River

VisitorsCoverage Continues Sustainability in Action Efforts to Combat Ocean Pollution in 2024

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 10, 2024

This collaboration signifies a major step forward in VisitorsCoverage's commitment to environmental sustainability.

Key Points: 
  • This collaboration signifies a major step forward in VisitorsCoverage's commitment to environmental sustainability.
  • Through this partnership, VisitorsCoverage will make significant contributions to the removal of plastic and waste from the ocean.
  • This partnership aligns perfectly with our vision of embracing sustainable practices while contributing positively to the global community," said Rajeev Shrivastava, CEO at VisitorsCoverage.
  • Learn more about this initiative and past sustainability efforts, here .

Kpler reaches $100 million annual recurring revenue milestone

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 9, 2024

BRUSSELS, Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kpler, the leading global trade intelligence platform, today announced that it has hit $100 million annual recurring revenue, marking a significant milestone for the nine-year-old company.

Key Points: 
  • BRUSSELS, Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kpler , the leading global trade intelligence platform, today announced that it has hit $100 million annual recurring revenue, marking a significant milestone for the nine-year-old company.
  • In April 2022, Five Arrows and Insight Partners acquired a minority stake in the business, strengthening the Board to support the founders.
  • Founded in 2014 by François Cazor and Jean Maynier, Kpler started as a cargo-tracking solution tailored to the LNG market.
  • "Surpassing the $100 million annual recurring revenue milestone represents an important early achievement in Kpler's quest to become the leading platform for commodity, maritime, and energy data.

ABB acquires innovative optical sensor company to expand smart water management offering

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 8, 2024

Through the acquisition, ABB will expand its strong presence in the water segment and complements its product portfolio with optical technology critical for smart water management.

Key Points: 
  • Through the acquisition, ABB will expand its strong presence in the water segment and complements its product portfolio with optical technology critical for smart water management.
  • Unlike traditional water quality measurement, which can be a time-consuming process, Real Tech’s product portfolio provides critical measurements in real-time.
  • Real Tech’s patented solutions cover the entire digital water value chain for water quality monitoring with a focus on data creation and analytics.
  • Investment in water quality monitoring, water treatment and water infrastructure has expanded dramatically worldwide.

Duke Energy prepares as severe weather approaches the Carolinas

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 8, 2024

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy is monitoring and preparing for a severe weather system expected to move through the Carolinas Tuesday that could cause widespread power outages.

Key Points: 
  • CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy is monitoring and preparing for a severe weather system expected to move through the Carolinas Tuesday that could cause widespread power outages.
  • Duke Energy meteorologists have been tracking them, and our crews are prepared to respond if needed," said Jason Hollifield, Carolinas Storm Director.
  • Duke Energy encourages customers to have a plan in place to respond to an extended power outage after severe weather.
  • Use the Duke Energy mobile app – Download the Duke Energy App from a smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play.

Senegal’s small scale gold miners still use poisonous mercury: how to reduce the harm

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, January 7, 2024

Even more dangerous is the inhalation of mercury vapours, which are released as mercury is used in the extraction of another trace element – gold.

Key Points: 
  • Even more dangerous is the inhalation of mercury vapours, which are released as mercury is used in the extraction of another trace element – gold.
  • Miners inhaling mercury vapour can experience the same toxic effects as people eating mercury-laden food: limb tremors, blurred vision, loss of limb functionality, and even death.
  • My recent research has found an effective way to reduce mercury emissions from artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Senegal through education and equipment distribution.
  • We conducted educational sessions on the dangers of mercury and on the use of equipment to reduce mercury emissions and exposure.

Mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining

  • Artisanal and small-scale gold mining produces about 20% of all the gold sold on the world market.
  • Mercury is used in the extraction of gold because it is cheap, easy to obtain, and efficient at separating gold.
  • Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is the largest source of mercury pollution globally, emitting more mercury than coal combustion.
  • Article 7 specifically deals with mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.

Strategies to reduce mercury emissions from gold mining

  • Despite the Convention, there has been little success in reducing mercury use and emissions from artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
  • Many researchers and organisations have sought to train people about the dangers of mercury, or have introduced mercury-free technologies.

Intervention in Senegal

  • In a recent study, I worked with collaborators in Senegal to reduce the emissions of mercury from artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
  • Through surveys before and after the intervention, we found that it was highly successful in increasing knowledge about the dangers of mercury and increasing the use of improved technologies.
  • Local people were trained to present the information to miners and community members and to answer questions.
  • Information was also spread through local radio, an effective technique for reaching a wider audience in Senegal.
  • Read more:
    Ghana's artisanal miners are a law unto themselves: involving communities can help fix the problem

Implications of this intervention


Artisanal gold mining is an important livelihood for many people in Senegal and globally. Given the dangers of mercury toxicity, it’s necessary to reduce the high exposure of miners and their communities. Our study provides one mechanism to achieve this. It has seen a positive reaction, suggesting that similar interventions could be effective in other countries with artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
Jacqueline Gerson receives funding from World Connect and the National Science Foundation.

VIKING LAUNCHES NEW "DISCOVER MORE" SALE

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 4, 2024

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking® (www.viking.com) today announced the Discover More sale, providing North American travelers with a variety of new booking incentives across the company's collection of river, ocean and expedition voyages. From now through January 31, 2024, Viking is offering special fares, up to free airfare and a $25 deposit on all itineraries—as well as additional savings for both new and returning guests.

Key Points: 
  • This approach has always allowed our guests to discover more history, science and culture when they travel with us," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.
  • "As this new year begins, we look forward to welcoming returning guests back on board, as well as introducing new travelers to the Viking way of exploration."
  • Viking now explores all seven continents, with river, ocean and expedition voyages calling in more than 500 ports in more than 85 countries.
  • Viking was also voted to the top of its categories for rivers, oceans and expeditions by Travel + Leisure in the 2023 World's Best Awards.

Will we be able to ski in a +2°C world?

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 4, 2024

Behind all these tensions lies the same question: what does the future hold for skiing on an overheating planet?

Key Points: 
  • Behind all these tensions lies the same question: what does the future hold for skiing on an overheating planet?
  • In recent decades, France has seen some ski resorts close due to a lack of snow or a sustainable business model.


This question is not just a concern for amateur or professional skiers. Skiing is also an economic issue, with a total turnover estimated at 30 billion euros in Europe. In France alone, 120,000 jobs depending directly and indirectly on the ski economy.

53% of ski resorts are at risk of running out of snow at +2°C

  • At 2°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels, 53% of European resorts are at very high risk of low snowfall.
  • At 4°C of global warming, 98% of European resorts are at very high risk of low snowfall.

Changes in the use of snow production

  • Snow production involves projecting micro-droplets of water into the atmosphere so that they freeze before falling back to the ground.
  • In the past, snow was produced mainly to limit the impact of natural fluctuations in snow cover from one season to the next.


À lire aussi :
Les stations de ski forcées de repenser leur modèle

Snow production also affected by rising temperatures

  • Like natural snow, snow production is affected by rising temperatures, because snow production requires sufficiently cold weather conditions.
  • Not all ski resorts will equally be able to adapt to rising temperatures by producing snow.

The carbon footprint of snow production

  • What’s more, snow production is not carbon-neutral, so it’s important to bear this in mind before setting this technique up as the ultimate answer to reducing snow cover.
  • We have therefore also calculated the water requirements, production and energy demand involved, and the carbon footprint of the electricity used to produce snow.
  • It is therefore likely that the services provided by snow production will not be the same as in the past, which could make snow cover even more fragile over the high season.


Similarly, at around 80 kt eq CO2, the carbon footprint of the electricity used to produce snow remains limited, even if it varies greatly depending on countries’ energy mix.

Skiers’ transport and accommodation still emit a lot of CO₂

  • In reality, it is responsible for only a fraction of the carbon footprint of a winter sports tourist destination, with skiers’ transport and accommodation proving most polluting.
  • Carbon emissions could nevertheless rise as people travel further and further afield to find snow.


The research laboratory to which Hugues François belongs (INRAE, Lyon Grenoble Center, LESSEM) has received funding from various public and private organizations for its research projects The Météo-France department (DCSC) for which Raphaëlle Samacoïts works has received funding from various public and private organizations for its research projects. The research laboratory to which Samuel Morin belongs (CNRM, Météo-France - CNRS) has received funding from various public and private organizations for its research projects.

Ancient Roman wine production may hold clues for battling climate change

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 4, 2024

Estimates put the average Roman male’s consumption at a litre or more of diluted wine per day.

Key Points: 
  • Estimates put the average Roman male’s consumption at a litre or more of diluted wine per day.
  • The drink was also a symbol of civilised behaviour, and widely used as a drug, medicine and ritual beverage.


We can learn a great deal from the methods Romans used to produce wine about adapting our own agricultural systems to a warming planet. My research has explored the role of vine agroforestry systems in Roman viticulture by looking at archaeology, ancient literature and more modern sources.

Forest agriculture

  • In contrast to the low plants that blanket hillsides in modern vineyards, these vines grew high into the trees.
  • Numerous scenes on Roman sarcophagi and mosaics depict harvesters picking grapes using high ladders, and collecting them in small, distinctive cone-shaped baskets.

Pre industrial wine production

  • They would combine several crops on one small area of land in order to survive, though more commercial farms have also been recorded.
  • Both Pliny and Columella recommended the use of fast growing trees with lots of foliage to protect vines from snooping animals.
  • This observation may baffle modern wine growers, as grapevines do not like too much water.


To modern wine makers, growing vines in damp soil and humid air is unthinkable. It presents a huge risk of fungal diseases that could weaken and kill the vine. Nevertheless, the Romans made it work.

An enduring, ancient technique

  • This relatively recent documentation, in combination with ancient source material, reveals the ingenuity of the system.
  • This means that they soak up excess water from the soil, acting as a water pump and contributing to the natural drainage of an area.
  • High climbing vines also have deeper and more developed roots, which makes them more resistant to rot caused by parasites.

An example for a warming world

  • This means that Roman winemakers in Italy often operated under warmer and more humid conditions than those experienced in much of the 20th century.
  • Most importantly, however, the shade provided by trees seems to delay the ripening of grapes by weeks without problematically decreasing yields.

Roman agriculture on the world stage

  • The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has recently stressed the benefits of agroforestry in a warming world.
  • Insights into Roman and pre-industrial practices suggest that this approach may also help winemakers to adapt to an ever-warming planet.


Dimitri Van Limbergen no recibe salario, ni ejerce labores de consultoría, ni posee acciones, ni recibe financiación de ninguna compañía u organización que pueda obtener beneficio de este artículo, y ha declarado carecer de vínculos relevantes más allá del cargo académico citado.

Global Kayak Market Report 2023: Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts 2021-2031 - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 3, 2024

The "Kayak Market Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts - 2023 to 2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Key Points: 
  • The "Kayak Market Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts - 2023 to 2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
  • One of the primary drivers of the Kayak Market is the growing interest in outdoor recreational activities.
  • What are the key micro and macro environmental factors that are impacting the growth of Kayak market?
  • Who are the key competitors and what are their key strategies to enhance their market presence in the Kayak market worldwide?

Is cold water bad for you? What about drinking from the hose or tap? The facts behind 5 water myths

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Myth 1: Cold water is bad for you

Key Points: 
  • Myth 1: Cold water is bad for you
    Some recent TikToks have suggested cold water causes health problems by somehow “contracting blood vessels” and “restricting digestion”.
  • Cold water after exercise in summer or hot water to relax in winter won’t make any difference to your overall health.
  • Hot water is generally a better solvent than cold water, so may dissolve metals and minerals from pipes better.
  • It’s better to fill your cup from the cold tap and get hot water for drinks from the kettle.