Pollinating Problem: Disappearing Bees Could Have Devastating Effects

Jeff Koch, a biology teacher at Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences, starting keeping bees two years ago as a hobby because he is very interested in farming.

At the time, he never considered that his activity might be impacting a worldwide problem, as well as one local gardeners are also reporting — the disappearance of bees.

“Bees pollinate 80 percent of our crops,” Koch said, adding that some crops, like almonds, are pollinated only by them.

Koch’s own experience with bees illustrates one of the problems believed to be affecting the pollinators: colony collapse disorder.

Read more:

http://standardspeaker.com/news/pollinating-problem-disappearing-bees-could-have-devastating-effects-1.1879442

Another Bad Air Report For Lancaster County

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The air Lancaster County residents breathe continues to be among the worst in the nation, according to the American Lung Association.

In the ALA’s annual “State of the Air” report, which examined federal pollution records from 2010-2012, Lancaster County ranked as the 18th-worst metropolitan area out of 217 in the United States for average daily levels of particle pollution, which is composed of soot, dust particles and aerosols.

The Harrisburg-York-Lebanon metro area was tied with Lancaster.

Lancaster County had an average of 4.7 unhealthy days per year over the three-year period, compared to three unhealthy days in last year’s report.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/another-bad-air-report-for-lancaster-county/article_4126c060-d094-11e3-a95e-001a4bcf6878.html

Report: Air Gets Clearer In Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Metro Area

Locator map of the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Metropolitan Statistical Area in the northeastern part of the of . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Air quality in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre region has showed marked improvement — to the point that a report card to be issued today will reveal the region’s best grades in the 14-year history of the annual survey.

The American Lung Association’s “State of the Air 2013” report finds that the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area has cut year-round and daily particle (soot) pollution levels since the 2012 report, in keeping with a trend seen across the nation. Along with improvements in particle pollution, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre experienced fewer unhealthy days of high ozone or smog.

Overall, the report shows the air quality in the region, and nationwide, continues the long-term trend to improving.

“The air in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is certainly cleaner than when we started the ‘State of the Air’ report 14 years ago,” said Deb Brown, president and chief executive officer of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic. “Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has experienced a great year for air quality, all of the findings this year were in a positive direction.  But the work is not done, and we must set stronger health standards for pollutants and clean up sources of pollution in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to protect the health of our citizens.”

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/457076/Report:-Air-gets-clearer-in-area

Berks County Gets Failing Air-Quality Grade

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Berks County has again flunked an air-quality test because of smog levels, but progress is being made, according to the American Lung Association.

In a “State of the Air 2013” report released Tuesday, the association gave Berks an F for smog, even after nearly halving the 23 days with unhealthy smog levels that earned it an F in last year’s report.

The 2013 report is a compilation of air monitoring data collected between 2009 and 2011, exempting 2012 because work on the report began before the year’s end.  It shows that during that period, Berks had a dozen days with smog levels that were unhealthy for sensitive populations, including those with asthma or cardiovascular disease.

“So that’s practically cutting that in half, which is excellent,” said Kevin M. Stewart, director of environmental health for the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic.  “At the same time, it’s kind of like, ‘Mom, I got a better F.’  It’s not the kind of news you want to bring home, but it is progress.”

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=471818

PPL Plan To Level Trees Has Lancaster Residents Bewildered, Upset

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When the tree cutters arrive in August, 31 homeowners in the Eden Manor neighborhood of Lancaster city fear they essentially will be losing their backyards.

The 50-year-old homes, on Princess Anne Drive off Pitney Road, border a high-voltage power line that was built before the neighborhood.

Unfortunately for the homeowners, PPL has adopted a stricter policy of keeping its rights of way free of trees.

Trees that once were allowed to grow because they were not underneath the wires must now be taken down.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/666456_PPL-plan-to-level-trees-has-residents-bewildered–upset.html#ixzz1xUyKOCJS