Marine Life Thrives in Unlikely Place: Offshore Oil Rigs

Despite advancements in technology in most sectors of life leading to an increase to access of information about practically anything, little is still known about the ocean and its behavioral patterns. Liquid Robotics – a Silicon Valley-based company – is trying to change that. Engineers here have created the "Wave Glider," which essentially acts as a router within the ocean powered by wave energy and solar panels. This invention can transmit data on tectonic activity that has the potential to predict tsunamis.

Traditionally, whales have been studied through research vessels, which are hard to maneuver, and costly to make. However, drones with the ability to capture a whale’s snot, are providing a much easier, and cheaper alternative to whale research.

While news of failures in the fight against climate change make headlines daily, there are many steps the everyday citizen can take to reduce their impact. Many don't know where to start though. That's where Project Drawdown comes in. This project is a global coalition of researchers, scientists, economists and others, that rate the impact of solutions, creating a way for people to see how they could possibly fit into the equation of climate solutions.

A new submersible machine produced by the Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida allows scientists to more effectively spot phytoplankton blooms which can cause red tide. This harmful algal bloom event can wreak havoc on ecosystems and the Programmable Hyperspectral Seawater Scanner is an improvement on an older model. While the maintenance cost can be high, scientists hope the instrument will be able to detect harmful algal blooms early in order to prevent outbreaks.

Agricultores da Amazônia trabalham com agroflorestas para preservar o meio ambiente. Além de diminuir as emissões de carbono na atmosfera, as agroflorestas aumentam a fertilidade do solo.

En Belgique, des éco-chèques sont distribués aux salariés pour les inciter à consommer des produits plus écologiques. Bien qu'inégalitaire, ce dispositif permet de réduire les émissions de CO2, permet aux salariés de faire des économies et d'inciter à une consommation plus responsable. En 2017 et 2018 leur utilisation a respectivement permis une économie estimée entre 216 665 tonnes de CO2 et 229 797 tonnes de CO2, soit environ 0,23 % des émissions totales annuelles de la Belgique.

Aus menschlichen Ausscheidungen lässt sich viel mehr machen als bisher. Zum Beispiel Dünger. Die Böden könnten so Nährstoffe zurückerhalten, die ihnen zuvor entnommen werden. Verschiedene Akteure arbeiten bereits daran.

Desde el 2013, un proyecto que involucra científicos y comunidad, ha trabajado para limpiar de una contaminación masiva el verde del Lago Ypacaraí y educar a la población aledaña sobre el cuido del recurso hídrico. Los resultados han ido más allá de la eliminación de algas y bacterias en el lago, han permitido la organización en por ejemplo la Comisión Nacional de Gestión y Manejo del Lago Ypacaraí y su Cuenca (Conalaypa). Pero aún falta mayor educación en la población e inversión pública que permita eliminar las malas prácticas en el manejo de las aguas negras.

El proyecto Una Lata de Agua es una inciativa que busca instalar en las comunidades de Caracas, Venezuela, sistemas de recolección de agua que permitan abastecer a las familias de agua potable, porque en el norte del país la escases del agua es crítica. Con el proyecto instalado en Barrio Nuevo se benefician más de 1600 familias.

Scientists are testing if adding alkaline substances to seawater can allow oceans to absorb more carbon dioxide emissions. Early tests suggest this could be a potential way to combat climate change, but there are still many questions about how this can scale, how it impacts the natural ecosystem, and if it’s cost effective to implement.