Environmental advocacy groups are concerned that proposed amendments to the state’s shellfish-safety program will make it infeasible for research to be conducted in prohibited waterways. Initially proposed in November, the New Jersey Department of Envi…
Archives for December 2015
Rutgers Clean Energy and Food Innovation Incubators Leading Efforts to Improve Environmental Sustainability within New Jersey Food Industry
Rutgers EcoComplex was awarded a $157,517 grant from the U.S. EPA, Region II Pollution Prevention Program that’s aimed at helping New Jersey’s food processors, storage and distribution facilities to become more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable through upgrading refrigeration systems, using safer chemicals, reducing water and energy use, and increasing employee training. “This project will […]
Americans Aware of Chipotle Outbreak Eat There Less: Poll
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Nearly a quarter of Americans who have heard of recent E. coli outbreaks at Chipotle Mexican Grill said they are eating less often at its restaurants, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Tuesday, while social media sentiment towar…
Mold Allergies on the Rise Due to Climate Change
In the winter of 2015, Leonard Bielory, MD, saw a 10 to 15 percent rise in number of his patients with mold allergies — that is, allergies to tiny fungi whose spores float through the air. He attributed the allergies to unseasonable spells of war…
Americans Aware of Chipotle Outbreak Eat There Less Often: Poll
Nearly a quarter of Americans who have heard of recent E. coli outbreaks at Chipotle Mexican Grill said they are eating less often at its restaurants, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Tuesday, while social media sentiment towards the chain hit a low….
Unseasonably warm weather brings bounty to local farmers
With some days this month topping 70 degrees, it’s not feeling particularly seasonable. But the mild weather is helping local farmers extend their season. But it’s not all good news. Rick Van Vranken of Rutgers’ Cooperative Extension in Atlantic County…
Three Strategies For Overcoming Greenhouse Heating Concerns
Energy is one of the biggest expenses in greenhouse production. Anywhere from 65% to 85% of all energy consumed by greenhouse operations goes toward heating, according to a greenhouse energy conservation strategy bulletin produced by Michigan State Uni…
El Niño’s Holiday Gift: A Mild N.J. Winter
Just a friendly warning: Sleds, gloves and toasty sweaters could come off as slightly ridiculous if they’re unwrapped beneath the Christmas tree next week. A T-shirt and sandals might be more appropriate… A mild winter would follow on the heels of a year already shimmering in record-breaking warmth. New Jersey has experienced its third-warmest May and September as well as its fifth-warmest November and fall since record keeping began in 1895… “December is already almost a lock to be our warmest on record,” said David Robinson, the state climatologist and a Rutgers University professor.
Warm Weather Means Springtime in December for Flowers and Trees
It’s great fun when we humans can wear our flip-flops and shorts in December. That thick jacket with the fur-trimmed hood is just a short trip to the closet away when winter inevitably wallops us… Lena Struwe, a plant biologist at Rutgers University, has been noticing the weeds, because that’s what she studies. “In the last couple weeks, have you seen all these dandelions flowering?” she asked. She’s never seen so many at this time of the year. There are thousands on the university lawn. “There are all these fluffy balls right now,” she said. She’s also seeing hairy cress, which usually comes out in April, and veronica. Because these plants are fast growers, they may be able get in an extra growing season, spreading extra seeds for the spring… Struwe is worried about how plants that have adapted over thousands of years to our seasons will ultimately respond to our warming, more unsettled climate. Plants that like warmer weather are already migrating northward. Kudzu, an invasive vine, has made it to Delaware and southern Pennsylvania.
Rutgers 250th Anniversary All-Star Breeds Exhibited Through Another Social Media Contest
From November 10, 2015 through the end of 2016, the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) is celebrating Rutgers 250th anniversary by showcasing an all-star variety of it breeding program each month. The select varieties are developed by Rutgers agriculture and aquaculture researchers from across New Jersey. Holly trees are the featured all-star breed […]