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On warm days, outdoor air pollution concentrations often rise to levels that can impact our health. But did you know that air pollution inside can be worse than air pollution outside? The air we breathe inside a sealed building can be 25 to 100 percent more polluted than the air outside. The U.S. Environmental Protection [...]

Have you noticed that encounters with aggressive yellow jackets increase at this time of year? Yellow jackets are a type of paper wasp found across the country. Depending on the species, they either nest above or below ground in colonies with workers and one queen that lays eggs. During the spring and early summer, workers [...]

The Centers for Disease Control estimate that more than half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into flood waters; the next highest percentage of deaths is from walking into or near flood waters.  Many people falsely believe that cars, trucks and SUVs are heavy enough to maintain contact with the road [...]

A new study from the U.S. Geological Survey shows that scientists found mercury contamination in every fish sampled in 291 streams around the country.  One-quarter of fish sampled exceeded mercury levels set to protect humans who eat average amounts of fish; two-thirds exceeded mercury levels of concern set by U.S. EPA for fish-eating mammals. The [...]

Those who are involved in outdoor sports and recreational activities between the months of May and September can be exposed to the dangers of lightning.  The majority of injuries related to lightning occur over the summer, with 80 percent of injuries occurring between 10 am and 7 pm. 
Viewer Tip:  If you spend time outdoors, have a [...]

Increase the health of your fields by planting a crop and leaving it for an entire season. The benefits of cover crops have been publicized for years. Although they are grown primarily to prevent soil erosion, cover crops can also contribute to nitrogen production, increase soil microbial activity, reduce insect pests and suppress weeds.
Viewer Tip: [...]

Did you know that most humans would operate on a 25-hour cycle without exposure to sunlight? Instead, we operate on a 24-hour cycle, following the 24-hour cycle of the sun.  Humans are “diurnal” animals, sleeping during the night and being active during the day, as opposed to “nocturnal” animals which are active at night.  When [...]

The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) organizes volunteers in communities throughout the United States to collect and measure precipitation — rain, hail and snow — in their communities. Citizen volunteers are trained how to measure precipitation using a rain gauge and hail pad, record their data and report their measurements online. Data [...]

Did you know that it takes 500 to 1,000 years to build just one-inch of soil? Soils form slowly and continuously, thanks to a number of factors, including:

Climate: Temperature, wind and water “weather” or break down rocks and minerals that form soils.
Life: Burrowing animals, plant roots, tiny bacteria and fungi mix soils and chemically change [...]

Thermal pollution and thermal shocks are caused by increasing or lowering the temperature of water, which can harm aquatic life.  Many aquatic animals depend on a particular temperature to reproduce and survive, and they can die even if temperatures change even slightly. Warmer water can also decrease dissolved oxygen levels, making it difficult for some [...]

Nationwide, Americans use more than seven billion gallons of water per day to water lawns and gardens.  That’s enough water to fill more than 10,700 Olympic-sized swimming pools!  Look for drought-tolerant plants to help reduce your outdoor water use.
Water Guzzlers: Plants with dark, glossy, large leaves tend to require more water because more leaf surface [...]

Is your air conditioner working overtime?  Bust these AC myths to stay cool while saving energy and money this summer.
Myth: It takes more energy to cool down a warm home than to maintain a consistently cool home.
Fact: Running the AC on full blast does use more energy initially, but leaving your unit on all day [...]

Did you know that you can have a big impact on water and energy use by upgrading bathroom fixtures in your home?

Faucets: Installing WaterSense labeled faucets or faucet aerators in your bathrooms could reduce your household’s annual water use by more than 500 gallons and save 70 kilowatt-hours of electricity used for heating the water [...]

Summer is a prime time to spot buzzing bees, but did you know that the weather can impact bee behavior? 

Rain: Bees collect nectar and pollen during the daylight hours, sometimes visiting between 50 and 100 flowers in one day.  But, rain in the forecast can slow them down significantly by chilling bees’ flight muscles to [...]

Have you ever wondered how animals stay cool when the weather heats up?  Check out these creative ways to beat the heat:

Pelicans, cormorants and other birds create “internal fans” by rapidly fluttering their throat pouches.
Pigs wallow in mud to cool off – evaporative cooling occurs as the mud dries; mud also protects pigs’ skin from [...]

Everyone knows that hot, dry weather can be a killer in the garden.  Conserving water isn’t just for desert gardens or times of drought, though – it’s something you can do in any part of the country at any time of the year.
Viewer Tip: The National Wildlife Federation offers these tips to conserve water in [...]

The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) recently released its 2009 Urban Mobility Report which tracks U.S. traffic patterns. Based on 2007 data, TTI estimates that sitting in traffic cost Americans 87 billion dollars in wasted fuel and lost productivity in just one year.  Colorado Springs’ annual delay time for travelers during peak traffic was about 23 [...]

“Heat islands” around urban areas form as vegetation is replaced by asphalt and concrete for roads, buildings and other infrastructure. These hard, dark surfaces absorb rather than reflect incoming heat from the sun, causing overall urban temperatures to rise. During hot weather spells, the heat island effect can raise urban temperatures by two to ten [...]

Energy use often rises during the summer months while we’re trying to stay cool. The Midwest is the second least-populated area in the U.S., but has the second highest energy consumption per person.  Remember that there are easy ways to save energy – and money – this summer.
No Cost: Close shades and drapes during the day [...]

Did you know that more water is used in July in most states than any other month? The U.S. EPA estimates that up to 50 percent of water used for outdoor irrigation is wasted due to evaporation, wind or overwatering.  Some homes can lose up to 70 gallons per day!
Viewer Tip: July is Smart Irrigation [...]