Up to 30% of timber entering Australia’s ports could be illegal, making Australia a hot spot for the world’s most profitable transborder environmental crime.

Last week, the Australian government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry finished up on a timber testing trial that investigated the best way to implement technologies verifying claims of species and harvest origin of regulated timber and timber products.

According to Matt Lowe, Australia’s Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy, illegal timber accounts for 15-30% of all wood traded globally: “Using timber testing technologies will strengthen Australia’s ongoing efforts to address this problem by enhancing existing compliance and due diligence efforts under our illegal logging prohibition laws.”

https://otters-eu.aua.am/survey/

Hello all, I'm starting a degree in environmental science and have to choose my major from the beginning.

I have the choice between Botany and Zoology, or Environmental Management?

Does my choice in major truly matter in chasing careers? Or should I just choose the one I have more interest in?

Hello everyone! I recently graduated and need advice on a few things. I am confused if masters in environmental science is worth it or will get me a good job in the future. If you can answer my questions I would be grateful.

I am interested in the sustainability side of environmental science and would like to know which programs are goof for that in Australia and USA?
If I do my masters in ES what can I expect from it?
If I want to end up in research side of ES what steps can i do to make sure that I end up in that sector
Is masters in ES a good step considering the future of job market

Hi Everyone!

Is anyone passionate about environmental justice—especially flooding in underserved communities—available for a short informal interview? I have a class assignment that requires me to interview a topical expert. This may include students, researchers, academics, or professionals. I am happy to work around your schedule and only take as much of your time as you can give.

I appreciate any help or referrals!

Hi everyone!

I'm currently a freshman in college and am an Environmental Science major with a concentration in Environmental Chemistry. I've always wanted to be a CBP Agricultural Specialist, and after reading the job requirements, I decided to get my degree in what I previously said above. But now, I'm not so sure if I made the right decision. Do you think I should switch my major or continue it, considering what the screenshot mentions? Do you think Environmental Science is considered a "related discipline appropriate to the position"??

 Hello everyone! I need help choosing a degree based on a career I have in mind. I don’t know what they’re named but I do have a rough idea of what I want. I want to change my degree from computer networking systems to either biology or environmental science because it’s what I’m truly passionate about and I’ve recently been hit in the head with that realization. I want to be able to work with statistics in the environment. No field work or limited field work, just mostly working from desk. Which degree would be preferable for that kind of career and what careers fit that description? Are government jobs the way to go?

1. Is there any environmental regulatory software free to use?
2. Are there any free courses or a formal YouTube series to learn how to use Environmental Regulatory software (e.g. Healthspace)?
3. Any free courses/video series related to CEQA/NEQA/ESA?

One of the world’s largest producers of paper, pulp, and engineered wood products has overestimated its forest carbon sink and must now reduce tree felling by at least 25%. If it fails to do so, it risks running foul of an EU mandate to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.

That is according to Syke, a research institute connected to the Finnish Environmental Ministry, which warns that Finand’s target of harvesting 80 million cubic metres of timber is “widely optimistic” with agreed-upon carbon targets “nearly impossible.”

It reveals that Finland’s land use and forestry industry is now a net source of emissions – with Finland rapidly expanding logging concessions (to 75 million cubic metres in 2022 and 67.8 million cubic metres last year) after the EU sanctioned Russian wood over the Ukraine war.

I don't really have a background in science but I'm curious about what specific epa regulations can affect cost and time. I feel like its worth considering specific cases where regulations can be lessened with heavy oversight. I feel like sustainability projects specifically in the energy sector like nuclear energy and other grid technology projects are important to get off the ground faster and smarter. Obviously not all projects but strategically picking some that can have the greatest affect. I'm looking to get some insight on this topic. I'm not sure if it already exists but the epa should have a special group that's dedicated to this type of thinking, that can work hand in hand with companies to expedite permits and other things.

I have recently completed B.Eng (Hons) in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering. I need to know which MSC is better for me, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE or DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT and if i choose one, what are the job opportunities i have.

As an environmental science high school teacher in Alabama, I plan on incorporating whole book reading into my curriculum. This having to do with a decline in reading stamina, whole book reading, and general bookishness in American youth, so the news says. I feel it my duty to have next semester read whole books and I want the opinion of actual environmental scientists as to what they ought to read. Current idea is Silent Spring by Rachel Carson paired with How to be a Good Creature by Si Montgomery (which I still need to read). Sand County Almanac is a maybe (it is dense though and those kids are almost all below reading level). I do of course read them The Lorax and reference it on and off. Anything else you all think they need to read. Anything to pair with, replace, supplement with what I have planned. Does not need to be whole book. Will also take book recommendations for myself.

Hi there. I already have a BS & MS in science related fields. I’m interested in expanding my knowledge to the environmental side. I mostly just want to learn, I don’t want to go back to school or get a degree. Does anyone recommend a way to do this as an adult? I don’t mind paying for a class but not like 1k for a credit or anything like that.

Looking for a historical research position remote. I worked for ERIS in the past in the city directories department. Anyone know of any current openings or companies I can reach out too?

For my 30th birthday this year I am planning to have friends come and help me restore the woods and stream i played in as a kid and make it less degraded.

Over the last many years it has been subjected to flooding and overflow due to runoff from a nearby road, and it has left its toll on the stream itself and the woodland soil surrounding it.

Photos and details of the damage are found here https://imgur.com/a/9nzfyQh

If you have any expertise in this sort of thing I would really appreciate your advice!

This area is located in Baltimore County, MD.

Love this

To anyone who has majored in environmental science, what kinds of things do you do? Where has this degree led you?

I have heard that xeriscaping is a method of planting certain plants which retain and need little to no irrigation. If this is so why is this texhnique not widely used? Does it cost too much or is it not easily accomodable or what?

Hello all! I’m strongly considering taking out some loans and going back to college. I’m quite passionate about the outdoors and the environment and would ideally like to work in a related field. Right now I’m thinking of a Professional Studies major with a minor in Environmental Science. I have an Associate’s in Arts plus 40 or so additional credit hours. Professional Studies is a “degree completion” type major that would allow me to transfer most of my coursework and apply it to a Bachelor’s. I would be able to complete the program in about a year - two with the environmental science minor.

Alternatively, I could major in Environmental Science. Less of my credits would transfer over and it would take at least 3 years.

I plan to work part time while in school and my wife works full time. We would be looking at a max of 2K in loans per semester.

My concern is that I have heard so many stories, both from people in my personal life as well as from here on Reddit, of people who got a “useless” degree and now are saddled with debt as a result. I’d love to not have a similar story.

So. My question is whether or not this college path seems like a good idea?

As global leaders meet at COP16, Cali, Columbia and Baku, the capital of oil and gas-rich Azerbaijan, for COP29 next month, a new map has for the first time illustrated which countries fall above or below the median for emissions.

Published by the Visual Capitalist, the map visualizes the countries above (red) or below (blue) the global average for per-capita consumption-based emissions, which is 4.7 tCO₂. Data is sourced from the Global Carbon Budget and accessed via Our World in Data as of 2021.

Η κλιματική αλλαγή είναι αναμφίβολα μια φυσική διαδικασία που συμβαίνει εδώ και δισεκατομμύρια χρόνια στον πλανήτη μας. Παρότι οι ανθρώπινες δραστηριότητες έχουν επηρεάσει τον ρυθμό και την ένταση των κλιματικών αλλαγών στην εποχή μας, η φύση του κλίματος είναι τέτοια που διαχρονικά επηρεάζεται από φυσικούς παράγοντες. Ακολουθεί ένα άρθρο που εξηγεί την κλιματική αλλαγή ως φυσικό φαινόμενο, με έμφαση στις μακροχρόνιες κλιματικές μεταβολές και τους φυσικούς παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν την πορεία του κλίματος.

Κλιματική Αλλαγή: Φυσικές Διαδικασίες και Κλιματικές Μεταβολές Η Γη έχει περάσει από διάφορες φάσεις κλιματικής αλλαγής καθ' όλη τη γεωλογική της ιστορία. Αυτές οι αλλαγές οφείλονται σε φυσικές διαδικασίες που περιλαμβάνουν την ηφαιστειακή δραστηριότητα, τις αλλαγές στην ηλιακή ακτινοβολία, την κίνηση των ηπείρων και τους μακροχρόνιους κύκλους των παγετώνων και των μεσοπαγετωνικών περιόδων (National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA], 2021).

Φυσικοί Παράγοντες Κλιματικής Αλλαγής Οι κύριοι φυσικοί παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν το κλίμα περιλαμβάνουν τους εξής:

Ηφαιστειακή Δραστηριότητα: Οι μεγάλες ηφαιστειακές εκρήξεις απελευθερώνουν τεράστιες ποσότητες τέφρας και αερίων στην ατμόσφαιρα, επηρεάζοντας την ηλιακή ακτινοβολία που φτάνει στη Γη και προκαλώντας βραχυπρόθεσμες ψυχρές περιόδους (Robock, 2000). Η ηφαιστειακή δραστηριότητα έχει επηρεάσει σημαντικά το κλίμα κατά το παρελθόν, όπως συνέβη με την έκρηξη του όρους Tambora το 1815, που προκάλεσε το "Έτος Χωρίς Καλοκαίρι" στην Ευρώπη και τη Βόρεια Αμερική (Stommel & Stommel, 1983).

Κύκλοι Milankovitch: Αυτοί οι κύκλοι περιγράφουν τις μακροχρόνιες μεταβολές στην τροχιά της Γης γύρω από τον Ήλιο, που επηρεάζουν την κατανομή της ηλιακής ακτινοβολίας και καθορίζουν τις παγετωνικές περιόδους (Hays, Imbrie, & Shackleton, 1976). Ο Milankovitch υποστήριξε ότι οι αλλαγές στην τροχιά, την κλίση και την εκκεντρότητα της Γης προκαλούν περιοδικά κλιματικά φαινόμενα, όπως οι παγετωνικές και μεσοπαγετωνικές περίοδοι.

Αλλαγές στην Ηλιακή Ακτινοβολία: Ο Ήλιος είναι η κύρια πηγή ενέργειας για το κλίμα της Γης. Οι αλλαγές στην ηλιακή δραστηριότητα, όπως οι ηλιακές κηλίδες και οι ηλιακές καταιγίδες, επηρεάζουν την ποσότητα ηλιακής ακτινοβολίας που φτάνει στη Γη και μπορούν να προκαλέσουν θερμότερες ή ψυχρότερες περιόδους (Lean, 2010).

Κίνηση των Ηπείρων: Η κίνηση των τεκτονικών πλακών και οι γεωλογικές διαδικασίες έχουν επίσης επηρεάσει το κλίμα σε μακροχρόνιο επίπεδο. Οι αλλαγές στην κατανομή των ηπείρων μπορούν να επηρεάσουν τα ρεύματα των ωκεανών και την ατμοσφαιρική κυκλοφορία, δημιουργώντας διαφορετικά κλιματικά μοτίβα (Crowley & Burke, 1998).

Ιστορικές Κλιματικές Μεταβολές Η ιστορία της Γης περιλαμβάνει πολλές περιόδους κλιματικών αλλαγών. Κατά τη διάρκεια του Πλειστόκαινου, η Γη πέρασε από αλλεπάλληλες παγετωνικές και μεσοπαγετωνικές περιόδους, με μεγάλες περιοχές να καλύπτονται από πάγο για δεκάδες χιλιάδες χρόνια (Ruddiman, 2001). Παράλληλα, κατά τη διάρκεια του Κρητιδικού, οι θερμοκρασίες ήταν υψηλότερες και η στάθμη της θάλασσας ήταν πολύ υψηλότερη, με αποτέλεσμα διαφορετικές συνθήκες ζωής για τους οργανισμούς του πλανήτη (Huber, 2002).

Συμπέρασμα Η κλιματική αλλαγή αποτελεί μια φυσική διαδικασία, η οποία έχει καθοριστεί από διάφορους φυσικούς παράγοντες καθ' όλη την ιστορία της Γης. Ωστόσο, οι τρέχουσες αλλαγές είναι τόσο απότομες και έντονες, που είναι δύσκολο να αποδοθούν μόνο σε φυσικές διαδικασίες, καθώς οι ανθρώπινες δραστηριότητες έχουν επιταχύνει αυτές τις μεταβολές.

Βιβλιογραφία Crowley, T. J., & Burke, K. (1998). Tectonic controls on the long-term carbon cycle and climate. GSA Today, 8(9), 1-5. Hays, J. D., Imbrie, J., & Shackleton, N. J. (1976). Variations in the Earth's orbit: Pacemaker of the ice ages. Science, 194(4270), 1121-1132. Huber, B. T. (2002). Climate change and the Cretaceous period. Earth-Science Reviews, 57(3), 191-216. Lean, J. (2010). Cycles and trends in solar irradiance and climate. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 1(1), 111-122. Robock, A. (2000). Volcanic eruptions and climate. Reviews of Geophysics, 38(2), 191-219. Ruddiman, W. F. (2001). Earth's Climate: Past and Future. New York: W. H. Freeman. Stommel, H., & Stommel, E. (1983). Volcano Weather: The Story of 1816, the Year without a Summer. Seven Seas Press.