Sydney Stenekes credits her degree with giving her the confidence to engage with people of diverse cultures Growing up, Sydney Stenekes was taught to help others however she could. Whether teaching kids how to skate or speak English or serving as a student trustee for her school board, she learned “to love and respect everyone…
People who own, operate or work on a farm have higher suicide rates compared to most other occupations The life of a Canadian farmer might sound peaceful – living in the countryside, working outdoors, growing our food. But scratch that bucolic surface and the reality is much different, with high rates of depression and stress…
Retrofitting orphan wells to geothermally heat wintertime water for cattle Tapping the potential of geothermal energy could offer a way to repurpose inactive oil and gas wells, according to a University of Alberta experiment looking at the economic feasibility of heating drinking water for cattle. The case study modelled the economic pros and cons of…
Giving new life to old batteries will be good news for the environment and the bottom line
Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life, powering everything from cellphones to electric vehicles, but they also wear out eventually, and that comes at a cost to the environment. Now, a University of Alberta researcher is exploring how to recycle and regenerate the spent batteries in more eco-friendly ways. Related Stories Researcher aims to squeeze…
Awash in a world of “fast fashion,” it’s all too easy for consumers to toss and replace garments that only need minor repairs
One of the best ways to keep your garments in the closet – and out of the landfill – is to pick up a needle and thread or pay someone else to do it when a button pops or a hem drops. More people, especially men and the younger generation, need to take up that…
Polycystic ovary syndrome causes the ovaries to produce abnormally high levels of male hormones
By the time she was 15, Sarah Chambers knew something wasn’t right with her body. “I was late getting my first period, I’d only have a couple a year, and I had facial hair, but I got told it was teenage hormones.” So she waited, hoping the embarrassing symptoms would fade as she matured –…
Shelterbelts and hedgerows reduce emissions of greenhouse gas by an average of 89 per cent
Both dead and alive, trees are an essential ally for farmers in helping the environment, a new University of Alberta study shows. Preserving and planting shelterbelts and hedgerows – and keeping the deadwood they contain – next to cropland helps store carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “Retaining those live and dead trees, and planting…
Research has found that the sulphur content in some high-performance fabrics weakens them when exposed to moisture
Researchers have solved the mystery of why a high-performance fabric commonly used in firefighting and other protective garments weakens prematurely when exposed to moisture. The breakthrough helps solve a big safety challenge, says Saiful Hoque, a researcher with the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences. “As the garment weakens over time,…
Surface temperatures in Edmonton have increased by as much as 12C compared with surrounding rural areas over the last two decades
Last summer, Nilusha Welegedara and her family sweltered in their rented Edmonton townhouse, relying on air conditioning and fans to help make life bearable. With no trees for shade and living next door to a sun-baked parking lot, even going outside offered little relief, the University of Alberta researcher recalls. But then they moved to…
Men’s and women’s satisfaction in relationships is equally important to predicting happiness
Keeping a romantic relationship healthy takes work – and the burden doesn’t just rest on women, according to a new University of Alberta study. When mixed-gender couples were asked about their relationships, men’s satisfaction levels were found to be just as significant as those of their female partners in predicting their future happiness together, the…