

"We can't interfere!" Bruce growls. "I know you want to help, but after the last world we jumped into, we can't take chances."

Dick sighs. The last world they went into, they nearly ruined everything because Gotham had no Batman yet.

But luckily, something descends upon the mugging in progress.

But it isn't Batman.

A strange silver cable zips into view and slams into the assailant's back, spreading in a strange geometric pattern. He stumbles forward at the force of the blow, before the cable springs taut, and the mugger is flung into the air.

Someone lithe and graceful sails through the air, trailing more silver cables and quickly wraps the stranger up in them, robotic arms emerging from their back to assist - almost like a four-armed... spider.

The mugger dangles upside down from a traffic light, completely mummified in silver, and the figure, in a black bodysuit with light-catching silver filaments in a web pattern shining along the whole thing, and what appears to be a yellow hood and short jacket, crouches atop it.

"You get home safe, you hear?" they call. "We'll just be... hangin' around."

The would-be victim grins up at them. "Thanks, Spidey!"

But the Bats are looking shocked.

Because that was clearly your voice, only slightly altered by a voice changer - the voice you use when you broadcast to negotiate with people while they're on patrol.

Before they can speak, though, you've flung yourself through the air, opening your arms to reveal the gliding wings attached from your sides to the arms of your jacket so you can sail through the air.

"Pops is... Spider-Man?" Dick yelps.

From what they can surmise, in this universe, Bruce still lost his parents at a young age, but he didn't develop the desire to become Batman.

Instead, while on a field trip, you were exposed to some kind of radioactive spider, and Bruce did what he could to keep your secret and develop his technological aptitude to help you.

It was Alfred's death that convinced you to become a hero - his last words to you being that with great power came great responsibility.

You and Bruce are still very young in this world, barely old enough to have adopted a young Dick Grayson. It's probable that Damian won't be born, and Tim won't be adopted by you.

You're so much more cheerful than Batman - Gotham's Spider-Man quips, sometimes with dark humor, and inspires her citizens to fight back against the oppressive darkness of their city with good humor and clever tactics.

The Bats make their way to Wayne Manor, only to find the harsh brickwork and traditional architecture has made way for modern-quality of life improvements, fiber optic light fixtures, glass bay windows, and high tech at every turn. It barely resembles their Wayne Manor.

In fact, the caverns beneath the estate aren't even utilized, with there instead being a high-tech laboratory on the grounds with a launchpad to fling you over the bay and into the city.

It's a shock to see them - Bruce Wayne, his body in shape but much softer: he obviously works out hard but he's clearly not a fighter. His movements are relaxed, even sluggish compared to the constant vigilance of the Bat. And he wears an unfamiliar expression on his face - a genuine lazy grin.

Meanwhile there's this world's you - lithe and strong, battle-worn and with the at-rest tension of a vigilante.

Alt-Bruce and you have an easy banter, a love very much like two young people - you're only a little older than Dick, after all, which he finds weird - especially when he and Tim babysit his younger version.

Jason is utterly touched when Alt-Bruce asks about all the kids, so he can make sure to adopt them - he wouldn't want them going homeless in this world. All Jason knows is that young Jason Todd in this world might just be saved from years of trauma.

You're still the strategist, but Bruce is your mission control and the gear/science guy - he helps with upgrades and is the one to suggest a way to get the Bats back to their world.

But you'll need their help.

You fly through the city that night accompanied by five gliding shadows. Shadows that brutally subdue the henchmen of Black Mask as you soar above their heads, connecting some power towers with a filament web, forming a major circuit Alt-Bruce can use to power a tachyonic collider, which should launch them back into their world.

They return to their world, but Jason pulls Bruce aside.

"B... you owe him."

"Owe him what? Who, Jaybird?"

Jason sighs. "Pops. You owe him a chance to see that smile. On you."

Bruce looks at him. "You think my face can still do that?"

"Hey, I was surprised that you were actually funny! But... yeah, I do."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe you're right..."

[taigacryptid]

how to get into citizen science

what is citizen science?

it's scientists collaborating with everyday people to collect and analyze data!

why should i participate?

you can engage in science without needing a background or formal education in science. if you have passion for it, then you're all set!

it can teach you skills that you can put on a resume and take with you to use in other fields!

in some cases, you can earn service-learning/volunteer hours!

while anti-intellectualism is on the rise (especially in the US), it's more important than ever to learn about and care for the natural world, education, and academia as a whole

donations are always great, but many projects lack enough people to do the work, so that's where citizen scientists come in to help lighten the load

what can i do?

iNaturalist is probably the most popular citizen science project out there. you can take pictures of animals and plants and ID them (they have an auto-suggest feature that accounts for the appearance and location of the organism, and gives you likely species)

Merlin Bird ID from Cornell Lab is similar to iNat but only for birds, and gives the ability to record birdsong and ID birds based on that!

FathomVerse lets players ID deep sea animals from real images collected by researchers, improving the AI they use to ID! (reminder that analytical AI is great, generative AI is not!)

Zooniverse has 83 active projects ranging from subjects such as physics and biology to history and literature! pick your favorite subject and start there!

HerpMapper is like iNat but only for herps (reptiles and amphibians), and they're extra careful about sharing location data of all observations for the sake of protecting vulnerable species (this one has my herp prof on the advisory committee :D)

Smell Pittsburgh is a project aimed to track the air quality in Pittsburgh, one of the most polluted cities in the US

Sensor Community lets anyone buy an air or noise sensor to install and collect data about air or noise pollution (they have guides for assembling it and installing the necessary software)

FrogWatch USA from Akron Zoo accepts volunteers nationwide to ID frogs based on their calls during breeding season

Reef Life Survey accepts volunteers to help catalog and monitor coral reefs

WomSAT allows anyone to report wombat sightings so they can be protected! (only for Australia, of course)

Marine Debris Tracker lets anyone log marine pollution that they've cleaned up, as well as any dumping sites (they also collect data from smaller organizations including schools, so try to find a local one you can join!)

eButterfly is like iNat but just for butterflies!

Foldit is a free game where you can contribute to molecular research by learning about protein structures

[cognitivejustice]

Colombian citizen scientists built cheap air quality monitors and deployed them across their city. Now DIY...

More links for the curious...

[gsenvs3000w25]

Unit 5: How NYC’s Scaffolding Blocks Green Initiatives

For much of my education, science education (SE) focused on understanding concepts, while environmental education (EE), which emphasizes engagement and behaviour change, felt separate—often limited to extracurriculars, clubs, or field trips. This divide between knowledge and action felt like a missed opportunity. Now, in my fourth year of university, I noticed a shift in learning—from traditional classrooms to ones that included calls to action. Last semester, I took a course called Integrative Problems in Biological Science, where I explored biological issues and how an integrative approach could help solve them. I was tasked with identifying a specific problem within a larger biological issue, developing a solution, and pitching it for funding. One issue that stuck with me during the course was the ubiquity of NYC scaffolding and how it significantly hinders efforts to incorporate nature into daily life and creates obstacles for pollinators.

For every green space in NYC, there’s a looming obstacle: scaffolding. The city’s endless construction projects result in a near-constant presence of metal frames and tarps, wrapping around buildings and sidewalks, blocking sunlight, and limiting access to vital outdoor spaces. While scaffolding is essential for safety and urban renewal, it also creates an often-overlooked challenge for city people trying to integrate nature into their lives. For those looking to support pollinators, grow food, or simply add a bit more greenery to their surroundings, scaffolding can be a frustrating barrier—literally. It reduces sunlight, making it difficult for plants to thrive, and often restricts rooftop and balcony access where small urban gardens might otherwise flourish. This limitation has larger implications: as cities face biodiversity loss and climate change, urban greening efforts are more important than ever. The presence of scaffolding makes it harder for everyday New Yorkers to contribute to these efforts, stalling small-scale ecological action that could otherwise be impactful.

(Poole, 2022)

But what if we could rethink scaffolding not just as a barrier but as an opportunity? I think citizen science provides a way for New Yorkers to document and counteract the negative environmental effects of long-term scaffolding while actively contributing to urban biodiversity research. One of the key roles of citizen science is observation, crowdsourcing data that scientists alone would never be able to gather at such a large scale. In the case of scaffolding, residents could document how these structures affect light levels, temperature, air quality, and plant health. Mobile apps like iNaturalist or NYC-specific platforms could be used to track changes in pollinator activity in areas covered by scaffolding versus open-air spaces. Participants could log which plants survive and which struggle under scaffolded conditions, creating valuable data sets for urban ecologists and city planners alike.

Furthermore, urban gardening organizations and citizen scientists could advocate for alternative designs that incorporate green elements into scaffolding itself. Imagine temporary pollinator-friendly planters installed on scaffolding or city-backed green roofs on construction sheds, solutions that could mitigate some of the ecological downsides. By engaging in citizen science, residents could provide real evidence that green-integrated scaffolding is not just a nice idea but a practical and beneficial one.

Im curious to know, have you noticed how scaffolding impacts greenery in your neighbourhood? What creative solutions do you think could help integrate nature into the built environment?

(McGeehan, 2024)

References:

Wals, A. E. J., Brody, M., Dillon, J., & Stevenson, R. B. (2014). Convergence Between Science and Environmental Education. Science, 344(6184), 583–584. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1250515

McGeehan, P. (2024, April 24). New York City’s Everlasting Scaffolding. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/24/nyregion/nyc-scaffolding.html

Poole, R. (2022, February 8). Why is There So Much Scaffolding in NYC? - CitySignal. CitySignal. https://www.citysignal.com/scaffolding-nyc/

Haltom, J. (2023). A story of how communities have been shaped by residents learning to garden [University of Guelph]. https://hdl.handle.net/10214/27610

Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from The Nation:

In recent weeks, one story has failed to garner as many headlines or dominate as many social media feeds as it should have, despite its widespread implications. Right now, Canadian wildfires are once again issuing a grave global warning: Catastrophic climate change is no longer just a future dystopian possibility; it’s a present, inescapable reality.

While fires blaze across Western Canada, spreading smoke, making it harder to breathe, and diminishing air quality for people living as far away as South Dakota and Iowa, millions of people in Brazil are recovering from severe floods in Rio Grande do Sul, which, as with the Canadian wildfires, scientists and major research organizations have characterized as an alarming sign of what is to come from accelerating climate change.

Following the last Canadian wildfire season, as I watched smoke from hundreds of miles away blow over my home city of New York and turn the sky orange, I wrote for The Nation about the importance of learning from the precarious reality these fires reflected and of the imminent need for governments to promote serious climate policies. Today, I am astounded to see how governments learned nothing from that crisis. Having failed to agree to phase out fossil fuels at COP28, nations continue to lag behind on—and even outright contradict—their espoused climate goals.

As oil and gas companies continue to increase the production of fossil fuels, basically turning the earth into a microwave oven, the opposite weather extremes seen in North and South America affirm that immediate and global action must be taken to keep all of our communities safe. Such action means not only massively curbing greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with climate science but adapting to the terrifying new normal, especially as the slow-onset effects of climate change, like rising sea levels, make more and more places dangerous to inhabit. As long as governments fail to lead the way in these two essential charges, it’s clear that we ordinary citizens must use every tool available to us to shift political and economic conditions in the direction of a rapid and just transition to renewable energy. In effect, if our elected officials refuse to wake up to the climate emergency, we must force them to.

[misfitwashere]

December 15, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

DEC 16

Tomorrow, December 16, is the fiftieth anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, signed into law on December 16, 1974, by President Gerald R. Ford, a Republican. The measure required the Environmental Protection Agency to set maximum contaminant levels for drinking water and required states to comply with them. It protected the underground sources of drinking water and called for emergency measures to protect public health if a dangerous contaminant either was in or was likely to enter a public water system.

To conduct research on clean drinking water and provide grants for states to clean up their systems, Congress authorized appropriations of $15 million in 1975, $25 million in 1976, and $35 million in 1977.

The Safe Drinking Water Act was one of the many laws passed in the 1970s after the environmental movement, sparked after Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring explored the effect of toxic chemicals on living organisms, had made Americans aware of the dangers of pollution in the environment. That awareness had turned to anger by 1969, when in January a massive oil spill off Santa Barbara, California, poured between 80,000 and 100,000 barrels of oil into the Pacific, fouling 35 miles of California beaches and killing seabirds, dolphins, sea lions, and elephant seals. Then, in June, the chemical contaminants that had been dumped into Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River caught fire.

The nation had dipped its toes into water regulation during the Progressive Era at the beginning of the twentieth century, after germ theory became widely understood in the 1880s. Cleaning up cities first meant installing sewer systems, then meant trying to stop diseases from spreading through water systems. In 1912, Congress passed the U.S. Public Health Service Act, which established a national agency for protecting public health and called for getting rid of waterborne illnesses—including the life-threatening illness typhoid—by treating water with chlorine.

It was a start, but a new focus on science and technology after World War II pointed toward updating the system. The U.S. Public Health Service investigated the nation’s water supply in the 1960s and discovered more than 46,000 cases of waterborne illness. In the 1970s it found that about 90% of the drinking water systems it surveyed exceeded acceptable levels of microbes.

In February 1970, Republican President Richard M. Nixon sent to Congress a special message “on environmental quality.” “[W]e…have too casually and too long abused our natural environment,” he wrote. “The time has come when we can wait no longer to repair the damage already done, and to establish new criteria to guide us in the future.” He called for “fundamentally new philosophies of land, air and water use, for stricter regulation, for expanded government action, for greater citizen involvement, and for new programs to ensure that government, industry and individuals all are called on to do their share of the job and to pay their share of the cost.”

Later that year, Congress passed a measure establishing the Environmental Protection Agency, and Nixon signed it into law.

Widespread calls to protect drinking water ran up against lobbyists for oil companies and members of Congress from oil districts. They complained that the science of what substances were dangerous was uncertain and that how they would be measured and regulated was unclear. They complained that the EPA was inefficient and expensive and was staffed with inexperienced officials.

Then, in 1972, an EPA study discovered that waters downstream from 60 industries discharging waste from Baton Rouge to the Mississippi River’s mouth in New Orleans had high concentrations of 66 chemicals and toxic metals. Chemical companies had sprung up after World War II along the 85 miles between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, potentially polluting the water, while the lower end of the Mississippi River collected all the runoff from the river itself.

Two years later, an analysis of drinking water and cancer death rates among white men in that same area of Louisiana suggested that carcinogens in the water might be linked to high cancer rates. Louisiana representative Lindy Boggs, a Democrat, told Congress that “it is really vitally important to our region that we have controls enforced on the toxic organic compounds that come into the river from the industrial and municipal discharges, from runoffs from from agricultural regions, from accidents on the river, and from chemical spills on the river.”

Concerns about the area of Louisiana that later came to be known as “Cancer Alley” were uppermost, but there were chemical companies across the country, and Congress set out to safeguard the lives of Americans from toxins released by corporations into the nation’s water supply. The Safe Drinking Water Act, the first law designed to create a comprehensive standard for the nation’s drinking water, was Congress’s answer.

The new law dramatically improved the quality of drinking water in the U.S., making it some of the safest in the world. Over the years, the EPA has expanded the list of contaminants it regulates, limiting both new man-made chemicals and new pathogens.

But the system is under strain: not only have scientific advances discovered that some contaminants are dangerous at much lower concentrations than scientists previously thought, but also a lack of funding for the EPA means that oversight can be lax. Even when it’s not, a lack of funding for towns and cities means they can’t always afford to upgrade their systems.

By 2015, almost 77 million Americans lived in regions whose water systems did not meet the safety standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act. In addition, more than 2 million Americans did not have running water, and many more rely on wells or small systems not covered by the Safe Water Drinking Act.

The Biden administration began to address the problem with an investment of about $22 billion to upgrade the nation’s water systems. The money removed lead pipes, upgraded wastewater and sewage systems, and addressed the removal of so-called forever chemicals and proposed a new standard for acceptable measures of them.

What this will mean in the future is unclear. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to increase production of oil and gas—although it is currently at an all-time high—and such projects are often slowed by environmental regulations. On Tuesday, December 10, he posted on social media, “Any person or company investing ONE BILLION DOLLARS, OR MORE, in the United States of America, will receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals. GET READY TO ROCK!!!”

“[B]y ignoring environmental costs we have given an economic advantage to the careless polluter over his more conscientious rival,” Trump’s Republican predecessor Nixon told the nation in 1970. “While adopting laws prohibiting injury to person or property, we have freely allowed injury to our shared surroundings.” When he signed the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974, President Ford added simply: “Nothing is more essential to the life of every single American than clean air, pure food, and safe drinking water.”

—

[yourreddancer]

Heather Cox Richardson 12.15.24

Tomorrow, December 16, is the fiftieth anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, signed into law on December 16, 1974, by President Gerald R. Ford, a Republican. The measure required the Environmental Protection Agency to set maximum contaminant levels for drinking water and required states to comply with them. It protected the underground sources of drinking water and called for emergency measures to protect public health if a dangerous contaminant either was in or was likely to enter a public water system.

To conduct research on clean drinking water and provide grants for states to clean up their systems, Congress authorized appropriations of $15 million in 1975, $25 million in 1976, and $35 million in 1977.

The Safe Drinking Water Act was one of the many laws passed in the 1970s after the environmental movement, sparked after Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring explored the effect of toxic chemicals on living organisms, had made Americans aware of the dangers of pollution in the environment. 

That awareness had turned to anger by 1969, when in January a massive oil spill off Santa Barbara, California, poured between 80,000 and 100,000 barrels of oil into the Pacific, fouling 35 miles of California beaches and killing seabirds, dolphins, sea lions, and elephant seals. Then, in June, the chemical contaminants that had been dumped into Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River caught fire.

The nation had dipped its toes into water regulation during the Progressive Era at the beginning of the twentieth century, after germ theory became widely understood in the 1880s. Cleaning up cities first meant installing sewer systems, then meant trying to stop diseases from spreading through water systems. In 1912, Congress passed the U.S. Public Health Service Act, which established a national agency for protecting public health and called for getting rid of waterborne illnesses—including the life-threatening illness typhoid—by treating water with chlorine.

It was a start, but a new focus on science and technology after World War II pointed toward updating the system. The U.S. Public Health Service investigated the nation’s water supply in the 1960s and discovered more than 46,000 cases of waterborne illness. In the 1970s it found that about 90% of the drinking water systems it surveyed exceeded acceptable levels of microbes.

In February 1970, Republican President Richard M. Nixon sent to Congress a special message “on environmental quality.” “[W]e…have too casually and too long abused our natural environment,” he wrote. “The time has come when we can wait no longer to repair the damage already done, and to establish new criteria to guide us in the future.” He called for “fundamentally new philosophies of land, air and water use, for stricter regulation, for expanded government action, for greater citizen involvement, and for new programs to ensure that government, industry and individuals all are called on to do their share of the job and to pay their share of the cost.”

Later that year, Congress passed a measure establishing the Environmental Protection Agency, and Nixon signed it into law.

Widespread ater that year, Congress passed a measure establishing the Environmental Protection Agency, and Nixon signed it into law.calls to protect drinking water ran up against lobbyists for oil companies and members of Congress from oil districts. They complained that the science of what substances were dangerous was uncertain and that how they would be measured and regulated was unclear. They complained that the EPA was inefficient and expensive and was staffed with inexperienced officials.

Then, in 1972, an EPA study discovered that waters downstream from 60 industries discharging waste from Baton Rouge to the Mississippi River’s mouth in New Orleans had high concentrations of 66 chemicals and toxic metals. Chemical companies had sprung up after World War II along the 85 miles between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, potentially polluting the water, while the lower end of the Mississippi River collected all the runoff from the river itself.

Two years later, an analysis of drinking water and cancer death rates among white men in that same area of Louisiana suggested that carcinogens in the water might be linked to high cancer rates. Louisiana representative Lindy Boggs, a Democrat, told Congress that “it is really vitally important to our region that we have controls enforced on the toxic organic compounds that come into the river from the industrial and municipal discharges, from runoffs from from agricultural regions, from accidents on the river, and from chemical spills on the river.”

Concerns about the area of Louisiana that later came to be known as “Cancer Alley” were uppermost, but there were chemical companies across the country, and Congress set out to safeguard the lives of Americans from toxins released by corporations into the nation’s water supply. The Safe Drinking Water Act, the first law designed to create a comprehensive standard for the nation’s drinking water, was Congress’s answer.

The new law dramatically improved the quality of drinking water in the U.S., making it some of the safest in the world. Over the years, the EPA has expanded the list of contaminants it regulates, limiting both new man-made chemicals and new pathogens.

But the system is under strain: not only have scientific advances discovered that some contaminants are dangerous at much lower concentrations than scientists previously thought, but also a lack of funding for the EPA means that oversight can be lax. Even when it’s not, a lack of funding for towns and cities means they can’t always afford to upgrade their systems.

By 2015, almost 77 million Americans lived in regions whose water systems did not meet the safety standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act. In addition, more than 2 million Americans did not have running water, and many more rely on wells or small systems not covered by the Safe Water Drinking Act.

The Biden administration began to address the problem with an investment of about $22 billion to upgrade the nation’s water systems. The money removed lead pipes, upgraded wastewater and sewage systems, and addressed the removal of so-called forever chemicals and proposed a new standard for acceptable measures of them.

What this will mean in the future is unclear. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to increase production of oil and gas—although it is currently at an all-time high—and such projects are often slowed by environmental regulations. On Tuesday, December 10, he posted on social media, “Any person or company investing ONE BILLION DOLLARS, OR MORE, in the United States of America, will receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals. GET READY TO ROCK!!!”

“[B]y ignoring environmental costs we have given an economic advantage to the careless polluter over his more conscientious rival,” Trump’s Republican predecessor Nixon told the nation in 1970. “While adopting laws prohibiting injury to person or property, we have freely allowed injury to our shared surroundings.” When he signed the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974, President Ford added simply: “Nothing is more essential to the life of every single American than clean air, pure food, and safe drinking water.”

—

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

December 15, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Dec 15, 2024

Tomorrow, December 16, is the fiftieth anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, signed into law on December 16, 1974, by President Gerald R. Ford, a Republican. The measure required the Environmental Protection Agency to set maximum contaminant levels for drinking water and required states to comply with them. It protected the underground sources of drinking water and called for emergency measures to protect public health if a dangerous contaminant either was in or was likely to enter a public water system.

To conduct research on clean drinking water and provide grants for states to clean up their systems, Congress authorized appropriations of $15 million in 1975, $25 million in 1976, and $35 million in 1977.

The Safe Drinking Water Act was one of the many laws passed in the 1970s after the environmental movement, sparked after Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring explored the effect of toxic chemicals on living organisms, had made Americans aware of the dangers of pollution in the environment. That awareness had turned to anger by 1969, when in January a massive oil spill off Santa Barbara, California, poured between 80,000 and 100,000 barrels of oil into the Pacific, fouling 35 miles of California beaches and killing seabirds, dolphins, sea lions, and elephant seals. Then, in June, the chemical contaminants that had been dumped into Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River caught fire.

The nation had dipped its toes into water regulation during the Progressive Era at the beginning of the twentieth century, after germ theory became widely understood in the 1880s. Cleaning up cities first meant installing sewer systems, then meant trying to stop diseases from spreading through water systems. In 1912, Congress passed the U.S. Public Health Service Act, which established a national agency for protecting public health and called for getting rid of waterborne illnesses—including the life-threatening illness typhoid—by treating water with chlorine.

It was a start, but a new focus on science and technology after World War II pointed toward updating the system. The U.S. Public Health Service investigated the nation’s water supply in the 1960s and discovered more than 46,000 cases of waterborne illness. In the 1970s it found that about 90% of the drinking water systems it surveyed exceeded acceptable levels of microbes.

In February 1970, Republican President Richard M. Nixon sent to Congress a special message “on environmental quality.” “[W]e…have too casually and too long abused our natural environment,” he wrote. “The time has come when we can wait no longer to repair the damage already done, and to establish new criteria to guide us in the future.” He called for “fundamentally new philosophies of land, air and water use, for stricter regulation, for expanded government action, for greater citizen involvement, and for new programs to ensure that government, industry and individuals all are called on to do their share of the job and to pay their share of the cost.”

Later that year, Congress passed a measure establishing the Environmental Protection Agency, and Nixon signed it into law.

Widespread calls to protect drinking water ran up against lobbyists for oil companies and members of Congress from oil districts. They complained that the science of what substances were dangerous was uncertain and that how they would be measured and regulated was unclear. They complained that the EPA was inefficient and expensive and was staffed with inexperienced officials.

Then, in 1972, an EPA study discovered that waters downstream from 60 industries discharging waste from Baton Rouge to the Mississippi River’s mouth in New Orleans had high concentrations of 66 chemicals and toxic metals. Chemical companies had sprung up after World War II along the 85 miles between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, potentially polluting the water, while the lower end of the Mississippi River collected all the runoff from the river itself.

Two years later, an analysis of drinking water and cancer death rates among white men in that same area of Louisiana suggested that carcinogens in the water might be linked to high cancer rates. Louisiana representative Lindy Boggs, a Democrat, told Congress that “it is really vitally important to our region that we have controls enforced on the toxic organic compounds that come into the river from the industrial and municipal discharges, from runoffs from from agricultural regions, from accidents on the river, and from chemical spills on the river.”

Concerns about the area of Louisiana that later came to be known as “Cancer Alley” were uppermost, but there were chemical companies across the country, and Congress set out to safeguard the lives of Americans from toxins released by corporations into the nation’s water supply. The Safe Drinking Water Act, the first law designed to create a comprehensive standard for the nation’s drinking water, was Congress’s answer.

The new law dramatically improved the quality of drinking water in the U.S., making it some of the safest in the world. Over the years, the EPA has expanded the list of contaminants it regulates, limiting both new man-made chemicals and new pathogens.

But the system is under strain: not only have scientific advances discovered that some contaminants are dangerous at much lower concentrations than scientists previously thought, but also a lack of funding for the EPA means that oversight can be lax. Even when it’s not, a lack of funding for towns and cities means they can’t always afford to upgrade their systems.

By 2015, almost 77 million Americans lived in regions whose water systems did not meet the safety standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act. In addition, more than 2 million Americans did not have running water, and many more rely on wells or small systems not covered by the Safe Water Drinking Act.

The Biden administration began to address the problem with an investment of about $22 billion to upgrade the nation’s water systems. The money removed lead pipes, upgraded wastewater and sewage systems, and addressed the removal of so-called forever chemicals and proposed a new standard for acceptable measures of them.

What this will mean in the future is unclear. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to increase production of oil and gas—although it is currently at an all-time high—and such projects are often slowed by environmental regulations. On Tuesday, December 10, he posted on social media, “Any person or company investing ONE BILLION DOLLARS, OR MORE, in the United States of America, will receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals. GET READY TO ROCK!!!”

“[B]y ignoring environmental costs we have given an economic advantage to the careless polluter over his more conscientious rival,” Trump’s Republican predecessor Nixon told the nation in 1970. “While adopting laws prohibiting injury to person or property, we have freely allowed injury to our shared surroundings.” When he signed the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974, President Ford added simply: “Nothing is more essential to the life of every single American than clean air, pure food, and safe drinking water.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[sebeth]

Who's Who In The DC Universe #1: Adam Strange, Aegeus, Air Wave I, Air Wave II

Adam Strange by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson

Adam was fleeing from South American natives when he was struck by the Zeta Beam, a “beam of energy sent from the planet Rann in hopes of communicating” with Earth

The Zeta Beam teleported Adam to Rann instead

Adam meets a scientist named Sardath and Alanna, his daughter

Adam became the Rann’s first citizen and savior and later married Alanna

Rann is a planet of contradictions: “Some of its divided city-states possesses science far in advance of Earth, while others exist in almost barbaric splendor”

Adam teleports back to Earth whenever the Zeta Beam wears off, he then has to calculate where the next Zeta Beam will strike (always south of the equator) to return to Rann

I’ve always loved Adam Strange. How can you not enjoy an archaeologist who has space adventures? I’d recommend the Adam Strange miniseries that came out shortly before Infinite Crisis (no, not the Rann-Thanagar War mini-series, the “Adam Strange” mini-series that preceded it. It was excellent!

Aegeus by Don Heck

A Greek national who was planning acts of terrorism when he met Bellerophon (yes, the one from Greek mythology). Bellerophon had become an Olympian-hater so he gave Aegeus a magical bow and arrow, six daggers of Vulcan (shouldn’t he be called Hephaestus (?), and Pegasus. Aegeus then decided to pick a fight with Wonder Woman and the Amazons. It doesn’t end well for him.

For such a long-running character, Wonder Woman’s rogue gallery does not have the depth of a Flash, a Batman, or a Spider-Man. Aegeus is D list. Has he even been seen post-Crisis?

Air-Wave I and Air Wave II by Alex Saviuk & Dick Giordano

Did you know Hal Jordan’s cousins were heroes? And not of the Green Lantern variety?

Lawrence (Larry) Jordan was a native of Earth-2. He developed a helmet and belt that allowed him to into any radio wave, project his voice through radio waves, among other abilities. He created the Air Wave persona, battled nazis, and joined the All-Star Squadron.

Larry traveled to Earth-1 under “unknown circumstances”, became a district attorney, married a woman named Helen, and has a son named Harold (Hal). No, not that Hal Jordan.

Criminals later shot and killed Larry as revenge against his crusades as a district attorney.

Hal inherited the Air Wave equipment and persona from his father.

His mother had a breakdown after the murder of his father and was confined to an institution. Hal was taken in by his cousins, Jack and Jan Jordan.

Hal received some coaching on heroics from his cousin Hal (yes, that Hal), Green Arrow, and Black Canary.

The only appearances of either Air Wave that I’ve read were when Larry or Hal made appearances in the All-Star Squadron or JSA series. They were okay.

I suppose a quick detour is needed for younger readers about the various earths that will be mentioned in the Who’s Who:

Earth-1: The earth of the Silver Age heroes to 1985/1986: the home of Barry, Hal, Katar, Shayera, etc

Earth-2: The home of the Golden Age/original versions of DC’s iconic heroes: Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, Carter Hall. Also, the home of the Justice Society, All-Star Squadron, Infinity Inc, etc. Bruce, Clark, and Diana among other will have versions of themselves on both Earth-1 and Earth-2. The difference is the Earth-2 versions can age, marry, and have children while the Earth-1 versions stayed young and single.

There were multiple other earths, this is off the top of my head so the designations may be wrong, but a few more were:4

Earth-3: The home of the Crime Syndicate (reverse world where the Justice League are evil, and the villains are the good guys)

Earth-F: Home of the Fawcett heroes

Earth-C: Home of the Charlton heroes

Earth-Q: Home of the Quality heroes

DC simply created another earth when they bought out another company and then plopped the newly acquired characters on it rather than try to insert the characters on a prior earth. Crossovers between earths were frequent. DC eventually decided the continuity was too complicated and thus the Crisis on Infinite Earths was born. I don’t know, I was nine years old when the Crisis began and I understood the continuity just fine, so how complicated could it be?

[tramontane-fire]

okay one more and I'm done I swear

humanity (according to the minbari) has this glorious destiny to be a great race reaching through the stars we don't know the half of what our future holds etc etc etc

and yet you have a whole section of the station full of homeless people who live in unsanitary conditions and likely sometimes die because we've established they can't afford medical care

security arrests people who are clearly mentally ill on BS charges and regularly engages in police brutality with no consequences

and all anyone can say on the matter is "damn [homeless people] we ought to space them all."

None of the senior staff are particularly bothered by the issues either, and they might actually be able to do something about the quality of life of the "lurkers."

And yes I get that it's probably a more realistic version of the future than, say, Star Trek, where we solved all of Earth's problems and went into space looking for more

After all as @autisticslp pointed out, it's been 30ish years since the show aired and healthcare still isn't free in our country.

But if humanity has made spaceships and a mars colony and space stations and still can't manage to guarantee basic human (sentient being?) rights, how great can our destiny among the stars be?

I remember really enjoying this show as a kid before working in emergency services made me really pissed off about things like homelessness and healthcare inequity and police violence and social murder and now everything I read or watch is colored by that.

And I think it wasn't even deliberate on the part of the showrunners? Most middle and upper class people in America where I live view homeless citizens as human pests, and are glad when the guy having a psychotic episode in public is arrested so they don't have to look at him. They never question the police or the prison/jail system because they never interact with it. It's all just background noise to them. If they think about homelessness or poverty or police violence at all, they quickly reassure themselves that it only happens to Other People who probably deserve it anyway.

this may sound horrible and monstrous and it kind of is, but we are raised to think this way. I remember my mom telling me a disabled man panhandling by the offramp was probably faking his mobility issues for sympathy. Imagine a whole generation raised that way who never had to question what they were taught.

Now supposing one of these middle/upper class Americans wrote a science fiction TV show.

[n2qfd]

BBC News: False claims of bogus heatwave spread online

The Trump sickness continues to spread.

Look, I don't know where you are coming from. I went to HS in New York and we had a thing called the board of Regents and they decided what standards education should present. That in it self could be controversial and it was then too. It was mandated you take earth science at that time too because nobody could imagine a child should not have some fundamental principles about how our planet worked. I don't remember meteorology being a long unit...

Europe is sliding into fascism's hands again. It's stock to challenge long held authority from populist perspectives. It's silly, attacking the WMO and the broadcasting companies sharing figures, but it's not all the same.

Please, by all means, do your own research on this one. Build a weather station, the WMO specs are available and have it certified. Better yet look around at what's needed. I was DAIN-6 a registered Cooperative Observer station helping provide data to the Hudson valley for years. It was wildly rewarding. There are already weather stations where I live now and so this time I think I'll put up an air quality station.

You want to race cars? There are standards.

You want to collect comic books? There are standards.

You love Fords and the model F-150 truck? What makes it that...thing... The SAE (Standard Automotive Engineering) traces it's roots back to 1902.

Scientists, even citizen scientists bow to standard practice, but we don't bow media, or to any kings.

[floralfractals]

^^ citizen science contains lots of fun activities! Near me, the national health agency has a project where you can measure air quality, and you can get some cool tools out of it to see how it changes in different places :)

If you're feeling anxious or depressed about the climate and want to do something to help right now, from your bed, for free...

Start helping with citizen science projects

What's a citizen science project? Basically, it's crowdsourced science. In this case, crowdsourced climate science, that you can help with!

You don't need qualifications or any training besides the slideshow at the start of a project. There are a lot of things that humans can do way better than machines can, even with only minimal training, that are vital to science - especially digitizing records and building searchable databases

Like labeling trees in aerial photos so that scientists have better datasets to use for restoration.

Or counting cells in fossilized plants to track the impacts of climate change.

Or digitizing old atmospheric data to help scientists track the warming effects of El Niño.

Or counting penguins to help scientists better protect them.

Those are all on one of the most prominent citizen science platforms, called Zooniverse, but there are a ton of others, too.

Oh, and btw, you don't have to worry about messing up, because several people see each image. Studies show that if you pool the opinions of however many regular people (different by field), it matches the accuracy rate of a trained scientist in the field.

--

I spent a lot of time doing this when I was really badly injured and housebound, and it was so good for me to be able to HELP and DO SOMETHING, even when I was in too much pain to leave my bed. So if you are chronically ill/disabled/for whatever reason can't participate or volunteer for things in person, I highly highly recommend.

Next time you wish you could do something - anything - to help

Remember that actually, you can. And help with some science.

[exactlyautomaticcollective]

How Artificial Intelligence Can Support Smart City Projects in Varanasi

In recent years, Varanasi has witnessed significant growth and modernization, and the concept of smart cities has become a central part of urban development in the region. As the city continues to evolve, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in smart city projects is proving to be a game-changer. From efficient traffic management to intelligent waste disposal systems, AI is enabling cities like Varanasi to become more livable, efficient, and sustainable.

Transforming Urban Infrastructure with AI

Artificial Intelligence plays a critical role in enhancing the quality of life in urban areas. By leveraging technologies such as computer vision, machine learning, and IoT sensors, AI helps cities monitor and manage infrastructure in real-time. In Varanasi, AI can assist in identifying road damage, managing traffic congestion, and predicting the need for maintenance, ultimately saving time and resources.

For instance, AI-based surveillance systems can track vehicle movement and optimize traffic signals to reduce jams in densely populated areas. This not only cuts down commute times but also helps reduce carbon emissions. Smart traffic lights powered by AI can learn peak times and adjust automatically, offering smoother traffic flow for residents and tourists alike.

AI for Public Safety and Security

Public safety is one of the major concerns in any growing city. With the help of AI, smart city projects in Varanasi can ensure a more secure environment. AI-powered facial recognition, behavior analysis, and predictive policing tools can alert authorities in real-time about potential criminal activities or unusual behavior in public areas.

Moreover, emergency response systems can be equipped with AI algorithms that prioritize alerts based on severity and location, leading to quicker intervention. This ensures that public safety agencies operate more efficiently and effectively, fostering a sense of security among the citizens.

Smart Waste Management and Environmental Monitoring

Waste management is a growing challenge in a historical and culturally rich city like Varanasi, which receives thousands of visitors every day. AI can revolutionize waste collection through intelligent route planning for garbage trucks and smart bins that alert authorities when they’re full. These innovations prevent overflow and ensure cleanliness throughout the city.

Additionally, AI technologies can be used to monitor air and water quality in real-time. In a city like Varanasi, situated on the banks of the Ganges, this is particularly vital. AI-based systems can analyze pollution levels and help policymakers take proactive steps to preserve the environment and protect public health.

AI-Powered Energy Efficiency and Smart Utilities

Another critical area where Artificial Intelligence can support smart city projects in Varanasi is in energy management. AI can help monitor energy usage in public buildings, street lights, and other facilities to optimize energy consumption. Predictive analytics allow city planners to forecast electricity demand and reduce wastage, making the entire system more cost-effective.

Furthermore, AI can be utilized in managing water supply systems. By analyzing consumption patterns, detecting leaks, and predicting water demand, it ensures efficient distribution and conservation of resources, which is essential for a city growing both in population and demand.

What is Sparse Matrix - Machine Learning & Data Science Terminologies

Artificial Intelligence and Citizen Engagement

A smart city is not just about technology but also about improving the lives of its residents. AI can enhance citizen engagement through chatbots and digital assistants that provide real-time information about public services, transportation, and government schemes. These systems can also gather feedback, helping authorities make data-driven decisions that reflect the needs of the population.

Educational initiatives are also gaining momentum in Varanasi, as more individuals seek to understand how AI can shape their careers. Enrolling in an Artificial Intelligence Course in Varanasi enables aspiring professionals to contribute meaningfully to smart city projects. These courses equip learners with practical skills in AI, machine learning, and data science, aligning them with the city's evolving technological needs.

Learning AI to Contribute to Varanasi’s Smart Growth

As the demand for AI professionals continues to rise, many students and working professionals are turning to structured learning paths to gain expertise. Taking up an Artificial Intelligence Course in Varanasi offers a pathway to enter fields such as smart infrastructure, automation, and intelligent system design. These skills are not only vital for the future of the city but also provide strong career opportunities for individuals.

The average fee for an AI course in Varanasi typically ranges from ₹50,000 to ₹1,20,000 depending on the duration, curriculum, and practical exposure offered. Whether you are a fresher or an experienced IT professional, the right training can open doors to roles in smart city development, tech consulting, and beyond. Choosing the Best Training Institute for AI is crucial to gaining relevant, hands-on experience that aligns with industry needs.

As per NASSCOM, India’s AI market is expected to reach $7.8 billion by 2025, emerging as a significant contributor to this expansion.

DataMites is a recognized institute offering quality AI education in Varanasi, with a curriculum designed to provide hands-on experience through live projects and expert-led training. Accredited by IABAC and NASSCOM FutureSkills, it prepares learners for careers in AI and data science with a strong focus on real-world applications.With both online and offline training options, including classroom sessions in cities like Pune, Chennai, Coimbatore, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore, DataMites caters to various learning preferences. Whether aiming to contribute to smart city initiatives or advance in the AI job market, learners gain practical skills to boom in a tech-driven future.

[nursingwriter]

Safety Management Industrial hygiene is a comprehensive field encompassing the health and safety needs of workers, their families, and their communities. Industrial hygienists examine workplace environments for potential safety hazards and threats to personal and collective health and well being. For example, an industrial hygienist would take into account solvents or other chemicals used in preparation of finished goods, air quality in the workplace environment, and the quality and efficiency of workplace machinery. Industrial hygiene is a science, a field that performs empirical field studies to determine the nature of potential threats. Professional opinions are rooted in science and scientific data. Although industrial hygiene takes into account existing rules and regulations regarding workplace safety, the field also contributes enormously to the creation and implementation of new safety guidelines. Industrial hygienists may work with workers directly to train them in workplace safety and health management; or they may work with the community, with government officials, labor unions, or with industry organizations to consult, advise, teach, and train. Industrial hygiene concerns itself with any and every potential health or safety hazard within workplaces. Hazards are generally industry-specific. For example, hospital and health-care workers must be especially aware of potential hazards from needle pricks, radiation, contagious and infectious diseases, and accidental exposure to toxic chemicals. Factory workers will be concerned with air quality, noise levels, as well as with machinery safety. Individuals who work at computer terminals or in offices need to be aware of ergonomics and the risk of repetitive stress-related syndromes. All employees have a right to be aware of the specific hazards that they face, from poor lighting and climate conditions to hazardous chemicals such as lead in the atmosphere or drinking water, and toxic waste. Emergency response procedures should be a primary concern in all workplaces, and industrial hygiene promotes education and awareness of such procedures. Training in industrial hygiene can include prevention awareness as well as tactics used to counteract preexisting or unavoidable hazards. Proper use of machinery, proper waste disposal, and proper interpersonal interactions in the workplace are all part of effective industrial hygiene practices. Being alert and aware of warning signs is also a part of workplace hygiene. Industrial hygiene is also a field that serves the needs of the community, the families of workers, and all citizens affected by the safety and health issues of particular industries. For example, community water supplies, agriculture, noise, and air quality can be dramatically affected by the actions of local factories and businesses. Proper industrial hygiene practices can also help companies and organizations avoid costly lawsuits or fines for noncompliance with industry or governmental regulations. Industrial hygiene can also pertain to workplace aesthetics: offensive odors, noises, and unsightly chemical discolorations or emissions can all affect quality of life for workers, their families, and their community. Both short-term and long-term health hazards will be examined and researched by industrial hygienists, who work with biologists, chemists, and environmental scientists to compile data and reports. Industrial hygiene is related to the field of ergonomics; in fact, ergonomics is a subset of industrial hygiene. Ergonomic concerns are related specifically to musculo-skeletal issues such as strains, repetitive stress, and related injuries apply in part to engineering and product design. Core issues related to ergonomics include proper posture, both standing and seated, proper lifting and moving of heavy objects, and proper movement. Ergonomics, like other industrial hygiene issues, are industry-specific. Sedentary jobs such as office work have a host of different issues from issues facing workers who move around constantly. Much ergonomic research involves an understanding of proper posture, lifting, and movement techniques as well as fostering self-awareness. Self-awareness is a major key to promoting ergonomics in the workplace, because only through self-awareness can an individual realize that he or she is sitting, standing, moving, or working according to ergonomic principles. Ergonomics applies also to product design and engineering. For example, new machinery is being designed according to well-researched principles of ergonomics. Similarly, office equipment, from chairs to computer keyboards, are also being redesigned with worker safety in mind. Through using ergonomically-designed equipment, individuals can avoid problems related to repetitive strain and stress. One of the major issues related to industrial safety management is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE reduces employee exposure to hazardous chemicals, fumes, and materials. Development of PPE occurs according to scientific research. Discovering which items or situations are hazardous is the first step toward the development of protective equipment. PPE can be designed for any body part, and applies especially to sensitive areas like the head, the face, eyes, ears, respiratory tract, torso, back, and extremities. Face protection includes facial shields such as those used in welding. Shields can be designed to meet the ergonomic requirements of any profession. Eye protection may include contact lenses or specialty goggles or safety glasses, some of which are manufactured to prevent injuries from lasers. Protective gear for the head includes hard hats and helmets, some of which have built-in voltage protection. For the feet, toe guards or steel-toed boots, metatarsal guards, shin guards, and specialized leggings to prevent heat or chemical injuries may be worn. Some shoes are designed to be electrically conductive. Hand injuries can be prevented through the use of a wide range of glove types available. Gloves can be temperature-resistant or chemical-resistant, and come in dozens of different materials. Protective equipment for the ears includes mainly ear plugs and muffs. Body and torso can be safeguarded against injury through the use of special fabrics that are designed to keep harmful chemicals out or to regulate body temperature. Special braces may be worn to protect the spine and torso. Workers exposed to toxic chemicals and fumes may also need to wear protective equipment for the respiratory system, such as special gas masks that filter air. Material Data Safety Sheets are published on hundreds of different health and safety hazards. They must be continually updated to include new information gleaned from scientific research into hazardous chemicals and substances. For example, a Material Data Safety Sheet for infectious substances can help workers in certain environments protect against the contraction of such bacteria such as salmonella. The Material Data Safety Sheet located at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/msds-ftss/msds132e.html. includes information about potential health hazards, symptoms, communicability, and incubation period. For example, salmonella choleraesuis can be spread via animals or human beings. The data sheet also includes helpful information such as the bacteria's reaction to drugs and cleansing agents. Laboratory-specific hazards are discussed on the data sheet, as are instructions for symptom monitoring, immunization, and first aid and medical treatment. Workers who may be exposed to salmonella should wear protective clothing such as specialty coats and gloves that would prevent contact with the skin. Eye protection might also be helpful in situations where materials might splash or spill. Works Cited Material Safety Data Sheet: Infectious Substances." Public Health Agency of Canada. Online at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/msds-ftss/msds132e.html Personal Protective Equipment." OSHA. United States Department of Labor. PDF file available online at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/personalprotectiveequipment/solutions.html. What's Industrial Hygiene?" AIHA. Online at http://www.aiha.org/aboutAIHA/html/ih-info.htm. Read the full article