Sustainability is a strategic initiative in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Below are the most current stories showcasing our college's sustainability efforts.
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Webinar to focus on Penn State’s assistance with local climate action planning
03/07/2023
03/07/2023
Climate change poses an existential threat to communities and people, according to organizers of an upcoming Penn State Extension land-use webinar, who noted that local governments leading by example is a key component of mitigating climate change in Pennsylvania.
Hotter and drier conditions limit forest recovery from wildfires
03/06/2023
03/06/2023
Warmer and drier climate conditions in western U.S. forests are making it less likely that trees can regenerate after wildfires, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which includes researchers from Penn State.
'Growing Impact' podcast examines converting waste heat into battery energy
03/02/2023
03/02/2023
The latest episode of the "Growing Impact" podcast examines how energy from industrial waste heat could be harnessed to charge batteries.
Penn State launches statewide environmental monitoring network
02/23/2023
02/23/2023
Penn State has established a publicly available, environmental monitoring network to provide enhanced surveillance of atmospheric and soil conditions across Pennsylvania.
New method creates material that could create the next generation of solar cells
02/23/2023
02/23/2023
A Penn State-led team of scientists created a new process to fabricate large perovskite devices that is more cost- and time-effective than previously possible and that they said may accelerate future materials discovery.
Study reveals new clues about how 'Earth's thermostat' controls climate
02/03/2023
02/03/2023
Rocks, rain and carbon dioxide help control Earth’s climate over thousands of years — like a thermostat — through a process called weathering.
Penn State's Center for Critical Minerals to receive $2.1M for pilot program
02/03/2023
02/03/2023
Penn State’s Center for Critical Minerals will receive $2.1 million in federal funding to design, build and test a modular pilot-scale research and development unit intended to recover vital rare earth elements and other critical minerals from Pennsylvania streams and other environmental sources.
'Growing Impact' podcast discusses making fuels from waste
02/02/2023
02/02/2023
The latest episode of the Growing Impact podcast features a project focused on turning agricultural and municipal wastes into bioproducts, primarily low-carbon biofuels.
EMS Sustainability Council hosting first-ever alumni panel discussion
02/01/2023
02/01/2023
The student committee of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Sustainability Council will host its first alumni panel discussion, “Be the Change,” from 5 to 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb 6 in 603 Barron Innovation Hub.
Colorado River basin: Machine learning approach may aid water conservation push
01/26/2023
01/26/2023
The Colorado River basin, which supplies water to 40 million people in the Western United States, is threatened by historic drought, a changing climate and water demands from growing cities. One potential response involves encouraging individuals to conserve water, and a new study may help identify those most likely to change their behaviors to contribute, according to scientists.