/oss/taxonomy/term/458/all en /oss/article/environment/heat-may-do-more-make-us-feel-miserable <hr /> <p><em>This article was first published in <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/the-right-chemistry-its-too-darned-hot">The Montreal Gazette.</a></em></p> Fri, 05 Jul 2024 15:41:21 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9996 at /oss /oss/article/contributors-climate-change/mama-seals-are-asking-wheres-my-ice <p>The Gulf of St Lawrence is a large area of saltwater and is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Cabot Strait in the southeast and the Strait of Belle-Isle to the north. Surrounded by land masses and islands from five provinces, the salt water, sea ice and rich feeding area has been a nursery and home to harp seals for generations.</p> <p>See the map of this area from the Government of Canada.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 336px;" class="file-original " src="/oss/files/oss/screen_shot_2021-07-30_at_9.44.46_pm.png" width="1308" height="880" alt="" /></p> Sat, 31 Jul 2021 02:14:13 +0000 Raymond Johnson PhD, Contributor 8796 at /oss /oss/article/history-general-science/what-exactly-green-chemistry <p>In 1942 nylon went to war. American paratroopers dropped from the sky with nylon parachutes and hunkered down in nylon tents. Soldiers on leave hoped to seduce European women with gifts of nylon stockings. Bristles for toothbrushes, strings for tennis racquets, insulation for wires, bearings for machinery, catheters, sutures, umbrellas, undergarments, shower curtains and numerous items of clothing all made of nylon soon hit the market. Consumers were absolutely taken with this miraculous new material.</p> Fri, 30 Apr 2021 20:52:48 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8716 at /oss /oss/article/technology-environment/rethinking-your-garbage <p>Do you ever wonder what happens to your garbage after you throw it out? While we hope that the recyclable materials we painstakingly sort out ends up being recycled, the garbage usually piles up in the landfill. Although the landfill may be a solution for our “throwaway” society, it isn't quite a permanent one. Think about how the increasing population on the planet will directly increase the amount of garbage produced, and how land is a precious commodity. As time increases, the amount of land available will decrease, and 2/3 of the Earth is covered by water.</p> Wed, 15 Aug 2018 15:13:18 +0000 Sierra Delarosa, MSc, MMus 7307 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/your-allergies-are-getting-worse-because-climate-change <p>If you feel like your recent periods of coughing, sneezing and shaking your fists at the trees for producing so much pollen are getting longer, you’re probably right.</p> Thu, 10 May 2018 17:48:44 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7068 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-environment/time-change-climate-about-climate-change <p>When it comes to the science of climate change, what you hear depends on who’s doing the talking</p> Sun, 06 Mar 2016 20:28:04 +0000 Adam Brown PhD 2326 at /oss /oss/article/environment-quirky-science-you-asked/humans-and-animals-exhale-carbon-dioxide-every-breath-why-not-considered-be-problem-far-global <p style="text-align:justify">The carbon dioxide we exhale does not contribute to global warming for the simple reason that we also take up an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide from the air, albeit indirectly. Everything we eat can be traced back to photosynthesis, the process by which plants take up carbon dioxide from the air and use it to produce the vast array of organic compounds needed for life. Our bodies can be regarded as living engines that require fuel and oxygen to produce the energy needed to sustain life. In that sense we are not all that different from a car.</p> Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:00:27 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 1918 at /oss /oss/article/environment-you-asked/refrigerators-and-climate-change <p style="text-align:justify"><a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/?p=5194"><img alt="" height="150" src="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/files/2013/05/CFC-150x150.gif" width="150" /></a>The walls of refrigerators have to be heavily insulated in order to maintain efficient cooling. Polyurethane foam insulation has been the classic material used for this purpose and guess what it used to be “blown” with? Chlorofluorocarbons! Foams are created by blowing a gas into an appropriate substance to form bubbles. Of course the gas must not react with the material, and in the case of insulation, should not transmit heat. CFCs, the same substances used as refrigerants, were ideal, at least until their environmental consequences were discovered. Legislation was then introduced that called for the removal of the refrigerant from any discarded refrigerator. But, surely surprising to most people, far more CFCs were used for foam blowing than for refrigeration.</p> <p><a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/2013/05/06/by-law-chlorofluorocarbons-cfcs-used-as-refrigerants-in-refrigerators-must-be-removed-before-the-appliance-can-be-discarded-this-only-solves-part-of-the-ozone-depletion-and-global-warming-problem">Read more</a></p> Mon, 06 May 2013 21:51:09 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1932 at /oss /oss/article/science-science-everywhere/climate-change <p>As we sit here freezing and dreaming of southern climes, it is hard to conceive of global warming. But it is happening and the long term effects will not be pleasant. How do I know that the climate is changing? Well, I remember that when I was back in high school, we used to start playing hockey on outdoor rinks in December and played at least up to the end of February. There was never any thought of a mid-winter thaw that might prevent us from playing. That just did not happen. Today, there are many days in winter when the thermometer climbs above zero. So what does this mean?</p> Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:33:56 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 1643 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/what-greenhouse-effect <p>The greenhouse effect is caused by gases in the atmosphere that let sunlight through, but prevent some of the heat it generates from being re-emitted, acting as a blanket around the earth. If we had no greenhouse effect, the Earth would be around 33 degrees coller than it is, with temperatures averaging about -18 degrees Celsius. On the flip side, if we have too much of a greenhouse effect (ie concentration of greenhouses gases), it’s possible the planet can overheat.</p> Tue, 21 Feb 2017 16:18:15 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1505 at /oss