rules of the road Bits ’n’ Pieces

From east, west and beyond

East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling:

A large-scale biochar production plant is being built in Kettle Falls, Wash. Advantages of Biochar, made from logging waste, include reduction of forest fire risk. When applied to land, biochar sequesters carbon and increases moisture retention capacity by up to 38%. It can increase crop yields and reduce the need for chemical fertilizer, according to The North Columbia Monthly.

With warmer weather comes biking season in Sandpoint, which means a refresher course in Idaho’s cycle laws. Here are some tips for both bicylclists and drivers to ensure everyone gets to their destination safely.

1.Ride on the right side of the street

•Ride with the flow of traffic and make full turns into travel lanes.

•Ride in the correct direction on one-way streets.

2. Full stop at red light

•Use extended arm signals when making left and right turns.

3.Rolling stop at stop signs

•Slow down to look and listen for oncoming traffic.

•Full stop when needed; proceed through when there is no traffic.

4.Share the road with drivers

•Sandpoint’s preferred cycle routes are marked with “sharrow” pavement lines. Try to stick to these routes whenever possible.

•Ride single file and keep a steady pace with the flow of traffic.

5.Sidewalks are for pedestrians

•Walk your bike when using downtown sidewalks.

• Yield to walkers and give special consideration to the elderly.

•Use common courtesy. It’s always appreciated.

6.Use safety gear

•Wear a helmet and light-colored clothing for maximum visibility.

•Bright headlight and red taillight are needed after dark.

•Lock your bike frame for theft protection.

The future of rechargeable sodium-based batteries is in the forefront in China, with an impact expected on electric vehicles. Sodium sells for less than lithium, is more abundant and chemically similar, The New York Times reported. And, when it’s below freezing, the batteries hold a charge well.

Solar electric power doesn’t have to mar the natural landscape. Panels can cover parking lots, be placed on fields made fallow by drought — meanwhile providing income for farmers — and can go on roofs. High Country News crunched the rooftop numbers: collectively, average “big box” store roofs, paneled over, could power about 3 million homes. A California irrigation district plans to cover two miles of canals with panels, while saving 32 million gallons of water typically lost to evaporation.

Assessing the aftermath of Hurricane Ian — which hit Punta Gorga, Fla. last September — the Union of Concerned Scientists found that homes rebuilt after another hurricane in 2004 using “hurricane ready” building codes suffered fewer damages. In particular, Babcock Ranch retained power because of its solar array. The “ranch” site was chosen for being beyond the reach of storm surges; streets and parks were designed to absorb floodwaters and underground power lines avoided wind damage.

On the Northern Great Plains, where 73% of remaining grasslands are privately owned, ranchers face pressure to convert grasslands to more profitable croplands. But, according to the World Wildlife Federation, those lands are not well-suited to long-term row crops, and plowing releases stored carbon. As well, row crops require more water and fertilizer, which can degrade ecosystems and leave farmers vulnerable to weather and market forces, as opposed to sticking with ranching.

Where ranchers have perhaps just four

By Lorraine H. Marie Reader Columnist

inches of rain, they an still — with knowledgeable management — grow grasses and therefore protein. At one time that protein was bison, but cattle can mimic their impact on the land.

Scientists and labor organizations have been examining extreme heat and the kidneys. So far, they’ve found that high heat scars as well as cripples the kidneys’ microscopic tubes. Kidney disease is expected to soar for outdoor laborers, The Washington Post reported.

Will consumers see stable grocery prices? That depends on a variety of factors, including supply chain shortages, geopolitical events like war in Ukraine and unstable weather patterns, TIME reported.

Average temperatures in the Arctic region, which acts as “a kind of air conditioner for the planet,” have risen two to three times faster than elsewhere, according to World Wildlife Magazine.

The ocean is 30% more acidic than 150 years ago due to CO2 buildup, which affects food security, livelihoods and the world’s economy, according to climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, author of Saving Us and climate ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance.

Morgan Stanley estimated that climate disasters cost $650 billion in the three years from 2015 to 2018. North America’s share was $415 billion.

In the vein of, “First, do no harm,” the American Medical Association backs fossil fuels divestment. A growing number of banks, faith organizations, educational institutions, and individuals are divesting. BlackRock, the world’s largest assets manager, has dropped coal investments.

Blast from the past: “DDT is good for me,” advertisements in the 1950s claimed. The nation was sprayed with 1.35 billion tons of the insecticide before scientists sounded the alarm about impacts on humans and wildlife. It was banned in 1972. New research, shared in Scientific American, shows daughters of DDT-exposed pregnant mothers have higher rates of breast cancer, hypertension and obesity. Their children have a higher body mass index and earlier menstruation. One of many endocrine disruptors, DDT is linked to growth, reproduction, hunger and body temperature. According to researchers, DDT can influence how genes turn on and off, and at least three generations can be affected by exposure.