Note: This article first appeared in the Winter 2016 issue of Rutgers Magazine. Years of studying animals at sea and on land convinced scientist Carl Safina that many creatures in nature think, express emotion and communicate. In his new book, Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel (Henry Holt and Company, 2015), Safina GSNB ’82, ’87 couples personal […]
Community
STATE AT BEGINNING OF LONG STRUGGLE TO PURIFY DRINKING WATER IN NJ SCHOOLS
With more Newark schools found last week to have elevated lead levels in their water, a top state environmental official said the process of identifying and remediating the problem not just in Newark but statewide is sure to be a lengthy one… “The notion of tearing a building apart to replace lead lines, you’re talking about enormous expense,” said Daniel Van Abs, an associate research professor at Rutgers’ School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. “I don’t know how much, but I do know that this state has a tendency of robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
DEET Seen as Safe for Pregnant Women Despite Limited Studies
This summer, some yellow-fever mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus are expected to arrive along the Gulf Coast and elsewhere in the continental United States. Health officials are urging people to use insect repellents with DEET to avoid being bitten. The mounting evidence that the virus is strongly linked with birth defects makes this a priority for pregnant women. But is it safe to use repellents containing DEET with a baby on the way?… In 2010, researchers, including some from the C.D.C., analyzed the blood of 150 pregnant women in New Jersey and their umbilical cords for a range of pesticides. “DEET was not at remarkable levels,” said Mark Robson, the study’s senior author and a professor of plant biology and pathology at Rutgers University. “Birth weight, length and circumference were all normal” for all infants.
Deer in the New Jersey Landscape and Garden
Spring is when many New Jersey residents purchase and plant trees, bushes and garden plants only to find them consumed by deer. This article was written by Brooke Maslo, assistant extension specialist in wildlife ecology and assistant professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources and originally appeared in Gardener News. White-tailed deer […]
Rutgers Master Gardeners of Somerset County celebrates new graduating class
The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Somerset County added 19 new members in a graduation ceremony at the NJAES Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office on Milltown Road in Bridgewater. Rutgers Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who assist Rutgers Cooperat…
4-H Salutes New Jersey Volunteers During National Volunteer Week
Each year, thousands of volunteers in New Jersey donate their time and energy to make their communities a better place to live. These volunteers will be among the millions across the country who will be spotlighted during National Volunteer Week, April 10-16, 2016. One group that relies heavily on volunteers is the New Jersey 4-H […]
Could this mosquito bring Zika to Philadelphia?
If you were bitten by a mosquito last summer, or the summer before that, chances are it was an Asian tiger… “This is an odds situation,” Scott C. Crans, a field researcher at Rutgers University’s Center for Vector Biology, said by email. So far, 273 people in the U.S. are known to have picked up Zika, all linked to travel outside the country… Dina M. Fonseca, a Rutgers professor of entomology, has been studying Asian tiger behavior in different places. DNA analysis of blood from trapped mosquitoes found that albopictus was nearly 50 percent more likely to feed on humans in suburban Monmouth County than in inner-city Trenton. Her team surmised that the pit bulls kept in the city’s low-income neighborhood offered a preferable meal.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Held Wellness Night for ‘Grandparents Raising Grandchildren’
Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS) Department held its annual Wellness Night for the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group on March 22, 2016. The special evening, of pampering services for the grandparents, took place at the Cape May County Technical School District… Marilou Rochford, FCHS Educator, said, “This partnership between FCHS and the Cosmetology Program of the Cape May County Technical School District not only provides services for the grandparents but also provides an opportunity for the Cosmetology students to gain practical experience while studying their chosen field.” Rochford added, “This event has traditionally been a fun night for everyone, including the Cosmetology Program students.”
Spring is planting season, but ‘giving season’ for Rutgers vets is year-round
While the 2015 class of the Rutgers Veterans Environmental and Technology Solutions (VETS) program graduated in December and the ground outside isn’t ready yet for spring planting, some of the program’s graduates worked through the cold months of winter to make sure those at the Willing Heart Community Center always had fresh vegetables… Amy Rowe, VETS co-director, noted “The classroom portion of the VETS program provides unemployed veterans with the skills they need to get back to work, but the hands-on field experience has come through partnerships and engagement with the community. The trainees work to revitalize distressed neighborhoods through the installation of community gardens, landscape beautification, and by teaching the citizens of Newark how to eat healthy and grow their own food.”
Cooperative Extension Teams at University of Florida and Rutgers Spearhead National Campaign to Promote Personal Savings
As part of America Saves Week (Feb. 22-27), the Cooperative Extension system launched a 15-Week America Saves Challenge that’s designed to motivate individuals to get started on the path to increased personal wealth and financial security. The challenge, which ends on June 4, is free and is funded by an America Saves Week mini-grant provided […]
