Heather Goldstone  

 

Topics by Heather Goldstone

LIVING LAB

Why Deep Sea Volcanoes Matter


VISIT THE BLOG
By Heather Goldstone
Hear an interview with scientist Julie Huber, who witnessed an undersea eruption in the Mariana Arc in 2006 and learn about the microbes these volcanoes support. (photo: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
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?

The Rising Tide


LISTEN NOW
By Heather Goldstone
In part three of this week's series on climate change, we look at the threat rising ocean levels pose to the state's coastline — and to the policymakers who will be forced to face tough questions.
SPECIAL SERIES: CAPE CHANGE

An Ocean with Heat Waves


READ AND LISTEN
By Heather Goldstone
Over the years, any number of regulations have been put in place to protect New England's lobster industry. But now the lobster trade faces a different kind of underwater threat: rising temperatures. Reporter Heather Goldstone continues our weeklong series on climate change.
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.
CLIMATIDE

Photos: The Rise Of Solar Power On Cape Cod


MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
In 2005, 68 photovoltaic systems had been installed or ordered in Cape Cod, with a total capacity of almost 200 kilowatts. Now, the number of installations is nearly ten times that, and the total production is over 5,490 kilowatts.

Massachusetts, From Space



MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
An astronaut on the International Space Station recently photographed a strikingly clear view of the Cape Cod coastline.
CLIMATIDE

24 Turbines, Anywhere But Here


MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
On August 3, the Cape Cod Commission (CCC) will lift a moratorium on wind energy development in state waters off Cape Cod. And they have a map showing where two-dozen turbines can and cannot be located.
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.
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.
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.
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.

State Wants To Cut Wind-Energy Area In Half


EARLIER: OFFICIALS MAY LEASE MORE NANTUCKET WATERS FOR WIND FARMS
By Heather Goldstone
There's an area south of Martha's vineyard that would allow for fast-tracked offshore wind-energy leasing — but the Patrick Administration wants to shrink that area by half, citing shipping and fishing concerns in those waters.

CLIMATIDE

BP Spill Anniversary: Too Soon To Tell



OP-ED: HUMILITY IN THE FACE OF SCIENTIFIC MYSTERY
By Heather Goldstone
WHOI senior scientist Chris Reddy has been heavily involved in research on the effects of the Gulf Oil Spill. One year after the spill began, Reddy says we've got a long way to go before we'll truly understand what it's doing to the ocean.
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.
CLIMATIDE

Three Ways To Cope With Sea Level Rise



MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
So adapting to rising sea levels –- finding ways to protect human lives and properties, and ensure the resilience of our coastlines –- is a must. Here are the options, broken down into three major categories.
CLIMATIDE

Four Reasons Sea Level Is Rising In New England



MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
When it comes to sea level rise, New England is above average. Understanding why requires digging into the multiple distinct processes, both global and local, including melting ice and shifting land.
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.
CLIMATIDE

Four Ways Climate Change Alters Seasons


MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
A number of recent studies indicate that warming air and water temperatures are changing the timing of many seasonal hallmarks, on land and at sea.
CLIMATIDE

A Mostly Good Week For NE Fisherman


MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
You win some, you lose some. Last week brought several developments in the ongoing battle between fishermen and federal regulators over the catch shares management system that went into effect for New England groundfishermen last spring.
CLIMATIDE

Will We Be Eating Fish In 2050?



MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
Humans are pummeling the ocean with a powerful one-two punch of fishing and climate change that could, in a matter of decades, make the large fish we love to eat, like cod, tuna and salmon, a thing of the past.
CLIMATIDE

Could A Greener Ocean Stop Climate Change?


MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
Microscopic plant-like organisms in the ocean take in carbon dioxide. With a little encouragement, they may be one way to combat rising carbon dioxide emissions.

Massachusetts Tries A Softened Plastic Bag Ban



COASTAL EROSION REVEALS HISTORY
By Heather Goldstone
Identical bills calling for “plastic bag reduction” have been filed in the state House and Senate. They're not bans, per se, but they would require retailers to use compostable plastic bags. Lawmakers hope the bill will avoid the wrath of the plastic bag industry, which successfully lobbied to block a fully-fledged ban in California.
CLIMATIDE

On The Upside, Coastal Erosion Reveals History



MORE CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
An above-average winter storm season has taken a toll on the Cape’s shoreline. But that can have its advantages.Every so often, the wave action reveals a bit of Cape Cod’s history.
CLIMATIDE

Setting Catch Limits With Limited Information


LAWMAKERS PLEAD FISHERMAN'S CASE
By Heather Goldstone
At the heart of fisheries management is a delicate balancing act – weighing the needs of fishermen against those of fish. Unfortunately, managers often don’t have the quantity or quality of data one would wish for.
Environment

Feds Refuse To Raise Catch Limits For NE Fishermen


READ THE STORY
By Heather Goldstone
Federal officials have denied Gov. Patrick's request for an emergency increase in catch limits in Northeastern waters. Massachusetts legislators are condemning the decision, saying the limits are based in inaccurate measurements of fish population.
CLIMATIDE

Slideshow: The Face Of Energy On Cape Cod


READ CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone
All electricity generation comes with costs. A brief tour of power sources on and around Cape Cod highlights some of the financial, environmental, and public health concerns.
Climatide

Incremental Science... And Journalism


READ CLIMATIDE
By Heather Goldstone

 A new piece by Michael Lemonick puts both the ocean cooling theory and media coverage of science into perspective.

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