Latest news with #TheCoolDown
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
Cheap 16p hack helps to repel ants from your garden this summer – but be careful to avoid an easy mistake
A SIMPLE step can help protect your plants from an ant infestation this summer. And you won't have to worry about your flowerbeds because this hack is all-natural and budget-friendly. 2 A handy hack helps to repel ants from your plants this summer (stock image) Credit: Getty Adding this affordable item to your garden can help to repel unwanted pests all summer long. The scent of bananas is said to work as a natural repellant for insects such as aphids. According to the experts at The Cool Down, placing banana peels in the soil around your plants can work as a barrier for ants. They recommend simply covering your peels with a thin layer of soil for this hack. Alternatively, you can cut the peel into small pieces and evenly distribute them throughout your garden. And since you can pick up bananas for just 16p a-piece from Sainsbury's, this step won't break your budget. There are important steps to remember when carrying out this unique hack. When burying banana peels, make sure to fully cover them in soil so as not to attract animals to your garden. You should also make sure not to leave the peels exposed as it can attract flies to your garden. As well as burying the peels, you can also use them to create a banana water spray. Top Hacks to Keep Foxes Out of Your Garden First, place a banana peel in five cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture has cooled down, add it to a spray bottle and spritz the mixture directly on the leaves and stems of your plants. Severe infestations can cause plant leaves to turn yellow and die as aphids transmit viruses from plant to plant. You can also use soap and tights to repel flies from your home this summer. A budget-friendly hack can help to banish slugs and snails from your garden. Tips for keeping pests from your garden Plant companion plants such as peppermint to repel rats. Place Garden Netting Pest Barrier, over your flowerbeds. Fill open-top containers with beer and place in soil to repel slugs. Spray plants with Neem Oil, to repel ants, flies, and spiders. Dust your flowerbeds with Diatomaceous Earth. Mix 1 tablespoon dish soap, 10 drops peppermint oil, and 4 cups water and spray on flowerbeds. Place eggshells around your plants to protect from slugs and snails. You can also use a £1.40 household item to deter ants from entering your home. A 49p hack helps to keep wasps from your garden, but you'll want to act soon. Another trick prevents squirrels from digging up your garden and all you need is a kitchen staple. And common storage mistakes may be attracting rodents to your garden shed. A £7 Waitrose buy helps to repel insects from your garden while keeping you cool at the same time.
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Cheap 16p hack helps to repel ants from your garden this summer – but be careful to avoid an easy mistake
A SIMPLE step can help protect your plants from an ant infestation this summer. And you won't have to worry about your flowerbeds because this hack is all-natural and budget-friendly. Adding this affordable item to your garden can help to repel unwanted pests all summer long. The scent of bananas is said to work as a natural repellant for insects such as aphids. According to the experts at The Cool Down, placing banana peels in the soil around your plants can work as a barrier for ants. They recommend simply covering your peels with a thin layer of soil for this hack. Alternatively, you can cut the peel into small pieces and evenly distribute them throughout your garden. And since you can pick up bananas for just 16p a-piece from Sainsbury's, this step won't break your budget. There are important steps to remember when carrying out this unique hack. When burying banana peels, make sure to fully cover them in soil so as not to attract animals to your garden. You should also make sure not to leave the peels exposed as it can attract flies to your garden. As well as burying the peels, you can also use them to create a banana water spray. Top Hacks to Keep Foxes Out of Your Garden First, place a banana peel in five cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture has cooled down, add it to a spray bottle and spritz the mixture directly on the leaves and stems of your plants. Severe infestations can cause plant leaves to turn yellow and die as aphids transmit viruses from plant to plant. You can also use soap and tights to repel flies from your home this summer. Tips for keeping pests from your garden Plant companion plants such as peppermint to repel rats. Place Garden Netting Pest Barrier, over your flowerbeds. Fill open-top containers with beer and place in soil to repel slugs. Spray plants with Neem Oil, to repel ants, flies, and spiders. Dust your flowerbeds with Diatomaceous Earth. Mix 1 tablespoon dish soap, 10 drops peppermint oil, and 4 cups water and spray on flowerbeds. Place eggshells around your plants to protect from slugs and snails. You can also use a £1.40 household item to deter ants from entering your home. A 49p hack helps to keep wasps from your garden, but you'll want to act soon. Another trick prevents squirrels from digging up your garden and all you need is a kitchen staple. And common storage mistakes may be attracting rodents to your garden shed. A £7 Waitrose buy helps to repel insects from your garden while keeping you cool at the same time. 2
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Vanishing May Beetles: Scientists Issue Dire Warning
Costa Rican scientists are sounding the alarm as a once-abundant insect species edges toward collapse. Known locally as abejones de mayo, or May beetles, these beetles have long been a sign that the rainy season is near. But this year, they're conspicuously absent. According to The Cool Down, the May beetle population has reportedly plummeted by as much as 95% over the past 40 years, University of Costa Rica biologist Andres Arias told The Tico Times. 'For many Costa Ricans, spotting abejones buzzing around porch lights marked the start of the rains,' he said. 'Now, they're a fleeting memory.' Researchers point to a combination of rising global temperatures, rampant pesticide use, and rapid urbanization as the culprits behind this sharp decline. Costa Rica's heavy pesticide use, reportedly the highest per capita in Latin America, has been especially damaging. As warming alters rainfall patterns and disrupts seasonal cues the beetles depend on, their population struggles to recover. Arias and his colleagues warn that if action isn't taken soon, May beetles could vanish entirely. 'Losing them means losing a piece of who we are—and a warning we can't ignore,' he emphasized. Their disappearance mirrors a troubling global trend: insect populations worldwide have been dropping at alarming rates. A 2023 study from the University of California, Riverside, found that insect numbers globally have fallen by approximately 45% over the last four decades. The World Wildlife Fund has warned that as many as 40% of insect species could face extinction by century's end. Insects make up roughly 80% of Earth's animal life and play a vital role in maintaining ecosystems. They pollinate plants, feed on pests, and provide nourishment for countless other species. The loss of a single species can ripple through entire ecosystems. Costa Rican lawmakers are now considering a bill to ban pesticides deemed highly toxic by the World Health Organization, a move conservationists hope will help preserve the May beetles and other threatened insect species. The stakes couldn't be higher. As Arias put it, 'Losing them means losing a piece of who we are.' Vanishing May Beetles: Scientists Issue Dire Warning first appeared on Men's Journal on May 26, 2025
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft makes game-changing $760 million investment in pursuit of ambitious goal: 'It just seemed like a no-brainer'
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Microsoft is continuing its push to achieve carbon negative, announcing that it is buying removal credits for 3.7 million metric tons of carbon. The carbon removal agreement will stretch over 12 years during its project to capture and store carbon emissions from a pulp and paper mill on the Gulf Coast. The project is in partnership with carbon dioxide removal developer CO280, and Microsoft cited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report on the need for carbon removal in a statement to The Cool Down. "It just seemed like a no-brainer that everyone had missed," CO280 co-founder and CEO Jonathan Rhone told TechCrunch. CO280 sells its carbon removal credits at around $200 per metric ton, making the deal worth $760 million. In Microsoft's 2024 environmental sustainability report, the company disclosed that its pollution continued to rise. "In 2023, we saw [direct operational emissions] decrease by 6.3% from our 2020 baseline. This area remains on track to meet our goals," the report reads. "But our indirect emissions increased by 30.9%." Altogether, Microsoft reported that its "emissions are up 29.1% from the 2020 baseline." It said this is the result of the construction of more data centers and its building materials and hardware components. Carbon removal credits allow companies to offset their pollution. Carbon capture prevents carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. It involves capturing CO2 from industrial processes or power plants, transporting it, and storing it, typically deep underground. This method is a patchwork option for reducing emissions and mitigating damages, and there are drawbacks. The high cost, safety risks such as leaks and human health hazards from high CO2 concentrations, and the energy penalty associated with the carbon capture process limit the method's long-term viability. Additionally, carbon capture fails to address the overarching concern of our reliance on fossil fuels. Legislation to become carbon neutral or negative typically focuses on seeking renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and reducing transportation pollution. As noted by the Carbon Removal Alliance, the carbon removal industry is equipped to remove around 100 million metric tons of carbon emissions every year. This can account for up to 130,000 additional jobs across the United States. In 2020, Microsoft President and Vice Chair Brad Smith announced that the company would become carbon negative by 2030. "The scientific consensus is clear. The world confronts an urgent carbon problem," Smith wrote. "The carbon in our atmosphere has created a blanket of gas that traps heat and is changing the world's climate." According to Smith, the rise in carbon pollution had become too significant to ignore. "Already, the planet's temperature has risen by 1 degree centigrade," Smith added. "If we don't curb emissions, and temperatures continue to climb, science tells us that the results will be catastrophic." Should the government continue to give tax incentives for energy-efficient home upgrades? Absolutely No Depends on the upgrade I don't know Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct Microsoft's goals from carbon neutral to carbon negative, meaning it intends to be responsible for more net carbon removal from the atmosphere than what it emits. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Newsweek
01-05-2025
- Climate
- Newsweek
Low Water Levels at Montana Lake Spells Bad News for Bird Watchers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. North Central Montana's Freezeout Lake, a key migratory stopover for waterfowl, is facing critically low water levels caused by prolonged drought. This shift is disrupting bird migration patterns, potentially threatening the region's tourism industry, particularly during peak birdwatching season. Why It Matters Typically, hundreds of visitors gather at Freezeout Lake each year to witness flocks of swans, geese, and other migratory birds make their seasonal stop. However, wildlife experts warn that birds are being forced to seek alternative sites along their migration routes, according to a report by KRTV. Low water levels at lakes like Freezeout not only disrupt bird migration but also lead to a cascade of challenges. Reduced lake volumes may affect fish habitats, and sediment transport can increase, exacerbating shoreline erosion, according to a report by The Cool Down. Two bird watchers photograph thousands of snow geese at the Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area on March 24, 2017, outside Fairfield, Montana. Two bird watchers photograph thousands of snow geese at the Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area on March 24, 2017, outside Fairfield, Montana. Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP What To Know Freezeout Lake serves as a vital rest stop for migratory birds heading north to the Canadian and Alaskan Arctic. Each spring, species such as swans and geese rely on the lake's waters and surrounding habitat to refuel for their long journeys. The reduced water levels mean fewer birds may visit, potentially rerouting long-established migration paths. The lake's dwindling levels are attributed to the ongoing global climate crisis and persistent drought conditions. While this year has seen slight improvement in snowpack, recovery remains slow, a local expert told KRTV. Wildlife viewing at the roughly 12,000-acre area varies by season, with birdwatching as the main attraction. Over 230 bird species have been recorded, including shorebirds, raptors, prairie birds, and large numbers of waterfowl. During peak migration, the area can host hundreds of thousands of birds, with sightings of up to 300,000 light geese and 10,000 swans at once. Elsewhere, regions like Eagle Lake and Lake Shasta in California and Lake Mead between Nevada and Arizona have seen water levels begin to recover following droughts or through conservation measures—providing some hope for areas like Freezeout. Across the United States, lake water levels have been experiencing fluctuations caused in part by climate change. In the Great Lakes region, for instance, warmer surface water temperatures have led to increased evaporation rates and delayed ice formation, contributing to lower water levels in certain years. The variability in lake levels poses can pose challenges for water supply, infrastructure, and shoreline ecosystems. What People Are Saying Wildlife biologist with Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Brent Lonner told KRTV: "So far this year the snow packs a little better, it's still below average. It's better than last year, but it's going to take time to really build that back up. So when folks do come out this year, if you do, you'll notice that, especially the north part of the main part of Freezeout is fairly dry." What Happens Next In addition to local efforts, broader conservation programs—such as drought and water initiatives, habitat restoration grants, and water supply management—have aimed to support species facing habitat challenges.
