Natural gas, fracking, and your green lawn
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EW-07-18-12-Lawn-Fracking.mp3|titles=EW 07-18-12 Lawn (Fracking)]
When you buy fertilizer, you’ll notice three numbers on the label, for instance, 12, 6, 6. These indicate the percentage of three key nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. For green grass, nitrogen is the most important ingredient. [Read more…] about Natural gas, fracking, and your green lawn
Butterflies—field reporters from nature
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EW-07-17-12-Butterfly-Census.mp3|titles=EW 07-17-12 Butterfly Census]
Butterflies are beautiful creatures. They are also useful barometers for the state of an ecosystem. Their presence or absence provides insight into pollution, the health of native plants, and the impacts of climate change. [Read more…] about Butterflies—field reporters from nature
Dead wood shapes streams
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EW-07-16-12-Deadwood-Streams.mp3|titles=EW 07-16-12 Deadwood (Streams)]
Imagine a stream with no plants at all. Water flows rapidly, tearing out a deep channel. Anything you put into the stream is subject to being moved out. [Read more…] about Dead wood shapes streams
Ponds are falling silent around the world
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EW-07-13-12-Frogs-Cytridomycosis.mp3|titles=EW 07-13-12 Frogs (Cytridomycosis)]
From the Andes to the Pyrenees, a fungal disease has been blamed for the death of frogs and salamanders. A number of species native to Australia and South America are now extinct and massive declines have been recorded in North America and Europe. [Read more…] about Ponds are falling silent around the world
Keeping the military on a black-gold diet
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/EW-07-12-12-Military-Biofuels.mp3|titles=EW 07-12-12 Military Biofuels]
What if I told you that a new policy would be good for the military, good for farmers, and good for the environment? You’d probably find that combination hard to believe. But, suppose I also told you that the U.S. Congress just killed it. [Read more…] about Keeping the military on a black-gold diet
What we learned when the power went off
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EW-07-11-12-Power-Outage.mp3|titles=EW 07-11-12 Power Outage]
The EPA has estimated that power plants are responsible for 22 percent of nitrogen compounds and 69 percent of sulfur compounds that cause air pollution. The rest comes mostly from internal combustion engines and agricultural practices. [Read more…] about What we learned when the power went off
If you hate poison ivy, you’re not going to like this
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EW-07-10-12-Poison-Ivy.mp3|titles=EW 07-10-12 Poison Ivy]
Plants make food from carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas; its increasing presence in our atmosphere contributes to a warming earth. [Read more…] about If you hate poison ivy, you’re not going to like this
Diversifying U.S. farms and eating better
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EW-07-09-12-Farm-Bill.mp3|titles=EW 07-09-12 Farm Bill]
Last year the U.S. Department of Agriculture rolled out new dietary guidelines. They included “My Plate”—a campaign encouraging all Americans to get half of their calories from fruits and vegetables. [Read more…] about Diversifying U.S. farms and eating better
Quality hay versus quality birds. What should we choose?
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EW-07-06-12-Bobolinks.mp3|titles=EW 07-06-12 Bobolinks]
The male bobolink is a striking black-and-white bird with a creamy yellow cap. It’s sometimes called the skunk blackbird due to the pattern of its coloring. The bobolink’s song has been described as “a reckless song fantasia, an outbreak of pent up, irrepressible glee.” The bobolink’s song, beauty, and rarity make it a favorite among birdwatchers. [Read more…] about Quality hay versus quality birds. What should we choose?
Are new wetlands any good?
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EW-07-05-12-New-Wetlands.mp3|titles=EW 07-05-12 New Wetlands]
In 1972, when Congress passed the Clean Water Act, protection was given to wetlands. Once treated as wasteland, wetlands were recognized as unique habitats in filtering water, preventing floods, and sheltering wildlife. Dredging or filling them was forbidden. [Read more…] about Are new wetlands any good?
Greening the rocket’s red glare
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EW-07-04-12-Fireworks.mp3|titles=EW 07-04-12 Fireworks]
Tonight, in honor of our nation’s independence, millions of Americans will grab a blanket or a lawn chair and watch fireworks. Pyrotechnic demonstrations have become an inseparable part of our country’s Fourth of July celebration. [Read more…] about Greening the rocket’s red glare
The dirty truth about unpaved roads
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EW-07-03-12-Unpaved-Roads.mp3|titles=EW 07-03-12 Unpaved Roads]
In rural areas, unpaved roads hold a certain charm. They restrict the volume and speed of traffic and, compared to their paved counterparts, are less expensive to build. But are they a greener alternative? [Read more…] about The dirty truth about unpaved roads
Slowing down super salmon
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EW-07-02-12-GMO-Salmon.mp3|titles=EW 07-02-12 GMO Salmon]
AquAdvantage salmon could become the first genetically-engineered animal approved for human consumption. A 2010 Food and Drug Administration evaluation was supportive of commercializing the fish. Recommendations now await further White House review. [Read more…] about Slowing down super salmon
The Earth Observing System
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EW-07-06-12-Earth-Observing-System.mp3|titles=EW 07-06-12 Earth Observing System]
My most lasting memories of John Glenn’s space flight and Neil Armstrong’s 1969 landing on the Moon were the pictures they took of the Earth. We could see our marvelous blue planet against the black backdrop of outer space. [Read more…] about The Earth Observing System
In nature – there is no dead wood
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Most people recognize the role living trees play in ecosystems. As individuals they provide shade and shelter, together they form the familiar landscape of the forest. [Read more…] about In nature – there is no dead wood
Andean villagers reel from the impact of disappearing glaciers
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EW-06-27-12-Elemento-.mp3|titles=EW 06-27-12 Elemento]
Within the shadow of towering, snow-capped Mt. Ausangate in the Peruvian Andes resides a pantheon of gods, spirits, and demons, according to local Quechua folklore. [Read more…] about Andean villagers reel from the impact of disappearing glaciers
Where did all the acorns go?
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EW-06-26-12-Acorns.mp3|titles=EW 06-26-12 Acorns]
For many years, oaks in the Northeast were prolific acorn producers. The 2010 crop was record-breaking—many will recall getting hit with acorn rain or slipping on acorns underfoot. Last fall, however, acorns were scarce. [Read more…] about Where did all the acorns go?
Will you be one of the five million people who will visit the Grand Canyon this year?
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EW-06-25-12-Grand-Canyon.mp3|titles=EW 06-25-12 Grand Canyon]