Louisiana State University – Page 3

Young Republicans take up fight against climate change

29Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Young Republicans take up fight against climate change

Courtney Hope speaks at the Conservative Climate Rally in Miami, Florida, on June 5, 2021. Hope is running for national chairperson of the College Republican National Committee. Courtesy of Courtney Hope. By Domenic Purdy, Sami Beekman, Veronica Backer-Peral Republicans are three times less likely than Democrats to believe that addressing climate change should be a top priority of government. But change may be coming. Young Republicans — under age 39 — are twice as likely as their Baby Boomer elders to support climate action, according to the Pew Research Center. Young Republicans have taken a more active role than previous conservative generations in the fight against climate change, distancing themselves from former President Donal...

Living on the edge: NASA centers and military operations at risk of sea-level rise

25Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Louisiana State University, Technology

Living on the edge: NASA centers and military operations at risk of sea-level rise

NASA's Wallops Flight Facility is a rocket launch site located on Wallops Island, Virginia. Photo by NASA/Wallops on Flickr. By Ava Borskey BATON ROUGE, LA — Amid the densely populated cities and tourist-scattered beaches of the U.S. coast, you’ll find a trillion-dollar economy home to science, technology and military operations.  As the Earth continues to warm and sea-levels rise, vital infrastructure along the coast, like NASA operation centers and military bases, will have to adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. “If you look at where Wallops is based, you look at Kennedy Space Center and even NASA Langley, we are on the coast,” said Laura Rogers, an associate program manager for NASA’s Applied Sciences Program. “We're at that front edge of where we're goin...

Experts say education and retraining key to successful transition to low-carbon economy

23Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Economy, Energy, Louisiana State University, Policy

Experts say education and retraining key to successful transition to low-carbon economy

ULL's Mechanical Engineering Virtual Reality Lab uses a photovoltaic power plant model to facilitate virtual hands-on learning. The application teaches users how solar power is produced, converted and transmitted. Courtesy of The University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Center. By Sydney McGovern, Samantha Beekman, Josh Archote Traditional energy generation is declining, and renewable energy is on the rise. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that wind turbine service technicians and solar panel installers will be two of the fastest growing jobs in the United States through 2029. The switch to a low-carbon economy is necessary to minimize the impacts of climate change. But with these changes comes a complex set o...

Southern Louisiana at risk of more severe hurricanes, heavier rainfall as planet warms

16Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Community, Louisiana State University, Science

Southern Louisiana at risk of more severe hurricanes, heavier rainfall as planet warms

Broken tree limbs and debris sit aside a road in Lake Charles, Louisiana, after Hurricane Laura brought up to 137 mph winds to the City. Photo by Rob Perillo. By Josh Archote, Domenic Purdy LAKE CHARLES, LA – The last year of extreme weather in Louisiana has been devastating. Two back-to-back major hurricanes, an ice storm and a spring flood have left the region, especially Southwestern Louisiana, in a perpetual state of recovery.  The state’s fifth largest city, Lake Charles, has suffered greatly from each catastrophe, leading the Weather Channel to call it the “most weather-battered city” in America.  Today, as the state enters what’s projected to be another active hurricane season, residents are still battling with insurance compani...

‘We’re tired. But we’re strong’: the future of weather-battered Southwestern Louisiana

16Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Community, Louisiana State University

‘We’re tired. But we’re strong’: the future of weather-battered Southwestern Louisiana

By Josh Archote, Domenic Purdy LAKE CHARLES, LA -- Lifelong Lake Charles, Louisiana, resident Madeline Reeves has lived through multiple hurricanes and floods. But the last year of natural disasters in Southwestern Louisiana has been unprecedented. Madeline Reeves, pictured right, a 24-year old nurse, and her mother, Lisa Thompson, have lived in Lake Charles their entire lives. Reeves, a 24-year-old nurse at Lake Charles’ largest hospital, said she’s observed increased sickness in her patients after hurricanes Laura and Delta displaced thousands in 2020. “I see a lot of the effects of people being displaced, not having access to their medication or ignoring problems they may have been experienci...

The shift to thrift: Resale market and thrift shopping poses reward for consumers—and the environment

15Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Economy, Louisiana State University

The shift to thrift: Resale market and thrift shopping poses reward for consumers—and the environment

By Ava Borskey Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com BATON ROUGE, LA — When she’s not busy studying Arabic or biology for her international studies major, Emily Clarke might be found shopping for clothes at a thrift store. For Clarke, the incentive to thrift, rather than buy from traditional retailers, is two-fold: finding unique, affordable clothing and reducing her environmental footprint. “As I grew up, I just learned more about human impact on the environment, climate change . . . and how my daily actions contribute to that,” Clarke said. “I'm very environmentally conscious about the impact of fast fashion and consumerism, so I really try to buy used clothes.” When it comes to waste harmful to the environment, the first thing that comes to mind f...

Organic cotton farming proves to have environmental benefits, yet still lacks popularity among cotton farmers and businesses

15Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Economy, Kent State University, Louisiana State University, Loyola Marymount University

Organic cotton farming proves to have environmental benefits, yet still lacks popularity among cotton farmers and businesses

By Kennedi Hewitt, Ava Borskey, Connor Fallon and Grace Springer When the cold weather comes around and people start searching for their most durable and fashionable heavy coats, brands such as Patagonia and Everlane are among the best rated clothing brands worn. However, in addition to being top manufactures for outdoor wear, Patagonia and Everlane are also renowned for their sustainable and transparent production practices, zero waste initiatives and environmental activism. Furthermore, they are celebrated for their commitment to using organic cotton over conventionally grown cotton. Organic cotton is often advertised as a cleaner and more sustainable material in the fashion industry. Like other organic crops, it’s grown without the use of pesticides,...

Carbon storage, hurricanes and history: The importance of preserving coastal wetlands

14Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Community, Louisiana State University

Carbon storage, hurricanes and history: The importance of preserving coastal wetlands

Louisiana wetlands continue to disappear, threatening to displace coastal communities and release stored carbon into the atmosphere By Nicole Nguyen BATON ROUGE, LA – Louisiana native Jack Green’s family grew up in Lake Charles, and their history is rooted in the state and its natural landscape.  “People tie their culture to Louisiana and all these different cultures that are so endemic to the coastline, and I think that’s all tied to the land and appreciation of natural wildlife,” Green said. But many of the wetlands Green’s family grew up around had eroded by the time he was born. “When my parents were growing up, they would tell me stories of what it used to look like prior to now,” Green said. “There's still a little bit ...

Nine LSU professors aid governor in reducing Louisiana’s greenhouse emissions

14Jun

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Energy, Louisiana State University, Policy

Nine LSU professors aid governor in reducing Louisiana’s greenhouse emissions

By Josh Archote Louisiana is fifth among states in total carbon emissions and emissions per-capita, according to 2015-16 U.S. Department of Energy statistics. Courtesy of Joshua Archote. This piece was originally published on April 6, 2021, by The Reveille. Nine LSU researchers joined committees and advisory groups for Gov. John Bel Edwards’s Climate Initiatives Task Force, an executive order signed in August of last year to reduce Louisiana’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. By February 2022, the Task Force will submit a detailed plan to reduce Louisiana greenhouse gas emissions 26-28% by 2025, 40-50% by 2030 and net zero emissions by mid-century. “Just as we have done with coastal protection and restoration, we are building an inclusive, science...

Sinking Louisiana: Is it too late to save Louisiana’s coast? LSU professors, researchers weigh in

14Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Louisiana State University, Science

Sinking Louisiana: Is it too late to save Louisiana’s coast? LSU professors, researchers weigh in

By Josh Archote This piece was originally published on November 18, 2020, by The Reveille. Coastal sciences associate professor Giulio Mariotti's research focuses on observing sediment transport and coastal landscape change in wetlands. Courtesy of Giulio Mariotti. In January 2016, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced grants to help communities around the U.S. adapt to sea-level rise by building levees, dams and stronger drainage systems, according to the New York Times. One of the communities targeted by the grants was Isle de Jean Charles, a narrow strip of land in Terrebonne Parish. Officials decided that there was no realistic path for the community to protect what little land was left from coastal erosion, which has been caused by reduced sediment flo...