L.A. air pollution may increase risk of stroke

L.A.’s smog problem might not be as visible as it was in the bad old days of the 1970s and '80s, but city residents might be at an increased risk of stroke even at levels of pollution that meet EPA standards. Oh yeah, and memory loss.

A new study published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that Boston residents experienced more strokes when exposed to “moderate” amounts of particulate air pollution, as opposed to “good” amounts of pollution, according to EPA standards. The types of pollution monitored included those specifically linked with car traffic.

Reviewing the medical records of about 1,700 stroke victims at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the study’s authors found that the risk of stroke was 34% higher on days of “moderate” exposure than it was on “good” days. The effects were most acute in the first 12 to 14 hours after exposure.  http://www.latimes.com/news/local/environment/la-me-gs-la-air-pollution-may-increase-risk-of-stroke-20120214,0,7456303.story?track=rss

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times-Greenspace by Dean Kuipers

 

 

Hundreds protest fare hikes, service cuts proposed by MBTA

More than 400 public transit riders blasted the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s proposed rate hikes and service cuts tonight in Boston, insisting that the measures would harm the poor, the elderly and disabled, and students.   http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2012/02/hundreds-protest-fare-hikes-proposed-mbta/xd1Q77v2V8AWfQIkuaFbGI/index.html

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe –Boston & Beyond Now MetroDesk by Travis Andersen, Globe Staff

 

 

Sub-zero temperatures strand thousands, kill more in Europe

WARSAW, Poland — Freezing temperatures left thousands of people stranded without power in the Balkans and elsewhere in Europe on Saturday, as the death toll from one of the coldest winters in years continued to rise.

Blizzards hit the Western Balkans, while heavy snowfalls and gale-force winds were expected to last until Monday. The storms deposited a fresh layer of snow and created tall drifts, further hampering access to many areas in the region. Several villages were without stable electricity supply, as wind and snow knocked down power lines. http://bostonherald.com/news/international/europe/view/20120212sub-zero_temperatures_strand_thousands_kill_more_in_europe/

Article courtesy of the Boston Herald by Dominika Maslikowski, bori Babic and Clare Byrne/dpa

 

Energy-savings bug bites towns

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council last week selected Medway, Marlborough, and six other communities to take part in its new Local Energy Action Program to devise long-range energy plans and identify which projects have the best potential to successfully reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.   http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2012/02/12/medway_marlborough_picked_for_new_energy_planning_effort/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Jose Martinez

Oil rises above $99 after US crude supply drop

SINGAPORE—Oil prices rose to above $99 a barrel Wednesday in Asia after an unexpected drop in U.S. crude supplies suggested demand is improving.

Benchmark crude for March delivery was up 83 cents at $99.24 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.50 to settle at $98.41 on Tuesday.  http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2012/02/08/oil_rises_above_99_after_us_crude_supply_drop/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Alex Kennedy-Associated Press

Grim cod report accepted, regulators weigh action

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—Regional regulators are meeting to try to minimize damage to New England's fishing industry after an assessment of Gulf of Maine cod indicates the valuable stock is severely overfished.

The new report could lead to a 90 percent cut in the allowed catch to protect the fish. That would wipe out major segments of the industry. But regional regulators at the New England Fishery Management Council are expected to buy time Wednesday by asking federal regulators for an emergency rule that would be in effect for a year, starting in May. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/02/01/grim_cod_report_accepted_regulators_weigh_action/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe from Associated Press by Jay Lindsay   

 

U.S. seems to have largely escaped winter

A combination of factors has trapped winter's cold air over Canada and Alaska, making for unseasonably warm weather in the Lower 48.   http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-hot-weather-20120128,0,6875555.story

Story courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Eryn Brown

 

Coal

Coal occupies a central position in modern human endeavors. Last year over 7000 megatons were mined worldwide. Powerful, yet dirty and dangerous, use of coal is expanding every year, with 2010 witnessing a production increase of 6.8%. Around 70 countries have recoverable reserves, which some estimates claim will last for over a hundred years at current production levels. Mining for coal is one of the world's most dangerous jobs. While deadliest in China, where thousands of miners die annually, the profession is still hazardous in the West and other regions as well  http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/01/coal.html

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe-The Big Picture by Lane Turner

No relief in rising gasoline prices as refineries shut down

"On January 18, Hess announced the closure of its HOVENSA joint venture refinery in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a major source of product supply to the East Coast," the Energy Department said. "That planned closure follows on the heels of the idling of two refineries in the Delaware Valley by Sunoco and ConocoPhillips and announced plans by Sunoco to idle another refinery in the region by mid-2012."

The Energy Department added, "The complete idling of the three refineries would collectively cut as much as 50% of current East Coast refining capacity."  http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-gas-prices-20120130,0,3885077.story?track=rss

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times –Money & Company by Ronald D. White

 

 

 

Mill redevelopment in Lawrence, Lowell, Haverhill coming back strong after recession

When plans to turn the old Wood Mill in Lawrence into luxury condominiums fell through in 2007, city leaders held their collective breaths.

The embattled city had finally started reaping the benefits of recent mill conversion projects, including the much lauded Riverwalk office complex, and this setback had some observers wondering whether Lawrence could lose its footing at the infancy of its revitalization.  http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/01/12/mill_redevelopment_in_lawrence_lowell_haverhill_coming_back_strong_after_recession/?page=full

Article courtesy of Smart Growth Online from The Boston Globe by Katheleen Conti-Globe Staff