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Earth Wise

By Randy SimonScience Education Self-Improvement Natural Sciences Nature

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Earth Wise episodes

September 27, 2019 Mistaking Plastic For Food
Green sea turtles are one of the world’s largest species of turtle, with some measuring close to four feet long and weighing up to nearly 300 pounds. Their range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with the largest nesting populations found in Costa Rica and Australia.
Green sea turtles get their name
from the green layer of fat under their shell, as opposed to their shell
itself, which can be brown, green, yellow, and/or black. Scientists believe the green coloring of their
fat is a result of their diet. Unlike
most other sea turtles, green sea turtles eat marine plants such as seaweed and
seagrass.
But new research suggests that green sea turtles are also more likely to swallow plastic because it resembles their natural diet. The scientists from the University of Exeter and the Society for the Protection of Turtles who examined green sea turtles that washed up on beaches in Cyprus found they favored narrow lengths of plastic in natural colors (like green and black) as opposed to debris of other shapes and colors.
Researchers were able to examine the full gastrointestinal tract of 19
green sea turtles. They found pieces of
plastic inside every one of them, with the number of pieces ranging from three
to 183. Smaller turtles tended to
contain more plastic, possibly because they are less experienced or because
diet choices change with age and size.
Previous research has suggested that leatherback sea turtles also eat
plastic that resembles their food: jellyfish.
Researchers hope these findings will help motivate us to continue to
work on reducing our overall plastic consumption and pollution.
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Green turtles eat plastic that looks like their food
Photo, posted September, 2007, courtesy of Brock Roseberry via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min
September 26, 2019 Hundred-Year Floods Becoming One-Year Floods
By definition, 100-year floods are intense flooding events that historically tend to happen once every 100 years. Put another way, a 100-year flood has a 1 percent chance of happening in any given year.
According to new research published in the journal Nature
Communications, rising global temperatures may turn 100-year floods into
annual occurrences in parts of the United States. The increase in severe coastal flooding
events by the end of this century will be a result of rising sea levels and
stronger, more frequent tropical storms and hurricanes.
The study, led by researchers at Princeton University and MIT,
examined flood risk for 171 counties along the US East Coast and the Gulf of
Mexico. Their analysis concluded that
100-year floods will become annual events in New England. In the US Southeast and Gulf of Mexico,
counties could experience such floods as often as every year up to as seldom as
every 30 years.
Previously, most analysis of coastal flooding has looked only at the
impact of sea level rise on flood risk.
This new research combined the risk of rising seas with projected
changes in coastal storms over the course of this century. Data from the Gulf of Mexico revealed that
the effect of stronger storms is comparable with or even more significant than
the effect of sea level change for 40% of the counties studied. So, neglecting the effects of storm
climatology change is likely to significantly underestimate the impact of
climate change in many places.
The hope is that more comprehensive flood risk data can be used to
create more effective climate resiliency strategies all the way down to the
county level.
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100-Year Floods Could Soon Happen Annually in Parts of U.S., Study Finds
Photo, posted August 31, 2017, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min
September 25, 2019 Cleaner Air Saves Lives
A new study by Columbia University has concluded that lower air pollution levels saved an estimated 5,660 lives in New York State in 2012, compared to 2002 mortality levels.
The study looked at New York State levels of the specific type of
pollution known as fine particulate matter, referred to as PM2.5. These microscopic particulates are a mixture
of solid particles and liquid droplets that either come from burning fuel or
are formed in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such
as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from power plants, industries, and
automobiles.
Long-term exposure to PM2.5 can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular
problems.
The study looked at extensive amounts of data to analyze trends in PM2.5 levels across New York State. The data showed that PM2.5 levels dropped by 28 to 37% between 2002 and 2012. This was a result of continued progress in cleaner vehicles, the reduction of high sulfur-dioxide emitting coal-burning power plants, and other air pollution reduction programs. They calculated that this amount of reduction in PM2.5 reduced the air pollution mortality burden for New York State residents by 67% – from 8,410 premature deaths in 2002 to 2,750 deaths in 2012.
The study provides evidence that emission controls on air pollutants –
which were initiated by the Clean Air Act of 1970 and later expanded in 1990 –
have improved public health across New York State. According to the researchers, the study is a
key step to documenting the health benefits from cleaner air.
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Air Pollution Cuts Are Saving Lives in New York State
Photo, posted October 13, 2018, courtesy of Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min
September 24, 2019 Agrivoltaics
A new study by Oregon State University has found that the most productive places on Earth for solar power are farmlands. In fact, if less than 1% of agricultural land was converted to solar panels, it would be sufficient to fulfill global electricity demand.
The concept of co-developing the same area of
land for both solar photovoltaic power and conventional agriculture is known as
agrivoltaics.
The synergy between agriculture and solar power
is not surprising. People have been
growing crops around the planet for at least 8,000 years and, long ago, farmers
found the best places to grow them which turn out to also the best places to
harvest solar energy. The needs for
solar panels are pretty similar to those of food crops. The efficiency of the panels decreases if
they get too hot. Barren land is hotter
than cropland, so the productivity of solar panels is less in such places.
The Oregon State Study analyzed power production
data collected by Tesla, which had installed five large grid-tied,
ground-mounted solar electric arrays owned by Oregon State. The researchers monitored air temperature,
relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, soil moisture, and incoming
solar energy. With the data, they
developed a model for the best conditions for solar panel productivity and they
coincide with excellent conditions for agriculture. Solar panels are kind of like people with
regard to the weather: they are happier
when it is cool and breezy and dry.
Previously-published research shows that solar
panels actually increase crop yields on pasture or agricultural fields.
These new results have implications for the
current practice of constructing large solar arrays in deserts. Agricultural lands may be a much better
option for both solar production and crop production.
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Installing solar panels on agricultural lands maximizes their efficiency, new study shows
Photo, posted April 20, 2011, courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min
September 23, 2019 The Decline Of Earth’s Largest Freshwater Creatures
While nearly 70% of the globe is covered by water, only 2.5% of it is freshwater. The rest is saline and ocean-based. And only 1% of our freshwater is easily accessible, with much of it locked away in snowfields and glaciers.
Despite freshwater only making up a small fraction of all water on the
planet, it’s home to one third of all vertebrate species. Some have survived hundreds of millions of
years, but many of the world’s largest freshwater creatures – including fish,
reptiles, amphibians, and mammals – may soon find themselves on the brink of
extinction.
According to a study recently published in the journal Global Change Biology, scientists from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries and international colleagues have quantified the global decline of freshwater megafauna for the first time. In four decades since 1970, the global populations of these freshwater giants have declined 88% – twice as much as the loss of vertebrate populations on land or in the oceans.
Freshwater megafauna include all freshwater animals that weigh 30
kilograms (about 66 pounds) or more, such as certain dolphins, beavers,
crocodiles, turtles and sturgeons.
Overexploitation is one of the main threats to freshwater megafauna. (These animals are often targeted for their meat, eggs, and skin). The other main threat is the loss of free-flowing rivers. Many of the world’s large rivers are already highly fragmented, which impacts access to spawning and feeding grounds. The research team says another 3700 large dams are planned or under construction, including 800 in habitats rich with freshwater megafauna, including the Amazon, Congo, and Ganges river basins.
Current conservation measures are clearly failing our freshwater
creatures.
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88 percent decline of big freshwater animals
Earth’s largest freshwater creatures at risk of extinction
Photo, posted March 25, 2012, courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min
September 20, 2019 Floating Solar Fuel Farms
Limiting global warming will require a massive reduction in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning. Renewable energy sources are playing a growing role in the power grid and electric cars are becoming increasingly popular. Despite all this, carbon-based liquid fuels will continue to dominate our energy use for the foreseeable future.
Researchers in Norway and Switzerland have described a potential scheme that would help remove CO2 from the atmosphere and produce a valuable liquid fuel.
The idea is to create floating islands containing large numbers of
solar panels that convert carbon dioxide in seawater into methanol, which can
fuel airplanes and trucks.
A combination of largely existing technologies would be the basis of
these floating islands, which would be similar to present-day floating fish
farms. The researchers envision clusters
each composed of 70 circular solar panels that in total cover an area of
roughly half a square mile. The solar
panels would produce electricity, which would split water molecules and isolate
hydrogen. The hydrogen would then react
with carbon dioxide pulled from seawater to produce usable methanol.
The technology already exists to build the floating methanol islands
on a large scale in areas of the ocean free from large waves and extreme
weather. Suitable locations are off the
coasts of South America, North Australia, the Arabian Gulf, and Southeast Asia.
A single floating solar farm could produce more than 15,000 tons of
methanol a year – enough to fuel a Boeing 737 airliner for more than 300
round-trip flights across the country.
Floating energy islands would not be a magic bullet for limiting the
effects of climate change, but they could well be an important part of an
overall strategy.
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Giant Floating Solar Farms Could Make Fuel and Help Solve the Climate Crisis, Says Study
Photo courtesy of PNAS.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min
September 19, 2019 The State Of The Climate
The federal government has issued the annual State of the Climate report and it is a sobering one. The report states that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rose to levels the world has not seen in at least 800,000 years. Global carbon dioxide concentrations reached a record 407.4 parts per million during 2018. That is 2.4 ppm more than 2017.
Other greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide also continued
their rapid increase. Taken together,
the global warming power of greenhouse gases was 43% stronger than it was in
1990.
Along with greenhouse gases, global sea levels also reached their
highest levels on record for the seventh consecutive year. Ocean levels are rising about an inch per
decade, but that number may rise if ice melt at the poles continues to
accelerate.
Global temperatures had their fourth highest level on record in 2018,
slightly lagging 2016, 2015, and 2017 for the highest ever. A La Niña over the Pacific cooled ocean
waters for part of 2018, keeping temperatures a bit lower. So far, 2019 is on track to be the warmest
year in recorded history.
Global sea temperatures also set a record level in 2018. And glaciers continued to melt at an alarming rate for the 30th consecutive year.
The State of the Climate report is yet another in a series of expert, science-based reports that continue to sound the alarm about the climate crisis. Climate change is affecting our weather, agricultural productivity, water supply, public health and national security. Unfortunately, the facts continue to be drowned out for many people by blogs, pundits, and posts on social media.
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Greenhouse Gases Reach Unprecedented Level
Photo, posted January 13, 2014, courtesy of Ronnie Robertson via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min
September 18, 2019 New York Offshore Wind
New York has passed ambitious legislation to reduce the carbon emissions that cause climate change, but the state needs to start taking action to make those reductions possible. One such action it has taken is an agreement that will enable the construction of two large offshore wind projects.
The projects are to be built off the coast of Long Island. One will be 14 miles south of Jones Beach and
the other 30 miles north of Montauk. The
wind farms will be built by a division of Equinor, a major Danish energy
company, and a joint venture between Orsted, another Danish company, and
Eversource Energy, an American firm.
The two New York wind farms are expected to be operational within the
next five years and have the capacity to produce 1,700 megawatts of
electricity. That is about 20% of
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s overall goal for offshore wind.
Wind farms are a major energy source in the United States, now
providing about 7% of the country’s electricity. That compares with only 2% in 2010. But nearly
all American wind turbines are on land.
There is only one small offshore wind farm in the US off the coast of
Rhode Island. Things are very different
in Europe. For example, Britain expects
to get 10% of its electricity from offshore wind next year, which is up from
less than 1% in 2010.
Developers of offshore wind farms have struggled to gain a foothold in
the US. Some projects have foundered
because of cost issues, but others have faced opposition from politicians and
coastal-property owners. But assuming
the New York wind projects clear permitting and environmental hurdles, offshore
wind may finally be on the move in the US.
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New York Awards Offshore Wind Contracts in Bid to Reduce Emissions
Photo, posted May 22, 2007, courtesy of Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min
September 17, 2019 Wildfires And Carbon
This summer has been an unprecedented year for fires in the Arctic. Major fires have burned throughout the Arctic in Russia, Canada, and Greenland. In total these fires released 50 million tons of carbon dioxide in June alone, which is as much as Sweden emits in an entire year.
In an average year, wildfires around the world burn an area equivalent
to the size of India and emit more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than global
road, rail, shipping and air transport combined.
Ordinarily, this is part of a natural cycle. As vegetation in burned areas regrows, it draws CO2 back out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis. This is part of the fire-recovery cycle, which can take less than a year in grasslands, but decades in forests. But in Arctic or tropical peatlands, full recovery may not occur for centuries.
A recent study looked at and quantified the important role that
charcoal plays in helping to compensate for carbon emissions from fires. In wildfires, some of the vegetation is not
consumed by burning, but instead is transformed to charcoal – referred to as
pyrogenic carbon. This carbon-rich
material can be stored in soils and oceans over very long time periods.
Researchers have combined field studies, satellite data, and modelling to quantify the amount of carbon that is placed in storage in the form of charcoal. Their results are that the production of pyrogenic carbon amounts to about 12% of the CO2 emissions from fires and can be considered a significant buffer for landscape fire emissions.
Charcoal does not represent a solution to the problem of increasingly
intense wildfires, but it is important to take it into account in understanding
what is happening.
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How wildfires trap carbon for centuries to millennia
Photo, posted August 17, 2018, courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min
September 16, 2019 Falling U.S. Carbon Emissions
Reducing carbon emissions is a goal embraced by nearly every country in the world, but actually accomplishing it isn’t easy. It is true that renewable energy sources are playing a growing role in energy systems, but counterbalancing that trend is growing energy demand, especially in developing countries.
Here in the US, energy-related CO2 emissions actually went up nearly 3% in 2018 compared with 2017. But the US Energy Information Administration is now forecasting a 2% drop in emissions this year.
The main reason energy-related emissions are headed lower at this point is coal-fired power plant retirements. More than 90% of the coal used in the US goes toward electric power and utilities are increasingly turning away from coal.
The rapid shift away from coal has mostly been due to the increasing
use of natural gas. Natural gas is not actually
a clean and green fuel, but it is definitely less carbon-intensive than
coal. Overall, the total installed
capacity of renewable sources – hydropower, wind, solar, geothermal, and
biomass – has now actually surpassed the capacity of coal plants. Given that renewables have in many places
become the cheapest power option, there is little chance that coal has much of
a future, despite efforts by the current administration.
The electric power sector is gradually moving away from all carbon-emitting sources – a trend that is being reinforced by legislation in many states. The real CO2 emissions leader is petroleum, which accounts for nearly half of the total. We have a long way to go to reduce emissions from the use of petroleum. There are over 250 million cars and trucks on US roads and only a little over a million of them don’t burn fossil fuels.
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US energy-related CO2 emissions expected to fall this year, almost solely due to a drop in coal use
Photo, posted November 6, 2017, courtesy of Cindy Shebley via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
2 min

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From green business and new environmental legislation to how nature impacts our environment in ways never before considered, Earth Wise offers a look at our changing environment.