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A new study by the National University of Mexico suggests that global sea levels could rise as much as 10 feet in the next 50 years if the Antarctic and Greenland ice caps melt rapidly.

The study analyzed coral beds in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula and discovered that during the last warm period between ice ages more than 100,000 years ago, an entire layer of coral suddenly died, only to be replaced decades later by a new, smaller layer.  This indicates that sea levels had risen 10 feet in just 50 to 100 years.  And the only thing that could cause such substantial flooding would be the melting of the continental ice sheets.

“Scientists have tended to assume that sea level reached a maximum during the last interglacial very slowly, over several millennia,” said study leader Paul Blanchon.  “What we are saying is ‘No, they didn’t.’”

Story at FoxNews

The everyday items listed below all contain toxic chemicals that can contaminate the environment if not disposed properly.  You should NOT toss out these items with your curbside trash.

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As spring begins, more than 90 percent of Arctic sea ice is only 1 or 2 years old.  That makes the ice thinner and more vulnerable than anytime in the past three decades, according to researchers with NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Colorado.  “We’re not set up well for summertime,” said Ice Data Center scientist Walt Meier.  “We’re in a very precarious situation.”

Young Arctic sea ice often melts in summer.  If it survives for two years, it becomes a more permanent type of thick sea ice.  The amount of thick sea ice hit a record wintertime low of just 378,000 square miles this year, down 43 percent from last year.  That means the Arctic lost a section of sea ice larger than the state of Texas.

Thick sea ice is critically important because it reflects sunlight away from Earth.  The more the ice melts, the more heat is absorbed by the ocean, which heats up the planet even faster, causing a self-reinforcing loop of warming.

Story at FoxNews

PepsiCo Inc is testing greener vending machines to reduce its environmental footprint and give businesses some relief on their electric bills.  The test involves 30 machines in the Washington, D.C. area.  Pepsi hopes to begin rolling them out worldwide over the next several years.

The new machines use 5.08 kilowatt-hours of energy per day, down about 15 percent from a nationwide average of 6 kilowatt-hours used by current machines, which already use 44 percent less energy on average than similar machines used six years ago.

The new machines also emit about 12 percent less greenhouse gas, in part by keeping the drinks cool with carbon dioxide instead of the usual hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which scientists say contribute to global warming.

Story at Reuters

(NAPSI) - Here’s a statistic you may not want to raise a glass to: The average American uses 100 gallons of water each day (enough to fill 1,600 drinking glasses), according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Meanwhile, the U.S. government has projected that more than 70 percent of the country-at least 36 states-will face water shortages by the year 2012 due to a combination of rising temperatures, drought, population growth, urban sprawl, waste and excess.

Managing water is a growing concern in the United States and around the world. The good news is that there is much we can do to preserve and protect this precious, limited resource-starting at home. Following are eight easy ways you can help make every drop count:

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