Earth Wise

When ocean water is too warm, corals expel the algae that lives in their tissues, which causes the coral to turn completely white.  This is called coral bleaching.   When this happens, the coral is not dead.  However, corals are dependent upon the symbiotic relationship with algae and if conditions don’t improve, they don’t let the […]

New York has now installed 1 GW of community solar capacity, which is more than any other state. Community solar is a solar energy project within a geographic area for which the benefits flow to multiple customers such as individuals, businesses, nonprofits, or other groups.  For the most part, the customers benefit from energy being […]

Single-use plastics are used only once before they are recycled – or more likely – simply thrown away.  These are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles, and most food packaging.  They are primarily made from fossil fuel-based chemicals. Since the 1950s, over 9 billion tons of plastics have been produced, […]

The natural world has an important part to play in mitigating the effects of climate change.  We mostly think about the role of plant life which absorbs carbon in trees, grasses, and other flora.  However, a new study published by Oxford University looks at the role of large wild animals in restoring ecosystems and reducing […]

While plastic comes in all different shapes and sizes, those that are less than five millimeters in length are called microplastics.  Primary sources of microplastics include microfibers from clothing, microbeads, and plastic pellets (known as nurdles).  Secondary sources of microplastics come from larger plastic debris, like bottles and bags, that degrades into smaller bits over […]

The thawing of the permafrost in the Arctic is a major concern from the standpoint of the potential release of enormous amounts of carbon dioxide trapped in it.  There are nearly 2,000 billion tons of carbon there, which is as much as humanity releases into the atmosphere in 50 years.  But greenhouse gases are not […]

Many of us have houseplants in our homes and offices.  The foliage and flowers add beauty and comfort to our indoor spaces.  But it turns out that there are health advantages as well. Many studies have demonstrated that indoor houseplants can help keep you happier and healthier by improving your mood, reducing fatigue, lowering stress […]

Octopuses are remarkably intelligent animals.  They have a larger brain for their body size than all other animals apart from birds and mammals.  They exhibit high-order cognitive behaviors including tool use and problem solving.  Some captive octopuses learned to shoot jets of water at aquarium light switches to turn them off.  Others have learned to […]

Despite some March snowstorms in the Northeast, the record shows that spring is getting warmer and coming sooner in the United States. The independent research organization Climate Central analyzed 52 years of spring data across the United States.  Half of the 234 locations studied had an increase in their average spring temperatures of at least […]

The massive megadrought affecting the American West is now considered to be the driest two-decade period in the past 1,200 years.  The lengthy drought has led to increased wildfires, reduced agricultural productivity, and reduced electricity generation by hydropower plants.  The historically low water levels in the largest two reservoirs in the U.S. – Lake Mead […]