Tuesday’s forecast does not contain good news for allergy sufferers. Another day of a high humidity and even higher temperatures coupled with high levels of tree pollen- particularly for oak, birch and maple trees- means itchy, watery eyes and irritate…
Community
Climate Change Captured Through Documentary
Director Dena Seidel is an award winning documentary filmmaker, published short story author, as well as the creator and designer of the first film major at Rutgers University. Here, she talks about her feature-length documentary film, Antarctic Edge: …
Dangerous Air Quality Alert Issued for Chicago Area Due to Historic Pollen Count
Brace yourself for misery- it’s officially “pollenpalooza” for Chicago. A dangerous air quality alert was issued for the city after the highest pollen level in more than two decades was recorded Friday morning… Doctor Leonard Bielory, a Rutgers University researcher, explains because of the overbearing winter that never seemed to cease, tree season started late. The spring allergy season, caused primarily by tree pollination, typically begins in late February. By March birch and oak pollen have been building up, which is why now that spring is finally here and the trees are in bloom the over-due release of pollen at such a historic level.
Wonderful Weather, but Wildfire Danger in NJ
The weather’s wonderful, but lingering dry conditions pose a wildfire risk for NJ. The wildfire danger is very high, up from high last week, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service… That means fires start easily from all causes, immediately spread rapidly and increase quickly in intensity, according to the service. Spot fires are a constant danger. Fires burning in light fuels may quickly develop high-intensity characteristics, such as long distance spotting and fire whirlwinds when they burn into heavier fuels…”We are in need of a good soaking,” said David A. Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist at Rutgers University. “There’s just no question about it. It’s been over two weeks since we’ve had really any appreciable rainfall in the state and it’s been warm at times.”
‘Pollen Tsunami’ is Real and it’s Awful
You’re tired. Your eyes are watery and itchy. Your head feels like it’s stuffed with cotton. And you can’t stop sneezing. Blame the weather. Blame climate change. Blame your allergies. But most of all, blame the “pollen tsunami” that’s making headlines in New York City… One of the authors of that report, allergist, immunologist and an expert at Rutgers University’s Center for Environmental Prediction, Dr. Leonard Bielory, told Mashable that tsunami may not be the best descriptor… “Tsunami is a pretty strong term. I’ve been using the term the ‘perfect storm,'” Dr. Bielory said… As a result “there are thousands of pollen grains per cubic meter of air,” said Dr. Bielory. As for how urban sprawl might impact the pollen count, Bielory is unconvinced. He said more tarmac and fewer plants could lead to more pollution, which could exacerbate the impact of pollen- at any level.
Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream and Scarlet Strawberries Were Among Attractions at Rutgers Day 2015
Ag Field Day, as it’s traditionally been known on the George H. Cook Campus, was a fun-filled event along with the other Rutgers Day activities for 2015. Read more at Rutgers Today.
E.P.A. Carbon Emissions Plan Could Save Thousands of Lives, Study Finds
New carbon emissions standards that were proposed last year for coal-fired power plants in the United States would substantially improve human health and prevent more than 3,000 premature deaths per year, according to a new study… The study, led by researchers at Syracuse and Harvard Universities, used modeling to predict the effect on human health of changes to national carbon standards for power plants. The researchers calculated three different outcomes using data from the Census Bureau and detailed maps of the more than 2,400 fossil-fuel power plants across the country… Dr. Leonard Bielory, a researcher at Rutgers University who was not involved in the study, said that it did manage to show that the rule would bring positive health effects, but that the extent was far from clear. “Are these the real numbers you’ll save?” he said. “That’s really a gray zone.”
Rutgers EcoComplex Showcases Largest Living Wall to be Installed in N.J.
Inside the Rutgers EcoComplex Greenhouse in Florence, a vertical garden is taking shape. The leafy expanses- sprouting with ivies, ferns, orchids, flowering lipstick plants and nearly 120 other species- will eventually grace the interior of Rutgers University’s new Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health and set the record for the largest living wall in New Jersey… “It’s a living tapestry, a living piece of artwork,” said Michael Coraggio, CEO and founding principal of EcoWalls, which was tasked with the design and installation of the wall… EcoWalls is a Rutgers-incubated business located on the 500-plus acre campus of the Burlington County Resource Recovery Complex. It was founded in 2007 by Coraggio and Ryan Burrows, both of whom graduated from Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. They have since expanded into a national company with displays at Walt Disney World, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the Philadelphia International Flower Show, among other venues.
New Jersey Aquaculture Innovation Center Plays Important Role in Oyster Industry [VIDEO]
Oysters are a popular dinner choice near the shore. But before they end up on your plate, and in your stomach, they’re spawned at the New Jersey Aquaculture Innovation Center in Cape May… “Most of the oysters, local oysters that you would buy at a restaurant at any of the Delaware Bay counties, primarily were spawned and started in this facility,” said Sean Towers, of Rutgers NJ Aquaculture Innovation Center… The Center, powered by Rutgers University, does more than selling oysters to local farmers. They’re putting an oyster blueprint together, so others can follow… Right now, the emphasis, is oysters. And algae, the oysters’ diet. But once the oyster blueprint is complete, the focus can shift elsewhere.
Thousands Come Out for Rutgers Day
Visitors from around the state came out to Rutgers’ campuses in Piscataway and New Brunswick Saturday for a showcase of the state university’s activities… Dylan Klein, a second-year PhD student at Rutgers, is studying the effects of exercise on horse…
