Environment  

 

 

NATURE

Cuba: The Accidental Eden


WATCH A PREVIEW
The yellow polymita snail is one of dozens of species in Cuba’s stunning collection of biodiversity, preserved in wild landscapes that lay untouched as Cuba's Caribbean neighbors poisoned or paved over their ecological riches. Now tourism threatens to bring a change for the worse.

Wednesday at 8pm on WGBH 2
NOVA

Inside the Megastorm


WATCH A PREVIEW
The superstorm that hit New York and New Jersey last month begs the question: are lethal storms becoming more frequent? Learn how we will engineer our way to safety as we deal with a new breed of storms.

Earth

Smelly Seaweed Shocks Sunbathers and Sponges


By Toni Waterman
Local researchers say an invasive and rather ... pungent ... species of seaweed that's stormed the coast might not just be unpleasant for beach-goers — it could be crowding out New England sea creatures.
Technology

This Year, Weather Service Will Begin Pushing Notifications To Cellphones


By Eyder Peralta

The service can also be used for AMBER alerts and for presidential communications in cases of a national emergency.

WGBH NEWS

As Water Supplies Wane, What's Next?


MORE INNOVATION HUB
By Kara Miller
Innovation Hub looks at the increasing scarcity of water as the world's population grows.
NOVA

It is a Mistake to Divorce Ourselves from Nature


NOVA: A Conversation with E.O. Wilson
E.O. Wilson, father of Biophilia, reminds us that humans are also a biological species that belongs to the Earth and forgetting that could have dire consequences for the environment.
Science

Is Japanese Dock A Noah's Ark Or A Trojan Horse?


About 100 tons of marine life rode aboard the huge concrete dock that washed ashore in Oregon earlier this week. Marine biologists were shocked to see that Japanese coastal species survived the trans-Pacific trek, but they are also worried about the risk for invasive species.

Energy

From Food to Fuel


By Toni Waterman
A Rutland dairy farm's second "cash cow" is a food-to-fuel energy system that could be a model — especially as the state considers requiring all large companies to compost their food waste. Watch it in action.
Fish

Exploring the New Fish Counter at Whole Foods


MORE FISH NEWS AND RECIPES
By Toni Waterman
Whole Foods has stopped selling "red-rated" fish. We take a trip to Cambridge to look at what that really means for shoppers.
Business

Exporting Boston's Plastics


INNOVATION SPOTLIGHT: RECYCLING PLASTICS
By Cristina Quinn & WGBH News
Some plastic waste gets recycled in New England plants. But some gets shipped overseas in the proverbial slow boat to China. See photos of one Chinese vessel and get a sense of the scale of our plastic exports.
Environment

Innovation Spotlight: Recycling Plastics


WHAT HAPPENS TO THE REST OF IT
By Cristina Quinn
Banned in Concord, the plastic water bottle has become a symbol of waste. But an entire industry wants you to keep using plastic ... as long as you toss it in the blue bin. WGBH News finds there is, indeed, a future in plastics.
Environment

Greenland's Ice Melting Slower Than Expected



By Richard Harris
A new study says the runaway meltdown of Greenland's ice isn't happening as some had feared. This means a "worst case scenario" of six feet of sea level rise by the end of this century is unlikely, a polar researcher says.
News

Watch NPR's Official AntCam



MORE SCIENCE NEWS
By Eyder Peralta
60 harvester ants begin their journey at NPR HQ, and you can watch in real time.
Environment

Wasting Away: An Earth Day Look At Living Among Garbage



MORE SCIENCE NEWS
By Dana Farrington
Around the globe, waste can tell both an environmental and social story. Here are some reports of communities living in, among and off of others' trash.
Weather & National Disasters

Fires Flare in a Dry Forest


2011 STORM DAMAGE PERSISTS
By Toni Waterman
It has all the worst ingredients: toppled trees, dry gusts of wind, pine needles parched and brittle. Brimfield State Forest has become a forest-sized fireplace. After an early-April blaze, rangers talk about what they're doing to help.
NOVA

Melting Glaciers Warn of Global Warming


NOVA: Profile of Lonnie Thompson
Called the Paul Revere of glacier melt, Ohio State professor Lonnie Thompson says, from what he has observed of glaciers melting, the Earth is experiencing rapid climate change.
NOVA

Lessons from a Fatal Crash


NOVA: How Air Flight France 447 Could Have Been Saved
What have scientists learned from examining the little evidence they obtained from the worst crash in Air France's history? (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Physics & Mathematics

Physics in the Eye of the Beholder


NOVA: The Elegant Universe
MIT Physics Professor Walter Lewin explains what art and physics have in common.
Technology

Kinetic Theory and Absolute Zero


NOVA: Absolute Zero
INTERACTIVE: States of Matter
Scientists use the theory of kinetic energy to explore ways to harness energy generated from heat and movement.
Earth

Deepen Your Knowledge of the Ocean: Boston Sea Rovers


Boston Sea Rovers
Greater Boston Guest Andy Martinez
Every year, one of the oldest diving clubs in the U.S. shares their love for diving and the sea at an Underwater Clinic, offering hands-on activities, a trade fair and an all-marine film festival.
Earth

Go With The Floe


NOVA: Extinction Happens
Drastic changes to our environment could spell trouble for humans, if we don't have the ability to adapt.
Boston

City Chickens' Goose Is Far from Cooked


By Adam Reilly
Boston is considering changing its codes to foster urban agriculture. It could bring everything from rooftop gardens to beehives to chicken coops to the city’s neighborhoods. But some pioneers have already dug in.
Environment

A Local Perspective on Global Warming: Complete Series


By Heather Goldstone
Temperatures are increasing, weather is getting more erratic and sea levels are rising. What should we do?
SPECIAL SERIES: CAPE CHANGE

Warm Winter, Big Questions


LISTEN NOW
By Heather Goldstone
The mild winter weather make it almost impossible not to wonder: Is it global warming? This week, WCAI's Heather Goldstone looks at the signs and science of environmental change on the Mass. coastline. Part one in a series.
Animals

Ants & Chainsaws: The Fine Art of Scientific Observation


NOVA: E.O. Wilson Explores the Ant World
How easy is it to break up an ant colony?
Animals

Bird Behavior


NOVA: Flying Cassanovas
What's really going on when a flock of birds gather together to chatter?
The Callie Crossley Show

A Future Without Fish?


LISTEN TO THE SHOW
Can New England's fishermen survive environmental regulations? Can New England's fish stock survive the industry? Listen to experts and Congressman Barney Frank discuss the state of an ailing industry. 
Environment

No End To Wave Of Dolphin Strandings On Cape


WGBH: HOW TO SAVE A DOLPHIN
By Brian Morris
Dolphins have stranded themselves along the shores of Cape Cod Bay since at least the Colonial era. But the latest round of strandings has been especially long-lasting. And each time, volunteers go out to help.
Innovation Hub

Innovation For An Energy-Hungry World

By Kara Miller
What it will take to generate the energy and fuel for a planet that just hit 7 billion and isn’t done growing? The old gas-and-coal-powered grid is changing. Germany now generates 20% renewable energy, but America has lagged — and our next guest says that’s got to change.
Animals

How To Save A Stranded Dolphin


CAPE NEWS FROM WCAI
By Brian Morris
This week, a number of the stranded Cape Cod dolphins were seen swimming off the coast of Maine. The head of the marine rescue team talked about how she got them back into the ocean safely.
Energy

Utility Gets Go-Ahead To Purchase Cape Wind Power


WGBH/WCAI CAPE WIND BLOG
CAPE WIND MULTIMEDIA
By Sean Corcoran
The Mass. Supreme Judicial Court has no problem with the state-sanctioned power purchase agreement between Cape Wind and the utility National Grid, ruling that the deal is in the public's interest. 
History

Town's Historic Tree May Be Saved


MORE GREATER BOSTON
By Toni Waterman
In Westport, Mass., a 200-year-old linden tree threatened by a sidewalk may yet wave another day (or century). A "Greater Boston" web exclusive.
Environment

Boston 'Rain Garden' Aims To Clean Polluted River


By Ibby Caputo
In Dorchester's Peabody Square, what looks like an ordinary patch of plants is in fact a sophisticated "rain garden" designed to clean water and keep pollutants out of the Neponset.
Energy

Judges Deny Request To Suspend Nuclear Plant Relicensing


POWER STRUGGLE: COMPLETE SERIES
By Sean Corcoran
Federal regulators will not halt a review of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant's bid to extend its operating license. WGBH News reported on the Pilgrim controversy this November.
Energy

Power Struggle: The Fight Over Pilgrim Nuclear


By Sean Corcoran
The owners of the 39-year-old Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth have applied for a 20-year extension. Opponents question its safety, especially after its sister plant experienced explosions and likely meltdowns this year in Fukushima, Japan. In a three-part series, WGBH News reports on the controversy.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

Power Struggle, Part 2: Burning Out On Fuel Rods


POWER STRUGGLE PART 1: RELICENSING
By Sean Corcoran
At Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, about 3,000 spent fuel rods sit in a pool designed to hold one-third that amount. In Fukushima, some rods stored in similar pools melted down.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

Power Struggle, Part 1: Relicensing Pilgrim Nuclear


By Sean Corcoran
The owners of the Plymouth Nuclear Power Station are asking for it to be relicensed for another 20 years of service. But the landscape surrounding nuclear power has changed since the disaster in Fukushima, Japan. As regulators consider the request, the debate in the community is heating up.
WHERE WE LIVE

Lawrence: A River Runs Through It


WHERE WE LIVE: COMPLETE SERIES
By Phillip Martin
Many residents see the cleaned-up Merrimack River as a metaphor for the positive changes they've been creating in this old mill town. 
WHERE WE LIVE

Where You Live: Norwood, Mass.

By Susan Clare
Our nonprofit, Together Yes, launched this year, is dedicated to sustainability and community building in Norwood. Our grassroots efforts are aimed at getting "small and local." We are becoming a presence in Norwood, and wish to see the town viable and sustainable for all residents and businesses. WHERE WE LIVE: COMPLETE SERIES
Environment

Has Solar's Time Finally Come?


By Gary Mott
Economically viable solar energy for private homeowners is heating up in the U.S. as more companies seek to enter what they admit is a niche market.
LOCAL NEWS

Four Days Later, He's Living In The Dark


WGBH NEWS: POWER OUTAGES CONTINUE
By Phillip Martin
Nelson Butten of Lawrence talked about how he was dealing with lengthy power outages. As late as the morning of November 2, his apartment still had no heat.
INNOVATION

Xconomy Report For Oct. 21, 2011

A Boston-area tech company is creating the software for what could be the nation’s first wireless collision avoidance system for cars.
WGBH 89.7 News

A Pioneering African Environmentalist's Legacy Lives On


By Bob Seay
Nobel Peace Prize-winning Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai died last month but the legacy of her mission is still alive. Maathai spoke about her life's work with WGBH back in 1990 for a series called Race to Save the Planet. Former Nova producer Linda Harrar offered this personal remembrance.
Environment

Nature In Balance: The National Seashore Looks Forward


MORE FROM WCAI
By Sean Corcoran
As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Cape Cod National Seashore bears the legacy of the agreements that founded it -- which supporters say will help it navigate its future.
Boston

Westport Officials Work To Cleanup Toxins Found In Middle School

By Jordan Weinstein
Officials in Westport, Mass., are working to deal with unsafe levels of toxins discovered in a middle school there this week.
Local Politics

RFK Jr.: Patrick Holding NSTAR Merger Hostage To Cape Wind

By Sarah Birnbaum
The administration of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is trying to delay a merger between utility giants NSTAR and Northeast Utilities. And Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the governor is doing it to help the Cape Wind project.
Boston

Once A Sewer, The Charles Is Cleaner — No, Really


WHITHER 'THAT DIRTY WATER?'
By Phillip Martin
The Charles River is a finalist for the International Riverprize, awarded for visionary river-management policies. But the International Riverprize nomination may not be enough to convince those who use the river that it’s safe to go in.
Boston

That 'Dirty Water' Isn't So Dirty Anymore


By Phillip Martin
The Charles River is a finalist for a prestigious international honor. The International Riverprize is a $350,000 award for development and implementation of sustainable river management policies.
Local Politics

New Bill Would Curb Toxic Chemicals In Everyday Products

By Sarah Birnbaum
Environmental activists in Massachusetts are pushing for quick passage of a bill that would restrict potentially harmful chemicals found in everyday products from window cleaners to shampoo. The so-called Safer Alternatives Bill had an initial hearing Tuesday on Beacon Hill.
CLIMATIDE

Could Global Warming Keep Red Tides Lower?



MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
Earlier this spring, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution researchers forecast a “moderate” bloom of red tide, the algal toxin that poisons seafood, in New England. Some researchers think that might be because heavy snow and rainfalls actually freshen seawater.
Local Politics

Sen. Brown, Rep. Tierney Chastise Federal Fishing Authority


By Sarah Birnbaum
A group of Massachusetts’ lawmakers is coming down hard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the agency at the center of a contentious debate over regional fishing rights — and the subject of a damning Commerce Department investigation last year.
Environment

Report: Climate Change Driving Mass Oceanic Extinction


MORE CLIMATIDE

By Heather Goldstone
An international panel of ocean experts known as the International Programme on the State of the Ocean has released a new report that says human activities are driving marine life extinct at an unprecedented and accelerating pace. No sugar coating there.
Boston

Bill Aims To Seal Natural Gas Leaks


By Sarah Birnbaum
A Massachusetts lawmaker is raising concerns about potential natural gas explosions. She's calling for new laws regulating the thousands of known gas leaks around the state.
CLIMATIDE

Is New Bedford's Hurricane Barrier The Future Of Cape Cod?


MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
New Bedford's man-made hurricane barrier has been recertified. With sea levels (and hurricane predictions) on the rise, it's possibile that other coastal areas in Massachusetts will consider erecting similar safeguards.
Environment

Plans For Dams In Patagonia Draw Ire From Chileans



MORE NEWS
By Annie Murphy
The government says the country needs more energy to keep developing and to support a power-intensive copper mining industry. But opponents say the dam project will destroy pristine wilderness. They are calling for a shift in attitudes toward energy and the environment.
Environment

After 30 Years And $1 B, Mass. Superfund Sites Still Toxic


ASHLAND: POISONED TOWN STILL NOT CLEAN
TOWN BY TOWN: TOXINS IN MASS
By Beverly Ford (NECIR)
There are 31 contaminated sites have attained Superfund status due to contamination. According to EPA records, at least one-third of those sites may pose a health risk to people living and working nearby. 
Environment

Toxics In Massachusetts: A Town-By-Town Profile

By Toxics Action Center
An investigation by the New England Center for Investigative reporting found more than 30 toxic sites in Massachusetts. Scroll through this town-by-town report, compiled by the Toxics Action Center, to learn more.
WHERE WE LIVE: ASHLAND

25 Years Later, A Poisoned Town Can't Come Clean


TOXICS IN MASS.: TOWN-BY-TOWN REPORT
By Jared Bowen
A study by the New England Center For Investigative Reporting has found that many Massachusetts sites, including the one in Woburn, still live with a toxic legacy. WGBH's Jared Bowed heads to Ashland, home to a plant whose waste practices ultimately turned deadly. 
Animals

Bears of the Last Frontier: The Road North


WATCH
By Nature

Adventurer and bear biologist Chris Morgan will take us on a motorcycle odyssey deep into the wilds of Alaska. Over a punishing 2,000 mile journey, Chris will explore the amazing resiliency and adaptability of bears through five dramatic Alaskan ecosystems: coastal, urban, mountain, tundra and pack ice.

CLIMATIDE

A Look At The 2010 Fishing Season



MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
Scientists from NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Center in Woods Hole have released an upbeat preliminary report on the 2010 fishing season — the first to be managed by catch-shares management. They say the year saw no overfishing and higher revenues for fishermen.
Business

Fisherman: Catch-Share Sectors 'Eliminate' Some Business


ONE YEAR OLD, CATCH SECTORS 'EFFECTIVE FOR BUSINESS'
By Bob Seay
Fisherman are wrapping up their first full year of compliance with a new set of federal regulations intended to prevent overfishing, called "sectors." Some fisherman say it's helped their businesses, but WGBH's Bob Seay speaks to a Plymouth fisherman who says he's lost 60 percent of his income because of the rules.
The Secret Life of Scientists And Engineers

Katharine Hayhoe: Climate Scientist


WATCH
Katharine Hayhoe is a Research Associate Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas Tech University. In addition to doing cutting-edge research on climate change, Katharine is also a "climate change evangelist."
WHERE WE LIVE: HARWICH

One Year Old, Catch-Share Sectors 'Effective For Business'


By Bob Seay
It has been one year since fishermen in the Northeast began using a new system, called "sectors," for regulating catch shares. Fishermen are split on whether the system of cooperative fishing rights an improvement over old regulations. WGBH's Bob Seay spoke to one fisherman who supports the new system.
CLIMATIDE

Feds Approve Cape Wind's Construction Plan



By Heather Goldstone
A federal agency has approved a construction plan for a wind farm off the Massachusetts coast, clearing the way for work to begin on the nation's first offshore wind farm as early as this fall.
Climatide

Majority In Mass. Say Global Warming Is Reality


MORE CLIMATIDE

By Heather Goldstone
A new survey of Massachusetts residents' thoughts on climate change has just been released. Most of you agree that it's happening, but there are some intriguing details about where the consensus goes from there.
Nova

Mt. St. Helens: Back From the Dead


WATCH
30 years after the massive eruption...could it happen again?
CLIMATIDE

Fighting A Losing Battle With The Sea



THE EMILY ROONEY SHOW: RISING SEA LEVELS THREATEN MASS. COAST
By Heather Goldstone
The conservative consensus among experts calls for 2-3 feet of sea level rise by 2100,and as much as foot by 2050. That could affect life on Cape Cod.
89.7 WGBH

Ferry Company Reverses Course On Cape Wind


By Sean Corcoran
A prominent Cape Cod ferry company has reversed course and says it no longer opposes the plan to install 130 wind turbines in Nantucket Sound, and instead will look to conduct "eco tours" of the Cape Wind turbine site.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

The Falmouth Experience: Complete Series


By Sean Corcoran
Some residents of Falmouth, Mass. say they're suffering headaches, insomnia and depression because of a 400-foot tall town-owned wind turbine that began operating there last year. Most scientists say wind turbines don't cause health problems, but the experience of residents has strengthened anti-wind sentiment in the region.
CLIMATIDE

The Falmouth Experience


READ CLIMATIDE
By Sean Corcoran
Complaints about a turbine in Falmouth are raising the possibility that one bad experience could jeopardize Patrick’s state-wide push for wind energy.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

The Falmouth Experience: The Green Debate


LAWMAKERS RENEW PUSH FOR SIMPLER TURBINE PERMITTING
By Sean Corcoran
The effort to install land-based wind turbines on Cape Cod has slowed, largely because of opposition to a 400-foot tall turbine that was installed last spring in Falmouth.
Energy

The Falmouth Experience: Flickering Light


PART 2: SICK FROM THE NOISE
By Sean Corcoran
Residents in the town of Falmouth say that a nearly 400-foot wind turbine has severely impacted their quality of life. They talk about noise issues, but sound isn’t the only thing generating discontent. There also are complaints about a phenomenon called ‘shadow flicker’.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

The Falmouth Experience: Sick From The Noise



By Sean Corcoran
Some residents of Falmouth say they’re feeling sick from the sounds coming from a large, town-owned wind turbine. While turbines are not silent, those claims are often controversial.
WGBH SPECIAL REPORT

The Falmouth Experience: Life Under The Blades



READ THE STORY ON CLIMATIDE
By Sean Corcoran
Some residents of Falmouth say a wind turbine installed last year has changed their lives — and not for the better. This week, WGBH’s Sean Corcoran explores all sides of the issue in a special series, The Falmouth Experience: The Trouble with One Town’s Turbine.
Journey to Planet Earth

Plan B


WATCH
The Journey to Planet Earth series continues with a special program, hosted by Matt Damon, which features Lester Brown, environmental visionary and author of “Plan B”

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