Bobby Bascomb
Tensions at the US southern border are putting scientists and their work at risk
As the Trump administration’s focus on the US-Mexico border intensifies, scientists who study ecosystems in the region are having a hard time doing their jobs.
Local NGOs repair Puerto Rico’s coral reefs in Maria’s aftermath
Residents worry Massachusetts waste incinerator is contaminating waterways
Love That Dirty Water, Swimming in Boston’s Charles River
Preaching for Keystone
Trans Canada, the company proposing the Keystone XL oil pipeline, needs permission from land owners to have the pipeline cross their property. The oil company has dispatched land agents across rural Nebraska to make their case and get landowners to sign on the dotted line. One such land agent has attracted controversy among rural Nebraskans because of his day job. He’s also a part time Baptist preacher.
Fish Farm Food or Dog Treats?
For the month of April, Earth Month, we look back at a Living on Earth story and then catch up with our sources for an update. This week we hear a story about using leftovers from a college cafeteria as a source of food for tilapia fish grown in an aquaponic system.
Whales at Home in the Caribbean
In the spring, humpback whales begin their annual migration north to various parts the cold and food-rich waters of the North Atlantic. But the entire population cozies up during winter in the warm waters of the Dominican Republic.
Amazon Deforestation on the Rise
After more than 6 years of steady declines the deforestation rate in the Brazilian Amazon has more than doubled in the last six months. Many observers blame recent changes to Brazil’s Forest Code for the dramatic rise.
US Carbon Emissions At A New Low
US carbon dioxide emissions have gone down by 13% in the last five years to the lowest levels recorded since 1994. Cheap natural gas, renewable energy and increased efficiency largely explain our reduced emissions.
Northeastern University Cited As America’s Greenest College
The Green Metric Ranking of World Universities awarded Northeastern University in Boston top ranking for sustainability in the US, and graded it number two of all rated universities worldwide. Northeastern’s winning strategy? Energy efficiency innovations.
REDD Debate
Part of the California cap and trade plan starting in November will encourage polluting companies to buy carbon credits from tropical countries committed to REDD, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation. Many environmental groups and scientists say it’s a win-win for preserving tropical forests and reducing carbon emissions. But others say not so fast.
Marine Biologist Nancy Rabalais Wins MacArthur Genius Grant
Each year the MacArthur Foundation gives a $500,000 prize to people in a variety of fields. This year’s winners include a marine ecologist working on dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico.
Protecting Forests, Sequestering Carbon
We update a Living on Earth story about an indigenous tribe in the Amazon that is working to get paid for protecting their rainforest and the carbon it contains.
Trees
Is Bigger Better? Every year the non-profit organization American Forests updates its registry of the champion trees in each species in the country.