globalbriefs
News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Escalating Thirst Endangered Western Tree Habitats
A team of scientists at the University of Grenoble, in France, have isolated ultrasonic pops 100 times faster than what a human can hear in slivers of dead pine wood bathed in a hydrogel to simulate the condi- tions of a living tree. They ex- posed the gel to an artificially dry environment and listened for the noises that occurred as
air bubbles built up, blocking water uptake, similar to what occurs to trees during drought. As leaves on a tree collect carbon dioxide, they open their pores, a process that leaves them particularly vulnerable to water loss. Douglas firs and pine trees can repair this damage as frequently as every hour, says Katherine McCulloh, a plant ecophysiologist at Oregon State University. However, the bubbles are deadly for other species. Today, the typical forest in the often thirsty American
West contains an unnaturally high density of 112 to 172 trees per acre. Besides intercepting rain and snow that would otherwise enter the groundwater supply, such an overabun- dance threatens native species. “Deprived of [the effect of] low-intensity, naturally occurring fires, aspen, lupine, sequoia and fireweed can’t reproduce,” notes Jamie Workman, of the Environmental Defense Fund. “Deer lose edge habitat. Threat- ened owls and raptors can’t navigate through increasingly dense thickets.” Workman argues that thinning out small trees is the answer.
Contributing source:
Utne.com
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Tagging Toxins Online Database Identifies Safe Products
SafeMarkets.org offers a new clearing- house of information gathered by ad- vocates investigating toxic chemicals in food, baby products, toys, furniture, con- struction materials and other consumer goods. Families, municipalities, builders and businesses can use it to identify po-
tentially harmful products and find safer alternatives. Hosted by the Workgroup for Safe Markets (WSM), it’s a one-stop shop to provide information for consumers, retailers and manufacturers that are demanding safer products, says Beverley Thorpe, a WSM co-leader and consulting co-director for Clean Production Action. Mia Davis, vice president of health and safety at Beau-
tycounter, who is expecting her first child, sees it as a resource for parents to find a full complement of safe products for their families. “More than ever,” she says, “people understand how important it is to shop with companies they trust and to sup- port businesses working to create truly safe products.”
Intuitive Generosity Spontaneity Sparks Altruism
What makes people put “we” ahead of “me”? To find out, a group of Harvard University researchers enrolled thou- sands of people to play a “public good” game in which subjects were divided into small groups, giv- en some money and the choice to keep it or contribute it to a common pool that would grow and benefit the entire group. Researchers discovered that those that made their decisions quickly were more likely to contribute to the common good. Taking it a step further, the researchers applied time pressure to the decision-making process. They then found that those faced with making a quick decision most often chose the “we” option, while those that spent more time deliberating ended up giving less money to the group kitty. The Massachusetts research team, which tested thou- sands of online worldwide participants, concluded that spon- taneity and intuition guide people into rapid acts of kindness.
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