In 2000, Justin Gayliard’s (Cook College ‘03) goal to create a safe and fun environment for disadvantaged children in the New Brunswick area to go trick-or-treating was achieved with the inception of what is now an annual Rutgers event known as Monster Mash. As we approach the 2015 event, let’s do the time-hop to remember […]
Community
Rate Increases Sought to Improve Water Infrastructure
If you’re a customer of United Water, there’s a rate hike in store for you. How much is up to the Board of Public Utilities and the Ratepayer Advocate. United Water has asked for 18 percent… “Clearly they’re trying to recover money that they’ve already been spent,” said Daniel Van Abs, associate professor at Rutgers University… Money that’s been spent on repairs to existing infrastructure, according to the company. That’s because the pipes underground that carry water from treatment plants to our homes and businesses are decrepit. They’re more than 50 years-old in the suburbs, and more than 100 years-old in cities. They’re leaking, also. For every four gallons of clean water that flows through a faucet, one is lost underground through broken pipes. For United Water, it equals 10 billion gallons yearly. And that’s a problem across the state, no matter who your provider is… Van Abs says that United Water customers don’t have much of an alternative. “The amount of water that we actually drink is a very, very small percentage of the water we use, maybe only 3-4 percent, so even if everything you drank was bottled water, that you purchased at a much higher cost than tap water, it would make no change in your rated.”
Opinion: Find the Nine Million Water Polluters in NJ (Hint: It’s Not Industry)
Public-opinion polls consistently show a great deal of concern about water pollution. Years ago, my then-employer sponsored a telephone poll to assess how people perceived water-quality issues in the Raritan River Basin of central New Jersey. Among oth…
The Science Behind What We Find Cute
With more than 1,000 animals on 20 acres, the Turtle Back Zoo is packed with species that make us squeal, and it turns out, they have something in common… “Big eyes, some pudginess, shuffling, or moving in some kind of awkward, loping, manner. Anything that falls over a lot we tend to find adorable,” said Nina Fefferman… Case in point: This red panda with its bright eyes, small face and soft coat. Fefferman, an evolutionary biology professor at Rutgers, says those are all examples of “signaling” – what an animal’s look conveys to others…. When we can read an animal’s expression, we feel more comfortable, which makes it a winning trait for cuteness. For example, think of a family dog… “You can tell when a dog is happy; tail position, ear position, facial muscle position. It’s eliciting food, it’s eliciting love, it’s eliciting care. All of those things we’ve bred it to do that we find endearing,” Fefferman said.
What’s in Your Basement?: Rutgers Trains Professionals on Radon Measurement and Mitigation
Radon professionals know radon is a silent, invisible killer, but many homeowners don’t think it could be a serious problem in their homes. The Eastern Regional Radon Training Center (ERRTC), a part of Rutgers NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education, provides training for professionals to become certified as radon measurement or mitigation service providers. ERRTC […]
What Exactly Is The Microwave Doing To Your Food? Here’s The Science
Americans have been using microwave ovens for about 60 years, and we finally seemed convinced that they’re safe as well as convenient… But it seems we just can’t stop wondering if microwaved foods are somehow less nutritious than the same foods cooked on the stove or in a conventional oven. As it turns out, scientists say, microwaved foods may be more nutritious than you probably thought… “Any process that heats a food (microwaving, baking, boiling, frying, etc.) reduces the level of heat sensitive vitamins. The details depend on the time and temperature and the specific vitamin,” Dr. Don Schaffner, extension specialist in food science and professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey, told The Huffington Post in an email.
Rutgers Water Resources Program and Roselle Public Works Install Rain Garden at Local School
Students at the Grace Wilday Junior High School in Roselle, NJ, returned to school this September to a newly installed rain garden, a 2,000 sq. ft. construction in the school’s front yard, thanks to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s (RCE) Water Resources Program, the Roselle Department of Public Works and its outgoing 8th grade class. Constructed […]
Opinion: Require Water Utilities to Spend More Now So They Will Cost Less Later
This article was written by Daniel J. Van Abs, Associate Professor of Practice for Water, Society and Environment at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences… New Jersey has many hundreds of water-supply and wastewater utilities, r…
State-of-the-Art Radon Training Facility Built at Rutgers
Rutgers recently redesigned and constructed a cutting-edge radon training lab for hands-on learning. For over 25 years, the Eastern Regional Radon Training Center (ERRTC) at Rutgers University has been providing professionals throughout the country with training in radon measurement and mitigation. To offer students an even better learning experience, the ERRTC opened a brand-new, state-of-the-art […]
Extension Agent Jenny Carleo Wins Distinguished Service Award
Jenny Carleo, agricultural agent for Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County, was recognized recently with the 2015 Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents… The award honors members with at least…
