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cows drinking

Study suggests dairy herd water quality linked to milk production

5/22/13

A recently completed study of water supplies on Pennsylvania dairy farms found that about a quarter of those tested had at least one water-quality issue. And average milk production for these farms was about 10 percent lower than farms with good water quality.

New minor in sustainability delivers green education

5/20/13

A new minor available to all Penn State DuBois bachelor’s degree students will provide them with the tools to be a champion for the environment, while also making them more appealing to future employers. The minor in sustainability leadership allows students in any four-year major to incorporate sustainability as a significant theme in their undergraduate degree program. Through a combination of coursework and immersive experiences in sustainability, students develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to become sustainability leaders in their respective fields.

Tesla Nittany Lion

Car wars: Alternative vehicle public expo on Saturday, May 18

5/14/13

The 21st Century Automotive Challenge will give visitors a chance to check out vehicles powered by a number of alternative energy sources, including electricity, compressed natural gas and biodiesel. Vehicles will be on display from 10 to 2 on Saturday, May 18, at the MorningStar Solar Home.

Belt diversion

Road research center receives environmental quality award

5/14/13

The Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute's Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies at Penn State was selected by the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals (PAEP) to receive the 2013 Karl Mason Environmental Stewardship Award. The award was presented at the PAEP award banquet on May 9, at the Toftrees Golf Resort and Conference Center in State College, Pa.

GridSTAR Net Zero Energy Demonstration Project underway at The Navy Yard

GridSTAR Net Zero Energy Demonstration Project under way at The Navy Yard

5/13/13

A powerful collaboration of researchers, manufacturers and economic development officials are embarking on a groundbreaking demonstration project for smart-grid, net zero energy buildings called the GridSTAR Center — a Smart Energy Campus initiative at The Navy Yard in Philadelphia. Spearheaded by Penn State with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), the GridSTAR Net Zero Energy Demonstration Structure is the first phase of the GridSTAR Center.

Tapia heads to Costa Rican jungle to join discussion on sustainability

5/10/13

Sustainability research, which examines the complex interactions between humans and the rest of nature, has the potential to bring economic and social benefits to the developing world and tropical countries such as Costa Rica. However, sustainability research in the tropics has been slow to develop. Andrea Tapia, an associate professor in Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), is one of about 30 people worldwide who have been invited to participate in a consortium that will hold its first planning meeting in June in the jungle of Southern Costa Rica, where they will discuss issues of sustainability and biodiversity conservation in the tropics.

Honeybee gathering pollen

Penn State to host international conference on pollinator health

4/29/13

With populations of wild and domesticated pollinators, such as honeybees, in decline, some of the world's foremost scientists in the field will converge on Penn State this summer to discuss the latest research aimed at understanding and overcoming challenges to pollinator health. Hosted by the Center for Pollinator Research in the College of Agricultural Sciences, the second International Conference on Pollinator Biology, Health and Policy will be held August 14 to 17 at The Nittany Lion Inn.

Biofuel lab at Penn State

Changing cellulose-forming process may tap plants' biofuel potential

4/26/13

Changing the way a plant forms cellulose may lead to more efficient, less expensive biofuel production, according to Penn State engineers. "What every biofuel manufacturer wants to do is to get to the sugars," said Jeffrey Catchmark, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering. "But the structure of cellulose itself can be an obstacle."

Penn State President Rodney Erickson speaks at a podium during the groundbreaking ceremony for the EEB Hub headquarters on April 24 a the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Ground broken on Energy Efficient Buildings Hub headquarters

4/24/13

Penn State, with support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Economic Development Administration, celebrated the development of two buildings at the Energy Efficient Buildings (EEB) Hub during a groundbreaking ceremony on April 24 at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia.

Toms River Rollercoaster by Michelle Holt

Students raise environmental consciousness with Borland photography exhibit

4/24/13

"Developing Environmental Consciousness," an exhibition featuring photos by Penn State students in the Photography and the Environment course, will be on display April 29 to May 3 in the Borland Gallery. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. A reception will be held at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 29.

Majora Carter speaking at Penn State

Heard on Campus: Majora Carter at the 2013 Colloquium on the Environment

4/23/13

"You don't have to move out of your neighborhood to live in a better one. We are solving big problems with local solutions."

-- Majora Carter, keynote speaker at the ninth annual Colloquium on the Environment speaker series on Earth Day (April 22) in the Thomas Building on Penn State's University Park.

elemental symbol for helium

Probing Question: Are we running out of helium?

4/22/13

Some scientists are sounding the alarm about the wastefulness of using helium -- a rare, non-renewable gas -- to fill party balloons. Why? As an essential resource in technologies such as medical imaging, rocket engines, and surveillance devices, it turns out that helium does a lot more than give our balloons a lift. And despite being the second most abundant element in the universe, most of our supply in the Earth’s atmosphere simply floats off into space and is lost.

Majora Carter, urban revitalization strategist

Green jobs pioneer to speak today as part of Penn State's Earth Day events

4/22/13

Majora Carter, urban revitalization strategist, green jobs pioneer and Macarthur “Genius” Award winner, will speak at at 5:30 p.m. today (April 22), in Room 100 of the Thomas Building. Her talk, titled "Home (town) Security," will be held as part of Penn State's ninth annual Colloquium on the Environment speaker series. The event is free and open to the public.

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Tesla Nittany Lion

Car wars: Alternative vehicle public expo on Saturday, May 18

5/14/13

The 21st Century Automotive Challenge will give visitors a chance to check out vehicles powered by a number of alternative energy sources, including electricity, compressed natural gas and biodiesel. Vehicles will be on display from 10 to 2 on Saturday, May 18, at the MorningStar Solar Home.

Untitled

New process cleanly extracts oil from tar sands and fouled beaches

3/17/11

A new, more environmentally friendly method of separating oil from tar sands has been developed by a team of researchers at Penn State. This method, which utilizes ionic liquids to separate the heavy viscous oil from sand, also is capable of cleaning oil spills from beaches and separating oil from drill cuttings, the solid particles that must be removed from drilling fluids in oil and gas wells. To watch a video about the research, visit http://bit.ly/dKMca9 online.

cows drinking

Study suggests dairy herd water quality linked to milk production

5/22/13

A recently completed study of water supplies on Pennsylvania dairy farms found that about a quarter of those tested had at least one water-quality issue. And average milk production for these farms was about 10 percent lower than farms with good water quality.

New minor in sustainability delivers green education

5/20/13

A new minor available to all Penn State DuBois bachelor’s degree students will provide them with the tools to be a champion for the environment, while also making them more appealing to future employers. The minor in sustainability leadership allows students in any four-year major to incorporate sustainability as a significant theme in their undergraduate degree program. Through a combination of coursework and immersive experiences in sustainability, students develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to become sustainability leaders in their respective fields.

Belt diversion

Road research center receives environmental quality award

5/14/13

The Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute's Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies at Penn State was selected by the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals (PAEP) to receive the 2013 Karl Mason Environmental Stewardship Award. The award was presented at the PAEP award banquet on May 9, at the Toftrees Golf Resort and Conference Center in State College, Pa.

GridSTAR Net Zero Energy Demonstration Project underway at The Navy Yard

GridSTAR Net Zero Energy Demonstration Project under way at The Navy Yard

5/13/13

A powerful collaboration of researchers, manufacturers and economic development officials are embarking on a groundbreaking demonstration project for smart-grid, net zero energy buildings called the GridSTAR Center — a Smart Energy Campus initiative at The Navy Yard in Philadelphia. Spearheaded by Penn State with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), the GridSTAR Net Zero Energy Demonstration Structure is the first phase of the GridSTAR Center.

Tapia heads to Costa Rican jungle to join discussion on sustainability

5/10/13

Sustainability research, which examines the complex interactions between humans and the rest of nature, has the potential to bring economic and social benefits to the developing world and tropical countries such as Costa Rica. However, sustainability research in the tropics has been slow to develop. Andrea Tapia, an associate professor in Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), is one of about 30 people worldwide who have been invited to participate in a consortium that will hold its first planning meeting in June in the jungle of Southern Costa Rica, where they will discuss issues of sustainability and biodiversity conservation in the tropics.

Honeybee gathering pollen

Penn State to host international conference on pollinator health

4/29/13

With populations of wild and domesticated pollinators, such as honeybees, in decline, some of the world's foremost scientists in the field will converge on Penn State this summer to discuss the latest research aimed at understanding and overcoming challenges to pollinator health. Hosted by the Center for Pollinator Research in the College of Agricultural Sciences, the second International Conference on Pollinator Biology, Health and Policy will be held August 14 to 17 at The Nittany Lion Inn.

Biofuel lab at Penn State

Changing cellulose-forming process may tap plants' biofuel potential

4/26/13

Changing the way a plant forms cellulose may lead to more efficient, less expensive biofuel production, according to Penn State engineers. "What every biofuel manufacturer wants to do is to get to the sugars," said Jeffrey Catchmark, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering. "But the structure of cellulose itself can be an obstacle."

Penn State President Rodney Erickson speaks at a podium during the groundbreaking ceremony for the EEB Hub headquarters on April 24 a the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Ground broken on Energy Efficient Buildings Hub headquarters

4/24/13

Penn State, with support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Economic Development Administration, celebrated the development of two buildings at the Energy Efficient Buildings (EEB) Hub during a groundbreaking ceremony on April 24 at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia.

Toms River Rollercoaster by Michelle Holt

Students raise environmental consciousness with Borland photography exhibit

4/24/13

"Developing Environmental Consciousness," an exhibition featuring photos by Penn State students in the Photography and the Environment course, will be on display April 29 to May 3 in the Borland Gallery. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. A reception will be held at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 29.

Majora Carter speaking at Penn State

Heard on Campus: Majora Carter at the 2013 Colloquium on the Environment

4/23/13

"You don't have to move out of your neighborhood to live in a better one. We are solving big problems with local solutions."

-- Majora Carter, keynote speaker at the ninth annual Colloquium on the Environment speaker series on Earth Day (April 22) in the Thomas Building on Penn State's University Park.

elemental symbol for helium

Probing Question: Are we running out of helium?

4/22/13

Some scientists are sounding the alarm about the wastefulness of using helium -- a rare, non-renewable gas -- to fill party balloons. Why? As an essential resource in technologies such as medical imaging, rocket engines, and surveillance devices, it turns out that helium does a lot more than give our balloons a lift. And despite being the second most abundant element in the universe, most of our supply in the Earth’s atmosphere simply floats off into space and is lost.

Majora Carter, urban revitalization strategist

Green jobs pioneer to speak today as part of Penn State's Earth Day events

4/22/13

Majora Carter, urban revitalization strategist, green jobs pioneer and Macarthur “Genius” Award winner, will speak at at 5:30 p.m. today (April 22), in Room 100 of the Thomas Building. Her talk, titled "Home (town) Security," will be held as part of Penn State's ninth annual Colloquium on the Environment speaker series. The event is free and open to the public.