Why is a river in a remote part of Alaska turning orange? đ€
Thawing permafrost appears to be the culprit, and scientists are working to pinpoint the exact causes.
Thawing permafrost may be exposing sulfide-rich minerals, which can release sulfuric acid into the water. Another factor may be iron released by bacteria that are digesting plant and animal matter in thawing permafrost soils. As that iron reaches flowing streams, it can become oxygenated, or ârust,â and turn the water orange.
As permafrostâthe year-round frozen ground prevalent across the Arcticâthaws, it releases the potent greenhouse gas methane, thereby feeding more warming and thawing, while also destabilizing the ground and potentially letting loose dormant pathogens.
#Alaska #Permafrost #EarthFromSpace #NASA
Image Description:
1: A satellite image showing green mountains and tan valleys, with no visible human presence: no roads, no settlements. A small river near the center of the image is a bright orange color
2: Image of the same area as the first image. The area is labeled Kobuk Valley National Park. A small river near the center of the image is a bright orange color. There is a white box around the river, and an enlarged view of it at the lower right corner of the image. The orange river is labeled Tukpahlearik Creek, and in the enlarged view the creek is seen as several small channels, like a braided stream.
Sustainable construction is accelerating across global markets as governments, developers and manufacturers align on reducing the carbon footprint of construction through measurable frameworks such as whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment. Milanâs new Olympic Village exemplifies this shift, combining low carbon design principles with renewable building materials and a circular economy strategy for post-Games adaptation. The project demonstrates how sustainable building design can deliver substantial embodied carbon savingsâstudies estimate a 40% reduction compared with conventional developmentsâwhile creating flexible spaces that extend asset lifespan and improve building lifecycle performance.
Efforts to achieve net zero whole life carbon are influencing every phase of project delivery, encouraging the adoption of sustainable building practices that balance cost, performance and resilience. The UK construction sector is prioritising environmental sustainability in construction by investing in digital technologies that enhance resource efficiency in construction and optimise sustainable material specification. Manufacturers are adapting product processes to embed low embodied carbon materials and provide transparent environmental product declarations (EPDs). This upstream innovation supports a more accountable supply chain that accelerates carbon footprint reduction and nurtures a culture of eco-friendly construction.
In North America, corporate commitments to decarbonising the built environment remain resilient, with many major firms maintaining or strengthening net zero carbon targets despite market instability. Their strategies increasingly draw upon lifecycle assessment to examine both embodied carbon in materials and operational impacts, signalling a deeper understanding of whole life carbon across portfolios. As BREEAM and the forthcoming BREEAM v7 standard gain further traction, these certification frameworks offer consistent guidance on achieving energy-efficient buildings and low-impact construction outcomes aligned with global climate objectives.
On the logistics front, incremental shifts are already changing how projects manage transport-based emissions. The recent decision by AkzoNobel to fuel its logistics fleet with hydrotreated vegetable oil highlights a practical move towards carbon neutral construction and the wider adoption of circular construction strategies. By reducing embedded emissions and supporting renewable supply chains, such initiatives support life cycle thinking in construction, crucial for achieving low carbon building outcomes and strengthening environmental sustainability credentials.
Economic challenges persist, with the Building Cost Information Service projecting significant increases in construction and tender prices. These pressures reinforce the importance of life cycle cost analysis to ensure that initial expenditure on green building materials or eco-design for buildings delivers measurable long-term value. Policymakers and developers face an urgent choice between short-term savings and long-term resilience. The pathway to net zero carbon buildings depends on embedding sustainable design at every decision point, fostering a genuinely circular economy in construction that rewards innovation and safeguards environmental sustainability in the built environment.
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