Extremely low winter temperatures over the Arctic are becoming more frequent and more extreme because of climate patterns associated with global warming, according to a new study from an international team of scientists including a University of Maryland researcher. The result is increased chemical reactions among substances humans pumped into the air decades ago, leading to greater ozone losses.

With President Darryll J. Pines accelerating plans to make the University of Maryland campus carbon-neutral by 2025, a long-term program to replace the community’s aging energy infrastructure is taking on even greater importance. A virtual campus briefing on the initiative, called the NextGen Energy Program, will take place at 12:15 p.m. today, hosted by Carlo Colella, vice president and chief administrative officer; Charles Reuning, associate vice president and chief facilities officer; and Scott Lupin, director of the Office of Sustainability. Interested faculty, staff and students can sign up to attend.

Dave Tilley and his family were wilting on a sun-scorched pool deck in Las Vegas when he noticed other vacationers huddled in the shade of a shrub. The University of Maryland faculty researcher figured Mother Nature could be a little more accommodating. His idea: Combine flowering plants with patio umbrellas to provide an eco-friendly form of shade, cooling and beauty. Living Umbrellas, now available outside select D.C.-area restaurants and on the shelves at Sam’s Club, produce natural blooms from spring through fall and come with a solar-powered irrigation system.