HELENA (April 23, 2020) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8 Deputy Regional Administrator Deb Thomas recognized students and staff from Capital High School in Helena for winning the ‘See a Bloom, Give It Room’ High School Video Challenge.

Environmental News  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The concept of modern malls in India has been slow in catching up with the trend of stocking flowers. The trade has been traditionally reserved for road-side vendors.  

The looming eviction and relocation of 150 elderly residents at a decades-old care home in Hong Kong amid the coronavirus pandemic has left many fearful of infection risks, as a resident prepares to launch a last-minute legal battle against the government to stop a demolition plan within a month.Situated in the suburbs of the northern border town of Sheung Shui, Dills Corner Garden has housed 16 elderly care homes since 1997 and is much beloved by many residents for its tranquil life, quality…

Buy luxury fragrance sets from Chanel, Gucci and Hermès from $102, leather bags from Michael Kors from $145 or get a 58 percent discount on a one carat diamond ring in white gold.

"The persistence of the drought conditions, in the Colorado River basin especially, is essentially unprecedented in human history," John Fleck, author of "Water is for Fighting Over," said.

CEO Marc Barnett described the layoffs as a response to uncertainties surrounding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The post Malaysia streaming platform iflix cuts staff as debt deadline, virus uncertainties loom appeared first on DealStreetAsia.

Angel Gurría and Michael R. Bloomberg reaffirmed today their commitment to support international cities’ efforts to lead in the global fight against climate change — and called for national support to make this happen.

Angel Gurría and Michael R. Bloomberg reaffirmed today their commitment to support international cities’ efforts to lead in the global fight against climate change — and called for national support to make this happen.

After weeks of lockdown, starting again will bring its own challenges for small retailers

2. The Informant in the present case had floated a Request for Proposal ("RFP") No. A/59876/Durries/ Clo-1/DGOS/OS-PII/Proc Sec dated 15.12.2015 for procurement of 8,18,009 Durries IT OG ("Item").

3. The Informant averred that 09 firms participated in the said tender including Standard Gram/OP-2 and out of the said 09 firms, only 06 qualified for opening of commercial bids. As stated by the Informant, Standard Gram/OP-2 could not qualify in technical evaluation as the firm was not registered with Association of Corporations and Apex Societies of Handlooms/Khadi Village Industries Commission ("ACASH/KVIC") which was a pre-requisite. It is further stated that while the contract was under progress, Standard Gram/OP-2 merged with Integrated Defence/OP-3. Subsequently, the L1 firm (HP Handicraft/OP-1) sublet the manufacture of the Item to Integrated Defence/OP-3 vide Letter No. HPSHHC:173/10(EM)/Durries/838081 dated 23.03.2018.

Litigation specialist RGL Management says it is edging closer to launching a group legal claim against Hargreaves Lansdown for its aggressive promotion of Woodford Equity Income ahead of its closure.

The Mughal Garden will be in full bloom with over 10,000 Tulip bulbs, 138 types of roses and 70 different kinds of about 5,000 seasonal flowers.

Decision day looms over Ellesmere Port shale gas plan  Cheshire Live

Fond of a range of marine and freshwater vegetation such as turtle grass and eelgrass, the Florida manatee spends most of its waking hours grazing […]

The post Algae bloom toxins may make Florida’s manatees and sea turtles susceptible to deadly accidents appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A team from the Smithsonian is starting a pilot program to aid people in restoring their damaged family heirlooms. Click photo to learn more….

The post Smithsonian starts program to help people restore storm-damaged heirlooms appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The North Pole isn’t the only place on Earth affected by slight increases in temperature. Until recently, scientific thinking used to posit that tropical forests, […]

The post Rising temperatures mean more blooms for tropical rainforests appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

At a recent LAUSD District 3 school board debate, teachers dressed as FBI agents in protest of board member Tamar Galatzan's support of the iPad program.; Credit: Annie Gilbertson/KPCC

As the city's March 3 primary election draws near, Los Angeles Unified school board candidates are blasting incumbents for the controversial iPad program.

Opponents sharply criticized the $1.3 billion bond-funded program at a debate Tuesday in West San Fernando Valley, where District 3 school board member Tamar Galatzan was elected in 2007.

"Galatzan said the district is going in the right direction," declared candidate Carl Petersen, a parent and businessman. "I don’t know how anyone can look at the events of the past year and come to that conclusion."

RELATED: LAUSD District 5 school board candidates face off in debate

The program attracted national attention last December when the FBI raided district offices and carted off 20 boxes of bids, evaluations and correspondences with executives at Apple and its subcontractor Pearson, the manufacturer of the learning software loaded on to each device. The investigation is ongoing.

At the debate, teachers dressed in dark windbreakers with FBI plastered on the back in protest to Galatzan's support of the program. (They have not held similar demonstrations at election events in East Los Angeles' District 5, where Bennett Kayser, a teacher union ally, is running for re-election.)

Tom Richards, a Granada Hills parent, said he considers the iPad program a central issue as he weighs candidates.

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Richards said. "I don't believe that's a good way to spend the money that they have. Looking at some really fundamental needs — we don't have a librarian, but we want to give iPads?" 

Galatzan was an early advocate for more technology in the classroom; it was her goal even before the iPad was on the market.

"There is a whole world out there that can be accessed through technology, and we need to take advantage of that," Galatzan told KPCC.

Her advocacy of technology hasn't always been controversial. Galatzan points to her 2010 initiative to fund school computer labs with a settlement from Microsoft.

The school board's support of the iPad program varied the first year, but waned in August after KPCC published a series of emails showing district administrators had close ties with Pearson, calling into question whether the bidding process was fair. Problems with the rollout of the devices and the effectiveness of the software they contained also eroded support for the program.

Still, school board members unanimously approved more iPad purchases after the FBI investigation came to light. Superintendent Ramon Cortines said the tablets were necessary for new digital state tests scheduled this spring and offered to purchase them under a different contract with Apple to avoid complications involving the federal probe.

If the candidates' positions are a measure of support for the program, it's unpopular at best.  All of Galatzan's opponents are against it. 

When asked in a KPCC election survey conducted if he supported the iPad program, Scott Schmerelson, a retired administrator and District 3 contender, responded: "Not when you are paying for them from LAUSD Bond Money! The taxpayers generously supported the bond issue with the belief that the money would be used to repair and modernize our schools." 

Candidate Ankur Patel said in his answer to the survey, "I oppose the LAUSD’s iPad program. Throughout the program, important questions were not asked enough, and when they were, they were not answered properly."

Filiberto Gonzalez, another Galatzan challenger, said of the iPad project: "It was a mistake and ill-conceived from the very beginning. As was noted in the report by the U.S. Department of Education last month, the Common Core Technology Project (iPad program) lacked 'established metrics of success' and 'was difficult to show the impact of the investment.'

Elizabeth Badger Bartels is also running for the District 3 seat, but did not respond to the survey by deadline.

For more information on the school board candidates' positions and their backgrounds, read KPCC's 2015 Los Angeles primary election guide.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Harmful algal blooms may become more common in north western European waters as a result of climate change, according to a new study. The researchers predicted that by the end of this century blooms of two groups of algal species will occur over larger areas and for longer periods every year.

Algal (cyanobacterial) blooms are a major threat to marine and freshwater ecosystems, as well as to human health. This study investigated a way to reduce numbers of harmful cyanobacteria using freshwater crustaceans. Data from a large Swedish lake show that this approach can be effective but is best used alongside other methods, such as nutrient reduction.

Algal blooms in inland and marine waters could be detected and monitored more accurately in future, thanks to a new assessment method. Scientists have developed a new algorithm for sensors which identify emerging blooms of cyanobacteria based on the behaviour of light reflected by the algae’s pigment. Importantly, the algorithm may reduce uncertainty in estimations of algal concentrations by distinguishing between two different types of pigment.

Cyanobacteria — often referred to as blue-green algae — are found in water bodies around the world and can produce toxins with potential health risks. This US-wide study found a significant positive association between cyanobacterial bloom coverage and death by non-alcoholic liver disease. The researchers say their study suggests some evidence of a potential health risk and should be used to generate further investigation into the health impact of cyanobacteria.

Models that predict how nitrogen from the air is deposited in the sea could be useful in predicting algal blooms. Based on the knowledge that excess nitrogen increases algal growth rates, researchers simulated nitrogen deposition in the North Sea and suggested that, using predicted weather data, it might be possible to adapt this approach to predict algal blooms.

70 percent of Americans surveyed by Zillow Mortgages said they would not abandon their home buying plans should interest rates rise to 4.5%

This image from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory may look like a space flower, but it's actually a planetary nebula.

The projections paint an unsettling picture of New York's future: A city where by the 2050s, 800,000 people could be living in a flood zone.

The flower flower motif-stamped Los Angeles masterpiece is set to reopen as a museum following renovations.

Freshly blossomed almond trees are illuminated by the fiery sunset in Czech Republic.

The vernal equinox marks a shift in seasons, and nothing says that better than flowers bursting into bloom.

The worldwide shortage of helium threatens many industrial, medical and military applications far beyond balloons.

Items washed away by the 2011 tsunami are already arriving in North America, raising fears of an environmental crisis from Alaska to California.

Trying to stay cool while obeying his own stringent vehicle idling restrictions, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg enlists security detail to install a full

Billionaire philanthropist says he's 'doubling down' on efforts to reduce carbon emissions and replace half the nation's coal fleet with clean energy by 2017.

A wet and rainy winter after a wildfire year could give California a beautiful super bloom.

The affordable organic cotton fashion line threw a star-studded private shopping party in Venice, Calif.

Farmers are producing less cocoa than the world demands. That doesn’t mean we’re running out of chocolate.

The Rolling Stones keyboardist and MNN co-founder sheds light on the band's new single, which includes a reference to hydraulic fracturing, aka 'fracking.'

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's surprise endorsement of Obama follows the devastating effect of Hurricane Sandy on New York City and the Northeast.

From an eco-city in China to a coffee producer in Uganda to 'towers of power' in Spain and California, some good news from the green frontier.

Hype builds around Bloom Energy's flagship solid oxide fuel cell -- a cleaner, greener 'power plant in a box.'

A hybrid that would be cold-hardy and suitable for outdoor planting may be available for home landscapes in a few years.

These guidelines will help you determine the best time to plant bulbs, for a colorful burst of blooms in the spring.

Swarms of jellyfish are clogging water intakes at power plants around the world, and a new study explains why jellyfish populations are on the rise.

In Chile's Atacama desert, the driest place on Earth, flowers usually bloom just once every seven years. But heavy winter rains brought on a bonus bloom.

The winners of Nikon's 43rd annual Small World Photomicrography Competition will make you wish you paid more attention in science class.