Air and Water
Just how safe are our parks?
Our national park system enjoys almost universal bipartisan support in Congress. True, the parks don’t get all the money they need, but there is no obvious constituency that seeks to dismantle the park system. We all believe that the parks preserve at least a token of the natural heritage of this country, and certain parks, like the Grand Canyon, are iconic. [Read more…] about Just how safe are our parks?
Nurturing some nature in all of us
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I grew up with a butterfly net in hand. Not that my parents appreciated it. My mother dreaded most things in nature—rodents, poison ivy, and bugs. Even my rock collection was regarded as dirty. But my early comparisons of butterflies taught me about the variation within species; there was no perfect specimen of the cabbage butterfly. [Read more…] about Nurturing some nature in all of us
Seas of garbage
The protracted and complicated search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has exposed a worldwide problem that hadn’t previously gotten much attention: the oceans are full of garbage. [Read more…] about Seas of garbage
Eagles and wind farms
Wind power has long faced criticism for the threat it poses to birds – specifically endangered species. Experts estimate anywhere from 140,000 to 328,000 birds are killed each year by wind turbines. [Read more…] about Eagles and wind farms
Tidal barrages
There are two basic ways that ocean tides are used to generate electricity: tidal streams and tidal barrages. There has been a great deal of recent interest in tidal stream power, which works like wind power driven by underwater tidal currents. But tidal barrages or barriers are an older technology that is the basis of the largest tidal power installations in the world. [Read more…] about Tidal barrages
Shrinking salamanders
For the first time, a scientific study has concluded that climate change can alter the body size of a species. It was previously speculated that such a connection may exist, but a new study from the University of Maryland has provided concrete support. [Read more…] about Shrinking salamanders
Oil on the water
Marine scientists have spent considerable time tracing the fate of the oil from the BP Deep-Water Horizon oil spill in April 2010. Some was skimmed or burned at the surface. Some was carried in a plume under the water. And, unfortunately, some moved to shore. [Read more…] about Oil on the water
Refuge for bees
Throughout the country, efforts are underway to cultivate habitat for bees. Recently, the federal government committed $3 million dollars to support honeybees in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota. And in California’s Central Valley, researchers are encouraging ranchers and farmers to grow plants that attract pollinators. [Read more…] about Refuge for bees
Power from the moon
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Almost all our energy ultimately derives from the Sun. There is of course solar power, but even hydroelectric, wind, and wave power are actually driven by the Sun’s energy. Fossil fuels originate from prehistoric plant matter created by photosynthesis. The only major non-solar sources are nuclear power and geothermal energy, which itself results from nuclear reactions in the Earth’s interior. [Read more…] about Power from the moon
Climate change and Coca-Cola
Most corporations are primarily concerned with their bottom line. Even companies with good values must protect their interests and their profits. So at first, many corporations were less concerned with climate change than with keeping their costs down. [Read more…] about Climate change and Coca-Cola
One word: Plastics
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Plastics, Mr. Robinson advises the young Ben Braddock, played by Dustin Hoffman, in the Graduate more than 40 years ago. And, he was right: the production of plastics increased from 1.7 to 280 million tons per year during the past 60 years. Plastics are found in nearly all products we buy, either as central components or in the packaging that contains them. [Read more…] about One word: Plastics
Scarce water
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Water poverty – the lack of access to clean, fresh water – is a much-discussed problem in the developing world. However, problems with water scarcity are in no way limited to third-world countries. [Read more…] about Scarce water
Progress in ocean energy
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For over a decade, the annual Ocean Energy International conference has followed the steady but creeping progress of technologies to extract energy from the world’s oceans. This year’s meeting in Providence, Rhode Island featured multiple announcements of major new projects. The pace of commercialization of ocean energy is definitely quickening. [Read more…] about Progress in ocean energy
Is the Atlantic a re-circulating bathtub?
From the shore, we are likely to overlook the real dynamics of the Atlantic Ocean. Surface and deep ocean currents stir its waters in a global circulation that each year carries more water than all the rivers of the world combined. [Read more…] about Is the Atlantic a re-circulating bathtub?
Oil-palm in Africa
Palm oil is in demand. It’s found in nearly half of the processed foods in our supermarkets, from ice cream and cookies to canned soup and baby formula. But plans to cultivate the oil palm tree in its native Africa are raising concern about deforestation and the protection of primates. [Read more…] about Oil-palm in Africa
California's water
We’ve all seen the news reports of this winter’s devastating drought in California. Last year was the state’s driest in more than a century, resulting in a water shortage with dire consequences, especially for farmers. Even recent rain and snow storms have made only a minuscule improvement in the severe water deficit. [Read more…] about California's water
Salt-water fish save water
An estimated 80% of the water used in the U.S. supports crop and livestock production. Resource managers are increasingly concerned about the excessive amount of water required to satisfy our nation’s appetite for beef. Using conservative estimates, it takes 441 gallons of water to produce one pound of conventionally raised beef. [Read more…] about Salt-water fish save water
Dirty drinking water
A new government study is raising red flags about the safety of our drinking water. EPA and U.S. Geological Survey scientists analyzed treated water samples from 25 U.S. utilities. They found that more than 1/3 contained chemicals not regulated by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. [Read more…] about Dirty drinking water
The U.S. is emitting less carbon
