Leaving aquaculture ponds ‘out-to-dry’ has implications for nitrous oxide budgets

Researchers from China and the UK have demonstrated that the dormant period of shrimp farming, when aquaculture ponds are drained and left ‘out-to-dry’ for half a year, is associated with increased nitrous oxide emissions. The global aquaculture industry is currently growing at a rate that surpasses most other food sectors, yet the potential climatic impacts from increased greenhouse gas production has implications for the sustainability of this farming system. Through an extended field campaign of nitrous oxide measurements, emissions from the dry-period of aquaculture ponds made up the vast majority of total nitrous oxide emissions. As a previously unaccounted for part of the pond farm greenhouse gas budget, this dry phase of the aquaculture period is too large to be ignored.

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Proper land management can offset greenhouse gas emissions from grass-fed cattle

Greenhouse gas emissions from the cattle industry have proven to be a big problem. As the demand for beef has increased, the amount of cattle farming operations has increased in response, both in the form of grass-fed and feedlot-finished feeding methods. Although many consumers prefer grass-fed beef, studies have shown that grass-fed beef produce more greenhouse gas emissions than feedlot-finished cattle in their lifetime. However, a recent study has shown that by changing the way that cattle graze on grassland, grass-fed beef could ultimately benefit the environment.

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100% Sustainable Electricity by 2050 is Quite Possible

The technology to produce electricity from renewable resources like sunlight and wind has been around for many years. However, the vast majority of electricity in the world is generated from fossil fuels, which is a major contributor to pollution and climate change. Recent research shows that sustained, incremental changes can lead to sustainable, renewable electricity around the globe by 2050 – mitigating environmental damage from current practices.

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